Formation Counts Part #2

As the article indicated in part one, formation applied depends on the discipline of the team, the coach’s ability to read games, and the opponent’s team strategy. Therefore, this is just to remind the coaching crew about the mistakes and how to correct and capitalize on them.

Now let’s move on. September, 6th 2009, Ghana/Sudan in Ghana with a 4-5-1 formation, 2-0 Ghana

Line-up: Richard Kingson, John Paintsil, Harrison Afful, Eric Addo, John Mensah, Anthony Annan, Michael Essien, Samuel Inkoom, Sulley Ali Muntari/Haminu Draman, Stephen Appiah/Laryea Kingston, Matthew Amoah/Asamoah Gyan

September 9th 2009, Ghana/Japan at Stadion Galgenwaard in Holland, (4-3) Japan, formation 4-4-2

Score line was (3-1) Ghana. Later formation became 4-3-2-1, a sister formation of 4-5-1 after Samuel Inkoom substituted Asamoah Gyan but drew back to the midfield. An important question here is why the technical crew didn’t drop Inkoom to defense but left him in the midfield? Due to the substitution, Matthew Amoah was left alone up-front.

Ghana threw away a 3-1 lead against Japan to let in three goals in thirteen minutes to succumb to a 4-3 loss. What a disaster that was. Was that a mistake from the coach’s end, the players or what? At least if the substitution tactics wasn’t going to benefit or compliment the original 4-4-2 formation, why applied it. Remember, the Black Stars were leading and it was about 15 minutes left in the game. A defensive formation would have solved that problem.

Line up: Richard Kingson/Amamoo, John Paintsil, Harrison Afful, Isaac Vorsah/Eric Addo, John Mensah/Francis Dickoh, Anthony Annan, Michael Essien/Anthony Obodai, Laryea Kingston, Sulley Ali Muntari/Haminu Dramani, Matthew Amoah, Asamoah Gyan/Samuel Inkoom

2010 AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS IN ANGOLA

DATE: January 15, 2010, Ghana/Ivory Coast, score line: 3-1 Ivory Coast, FORMATION: 4-4-1-1 with three inexperienced midfielders (Agymang Badu, Opoku Agymang, and MoussaNarry) against one of the experienced midfielders in the continent and was expected to work; even though, it was a 4-4-2 formation. Later took out Asamoah Gyan and replaced him with Andre Ayew and the formation automatically changed to 4-5-1 whilst the Black Stars was down by 2-0. Was the coach’s substitution meant to protect the zero goal we had at that moment, or the dignity of the team; or to equalize the deficit? What was he thinking?

Line-up: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Rahim Ayew, Isaac Vorsah, Eric Addo, Agyeman Badu, Opoku Agyeman/Harrison Afful , Moussa Narry/Michael Essien, Kwadwo Asamoah, Mathew Amoah, Dede Ayew/Asamoah Gyan

DATE: January 19, 2010, Ghana/Burkina Faso, score line: 1-0 Ghana, FORMATION traditional 4-4-2 throughout the entire game.

Line-up: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoon, Hans Adu Sarpei, Lee Arday, Isaac Vorsah, Agyeman Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah, Haminu Dramani/Opoku Agyeman, Dede Ayew, Mathew Amoah/Dominic Adiyiah, Asamoah Gyan/Rahim Ayew

DATE: January 24, 2010, Ghana/Angola, score line: 1-0 Ghana, FORMATION traditional 4-4-2 throughout the game.

Line-up: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Hans Adu Sarpei, Isaac Vorsah, Lee Arday, Agyeman Badu, Opoku Agyeman, Kwadwo Asamoah, Dede Ayew/Rahim Ayew, Haminu Dramani/Eric Addo, Asamoah Gyan/Mathew Amoah

DATE: January 28, 2010, Ghana/Nigeria, score line: 1-0 Ghana, FORMATION same traditional 4-4-1-1, same as 4-4-2 with a little adjustment. With this formation, Kwadwo Asamoah moved up field to play behind Asamoah Gyan in attack.

Line-up: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Hans Adu Sarpei, Lee Addy, Isaac Vorsah, Emmanuel Agyeman-Badu, Andre Ayew, Anthony Annan, Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah, Opoku Agyemang

DATE: January 31, 2010, Ghana/Egypt, score line: 1-0 Egypt, FORMATION 4-5-1 throughout the entire match.

Line-up: Richard Kingson, Samuel Inkoom, Hans Adu Sarpei, Lee Addy, Isaac Vorsah, Emmanuel Agyeman-Badu, Andre Ayew, Anthony Annan, Asamoah Gyan, Kwadwo Asamoah, Opoku Agyemang

DATE: March 3, 2010, Ghana/Bosnia, score line: 2-1 Bosnia, FORMATION 4-5-1

Line-up: Daniel Agyei, Rahim Ayew/Samuel Inkoom, David Addy, Eric Addo, Lee Addy/Jonathan Mensah, Anthony Annan, Emmanuel Agyeman-Badu, Kwadwo Asamoah/Derek Boateng, Sulley Muntari/Yaw Antwi, Prince Tagoe/Andre Ayew, Mathew Amoah/Asamoah Gyan.

As already mentioned, no one is trying to teach the coach how to operate, however, when things are heading in a wrong direction, his competence and confidence gets questioned by many. Why Samuel Inkoom didn’t draw back to defense to ginger the formation 5-4-1 to protect the two goal advantage during Japan match? It was apparent our defensive department wasn’t going to be effective after the substitutions. This was a tactical deficiency.

Experiment is the best way to test hypotheses; therefore, it is good to try different formations when a tournament is classified as friendly. On the contrary, a World Cup tournament is not and it should be handled as such. We have the players so let’s correct the mistakes and go for gold.

“In all things, get understanding, get wisdom”

Ransford Peprah (Rnsfdpeprah@yahoo.com)