{"id":403750,"date":"2018-02-23T09:19:57","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T09:19:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=403750"},"modified":"2018-02-23T09:28:09","modified_gmt":"2018-02-23T09:28:09","slug":"andre-ayew-a-masterful-artist-of-positional-evolution-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2018\/02\/andre-ayew-a-masterful-artist-of-positional-evolution-article\/","title":{"rendered":"Andre Ayew: A masterful artist of positional evolution [Article]"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ghanaian international footballer Andre Ayew joined Premier league strugglers Swansea City on deadline day from West Ham United and made his debut for the Welsh side as a substitute in Swansea\u2019s 1-0 win over Burnley two weeks ago.<\/em><\/p>\n

Citi Sports Daniel Koranteng looks at the 28 year old\u2019s positional evolution and discusses why his return and potential partnership with his brother Jordan could be exactly what Swansea needs in their quest for survival.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ayew\u2019s positional change<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 6 November, 2010 a year after leading Ghana to U-20 World Cup glory, Andre Ayew made his UEFA Champions League debut for Marseille against Portuguese champions Porto at the Est\u00e1dio do Drag\u00e3o, playing on the left wing in place of Dutch winger Bolo Zenden. The then 20 year old played 77 minutes before being substituted out as Marseille were defeated 2\u20131.<\/p>\n

Ayew earned praise from the media and many pundits especially for keeping in form Porto right back Jos\u00e9 Bosingwa quiet on the night. Ayew went on to cement himself as a regular in the side making 37 appearances in his debut season. Although he was deployed in the wider positions in his first season, Ayew showed his good eye for goal and incredible movement in the box scoring 11 goals in his debut season.<\/p>\n

This prompted then Marseille manager Didier Dechamps to grant the Ghana international more positional freedom which resulted in Ayew scoring 30 goals for the side in the next 3 seasons. Perhaps Ayew\u2019s best season for the French side came in his final season where he was part of a powerful front 3 along with Dimitri Payet and Andre Pierre Gignac. He finished the season as the clubs second highest goal scorer with 9 goals, featuring as the team\u2019s main central attacking threat on some occasions in the absence of Gignac.<\/p>\n

\"Andre<\/a>
Andre Ayew finished as Marseille\u2019s second highest scorer in the 2014\/2015 season<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The winger was slowly beginning to evolve into an out and out forward. Ayew\u2019s move to Swansea in 2015 was marked the death of his career as a winger. Then Swansea manager Gary Monk operated him as a second striker, partnering up with Frenchman Bafetimbi Gomis in the Swansea attack. He excelled in that role and finished the campaign as the team\u2019s highest scorer with 12 goals, which included strikes against Manchester United and Chelsea.<\/p>\n

\"Ayew<\/a>
Ayew celebrates his goal against Manchester United in the 2015\/2016 season<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ayew had slowly morphed into a central attacking menace. After his move to West Ham the following season, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic reverted to deploying him down the wings and this backfired with Ayew failing to deliver. He was no longer that quick, energetic teenager who burst onto the global scene some six years before. Ayew later that season \u2013 after the AFCON \u2013 was deployed in a center forward position and he returned with an impressive 6 goals and 3 assists in just 16 starts.<\/p>\n

Swansea\u2019s lack<\/strong><\/p>\n

Swansea have a clear problem this season and that is their inability to score enough goals. The Swans have managed just 20 goals all season; meaning Tottenham\u2019s Harry Kane has managed more goals than the entire Swansea side this season. Swansea have lacked a focal point in their attack this season with early season injuries to Tammy Abraham and Wilfred Bony. \u00a0Andre\u2019s brother, Jordan, who is Swansea\u2019s leading scorer so far this season with 8 goals, has shown that he isn\u2019t your typical penalty box forward as the heat map of his average movement this season show he is hardly ever in the opposition box.<\/p>\n

\"jordan-position\"<\/a>
Jordan Ayew\u2019s positioning in a Premier League game against Watford<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Andre Ayew is a second striker and poacher of the first order. The purchase of Andre means Swansea will have a player who will be a constant threat in the opposition box due to his incredible movement and exceptional anticipation and finishing ability. Andre playing as a poacher alongside his workaholic younger brother Jordan is a match made in heaven and exactly what Swansea needs.<\/p>\n

Their devastating partnership can be likened to Manchester United\u2019s attacking duo of 2005\/2006 which had Wayne Rooney doing all the dirty work by drawing defenders away and Ruud van Nistelrooy as the prolific poacher whose simple job was just to finish off chances.<\/p>\n

\"912999484\"<\/a>
Ayew returned to Swansea for a second spell in January 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The added bonus for the Swans is that they have signed a player who understands the situation the club is in, having been in a similar pickle before with the same club, coupled with the fact that the team is peaking at a perfect time with the team unbeaten in their last five league games, which have come with successive wins against Liverpool and Arsenal.<\/p>\n

Only positives can be seen in Swansea\u2019s purchase of Andre Ayew and it\u2019s very clear he, alongside Jordan are destined to save the Welsh side from the drop.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By: Daniel Koranteng\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ghanaian international footballer Andre Ayew joined Premier league strugglers Swansea City on deadline day from West Ham United and made his debut for the Welsh side as a substitute in Swansea\u2019s 1-0 win over Burnley two weeks ago. Citi Sports Daniel Koranteng looks at the 28 year old\u2019s positional evolution and discusses why his return […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":403752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[374],"tags":[3166,564,2520],"yoast_head":"\nAndre Ayew: A masterful artist of positional evolution [Article] - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. 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