Coach Freeman Amponsah explained why Berry Ladies FC need to be at their absolute best when they come up against the unique challenge of Faith Ladies FC.
Berries head play at home (Madina Astroturf) for a Sunday lunchtime(3pm) encounter in the Malta Guiness Women’s Premier League.
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Freeman previewed the fixture during a press chat with the Berry Ladies FC Media Team at Madina Astroturf on Friday morning – read on to see what he had to say…
On the chance to possibly close up a 6-point gap at the second place with a win against Faith Ladies FC but that being ‘easier said than done’…
That’s what you always do! You say the easiest things and we have to deal with the reality. It’s super-tricky and dicey against one of the best teams. The way they play, the way they set it up with or without their best players makes a difference. They love to have set pieces as well and how we can you defend Faith Ladies FC for 90 minutes plus by avoiding any kind of set-piece will be another headache? On top of that, they are not only good in set-pieces but just really good at it, very compact defending, very good in counter-attack, very brave in these moments. [They] have the speed and a clear idea, a well-coached team.
But saying all these and where we want to end up this season, we have to be on top of our game as well. That means we have to be the team where they think in a similar way about us in terms of defending and counter attacking. That’s exactly the way we have to approach it. I’m really fine, especially with the resilience we showed recently before the break and I believe we are going to continue with this form.
On Faith Ladies FC playing with two central attackers and whether that will be a focus…
It’s not rare and at the same time it is very difficult to defend against such formation. The other problem is how such formation can catch our defenders by surprise and their reaction towards such attackers– they’re really good at that.
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Is it exactly what berry will do? I’m not sure and our formation is different from theirs. I think that is a very smart formation from them and that has kept Faith Ladies Fc for years in this League. The development the club made in the last few years is really impressive. So, the two-striker thing is actually not the problem but there are plenty of others and our formation can adapt to every formation they bring on,
On Berry Ladies FC’s improvement since their last away game with Faith Ladies FC…
During our first Leg which we drew against them, there was a moment, and I really remember, when we realised as a team with new faces that we have a really good squad and we have indeed put together a good developing team. So, now we have to use this team and you need prayers and you need players available as long and often as somehow possible. You might be right with the points tally that at that time it was completely different since we have some players transferred, but it means nothing for this game we are about to play. It’s not the points we have, it’s the points we can gain. Super-difficult in this league to predict an easy win but to come back to your question, yes, we have improved, and I still believe in this team.
On the versatility within the squad…
Very important, very valuable, but in general that’s how a football squad should be. It’s a good sign in general for football how players can be versatile… if you break down barriers a little bit in their own mind, ‘That’s my position and that is how I develop players.
The way I understand football is that the only real positioning is when you defend. So, if you are a right-back, you defend on right-back usually. If you are a centre-mid, you defend this kind of area when there’s a clear situation, build-up [of] the opponent. If you lose the ball in any area, there’s no position anymore for defending – it’s the closest and if it’s the No.9 who is the closest then she has to go there and defend. That’s all different to the past when positions were positions and just play like this. It’s good for football and it’s good for us, very good, and very super-helpful.
You will always find arguments for this and that position for this or that player, but we have to make decisions for the team on the daily, so who is available, who is in which shape and who fits together in the best way. Nobody came in now and didn’t play for six, eight weeks and then has to fill the role – that didn’t happen. So, that was good so far but there’s still a long way to go.
On Comfort Cobbinah’s impact off the bench and whether she is ‘knocking on your door’ for more starts…
No, no, no, Comfort Cobbinah is not doing that. But we had talks anyway. With Cobbinah we always forget how young she is, she is just that girl who is ready to start or start from the bench without complaining, had minor injuries so we needed to manage her injuries, so she plays more. Cobbinah is very incredibly important and I’m sure she knows that.
She has more time, and she will be there 100 per cent. It’s not that she will be here for the rest of her career, the super-sub or whatever the public calls her. She wants to take her time, have a real impact in the game, learn the game, understand the game, use her skillset better and better and better. There’s a lot that she is already doing really well and there’s of course a lot of potential still in her. It’s a joy to work with her but the goal and 2 assists obviously helped a lot because she was flying through the week, absolutely exceptional how she trained this week. There you can see, the best thing to inject in a player is confidence – and that works the best with goals or assists or good performances. Thank you !
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