World Cup Exit: Could Nigeria Have Survived?

The Super Eagles were finally knocked out of the World Cup by perennial nemesis Argentina 2-1 at the St Petersburg stadium after a late strike by Argentina's Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo to give Argentina the dramatic winner in a thrilling encounter.

This defeat extends a run of 4 previous straight defeats for the Super Eagles at the hands of Argentina at the World Cup group stage. It is a run dating back to the 1994 World Cup in the USA.

This game though was a good opportunity for the Super Eagles to end this miserable run and get one over Argentina who have become somewhat of a bogey team for Nigeria at the World Cup. Unfortunately, they fell short again against a chaotic and ageing Argentina squad.

The Super Eagles yet again started this game cautiously and showed little attacking intent as they accorded Argentina too much respect as they failed to threaten the Argentine defence in the first half. 

One begging question remains: why has Gernot Rohr failed to arrest what has become a theme for the Super Eagles since the England friendly- their lack of an attacking threat in the first half of games?

Is it plausible that the team are simply following the game plan Rohr has set up for them?

Lionel Messi gave Argentina the lead in the 14th minute. An organised and well drilled team would not give Messi the kind of room he was afforded to wreak havoc so early in the game.

Had the team been better organised as a defensive unit at the start and prevented Messi from grabbing that early opener perhaps the uncertainty that has bedevilled this Argentine squad in this World Cup could have given the Super Eagles a psychological advantage.

Credit where credit is due though, the team did very well in ensuring that Messi didn't have a sniff for the rest of the game as they continually crowded him out and won the ball off him.

The Super Eagles as usual turned up in the second half and grabbed an early equaliser after Javier Mascherano brought down Leon Balogun in the penalty box. Victor Moses stepped up to Coolly convert the resultant penalty.

Nigeria however failed to put the game to bed as Odion Ighalo who had come on at the start of the second half as a substitute for the ineffective Kelechi Iheanacho wasted 2 gilt edged chances to make an Argentina comeback an uphill task.

In earlier posts on this blog, I have been critical of Odion Ighalo's scoring record for the Super Eagles. It has ultimately determined Nigeria's fate at this World Cup. One of Gernot's Rohr's failings has been his inability to scout for prolific strikers for the Super Eagles instead he has put his faith on a misfiring striker.

As harsh as this is on Ighalo, there is a reason why a 29 year old striker who supposedly should be in his prime is plying his trade in China. No decent team  in the top leagues in Europe would have Ighalo as their first choice striker. He is simply not clinical.

Iheanacho deserves a special mention too. He had a poor first half against Argentina and was subsequently hooked at half time. I have been an advocate of his instead of Ighalo. He as well failed to live up to expectation.

Rohr in his press conference after the Argentina game admitted that Iheanacho was not fully fit so this probably explains Iheanacho's display against Argentina. However, should Rohr have started him considering the fact that we had other fitter attackers?

Alex Iwobi was ineffective on the wings in the first game against Croatia but we have seen in times past how effective he is when he plays centrally especially in the friendly against Argentina last year where he scored twice. Could Rohr not have used him ahead of an unfit Iheanacho to partner Ahmed Musa in attack?

Marcos Rojo eventually restored Argentina's lead in the 86th minute and they were able to manage the game till the final whistle leaving all of us to wonder what might have been had we taken the chances that fell our way and managed the game excellently at the latter stages.

Game management- a strategy that only a coach can instill in a team is one of the reasons why Nigeria lost this match. Rohr apparently failed to do this. Because if he had, he would have known that results elsewhere were going in our favour and we didn't have to win at all costs and leave our defence exposed. 

There is simply no reason why the Nigerian defence should be light at the back so late in the game such that a defender would come so far forward and have all the time and space in the world to convert a volley unmarked! Victor Moses was at fault here as he failed to track the run of Marcos Rojo on time.

Rohr then went on to make substitutions that turned out to be too little too late. Rohr again failing to make the right calls. Couldn't he have made some of the substitutions earlier when Nigeria was on top while Argentina were disjointed? 

