Mikel And Pursuit Of Stability To Super Eagles Midfield

Gernot Rohr had more than one reason to smile after Nigeria moved closer to qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup following a 1-1 draw with Cameroon last week.

The 1-1 draw in Yaounde was a lesson in what Rhor most crave – control.

It is why possession is their oxygen and why at times in the qualifiers even the use of twin strikers has been sacrificed for more men at the middle.

Rohr's use of Ogenyi Onazi and Wilfred Ndidi as a pairing at the base of the midfield was routinely criticised.

Why, the question is often asked, does a team with so much possession, that almost always has to break down a side with 10 men behind the ball, need two holding midfielders?

Yet, to ask the question is to misunderstand John Obi Mikel's role in this side.

Onazi is the quintessential holder, he is the one who most often regains possession of the ball and fills in for others when they push forward and leave gaps on the counter-attack.

Ndidi helps stabilize the midfield with his energetic and intelligent approach to the game.

Obi's job is rather different. Similar to his role during youth days, when he played alongside Sani Kaita, he is the quarterback, spraying passes to stretch the play and crucially offer longer and more direct passes.

The former Chelsea man also offers the control Rohr desires on the other side of the game.

In the vast majority of cases, a side which possesses the ball for the length of time that Nigeria do will be most vulnerable on the counter-attack as the opposition spring into the spaces left by the Super Eagles caught out of position having moved beyond the ball.

However, this rarely happens to Nigeria as Obi is an insurance policy. He is always there to sweep up and prevent the centre-backs from being dragged out of position.

In a nutshell, you can always count on the former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles star to deliver when it matters most.

He still have five more years in him to perform at top level.

Abayomi Ademetan