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Cameroon Camp Focus - Tweaking needed after bittersweet defeat
Cameroon will have gained slight confidence in their last World Cup warm up game through a disparaging night as they lost to Serbia in a 4-3 thriller. The Indomitable Lions’ previous friendlies have been mired by missed chances, a clear lack of unity and the captain Samuel Eto’o being dismissed, but considering the Inter forward’s absence against the White Eagles, Paul Le Guen’s outfit put in a stellar attacking show.
Le Guen has seemed to galvanise the squad in the wake of the Samuel Eto’o soap opera last week, after the captain’s red card against Portugal and threats of dismissal from the squad, the Cameroonian president Iya Mohammed issued a rallying call of unity. The Lions seemed to have retained focus, competitiveness in the squad’s forwards is seething and the gap left by Eto’o was filled adequately against Serbia. The last week has seen Cameroon pitted against strengthened Portugal and dark horses Serbia, with the match against Carlos Queiroz’s side acting as a stern wakeup call. Swipes against the Lions’ backline showcased a weak Cameroonian defence and it was safe to say that the Africans had their confidence dented. This week the Indomitable Lions faced Serbia and offered a much improved offensive force, but the defence, however, highlighted their weaknesses leaving Le Guen to ponder on how to tighten the back line.
The inclusion of Rigobert Song into the squad was obviously to instil leadership into a young back four, hoping the veteran would lead by example through a wealth of experience but so far in the warm up matches Le Guen’s side have been constantly penetrated much to the frustration of goalkeeper Carlos Kameni. The goals conceded against Serbia resulted in furious gesticulating from the stopper as the Cameroon centre-backs virtually went missing, echoing the disastrous strategy against Portugal, allowing the Serbians to capitalise on shoddy managerial tactics. The Africans took the lead just four minutes in, but the lead lasted just 11 minutes as the Serbians equalised but Cameroon’s response was stoic and the second goal almost identical to the first as Pierre Webó latched onto a header from the wing. A 3-3 final score could would have seemed more fair but for the silly, albeit debatable penalty which Nenad Milijas converted.
The Cameroonians may have been defeated but plus points were available for Le Guen to take. Cameroon will have gone into the match with a certain trepidation having their captain and talisman Eto’o unavailable but the squad’s other forwards, Webó and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting raised their game and shouldered the responsibility up front. Le Guen’s midfield has potential, with the left wing particularly influential as both the first and second goals came from that side, delivered by Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Landry N'Guémo respectively. This powerful link with Webó’s goals mirrored the goals against Portugal proving the Lions are yet to be contested in aerial ability (the third goal also a header from debutant Choupo-Moting). The players have proved they can find the net without Eto’o, particularly Webó, who has earned the right to start alongside the captain ahead of competitor Mohammadou Idrissou.
Despite spirited goals and the situation up front perhaps looking to be resolved, Cameroon’s World Cup warm up matches have resulted in one outcome - a poor defence. The axiom of ‘strikers win you games, defenders win you tournaments’ could not be more apt to Le Guen’s outfit. The Coach’s insecure defensive choices can easily be his team’s downfall, Assou-Ekotto, Sébastien Bassong, Nicolas N'Koulou and Kaiserlautern’s Georges Mandjeck all started in defence. The latter two were both substituted with Mandjeck looking lost next to Bassong. If the Lions are to progress positively into South Africa 2010, Song’s experience is vital at the back. Kameni, who has continuously had an open defence in front of him, will hope the former captain can sculpt the shambles in front of him into shape.
In the absence of captain Eto’o, the armband was handed to Kameni and despite habitually being the shot stopping hero, the fiery keeper is unable to exert the right amount of influence as captain to the outfield players rooted between the posts. Eto’o may be captain but his current situation does not reflect the leadership of a skipper, and after last week his commitment could be questioned. With the first choice captain up front and the second in goal, Cameroon’s captaincy could be the problem as there is no spirited influence being wielded in the heart of the team.
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