Nigeria vs Liberia Preview

1. Stephen Keshi's squad list of thirty eight (38) players underlines much of the status of his attempt at rebuilding the Super Eagles, with an initially clear and valid strategy of building from the domestic league instead materializing as a convoluted project with no clear sense of direction, increasingly compromised by considerations outside of the technical realm of football.
2. In goal Enyeama's struggles have drawn attention to the need for competition, but then the invitees are, to a man, all from the same stale pool of shot stoppers, and perhaps apart from Ejide, none of the others has shown himself capable of mounting anything close to a serious challenge for the position...
3. In defence the critical full back positions continue to be unaddressed seriously. Ambrose looks set to continue as a makeshift right back plodding along. Yet an impressive debut at Celtic is evidence the player can do a lot better, with proper organization of the team. The piss-poor Oshaniwa having transfered to Isreal, is thankfully dropped with Ezekiel invited.
4. The key issue for me is the seeming absence of progression in the invitation, trial, elimination or subsequent retention and use of players who substantively make the grade in the team.
5. For all clear intent, only Egwuekwe, Oboabona and Oshaniwa can be said with any certainty to have met this performance standard in defence. Yet the cycle of invitation of the same players continues, with Kingsley Udoh and Ezekiel as the new entrants.
6. Simultaneously, players who are actually showing signs of progress remain sidelined, like Omeruo, Ogungbe and Taiye Taiwo, as well as Apam who has returned to fitness.
7. In midfield only Gabriel Reuben meets this performance standard, yet the same cast of homebased players continue to be invited, in spite of lacking the quality to make a difference in the team. Hopefully the CHAN qualifying series will help raise the standards of some of these players and their competitiveness.
8. At the same time you have young central midfielders like Izunna Uzochukwu at FC Midtjylland consistently overlooked for players of vastly inferior quality, like Raheem Lawal or Obiora Nwankwo whose career has consistently gone south!
9. Mikel Obi finally returns to the national team, his first time under Keshi's tenure, after repeated lack of commitment to the national cause, and for which Keshi rightly held him accountable. In my opinion we should neither pressure nor force Keshi to invite any player to the Super Eagles. If Mikel's professional ambition in football ends at Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London, SW6 1HS, we should oblidge him!
10. While recognizing his progress at Lazio, the invitation of Ogenyi Onazi appears a little premature, and the young player might have been better served by allowing him room to establish his place in the Serie A team. Nonetheless this is a good chance to get him in the frame of the national team with as little pressure as possible, evangelical interests notwithstanding.
11. Fourteen forwards are invited, with many of the locally based players expected to be culled before the full camping begins. Of this number there are seven wide forwards, excluding John Utaka from French champions Montpellier who is dropped as unceremoniously as he was invited, even with his continued good form at club level!
12. Heartland's Obinna Nwachukwu is also dropped from the squad while Gomo Onduku of Sharks returns, nearly two years removed from his better NPL performances.
13. Seven central strikers are invited, one of them, Fidelis Saviour of FC Taraba in the lower division of the Nigerian league. It is unclear if Kalu Uche is dropped since moving to Turkey. Brendan Ogbu, Tony Okpotu, and Manir Ubale are invited for the first time. And the discordant beat goes on...
14. A valid strategy for rebuilding the national team is being subverted. It appears that national team invitation is simply burnishing the CVs of players who subsequently parley this for possible transfer abroad.
15. Let us hope that somehow the Super Eagles is able to benefit from this. See you in South Africa...

The Eagles squad:

Goalkeepers: Austin Ejide, Vincent Enyeama, Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves), Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland)

Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Papa Idris, Umar Zango (Kano Pillars), Solomon Kwambe, Godfrey Oboabona, (Sunshine Stars), Ezekiel Bassey (Lobi Stars), Kingsley Udoh (Heartland), Joseph Yobo, Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose.

Midfielders: Gabriel Reuben (Kano Pillars), Henry Uche (Enyimba), Christian Ofili (ABS), Solomon Jabason (Akwa United), Philip Asuquo (3SC), Joel Obi, Nosa Igiebor, Obiora Nwankwo, Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi.


