Is Gernot Rohr sleeping on Ola Aina?

Ola Aina must have been pulling his hair out when he realized he had been dropped for Nigeria’s encounter against the Central African Republic in Douala last month. 

Days after the West African giants had been stunned 1-0 by the Central Africans in Lagos, the Torino man was one of Gernot Rohr’s three changes in the reverse fixture as the West Africans had a bit of revenge in view. 

There was a change of shape to a rare back three and the three-time African champions sealed a rather routine 2-0 success after two first-half goals from Leon Balogun and Victor Osimhen. 

The performance was improved somewhat, but you wonder if the German boss missed a trick with his choice of left wing-back in that encounter. 

At the risk of being too fussy — and Rohr may feel he deserves a break from the seemingly unceasing criticism — was Aina due the opportunity at Jamilu Collins’ expense?

Frequent viewers of Serie A will argue the Torino man was, owing to his strong showings under new boss Ivan Juric in 2021/22. 

Admittedly, a cursory glance at the wide defender’s raw numbers may discourage a stats-crazed generation, yet his overall performances and broader contribution to the Bull’s approach suggest Rohr is under-utilizing the former Chelsea man. 

While the 25-year-old is yet to score or assist in the league this season, his expected assists of 1.1 indicate a bit of ill-fortune—particularly as Cristian Ansaldi (0.8xA) and Wilfried Singo (0.7xA) have respectively set up three and two goals. 

Going even deeper, underlying numbers reveal Aina’s influence in chance creation and Torino’s overall build-up. 

The ex-Fulham loanee sits fourth for volume of shot-creating actions (defined as the two offensive actions leading to shots) among Torino colleagues, and his influence shoots up if only open-play contributions are considered. 

Only Karol Linetty (24) is outdoing Aina’s 18 in-play passes leading to shots under Juric, further highlighting the Nigerian’s contribution. 

He outranks every teammate for volume of progressive passes completed, sits fourth for successful passes into the final third and tops for pass attempts into the penalty area. Despite a drop to third, sixth and third respectively for per 90 stats, the Southwark-born defender’s importance remains evident. 

Aina’s ball-carrying has never been in question, and he ranks a respectable fifth for progressive carries per 90, third for average carries into the final third and fourth for carries into the penalty area. 

Given the 25-year-old’s better performances this season and the last three campaigns in Serie A have come on the left flank, it is rather odd Rohr has not played the versatile defender more often at left-back or wing-back since the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

With Zaidu Sanusi back in the squad after missing October’s double-header with CAR and Collins still part of the group, Aina’s prospects of playing that position reduce significantly. 

The composition of the squad to play Liberia and Cape Verde indicate a return to a back four is in the offing for Nigeria, yet some observers will welcome sticking to a back three if it means Aina plays in arguably his best position.

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Seye Omidiora is a passionate football writer and pundit whose deep appreciation for the beautiful game exceeds the usual. He is currently a columnist for Goal Africa and has previously written for Vital Football UK, IBCity Info and Opera News.

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