AFF Suzuki Cup Preview: Singapore vs Vietnam

Again, our National Stadium will be reopened for the semi-final second leg match against Vietnam the day following today. During Wednesday's first leg in Hanoi, the Lions looked like the weaker team. They were outclassed and outwitted in every department especially on both flanks. Then after the game, people around you and me were using adjectives like "lousy", "disappointing", "sucks", "poor", "terrible" and many others to describe the national team. Actually, Singapore did not play poorly, it was the Vietnam side that played well. They controlled the game and left little space for their opponents which prevented Singapore from playing their normal passing game. Also, another factor that caused Vietnam to play better are tactics and formations of both sides. I shall analyse it in the next few paragraphs

If you know the game well enough, you would be aware that Vietnam's main style of play is to attack down the wings. Wednesday's match has proven that the Vietnamese wingers are too good for the Lions despite their full-backs training extra hard during practice. So how should we deal with them? I myself personally have a plan and if Raddy Avramovic somehow comes across this blog and sees it before tomorrow afternoon, I hope he will consider it

Ok, first of all, play a 4-2-3-1 formation. Juma'at Jantan should replace the ageing Daniel Bennett at left-back. The ang moh was erroneous throughout the first leg, he even threw the ball "out" from a throw-in during the first half. Then, he passed the ball to the Vietnamese players numerous times. Juma'at is a workhorse with a great engine and more of a natural left sided player. Logically thinking, if Juma'at is given a chance to start, he will surely play well to impress his coach for trusting him, so why not pick him? As for the other three of the back four, it would still be Precious Emuejeraye, Baihakki Khaizan and Noh Rahman.

The purpose of using two defensive midfielders is to counter Vietnam's twin terrors on the wings. Mustafic Fahrudin and Isa Halim will each mark one winger since Vietnam seldom play from the centre of the park. Then the playmaker who is also the third and other player in central midfield will be Shi Jia Yi. Jia Yi has shown that playing on the flank is not the best for him when he was deployed to the left on Wednesday. He is more attack-minded and playing him behind a lone striker looks more desirable

As for both flanks, I think Indra Sahdan Daud should be moved to the right from his natural striker role. Ridhuan Muhammad has immense pace which is something wingers should possess but he seems unable to deliver crosses and when he does, they are normally not sharp enough. My observations tell me that Indra should play in a position where no one is directly in front of him. He was used as second striker behind Agu Casmir in the first leg and failed to provide the much needed link from midfield to the frontman, Put him on the right and let him run down the flank himself, it should be more effective. For the left, Shahril Ishak would be my choice. He can play on either side or upfront. Actually, I pity him as he is not used regularly by Raddy since he has good technique and is versatile. A good alternative for the injured John Wilkinson.

Finally, the lone striker would be Noh Alam Shah. Judging from the previous game, Agu has sort of lost his touch where he scored four goals in the group matches. Techniques aside, Alam Shah has greater determination to do well than Agu where he showed it when he got booked after two minutes of his entry as a substitute in Hanoi. The offside own goal was also due to him putting pressure on the Vietnam defender who scored it.

Before I forget, there is Lionel Lewis in goal for the Lions. He looked like the only player in the team when Singapore played Vietnam, saving many shots time and again when his defenders let him down. And there you go, this is the most desirable starting XI Singapore should have tomorrow at Kallang. Tickets are available now. While stocks last