Forwards:

Wide Forwards: Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers), Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Sunday Mba (Warri Wolves), Gomo Ondoku (Sharks), Sanusi Sani (Gombe United), Izu Azuka (Sunshine Stars),

 

Strikers: Brendan Ogbu (Heartland), Tony Okpotu (Lobi Stars), Manir Ubale (Kano Pillars), Fidelis Saviour (FC Taraba),  Ike Uche, Emmanuel Emenike, Brown Ideye.

Nigeria Can Win the World Cup in 8 Years...

....in women football!

Yes, Nigeria can indeed win the world cup in 2019 and be in the medal rounds in the next olympic games.

Why do I say this?

To understand this, let us begin by looking briefly at the state of women football.

State of Women Football:

Until recently, the major defining elements of women football have not changed significantly since 1999.

On the whole, the US still remains the leading nation in the sport, in spite of successful challenges from the likes of Sweden, Norway, China, Germany, Brazil and more recently Japan.

In turn, US success has been anchored firmly on physical dominance, typically with the big, burly central striker, like Abby Wambach and a mix of a few technical players, like Mia Hamm in the past, and currently Megan Rapinoe.

Tactically, the game has been based on quite simple formulations, fitness and high work rate, speed and dominance in wide areas, and especially the delivery of crosses or the set-piece into the penalty area.

Until recently, teams that have overcome the US have had to match their physical advantage, like Germany did in getting to the summit of the women game.

However this dynamic started to change with the emergence of Brazil and the influence of such technical players like Martha in the ability of the team to control the game with ball possession skills, passing, close control and movement. But the ability of Brazil to dominate has been hampered by poor support from the Brazillian Federation, and poor attention to physical fitness.

In winning the world cup however, the Japanese have built a program anchors possession and the team game on very high fitness levels and work rate.

So How Can Nigeria Win the World Cup or Olympic Gold?

Women football in Nigeria is virtually non-existent as a formal program. But interest in the sport amongst young girls remains and new talent continues to emerge.

In terms of physical strength, Nigerian women can match anyone in the sport, but their ability to use their physical advantage to be aggressive without fouling have been the major weaknesses.

Generally speaking the biggest physical constraints Nigerian women teams have in football lies in poor football specific fitness and nutrition, as well as balance and manouverability, which often impacts ball control and speed with the ball.

In my considered opinion, there needs to be a serious rethink on the focus and choice of players for the national team.

The Players:

It is my view that to win the world cup, Nigeria would need to look at a new generation of women footballers, with the following physical characteristics:

a) Lithe

b) Wiry

c) Resilient (physically and mentally)

d) Pacy (especially with the ball)

e) Great balance and low center of gravity

In addition to these physical qualities, they should have good technique, with great emphasis placed on technical training, ball skills, close control, etc.

Physical conditioning should focus on strength conditioning, enhancing energy levels, stamina and endurance, without build up of unnecessary muscles. Physical conditioning should as much as possible be carried out with the ball.

Formation:

The team structure should be based on a 4-3-3 formation, with a game based on controlled aggression, high fitness levels and pressing tactics.

The primary goal in the non-possession phase should be to physically wear down the opponent with high pressing tactics, but applied cleverly, with emphasis of training placed on giving players the know-how to identify and choose the right moments.

Because women footballers are on average smaller than men, their is more space on the field in the women game and more room for attacking, with female defenders often struggling to defend the whole  penalty area.

Consequently the attacking game should be based on two wide forwards/midfielders with pace and the ability to run at a defence from open play.

Unlike the Japanese model, the goal should not be to use possession as a defensive tactic, but to develop the game in central midfield, control the match, and as a strategic pause to conserve energy levels.

In the attacking phase, controlled possession in central midfield should be used in a manner to isolate the wide players to run at the defence from the third zone in open play, or create 1v1 situations with the opposing fullbacks in wide areas.


Coaching:
All due respects, but in my opinion Khadiri Ikhana is not equipped to coach in women football, both in temperament and overall approach and is better suited remaining in the men's game which he is much more familiar with, and where he has made his greatest impact.

