Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has questioned the balance of Eric Chelle’s team in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers, saying the lack of creative midfielders is making life harder for the forwards, Footynaija.com reports.
The ex-Everton and Middlesbrough man, who remains Nigeria’s top scorer in the English Premier League, believes the current set-up leaves strikers like Victor Osimhen isolated up front.
Nigeria’s World Cup campaign has already been under heavy scrutiny. Dropped points against Zimbabwe and South Africa have left fans frustrated, while pundits have also flagged wastefulness in front of goal and shaky game management.
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Even within the squad, questions have emerged about whether Chelle’s high-intensity philosophy is too much for the players to execute over 90 minutes.
Yakubu, reflecting on the situation, explained that the problem lies more in the midfield than anywhere else.
“When we look at the team, we have too many defensive midfielders and not many attacking midfielders,” Aiyegbeni said in a report by Pulse Sports.
He went further, stressing how much Osimhen has had to fight alone for goals in recent matches.
“If I play in this team, I will struggle to score goals because when I look at Osimhen when he plays, he is fighting because he knows already when he sees the goals he scores, and he has to hustle by himself,” he explained.
The former Super Eagles striker also criticised the lack of team cohesion, insisting that the current approach leans too much on individual flashes.
“We do not play like a team, it is individual football we play, and we want the players to make magic,” he added.
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