IKENWA NNABUOGOR wonders aloud if the Eagles midfield without Leicester City star Wilfred Ndidi will crumble under the feet of “homeless” Central African Republic…
Leicester City midfield grafter Wilfred Ndidi may have left the Super Eagles midfield further gapping and needing help when the less illustrious Central African Republic players come to town at the vastly improved Teslim Balogun Stadium lush green turf.
The former schoolboy international will not play a part in this crucial 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifier due to injury that will take him several more weeks before he could get back on his feet, according to reports.
The Eagles midfield took a further downward plunge since former captain Mikel Obi and his ex-Chelsea mate Victor Moses left to dim whatever lights that were left of the ailing engine room.
Ndidi, a renowned holding midfielder has been the only cheer in that department which has recently come under severe attacks by more compact oppositions.
Ndidi’s absence will further leave Eagles midfield in dire straits following the unavailability of Watford star Peter Etebo and Everton’s new-found Eagles roving midfielder, Alex Iwobi, leaving the job on Rangers’ Joe Aribo, Brentford new signing Frank Onyeka, Eagles second cap-eyeing Sweden-based Innocent Bonke
The rest of the crew ahead of the CAR clash have their roles to account for though a few emergency legs have been drafted in to fill in in the depleted Eagles midfield.
As it is only three midfielders will lead the country’s charge from the middle of the park as the three-time African champions once feared for producing some of the best and the most feared midfielders in world football, continue to manage to catch their breath with a stuttering engine.
Bonke and injured Italy-based Kingsley Michael stood in for Ndidi, who was stopped by the UK government from entering red-listed Cape Verde in the last fixture, but managed not to disappoint.
Bonke showed why he deserved his CAR invite by fairly doing Ndidi’s job much to the satisfaction of the Eagles handlers to hand him another job.
In as much he managed to exert himself in Ndidi’s enclave, he was nowhere near the Leicester City man’s brilliance, grit and the art of opponents’ rhythm breaking and launching attacks.
What about breaking opponents’ defences, standing between them and the “Oyinbo Wall” a la Ndidi style?
Will Bonke be able to do that effectively and get the home fans cheering him on?
No doubt, the Malmo midfielder will face his biggest litmus test before the home fans and how well he does his job will go a long way in consolidating his place in the midfield and also keeping it even when Ndidi returns.
Centrally in the midfield with no clear master since Mikel’s departure, but Aribo hasn’t fared badly but the team are still greying in that department, though Aribo has weighed in with important goals to stand to be counted.
The Glasgow Rangers star enforces the attack from the midfield for his Scottish side, but will surely stand in for injured Etebo in that central midfield role.
Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho, listed as a midfielder in this Rohr’s team ahead of the CAR tie, completes the three-man midfield in Rohr’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, in the attacking midfield role.
Iheanacho could still find his scoring range from his role to inch his country closer to Qatar, while Rohr continues his efforts to bring our midfield to fire again.
CAR may appear criminally less illustrious to ruffle the Eagles feathers on paper, but the dynamic nature of world football cannot afford the hosts the bragging rights to dismiss the Central Africans.
While the country eye a victory against the CAR, there’s still need to know that all is well with Eagles midfield.
