Saturday 21 January 2017

AFCON 2017 - Sadio Mane and Keita Balde are Key for Senegal but Cisse Must Keep Focus


Senegal may have peaked too early, and might not end up lifting up the trophy.

But in Mané and Baldé, they have two players who have the capability of taking their country all the way. That's what they have shown in these two games so far and the coach, Aliou Cissé, must recognise the importance of surrounding these two exceptional players with a functioning team.





The best nation I have seen so far who have won both their games, have been Senegal. That doesn't mean they have been perfect but out of all the Nations Cup teams, they look most likely to win the tournament.

Their mix of dangerous attacking play, how they can mix and match the pace of their games, and the way in which they can control it, show signs of a team who can navigate their way towards winning every match and end up lifting up the golden trophy.

But I cast my mind back to 2000, and how amazing that Dutch team were under Rijkard. If any team deserved to win a tournament it was that team, but they didn't. So being the best now means nothing. It's about being the best from now till the very end.

What Cisse has that no other team in the Naions Cup do, are the two best attackers in the tournament.

It's not even a discussion.

They have been outstanding, and can combine to unlock any defence that they face in the competition.




With Baldé's youthful exuberance, and direct running, with Mané's unorthodox approach, they make a very dangerous pair that will be difficult to keep quiet for ninety minutes.

However, it's not as easy as that. One game, Baldé may be off or Mané might not be as effective. That is where the coaching of Cissé comes in, because it may be another player who needs to step up to save the day, or they will need to bind together as a team to close out a game they winning by a single goal.



Cissé has a path to winning this tournament, and it will depend on the discipline, mentality and will of the entire team as well as getting the best out of Baldé and Mané. If they can do that, then they have a really good chance of glory.









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 HH