'Defending starts from the front' - Bassey gives credit to Super Eagles strikers, wingers for defensive solidity

Manager Jose Peseiro seems to have addressed the Super Eagles defensive problems at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

Before the start of the tournament in Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles had failed to keep a clean sheet in five consecutive matches, but ended the group stage of the AFCON as the joint best defensive side having posted shutouts in back-to-back games. 

Peseiro experimented with the possibility of setting up his team in a 3-4-3 formation in the team's last friendly with Guinea and has stuck with the formation since the win against Ivory Coast. 

Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi and William Troost-Ekong have emerged as Peseiro's ideal center back partnership when he is playing with three at the back.

The Super Eagles are generally known to be a strong attacking side and have the ability to launch counter attacks with their fast players. 

Bassey does not want the Super Eagles central defenders to take the credit alone for their defensive solidity and has highlighted the roles played by the attack-minded players such as Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze. 

"Defending starts from the front so if you see the way we are defending from the front I've got to give credit to the strikers and our wingers when they are ready to jump on to the center backs or stay with the fullbacks," Bassey said to Hot Sports. 

"The organization will come from us behind, leading them also but defending starts from the front and I think we've done that well together. We've covered each other and we all have more of understanding.

"Normally we get a week or two with each other max and then we go back to our numerous clubs. This is the most consistent time period we've had where we are able to build and get a feeling of people's strengths and weaknesses."
 

Bassey registered  eight tackles in the group stage of the 2023 AFCON, not bettered by any other player. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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