Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle recently unveiled his 23-man squad for Nigeria’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and the Benin Republic. However, the initial squad announcement, and subsequent adjustments, have ignited significant debate and concern within the Nigerian football community, rather than fostering optimism among fans. The upcoming matches are widely considered 'must-win' encounters, adding pressure to Chelle's tactical choices.

A primary point of contention revolves around the squad's glaring imbalance. Critics highlight the absence of a natural right-back, the presence of only one truly creative midfielder, and an apparent overload of nine forwards.

The situation became even more complicated following injuries to Bright Osayi-Samuel and Cyriel Dessers. As a result, Chelle was compelled to make two changes, inviting Zaidu Sanusi and Christantus Uche to replace the injured duo. This adjustment saw Uche, a new Crystal Palace player, being added to the midfield, addressing one of the initial criticisms regarding the paucity of midfielders. However, the decision not to call up Paul Onuachu, despite his prolific form as the Super Eagles' most effective striker this season with six goals and a recent 'Super Lig Player of the Month' award, has left many questioning Chelle's rationale.

The right-back dilemma persists. With Bright Osayi-Samuel withdrawn, and Felix Agu (another potential option) suffering a serious ankle injury that makes him 70% likely to miss the qualifiers, the team is left with Benjamin Fredrick, primarily a centre-back, as the only player capable of operating as a makeshift right-back. This lack of specialist cover in a critical defensive position is a worrying reality.

In midfield, Chelle named Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, and Alhassan Yusuf—all predominantly defensive players. This leaves Alex Iwobi as the lone creative presence, tasked with shouldering the entire responsibility of playmaking. While Iwobi has begun the season brightly with Fulham, registering two assists and one goal, placing the sole creative burden on him could prove risky, especially in matches where Nigeria needs to break down resilient defenses.

Despite the replacement of Dessers with Christantus Uche, Chelle's squad still features an abundance of nine forwards. This includes prominent names such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Terem Moffi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Arokodare Tolu, and Akor Adams. While attacking depth is generally desirable, the disproportionate allocation of resources to the forward line, at the expense of defensive and creative midfield balance, raises questions about Chelle's tactical strategy.

The updated 23-man squad for the qualifiers is as follows:

• Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali, Amas Obasogie, Adebayo Adeleye
• Defenders: Felix Agu, Bruno Onyeamachi, Zaidu Sanusi, Calvin Bassey, William Troost-Ekong, Benjamin Fredrick, Semi Ajayi
• Midfielders: Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alhassan Yusuf, Christantus Uche
• Forwards: Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Olakunle Olasegun, Terem Moffi, Tolu Arokodare, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams

Ultimately, Chelle possesses an array of individual talent. However, the structural gaps—particularly at right-back and in creative midfield—could transform into significant vulnerabilities against opponents like Benin and Lesotho, who are likely to try and exploit these weaknesses. Without further adjustments or a clear strategic plan to mitigate these imbalances, Chelle's squad selection for these crucial qualifiers may be perceived either as a high-stakes experiment or a ticking time bomb for Nigeria's World Cup aspirations.