A few tweaks here and there in team selection and positional play could have given Jamaica the edge against Panama in their CONCACAF World Cup qualifier and three vital points, agreed local coaches Calvin Lewis and Donovan Duckie.

Both coaches, though not critical of head coach Theodore Whitmore, would have done things a little bit different noting that every coach has their own style.

Both coaches believe that, although Jamaica needed to win at home, they were lucky to come away from the ‘The Office’ with a point.

Cajavascript:void(0);lvin Lewis, who led Portmore United to the Premier League title last year and the current coach of Arnett Gardens, said it was a game Jamaica could have lost based on the number of chances Panama created.

“I think tactically we should have played with Shelton (Luton) further forward and McAnuff (Joel) playing on the left side. I think that’s where the breakdown came,” Lewis highlighted.

“The set-up, 4-4-2, because of the short time span to prepare the team, we should put the players in the positions they play in their clubs. But as coaches, we tend to do things a little bit different[ly] and we want to put our own mark on what we are doing,” said Lewis.

Lewis, who is also a police officer, thought the team played well at the back but was outplayed in the middle of the park.

“Defensively, we were good, based on the fact that Panama never really penetrated. I think they were a bit wayward in terms of the attacking third, didn’t create enough, and yes they were passing the ball in midfield, but I think they outboxed our midfield by putting numbers, and we didn’t respond. And on several occasions they created a lot of two versus one, three versus two situations and they were always more dominant in midfield, and that’s where we struggled in the game,” he noted.

Jermaine ‘Teddy’ Johnson came on late and made his mark with some telling penetrative dribbles and fans were left wondering why he didn’t retain his place in the starting team following the Mexico game.

“Teddy Johnson left a lot of people saying, ‘yes, he should have started in the game’, but again that’s a decision for the coaching staff. When a player come on the field for the last 15 or 20 minutes… a player with that pace and skill and display all of that, people are going to say he should have started,” Lewis explained.

Meanwhile, Duckie, a former National Under-20 head coach and assistant to Serbian Velibor ‘Bora’ Milutinovic a few year ago, noted that Jamaica were not aggressive enough and played like the away team.

“We never pressed and be aggressive, and it looked like Panama were at their home. When they lost the ball they could bounce out, while we couldn’t. One, two passes and we kick it up field,” said Duckie.

“If we did re-establish pressure at the top, they couldn’t hurt us. They wouldn’t get to come out so easily. When they lose the ball we can’t bounce out, we have to either dribble out,” he added.

“It’s the same thing we did against Mexico, and it’s basically the same here at home, in term of the style of play and the approach. We can’t be a counter-attacking team. We must be a dynamic team with a style of play. When we were in possession the attack was based upon individualism. Shelton a dribble, McAnuff a dribble, and Teddy came on a dribble. There were no three or four passes and come out,” noted Duckie.

According to Duckie, Jamaica’s game against Panama showed no connection, and was clearly missing something, when compared to the Mexico game.

“In Mexico we were more compact. ‘Teddy’ was there to make two passes and connect. This game, the team just had runners and defensive players. We had no player with extreme dynamism to add a little flavour and mobility in the final third. There was no overlapping run, no third-man run,” he said.

Duckie also questioned the rationale of Doyley being left on the bench in favour of a converted midfielder Omar Daley playing right back after Nosworthy got injured.

“Now, Nosworthy got injured, why bring Jermaine Taylor inside, why we have a midfielder coming on and Doyley a specialist right back on the bench? So, in other words, when we conceded the goal we had a midfielder and two wingbacks playing in a back four, because Taylor would still be in a psychological mode of a right back,” Duckie noted.

Duckie also pointed out that no attention was paid to the blonde looking Nelson Barahona when he was introduced into the game.

“We didn’t make any adjustment and this guy had all the freedom in the park. We didn’t put an individual on him to cool him down,” said Duckie.

Both coached highlighted the poor transition, and that basically came from a poor display in the midfield area, that needs to be addressed for the Costa Rica encounter.