Ghana to work on back three formation

Ghana to work on back three formation
Daniel Amartey of Ghana during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Finals Afcon semifinal football match between Cameroon and Ghana at the Franceville Stadium in Gabon on 02 February 2017 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Oct 15, 2018. 09:00

Black Stars assistant coach Ibrahim Tanko has revealed that the Ghana national team will work on a new formation featuring a back three in order to broaden their tactical options in the future.

Ghana, whose 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone set for October 11 and 14 were cancelled due to FIFA’s suspension of the latter’s football association, traditionally deploy a flat back four in defence – as do most African national teams.

However, the option to play three centre-backs and deploy wingbacks in variations of 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formations is something the Black Stars are looking into, particularly as many of their players have experienced this at club level in Europe.

“Kasim [Adams] and [Daniel] Amartey sometimes play in that system at [English side] Leicester City and [German club] Hoffenheim [respectively],” Tanko told Goal.

“The three-back system is a system you would always want to have as an option."

He added, “Even Baba Rahman’s team [German outfit Schalke 04] play the three-back where he plays as the left-wing-back. Lumor Agbenyenu’s clubs [Sporting Lisbon of Portugal] happen to also play that system.

“It’s one of those systems that you need to have in mind, even in a game situation where you need more midfielders, you can sacrifice one defender. It’s a good thing.

“We’re going to work on that so that when it comes that we have to use it, it won’t be a problem.”

Ghana are set to return to AFCON qualifying action with a clash away to Ethiopia next month.




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