Lookman, Chukwueze, Musa, Simon: Which winger should make Nigeria’s first XI vs Guinea-Bissau?
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have a wealth of attacking talent, with four top-quality wingers vying for the starting positions against Guinea-Bissau.
Jose Peseiro’s preferred 4-4-2 formation means that only two wingers can be selected, and with so much talent to choose from, the selection process is sure to be a tough one.
First on the list is Ahmed Musa of Sivasspor.
Team captain Musa is a seasoned campaigner for the Super Eagles, having scored 16 goals in 106 appearances.
However, the 30-year-old has had a difficult start to the 2022/23 season, failing to register any goals or assists in 15 appearances. Musa has successfully completed 0.52 successful dribbles per game, and he creates 0.14 chances per game, which are not impressive figures compared to his competitors.
Next on the list is Ademola Lookman, who plays for Atalanta in Italy. Lookman has had an excellent debut campaign in Italy so far, scoring 14 goals and providing five assists in 28 appearances across all competitions.
The 25-year-old has been impressive in creating chances, making 0.97 chances per game and completing 1.93 successful dribbles. His dribbling skills and ability to create chances could make him a top candidate for the starting lineup.
Samuel Chukwueze is another top winger in contention for a starting position. The Villarreal ace has scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 36 appearances this season, making him one of the most productive players on the list.
Chukwueze has been impressive in creating chances, making 0.90 chances per game and completing an impressive 3.3 successful dribbles per game. The 23-year-old has shown excellent form recently and is likely to be a top contender for a starting position.
Lastly, Nantes’ Moses Simon completes the list of wingers vying for the two starting positions. The 27-year-old Nigerian has scored five goals and provided three assists in 29 appearances.
Simon has been successful in completing 1.84 successful dribbles per game, and he creates 0.54 chances per game. Although these numbers are not as impressive as his competitors, his experience and work rate could give him an edge.
After comparing the statistics of the four wingers, it is clear that Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze are the top candidates for the starting position.
Lookman has been the most productive winger in terms of goals and assists, while Chukwueze has shown excellent form in creating chances and completing successful dribbles.
While Moses Simon has shown his worth in the past, his numbers do not compare favourably to Lookman and Chukwueze. Ahmed Musa’s poor start to the season has also hurt his chances of making the starting lineup despite his tremendous experience.
In conclusion, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze are the two wingers who should make the starting lineup for the Super Eagles against Guinea-Bissau. Their excellent form and statistics make them stand out from the other contenders. With these two players in the lineup, the Super Eagles will have a dynamic and explosive attack that could prove too much for their opponents to handle.