Five things Gernot Rohr & Nigeria must get right for England clash

Goal examines the issues the Super Eagles coach must address before the showdown against the Three Lions at Wembley on Saturday

#1  DROP THE DEADWEIGHT   This is a bit of a no-brainer, as culling five before travelling to London was always the plan. Aside Moses Simon, who has unfortunately been ruled out altogether, there are a few on the roster who have only served to take up space. Gernot Rohr indicated that the game against DR Congo was a chance to have a look at some over whom there are question marks, and so it is safe to presume that those who did not get any time at all can forget about glimpsing London, let alone Russian shores. Simply (and bluntly) put, there will be no place in the final selection for the likes of Stephen Eze, Uche Agbo and Dele Ajiboye. Junior Lokosa will likely complete the list of the culled as well, having failed to ignite against the Leopards.

#2  SET-PLAYS! SET-PLAYS! SET-PLAYS!    We saw some concession to the unusual as the Super Eagles opened the scoring against DR Congo in Port Harcourt on Monday. The routine did not look like it came off quite as perfectly as envisioned on the training pitch, but it does give an indication that Gernot Rohr is looking in that direction. It seems that, for so long, using set-pieces has been a weakness for the national team. In a tough group at the World Cup, Nigeria will need every advantage it can get. Also important will be setting the team up to defend dead ball situations. Iceland, in particular, have a lot of prowess in that area, and it would be in Nigeria’s interest not to show any weakness leading up to the Mundial.

#3  REMAIN PATIENT WITH NDIDI    Moving over to London has long been viewed as the marker for getting down to brass tacks. As much as possible, Rohr will want to begin working with his starting 11, of which Ndidi is very much a part of. However, the Leicester man has been nursing an injury, and while the prognosis has had him being ready to face the Three Lions at Wembley, the coaching crew must resist the temptation to rush him back. His presence within the team is vital, but it would be unwise and disastrous to risk aggravating things and having him miss out altogether. Only use him if absolutely certain.

#4  LET’S SEE OUR STRONGEST    It’s not unreasonable to expect that, with two friendlies left, we ought to see our strongest side against England. That ought to give some clue as to the side that will kick off against Croatia. Some experimentation around team shape would not be out of place, but the time for chopping and trying out fringe players is most definitely over. It is vital they build up the required chemistry, and offer the nation a glimpse of what to look forward to. Captain John Obi Mikel, Odion Ighalo, Victor Moses, Bryan Idowu, Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses should all start.

#5  MAKE A DEFINITIVE STATEMENT IN THE GOALKEEPING SITUATION    For those who read between the lines, it ought to be clear by now that Rohr has made his decision regarding who will start between the sticks at the World Cup in Russia. Deportivo’s Francis Uzoho has been in goal for the Super Eagles for the last 225 minutes of friendly action, while his closest competitor (on paper) Ikechukwu Ezenwa has not been glimpsed since the final qualifier against Algeria. Rohr has stuck with Uzoho through the inevitable teething problems, and was rewarded with a calmer performance on Monday. Surely, it would deal an even greater dose of confidence to publicly acknowledge the obvious. There appears little point to publicly saying the position is in a state of Flux, when actions and decisions point in the opposite direction.