Nairobi City Stars are having a rather solid season, having garnered 39 points from 24 games.The Coach Nicholas Muyoti-led side has impressed many. Though suffering from a slight slump in form, the team which was at some stage of the season touted as favourites to push Gor Mahia to the end has put up some scintillating counter-attacking displays.Tactical Analysis: Why ‘On The Shoulder’ forwards are being employed in the FKFPLIn this piece, we look to understand how the team has managed to put up such performances.Nairobi City Stars are not at the stage they are through a display of aggressive, open, high-pressing football domination. A large chunk of their goals have come from counter-attacks or long balls forward, their main modes of progressive passes being long balls and switch balls.Nairobi City Stars have a very distinct game plan, they know that they need to have that steely determination as they may not see the majority of the ball in every game. With the knowledge that their opponents will always try to control possession, Nairobi City Stars have developed an approach based on counter-attacking; incorporating many of their strengths.In the build-up phase, they mix their goal kicks between short and long, again looking to play to the wings. Their idea in the build-up, however, is to majorly play short passes from the goal kick and then going long, leaving one central midfielder to drop deep, seeing them take up a 2-3-1-4 formation in possession, with the center-backs splitting, the fullbacks playing on same line as the central midfielder, the deeper lying one, majorly Elvis Noor and in central midfielder ahead of them between the lines.Sakwa: Harambee Stars call-up a big opportunityThe fullbacks are pushed wider to stretch the opponents’ lines of pressure. Then attacking midfielder Vincent Owino(number 19) pushes up to join their striker Robin Asenwa, together with the wingers Mohammed Bajaber and Samuel Kapen push up onto their opposition back-four. This pins the opposition defense with a four vs four.The intelligent movements of Owino and Kapen to drag out markers create space in their finishing third. They progress the ball through short passes between defenders and midfielders before going long into the wingers. During progression, they ensure the ball ends up with the wide players.Now what has made them very threatening is Owino who is tasked with playing with freedom to roam and pick up balls across the middle third, the nominal switch ball from Owino to Kapen is something always noted with their side, with Kapen the main outlet. Looking to always have four players in the line of attack, their attaching to the backline is very key to what they look to do in the final third as this helps them create one vs one situation.##NAJAVA_MECA_7950993##The reason they look to majorly have wing play is to also stretch the opposition midfield, with the opponent midfielders vacating the central midfield to create double and even triple teams in wingers as the opponents look to commit where Nairobi City Stars are most dangerous and not just have their players standing in the middle.However, City Stars are well-drilled to expect this reaction and sometimes even use it as a trigger to play a quick long ball through the middle into Owino- this very much is in keeping with their direct, counter-attacking philosophy. They have a team well-oiled to not want the ball much because when they do win back possession, they can pounce quickly before the opposition transition has transitioned.To have a very strong counter-attacking style, a team needs a proper defensive structure. This has seemed to be Nairobi City Stars Achilles heel- defending- as they concede just as much as they score, having conceded 27 goals and scored 28.Let us look at what they try to do out of possession and how and why maybe it is not working.Nairobi City Stars press in a 4-1-3-2 structure. With the striker and attacking midfield deployed in the initial press, this will force the team on the ball to almost always play to their full-backs. When the ball goes wide, the attacking midfielder drops, now taking up a 4-4-1-1 shape. If the opponent goes long, where they have able height in the backline and balance midfield to win the second balls and launch a counter-attack.Former Homeboyz and SoNy Sugar midfielder returning after two-year hiatusOn teams that have managed to avoid long balls, they have managed to breach the backline.In Conclusion, due to the speed and agility of the attackers Nairobi City Stars will remain one of the most dangerous sides in the counterattacks. They may find it hard, as they are now, as other clubs are doing the same against them and surrendering possession and then combining in the final third.All in all coach Muyoti, who has been at the City Stars helm since September 2021 will look to get the train back on track and charge on with some good performances to the end of the season.
