Herve Renard has hinted that Collins Mbesuma and Mukuka Mulenga are playing into his secondary plans in a nerve-racking search of the right combination before January 21.
Second half substitutes Mukuka and Mbesuma lit-up the final 45 minutes of Zambia’s 0-0 friendly draw against Norway at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on January 12.
“I think I have to find a good combination,” Renard said.
“I wanted to give some time play to Emmanuel Mayuka he just came five days ago. Collins had a good second half.
“Jacob (Mulenga) also came a little bit maybe it wasn’t his best period but I am very happy with what I saw.”
Mulenga had a subdued first home game back since October 2011 when he came on in the 46th minute to replace Mayuka.
Mbesuma on the other hand replaced midfielder Isaac Chansa at the interval.
Meanwhile, Renard said the 19-year-old Power Dynamos midfielder Mukuka, who replaced Christopher Katongo in the 67th minute, has done everything right except finding the target.
“Mukuka Mulenga he did well against Morocco but didn’t score like today (Saturday against Norway) it would have been fantastic for him to score in Ndola but he just has to improve in front of goal. It is sad otherwise I am happy for him,” Renard said.
Zambia plays Ethiopia in both sides opening Group C game on January 21 in Nelspruit.
The way the boys are playing in midfield & upfront, there is no need to find right combination, any choice will be good. Renard should just use alphabetical order on who should start or month of their birth.
The shake side now is the right-side defense. Joseph is there, to take any position, no problem.
Finding the right what?..combination? My foot!! why give such a mammoth task to a daft & clueless division three league french coach by the name of Renard?
The so called coach has no idea how and what it takes to come up with a winning combination. He is technically challenged.
Why the hell did we have to bring this guy when he deserted us after losing in Angola?
We will have ourselves to blame for the impending shameful exit in the next few days.
I would love our team to defend the cup but we have no proper coach to guide us
Nshi Sunda you are sick. No wonder you chose a disgusting pseudonym. Stop commenting on things you dont understand. What do you know about coaching?
the gud combination will always be Mbesuma and Jacob then Mayuka and Chris.sakuwaha can play wide James chamanga has got some and plays well in the second half.back four joseph musonda left nkausu right sunzu and hh.kalaba,chansa,sinkala and chisamba make the midfield.GO ZAMBIA GO.
Ba Kingjames: yayayayaya 12 players on the pitch!?
I feel strongly that mukuka mulenga and chisamba lungu will be the best start on the midfield,chansa defensive mid,kalaba left wing and chris right wing,mayuka and jacob top front…then change jacob for mbesuma..himoonde needs to improve,he lacks agression and creativity in his play…Mbola has so far dne everything right,sunzu too
Forgot to say..send chamanga home and recall singuluma back to the team,,,…there is a chance there will be injuries on the way,,we need singuluma as quickly as possible..punto capitis
Renard mwana stop talking like a football commentator.you are employed to coach and produce good results so get to serious work time is not on you side.you just have to find the right combination for you to survive beyond AFCON.
Very few teams are spoiled for choice upfront. I am happy with what I saw , see you in Nelspruit.
the cup is kaming bak to zambia wer it belongs.home sweet home.so tell us wat combination is the best for the team and wer is the problem in the team who shud be ther and who shud not be ther.
Guys this is an open discusion…what is the best 11 cos i know HR needs our contributions.
The starting eleven shud be : Mweene, musonda, Mbola, Himoonde, Sunzu,chansa, mukuka, Chisamba, Kalaba, Chris, Mbesuma….tho this can be altered depending on the weekness of the opposite team..football is abt seeing a weakness the opposition and take advantage of it.however,thats just my opinion but there is no such thing as permanent starting eleven
Midfield ensure u have Kalaba, chansa, Chisamba Lungu and Mukuka Mulenga. Strikers, I would start with Mbesuma and Jacob!!
#11 i agree with u.
Just give up the cmpetition, reason,,,the coach failed to find a good combination.
starting 11 (goal)mweene,(back 4)mbola,musonda,himoonde,sunzu,(midfield)kalaba,chansa,sinkala,chisamba,(srikers)jacob and mbesuma.
Pause gentlemen & reflect. Nathan z first pick in midfield
Coach HR your desired combination all depends on the strengths and the weakness of your opponents…just instil a winning focused mentality worthy of continental champions in those young boys!!
Nobody is mentioning Chris Katongo & Felix, its unfair. Felix should play ahead of his elder brother.
Awe naimwe father ka felix kalipwa,whats remaining now is for the wife to desert him. He had the skill but no discipline kachikala kalya
A good coach knows u don’t change a winning combination. Further he knows u are as good as yo last game. My choice wud be: 1.Mweene 2. Nkausu/Musonda 3. Mbola 4.HH 5.Sunzu 6. Sinkala 7. Chris 8. Gatuso(Chansa) 9. J. Mulenga 10. Mayuka/Sakuwaha 11. Kalaba. Tho Mukuka Mulenga has done everything right as in Renard’s words,he is not ripe! Good coaches will tell u that there is no substitute for EXPERIENCE. There Chisamba Lungu,W.Ndlovu,Felix shud be considered ahead of the boy otherwise HR wil b responsible for the extinction of the boy’s career!
