SCORENigeria has scooped that coach Gernot Rohr will play a more offensive formation of 3-5-2 for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
This is against the tried and trusted 4-2-3-1 formation that qualified Nigeria to last year’s World Cup in Russia.
The team now have three reliable central defenders in William Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo and Leon Balogun, while they are also overflowing with top-class wingers like Henry Onyekuru, Samuel Chukwueze, Samuel Kalu and Moses Simon.
In the several training sessions of the team in Asaba monitored by SCORENigeria, Rohr has stressed most on the 3-5-2 formation with Moses Simon at left wingback, while Kalu plays at right wingback.
Moses Simon has already played that role at his La Liga club UD Levante and has been praised by Rohr by what he has shown in that position in Eagles training.
The midfield will be anchored by skipper Mikel Obi alongside Leicester City warrior Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi.
The two preferred wingers will be on the left, Henry Onyekuru, who has dazzled in Turkey with double champions Galatasaray, and on the right the left-footed Samuel Chukwueze, one of the top revelations in La Liga this past season.
But they will mostly come to play when Rohr reverts to his 4-2-3-1 formation.
Rohr is working on a two-man strike force – a fully-fit Odion Ighalo playing alongside the jet-heeled Ahmed Musa with Denmark-based centre-forward Paul Onuachu a worthy option either as a lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 system or in this twin-striker combo.
Rohr has now maintained he does not have a No 1 goalkeeper as competition for that position has gone up a few gears.
However, Ikechukwu Ezenwa will have to play catch-up after he was slowed down by a knee injury in training camp in Asaba this week.
Likely Super Eagles starting XI at AFCON
Uzoho/Akpeyi – Ekong, Omeruo, Balogun – Moses Simon, Samuel Kalu, Wilfred Ndidi, Mikel Obi, Alex Iwobi – Ighalo, Ahmed Musa