What is required is to improve on the last coaching structures. In my opinion we should re-hire a technical assistant from the German Football Federation, but one with greater experience than the last one, and on a full time basis.

We should then hire Mercy Akide-Udoh as Manager to provide overall leadership of the team, as well as serve as a link between the assistant and the players, as well as the playing culture in the Falcons.

In addition to their primary jobs, they should then be given additional responsibility of establishing periodic coaching programs/clinics in 5-10 strategic locations where women football thrive in the country, both as a scouting mechnism and a strategy for grassroots development of players.

Women football as yet does not have the competitive level of the men's game. Thus the entry level is lower, which is why in a few years of launching its program, the French for instance have become contenders.

So yes, if done right, Nigeria can reach the medal rounds in the next Olympics Games in 2016, and challenge for the world cup subsequently in 2019...

The Return of the Locusts: Keshi and the Super Eagles

Failing to qualify for the 2012 Africa Nations Cup was a significant setback for Nigerian football. That ignominy hangs on the neck of Samson Siasia as the team's coach. But far more importantly, it had the unfortunate effect of erasing much of the good work that he and his crew had done in rebuilding the national team.

But if his failures erased the positives from his brief tenure, Stephen Keshi's strategy so far could to bury the Super Eagles!

Aided by a group of chorus singers, from the NFF to politicians, the sports journalists, and a conspiracy of silence by the 'SuperSports punditry brigade', an epic swindle is being undertaken under the guise of rebuilding the Super Eagles.

At the time Keshi was appointed, I had stated that he inherited:

"a team which, although it failed to qualify for the ANC, was in much better stage of development than his predecessor was bequeathed; ......a younger team, a more mobile and faster team, and which created more chances per game than previously".

"In midfield, several key young players had been integrated into what was a staid and stale midfield, such as Joel Obi and Fengor Ogude and Ahmed Musa; while in attack, both Ideye Brown and Emenike were fast settling into the team".

"But the team struggled in defence, with Efe Ambrose inconsistent in central defence, the right back position still lacking in quality players, while in goal, there is little competition for places. With FIFA's approval of change in nationality petition, both Victor Moses and Shola Ameobi are now available to the Super Eagles, while the Arsenal protege Chuks Aneke has signified interest".  http://nigerianfutbol.blogspot.com/2011/11/from-siasia-to-keshi-past-present-and.html.

Rather than build on these positives what has happened in the last seven months defies logic and any known precedence in world football. With the exception of Enyeama, Yobo and Ike Uche, an entire new team is being cobbled together from the domestic league with no empirical evidence that the new players are either superior to the players they are replacing, or bring added value to the team..

It is akin to England, after years of underachievement deciding to retain only Joe Hart, John Terry, Gerard and Rooney, and replacing the rest of the team with players from the English championship!


In the absence of such empirical evidence, we are being bombarded with tales of how these players are part of a long term 'project' or 'vision' which in time will dominate Africa. And to make the 'tales by moonlight' more believable, it becomes necessary to simultaneously undermine the established players in the eyes of the fans.


It would be perfectly understandable if these replacement players were fresh, young, talented players with great prospects for the future. Instead they are largely neither fresh, young nor particularly talented. What is worse, they are not improving, in spite of having been in camp for nearly two months, each with the same poor technique, each lacking football intelligence, and an even poorer understanding of team play in the modern game. You do not have to have the extraterrestial eye for talent of an Arsene Wenger to tell that Efe Ambrose is not a right back, and certainly not an international right back. But apparently not in the view of Keshi, who continues to indulge the tedious Ambrose, as he plods along, game after game...

In 2005 Ejike Uzoenyi was teammates with the late Rashidi Yekini (RIP), and featured in the controversial league match between 3SC and Gateway FC Abeokuta, then managed by Segun Odegbanmi. In the same year, he played for the homebased Eagles against a select Benin Republic side. Seven years later, with the same poor technique and awareness of the team game,  he is being heralded as the emerging star on the left wing who will help the Super Eagles dominate Africa!