And where do you throw Mbesuma?
#13, If HR goes 4 your team as a starting line up for AFCON 2013. I see Zambia being evicted in the group stage. We need a balanced team not basing on past glory or names.Mbesuma was not at peak at the previous AFCON 2012 but today is the best striker Zambia can boast of. Below must be the first starting line up to defend AFCON 2013 trophy!
1.Mweene(Captain) 2.Nkausu 3.Mbola 4.HH 5.Sunzu 6.Sinkala 7. M. Mulenga 8.Chisamba 9. Mbesuma 10.J. Mulenga 11. Kalaba
The first 3 substitutes;
1.Chansa
2.Chris
3.Sakuwaha
@1.1 jst give credit were its due.Renard is the best of all foreighn coaches 2 have coached zambia.The guy brot us groly and honour when he won the african cup that eluded us 4 decades.
Truth for the first time we are spoiled for choice, renard has really helped these players develop to heights that many coaches before failed to
Below must be the first starting line up to defend AFCON 2013 trophy!
1.Mweene(Captain) 2.Nkausu 3.Mbola 4.HH 5.Sunzu 6.Sinkala 7. M. Mulenga 8.Chisamba 9. Mbesuma 10.J. Mulenga 11. Kalaba
The first 3 substitutes;
1.Chansa
2.Chris
3.Sakuwaha
Counting down to the final
Tell me something, i have never seen Mbesuma play recently. Are youbtelling me he is better than Mayuka or Mulenga and of course Jelita
Were do you live? Mbesuma is currently a better striker than Mayuka and J. Mulenga. J. Mulenga is just overrated. His first touch on the ball is always bad. You cant teach a pro how to trap.
Chisamba Lungu should be the first player to be considered in any starting 11, even before you begin talking about who will be in goal and where… My First 11 is as follows: 1. Mweene, 2. Musonda, 3. Mbola, 4. Himoonde, and 5. Sunzu.
In Midfield and upfront I will have pa 6. Sinkala, 7. Chisamba, 8. Mukuka, 9. Jacob, 10. Mbesuma and 11. Kalaba…
In the 4-4-2 formation, this can be a deadly team bane. Now after scoring 6 goals past Ethiopia we can bring in Katongo C. to replace Mbesuma, Mayuka for Jacob and I. Chansa for Mukuka……….
I can’t beleive that we now coming to this kind of situation. A situation where we have so many options and having headache on selecting which of the 23 bullets starts. We shall fight and conquer Africa.Go Zambia go
Mweene mu goal,mbola ku leftback,nkausu ku right,sunzu and hh diffence pillars as usual in middlepack nathan,lungu,chansa,kalaba for strikers the first. 45minutes HOUR start with mbesuma and j mulenga.
Zambia will reach the finals again…mark my words!!!
healthy debate indeed, am enjoying it keep it up guys. your positive contribution won’t go unnoticed by the coach and his assistants. am sure he will pick one or two points from these contributions. as for mine, its good luck boys, you have what it takes to conquer africa again.
Whatever the midfield, chansa and sinkala should start these are the two pillars of midfield in a holding role, kalaba in the creative role and gradually introduce mukuka for kalaba as substitute. Yes he is unquestionably gifted but lets give him time to mature and he will be the kalaba of tomorow
1. Mweene, 2. Muzo, 3. Mbola 4. HH 5. Sunzu is the man 6. Sinkala 7. Chisambadinho 8. Chansa 9. J.Mulenga 10. Chris (c) 11. Kalaba
Let Mbesuma, Deco, Mayuka, Felix, Kasonde, Jonas start on the bench…
William Njovu is yet to impress me personally….
GO ZAMBIA GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL
I think my best starting line up 1. Mweene Defenders:- 2. Musonda 3. Mbola 4. HH 5. Sunzu
Midfielders:- Sinkala, Lungu, Chansa, Kalaba. Strickers:- Mayuka and Chris. Second Half substitute Chris with Mbesuma and Chansa for Mukuka. Jacob and Nkausu unless other players play below par or are off form can they be considered. The rest as need be.
vote13 Movement for Multi-Doctors,
Your team cannot go anyhere. Look at Vote 17Secretrival. The frontline without Mbesuma and Deco is like a baby without nappies. You prefer Sakuwaha to Mbesuma? Your team is hollow my friend…
I think some players are becoming jealous and not passing balls to our number nines. So my line up would be;
1. Mweene 2. Joseph M 3. Mbola 4. Hichani 5. Sunzu 6. Sinkala 7. Chisamba 8. I Chansa 9. Mayuka/Jacob/Mbesuma 10. Mukuka/Chris 11. Kalaba
W Ndholvu & Chamanga are not skilled & good players must be sent back so that they give chance to young and skilled players such as Fwayo tembo, Singuluma & Roger’s Kola etc
Chris is becoming selfish and he will cost us the cup. Let him play like the former captain & now Faz presedent Kalusha who was not selfish. Chris needs to told he should not be selfish in passing balls to others we need more shots on target and in the net.
