- as 2023/2024 EPL begins
Super Eagles representation in the EPL took a hit last season with the relegation of Leicester and Southampton which saw four players drop to the lower division. Everton’s Alex Iwobi will expectedly lead a successful season for the remaining internationals, OLUWAMAYOMIKUN OREKOYA writes.
The Premier 2023/24 English Premier League season is here and promises to deliver another dramatic year as teams jostle for position in the greatest football league on the planet.
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While Manchester City are the team to beat following their immense treble victory last season, Arsenal have improved their squad over the summer and will feel confident about pushing City all the way. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have also bolstered their squads as they try to break The Citizens’ recent hold on the English top flight.
The relegation of Southampton and Leicester City last season had resulted in a reduction of Nigeria’s representation in the Premier League, as Joe Aribo, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Wilfred Ndidi find themselves competing in the Championship this season.
however, there is still cause for cheer as Everton’s Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka of Brentford and Nottingham Forest’s trio of Taiwo Awoniyi, Emmanuel Dennis and newly recruited Ola Aina will continue to grace the English top flight in the upcoming term.
Alex Iwobi was a key factor in Everton’s tumultuous season, after surviving the drop on Decision Day last season, the Toffees will be looking to climb the table this year with the well-regarded Sean Dyche now fully entrenched as the coach.
Iwobi flattered to deceive on Merseyside for much of his Everton career before Frank Lampard – Dyche’s managerial predecessor – issued a tactical tweak to centralise the Nigerian winger and allow his creativity and directness to flourish in a playmaking midfield role.
Indeed, joining from Arsenal on an initial £28m deal, the 27-year-old was branded “embarrassing” by journalist David Prentice for his past displays.
It’s paid dividends, with the £120k-per-week maestro having plundered two goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season, and it is this creativity that could play to Daka’s strengths.
Iwobi ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, which showcases his skill at barrelling forward and placing passes from which strikers can latch onto.
Nottingham Forest’s decision to keep faith in manager Steve Cooper paid dividends as they maintained their Premier League status.
The Welsh boss appeared on the cusp of being sacked several times during the 2022-23 season but the club chose to stand by him and the Tricky Tree’s superb finish to last season coincided with Taiwo Awoniyi’s return to fitness and form.
The Nigerian striker missed nine games through injury in total but came back at the start of April and then displayed his ruthlessness by bagging six goals in the team’s final four matches.
His strength and hold-up play make him the ideal focal point for Forest, one who can bring out the best in fellow attackers Elanga, Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White.
If Awoniyi can avoid injury in 2023-24, he may well go on to establish himself as one of the division’s most potent centre forwards.
And at the back, former Chelsea and Fulham right-back Ola Aina has been recruited on a free transfer from Italy to provide added competition for the likes of Ivorian international Serge Aurier and former Liverpool youngster Neco Williams. The 26-year-old made his return to the Premier league with the Reds on a year contract after spending the last two seasons in Serie A with Torino. He registered only a goal and an assist in 21 appearances last season.
Emmanuel Dennis’ time, however, at Forest could be over as the team are willing to listen to offers for the former Watford star.
Forest paid a reported £20million to sign Dennis from Watford last summer following his impressive 2021-22 campaign in the Premier League for the Hornets where he notched 10 goals and six assists in 33 top-flight appearances for the Hertfordshire club but could not prevent their relegation to the Championship.
The Nigeria international, whose contract at the City Ground runs until June 2026, has managed just two goals and three assists in 25 appearances since his 2022 move.
At Brentford, energetic midfielder Frank Onyeka has endured two injury-hit seasons in London since arriving the club from FC Midtjylland, a side owned by the owners of Brentford. The 25-year-old has only played 41 times over two seasons, often completely disappearing from their first-team squad entirely without any explanation.
However, manager Thomas Frank believes in the former FC Ebedei trainee’s abilities and recently extended his contract at the West London club by four years.
Onyeka has already featured extensively for the Bees during the Premier League Summer Series, a preseason tournament held in the USA this summer and It is now left for him to have an injury free season and reward the Danish manager’s faith in him.
Super Eagles representation in the EPL took a hit last season with the relegation of Leicester and Southampton which saw four players drop to the lower division. Everton’s Alex Iwobi will expectedly lead a successful season for the remaining internationals, OLUWAMAYOMIKUN OREKOYA writes.
The Premier 2023/24 English Premier League season is here and promises to deliver another dramatic year as teams jostle for position in the greatest football league on the planet.
While Manchester City are the team to beat following their immense treble victory last season, Arsenal have improved their squad over the summer and will feel confident about pushing City all the way. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have also bolstered their squads as they try to break The Citizens’ recent hold on the English top flight.
The relegation of Southampton and Leicester City last season had resulted in a reduction of Nigeria’s representation in the Premier League, as Joe Aribo, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Wilfred Ndidi find themselves competing in the Championship this season.
however, there is still cause for cheer as Everton’s Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka of Brentford and Nottingham Forest’s trio of Taiwo Awoniyi, Emmanuel Dennis and newly recruited Ola Aina will continue to grace the English top flight in the upcoming term.
