Nigeria legend Finidi George has revealed the best positions for captain Obi Mikel and Victor Moses in Super Eagles’ World Cup opener against Croatia on Saturday, June 16.
As things are now, Rohr prefers to play Mikel as the attacking midfielder or number ten, while Moses is the undisputed right winger and was deployed as the top striker in Nigeria’s last match with Czech Republic.
But the 1994 and 1998 World Cup star has advised the German to copy Chelsea’s style of play under Antonio Conte and also play Mikel in front of the back four so as to counter Croatia’s midfield trio of Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić, and Ivan Rakitić.
”It depends on what formation they want to play. If they want to play a triangular midfield, Mikel should be directly playing in front of the back four, Ndidi playing on the left side and Victor Moses playing on the right side,” Finidi said on Channels Television.
”If they are playing the diamond formation, somebody playing in front of Moses and Ndidi, and try to make sure we make use of the fullbacks.”
On the best formation for the Super Eagles, he said : ”I will go for the Chelsea formation, the 1-3-5-2, two wide players, three players in midfield.”
Finidi has stressed the importance of Nigeria controlling the midfield on Saturday, with world class midfielders such as Real Madrid pair Modrić and Kovačić, and Barcelona’s Rakitić expected to be in the middle of the pack for Croatia.
”We have to play as a unit, we are not doing that now. When they go in the attack, it takes them too long to get back, if you don’t do that you will always have a lot of space in the middle and you don’t want to do that against Croatia with Modric, Kovačić and Rakitić.
”These guys are playing top football, you just have to make sure you have good grip of the midfield, with that we have a chance,” he added.
Finidi George made eight appearances in total in two World Cups, and was on target against Greece in USA 1994.
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