Two steps forward, four steps backward I guess. This was the first competitive match for Siasia and although you can't expect the team to be firing full-on, it was a very disappointing performance for the players and talent that was on the pitch. You had promising performances from the young stars of the future but lapses in defense proved again to be the achilles heel of Nigeria.
A lot of the focus was on Iwobi who at only nineteen had already scored his first Arsenal goal and looks to be cemented into the first team. Apart from the immortal Okocha's nephew, I was also looking at Ihenacho who I feel is the better player. It was actually the latter youngster that was involved in the opening goal after a very bad, slow and stale first half from the Eagles.
Musa is a player who can be very effective or get on your nerves. We saw the ugly side of Ahmed in this game with crosses that were aimed at a surrounded and stranded Ighalo. There was not thought given to his play as he just did what he did without any real purpose. He and just the general approach play to how Nigeria attacked was aggravating.
Siasia needs to take a lot of the blame because you can't blame putting Ihenacho out of position on this being the first game and team needing to gel. I mean, how many times must you cross the ball to a solitary striker before you realise that you need to change the way in which you attack?
Second half was an improvement but not by much. There are a lot of issues with the team. Siasia's high line isn't working because the attack doesn't create enough chances to warrant that kind of tactic. Also, without a dependable defensive midfielder, it allowed Egypt to have many dangerous counters with one of the fastest footballers in the world; that can bite you in the ass if you keep allowing yourself to be attacked in such a way.
But both Ihenacho and Iwobi, when he came on for about two seconds thanks to Siaisa, were the most impressive things about the match. Iwobi was the one who played in a great ball to Nigeria's most important attacking player, Top Three aka Moses, but he failed to take his chance after rounding the keeper. That was a mistake, as it happens in football, would come back to haunt him.
It was incredibly sad to see how Nigeria conceded in injury time with offensive and criminal defending. About five players all forming a semi-circle around one Egyptian who easily played a through-ball to Salah who finished off calmly, and got a superb point for the Pharaohs.
Work to be done, but I don't feel the right coach is on the bench to make the work fruitful. How Keshi was treated was completely and totally embarassing, and I fear that Nigeria will never get a coach as good as him and the golden generation will never reach their heights once they become the right age. HH
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