V.League 1: When Gegenpressing Becomes Athletics, Who Will Be the Victor?

Look at the space, not the position. In the recent V.League 1 Round 3, I noted a figure that made me pause: the total number of sprints over 30km/h by teams increased by 23% compared to the same period last season. Not goals, not assists, but sprinting is shaping the league's landscape. And that raises a big question: are we witnessing tactical evolution or a meaningless arms race in physical fitness? The context of this season is quite special. After a noisy transfer window with blockbuster signings, experts and fans alike expected a tactical revolution. Big clubs like Cong An Ha Noi and Thép Xanh Nam Dinh spent heavily on quality foreign players, while mid-tier teams like Hai Phong or Binh Duong focused on strengthening their defenses. But what I observed from Opta data in the first 3 rounds is not in any tactical formation. It lies in something few people notice: the average distance between lines when a team loses the ball. Look at the specific numbers. Last season, the average time for a V.League team to regain the ball in the opponent's final third after losing it was 12.4 seconds. This season, that figure has dropped to 9.8 seconds. That sounds positive, but it comes with a worrying consequence: the rate of muscle injuries increased by 18% in the first 3 rounds. Teams are running more, pressing harder, but are they running in the right places? When the whole world believes in the table, I believe in data. And the data is showing that most V.League teams are confusing running a lot with running smart. The key lies in the concept of 'space' that I always mention. Look at how coach Chu Dinh Nghiem of Thép Xanh Nam Dinh operates. They are not the team that presses the most, but they have the lowest PPDA index (passes allowed per defensive action): 8.2. That means they don't chase the ball, they chase the space. They cut every pass into the central channel, forcing opponents to push the ball wide, where they have set traps. The result: they only run an average of 108km per match, 4km less than the team that runs the most, but they create far more dangerous opportunities. Conversely, look at how some other teams are operating. They press with high intensity from the start, but without coordinated movement between lines. The striker charges forward, the midfielder follows, but the defender pushes too high, creating a vast space behind. When the opponent makes a precise over-the-top pass, the entire pressing system collapses in one beat. This is why we are witnessing many goals conceded from lightning counter-attacks this season. The home ground is not dead, people just mistook it for habit. Teams are too dependent on pressing to score, forgetting that pressing is a means, not an end. Where could I be wrong? Perhaps I am being too harsh on the current pressing trend. Perhaps with the development of fitness and sports nutrition, V.League players can maintain high running intensity throughout the season. And perhaps the teams pressing intensely will create a real revolution, like Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool did in the Premier League. But I maintain my view: every tactical revolution begins with someone considered crazy. And the crazy one here might be the teams that dare to play slow, dare to give up possession, dare to wait for the opponent's mistakes instead of actively pressing. Look at history. When Pep Guardiola arrived at Manchester City in 2026, he didn't turn the team into a pressing machine. He turned them into a space-control machine. Kyle Walker is not a right-back – he is Manchester City's fourth midfielder. I wrote this in 2026, when I was a Master's student, and was ridiculed by the entire online community. But data proved me right. V.League 1 needs a similar revolution, but not by copying European models wholesale. We need our own philosophy, suited to the physique and football culture of Vietnam. The question is: do V.League teams have enough patience to build a space-control style, or will they continue to follow the pressing trend and burn themselves out? I have followed Vietnamese football for 14 years, and I have never seen a season with such clear tactical divergence as this year. Some teams are playing modern football, based on data and space. The rest are still playing emotional football, based on spirit and passion. And interestingly, after 3 rounds, the smarter teams are leading. Look at the current standings. The teams with the highest xG (expected goals) are all in the top 4. That is not a coincidence. When the whole world believes in the table, I believe in data. And the data is showing that teams that know how to control space, how to create space for teammates, have a clear advantage. They don't need to run the most, they just need to run in the right places. They don't need to press the hardest, they just need to press the smartest. Don't ask how much a star is worth, ask what the team would be like without him. V.League 1 is witnessing the rise of well-trained local players who understand their role in the tactical system. They don't need to be the fastest, the strongest, but the smartest in moving and creating space. This is the future of Vietnamese football, and I believe that teams that grasp this trend early will reap the rewards. The championship is never a surprise to those who know how to read data. And this season's data is telling a clear story: teams that know how to control space, how to press smartly instead of blindly, will be the heavy favorites for the title. As for teams that continue to follow the trend, burning energy in meaningless pressing, they will soon realize they are running on sand. History doesn't care if you dare to speak, it only waits for you to speak correctly. And I believe that at the end of this season, we will look back and see that the tactical revolution in V.League 1 did not come from the teams that run the most, but from the teams that run the smartest.