GENERAL OVERVIEW

⁠We (Ghanaians) going into every tournament seem to project the Black Stars as title contenders. Brethren, lower your expectations. We are not even close to Panama's level. Let’s stop living on past glories, focus on rebuilding and transitional national football strategy. Moreover, it is either Otto Addo is being forced to carry on with what he does not want to or he is just clueless. Finally, let’s admit we lack the required talented materials. Our Stars are just not bright enough. Simplicita!!!

FORMATION AND TACTICAL DISPLAY

I cannot seem to fathom why in trying a team dominated by newbies, Mr. Otto will go with the 3-4-3 formation at a point in the game. That's quite absurd. That formation has always been anchored by a high-pressing attacking team that will concede 10 and retaliate with 11. Mr. Oto Addo, you do not subject your current in-form player (Semenyo) to keep tracking back when you so much needed him upfront. That’s the third top scorer in the EPL, Mr. Otto. Be guided sir.

I would not go hard on you for trying players at positions they aren’t used to. You are not the first and would not be the last to try that out. There can be several examples I could point fingers to.

I wonder how none of the technical team in the first half of the game saw the loopholes at the back line of the Austrian team. They were very slow and jittery. Get Semenyo, who is very strong on the ball behind Prince Adu and task the midfielders to keep those passes long. You tried a few times and slept off. Quite sad.

Lastly, the earlier we admit that this team has to be built around Semenyo, the better for us.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE

1. Ati Zigi
Made some brilliant saves and displayed good reflexes on few instances. However, his inability to control his backline always gets him exposed. Mr. Otto, do you not think these friendlies would be a very good avenue to expose Asare to the pressures of wild crowds, given the absence in the Ghana Premier League?


2. Yirenkyi
Top top talent yet mostly caught ball watching. It’s not enough to assert that you were played out of position. Some mistakes go beyond positions. Very young but needs to be guided on concentration.

3. Derick Kohn
Another newbie who needs absolute guidance. More room for improvement. Did not really give enough to be awarded the position in this crucial moment.

4. Djiku and Adjetey
Obviously, there seems to be some lack of Synergy. While Djiku looked composed and experienced, Adjetey appeared a bit jittery and less confident. For a pair that had not been tried before, such occurrences were imminent. While I see potentials in Adjetey, consistency would yield future results.

5. Thomas Partey and Sibo
Both midfielders were not impressive on the day. While Sibo seemed very heavy and way too slow on and off the ball, Partey lacked precision and that eye to always see the runs made by the forwards.

6. Jordan Ayew
Captain Fantastic. The best player on the day for Ghana. Displayed a high level of experience and controlled the tempo of the game for Ghana. Held onto the ball when needed to give the Stars some breathing space. The only player ready for the World Cup in my estimation.

7. Semenyo and Isahaku
Another abysmal performance from the two. It’s sad to see Semenyo still play as though it were his first time with the Stars. A player with an appreciable level of tuition from Pep should own this team and exhibit mastery. While I believe the team must be built around him, his lack of urgency in times he is needed most must be studied. The technical team must be answering questions as to why he excels under Pep and not Otto. Isahaku was abysmal on the day. No take-ons, cut-ins, precise delivery from the flanks and above all, very very slow on and off the ball.

8. Prince Adu
Showed promising skills that could be nurtured going forward. Though he was denied penalties on few occasions, he must learn to keep his eye on the goal. Referees aren’t friendly, especially when actions become obvious.

CONCLUSION

It’s quite obvious Ghana does not have a starting lineup at this crucial juncture. While I celebrated our qualification with much joy, I must admit I am terrified at this juncture. We do not have a confident coach, nor do we have an available team. Otto, at this point, must settle on a starting line-up, consistently give them more time to create synergy and above all, portray to Ghanaians why he should be with the team going into the Germany game and at the World Cup in two months.