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Jose Peseiro has understandably utilised Ademola Lookman as a winger in the national team, but it limits the forward’s penalty box threat.
Almost two months before Atalanta’s 3-2 victory over AC Milan, Gian Piero Gasperini was critical of Ademola Lookman.
The frank tactician criticised the Nigerian’s attitude at being left on the bench at Lazio, annoyed that the former Leicester City attacker seemed disinterested in his bit-part role after his introduction.
“The only bad note of the game today was Lookman’s attitude when he came on,” stated Gasperini after the loss to Maurizio Sarri’s men. “He didn’t seem as focused as his teammates, almost as if coming on as a substitute was something he didn’t feel was acceptable.”
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Perhaps Gasperini took out his irritation after a 3-2 reverse at the Olimpico on Lookman, who had not hit the ground running at the start of year two in Bergamo.
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10:34 - 17.08.2023
Super Eagles in Serie A: Can Osimhen be dethroned by Chukwueze or Lookman?
The arrival of Samuel Chukwueze to compete with Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in Serie A adds to the Nigerian interest in Italy’s top division. The trio should challenge for the European spots, leaving fans on the edge of their seats in 2023-24.
The Nigeria international had found the back of the net twice before that October 8 defeat in the capital, both strikes coming in eight appearances. There should have been no reason to worry for the 26-year-old, whose goal return after eight Serie A games in his debut season was the same. However, what happened subsequently was commendable.
While the forward’s current form with La Dea has not matched last season’s purple patch, it is still attention-worthy. Since Gasperini’s comments, Lookman has found the back of the net four times and assisted a couple, taking him to six involvements in under two months of action — eight altogether.
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20:41 - 09.12.2023
Atalanta 3-2 Milan: Lookman outshines Chukwueze with fantastic brace in battle of the Eagles
Nigerian duo Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze were in action in the five-goal thriller between Atalanta and AC Milan in the Serie A.
The ex-Leicester man has not only been menacing in the penalty area, but his combination with teammates has been evident, underscored by his burgeoning relationship with Gianluca Scamacca before the Italian’s latest injury and Charles De Ketelaere.
According to Transfermarkt, Lookman has set up two Scamacca goals and has been assisted on two occasions by the Milan loanee, taking the total to four. It should be five, but De Ketelaere astonishingly fired over from three yards after the Nigerian teed him up in the ninth minute against his parent club at Gewiss Stadium.
When the Belgian returned the favour 10 minutes after the interlude, the Super Eagles star made no mistake, firing into the roof of the net to beat Mike Maignan for the second time. La Dea’s second goal seemed to materialise from a tactical switch, with Lookman occupying a more central position and De Ketelaere pulling away to a wide area.
The Nigeria international was denied his first Serie A hat-trick after Maignan pulled off an incredible stop in the 76th minute, and the rebound was blocked. Luis Muriel was the match-winner, but Lookman was hitherto pivotal.
Statistics after the 26-year-old’s sixth league goal of the season show that every strike in 2023-24 has come from inside the box. Of his 13 Serie A goals in his debut campaign, only one was scored from outside the 18-yard area, indicating a measure of threat in the opponent’s penalty box.
It is a characteristic Super Eagles boss Jose Peseiro could profit from, but it is not that easy. For one thing, Atalanta utilise several variations of a back three, with Gasperini deploying a 3-4-3, 3-4-1-2 and 3-4-2-1, depending on the game’s requirements. Lookman’s versatility means he is adept at playing as one of the forwards flanking a central striker in a 3-4-3, functioning alongside another forward in a partnership or operating in the half-spaces with the license to be a penalty box threat in a 3-4-2-1.
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With the Super Eagles, Lookman is deployed on the flanks, keeping him away from utilising his menace in the 18-yard area and burdening the Atalanta man with chance creation. This undoubtedly helps to exploit the Atalanta forward’s dribbling ability — only three players in Serie A have completed more than the Nigerian’s eight take-ons leading to shot attempts — but insufficiently exploits his finishing capability.
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01:14 - 14.10.2023
Super Eagles: Does Jose Peseiro have a problem out wide?
Samuel Chukwueze and Ademola Lookman endured frustrating outings in Friday's 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia, adding to Jose Peseiro's worries with AFCON 2023 imminent.
An examination of the situations resulting in Lookman’s goals provided by Understat is instructive, with the shots leading to the Nigerian’s 19 Serie A strikes mostly coming from central locations inside the penalty box, thus giving him a higher chance of finding the back of the net.
Excluding Lookman’s three penalties, 11 of his 16 league goals under Gasperini have materialised from such positions in the opponent’s area, a strength the Atalanta boss has put to use.
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Under Peseiro, the former Everton player has different responsibilities, precipitating his suboptimal performances for the Super Eagles. Be that as it may, this is possibly a consequence of the three-time African champions’ surfeit of centre-forward options that have meant Lookman being shunted out wide to accommodate a player with his skill set.
Switching to a back three is an alternative that has flown around, even if it remains to be seen if the Super Eagles have the wing-back profiles and enough competent centre-back options to make it work. Such remodelling with the Africa Cup of Nations imminent could also be ill-advised.
For someone with Lookman’s penalty box threat, the Atalanta forward is regrettably underutilised with the Super Eagles. It would be a shame if the three-time African champions never figure it out.
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