Godfrey Oboabona who is being hailed as a new discovery in defence, joined Sunshine Stars from OSFODEC Academy in 2006!

New invitee, Sibi Gwar (and Akombo Ukeyima) were the nucleus of the Kwara United attack and led the team in the CAF Confederation Cup tournament in 2007.

In 2008, Juwon Oshaniwa was called up as Juwon Ayo, from Kwara United to the Flying Eagles team then coached by Ladan Bosso. He failed to make the cut. His full is Oshaniwa Juwon Ayo….In the same 2008, and the same Flying Eagles, Reuben Gabriel, hailed as the emerging star of this new homebased 'project' had also failed to make the team after being the established central defender at Kaduna United

Reuben Gabriel and Phillip Asuquo tangle in the league

In December 2010, Philip Asuquo, then of Crown FC Ogbomosho, was being profiled by MTN.com. He had been previously with Plateau United.

In 2004, Benjamin Francis was playing as a right back in a league game for Plateau United against Nationale. Today he is invited to mount a challenge for the right back position.

New invitee, and fresh faced Umar Zango, was playing in defence for Lobi Stars against Sharks, in the 2003 FA Cup final!

Let there be no misunderstanding! Players emerge at their own pace. Some are fast, some are late bloomers. As they say in Liverpool, form is temporary, and class permanent.

But presenting these players and the Keshi homebased experiment as the breath of fresh air to cleanse the stale Super Eagles, is nothing short of false advertising, and the protagonists of this falsehood know it! Clearly the era of the locusts is back again amongst us!

Rather than the bold new approach being advertised, the reality is that what hapless Nigerian football fans are being offered is largely a group of players recycled several times over, and who have shown negligible progress in their careers to merit the faith being placed in them.

In seven months and after about ten matches, including four competitive games, what is emerging under Keshi is a team that is prosecuting games outside of a proper tactical organization, with little attention to details, even against piss poor opposition. Within this framework, the homebased players are repeating the same mistakes and the more experienced foriegn based players have all but abandoned all pretences of team play! Not suprisingly, players like Moses and Aluko who learnt the game structurally, are increasingly struggling. Even John Utaka who played with such dash and fizz at Montpellier looked ponderous. He has since returned to the status quo at the French champions. This is a dangerous sign, for football always tells you the truth.

After seven months and about ten games, what is increasingly evident is a coach with strong leadership and motivational skills, but severely lacking the ability to develop a strong tactical framework within which to play the game.

In the modern game there are typically coaches (like Jose Mourinho, Brendan Rogers or Tito Villanova) and managers (like Alex Ferguson or Kenny Dalglish); the difference being that one is hands on, while the other sets the general direction, with an assistant as the trainer who does the actual tactical work on the ground, like Steve Clarke (for Dalglish) and Carlos Quieroz (for Ferguson). Some coaches bestride this divide, like Mourinho.

Unfortunately, many in the NFF Technical Committee do not know the difference. More importantly, it appears increasingly that even Stephen Keshi does not know on which side of the divide he belongs! Rather than hire a proper assistant, he has saddled himself (or allowed) with Daniel Amokachi. The result is a Super Eagles with a mediocre bench and a preponderance of raw talents.

This is the team around which a huge public relations exercise is being undertaken.

Nigeria will beat Liberia and qualify for the Nations Cup. On the face of it, and to simplistic followers, we will be deemed to be making progress as Keshi would've already surpassed Samson Siasia's performance in the Super Eagles. But football always tells you the truth. How you choose to interprete it is your own selenge... 