Had he made the right calls perhaps some of the tiring legs would have been removed so that the fresh ones would keep the game tight in midfield or defence thus preventing the space Rojo had to score Argentina's winner. Small margins.

What does the future hold for Gernot Rohr? Should he keep his job? Common sense dictates that he should since he has built a good team already. And with some tweaks in midfield and attack we should see Nigeria rise again. 

His future of course will be decided by the NFF. But it is clear for all to see that Rohr made some mistakes with some of the personnel he took to this tournament, how the team approached games and getting the best out of his squad. This is hoping he learns from this experience if he is retained. 

What Next For The Super Eagles?

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections come up in a few months time. Fingers crossed Amaju Pinnick and other key executive members of the NFF board will be re-elected into office so that the good foundations that have been laid by this current crop of NFF leadership continues to be built upon.

Nigeria has never had it so good for decades in terms of the visionary and exemplary leadership exhibited by Amaju Pinnick and other board members. Their continued presence in steadying the ship will ensure the giant strides they have made continues to bring success long term. 

The African Cup of Nations qualifiers resumes later this year. This team cannot afford to miss out of it next year if they are to go on and become a force in world football. Nigeria started the qualifiers with a 0-2 home loss to South Africa. We need to get back on track quickly if Nigeria is not to miss out of AFCON for the third time in a row.

Rohr, if he keeps his job, should as a matter of urgency find a dependable striker(s) who will bang in the goals. Enough of the wastefulness up front. The team survived in the World Cup qualifiers because goals were spread throughout the team but when that seized we have struggled. 

Rohr should also look at our midfield and see what alternatives the team can have to captain John Obi Mikel. This is not to forget that he needs to play these players according to their strengths and not shoehorn players in order to accommodate favourites.

One positive though from this early ouster is that it appears we have a settled defence and a decent deputy to Carl Ikeme in Francis Uzoho who hardly put a foot wrong in this tournament.

This Super Eagles team certainly has potential and could rule Africa in no time if the coach is not sacked but allowed to continue to improve the squad and correct the mistakes he made at this World Cup.

Sweet Victory Over Iceland But A Bigger Battle Looms

The Super Eagles in Volgograd on Friday  secured a 2-0 victory over Iceland to lift the mood of football fans in the country and set up a showdown with Argentina on Tuesday 26th of June at 7pm local time.

Leicester City's Ahmed Musa grabbed a brace in the second half to give Nigeria the 3 points and blow the group of death wide open leaving only Croatia guaranteed a place in the round of 16. 

It was a game Nigeria had to avoid losing in order not to be eliminated from the tournament early. Fortunately, Nigeria went one better and achieved a win that effectively puts the fate of the Super Eagles in their own hands.

Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr made changes to the starting line up and tweaked the formation by opting to play 3 at the back for this game and handed Kenneth Omeruo a starting shirt alongside Leon Balogun and William Ekong as part of 3 centre backs.

Ahmed Musa was given the nod to start ahead of Alex Iwobi who dropped to the bench while Kelechi Iheanacho started in place of Odion Ighalo.

The Super Eagles again started the game at a slow tempo and were quite abysmal in the first half and registered no single attempt on goal. Iceland on the other hand were much more purposeful and created a few chances which they were unable to convert.

The Super Eagles finally turned up in the second half with Musa giving Nigeria the lead after controlling Victor Moses' low cross and blasting into the roof of the net.

Musa scored his second goal after breaking with pace and rounding off the Iceland keeper and slotting home to give Nigeria a comfortable lead. 

It could have been a nervy last 10 minutes for Nigeria as the VAR ruled correctly that Tyrone Ebuehi had fouled Iceland striker, Finbogason in the 18 yard box but Gylfi Sigurdsson fluffed his lines and blasted his penalty sky high.

This victory over Iceland undoubtedly will give the Super Eagles confidence as they take on Argentina in their last group game. Argentina simply have to beat the Super Eagles to have any hopes of qualifying.

As for the Eagles, a draw with Argentina won't be a bad result unless Iceland record a heavy victory over Croatia who are all but assured a place in the second round. 

How should the Super Eagles approach the Argentina game?

