7 Things We Learnt From The Nigeria Vs U.S.A Match

The Super Eagles played the Americans in a friendly warm-up game for the world cup.  As the last warm up game, both teams put up their most probable starting eleven. The Nigerians having included new players, probably wanted to use the match to bud them into the team. Well, it did not go so well as the American beat the Super Eagles 2-1, with Altidore scoring a brace. 

I collated a few lessons to be learnt from this encounter.

1. Don't Change a Winning Team.

Nigerians became Africans Champions last year for the first time since 1994. Between those years, the Super Eagles had fielded very strong teams in each challenge, but fell short each time.  One of the reasons, the 2013 team were successful, were others had failed, was that the team had few big egos and less bickering. The harmony amongst the players, helped solidify the team to a cohesive unit.

But with this 23 man World Cup squad, the functional members of the African Cup team e.g Sunday Mba , Ideye were dropped for the big egos: Osaze and co. From the friendly match, team cohesion, both is attack and defense was absent.

2. Don't Expect Anything from the Full-Backs

Back in the days of yore, the Nigerian team were renown for the rampaging runs from the wings from the full backs such as Iroha, Eguavoen to mention a few. Sadly, with Echejile out of the world cup through injury and Ambrose being a static full back, the Nigerian attack have no way to stretch their opponents through the wings.  One wonders why a full back with poor crossing ability like Ambrose, should continue to occupy that position?

3.Midfield is Ominious.

With Mba, Ideye, Igiebor, Joel Obi gone, it is no surprise, that the Nigeria midfield looks very much weak and ineffectual. One thing that was really different about the 2013 team was their high work rate. They worked harder in getting the ball than any Nigerian team before them. Now they have been robbed off their work-horses.

4. A Good Defence Gives Anyone a Chance.

Few teams are blessed with Messis or Maradona, but having a good defense is a great leveler. It gives any team a chance to do well especially in a tournament setting. The Ghanaian team in the 2010 world cup comes to mind. That was a team that lacked star players but almost found themselves in semi-finals. The match really exposed the high level of naiveté in the Super Eagles defense. Almost unforgivable defending.  It was so bad, that Altidore- a striker that in a 6 month barren spell almost scored a hat-trick! The defensive problems are a combination of both personnel and organization or tactics. If Keshi does not sort out the defensive problem then the soccer loving Nigerian fans will have to make necessary changes to their travel arrangements.

5. Keshi Does Not Know His Starting Eleven.

Keshi truly is a great coach and it is noteworthy that a Nigerian is coaching the Nigerian Team to the World Cup. It is something to be proud of. The level of experimenting with formations and personnel at this point, is indicative of how unsure, Keshi is of his side. 

6. Too Many Minds.

In the movie, the Last Sumarai, Tom Cruise reversed the trend of the ass-whopping that his lack of concentration was getting him, in the hands of his captors,by focusing on a single purpose. Same thing can be said of Super Eagles. From the match, one could not see what they were trying to do. Play like Barcelona with short passes through the middle? For which they lack the fluidity. Or have a high pressing game? The strikers received non-existent service. Maybe they could go for the Route 1 approach with Uchebo at the tip, but he is played in midfield. The Super Eagles need a single game plan and not try to do too many things at once.

Such a game plan needs to be tailored towards the personnel in the team.

7. It is never too late to make amends.

Keshi should look into the possibility of recalling any amongst the outcasts of Ogu, Igiebor,Ideye, Mba. It is obvious that the inclusion of Ameobi, Osaze,Micheal is a big mistake. And it is not too late to correct it.