Anaba Awono: Too much rotation?

Last Sunday, Gor Mahia lost to Karuturi Sports in Naivasha. It happened to be Anaba Awono’s last match in charge of Gor Mahia. He was sacked on Monday afternoon, together with his entire technical team, after losing his last three matches.

In this post, I take a look at four matches played in Nairobi, against; City Stars, Al Merreikh, Tusker and Muhoroni Youth. His team selection and formations used.

Gor Mahia's Starting XI against Muhoroni Youth.

CITY STARS

Against City Stars, at the City Stadium, he played a 4-4-2 diamond formation. Wycliffe Kasaya in goal, Felix and Mugona in centre back position, Solomon Nasio in right back and Omondi in left full back position.

Ondony played in the hole and Emmanuel sat deep in midfield. In wide roles, John Kiplang’at was on the right and Mubiru to the left. Demonde Selenga and Hugo Nzoka in attack.

The only tactical change in this match was when Collins Okoth was red carded and Ngwa dropped to midfield leaving Midenyo alone in attack – a switch to a 4-4-1 formation.

AL MERREIKH

In the following week against Al Merreikh, he made changes to the entire Starting XI and he occasionally switched players positioning and teams’ tactics during the course of the match.

He started with a 4-4-2, switched to a narrow 4-2-3-1, back to a 4-4-2 and finished the game with a 4-3-3 formation.

Starting with a 4-4-2 formation, he had Jerrim Onyango in goal. Musa Muhammed in right full back position and Yusuf Juma in left full back position. Collins Okoth as the anchor and Moses Otieno in the hole. Dan Makori on the left wing and Victor Ali on the right. Rama Salim sat just behind Baldin Ngwa.

In the first half period, Salim dropped deep, Ali to his right and Makori to his left and a switch to a 4-2-3-1 system

He started the second half with a 4-4-2 formation but mid through it, he made changes and a switch to a 4-3-3 configuration. Moses Odhiambo, George Midenyo and Baldin Ngwa forming the attacking trio.

Rama Salim played in three different roles: behind Ngwa in attack, as an attacking midfielder and finally a central midfielder towards the end of the game after Gor Mahia had equalised.

TUSKER

Against Tusker, in the DSTV Super Cup Finals, he started with a 4-4-1-1 formation. Iva Mapunda between the sticks. In full back positions, Musa Muhammed was on the right full back and Yusuf Juma was the left full back. David Owino and David Mosoti were the centre backs. This time round, Rama Salim stayed close to Collins Okoth in central midfield. Victor Ali, right, and Moses Odhiambo, left, taking the wide berths.

In attack, Baldin Ngwa was behind Midenyo.

In second half, Kevin Ochieng, a wing back, replaced George Midenyo, a striker. He went to right back position, Muhammed moved just ahead of the back four pushing Collins Okoth just ahead of him. Moses Odhiambo maintained his left flank. Rama Salim moved to the right wing, Victor Ali became more centrally positioned and Ngwa as the lone forward.

Baldin Ngwa was injured and he was replaced by Anthony Akumu who moved to holding role and Muhammed went back to right back, Kevin Ochieng’ to right wing. Rama Salim played as an attacking midfielder and Victor Ali to the left. Moses Odhiambo the striker.

MUHORONI YOUTH

Against a reactive Muhoroni Youth, he played a 4-4-2 formation. Donald Mosoti and Musa Muhammed the centre backs. Christopher Wekesa the left back and Kevin Ochieng’ the right back. Collins Okoth and Rama Salim in central midfield flanked by Victor Ali on the right and Dan Makori on the left.

Anthony Nyangor and Baldin Ngwa in attack.

In this match he made no tactical change the entire game as Gor Mahia were dominant in almost the entire game against a side who had nine men behind the ball.

Squad rotation is a good technique in giving your players a rest to keep them fit for upcoming fixtures, and also giving playing time to several squad players, but constant changing of players makes it harder for the team to gel together and to get to understand each other and the tactical system them are supposed to be playing within.

From the four matches above, Anaba Awono lacked consistency in his team selection especially in central defense. In a good defensive unit, players should be given time to familiarise themselves with each other and gel. AFC Leopards (together with Chemelil Sugar) boost the best defensive record in the league so far this season – no goal conceded after four games. Jaan Koops has used only two defensive partnerships. Jonas Nahimana and Erick Masika have been the first choice centre backs in Ingwe’s line up. The other partnership was when Martin Imbalambala played with Erick Masika in central defense against Oserian when Nahimana was in Rwanda for international duties.

Since the departure of Erick Masika, Awono didn’t settle on one partnership but instead, switched from one player to another and this affected the team in terms of understanding. Of course there might be other factors that could have caused Gor Mahia’s poor run of form and poor rotation of squad by Anaba Awono is one of them.

One great manger said if you want to win something, you must keep your squad fit and fresh by rotation. When done properly, it keeps your squad fresh and fit, but done poorly, it may cause unrest and inconsistency.