It was nice to see how Nigeria dealt comfortably with set pieces in the Iceland encounter. Of course, there were one or two scary moments but over all it was a more assured display from the Nigerian team as a whole when defending set plays. 

Against Argentina, this defensive organisation must be maintained and even more so as we will face a desperate Leo Messi, Kun Aguero and possibly Paulo Dybala as Argentina have to go for broke.

Concentration levels should not drop for a second because it is all Argentina might need to score the crucial goal that may see Argentina through. A lapse in concentration by our defence is what almost gave Iceland a lifeline. The Super Eagles need to stop giving away soft penalties to the opposition. They have already conceded 2 in 2 matches. 

Gernot Rohr is likely to retain the 3-5-2 formation that worked perfectly for the match against Iceland. Will Rohr now go on to pick the same starting 11 that featured against Iceland or would he reshuffle the squad to suit the match strategy for Argentina?

Rohr is likely to adopt tactics designed to frustrate the Argentines and ensure that the team keeps it tight at the back while trying to catch Argentina on the break. Expect the Eagles to do a lot of bus parking as Messi and co begin to ramp up the pressure on the Super Eagles defence as they seek for the goals they need to win and improve their goal difference.

Make no mistake, the Super Eagles will be up against it and  will need to play the game of their lives against Argentina.

Many Super Eagles supporters are optimistic of a victory over Argentina or at least a result that will ensure qualification for the next round after the morale boosting victory over Iceland. It is pertinent to note that Nigeria has played Argentina 4 times at the World Cup and has not recorded a single victory over Argentina losing on all occasions. 

Will the Super Eagles break this hoodoo and advance to the round of 16 or will Argentina end Nigeria's hope of progressing by defeating Nigeria again for a fifth time?

 

Nigeria's Poor Start Not Surprising

Last Saturday in Kaliningrad, the Super Eagles began their World Cup campaign with an unispiring loss to Croatia by going down 2-0 after Oghenekaro Etebo was unfortunate to score an own goal and Luka Modric making the game safe for Croatia by scoring from the penalty spot.

The Super Eagles failed to rise to the occasion in a game Croatia didn't have to get out of second gear to secure an easy victory. 

The Croatians weren't spectacular.  They were functional. Sure they were the better side on the night considering the fact that they were better organised and had more end product even though their goals were somewhat fortuitous. 

And this is where Gernot Rohr should be concerned-a team that weren't great on the night could so comfortably defeat his team. The Super Eagles yet again were toothless going forward and as usual were vulnerable from set pieces. 

On paper, the team looked good. Rohr stuck with the system that proved successful during the qualifiers but has so far proved ineffective when facing elite teams. Playing players outside their best positions might work during qualifiers but they may get exposed at the big stage. 

Abdullahi Shehu was taken to the cleaners on a few occasions in the first half by Ivan Perisic even though he later recovered in the second half but he was no outlet for the Eagles on the right wing when the Eagles attacked because he failed to join the attack or make intelligent runs to support Victor Moses.

The defence did ok but were caught sleeping or sloppy with the goals they conceded directly or indirectly from corner kicks. Etebo was unfortunate to deflect a header going wide into his own net while Ekong ridiculously wrestled down Mario Mandzukic in the penalty box thus drawing a foul which the referee didn't hesitate to penalise. Nigeria was unlucky to get away with wrestling bouts which often occur during set pieces this time.

In midfield, what many suspected would be a problem reared its head again-the lack of creativity. Nigeria failed to create many clear cut chances for Odion Ighalo. The 2 chances that were created for him he could not take them. 

John Mikel Obi who was saddled with the responsibility of creating chances for the forwards was slow going forward. Many feel he has lost the legs to play at this level. However, it is more likely that he still hasn't found his best form after being out for a while. Etebo and Wilfred Ndidi did ok. Where Nigeria struggled was in creativity and ball possession.

Alex Iwobi was ineffective on the wings and in the next game against Iceland he should be moved into central midfield. He  would certainly do more than Mikel would probably do if Mikel's performance against Croatia is the yardstick by which we are to judge Mikel's current form.

