Former Nigerian striker, Julius Aghahowa has disclosed that the Super Eagles lacks creativity in the midfield despite overcoming Egypt and Sudan in the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Recall that Nigeria defeated the Pharaohs of Egypt 1-0 in the opening game before edging Sudan 3-1 in the second group D game.
However, in an interview with Channels Sports TV, the former Shakhtar Donetsk stated that the technical crew has failed to find solution to the creative aspect of the team.
“The fact is the Super Eagles played exciting football, a lot of possession though in the opponents half we didn’t get that creativity that we wanted all in all two games six points we are good to go.
“I think this is a walk in the park. The last game is just for us to play those players that have not had game time.”
The three-time AFCON champions will face Guinea-Bissau on Wednesday in their final Group D game. Nigeria have qualified to the Round of 16 of the tournament.
22 Comments
Aribo, M. Simon & Chukwueze are doing their best in that department, and they’re surely growing as the competition progresses.
Don’t be too hard on them Efosa biko
Let’s not forget a lot of people did not expect the team to get to where they are given the pre-tournament troubles they experienced. Yet, they have been able to become one the tournament’s favorites.
Aghaghowa just want to talk. Our creativity problem in the middle of the park starts immediately NWakali and other come in as substitutions. Our first 11 players are intact.
@Dennis; Those two players you mentioned {Nwakali & Iwobi} are more of tactical and creative midfielders. We always forget that these players Must play according to the Coach’s instruction based on a particular match. When they came in, even though they’d very few minutes to play but you could see smooth midfield play and creativity, watch the game again.
Read it on Owngoal and I doubted but now it seems to be True. I think Aghahowa wants to loose his respect all of a sudden with this dumb assessment, how can you say a team that created over 8 big chances and missing goals upon goals be lacking creativity? If you say the missed goals are too much I will understand and even at that still not blame the team because even Barcelona of Etoo Messi and Ronaldhino missed chances upon chances and missed a couple.
So you know this, will you have type this assuming was still the coach, ur boy nwakali is in the team. Hoe many complete pass has he offer, the moment he entered the midfield collapse. This is same person you claim that is better than Mikel and all our midfielder. Ur sadiq is here how afar with him, your ejuke that is better than iwobi and moses simon. We the watch
You miss Road who endorsed Sadiq, be quiet if you have nothing to contribute.
Sorry ooo Mr Aghahowa, but that na Balderdash!!!
@Rotexy, 100% Correct. The habitual and persistent bane of Black African football is that unless you dribble over and over, there is deemed to be no creativity. How many dribblers do successful international teams deploy? The Super Eagles have created so many scoring chances and have had many shots on goal. Those are the true measures of creativity. Attacking space and having extra numbers are more effective ways to create chances and score goals. Not slow play caused by unproductive dribbling.
Aghahowa should know better.
The man is confused creativity is different form finishing, so far in this tournament I haven’t seen any country who create more chances than the super eagles
Most of this players and ex players are illiterate football aside, no wonder after live matches then can’t answer simple questions from the journalist, except the foreign Nigerian borns. Sometimes I can’t hold the laugher!
Ehen! When these same ex internationals were criticising Rohr, saying he did this and did that, the ex internationals were not illiterate then. Aye ma le o. Now it’s our own criticism is no longer allowed. Everything not acceptable under Rohr is now acceptable under Egu.
A team that has created so many chances? Maybe the most in the tournament so far……. Nigerians must talk if not They will not trend….. What are they creating if not scoring chances?……smh
Nawa o. What exactly is Aghahowa talking about? Creativity? Super Eagles dominated the two games played and missed loads of scoring chances. Do you miss many chances without creating many chances? Odikwaegwu o! Anyway, everybody and his opinion.
One thing similar in the manner in which our ex criticize any current team.
They will always want to point out the fact that hoo this presnet team is not as good as we have it in our own time.
Hence many criticize out of sentiment.
To some of them they still fill like how ever since retired from international football, there has never been a player that can effectively play my role.
They forget the fact that football is changing, some of the metrics use to rate a team as being creative has changed too.
Before now if you dribble and dribble without a single goal to your name in the entire season ho you are creative player.
Aghahowa was talking about creativity in the middle and not from the wings. Sure, the team has not lacked creativity so far but a more creative midfield would make the team great.
Aribo and Iheanacho in the middle were very creative in the past 2 games.
Sometimes I wonder the exact definition of ‘creativity’. Super Eagles created thorns of chances in both games and it came from every department: wingers, midfielders and even strikers. I wonder what Aghahowa is talking about.
Creativity doesn’t have to involve midfield dribbles and fancy, it can be diagonal balls, cutbacks, crosses, crossfield-passes, chips e.t.c.
Take Liverpool for instance, they don’t have real dribblers or midfield ball-carriers (except Thiago and Keita who’re always injured) but they create loads of chances each game – mostly from Trent-Arnold (a rightback) and Andrew Robertson (a leftback).
I apologize for him. he doesn’t know what he is talking about. He is full of jealousy. He wishes he is still around to be adulated. Move on bro.
I’m loving the responses. It shows we know what we want. Some of these ex will be looking at every opportunity to be relevant. Stupid talk. The issue I see here is converting the created chances. When I read where Eguavoen was talking about having numbers in the final third during the attacking play, I just knew something good is coming. They will go far.
This is not the first time Aghahowa is raising the issue of creative depth in the SE. The last time we played CV in Lagos, he faulted the No 10 (I think Aribo) rile and contribution. I think it’s a matter of perspectives and era. Remember, Aghahowa played with Okocha and Oliseh and as far as he’s concerned, these are the mould of a creative midfielders. While he may not be entirely wrong, modern tactics slightly contrasts that philosophy with a greater focus more quick, pacy movements as a unit.
@Kel; You actually understands football..modern football. Even Westerhof wanted to drop Okocha for his too much dribbling because it was delaying attaccks.