Re: Tom Saintfiet

1. The technical committee of the Nigerian Football Federation, after what it considered an exhaustive search appointed one Tom Saintfiet, an itinerant European coach of Belgian origin, with a curriculum vitae rich in small time football as Technical Director (TD)...
2. The committee's chairman, Chris Green had described this appointment as an important strategy in the development of Nigerian football, with the main function of the TD being to identify and groom local talent.
3. In all fairness, the committee, it is reported, had explored the option of appointing Sunny Oliseh, who declined, indicating a preference for a coaching position. 
4. However, the Minister of Sports has now come out to cancel this appointment, his rationale being that there are many Nigerian coaches who have knowledge of grassroots football and are thus better suited for this role. 
5. Without going into the merits of this decision, the cancellation of the appointment has in itself provided an opportunity for the NFF to rethink its overall approach to what is a critical appointment in Nigerian football, if handled correctly. 
6. For starters the technical department needs to properly articulate a clear vision for this role, and set clearly identifiable targets on the basis of which the TD can be hired and subsequently assessed.
7. More importantly, the committee needs to completely reorient its approach from a top-down to a bottom-up strategy. Why do I say this?
8. Because the reality is that most of what constitutes youth football in Nigeria today lies outside the framework of the NFF.
9. Youth/grassroots football is alive and well to the extent that it is in the Mock Nations Cup in Lagos, in traders cups played in several Nigerian cities, in the Shell Cup, and multiple other avenues, including some 'academies' of varying descriptions and standards, with Pepsi Academy being the stand out.
10. What is required here is for the NFF to FIRST build a consensus among the major stakeholders in Nigerian youth/grassroots football on the vision for enhancing the development of youth/grassroots football. The commitment of the major stakeholders should then form the initial basis and the foundation upon which a TD can then function with a reasonable chance of success. Anything short of this, in my opinion, will drastically reduce the impact of this program and make it another elephant project.
11. In turn what is required of the Technical Director is an experienced coach and an innovative thinker who can improve the technical ability and knowledge of our players and coaches both now and in the future. Most importantly, a coach with the experience and ability to put in place a practical guideline for developing young players, in a manner that reflects our football culture and the best qualities of the Nigerian footballer.
12. Such a candidate should ideally (but not necessarily) be familiar with Nigerian football. He must have the stature to command respect and thus transmit confidence across the full spectrum of the program.
13. In my opinion the closest person we have who fits this criteria would be Adegboyega Onigbinde. But even he is constrained by limited access to the modern training regimes for enhanced development of youth footballers and coaches that proliferate national programs and academies in Germany, Spain, France, Holland, Brazil, Argentina, etc.
14. But there are other options, especially amongst Nigerians in the diaspora. In the US for instance, there are several good prospects including Dr Eguaoje, who incidentally holds a similar position in the state of Mississippi.
15. There is also the option of using the FIFA Goal Bureau to source a specialist in this role. These are typically developmental coaches.
16. Contrary to local reports, the Goal program has evolved from just funding infrastructures, and the 2011-2014 funding cycle makes provisions for development programs, including the development of youth academies, under which a strong case can be made for funding a technical director.
17. A wild card might also be Clemence Westerhof, whose achievements in Nigeria in the mid-nineties should still win him respect among all stakeholders. Although his long hiatus from the game might be a problem.
18. Every available index for assessing football development shows Nigerian football has stagnated. Nowhere is this more evident than in the quality of young players available to national team selectors, as well as the products from the Professional League. The result is also evident in the poor quality of players prematurely seeking transfer to Europe, many of whom end up in backwater leagues or are lost altogether to our football. 
19.  As I have said in the past, the combination of the Bosman Rule and European integration has led to greater competition, higher entry standards and thus reduced opportunities for Nigerian and African players in the first tier European leagues. The reality is that we can no longer rely entirely on European teams to develop our players. It is not a sustainable model.
20. Let there be no misunderstanding. The TD however good he might be, will not solve all the problems facing Nigerian football. But at the very least, and if well implemented, the quality of players available at youth level should increase significantly. And that would be an important achievement by this NFF regime.

 

How Long Must Africa Put Up with Issa Hayatou?

By any plausible consideration Issa Hayatou has had a controversial tenure in his 15 years as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). But he has equally presided over the increase in the continent's participation in the World Cup, including the first ever tournament in Africa in 2010, the expansion of the Nations Cup as well as the champions league and confederation cup.

Even while recognizing these laudable achievements the point needs to be made that the African football family needs an injection of new blood and fresh ideas. It is time for Issa Hayatou to go!