Rohr is faced with a problem. If Iwobi is more suited to central or attacking midfield it means the team will be short of wingers. His decision not to replace Moses Simon who is out due to injury with another winger leaves Nigeria with only Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses as wingers. 

Rohr is likely to retain Iwobi on the left against Iceland. If that's the case, then Mikel has to step up his game against Iceland and Argentina if the Eagles are to have any chance of getting out of the group. Chances have to be created for whoever plays as the striker. Whoever the striker is, he has to be clinical. 

Kelechi Iheanacho should be given a chance to lead the attack. Or be made to play on the wings and Iwobi moved centrally. The full backs should join the attack when the Eagles are on the front foot and make good enough crosses to trouble the opposition. 

Tyrone Ebuehi should come in place of Shehu. Shehu is decent when defending but offers little going forward. Tyrone who is a natural full back has shown he is capable of offering something going forward. Nigeria needs all the creativity it can muster.

This defeat to Croatia has made qualification out of Group D a Herculean task but by no means impossible. Rohr has to be bold to make the changes to bring the best out of the team. If he sticks to the same starting 11 with similar tactics and Nigeria gets knocked out then he should be shown the exit door.

5 Things Rohr Must Fix Before The World Cup

The Super Eagles in midweek took on the Czech Republic in a friendly match in Austria which was their last tune up game before they begin their World Cup campaign in Russia and succumbed yet to another defeat. They lost the game by a lone goal scored by defender Tomas Kalas.

Of course, it is merely a friendly and results are secondary at this stage. The real business of getting points and results begins on June 16 when Nigeria take on Croatia in Kaliningrad.

But after a series of uninspiring performances against Congo DR, England and lately the Czech Republic, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr must have come to the realisation that there is a lot of work to be done in getting the Super Eagles ready for the World Cup in Russia. 

To put it mildly, the Super Eagles have underwhelmed with a series of mediocre performances. It is either the Eagles have  hit a bad patch at the wrong time or they are merely going through the motions as we often do during World Cup preparations over the years.

Here are 5 things Rohr has to fix if the Super Eagles are to progress out of Group D and go far in the tournament.

1. Dealing with set pieces

Make no mistake, our opponents are watching and must be rubbing their hands in anticipation. The Super Eagles often lose concentration and are not very organised when dealing with set pieces. 

Congo DR's equaliser in Port Harcourt came from the penalty spot. England's first goal was from a corner kick while Czech Republic's solitary strike in Austria also came from a corner kick.

So it's clear the Eagles are vulnerable at set pieces and our opponents -Argentina, Croatia and Iceland are teams who are capable of taking advantage of any lax defending. 

The Eagles cannot afford to give themselves a mountain to climb by gifting ruthless opposition soft goals as a result of school boy defending.

2. Poor communication on the pitch

Not as grave as the set piece issue but a potential banana skin nonetheless. We have witnessed a comedy of errors and embarrassing head clashes between players trying to win the same ball and ending up injured. 

We saw it against England when Joel Obi comically 'contested' with Leon Balogun for a header and ended up clashing with Leon Balogun leaving him with a gashed skull.

We saw a similar incident in the second half of that same game when Kenneth Omeruo and a fellow team mate got injured after they both contested for an aerial ball. 

It may not look a big deal at the moment but it could be a symptom of a larger problem brewing and could lead to costly  errors when team mates don't communicate properly with each other and our opponents take advantage of such errors.

3. Lack of creativity

The midfield lacks creativity. And as a result if Nigeria goes behind, they may struggle to get back into the game if they come up against a well drilled and organised defence. The type Nigeria might be up against when taking on Croatia or Iceland. 

In the qualifiers, Nigeria punished teams like Algeria and Cameroun with some blistering counter attacking football. Teams though at this level are less susceptible to such and will defend deep to hold on to leads. 

The Eagles have to find a way to create chances and unlock stubborn defences but are lacking many creative midfielders in this department. 

John Obi Mikel and Alex Iwobi appear to be the only players capable of doing so. Yet, they don't seem to be able to create that many. This is besides the fact that the Super Eagles main striker who is wasteful.

