Gamers keep counting their losses as coaches tinker with team tactics

Spain's Andres Iniesta falls during the round of 16 match between Spain and Russia at the 2018 soccer World Cup at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, July 1, 2018. [Photo/AP]

A fan waves his phone at me with a broad smile before approaching me at an eatery. He flips my accreditation badge and asks, “Wer you from? Land, land where?”

“Bet? Bet?”

He was in a group of about five other fans draped in Azerbaijan flags. Another group had Belarusian flags.

I gathered they were placing bets during the Belgium versus Japan match and so they needed help. These were ‘investors’ – waekezaji – back home.

On match days, the diehard fans or let us say those with teams at this tournament would be dancing and singing their lungs out.

There is another group, however, glued on their cellphones surfing through betting sites, crunching date and previews before ‘investing.’

The problem is the investors are having it rough here, and I believe back home. Reputations, team forms and tactics have been crushed at this World Cup.

Holders Germany, Spain, Argentina, Portugal, Mexico – teams ‘investors’ were sure they would place a bet on ‘Goal-Goal’ and get a return have all packed their bags and left Russia.

Bets like waekezaji in Kenya would say, zinachomeka kuchomeka, look like will continue being a dicey affair.

Team tactics have been stretched to the limit here, sometimes requiring players’ individual brilliance to breakdown stubborn opponents.

There have been varying systems employed at this tournament and curiously, teams that have deployed ‘False 9’ have gone home as the return to ‘an out and out striker’ appears to be back in fashion.

Germany deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation against Mexico in their Group D opening match with RB Leipzig youngster Timo Werner designated as the striker. However, in actual play, Werner kept drifting out of the shape as Germany ended up playing 3-4-3, the youngster playing as a False 9.

By the time Joachim Low sent in a natural target man Mario Gomez, bets were smoldering for Hirving Lozano had done the damage.

Portugal stuck with Cristiano Ronaldo and the return was four goals for the Real Madrid man.

Spain brought to town the fiery Diego Costa, but their team tactics were do jumbled up that it was difficult for them to progress but still the Atletico striker netted three goals.

It is only Brazil, who have successfully employed a 4-3-3 formation which coach Tite states on team sheets as 4-2-3-1 where Gabriel Jesus is supposed to be the target man.

Yet as you may have noticed, Jesus is very much a part of a three-prong attack involving Neymar and Willian with Phillipe Coutinho pulling the strings behind them.

As for France, they have gone to town with their traditional number 9 Olivier Giroud, Belgium with Romelu Lukaku, Artem Dzyuba (Russia) and Mario Mandzukic (Croatia). Uruguay’s Oscar Tabarez has stuck with the dictates of the traditional number 9, in fact using twin strikers in Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez to wreck havoc.

As for ‘waekezaji’ the investors, it is up to them to decide but point is, bet wisely.