The super eagles of Nigeria since time imemoria has been a team that does magic on the pitch through wing play.
The super eagles of Nigeria is known all over the world as a team that depend on prolific skillful wingers to feed strikers and win matches.
Going down memory lane the likes Segun Odegbami, Adokyi Amaka, Tijani Babangida, Pius Ikedia, finidi George, Garba Lawal, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, and many more laid a solid foundation.
The aforementioned put super eagles of Nigeria on world record as one of the dependable team with dependable wingers that are result oriented indeed it was a delight to watch super eagles matches knowing that the attack will be flowing from both wings and giving exciting moments.
Even in recent time at Russia 2018 the super eagles scored one of the most electrifying goal through Victor moses wing pass to Musa which prove super eagles dominance in wing football unfortunately since the present crop of players came on board the super eagles has lost control of wing football thereby living the strikers helpless especially as the midfield is also porous.
One would say Moses Simon has been doing well and has fill the vacuum created by Musa absence and Victor Moses but if you watch Simon Moses critically, he lack some setting experience to be ascribed as a skillful winger, Moses Simon usually get lost in matches when marked, he doesn’t device a different means to deal with the fact that his usual means is blocked, when Moses Simon is marked he would continue trying same option in thesame direction without thinking out side the box there by becoming minus one in the team through out the game, as a professional, one would expect Moses to change approach and cut in the middle straight towards the eighteen yard and send in passes but he usually persist in taking the ball to where his marked and hand over to his opponent.
Moses Simon doesn’t believe in pull out or crosses to strikers ahead of him, he usually does that on Rare occasion there by starving the strikers that depend on him, Moses Simon love waiting for opponents so as to dribble not minding the fact that his services are needed timely.
For Moses Simon to be a good winger, he must know what is timing at the wings, the timing of when to cross and when to dribble then know when to avoid the wings touch line and cut in to the Centre of the pitch to send in crosses.
Moses Simon created impact in only one match at the last AFCON against Angola, the timing of that very cross and the speed was top notch but the rest of the matches he was just there.
Meanwhile Samuel chukwueze has been a super talented winger that all of us has been looking ahead to prior to this period unfortunately his performance in green and white jersey has been disappointing, it’s on record that Samuel chukwueze has been able to prove that his a winger in green and white jersey in only one match, Nigeria vs south Africa at Egypt 2019 nations cup, chukwueze was quite prolific and decisive in his touches indeed he was a delight to watch.
One would wonder what has gone wrong over the years till date, chukwueze is lazy, he doesn’t mark he doesn’t show commitment on the pitch, he loses ball easily and give up, his talent so far has not impacted super eagles, it would be easy to say that taking him to competitions as a winger is waste of slot.
The two players highlieted above, holds important position in super eagles team unfortunately they have not stand up on their feet to prove that they worth their present positions, however there is room for improvement but the time is running out.
It’s worthy to state that super eagles need more wingers so as to compete and chose the best.
The super eagles strikers can not function well without wingers since the team lacks top attacking midfielders and Co.
Was Moses and chukwueze at their best at the AFCON 2023?