While the successes of his 15-year tenure maybe measurable in quantitative statistics, a huge quality gap still exists in the administration of the game in Africa. Even more important, the last 15 years has seen the gap between the continent and Europe widen, and Asia's dwindle considerably to the point that Asian football can be said to dominate Africa in several indices, especially the quality of the domestic game and the development of youth football.

Perhaps no single event has graphically illustrated the dysfunction that is Issa Hayatou's CAF than the qualification games of the last Nations Cup. Here below is the BBC sports page on the final day of qualifiers:

1807 We've done some more maths - and can now say that Libya are through as one of the best runners-up.


1740 Not everyone is accepting CAF's analysis of Niger's qualification. "Fast Track BBC, the explanation CAF have given you is bogus. Mini tournament between 3 teams....are you being serious? Look up the rules for yourselves," says an anonymous texter in South Africa.


1727 I understand why South Africa have missed out on qualification, but our commentators in the studio don't and have been congratulating the team! They will come down to earth hard... Devastating. This is why head-to-head is a terrible way of settling ties...- Martin, Johannesburg


1723 News from South Africa. The BBC's Solomon Izang Ashoms says "A lot of confusion and unhappiness here - wrong calculation".


1715 An explanation of why Niger are going through. We spoke to the Confederation of African Football who confirmed that because Niger, South Africa and Sierra Leone all finished on 9 points the qualification was decided as a mini-league between the three of them - and that puts Niger on top. There are people who disagree - but that is the word from the body which runs the tournament!


1712 The BBC has spoken to the Confederation of African Football which confirms that Niger are through in the group. That will be devastation for Bafana Bafana - but a tremendous achievement for Niger who are through for the first time ever.


1708 Confusion over who qualifies from Group G. South Africa, Niger and Sierra Leone all finish on 9 points. Bafana Bafana think they're through so do Niger.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9610886.stm

Let me be clear, the country associations bear direct responsibility for failure to understand and educate fans of the rules, and in this regard they failed woefully. Secondly, CAF itself was constrained by late withdrawals from the qualifying series.

However the solution implemented has to be the most discombobulated approach to a qualifying system ever invented. What is more, it required the application of some fuzzy math which involved the cancellation of validly played games and withdrawal of points earned in them, even though players travelled thousands of kilometers and risked limbs to participate in them; fans paid hard earned money to attend and cheer their teams, etc. Yet neither the fans nor players were compensated. Nobody in CAF even had the common courtesy to explain them...

 

And now as the 2014 world cup qualifying series kicks off, yet another change in the format with a final playoff round of 10 teams in a head to head contest, leaves the real possibility of the continent not sending its strongest teams to the tournament, especially if no seeding is done in the crucial 4th round. What is more, with the well known shenanigans that bedevil the road game in Africa, it leaves the real possibility of increased insecurity as well as the potential to produce one hit wonders. The determinant of the strongest teams in the domestic game of any football association is the league not the FA cup!

Then there is the repeated failure to speak up for African footballers who repeatedly face the scourge of racist abuse in Europe. A cursory look at google on this issue suprisingly shows evidence that FIFA President Sepp Blatter has been far more vocal on this issue than Hayatou. It is ironic that in several other instances, Mr Blatter appears far more interested in the development of the game in Africa than Mr Hayatou.

This same lack of sensitivity was equally behind the terrible decision to sanction Togo for withdrawing from a Nations Cup where CAF failed in itse responsibility to adequately guarantee the security of the participating teams. 

Related to this, attendance in the Nations Cup has continued to decline, as the quality of the competition itself.

The TV broadcast rights decision has alienated many associations, with many matches in the on going qualifying series not being broadcast, with the rights holder pricing the games out of reach of local television stations.

In many respects, the CAF under Mr Hayatou has become an insular organization with little transparency and scant regard for the stakeholders in the African game. The manner in which CAF handled the serious allegations of impropreity against Mr Hayatou, revealed an organization more focussed on perpetuating an individual in power than protecting the integrity of the institution.

