The Big Boss has failed to address several concerns during his tenure to date, can he right some of these wrongs in the crunch Afcon qualifier against the Falcons of Jediane?
Long gone are the days when a Nigeria vs. Sudan qualifier would have been given little or no thought. In the past, the Super Eagles would have been backed to easily overcome the Falcons of Jediane.
Recent developments have, however, changed the complexion of Nigeria’s upcoming rematch with the North African side.
Stephen Keshi has taken the Eagles a full circle, from invincibility to inconsistency; surely the bout in Abuja will be his final stand.
One might have thought that, following a month of NFF controversy, the Super Eagles would have been happy to have returned to the field of play at the weekend. Nigeria looked anything but comfortable, however, and delivered a horrible performance against Sudan, losing 1-0.
The Eagles find themselves on one point after three games and the reality of missing out on the Cup of Nations in Morocco is looming large.
Several issues have bedevilled Keshi’s reign throughout, and still now, in the dying throes of his regime, many are yet to be resolved.
Here are a few intriguing subplots to look out for in Abuja.
The Third Man
Stephen Keshi's tactics can be very difficult to predict. One search Nigerians have looked forward to in every match since his reign began has been the identity of the third member of his three-man midfield. With Michael Babatunde pulling out injured once again, and Nosa Igiebor flopping in Khartoum, might a new “third man” be sought?
The attacking option of Sone Aluko will look to hold down the spot and make it his own and Keshi may appreciate his forward thinking and Premier League experience.
Another possibility might be Hope Akpan who received a maiden call-up for the first match in Sudan, but didn’t get on the pitch. Could the young Liverpool-born midfielder be introduced for the biggest match of his career?
Which John Obi Mikel shows up?
Nigerians have, for a while now, been treated to the now-familiar sight of John Obi Mikel 'taking a walk' through the teams' matches.
Mikel takes no initiative and allows Ogenyi Onazi to do his bidding for him.
It's a marvel that Mikel still makes his way onto the field in a Nigerian jersey. As a matter of fact, the last time Nigerians were satisfied with a John Obi Mikel performance was the summer of 2013.
That's a pretty long time to be dormant.
Nigerians would, however, hope to have a positive twist on his lack of match practice to regard him as well-rested and hope he knuckles down and gets dirty against Sudan. As unpredictable as Stephen Keshi's tactics are, one of the most predictable parts of it is this; if Mikel Obi is fit, he will play.
During Chelsea’s run to the 2012 Champions League title and Nigeria’s Cup of Nations victory, the midfielder proved himself to be a player made for the big occasion.
Can he make up for a year of anonymity with a big showing against the Falcons?
The Striking Conundrum
Nigeria's most important spring has run dry and the Eagles are facing a famine. A year ago, Emmanuel Emenike couldn’t stop scoring; he scored four in three against Malawi, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia (twice).
Incredibly, since that brace against the Walias in Addis Ababa, the Fenerbahce man hasn’t found the net for the national side.
There have been good performances—such as against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup—but the forward has firmly lost his goal-scoring touch.
The lack of a partner who understands him and the struggles he continually faces in every match have been plain to the eyes of many for a while. This has led many to call for the return of players such as Brown Ideye, Obafemi Martins and Ikechukwu Uche to the national fold.
The absolute lack of chances being created for him per match is also absolutely glaring. Always forced to move out to the wing to search out the ball, Emenike always ends up a frustrated man.
Contrary to what many might think, Stephen Keshi must also have noticed this and it'll be interesting to see how he solves the problem in the second contest against Sudan.
Does he stick with Emenike, or does he opt for fresh legs in attack?
The Defence
Nigerians suffered the ignominy of watching their defence crumble at home in the last international window. Despite the return of Vincent Enyeama, the Eagles were breached once more against Sudan and have now conceded nine goals in their last five matches.
Efe Ambrose was found wanting against the Falcons of Jediane, and was at fault for the goal. He was replaced by Raheem Lawal during the match and may find himself jettisoned for the second game against the North Africans.
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