Domestic striker 'silent' in V-League: Where is Xuan Son, coach Kim is looking for him

The striker problem is still difficult for coach Kim Sang-sik, when domestic strikers are completely outclassed by foreign players in the V-League.

The eternal story in V-League

Domestic strikers have long been at a disadvantage on their home field, as their scoring record in the V-League cannot compare to that of foreign strikers.

It is no coincidence that experts have a self-proclaimed title of domestic top scorer, honoring the Vietnamese player who scores the most goals of the season. There should be a separate ranking for domestic strikers to compete with each other, if they do not want to be overshadowed by foreign players.

Coach Kim Sang-sik has a headache with the problem of the attack line.

PHOTO: MINH TU

Striker Tien Linh almost became an exception in the V-League when he became the first domestic player to win the Golden Boot in 8 years (since Anh Duc in 2017, also playing for Becamex TP.HCM). The player born in 1997 had a goal taken away, so he could not win the Golden Boot with Lucas Vinicius and Alan Grafite.

This season, domestic strikers continue to be at a disadvantage. 9 out of 11 players leading the list of top scorers are foreign players, with Alan Grafite (5 goals), Gustavo Henrique (4 goals), Leo Artur, David Henen, Fred Friday (3 goals), Lucas Vinicius, Pedro Henrique, Luiz Antonio and Daniel ds Silva dos Anjos (2 goals).

There are only 2 domestic players who have scored more than 1 goal in V-League, Tien Linh and Quang Hai with 2 goals each. However, with the special position of Quang Hai, along with the operating philosophy of Coach Polking of CAHN Club, it is very difficult for the midfielder born in 1997 to enter the goal race.

As for Tien Linh, the paradox is that despite winning the 2024 Vietnam Golden Ball and having the best scoring record among current domestic strikers, the 28-year-old striker cannot secure a starting position in the Vietnam national team. At the 2024 AFF Cup, Tien Linh only started 2 matches, before being taken over by naturalized player Xuan Son.

Tien Linh (red shirt) is still the most effective domestic striker.

PHOTO: KHA HOA

Troubled with injuries, plus not being "in tune" with coach Kim Sang-sik's views, the striker of Becamex TP.HCM was on the bench for 2/3 of the most recent matches even when Xuan Son was absent from the national team due to injury.

The type of striker who sticks to the penalty area, looks for space and shoots purely like Tien Linh becomes an "out of tune" note, in the context of coach Kim Sang-sik building a high-intensity playing style, requiring the attack to operate independently, make precise passes and handle the ball accurately.

However, if not Tien Linh, who will Mr. Kim trust, when domestic strikers are painting a gloomy picture in V-League. The main role still belongs to foreign players, while domestic attackers who want a place must play back or on the wing.

Stepping into the Vietnamese national team, when there are no longer foreign "lighthouses" to create space for, domestic strikers and midfielders immediately encounter problems.

Mr. Kim's choice

The nostalgia for Xuan Son will probably surround the Vietnamese team until early next year, when the 28-year-old striker returns.

With the current personnel, coach Kim Sang-sik finds it difficult to find an all-round striker who can decide the outcome of a match with just a neat ball control and a turn to finish. From key players (Tien Linh, Tuan Hai) to young players (Dinh Bac, Quoc Viet), all can only partially meet tactical requirements.

Will Dinh Bac make a difference if given the chance?

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

The Korean strategist needs to build a playing style that suits the current players. Without a striker like Xuan Son and without a "new Xuan Son", the Vietnamese team cannot play long balls or high balls, but needs to control the ball better, to have short passes that suit the agility and technique of the current players.

However, it is a style of play that takes a lot of time to develop. Coach Philippe Troussier once failed with the control philosophy, because with the nature of short training sessions (there are 6 training sessions each year, totaling 75-80 days), it is very difficult for the national team to build cohesion.

Smooth playing style can only be created if V-League teams and youth teams have a unified philosophy. This factor, Vietnamese football has not been able to create.

However, Mr. Kim's Vietnamese team still needs to attack more diversely, systematically and with more intention, instead of relying on any specific individual. At least, that's it, until Xuan Son returns.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chan-sut-noi-im-ang-ov-league-xuan-son-moi-o-dau-thay-kim-dang-tim-185250926183829082.htm