Fifteen years is a long time in the life of any organization. An African continent with a rich history of despots and Presidents for life, does not need perpetuate a cult of personality in the management of its football, especially not by a man who has been severely compromised by allegations of corruption and impropreity.

It is time for Issa Hayatou go!

African Match of the Week: Zambia vs Ghana

The top match of the week was at the Ndola Stadium with Zambia meeting Ghana for the first time since their semi-final game at the ANC. Having lost their opening match to Sudan, Zambia was under pressure to produce a win, and they did...

A match played in an even spirit would end heatedly, with the Ghanaians upset by certain decisions by the Tunisian referee Med Kordi, with some merit I might add. Mr Kordi' performance was at times questionable, with his average mobility appearing to lead him to guess on certain decisions.

But overall and in all fairness, his decisions were not decisive in the outcome of the match, not by a long mile and Ghana must heed Micheal Jackson's words to look in the mirror....

A tepid Black Stars team playing at a pedestrian tempo, appeared convinced of the validity of its slow passing game. The true test of possession is in the evidence of cutting edge in the final third! Without generating any serious tempo until the dying moments of the game, Ghana had nothing in the final third: not movement, not pass completion ratio, not chances....

Without Asamoah Gyan, Ghana lacked a striker who had the movement to create space in the final third, and the ability to play with back to goal, hold up the ball and bring others into play, in spite of the manful efforts of Adiyah.

On the opposite end, Mayuka had everything Adiyah lacked; he especially had the mobility to make clever runs to create space to receive the ball and drag the center backs out of position for Katongo to take advantage of.

The Zambian template for victory was the same as at the Nations Cup. A flexible 4-4-2 (4-4-1-1) formation executed in typical blue collar fashion, with Chris Katongo in a free role behind Mayuka, enabled Zambia again overcome Ghana through its superior work rate in midfield, organization in defence by dropping off quickly, and pace and mobility upfront which the Ghanaian defence never fully came to terms with.

In Isaac Vorsah, Ghana may have an experienced defender, but his lack of pace meant Mayuka and especially Ranford Kalaba would take turns to race past him. It should have been 2-0 at half time...

As it was in the Nations Cup, Ghana continues to struggle to get the balance right in central midfield especially with the absence of Kevin Boateng. Even with a double pivot in Derek Boateng and Agyeman Badu, a static central defence was further exposed by failure to pick up runs into the box from midfield, or effectively cover wide players attacking the inside of the fullbacks.

In my opinion a choice needs to be made between Kwadwo Asamoah and Muntari to play on the left of Badu (if match fit or Annan) to provide balance in central midfield, with Christian Atsu furthermost of the three behind the striker. Or in the alternative, create a free role for Kwadwo in the same position.

In lateral defence, the reality is that Inkoom is a poor defender and lacks end product as a wing back. Ghana must develop better options. On the left, Afful had a decent game, but was disappointed not to see Massawudu who I thought showed good potential at the Nations Cup.

In consecutive losses to Zambia, one thing that has stood out for me was Ghana's lack of organization and commitment in pressing Chansa and Sinkala in the Zambian central midfield, whom I have always felt to be vulnerable in possession, especially the latter.

In spite of the loss I still favor Ghana over Zambia,with road games against Sudan being decisive. But the corresponding fixture in Accra should be a treat....

