Seven matches, three wins, two defeats, two draws, seven goals scored, and nine goals conceded, the stats that encapsulate the Black Stars under Chris Hughton clearly do not make for good reading.
Beyond the stats, the team aesthetically does not excite anyone. They often look disjointed, spiritless, directionless, and poorly coached
It is difficult for one to figure out what the defensive or offensive plan of the Black Stars under Chris Hughton is.
As we review the latest double defeats against the United States of America and Mexico, GhanaWeb looks at five things going wrong under Chris Hughton.
No tactical plan
Seven games into his stewardship, there still is no idea what the tactical approach is under Chris Hughton.
Watching Chris Hughton’s Black Stars has become a tormenting exercise as they are incoherent, and inconsistent and play without a well-thought-out plan.
It still remains unknown if Chris Hughton’s Black Stars are an offensive side or a defensive side that relies on long balls.
Questionable call-ups
Another feature of Chris Hughton’s Black Stars is the call-ups of players who in the view of some football followers did not deserve to be in the team.
There have been questions over call-ups to the likes of Andre Ayew, Baba Rahman, Kamal Sowah, and Edmund Addo as pundits believed at the time they were called, they were not enjoying much success at the club level.
Lack of commitment and motivation
Though it didn't start under him, the lack of fight, determination, commitment, and energy within the Black Stars have gone a notch higher under Chris Hughton.
There appears to be an atmosphere of complacency, swollen-headedness, and demi-god within the Black Stars players and Chris Hughton has done little to inspire confidence.
The video of Alidu Seidu giving up after he was dribbled by the US’ Tim Weah is the perfect highlight of everything wrong with the Black Stars.
As a coach, it is his duty to inspire confidence and stimulate desire and hunger in players to achieve success and so far it feels like Chris Hughton is failing at it.
Unfortunate with injuries
Chris Hughton has also not been lucky with injuries. In various matches, he has lost key players such as Thomas Partey, Mohammed Salisu, Denis Odoi, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Alexandre Djiku, and Baba Rahman, among others.
It is safe to assume that if all these players were fit and firing, the Black Stars’ performance would have been better than it has been so far.
Black Stars coach, Chris Hughton