Abysmal and Amazing, Two Extreme Words That Sum Up The Super Eagles at Wembley

Modo Victor

Two words sum up the performance of the super eagles over 90 minutes at the Wembley stadium, abysmal and amazing. The cliché, a tale of two halves, best describes the game, with some lackluster midfield play  in the first period condemning the Super Eagles to yet another defeat against the three lions.

 

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Head coach Gernot Rohr started with what he must have thought was his best midfield pairing bar the absent Wilfred Ndidi. Ogenyi Onazi was partnered in defensive midfield by Joel Obi, with Captain and team talisman Mikel Obi playing in a more advanced role. A young and athletic England midfield comprising Eric Dier, Jesse Lingard and Dele Ali of Nigerian decent ran rings around the defensive duo of Onazi and Joel, with Onazi particularly guilty for the second goal and the super eagles failing to come to the party in the first period. 
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The super Eagles fell behind by two goals to England in the first period after a very leggy performance that produced only two shots on target by Chelsea Fc man, Victor Moses. With the midfield lacking in composure, Leon Balogun clearly still dazed by the first half collision with Joel, Rohr called on the cavalry to restore what most Nigerians will prefer to call the pride of Nigeria and they came in form of Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu, Tyrone Ebuehi and Kenneth Omeruo.
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With the new entrants, the Super Eagles played with a new lease of life, changing from a 4 man back line to a 3 man back line, with Omeruo and Ogu right and left of Ekong, Tyrone pushing into the right wing back slot and Brynn playing his preferred left wing back role.

Pressure told in the early periods of the second period, with Ighalo lashing on to a ball over the top and firing his shot against the upright with Jordan Pickford left for dead before Alex Iwobi followed through to fire the loose ball into the net to pull one back for the Super Eagles.
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The  final score stood at 2-1, however the Super Eagles can hold their head high, drawing pride from their second half performance. The first half performance in contrast was abysmal and posed more question than answers and to most fans creates a clearer picture of who the odd man in midfield is.

Onazi and Joel had a game to forget, with Joel particularly clueless and Onazi snapping away aimlessly in midfield. This totally rendered our attack useless, with talisman Mikel getting no service to feed the front line with. One thing is certain, we will not be seeing another Onazi Joel combo in midfield and if Ndidi does not make it back in time for Croatia, Etebo and Ogu should start behind Mikel.
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In a back four, Elderson Echiejile is clearly a better defender than Brynn, with the latter more at home as a wing back in a team on the offensive than having to soak up the pressure from countless opposition attacks. Tyrone is first pick for right back, Omeruo's enthusiastic tackles might see the famous Oyibo wall broken up more often, Etebo clearly has three lungs(atleast metophorically) and is a plus in midfield, Iwobi is wasted on the wings and Victor Moses should have reported to camp in Uyo as he was off the pace tonight.
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Tonight Rohr cuts two players from the list, this writer expects Awaziem to be cut, not for want of trying or being terrible, but he is clearly behind Omeruo and if it is a straight up race between him and Aina Ola, the latter's versatility puts him a notch higher. The second player has to be Joel Obi who from training in Uyo has been off the pace and physically behind every other midfielder bar Ndidi who has not kicked a ball as he recuperates.

 

On a final note, this writer alongside the Federal Republic of Concerned Football Fans in Nigeria will like to passionately beg Gernot Rohr to start Etebo and Ogu, we cannot afford to be run over in midfield in crucial games.
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