South African Pundit Gives Opinion on Eagles' Weakness.....

[Enugu II]

'Iwobi makeshift role, Ndidi more defensive' - South African blames Super Eagles midfield for WCQ woes
https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_n ... ?nid=55122
Published: March 27, 2025

'Iwobi makeshift role, Ndidi more defensive' - South African blames Super Eagles midfield for WCQ woes
South African football pundit Mbizo Mzamane has pinpointed the Super Eagles midfield as a key weakness in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

Nigeria's new manager Eric Chelle set up his team in a 4-4-2 formation in the recent World Cup qualifying matches against Rwanda's Wasps and Zimbabwe's Warriors.

The 4-4-2 formation meant that only Wilfred Ndidi played in his natural position, while Alex Iwobi was assigned defensive duties, and Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon were deployed as wide midfielders.

Mzamane noted that the Super Eagles are lacking a natural playmaker in midfield, similar to Austin Okocha or John Obi Mikel.

The analyst believes that while Wilfred Ndidi brings quality, his defensive-minded approach leaves the Super Eagles without a true playmaker.

"They do struggle in the midfield. Alex Iwobi is playing in a makeshift role, he's not a natural central midfielder," Mbizo Mzamane said on CBS Sports Golazo.

"A creative influence in the middle of the park has really been missing

"Obviously Ndidi is quality but he's a more defensive player. That Jay-Jay Okocha-esque player or even an Obi Mikel has been missing for quite some time in Nigeria."

Mzamane stressed that the absence of a dynamic, attacking-minded midfielder could be a significant factor in Nigeria's struggles.

"That player, that key component might be what's missing personally," he concluded.

With four matches remaining in Group C of the qualifiers, the three-time African champions have managed just one win from a possible six and are sitting fourth in the standings with seven points ahead of their trip to table toppers South Africa in September 2025.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

[gochino]

How difficult is it to find natural midfielders that can fit into the system? If you can't find foreign based midfielders, then look at the local league, the point is just to find midfielders with specific characteristics, they don’t need to be the most talented.

[Enugu II]

How difficult is it to find natural midfielders that can fit into the system? If you can't find foreign based midfielders, then look at the local league, the point is just to find midfielders with specific characteristics, they don’t need to be the most talented.

Gochino

I believe this issue was previously discussed on this site or may be on some research papers concerning the critical positions on the football field. The core of the story is that African players are rarely trusted in certain positions including the position discussed here and the goalkeeper position. Essentially, the spine positions. Take Mikel Obi for example. That was his position until he got to Europe and was pushed to DM. However, and to Nigeria's credit, our national managers sometimes ignored this and played him further up the field. The fall out from these racially- motivated decisions by European managers is that African youngsters are quickly advised to seek other positions that are more likely to attract European scouts. There are multiple academic articles on this phenomena.

[mcal]

...the minnow countries giving us headache have all local based midfielders, and in other positions, why can't we look at home?
Let "our jambodies play against their jambodies" instead of the so called foreign based slick fine boys trying to play "don't dirty" football.

[Dammy]

...the minnow countries giving us headache have all local based midfielders, and in other positions, why can't we look at home?
Let "our jambodies play against their jambodies" instead of the so called foreign based slick fine boys trying to play "don't dirty" football.

I have long advocated this!

[Scipio Africanus]

...the minnow countries giving us headache have all local based midfielders, and in other positions, why can't we look at home?
Let "our jambodies play against their jambodies" instead of the so called foreign based slick fine boys trying to play "don't dirty" football.

Jambodi no dey score goal

[mcal]

...the minnow countries giving us headache have all local based midfielders, and in other positions, why can't we look at home?
Let "our jambodies play against their jambodies" instead of the so called foreign based slick fine boys trying to play "don't dirty" football.

Jambodi no dey score goal

...yes they do, at least their local based jambodies scored against us. Reason why I say field our own local based since some said they can't beat Mexico (at a friendly).

[mcal]

...the minnow countries giving us headache have all local based midfielders, and in other positions, why can't we look at home?
Let "our jambodies play against their jambodies" instead of the so called foreign based slick fine boys trying to play "don't dirty" football.

I have long advocated this!

...a coach plus NFA with courage will do it, and can do it. The worse scenario being same thing we are seeing now with the fine boys from europe.

[gochino]

For crying out loud, we have won one game out of six! Is it really possible for a team comprising of homebased and foreign based players to perform worse?

[Enugu II]

For crying out loud, we have won one game out of six! Is it really possible for a team comprising of homebased and foreign based players to perform worse?

Gochino

While I understand your frustration, is the goal to get a team that cannot perform worse? Or is it to get a team that performs better?

[danfo driver]

See them here again looking around for excuses rather than being honest with the truth right in front of them! I am never surprised that Nigeria has a lot of problems. Just look at the pathetic citizens and it will be very clear to you. With all the education they possess, they still sound very dvmb when they speak.

[danfo driver]

For crying out loud, we have won one game out of six! Is it really possible for a team comprising of homebased and foreign based players to perform worse?

You never begin cry yet

When youn are ready to be honest and say the truth about what is happening, you will begin to heal. Just be honest. its not that difficult.

