Former Super Eagles defender, Emeka Ezeugo, said it was suicidal for the coaches to play a big game against Brazil without adequate cover for the Flying Eagles’ defence, adding that the South Americans must have danced for joy when they saw that the Nigerian team had only one holding midfielder in the game.
“Nigeria could not do anything in the midfield because the lone player there was overwhelmed by the sheer number of the opposition. The Flying Eagles resorted to lobbing the ball from defence to attack, which paid off well for the Brazilians.
“I expected the Nigerian coaches to bring in another midfielder 20 minutes into the game, but they allowed the play to go on up till late in the match.
“You don’t because you have good strikers sacrifice other departments of your team. That is not done.
“Granted that Iheanacho, Awoniyi, Musa Yahawa and Isaac Success are good strikers, but you cannot play all of them at once and ignore the midfield.”
To another former international, Jonathan Akpoborie, the Flying Eagles lacked organization and was not able to soak up the pressure when the Brazilians took the game to them .
“The outcome was not too surprising. The boys are on a learning curve and they should not be judged by one game. They are still in their developmental stages, that is why I kept saying they should not pile too much pressure on them, with the win at all cost attitude….and at this level, that is very important, especially in defending,” he added.
In a similar vein, Obuh who led the Flying Eagles to two World Cups in 2011 and 2013, said having seen the performance of the players in the first game, the coach should make the necessary changes in the team that will play against Korea.
He said most times players who are on the bench come forward to deliver the good, so Coach Garba should not be afraid to introduce some of the players who did not play against Brazil.
Speaking from experience, Obuh said anytime he does not get the kind of result he expects in an opening match, he tinkers with his team so Manu should do the same thing.
“What I will advise our people to do is to look at the team again. In a tournament the players who start are not necessarily the best. He has his team but he should look at it again and make the necessary changes.
“He should look at the players who were on the bench. There may be some certain players on the same level but some have to start so now that he has played the first game and it did not come out very well, he has to look at the team. He should look at the players he believes are good for the second game.
“Those who did not measure up in the opening match should drop to the bench. That’s what I do. When I go for a tournament and I play my first game and don’t see what I want, I make changes in the second game. He should not hesitate to bench any player,” he said.
He also blamed Flying Eagles defeat against Brazil on complacency.
Obuh said had they sustained the first half performance, they would have gotten a better result against the South Americans.