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Super Eagles star Alex Iwobi has been criticised for not giving his best for the national team, but that could not be further from the truth
Alex Iwobi has been a revelation for Fulham under Marco Silva, thriving in a system that brings out his creativity and versatility.
Yet, his performances for the Super Eagles have often failed to hit the same heights, leaving fans and pundits questioning what is missing.
The answer might lie in how Iwobi is deployed and supported as Silva has unlocked Iwobi’s potential by crafting a stable system that allows him to flourish, and there are valuable lessons for Nigeria’s interim head coach, Augustine Eguavoen, to learn.
Sort out other aspects of the squad
While Iwobi has been maligned for his performances with the Super Eagles, it is worth noting that the Fulham midfielder has scarcely been part of a stable midfield unit.
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From constantly rotating midfield partners to varying midfield roles, it has been difficult for Iwobi to make his mark in a Super Eagles team and midfield in endless flux.
Iwobi is clearly not the player to solve issues in a failing team with gaps, but there is no sweeter icing on a well-baked cake than the Super Eagles midfielder in top form.
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Iwobi has already shown what can be achieved when he does not have to occupy multiple roles due to a tactical imbalance, and if his form at club level is to be replicated at national team level, the Fulham midfielder will need more stability to work with.
Iwobi needs freedom to perform
One issue that has plagued Iwobi in the national team has been his restricted movement, especially in certain roles.
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Even as a number 10, the former Arsenal star has been shunted as almost a second striker, without the freedom to drop deep and create, while also gaining the attention of 1 v 1 markers looking to take him out of the game.
As a central midfielder with Nigeria, his role has differed from how he is deployed in Fulham, as he is often required to either sit too deep to mop up for a more combative midfielder, or he is required to be the combative midfielder trying to win duels in the middle of the pitch.
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On the other hand, at Fulham, he has the freedom to press much higher up the pitch even as a midfielder while also being allowed to drop deep to create openings for his teammates, or crash the box to great effect, akin to Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
Iwobi as a central or wide midfielder
Despite the prefernce for Iwobi to play more centrally in the Super Eagles, the 28-year-old has also shown that he can be successful as a wide midfielder.
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While many will aruge that Iwobi lacks the pace to be an out and out winger, it is important to note that the roles are slightly different.
A wide midfielder would have more freedom to facilitate link-up play rather than stay high up to create width. It would mean that Iwobi can also move centrally to avoid supervision, while also potentially drawing a full-back out of position for full-backs like Ola Aina to take advantage of.
While Iwobi is often depicted as a central midfielder in lineups, the Super Eagles star’s heatmap shows from the current campaign shows that he often spends the most time on the flanks, from where he has wreacked creative havoc on Premier League teams.
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