Alex Iwobi has addressed criticism from some Nigerian fans regarding Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro’s tactical approach in the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Coach Peseiro adopted a 3-4-3 formation against Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau following the clash against Equatorial Guinea, a decision that has raised concerns among Nigerian football enthusiasts. Despite creating 41 goal attempts, with 14 on target and three goals during the group stage, fans have expressed apprehensions about the team’s goal-scoring efficiency.
In response, Alex Iwobi defended the tactics, emphasizing their effectiveness in the team’s current progress. He urged fans to be patient with the 2013 AFCON champions, acknowledging that goals might not be flowing as desired at the moment but expressing confidence that the situation would improve as the team advances in the competition.
In a post-match interview following the victory over Guinea-Bissau, Iwobi highlighted the significance of the win in securing qualification for the next stage. He expressed the team’s motivation to win the next game, taking each step step by step.
“The win over Guinea-Bissau means a lot to us as we qualify for the next stage, and our motivation is to win the next game. We want to take the game step by step as we want to win our next match, then we can have confidence that we can do the rest,” he stated.
Iwobi further defended the employed tactics, pointing out that the same formation was used against Ivory Coast. He emphasized that as long as the team secures victories, the specific tactical approach becomes secondary.
“The tactics used against Guinea-Bissau were good; it was the same formation against Ivory Coast, and at the end of the day, the tactics work together, so we will just continue to use it as long as we win. As long as you win, any tactical approach does not matter.”
The Super Eagles are set to face Cameroon in the Round of 16 after securing all points against Guinea-Bissau, while the Indomitable Lions finished as Group C’s runners-up.