[Synopsis]

Stop the two man midfield

[Bigpokey24]

South Africa should mind them own business. You folks fearing these folks. Abeg make we hear word

[aykwes8]

Respectfully, abd banter aside .. when you tell us that Nigeria’s team is full of these superstars on the team who are these stars that you hav?? Granted You have one forward player who is arguably world class Osihmen but that’s about it. After that the next I would say is another good forward player Lookman. My question is Who do you have in defense or midfield? Your team is not balanced and so this talk of star studded Nigeria team in my opinion is not factual. Apart from and Osihmen which other players fits this mega star profile that we’re made to beloved that you have in abundance

[danfo driver]

Respectfully, abd banter aside .. when you tell us that Nigeria’s team is full of these superstars on the team who are these stars that you hav?? Granted You have one forward player who is arguably world class Osihmen but that’s about it. After that the next I would say is another good forward player Lookman. My question is Who do you have in defense or midfield? Your team is not balanced and so this talk of star studded Nigeria team in my opinion is not factual. Apart from and Osihmen which other players fits this mega star profile that we’re made to beloved that you have in abundance

They do not want to face the truth. That is the biggest problem with Nigerians. They would rather point fingers are phantom mother in laws and phantom village people. They simply do not want to face what is right there in front of them.

[danfo driver]

Stop the two man midfield

How many "man" do you want in your. midfield?

[Lolly]

Stop the two man midfield

An obvious weakness that these coaches keep ignoring.

[kash n' karry]

Nigeria's biggest problem is that their finesse game cannot be backed with grit and toughness or physicality.
Talent can take you as far but muscle has to be added on to it... just ask Germany or Algeria.

Another smaller problem the Super Eagles have is the fact that their midfield cannot deliver timely and accurate passes to the strikers upfront. the attacking midfield is not strong enough !!

[Lolly]

Respectfully, abd banter aside .. when you tell us that Nigeria’s team is full of these superstars on the team who are these stars that you hav?? Granted You have one forward player who is arguably world class Osihmen but that’s about it. After that the next I would say is another good forward player Lookman. My question is Who do you have in defense or midfield? Your team is not balanced and so this talk of star studded Nigeria team in my opinion is not factual. Apart from and Osihmen which other players fits this mega star profile that we’re made to beloved that you have in abundance

Our players might no be superstars but they are of higher quality that most of the players they play against in African tournaments. These same players beat Cameroon, CIV, Angola, South Africa all within a 3 week period during AFCON just over a year ago.

You know why? The coach stumbled on a formula that worked. That has been our problem post Rohr. Rohr walked through qualifiers even when he didn't have his first team players. The man knew how to use the players he hadvat his disposal.

[danfo driver]

Stop the two man midfield

An obvious weakness that these coaches keep ignoring.

We played 4 midfielders in our midfield.

Just because most of you cannot see out side 4-2-3-1 and you are unable to process different tactics, does not mean we played with 2 midfielders.

Sometimes, due to injuries this season, Ancelloti played Vazquez and Tchouameni in defense. Left to most of you, you will tell us that Real Madrid only played 2 players in Defense.

[danfo driver]

Respectfully, abd banter aside .. when you tell us that Nigeria’s team is full of these superstars on the team who are these stars that you hav?? Granted You have one forward player who is arguably world class Osihmen but that’s about it. After that the next I would say is another good forward player Lookman. My question is Who do you have in defense or midfield? Your team is not balanced and so this talk of star studded Nigeria team in my opinion is not factual. Apart from and Osihmen which other players fits this mega star profile that we’re made to beloved that you have in abundance

Our players might no be superstars but they are of higher quality that most of the players they play against in African tournaments. These same players beat Cameroon, CIV, Angola, South Africa all within a 3 week period during AFCON just over a year ago.

keep telling yourself that.

our players who are not even good enough to get into our team on merit and bribe their way in, are the ones that will automatically get into the team that they cant beat. Sure! Tanimu, Papa Daniel, Al Hassan, Aribo, Kayode, Ekong, OSayi the fenerbache bench warmer, Onyemaechi etc etc... come and enter CIV and Senegal teams... come on down!

You know why? The coach stumbled on a formula that worked. That has been our problem post Rohr. Rohr walked through qualifiers even when he didn't have his first team players. The man knew how to use the players he hadvat his disposal.

Yes, we know why. Those of us who actually watched those games told you guys how lucky we were. Had NOTHING to do with formula. You want to rewrite history? You think we cant remember Angola playing us off the park, as if we were thieves that stole tomatoe from the market? Common Angola? You think we dont remember those games? Keep lying to yourself

[joao]

Starting Iwobi and Chukwueze in the SE midfield is never going to work.
Iwobi is simply a 'container' - i.e. playing safe as not to cause damage. Chukwueze on
the other hand offers little in terms of challenging the defense, as he mostly ends up
losing the ball. Neither is good in defending thus the ease with which the opposition
run through our so-called midfield. Anyone doubting may claim can look back at the
few chances Zimbabwe had, including the one that tied the match.

We need midfielders with super ball control, aggressively challenges the defense, and
can make passes that puts the strikers in better scoring positions.

Yes, we dominated the possession against Zimbabwe but our attack is a slow build-up that
eventually gives the opposition defense time to reorganize. In short, we need to move the
ball faster when on offense.

Another annoying point is the way the equalizer for Zimbabwe happened. We can blame Ekong
forever, but did anyone notice where the other defenders were when the opposition scored?
Our 'world class' Aina was strolling in the six-yard box while the ball went in right where
he needs to be in such situation.

Again, it's a team sport and every individual should share the blame and learn from their mistakes.