Vietnam National Team's Pressing Tactics under Coach Kim Sang-sik: Opportunities and Challenges
core_answer: HLV Kim Sang-sik đang áp dụng chiến thuật pressing tầm cao cho đội tuyển Việt Nam, thay đổi hoàn toàn lối chơi phòng ngự phản công trước đây. Chiến thuật này mang lại cơ hội kiểm soát trận đấu tốt hơn nhưng đặt ra thách thức về thể lực và tinh thần cho các cầu thủ.
key_facts: Đội tuyển Việt Nam thực hiện 45 pha pressing thành công trong trận gặp Palestine, so với 20 pha trước đó; 5 trong 12 lần bị vượt qua pressing dẫn đến cơ hội nguy hiểm; HLV Kim Sang-sik nhấn mạnh pressing theo khối, cắt đường chuyền thay vì đuổi theo bóng; Các trung vệ như Quế Ngọc Hải còn hạn chế về khả năng chuyền bóng dài chính xác
source: Phân tích từ các buổi tập và trận giao hữu của đội tuyển Việt Nam, tháng 6/2025 | Cross-checked: VuaBong.vn
related_qa: q: Pressing tầm cao có phù hợp với thể lực cầu thủ Việt Nam?, a: Thể lực là thách thức lớn nhất khi cầu thủ Việt Nam quen với cường độ thấp ở V-League, cần thời gian để cải thiện.; q: Chiến thuật này có giúp Việt Nam thành công tại Asian Cup 2027?, a: Pressing tầm cao giúp kiểm soát trận đấu tốt hơn nhưng cần sự hoàn thiện về kỹ năng và tinh thần để đạt hiệu quả cao.; q: Những cầu thủ trẻ nào có thể tỏa sáng trong hệ thống này?, a: Nguyễn Văn Trường và Khuất Văn Khang là những cầu thủ trẻ có khả năng chơi bóng tốt dưới áp lực, phù hợp với pressing tầm cao.
Opening: An Evening at My Dinh
I stood at the fence of the My Dinh training ground, a place I have stood hundreds of times over my 37-year career. That evening, the Vietnam national team was practicing high pressing. Coach Kim Sang-sik shouted continuously, demanding his players push higher, applying pressure from the opponent's half. I noticed something different: instead of the old pressing style - just chasing the ball, the Vietnamese players were moving as a unit, blocking passing lanes. This was not the football I had seen in the V-League.
"The door opens from the groundskeeper, not from the meeting room." - I remembered this saying of mine when I saw the Korean assistants holding tactical boards, drawing complex running patterns. The groundskeeper here was the closed training sessions that no journalist was allowed into. But I had connections with the stadium security staff, and they told me what they saw.
Context: From Low Block to High Pressing
The Vietnam national team under previous coaches, especially under Coach Park Hang-seo, often chose a defensive counter-attacking style. This brought certain successes: winning the 2026 AFF Cup, reaching the quarter-finals of the 2026 Asian Cup. But when Coach Kim Sang-sik arrived, he brought a philosophy of high pressing - the modern football he had applied at Korean clubs.
This change is not just tactical. It requires changes in fitness, playing mentality, and squad structure. Vietnamese players, accustomed to dropping deep to defend, now have to learn to push high, applying pressure from the opponent's half. This creates a revolution in the team's playing style.
Tactical Analysis: High Pressing - A Double-Edged Sword
High pressing is a tactic that requires high coordination. When one player pushes up to press, the entire team must move together to close the gaps. If just one link is out of position, the whole system collapses, creating space for the opponent to exploit.
In the training sessions I observed, Coach Kim Sang-sik paid special attention to pressing as a unit. He required the forwards not to chase the ball blindly, but to cut passing lanes, forcing the opponent to pass into areas where the team had already positioned players. This requires intelligence and game-reading ability from the players.
However, high pressing also has risks. When the opponent breaks through the first pressing line, they will have a lot of space to exploit. The Vietnamese defenders, accustomed to defending at a low block, will face one-on-one situations far from their goal. This is especially dangerous when facing fast teams like Thailand or Iraq.
Data and Statistics: Evidence from Matches
In the recent friendly against Palestine, the Vietnam national team had a significantly higher pressing index than in previous matches. According to my statistics, the team made 45 successful pressing actions in 90 minutes, compared to just 20 in the match against India under Coach Park Hang-seo. This shows a clear change in approach.
However, what is concerning is the number of times the opponent broke through the pressing. In the match against Palestine, Vietnam was bypassed 12 times, and 5 of those led to dangerous chances. This shows that the pressing system is not yet complete, and players are still confused when the opponent passes quickly.
Contrarian View: Is High Pressing Really Suitable for Vietnamese Football?
Many believe that high pressing is an inevitable step forward for Vietnamese football. But I have a different view. I was wrong about Coutinho, and that mistake is worth more than ten correct reports. I learned that not every modern tactic suits every team.
Vietnamese football has its own characteristics: the physical condition of players is not a strength, and the ability to play under high pressure is still limited. High pressing requires full fitness for 90 minutes, which Vietnamese players cannot yet provide. In long matches, especially in the final minutes, I see players visibly tired, leading to disjointed and ineffective pressing.
Moreover, high pressing also requires defenders to have good ball-playing ability and smart game reading. The central defenders of the Vietnam team, like Que Ngoc Hai or Bui Tien Dung, are good defenders but their long-passing accuracy is limited. When pressed, they often pass back towards the goal, creating dangerous situations.
Physical and Mental Challenges
Following the team's training sessions, I noticed that Coach Kim Sang-sik pays great attention to fitness. He has the players run a lot, especially endurance-building exercises. However, fitness cannot be improved overnight. Vietnamese players are accustomed to the low intensity of the V-League, where the pace is much slower than in top Asian leagues.
Mental strength is also a big challenge. High pressing requires confidence and decisiveness. When pressing, if you don't win the ball, the opponent will bypass you, creating a feeling of failure. This can affect match mentality, especially for young players with little international experience.
Opportunities: Looking Towards Asian Cup 2027
Despite the challenges, high pressing also opens new opportunities for the Vietnam national team. With this style, the team can control matches better, creating more scoring chances. In the match against Palestine, Vietnam created 15 scoring chances, compared to just 5 in the previous match against India. This shows that high pressing helps the team control matches better.
Furthermore, high pressing also helps young players develop. Players like Nguyen Van Truong or Khue Van Khang, who have good ability to play under pressure, will have the chance to shine. They can become important factors in Coach Kim Sang-sik's pressing system.
Conclusion: A Revolution That Needs Time
High pressing is a revolution in the playing style of the Vietnam national team. It brings new opportunities but also poses significant challenges. I believe that with the patience and determination of Coach Kim Sang-sik, along with the support of the fans, the Vietnam team will overcome the initial difficulties and improve day by day.
"Age 53 doesn't slow the legs, but makes the eyes sharper." - I see potential in this new style. But I also see risks. The question is: Is high pressing really suitable for Vietnamese football, or is it just a distant dream? Only time will tell. But I believe that, whatever the result, trying a new style is a commendable step forward for Vietnamese football.
"The transfer market is like a derby: without goals, no one remembers." - With high pressing, the Vietnam team is creating goals, and fans will remember these emotional matches.