Nigeria, We have a Problem!

1. I have had a hard time reaching any conclusions about this Nigeria team at AFCON 2013, mostly because the South African organizers somehow conspired to place the team, along with current champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia on a pitch unfit for cattle grazing, much less football. But not anymore...
2. This is a poor, poor team. Now I recognize that these might be early days and teams do indeed grow with a tournament. What is more, the unpredictable nature of African football and the overall poor quality of the ANC is such that this team could exit the tournament at the group stage or be playing in the final rounds in a few weeks! After all a mediocre Ivorien team did become champions in 1992...
3. The Zambian approach to Nigeria was evident as early as the 4th minute, with Mayuka flashing a header wide from a gap between Onazi, in an unfamiliar right back position, and the right central defender, Omeruo.
4. They were going to challenge Nigeria for pace in defence, but appeared not to have foreseen the absence of Yobo, and the positional skills and pace of Omeruo, without doubt the best Nigerian defender on the field...
5. Based on a 4-4-2 formation, the Zambian midfielders in the non-possession phase would drop back to sit tight on the Nigerian midfield trio, while squeezing tight at the back.
6. Either from inability to hold the ball or lack of mobility in midfield, Nigeria would repeatedly play the long ball in search of Emenike especially, and the wide players Musa and Moses, rather than use the backline in the first phase of a possession game. It would take 18 minutes before the first decent through ball would get to Emenike, inevitably from Mikel...
7. On recovery of the hit-and-hope long balls Zambia would attack quickly, repeatedly dropping diagonal balls behind Echiejile and especially the clueless right back Onazi, to match the lateral movement of Mayuka and Katongo.
8. The speed of the transition game, often meant that the Nigerian wide players were not in position to offer adequate cover for the fullbacks, with Kalaba especially, finding space to repeatedly attack an exposed Onazi on multiple occasions.
9. Against the run of play, Nigeria would get a penalty, missed by Mikel on 19 minutes. Ten minutes later, the Nigerian coach would be sighted urging greater effort from his players...Three minutes later, a 2nd through ball would get to the anonymous Igiebor from Onazi to earn a corner kick...
10. Straight from the corner, Zambia counter. Echiejile is out of position,,,34mins, Oboabona attempts to pass from the back; straight to an opponent, he fouls; yellow card! From the ensuing freekick, Sunzu finds a gap between Onazi and Omeruo but heads wide...
11. 37mins: Katongo drops into midfield and drags Echiejile out of position, ball is played in gap to Chisamba who attempts to drive into the Nigerian box; blocked by the hardworking Ogude. 39mins: long ball by Mikel to Emenike; comes to nothing...41mins: Kalaba isolates Onazi; through ball to Mayuka blocked by Omeruo. 45mins: Kalaba, wide left, counters, with Onazi isolated; poor delivery...
12. As the game wears on, the Nigerian attack is sustained entirely by long balls and the muscular endeavours of Emmanuel Emenike. The two wide players, Musa and Moses, both hug the flanks, neither attempting to run diagonally at the Zambian defence or push up to attack any flick ons by Emenike. On 42mins, Moses would drift centrally to receive the ball, create space and deliver a through pass to Emenike. That would be his only meaningful contribution in the game..Musa would see more of the ball; his runs would promise a lot, but deliver little of consequence...
13. 48mins: long ball misjudged by Sunzu; Emenike muscles his way through to release Musa- poor cross/shot evades Emenike...49mins: Mikel runs at defence from central midfield to release Emenike; shot blocked by Sunzu...51mins: Onazi runs diagonally from right back to release Emenike; blocked by Sunzu..53mins: Kalaba evades isolated Onazi, ball is worked left to right and to Mayuka; shot is blocked by Echiejile to appeals for handball..
14. 56mins: Almost from nothing Nigeria score as Mikel catches Chisamba in possession to put Emenike through....It would appear briefly like the balance of the game would change...On 67mins, the three Nigerian central midfielders would exchange passes briefly in an advanced position. It would be the first sustained sequence of passing between them in the entire game!
15. But Zambia reshuffle to attack more centrally, introducing Mulenga, Mbesuma and Sakawuha. The formation is now a 4-3-3, with Sakawuha wide right, and Mayuka and Mbesuma taking turns to drift wide to the left or drop back from the penalty area, ensuring a greater penalty box presence...
16. A sweeping five player move in central midfield would release Kalaba, running unchallenged behind Onazi, but his shot is blocked by Enyeama. Kalaba would break free twice more in space behind Onazi, once finding Mbesuma in acres of space, only for the striker to shoot tamely. And when the goal came, it would inevitably be from the right side of the Nigerian defence...
17. Clearly a soft penalty decision, but it was nonetheless a foul by Onazi who appeared to be unaware where he was at the time. It was no more than Zambia deserved to be honest...
18. It would take 75mins for Nigeria to make the first change, with Nwankwo coming in for Igiebor. How the Betis man lasted that long is beyond me! At some point the Nigerian bench appeared unsure who to substitute! But the basic shape of the team would remain unchanged, and the long balls in search of Emenike's muscular expressions will continue...
19. When will this misery end....