WORLD CUP 2018 : MIKEL, OGU GET SPECIAL ROLES IN EAGLES’ DEFENCE
New roles have been handed to Captain Mikel Obi and midfielder John Ogu ahead of the Fifa World Cup in Russia.
Worried by the thought of his team struggling to defend properly in set piece situations, coach of the Nigerian team Gernot Rohr has handed special roles to two of the tallest players in his team in captain John Obi Mikel and John Ogu.
The duo have been partially responsible for the two goals Nigeria conceded from a set piece in their last two friendly games, and the coach took out time to address their positioning during their closed-door session.
Although zonal marking has been preferred by most coaches, Rohr is, however, not keen on going that way as he still favours the man to man marking style which many consider outdated following recent developments in football.
Ogu who has been converted to a defender when Eagles played with a back three, has been mandated to pick the tallest man in the team of the opposition, while Mikel will defend the first pole.
Mikel will be teams’ first defender on the line with Ogu behind him, while the central defence duo of William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun will concentrate on winning the second balls.
THE NATION
