The Nigeria forward was the decisive figure as Stoke City beat Aston Villa, bringing back memories of a happier time
Following Stoke City’s victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, the English media largely focused on Tim Sherwood’s start to life at Villa Park.
This is completely understandable, Sherwood is an entertaining, occasionally controversial figure who is always good for a quote and splits opinion in a way that readily prompts engaging cover.
His jubilant celebrations when his new club took the lead and then his deadbeat, hangdog expression when Stoke secured victory are the stuff of newspapermen’s dreams. No qualms there.
However, for those of us of a Nigerian persuasion, it’s impossible to ignore the glistening impact made by Victor Moses.
Victor Moses, you know?
You may remember him from such epics as the 2013 African Nations Cup?
Ring any bells?
Well, it’s true that the former Liverpool forward has gone under the radar in recent times, as another sluggish season threatened to pass him by.
Moses started life well at Stoke, contributing four assists by the beginning of October. Then injuries followed, and he missed several weeks before sitting out all of the Christmas schedule.
Even if Nigeria had been present at the 2015 Nations Cup, it’s questionable whether Moses—who endured a disastrous 2014 with the national side—would have been an effective member of the team.
He returned to action with the Potters on January 17, starting on the left as Stoke recorded a 1-0 away victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
His comeback went under the radar—as a lot tends to do at Stoke—but he reminded the watching world of his class once again over the weekend.
Again, Moses showed just what he is capable of with his searing pace, direct running and admirable agility.
He arguably wasn’t even meant to have been on the pitch. As noted by Si Hughes in his match report for the Telegraph, “Hughes had only chosen not to substitute Moses because of his ability to “take players on when they’re tiring.””
With both teams tied at 1-1, he demonstrated speed of thought and presence of mind to latch onto a Ron Vlaar mis-hit, tore towards the Dutch centre-back and forced the international stopper into an ugly tackle.
A penalty was the only possible outcome.
Vlaar was dismissed and Moses, demonstrating the kind of composure that’s been far too absent in recent seasons, slotted calmly past Brad Guzan from the spot, finding the corner of the net to the keeper’s left.
It was impossible for this watching Super Eagles fan to avoid reminiscing about the 2013 Nations Cup, and specifically, Moses’s showing against Ethiopia in that crucial group decider.
I am sure it’s a game that many of us have replayed over and over again in our minds…certainly that second period at least.
Moses v. Ethiopia | The Zenith?
It’s hard for the mind to remember a full 90 minutes, and often we fill in the forgotten gaps of the contest with our mood. Nigeria were dire against Ethiopia, truly uninspired, but we forget that…our memory—for me at least—replays those two Moses dribbles, the two fouls, and the two subsequent penalties over and over again.
As far as I’m concerned, that match was purely 90 minutes of the forward dribbling directly at poor Sisay Bancha.
While I have always championed Moses's subtler showing against Mali in the 2013 semi-final as the true crystallisation of his capacity to enthrall with Nigeria, it's fair that this showing against Ethiopia was more viscerally effective.
The similarities between Moses’s impact against Villa and his decisive contribution to the battle with Ethiopia are impossible to ignore.
However, while many may focus on the ostensible similarities between the dribble, the white-of-his-eyes defender and the calm penalties, what struck me most was the authority of the player and the calm assuredness of his impact.
Moses is not a man to shirk responsibility, and his performance against Villa confirmed once again that he is the kind of figure—for both his qualities and his character—who we should installed, firmly, in the national side.
Moses’s excellent showing is good news for Stoke, but more importantly (certainly as far as we’re concerned) it’s good news for Nigeria.
The Potters hitman possesses the qualities to kick start the Super Eagles’ post-Afcon 2015 revival within African football. More importantly, perhaps, as he demonstrated again at the weekend, the 24-year-old is not afraid of taking responsibility and putting his neck on the line when the pressure is on.
Stephen Keshi (or whoever else takes the hotseat) cannot afford to dither with this most precious commodity any longer.