Chris & Chisamba, i hope you will read this. please stop being selfish infront of the goal. shoot the bullet…
Chris & chisamba Lungu ,Shoot the bullet when sure and on target, dont waste our bullets with weak shots were you can pass to others who are open.
dont be selfish
Below must be the first starting line up to defend AFCON 2013 trophy!
1.Mweene(Captain) 2.Nkausu 3.Mbola 4.HH 5.Sunzu 6.Sinkala 7. M. Mulenga 8.Chisamba 9. Mbesuma 10.J. Mulenga 11. Kalaba
The first 3 substitutes;
1.Chansa
2.Chris
3.Sakuwaha
leave the defence the way it is but i emphisise in the midfield to start with chisamba lungu, mukuka mulenga, rainford kalaba. Attacking put mbesuma, sakuwaha, christopher and jacob mulenga. pls consider this thought.
The problem with Zedian football is weak and lazy shots at the goal mouth. That is why they do not score many goals at all these days. They should be couched on how to shoot on target, with agility, into the goal mouth, past the goal keeper. Tell them: 1. Never shoot directly into the goal keeper’s hand. 2. Eat enough kapenta, ndelele and buhobe, so you have sufficient strength to whack balls. 3. Be brave and adventurous enough to crack through the defense. Note: they are just a bunch of human beings who are vulnerable to error, so you can score more goal if you have the right attitude to take them on. 4. Most importantly, and this is the major weakness of Zedian play, shoot close to the goal as well as afar. And make sure you have two or three men in box whenever the ball is upfront.
Umuntu ni Mbesuma, Jacob also but Mayuka kaya…..Chisamba mu kali, Mukaka Mulenga is coming up but dont forget that we need experienced pipo like Chansa in midfield so HR has to be careful on who he picks. Kalaba is super….Defensively there’s no problem but who do u start with between Mbola and ba Joseph Muzo? Mind u ba Muzo can play either left back or right back. Nkausu is equally good. Pa number 6 no one can do better than Nathan. Pipo like Chris, Chamanga, Felix baku kumanya fye ina number.
The selection of the team depends on the results you want,is it a drew or win you want and then from there you choose a formation to use – 4-5-1,4-4-2 etc.
Zambia plays attacking football so 4-4-2 formation is ideal.the best starting lineup will be….1)Mweene (2)Nkausu (3) Musonda (4) sunzu (5) hh (6) sinkala (7)Chansa (8)chisamba (9) kalaba (10) mbesuma (11)jacob.
subs.chris,mayuka,mukuka,………………..all the best ba zambia
When we talk about experience, we should also match it with performance. I see no problem starting Mukuka Mulenga, because he has proved to the world that he is a good passer of the ball, not selfish, able to penetrate defences and has no fear.
Let us not play names in the name of experience because this will cost us. Umwaiche mukali and he is far much better than the experienced some people are refering to. Mbesuma is equally good to start against Ethiopia. Its high time we stopped playing amashina ati BBC footballer of the year, 2012 AFCON Golden boot winner, absolutely no. The past record will not help us, but the current form.
Zambia must go, and right players must be selected……as we go in search of the Eagles, Buffaloes, Lions, Antelopes and many animals that have invaded…
Eagerly waiting for the serious and ruthless whopping you’re going to get from Nigeria haha…the weakest ‘African champions’ of all time!!
On paper Nigeria looks like a good team. But wait, Chipolopolo might punch them a super bullet; it may take them years to recover from the beating and fail to qualify for another afcon.
They are not the weakest Champions my dear friend, in fact they are the stongest right now and you will tell me on 25 January after Nigeria fall down. The strategy the coach uses is what makes the whole world think Zambia is weak, but I am inviting you to get close to the TV and witness the pundemonium as the goals as will be poured on to your Nigerian team or Super chickens they call them……
Zambia’s strategy is to remain hidden under ground like a sleeping giant and only to come out suddenly and defeat all the opponents that come its way including the Super chickens, the Yowning elephants and then finally powring our way to glory by bringing down the stars from the sky…..Zambia here we go, shaleni mulelanda mweka, ifwe twaya mukusenda nafuti nafuti………..
hahahaha @ ‘hidden giant’ you mean Zambia is a giant?? Really??? hahahaha i wont comment on that further. The chipolopolo will get the battering of their lives on the 25th of Jan. Forget the fighting talk your manager keeps feeding you. Remember he said if he was offered the role of being Nigeria’s manager he’ll trek from Zambia to Nigeria if he needed to!! Nuff said, afterall Renard knows best!:)
I only hope Mbola will not start coz i prefer Joseph Musonda, Mbola is not very confident and takes time to be in the game hence the opponets may take advantage and score goals. I also wonder why James Chamanga is among the team when he does not even play good football, are ever going to have new young talented strikers when we keep on having Felix, James and Mayuka.
ndeloleshafye. lets wait and see and I like the way ur following football in Zambia, Thanks to HR for this ,