Rohr is faced with a decision on where to use Iwobi since he and Mikel appear to be certain starters. Iwobi can be deployed centrally in midfield, on the wings or behind the main striker. This of course, is dependent on the system Rohr wishes to adopt. 

Will he go 3-5-2 as the team seems more cohesive in this system at the moment and play Iwobi behind presumably Odion Ighalo? Or will he play him on the wings in a 4-2-3-1 system?

4. Poor form of key players

During the World Cup qualifiers, our key men undoubtedly were Moses Simon, John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses. Unfortunately, Simon misses out due to injury while Moses and Mikel haven't shown anything like their best since the end of the season.

Are they keeping their best form for the tournament proper? The Super Eagles faithful will hope so. But on the evidence so far, they both seem jaded and aren't reproducing what Nigerians expect from them.

And if Rohr decides to go for the 3-5-2 system, then Moses' indifferent performances could see him being relegated to the bench even though he can play as a wing back like he does for Chelsea. 

It is unlikely however, that Rohr would pick him ahead of Tyrone Ebuehi or Brian Idowu who are both natural full backs and will retain better defensive discipline.

As for Mikel, he is the skipper and will surely start if fit. He will hold on to the ball well and use it efficiently but will he be capable of giving the killer pass regularly? On current form, will he be able to inspire the team like he did against Cameroun and Algeria during the qualifiers?

Rohr has to work some magic to bring out the best in our key men. Only Iwobi at the moment seems capable of doing well at the World Cup.

5. A misfiring attack

The Super Eagles don't score many goals. This is partly due to a toothless attack. Ighalo our top striker needs several chances before he can score and with a midfield that does not create many, he won't get many chances to convert.

Nigeria needs a ruthless finisher. The only one who comes close is Kelechi Iheanacho. But for obvious reasons, Rohr prefers Ighalo who has the strength and can hold up play bringing in other players to join the attack. 

Simy Nwankwo could provide the cutting edge we lack in the attack as he has everything Rohr would need from a point man but for him to do this he has to do a 'Schillaci' before he can upstage Ighalo.

Will Rohr give him the chance? Has he adapted to the Super Eagles style of play and forged an understanding with his team mates in order to do this since his next game will be his third cap? 

These are the areas Gernot Rohr needs to earn his corn. If he can crack these problems between now and June 16, then expect a decent showing from the Super Eagles. They may or may not qualify out of their group but they will not be leaving the tournament in disgrace.

A Close Look At The Final 23 Man Squad

The Super Eagles final 23 man list for the World Cup in Russia which commences on June 14 later this month was announced on Sunday a day after the international friendly against Engand in which the Eagles lost 2-1.

The list as expected has generated some controversy on social media and not a few Super Eagles fans have voiced their discontent at some of the players that made the final 23 man list.

The general consensus though is that  Ogenyi Onazi and Joel Obi should not make the squad to Russia due to their poor performances during the recent friendly games against Congo DR and England.

The last straw for many has to be the 2 players' showing in the game against England where their shocking performances in midfield exposed the Nigerian defence causing them to be under undue pressure and also failing abysmally to control possession with several misplaced passes. 

The performace of the team in that first half against England was woeful and the root of it was in the midfield where Onazi and Obi where having a shocker. 

It was so bad that even the English media felt unsure how to come to terms with England's dominant display because their performance had to be evaluated within the context of a very poor performance by the Super Eagles. 

They knew this was not the best the Super Eagles could offer and of course, when Rohr made the necessary tactical tweaks and changes, the Super Eagles put in a far better showing in the second half.

At the end though, Gernot Rohr had a decision to make and one wonders if the FIFA rules had not been a stumbling block whether Rohr might have looked for alternatives outside his provisional squad. 

Members of the provisional squad: Dele Ajiboye, Stephen Eze, Junior Lokosa, Uche Agbo, and Moses Simon had been dropped after the Congo DR friendly while Mikel Agu and Ola Aina were both dropped after the England game. 