Malawi vs Nigeria Preview

1. Malawi meets Nigeria for its first home game in the world cup qualifying series, following a draw on the road to Kenya and a home win for Nigeria against Namibia. Interestingly,  the loquacious coach Kinnah Phiri was team manager when an energetic Malawi team held Nigeria in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Clement Temile and the late Clifton Msiya starring...and current Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi as captain... 
2. Three players Harry Nyirenda, Robert Ng'ambi and Chiukepo Msowoya, return after missing last week's match in Kenya, while wide midfielder Peter Pindani earns a first call up.
3. Defender and team captain Peter Mponda also returns after missing the trip to the Kisarani due to club commitment. The vast majority of the squad is drawn from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa, except for the young Robin Ngalande from the youth team of Atletico Madrid and Russell Mwafulirwa who is currently unatached.
4. For Nigeria, all the starters from last week are available, but injuries have led to the dropping of Ekigho Ehiosun and Odumadi. Also dropped is Izu Azuka from Sunshine Stars and suprisingly Fengor Ogude who had earlier been declared fit. Obiorah Nwankwo is retained and is expected to shake off a minor knock, while Raheem Lawal is added to the first team squad.
5. In my opinion the major tactical challenge for Nigeria going into this game lies especially in the ability of the team to use the midfield, and controlled possession to suck the energy and enthusiasm from what should be a bouyant Malawi team, and create a platform for the counterattacking game. This is especially important as a sometimes over exhuberant Malawi team, tend to leave undefended zones for a counterattacking team to exploit.
6. Simultaneously, a static defence line often leaves the team vulnerable to the quick 1-2 pass and deep runs from midfield, with defenders ball watching and inattentive to the movement around them.
7. Against Namibia, a nominal 4-2-3-1 team structure often looked like a 4-2-4, an imbalance that was never challenged by a cautious opponent sitting too deep and lacking quality. This will have to be addressed in order not to put too much pressure on the defence as well as leave the forwards isolated.
8. The next major challenge I suspect will be the structure of the pressing game:

9. 
   

   How high do we press the Flames and as a consequence how high will the defensive line be?

   How is this executed- individually or more structured, perhaps within zones?

10. The team's pressing game against Egypt and especially Peru was often exposed for its lack of structure, with gaps emerging behind the central midfield as the pressing players are drawn out of position.
11. This is especially important as the Flames are a fairly decent (even if erratic) passing team in open play, with the occassional swift combination passing game. The left side of the team appeared most potent at the Kisarani, with good chemistry between Kamwendo and Ngalande; the latter making some telling deliveries, often to the far post.
12. The match should provide a good test for the Nigerian lateral defenders, especially if Pindani starts and brings his club form to the game. It should especially test Juwon Oshaniwa's lack of positional discipline and poor recovery rate.
13. Against Namibia, Nigeria looked most dangerous when Ike Uche or Victor Moses ran at the defence centrally. I expect the two players to remain the most influential in attack.
14. On the flanks, Utaka and Uzoenyi were ineffective, with the latter unable to bring his undoubted qualities to aid the team game.
15. In my opinion Keshi's homebased approach will live or die by this game....
16. The decision to drop Fengor Ogude who was already fully integrated into the Super Eagles, and declared fit earlier (Source) is suprising to say the least. While I respect the right of every coach to make decisions concerning the team, you have to wonder whether this decision is entirely based on technical considerations.
17. 
    

    PS: The Nigerian team's chattered flight that was to depart tonight has now been cancelled Link. With the game scheduled for Saturday afternoon, the team now runs the real risk of repeating the mistakes from the Ethiopia match which was discussed here.

Eagles squad to Malawi:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim

Defenders: Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Gege Soriola, Papa Idris, Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echejile and Juwon Oshaniwa.

Midfielders: Gabriel Reuben, Raheem Lawal, Obiorah Nwankwo, Henry Uche

Strikers: Victor Moses, Sunday Mba, Ikechukwu Uche, Omatsone Aluko, Uche Kalu Ejike Uzoenyi, Obinna Nwachukwu, Ahmed Musa, John Utaka

Malawi Line-Up vs Kenya

Goalkeeper: Simplex Nthala (16)

Defenders: Moses Chavula (3); Foster Namwera (4); James Sangala (13); Limbikani Mzava (12)

Midfielders: James Kamwendo (10); Dave Banda (6); Chimango Kayira (15); Robin Ngalande (11)

Strikers: Russell Mwafulirwa (9); Atusaye Nyondo (18)

Subs Used: 37′ John Banda (2) in for Robin Ngalande; 54′ Frank Banda (8) in for Atusaye Nyondo

90′ Zicco Mkanda (13) in for Russell Mwafulirwa

Subs not used: Amadu Ali (1); Pilirani Makupe (7); Steve Chagoma (14); Jimmy Zakazaka (17)

Ndaziona Chatsalira (19)