Hear Me Out, A Tactical Reimagining for Ghana's Midfield.

It's hard to ignore the gaping hole between the midfield and attack when watching the Ghana National team. Typically, Ghana fields two defensive midfielders, such as Thomas Partey, Baba Idrisu, or Abdul Samed. While these players offer defensive solidity, they are not particularly suited to carry the ball forward or progress play effectively. This often forces the team to resort to long balls or requires attackers to drop deep to collect and move the ball up the pitch. Majeed Ashimeru temporarily solved this problem; we saw this effect against Egypt at the African Cup of Nations, where he put on a fantastic display before getting substituted in the 62nd minute. Majeed Ashimeru is currently not available for selection due to injury.

However, the solution to the ball progression issue might have been right before us all along, Jordan Ayew.

Jordan Ayew is a polarising figure in the Black Stars setup. Some fans admire him, while others call for his exclusion. Often labelled a "defensive striker" or "defensive winger" due to his low goals and assist numbers, Ayew remains a mainstay under different coaches because of his substantial value to the team.

A Tactical Reimagining: Ayew as a Left-Central Midfielder

I propose deploying Jordan Ayew as a left-central midfielder in a 4–3–3 formation, with a traditional winger like Ernest Nuamah maintaining width on the left. Here's why this could solve our midfield-to-attack transition problem:

Jordan Ayew, in part role this season, has averaged 13 carries per 90 with an average carry distance of 12.13 metres. To put those numbers in context, James Maddison averaged 19 carries per game with an average carry distance of 9.73 metres. Mateo Kovacic, widely regarded as one of the best ball carriers in world football, had an average carry distance of 10.47 metres. These numbers show that Jordan Ayew is excellent at ball progression.

Jordan Ayew also had a pass success rate of 80.6%, higher than the average for his team, Crystal Palace, at 74%. Ayew's reputation as a "defensive striker" highlights his exceptional work rate and ability to press and recover the ball. These attributes are invaluable in a midfield role, where defensive and offensive contributions are required. His high energy and defensive diligence can help maintain the team's solidity while contributing to the attack.

Deploying a traditional winger like Ernest Nuamah on the left provides the width needed to stretch defences, allowing Ayew to operate centrally. This adjustment enables Ghana to field dynamic attackers such as Osman Bukari, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Ibrahim Osman, who can thrive with improved service from midfield. This deployment will allow the team to continue fielding two natural defensive midfielders, providing defensive solidity without creating a gap between defence and attack.

Incorporating Ayew in this new role could be the key to unlocking Ghana's full potential on the pitch.

Hear me out