Nigeria v England: My Observations

My observations are not focused on tactics or individual players but simply on how ready and prepared this team is. Yes, you may argue how that can be done without talking on tactics and individual technical issues. I will not argue that point with you but I believe this is not about all that -- it is about how psychologically ready this team is with the World Cup a couple of weeks away.

The first half of the England game was horrendous but even the second half has serious questions. Here, I point to four key issues that I observed.

1. All the Talk About Team Spirit in Camp Means Diddly if the On-Field Display is Poor. Before the start of this game, Skipper Mikel Obi spoke volumes about team spirit in camp and having the best preparation for a World Cup. Yet, it was awful watching them in that opening half today. The gulf in play was ocean-wide. Nigeria was chasing shadows all first half. It was an embarrassment.  Fortunately, it was just an international friendly. However, it was the worst display of the Nigerian national team since the 1980s, as far as I am concerned (First half).

2. Learned that Rohr Could Stamp his authority. After  the total embarrassment in the opening half, it was good to learn that Gernot Rohr could wreak havoc on the players and team. Perhaps we will soon learn what he told them at half time but his substitution of four players before the start of the second half spoke volumes. It was unusual for him. The substitutions were not about giving people playing time. He took off players whose first half displays were horrific. The only one spared may have been Victor Moses who was later taken off. Hopefully, Rohr changes the line up in the next game against Czech Republic to continue the message that you must give your all when you wear the Nigerian jersey and step onto that field.

3. The Few that Stepped Up. Alex Iwobi, Francis Uzoho, and John Ogu came to play. In my opinion, they were the few that were ready for this game. I had always read Ogu as slow and yes he is. However, today his ball recovery was impeccable and his defensive game was top notch. As for Uzoho, there is no question, as I stated after the Congo game, that he deserves the starting shirt. There should be no debate on this matter. Today, he stepped up. Yes, you may argue about the second goal but how about the saves that kept the margin respectable in that awful opening? It is best not to talk about the rest.

4. Can Nigeria Improve in Two Weeks? Perhaps, but the reality is that the team display in the last three games and especially today raises major questions about Gernot Rohr and his management. Make no mistake about this, friendly or no friendly. That first half display was just atrocious. If he really hopes to have a memorable World Cup then he must step up with work on this team not simply on its technical and tactical ability but on its psychological readiness for each game.

Those are just my observations. I really have nothing else to add.