“Matano ball” has always been a bone of contention among the Kenyan footballing circles. Many term his style of play, especially in possession as outdated with the long balls and aggressive football. The experienced, and arguably one of the most decorated tacticians in the country, has stuck to his style of play and it is clearly working. If it is not broken, there is clearly no need to fix it right? After a dip in form in the initial stages of the current FKF Premier League season, Tusker FC have grown in leaps and bounds, seeing them 2 points off league leaders Gor Mahia with a game in hand against struggling Wazito FC. Tusker is the most in form team in the league, having won 5 games out of a possible 5. Keeping clean sheets in 4 out of these 5 games is even more impressive, noting that in these games Tusker met AFC Leopards and Kenya Police FC.Clean sheets aside, this current Tusker side has scored 34 goals, making them the joint third most scoring team in the league after Kariobangi Sharks and Gor Mahia. In this piece we set to delve deeper into how Tusker FC create their chances through their direct and very vertical football while also having a knack to knock it around when afforded the space.##NAJAVA_MECA_7190658##Tusker FC look to create chances through very direct approaches, using high balls in behind when they have the ball, going long on goalkicks and use of quick transitions.In Brian Bwire, Tusker have a goalkeeper who is well able in going long on goal kicks, he is arguably one of the best in the league when it comes to pinpoint balls into the channels, his crown rivalled by Gor Mahia’s Gad Mathews.After the exodus of Patrick Matasi, Brian Bwire was moved up the pecking order to be the Brewer’s number one. His impeccable ball playing has seen Tusker fair well against high pressing teams. Given the craze in FKF Premier league sides on generating a proper press, Tusker have found joy through this approach. Against teams that look to sit back and defend in a midblock, Tusker have a gem of a defender in one Tom Teka. If you are a regular during Tusker games, you will note Brian Bwire goes short to Tom Teka who hits his trademark long ball switches into the wide areas for willing runners. Highly rated keeper Brian Bwire focused on title fight with TuskerWith Brian Bwire going long he looks to target Erick Otieno with his teammates Michael Oduor, Lawrence Luvanda and Siwa Saphan supporting him diagonally.In Erick Otieno and Michael Oduor, the Brewers have players who have proper aerial ability, and can hold the ball up well.These long balls have aided the Robert Matano coached team to advance quickly and create goal scoring opportunities through layoffs to runners in behind or knock backs to very technically gifted midfielders.Winning the long first balls, in a league that has very aerially dominant defenders, can be a tough task thus Tusker do not always win the first balls. This is where Tusker’s dominance comes in and Coach Robert Matano’s tactical nous too. FKF Premier League teams play majorly with double pivots in the midfield and Tusker have looked to create overloads centrally. In Siwa Shaphan, Humphrey Mieno and Rodgers Ouma Tusker have aggressive and intelligent midfielders. The role of Siwa Saphan key in all this as he has the intelligence to drop deep and act as an extra destroyer in midfield, act as playmaker in settled possession, act as a second striker and act as an outlet on transitions. Tusker set up with a very structured pattern on second balls. Second balls are chaotic and this where Tusker has been dominant, winning the balls from the chaos that ensues through impeccable positioning.Tusker centre backs and goalkeeper also play long balls in behind to the ever willing runs of midfielder Siwa Shaphan and wingers on the team. They look to be very direct in this instance, looking to attack the byline and go at their markers in 1v1 situations. The wingers are not the best at successful dribbles so getting the balls to players with a forward-facing view so they can use their power in running into the channels.Tusker have excelled on transitions too, their goal against Kenya Police FC a good reminder of the danger they possess. Coming off an effort off the post from Police FCs Clifton Miheso, Tusker had 4 players forward. On winning the second ball an impeccable long ball in behind to the run of Siwa Shaphan finished off the move with his toe poke into the net. This was a move that saw Tusker have 1 pass and they were in the opposition box from a runner in behind. Tactical Masterclass: How Francis Baraza’s backup plan led Kenya Police FC to a 4-2 victory against Nairobi City StarsThe above information does not completely discredit Tusker as a team that can knock the ball about with ease. Case in point the Tusker goal against AFC Leopards where Tusker had controlled possession, stringing 8 passes before an AFC Leopards interception on a through ball, then stringing 4 neat passes with emphasis on wide overloads and a good overlap run saw the ball end in the back of the net. The cross to the resulting goal saw Tusker have 4 men in the box compared to AFC Leopards three.This clearly shows that Tusker has a set plan, the emphasis on overloads and resilience to push through a game with no lapse in concentration clearly shows why they are a top team. Most people might state that what Tusker is doing is not appealing to the eye but hey! They are flexible when required and the approach is clearly working for them.Tusker has added spice to the FKF Premier League, giving us a title battle drawing comparisons to the current Arsenal versus Manchester City one. It is going down to the wire and the Brewer’s will for sure push K’Ogalo all the way.
