Preparing for another win
By Amarh Kofi Laryea

There will be expectation for another resounding victory when Liberty Professionals host Alhaji Grunsah’s King Faisal on Sunday but I do not expect an easy day at the Carl Reindorf Park, Dansoman like many think.

With games running out and Faisal still perched almost close to the foot of the table every game and point is beginning to count for the Kumasi side.

It is always difficult playing against desperate sides and King Faisal closely getting beyond that. Results must start coming quickly else the second half of the second round of games will be to keep a decent face going down and out in the Premier league.

They will make the game very entertaining though because they have guile and spirit and have shown in the recent past that they have what it takes to survive in the face of challenge and adversity.

Liberty have had things going well after losing to Hearts of oak in the first round of the league and have managed to take 10 out of a possible 15 in their last five games all very much to the credit of team spirit and the form of the mid season recruits, Guineans Fode Moussa Sylla, Nabi Capi Soumah and Togolese winger Moro Zakari.

Fode Sylla scored thrice on his debut against Hasaacas and the winning strike against defending League Champions Accra Hearts of oak at the weekend, whilst Nabi Soumah has three to his name. A graceful header on his home debut and the brace in the opening 12 minutes at the Ohene Djan Stadium last Sunday for Soumah also makes the two an ever present danger and this is good for the challenge that lie ahead.

In goal, young international Daniel Agyei, Patrick Antwi, Yaw Berko, presently in Tanzania and new boy Akwasi Acheampong have all had their say and in fairness to them all they have not been a major worry except for a few mistakes here and there. They have not been many but the unfortunate but their roles are that such slips easily cost the team points and sometime games.

Our defence hasn’t been that bad and poor but there were too many times were leaked goals and badly too. It is one department that has seen some consistency through the half season.

Atta Kusi, David Kabu and Daniel Agyiri have taken turns to man the right side defence role until recently when David Kabu the most experience among the three staking a claim for it. All three have great potential going forward but have not provided enough to much going forward. The crosses, cut-backs, pull-outs and cut-in into the box has been absent, a point for the coaches to work at. Modern football thrives on your ability to take advantage of everything and we need to add that to our play.

The left looks to be the exclusive preserve of Richard Boateng although Francis Morton and Ghandi Kassenu has on a few occasions deputized for him. A brilliant ball player going forward he need to work on recovery, shooting and general attitude as he draws too much attention for the wrong reasons – cautions and very avoidable ones, else the nation is seeing the finest left-back emerging. Even when Ghandi or Morton had played there it has still been one of our strongest ends in the team.

The central defence roles have been shared and quite exceptionally by Michael Annan, Daniel Gyamfi, David Kabu and skipper of the side David Addo. All four have been perfect choices on any day but they still can hold together with much better communication. Defences is all about organisation, timeliness and good decision making and some games have been lost through slips and loss of concentration from the back.

Dan Gyamfi has been a tower of strength since he walked into the team about Michael Annan’s injury. Annan suffered a groin injury in our 3rd week game and has not been able to comeback any quicker than expected.

Our midfield has had several shapes and forms. Isaac Donkor, Kamal Issah, Ghandi Kassenu, Richard Boateng, Francis Morton, Emmanuel Frimpong, Christopher Nkansah, Nuhuom Moutawakhil and Ishmael Antwi have had turns in and out of the team at various times.

Isaac Donkor has had work rate as his strongest point having sneaked into the team in the second half of the first round. He is readily at hand to support the team defend but the core role of providing quality and creativity upfront has been his bane, and for a role on the right of midfield he could add some colour to his game by doing the simple things with finesse.

Kamal Issah had a brilliant time in his role – combative and full of energy – before leaving to being shipped out to Europe. A box-to-box player he is blessed with some amazing firepower in his right foot and some games have been won thank to that gift.

Ghandi Kassenu has been by some distance the most consistent in terms of appearance and his quality can only improve. He needs to tackle more work on his overall defensive and organisational ability which vital for his role.

Richard Boateng, the young brother of Getafe midfielder Derek Boateng, has come into a class of his won. Combative, tough-tackling, nimble feet and moves the ball so sweetly, can strike the so well and he is blessed some passing grace that can easily win games. He has all the qualities and a great star and sooner rather than later another great star will emerge from the Liberty stable.

Francis Morton, Christopher Nkansah, Emmanuel Frimpong, Nuhoum Moutawakil and Ishmael Antwi have all been useful when needed to provide cover or come into the starting line-up. Morton started the season well and his brace against Kumasi Asante Kotoko is s reminder to all of that left foot he has.

Our striking options have not been restricted though but the inclusion of the two Guineans has added more life and competition for places bringing the best out of all. Latif Salifu, Kofi Owusu, Kevin Kouadio, Mawuli Tuglo – on loan at Accra Great Olympics and lately Isaac Donkor who came in to win a place as a striker have had their own share of challenges and glories.

We have failed many times to re-organise when hit and have not been able to sustain pressure many times we have controlled games at the same time, we always create chances and spurn them this we need to work at to achieve our Top Four ambition which is not beyond us.

We need to let our advantage count in all areas – set-pieces, shooting from distance and accurately too and in aerial encounters.

A star home debut for Guinean imports Fode Moussa Sylla and Nabi Capi Soumah ensured Liberty massacred Sekondi Hasaacas moved above troubled waters and capped a superb week with another win against mighty and more illustrious city rivals Accra Hearts of oak.
But King Faisal is a wounded animal and anything that will resuscitate him and give life is more than welcome.

They come knowing that the challenge will be tough and with some quality they have we need to control the game from start and kill off the contest as quickly as possible and that we have too much quality to do.

It is another victory for the Scientific Soccer lads – Liberty, Simply the Best.