From all indications, Rohr has stuck with the players he used to prosecute the World Cup qualifiers. Moses Simon though misses out due to injury. As for the home based players, Rohr probably feels this tournament has come too soon for the likes of Lokosa and Eze to challenge the established order.

The surprise inclusions have to be Simy Nwankwo who after a decent debut against Congo DR makes the cut and Joel Obi who has failed to impress in 4 friendly matches he has started for the Eagles this year.

Chelsea full back, Ola Aina sadly misses out after a poor showing against Congo DR which culminated in a reckless challenge that led to Congo's equaliser from the penalty spot. It has to be said though that Ola did not play in his best position which is right back.

Who should start and what needs to improve?

Starting with the goal keeper, it appears Rohr feels Francis Uzoho represents Super Eagles' safest hands. Since his debut against Argentina last year, Uzoho has been in goal and it's unlikely Ifeanyi Ezenwa will upstage Uzoho at this stage. 

Would Ezenwa have allowed Harry Kane's shot to creep under him like Uzoho did in the England friendly? Very unlikely, but Ezenwa seems jittery when dealing with crosses, perhaps a factor in Rohr's decision to settle for Uzoho as his number 1.

Uzoho however, needs to avoid a repeat of his error in the England friendly during the tournament proper. He has so far shown he can deal with crosses easily.

In the defence, Tyrone Ebuehi has emerged as a strong contender for the right back position after 2 commanding displays against Congo DR and England. 

He should be given the nod to start at the World Cup as Shehu Abdullahi who is a midfielder by trade was exposed in the first half by Raheem Sterling and Ashley Young in the England friendly. Shehu was also often caught out of position thus exposing Troost Ekong.

The central defence pairing of Ekong and Leon Balogun still looks solid and even though they had some difficult moments against England in the first half they were not helped by a porous midfield that had Joel Obi and Onazi having an embarrassing performance.

Whoever Rohr picks at left back, it might not make much difference in an attacking sense. Bryan Idowu or Elderson Echiejile seem good defensively but offer little going forward. Idowu though seems to be the one that has Rohr's trust.

In midfield, John Obi Mikel played his first game for the Super Eagles since the Argentina friendly and seemed slightly off the pace. Another game against the Czech Republic should help bring him up to the levels he should be at the World Cup.

Hopefully in Nigeria's match against Croatia, Wilfred Ndidi will be fit to partner Mikel in midfield. Rohr obviously sees his importance to the team and has elected not to risk him until he is fully fit. Onazi's poor form as well would have convinced Rohr not to gamble with Ndidi's fitness.

As for who partners Mikel and Ndidi in midfield, this will depend on Rohr's tactics and what he believes may be our best combination. Alex Iwobi seems to relish a central role and his performance early in the second half against England helped galvanise the team.

The third midfielder would probably be between Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu and Iwobi.

In the forward line, Moses will always get the nod on any of the wings as well as Iwobi if Rohr elects to go for a 4-3-3 formation. Musa who seems to be rediscovering his form can be useful as an impact player.

With Moses Simon's injury causing him to miss out, a lot of the forwards could be made to play on the wings. Kelechi Iheanacho could also fill in on the wings if  the situation demands such.

One problematic spot for the Eagles seems to be the striking position. Odion Ighalo seems to be Rohr's preferred option but he has so far proved inconsistent, wasteful and unprolific. His hold up play and strength is good but his finishing has to be better if the Eagles are to progress beyond the group stages.

Iheanacho is more clinical but lacks height and strength. And against the best defences this shortcoming may pose a problem especially if the Eagles are chasing the game.

Can Simy Nwankwo turn out to be the solution? He seems to have good feet, tall and hopefully, decent in the air. He had a good showing against Congo DR but will he be able to cut it at the World Cup since he remains relatively inexperienced? Would Rohr start him over the likes of Ighalo or Iheanacho?

The Verdict

Based on what the Super Eagles have showcased so far this year in friendlies, Nigerians had better hope that there is more to come from the team. If the kind of mediocre and shoddy display the team  exhibited in the friendlies against Serbia, Congo and England are anything to go by, then expect the Super Eagles to end up bottom of Group D.