Going into your final group game with qualification for the World Cup already in the bag is something most teams and managers would die for.
However, with one obstacle negotiated others pop up, and as Egypt head into their final qualification clash against Ghana today, their coach, Hector Cuper, has a number of issues he has to address.
The clash in Cape Coast is the first opportunity for the Argentine to start shaping the side that will be in Russia next summer. Here are five key issues Cuper needs to sort out.
OVERDEPENDENCE ON SALAH AND SAID
Despite World Cup qualification, Cuper has come under heavy criticism for his conservative approach and over-reliance on Mohamed Salah.
Numbers don’t often lie and this is particularly true of Egypt and their attack. Since Cuper took over in 2015, The Pharaohs have scored 19 goals in 14 matches; 17 of those goals were either scored or assisted by Salah or his attacking partner Abdullah Said.
Cuper needs to find solutions beyond those two players, and the Ghana game will be his first chance.
OPTIONS ON THE LEFT
Left-back is one area where Egypt lack depth. Mohamed Abdel-Shafy was one of the best imports to the Saudi League with Al-Ahli over the past few years and he occupies the starting spot on the left side of defense.
But beyond the man known as “Shefo”, Cuper doesn’t have many options. Whenever Shefo was unavailable, Cuper resorted to deploying Ahmed Fathi, a right-back by trade, in his spot and introduced Aston Villa’s Ahmed Elmohamady to fill in at right-back.
Cuper has just over six months to experiment and find a reliable full-back to share the burden with Shefo on the left.
MANAGING EL HADARY
Iconic goalkeeper Issam El-Hadary has been a cornerstone of the side for the past two decades, winning four African Cup of Nations titles between 1998 and 2010 and as many CAF Champions League trophies with Al-Ahly.
El-Hadary is set to become the oldest player to ever appear in a World Cup; he will be 45 years and five months at the start of the ­tournament.
But while his recent performances have been good, at his age the question must be asked: Will El-Hadary be Cuper’s No. 1 choice to start in Russia?
Sherif Ekramy, 10 years El-Hadary’s junior, awaits on the bench and despite receiving a fair bit of criticism at Al-Ahly for his shaky CAF Champions League performances, still provides stern competition for the nation’s ­captain.
HEGAZI’S PARTNER
West Brom’s Ahmed Hegazi has been a rock at the heart of the Egyptian defense throughout the qualifiers. He’s settled in well to life in the Premier League and offers much-needed solidity at the back, but there is still a problem over who partners him at center-back.
Cuper has often deployed a four-man defense, which leaves Al-Ahly duo Saad Samir and Ramy Rabia as well as Zamalek’s Ali Gabr to do battle for one spot. Samir and Rabia starred in Al-Ahly’s march to the CAF Champions League final while Gabr partnered Hegazi as Egypt finished runners-up in the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
A TACTICAL RESHUFFLE
Cuper has so far often favored a 4-5-1 formation, with Salah given a free role on the right of midfield behind a lone striker. But against stronger opponents at the World Cup, the Argentine could be tempted to switch to a back-five.
The five-man defense was a dominant feature of Hassan Shehata’s impressive 2000s side and produced exceptional results in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup as Egypt beat then world champions Italy and narrowly lost to Brazil 3-4.
Times may have changed, but Cuper still has at his disposal all the right tools to use the same tactics. Shefo and Elmohamady are well-trained on the wing-back role and there is no dearth of quality center-backs to choose from.
Wing backs would give Salah more freedom and a tighter defensive unit with Arsenal’s Mohamed Elneny and Tarek Hamed shielding the back five will go a long way to keeping opponents at bay.

Source:Arabnews