Osimhen is out. Who should lead the Super Eagles line against Tanzania?
Nigeria scored five goals in three games without Victor Osimhen, and three of them came from debutants. November's games against Tanzania need a plan, and the choice of number nine is the week's big argument.
The question
Victor Osimhen missed the whole September and October window through injury. Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1, lost 3-0 in Guinea-Bissau and drew 3-3 in Russia. If Osimhen is still unavailable for the November qualifiers against Tanzania, who starts up front?
This matters more than usual. Nigeria are three points behind Guinea-Bissau in a group where only one team joins co-hosts Tanzania at the finals. The Nigeria Football Federation has said both November games must be won. You do not win must-win games without goals.
| Player | Goals | Game |
|---|---|---|
| George Ilenikhena | 1 | Madagascar (debut) |
| Moses Usor | 1 | Madagascar (debut) |
| Kelechi Iheanacho | 1 | Russia |
| Peter Edokpolor | 1 | Russia (debut) |
| Akor Adams | 1 | Russia |
The case for Akor Adams
The case for
- He started in Bissau, so he already knows the role in Eric Chelle's system.
- He scored the stoppage-time equaliser in Russia after coming on at half-time.
- A natural centre-forward who gives the team a focal point to play towards.
Adams is the most obvious like-for-like replacement. The worry is that he was part of the attack that drew a blank in Bissau, although it would be harsh to blame a striker who barely saw the ball.
The case for Taiwo Awoniyi
The case for
- Years of experience at a high level in European football.
- Strong in the air and good at holding the ball up, which brings wide players into the game.
Awoniyi started in Bissau and was replaced at half-time. That does not make him the problem, but it does suggest Chelle was not happy with how the front line was working.
The case for George Ilenikhena
The case for
- He scored on his debut against Madagascar, finishing into the bottom corner just before half-time.
- Young, mobile and full of confidence after that goal.
- His movement in the box is exactly what Nigeria lacked in Bissau.
The question with Ilenikhena is fitness. He missed the Bissau game with a fitness concern. If he is fully fit in November, he has the strongest form case.
The case for Kelechi Iheanacho
The case for
- Scored a fine goal from around 21 yards against Russia.
- Can play as a striker or drop deeper to link play, which could help a midfield that struggled to keep the ball.
The case against changing the number nine
The case against
- No striker scores without service, and the midfield did not provide it in Bissau.
- Changing the striker every window makes it harder to build understanding with the wide players.
- The goals in the window came from five different players. The problem is creating chances, not finishing them.
Editor's context
Our view is that the striker question and the midfield question are the same question. Whoever plays up front needs a midfield that wins the ball back high enough to give him chances. Read what Bissau exposed in the midfield and our profile of the three debut scorers, then vote.
If we had to pick: Ilenikhena if fit, with Adams ready to come on. Want to show your whole team? Build it in Pick Your XI and share it with your group chat.
Live fan poll
Voting closes Fri 13 Nov, 12:00 WAT
Who should lead the Super Eagles attack against Tanzania?
Sources
- Nigeria's 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau: seven key takeaways · Premium Times (opens in a new tab)
- Russia 3-3 Nigeria: Iheanacho, Edokpolor, Adams find the net · AllNigeriaSoccer (opens in a new tab)
- Debutants Ilenikhena and Usor power Nigeria past Madagascar · Flashscore (opens in a new tab)
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.
Naija Football Editor
Halima edits Naija Football, covering the Super Eagles, the Super Falcons and the NPFL. She cares most about the decisions behind results: selection, shape and what the numbers actually say.
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