Hook

Minute 60, the match between Vietnam national team and Indonesia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Quang Hải receives the ball on the right flank and plays a short pass into the middle for Hoàng Đức. But instead of driving forward, Hoàng Đức stops, turns, and passes back to center-back Nguyễn Thanh Bình. A collective sigh from the stands. Vietnamese fans are used to vertical football, but under Coach Philippe Troussier, the team is learning... patience.

I stood in the mixed zone after that match, noting the players' expressions. They were not disappointed, but neither were they fully convinced. And I understood: a new system takes time to sink in, but time in football is the most expensive commodity.

Context

Coach Troussier took over the Vietnam national team in early 2026, succeeding Park Hang-seo – who built a very successful counter-attacking defensive style. Troussier brings a philosophy of possession, high pressing, and building from the back. He once said: "Vietnamese football needs a revolution in playing mindset."

But that revolution is facing many obstacles. In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Vietnam has only 3 points after 4 matches, losing both matches to Indonesia. However, looking at data, the picture is not entirely bleak. According to VangBong.vn statistics, Vietnam's average ball possession under Troussier is 58%, significantly higher than 42% under Park. The number of passes per match also increased from 380 to 520, with a short pass success rate of 87%.

But football is not just about possession. The problem lies in finishing and the ability to counter teams that play with a low block – a puzzle many Southeast Asian teams are facing.

Core

1. Formation and operation

Troussier mainly uses a 3-4-3 formation, with three center-backs who are comfortable on the ball. In midfield, two central midfielders are required to circulate the ball continuously, creating small triangles to escape pressure. This system demands full-backs to push high, becoming genuine wingers.

From data of the team's last 6 matches (collected from open sources), I notice an interesting point: the average position of left-back Đoàn Văn Hậu is often level with the central midfielder, sometimes even higher. This creates a 2-3-5 structure in attack, but also leaves vast spaces behind – exactly what Indonesia exploited in the second leg (the second goal came from a counter-attack after losing the ball in the opponent's third).

2. High pressing: ambition vs. reality

Vietnam's PPDA (Passes allowed Per Defensive Action) under Troussier is 8.7 – meaning opponents are allowed only 8.7 passes before being interrupted. This figure is among the highest in Southeast Asia, close to mid-tier European teams. But pressing is only effective when the whole team moves in sync. In reality, I observed many moments when the forwards (Tiến Linh, Văn Toàn) charged alone to press, while the midfield was still retreating – creating “invisible gaps” that opponents exploited immediately.

Each season is a rhythm cycle, and I learn to count every rest note. Here, the rest note is the delay in reading situations by players – something only time and match experience can improve.

3. Attack: control without bite

Despite dominating possession, Vietnam averages only 1.2 expected goals (xG) per match under Troussier – lower than 1.6 under Park. The main reason lies in finishing and the absence of a true “number 9”. Tiến Linh is often forced to drop deep to participate in build-up play, leaving the opponent's penalty area empty. In 4 qualifiers, only 32% of Vietnam's shots came from inside the box – a very low rate compared to the average of similarly ranked teams (around 45-50%).

That 17-year-old boy doesn't need me to believe in him; he needs me to stand still and see. Here, I stand still to see that Troussier is trying to build a sustainable style of play, but lacks the right pieces. Some young players like Nguyễn Thái Sơn, Khuất Văn Khang have shown good adaptation, but they need more time.

Contrarian

The opposite perspective: Is possession play truly suitable for Vietnamese football?

Many pundits argue that Troussier's philosophy is “out of touch” with Vietnamese football – a football culture used to counter-attacking and limited physicality. But I think that is a shortsighted view. Look at history: Japanese football transitioned from defensive to possession under Alberto Zaccheroni and took 4-5 years to reap rewards. Vietnam does not have that time, but if we give up at the first sign of difficulty, we will never know where this path leads.

In Moscow I learned that: a match can end, but its echo does not. The Indonesia loss is a sad echo, but also a valuable lesson. The problem is not possession, but how to convert possession into goals. Vietnam needs a striker who can move inside the box, or an attacking system with more players pushing forward.

Another blind spot: the ability to play under pressure of the center-backs and goalkeeper. In modern football, the goalkeeper is not just a shot-stopper but also the initiator of attacks. Văn Lâm tends to kick long, contrary to Troussier's philosophy. This is an “invisible gap” that fans rarely notice, but it directly affects the ability to build from the back.

Takeaway

The Vietnam national team is in a difficult transitional phase. But the numbers show they are on the right track, just not fast enough. The biggest question now is not “Should Troussier stay?”, but “Do fans and the federation have enough patience to wait for a system to mature?”

I have witnessed too many revolutions abandoned halfway due to impatience. Vietnamese football does not lack talent, but it lacks long-term faith. And I, with my notebook always in my pocket, will still stand here, recording every step – no matter how small.

A hundred days without spectators, I hear the coach's shout louder than the ball rolling. Today, at Mỹ Đình Stadium, I hear Troussier's shout: “Patience! Keep the ball!” Perhaps, that is what the team needs most right now.

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This article is based on data collected from official matches and field observations by the author. All statistics may change over time.