Attack to be built around Sepuuya

AS a player, Robert Williamson carved out a reputation as a reliable striker with British clubs Rangers, Rothermam, Kilmarnock, Clydebank and West Bromwich Albion — gathering a combined 138 goals with the clubs.

This week, the Scottish coach faces a challenge of identifying the right attacking combination, one similar to the one that enabled him crack the net with ease those 138 times.
He defied both fatigue and sleep yesterday having arrived just hours earlier from his father’s funeral to conduct his first session of which he devoted a lot more of his efforts in shaping Cranes’ attack.

Geoffrey Massa, Geoffrey Sserunkuuma and Caesar Okhuti are competing for a first team place alongside Eugene Sepuuya, who should lead Uganda’s goal feast against Benin. Current statistics indicate, the Voivodina striker will be Cranes primary forward.

Sepuuya struck Cranes opener in the 3-1 win over Angola in July after helping Uganda to an early lead in the 4-1 defeat to Benin in June.
Williamson stuck to a 4-4-2 formation in Niamey and that will not change on Sunday, going with either two strikers playing side by side (Sepuuya and Massa), or a lone front-man (Sepuuya) with the other forward Massa, Okhuti or Sserunkuuma playing just behind him.

On the evidence of yesterday’s sessions, there were indications that URA FC midfielder Patrick Ochan could be thrown into the creating position, in the event that Sserumaga, switches to either the left ahead of Michael Ssebalinga or starts behind the main striker.

Ochan’s ability to hold the ball and bring forwards into play enabled the likes of Sserumaga do what they can do best: linger with intent off the shoulder of the final defender.

The absence of Obua means Williamson will also have to fast-unearth another dead-ball specialist that will secure that odd goal from set-piece situations.

The expert view

Former Cranes coach Mike Mutebi, when approached to explain the dilemma faced by coach Williamson and his assistants Sam Ssimbwa and Jackson Mayanja, said Sepuuya is best suited to lead the attack.

“Sepuuya would be my ideal lead striker, with Mike (Sserumaga) playing just behind him” Mutebi said, before commenting on several possible combinations
Sepuuya and Sserumaga
“Sserumaga has never been a number eight. He is a 20-yard player that struggles with distance but would do what David (Obua) has been doing for the team in that role.”

Sepuuya and Sserunkuuma
“Sserunkuuma has good statistics but playing him alongside Sepuuya would create a flat line. None of them is fast.

Sepuuya and Massa/Okhuti
“Massa’s first touch is a problem. Okhuti would be ideal, he is fast and can take on a two-man defence although his first touch is also a problem.
Massa and Okhuti are quite identical. Yet starting either would guarantee the team both aggression and pace, two attributes that could be significant against Benin’s resilient central defenders.”

Sekagya defiant
Cranes captain Ibrahim Sekagya, who has had an ankle injury problem recently, completed his first physical session without pain and declared that “we have to win this game. We have the strikers capable of getting the goals we need and that’s why everybody is here and focused.”

“We want to forget the Niger result by winning on Sunday,” Sekagya said at Namboole yesterday.

Sekagya is expected to shackle the visitor’s lead forward Razak Omotoyosi, who struck twice in the 4-1 defeat in Cotonou.