Wilfred Ndidi: Will Leicester City star’s absence hurt Nigeria’s chance at AFCON 2023 glory in Côte d’Ivoire?

As Nigeria set sights on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire, the nation’s hopes for a fourth continental title hang in the balance.

Traditionally, every Africa Cup of Nations-winning team relies on a foundation of a reliable goalkeeper, solid defence, dynamic midfield, and a potent attack.

Nigeria’s strengths and weaknesses in these areas become pivotal in the Super Eagles’s quest for glory.

The Super Eagles flaunt an impressive attacking unit spearheaded by Africa Player of the Year Victor Osimhen and complemented by a midfield, though decent, now grappling with a setback due to the unavailability of the linchpin, Wilfred Ndidi.

The Leicester City maestro, pivotal to both club and country, succumbed to injury, ruling him out of the tournament.

Stepping into Ndidi’s considerably large-sized boots is Alhassan Yusuf, a merited replacement, yet the void left by Ndidi’s absence is undeniable.

Ndidi’s injury not only affects the defensive stability but also diminishes the creative flow in the midfield.

Once confined to a defensive midfielder role, Ndidi has metamorphosed into a dynamic force in the central midfield position this season.

The former Genk man’s reputation was built on ball-winning finesse, tactical brilliance, and impeccable positional sense.

The ‘new Ndidi’ not only preserves these qualities but injects a proactive dimension, significantly enhancing Leicester’s creative endeavours.

This season alone, Ndidi has managed an impressive four goals and six assists in all competitions.

 

In contrast, Ndidi’s replacement, Yusuf, lacks the same level of creativity.

Yusuf’s statistics, with one goal and three assists in all competitions for Antwerp, pale compared to Ndidi’s impact.

The Antwerp star certainly brings his own strengths, but Ndidi’s newfound creative juice would have been more invaluable to a rather static Super Eagles midfield.

Nigeria’s attack, arguably the best in Africa, heavily hinges on midfield creativity to unlock their goal-scoring potential.

Ndidi’s absence inadvertently severs a vital creative artery, thrusting added responsibility upon the shoulders of players like Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, and Raphael Onyedika.

Head coach Jose Peseiro can take confidence in the Super Eagles’ depth with wingers like Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Samuel Chukwueze, bolstered by the energy and attacking verve of full-backs Aina and Osayi-Samuel.

Together, they can produce a collective effort to compensate for the creative vacuum left by Ndidi’s absence.

The onus lies on this ensemble of players to ensure the seamless transition of the supply line from the wings to the attack.

In essence, while the Super Eagles will undoubtedly feel the void created by Ndidi’s absence, the arsenal within the squad remains potent enough to etch AFCON 2023 into the annals of Nigerian football history.

The crux of the matter rests in the collective stepping up to the challenge, ensuring that, even in Ndidi’s absence, Nigeria remain an indomitable force in pursuit of continental glory.