HOW SUPER EAGLES WILL PLAY

In choosing the Eagles formation, Amodu will need to be more ingenious and phlegmatic. How can the Eagles break the Tunisian resolve? How would the players respond to a strange 3-5-2 which adds fluidity and mobility to the game? Against strong teams, Amodu favours a flat 4-4-2 to deny the opposition space in midfield. In […]

In choosing the Eagles formation, Amodu will need to be more ingenious and phlegmatic. How can the Eagles break the Tunisian resolve? How would the players respond to a strange 3-5-2 which adds fluidity and mobility to the game? Against strong teams, Amodu favours a flat 4-4-2 to deny the opposition space in midfield. In this case, Nigerians should expect the Nigerian coach sticking to the back four that started against Tunisia in June – Vincent Enyeama in goal, France-based full-backs Olubayo Adefemi and Taye Taiwo, along with the impressive central defensive pairing of Joseph Yobo and Dele Adeleye.

In the middle, he will likely go for Sani Kaita as defensive midfielder ahead of Hull City’s Seyi Olofinjana, who is not exactly the favourite of the Abuja crowd, particularly after a below-par showing in the home win over Kenya. Kaita would play alongside John Mikel Obi, who will operate a more offensive role, supported by Kalu Uche and the zesty Osaze Odemwingie.

Up front, Ikechukwu Uche and Chinedu Ogbuke-Obasi will form the attacking force while a certain Obinna Nsofor waits in the wings. But should Amodu decide to jettisome his cautious approach and adopt the neat and technically adventurous formations like the 3-5-2 or 3-3-2-2 we should expect some switches in the personnel and, indeed, variations of play. In the 3-5-2, the wing-back Taye Taiwo moves forward to add to a potent mix that include Ogbuke falling back in an advance midfield  role. It asks much of the three-man defence of centre backs – Onyekachi Apam, Yobo and Adeleye. In attack, Michael Eneramo will likely be unleashed to show the goalscoring ability that brought him so much fame and adolation in Tunisia. This system will suffice because the Tunisians will be more contented with defending and counter-attacking.  The fact is, if we must score against the Carthagians, Nigeria must attack, attack and attack. In this case, a further more quick and adventurous pattern has to evolve. I think, the Eagles selectors will  go for the diamond formation (4-3-2-1) with Kaita in the centre of the pitch in front of the back four and Ogbuke-Obasi playing in the hole between the two strikers.