Blunt Ghana urged to make strategic switch to find rhythm

Former Ghana striker Prince Tagoe believes the Black Stars will need a tactical switch of formation to overcome their poor performances in front of goal in recent times.

The four-time African champions have struggled to find the back of the net in their last few games, having scored just once in the last four.

Although coach CK Akonnor has occasionally played with two strikers up top, the team has mainly used a system with a lone frontman, as was evident in their 1-0 away defeat to South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Monday.

“We have our style of play that suits Ghanaians, and I think if they should take the 4-4-2, it will help us,” former Hoffenheim striker Tagoe, who represented Ghana at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations and 2010 World Cup tournaments, told Luv FM.

“We need two strikers that will help us to get goals because if you are playing only one top, it’s difficult. That’s the main problem I can see with the team.

“We have to go back to our old 4-4-2 that we used to play, and that will be much better because if you put only Jordan [Ayew] at the top, he alone cannot score, so we need typical two strikers up front, and the other people can operate from the wings.”

In the absence of Crystal Palace man Jordan Ayew in Monday’s encounter with South Africa, brother and team captain Andre led the line in what was a disappointing day at the office at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium.

“These are some of the things we need to look at because if you put Dede [Andre] as a striker, he will find it difficult because Dede is not a striker,” Tagoe added.

“If Dede is playing behind the striker, it’s perfect, but if you put him as a striker, you are killing the team because if he gets the chance, he will score, but he is not a striker to move into certain spaces as a striker will do to finish.”

Jordan has been Akonnor’s preferred striker but on occasions when the coach opted for two men up front, the 28-year-old was mostly joined by brother Andre.