How Shabana have been reaping big from Peter Ogechi's versatility

Shabana returned to the Football Kenya Federation Premier League after 17 years in the cold following their victory in the last season’s National Super League.

The Glamour Boys played 32 matches, won23, lost 5 and played out to 4 draws to clinch the Super League title and consequently, earned ticket to the top league.

On top of that, the team scored 55 goals and conceded just 14 times, illustrating how god they were in the second tier.

One player who stood out last season was Peter Ogechi who scored 14 times despite being a defensive midfielder.

Ogechi popularly known as Maestro has carried the good form to the top slight as his dominant displays and goals have been the brightest in the rather dark Shabana corner.

Shabana have played 5 league games, managing 3 draws and 2 loses. They have scored 3 goals with Ogechi accounting for two.

Interesting to note that all their goals have come from set plays.

In this piece I look to dissect the impact Ogechi has had in his team.

The quality of Shabana set up might be questioned in certain areas, and granted, they are not the most aesthetically pleasing side to watch.

The Shabana brass noted this and after keen reviews they managed to rope in experienced players to help steady their ship.

Clearly survival in the league is the main aim. In Rodgers Aloro, Eugene Mukangula and Enock Agwanda, Shabana has experience to boot.

Shabana have been playing in a mid to low block majorly when out of possession.

In the midblock, they have been connecting the defensive lines of their team and hold collective position in the middle and or defensive third.

Through this, they have been compacting and narrow collectively, denying the opposition space to play through the central channels of the pitch.

Their main aim in this phase is to funnel the opposition wide or backwards and to use the opposition ideas of playing centrally as triggers to win the ball back due to the tenacious midfield double pivot that has Ogechi in.

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Now to Ogechi’s role. From the NSL where as stated above Ogechi managed to get 14 goals to now the FKF Premier League everything good in the Shabana attack goes through him.

Through watching Ogechi from the lower tier especially in the Shabana game against Darajani Gogo and the one against Gusii FC to his escapades now, Ogechi typically occupies the central and final thirds of the field.

While he can occasionally contribute to build up play, he majorly looks to position himself ahead of the ball.

In the FKF Premier League, Shabana have approached games with the main aim of going long in the initial stages either into the wingers then attacking through wide, especially with Agwanda running in behind or their pacy wingers or they go long centrally and duel for the second balls.

Ogechi has now been tasked with the primary role of positioning himself as a conduit for advancing his team’s play when they build from settled possession.

His exceptional talent has enabled him to execute his role with notable effectiveness, showcasing his ability to distribute precise passes to the flanks and also penetrate defensive lines.

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In the current Shabana set up, Ogechi is favoured in more advanced areas on the field.

His ever-improving ability to find and exploit pockets of space is key in everything positive on the Shabana side. The burden of directly creating and progressing play heavily relies on him.

When Ogechi receives the ball, he can progressively carry to propel his team forward. This action of carrying aids in creating space for his teammates.

The main area of threat on Ogechi’s plays lies in how consistent his incursions into, or towards the box aid Shabana.

How proficient he has been in this format for Shabana again from their NSL days. As Shabana heavily lean on his runs to get attacking threats.

Now where it all comes to boil is how good Ogechi is at attacking set pieces, he can strike a ball and he can head one just as well.

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Rare to find that. In the current FKF Premier League season the forward has two very good headers from the near post on a free kick and a long throw both taken by new recruits Aloro and Agwanda.

How well the trio gel will be key for Shabana especially on set plays.

At Shabana he is undoubtedly their unsung hero.

How Ogechi utilizes space to generate opportunities for both himself and his team, his stellar individual start to the league has highlighted his impressive game reading skills, spatial awareness and dead ball wizardry are now evident to all.

The manner in which he channels this and the Shabana set up evolves more to accommodate the league set up will be pivotal. However, in him Shabana have a very good player. A game changer!