AYI'S RICH ROLE UNDER MATIC: COACH'S NOTES E03
A review of the continously improving Richmond Ayi as gleaned from matchday 7, by Coach Abdul Malik Pomasi
My stance is often a cautious one when the ‘but-look-at-other-things-he-does’ retort comes up during discussions that pertain to a player’s main job. Such remarks usually ring the bell of excuses. This is however not the case when talking about the other things a goalkeeper offers besides his main job of being the last man in defence keeping the team on the other side from scoring, in the modern game.
Goals-saving actions of goalkeepers (while definitely not an afterthought) aren’t the the be-all and end-all for modern goalkeepers, most especially for teams who often build-up from the back and/or play a high line.
The greater fraction of Hearts of Oak’s attacks have started from the back, and at the heart of this has been Richmond Ayi. He plays a fundamental tactical role at the base of the team. He is so important in possession. So much so that, his actions alter the team’s entire style of play.
For Matic’s ideas to materialise, Ayi is required to deliver accurate short and long passes. In accommodating the highline the Serb demands of his defenders, the shot-stopper also plays as a sweeper. The good news is, the recently turned number one option in goal for Hearts seems to be excelling at these. He is continuously improving at his new roles in contributing to buildups and as a libero, while still delivering great saves - his primary mandate as the guardian in between the sticks.
A typical instance of these was presented about the two minutes into the matchday 7 encounter against then league leaders, Accra Lions. The centre backs must have been some relieved men as it didn't seem they were going to win a foot race against Lions’ marauding Asante who was set to outpace the centre pair to set himself up for a 1v1 with the goalie. Ayi steps up in time and saves the blushes of his defenders before picking out Gladson Awako with a perfectly measured long pass. In one action, he has saved the team from a dangerous situation and then gone on to set them off for a dangerous attack. Perfect. Ayi has shown glimpses of being a good sweeper in the past games but to be able to pick out his teammate expertly from that clearance highlights the confidence he's garnered in his ball-playing abilities.
Click here to watch incident
Massive improvements from matchday 4 when he conceded an embarrassing goal against Bibiani Goldstars as a result of adjusting to the new sweeper role.
Another interesting sequence highlighting the goalkeeper's role in buildups ensued in the 9th minute of same game when Ayi assumed the role of an extra outfield player in a moment when Hearts were in the buildup phase. He receives a back pass from an under-pressure Mohammed Alhassan, controls it brilliantly with two players of Lions charging up at him and plays a perfect line-breaking pass to Eric Esso. The pass completely nullified Lions’ press and set Hearts off in an attack.
Click here to watch sequence
The sending off of Awako had Hearts’ short passing buildups suffer a bit. The team in effect resorted to a more direct play. The use of long balls was frequent, especially in the second half.
Ayi consistently picked out forward Kwadwo Obeng Junior with his long passes. He either kicked it straight to him or into the channels where the forward had to run onto them. He’ll go on to earn a pre-assist for the game's clincher from one of those routines.
The former national U23 safest pair of hands made about 3 crucial saves in the game. Nonetheless, his other actions seemed to have benefited the team even more.
Matic has shown that he’s not afraid of rotations, in fact, he has declared his fondness for personnel rotations as it creates competition. However, it appears safe to surmise that Ayi’s position isn’t under any such rotational considerations, at least for now.
The lad have had to wait years for his chance and he looks to be firmly grabbing this with both hands.
