By Kwame Bediako
If Carlos Queiroz sticks to the current 28-man group in Cardiff, then two players will have to miss out before Ghana submits the final 26-man World Cup squad. Reports from the GFA suggest there are unlikely to be any new additions outside the current camp.
My predicted cuts: Two goalkeepers
Queiroz called up five goalkeepers, but only three can go to the World Cup.
Assuming Benjamin Asare, Lawrence Ati-Zigi, and Joseph Anang are the leading trio, one or two of the remaining keepers are likely to miss out.
Paul Reverson
The Ajax youngster was reportedly invited mainly for assessment and future planning. With limited senior national team experience, he looks the most vulnerable outfield player
If there were to be a replacements, these are the names I would seriously consider:
Joseph Paintsil
His omission surprised many considering his pace, directness and ability to change games from the bench.
Ghana currently lacks many explosive wide options, especially with Mohammed Kudus unavailable.
Derrick Köhn
Offers natural balance at left-back and left wing-back.
Useful if Queiroz wants tactical flexibility against teams like England and Croatia.
Felix Afena-Gyan
Gives Ghana a different profile up front as a physical No. 9.
Could be valuable late in games when Ghana need a target man.
As for the biggest talking point, I don’t think Mohammed Kudus should be rushed into the squad. Reports indicate he is still recovering from a quad injury setback and has not played competitively for month.
The one player I would still find room for, however, is Joseph Paintsil. His absence remains the most surprising omission from the provisional squad.