Alex Iwobi was a key factor in Everton’s tumultuous season, after surviving the drop on Decision Day last season, the Toffees will be looking to climb the table this year with the well-regarded Sean Dyche now fully entrenched as the coach.
Iwobi flattered to deceive on Merseyside for much of his Everton career before Frank Lampard – Dyche’s managerial predecessor – issued a tactical tweak to centralise the Nigerian winger and allow his creativity and directness to flourish in a playmaking midfield role.
Indeed, joining from Arsenal on an initial £28m deal, the 27-year-old was branded “embarrassing” by journalist David Prentice for his past displays.
It’s paid dividends, with the £120k-per-week maestro having plundered two goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season, and it is this creativity that could play to Daka’s strengths.
Iwobi ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, which showcases his skill at barrelling forward and placing passes from which strikers can latch onto.
Nottingham Forest’s decision to keep faith in manager Steve Cooper paid dividends as they maintained their Premier League status.
The Welsh boss appeared on the cusp of being sacked several times during the 2022-23 season but the club chose to stand by him and the Tricky Tree’s superb finish to last season coincided with Taiwo Awoniyi’s return to fitness and form.
The Nigerian striker missed nine games through injury in total but came back at the start of April and then displayed his ruthlessness by bagging six goals in the team’s final four matches.
His strength and hold-up play make him the ideal focal point for Forest, one who can bring out the best in fellow attackers Elanga, Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White.
If Awoniyi can avoid injury in 2023-24, he may well go on to establish himself as one of the division’s most potent centre forwards.
And at the back, former Chelsea and Fulham right-back Ola Aina has been recruited on a free transfer from Italy to provide added competition for the likes of Ivorian international Serge Aurier and former Liverpool youngster Neco Williams. The 26-year-old made his return to the Premier league with the Reds on a year contract after spending the last two seasons in Serie A with Torino. He registered only a goal and an assist in 21 appearances last season.
Emmanuel Dennis’ time, however, at Forest could be over as the team are willing to listen to offers for the former Watford star.
Forest paid a reported £20million to sign Dennis from Watford last summer following his impressive 2021-22 campaign in the Premier League for the Hornets where he notched 10 goals and six assists in 33 top-flight appearances for the Hertfordshire club but could not prevent their relegation to the Championship.
The Nigeria international, whose contract at the City Ground runs until June 2026, has managed just two goals and three assists in 25 appearances since his 2022 move.
At Brentford, energetic midfielder Frank Onyeka has endured two injury-hit seasons in London since arriving the club from FC Midtjylland, a side owned by the owners of Brentford. The 25-year-old has only played 41 times over two seasons, often completely disappearing from their first-team squad entirely without any explanation.
However, manager Thomas Frank believes in the former FC Ebedei trainee’s abilities and recently extended his contract at the West London club by four years.
Onyeka has already featured extensively for the Bees during the Premier League Summer Series, a preseason tournament held in the USA this summer and It is now left for him to have an injury free season and reward the Danish manager’s faith in him.
Super Eagles representation in the EPL took a hit last season with the relegation of Leicester and Southampton which saw four players drop to the lower division. Everton’s Alex Iwobi will expectedly lead a successful season for the remaining internationals, OLUWAMAYOMIKUN OREKOYA writes.
The Premier 2023/24 English Premier League season is here and promises to deliver another dramatic year as teams jostle for position in the greatest football league on the planet.
While Manchester City are the team to beat following their immense treble victory last season, Arsenal have improved their squad over the summer and will feel confident about pushing City all the way. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have also bolstered their squads as they try to break The Citizens’ recent hold on the English top flight.
The relegation of Southampton and Leicester City last season had resulted in a reduction of Nigeria’s representation in the Premier League, as Joe Aribo, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, and Wilfred Ndidi find themselves competing in the Championship this season.
however, there is still cause for cheer as Everton’s Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka of Brentford and Nottingham Forest’s trio of Taiwo Awoniyi, Emmanuel Dennis and newly recruited Ola Aina will continue to grace the English top flight in the upcoming term.
Alex Iwobi was a key factor in Everton’s tumultuous season, after surviving the drop on Decision Day last season, the Toffees will be looking to climb the table this year with the well-regarded Sean Dyche now fully entrenched as the coach.
Iwobi flattered to deceive on Merseyside for much of his Everton career before Frank Lampard – Dyche’s managerial predecessor – issued a tactical tweak to centralise the Nigerian winger and allow his creativity and directness to flourish in a playmaking midfield role.
Indeed, joining from Arsenal on an initial £28m deal, the 27-year-old was branded “embarrassing” by journalist David Prentice for his past displays.
It’s paid dividends, with the £120k-per-week maestro having plundered two goals and eight assists in the Premier League last season, and it is this creativity that could play to Daka’s strengths.
Iwobi ranks among the top 13% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 14% for progressive carries and the top 13% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, which showcases his skill at barrelling forward and placing passes from which strikers can latch onto.
Nottingham Forest’s decision to keep faith in manager Steve Cooper paid dividends as they maintained their Premier League status.
The Welsh boss appeared on the cusp of being sacked several times during the 2022-23 season but the club chose to stand by him and the Tricky Tree’s superb finish to last season coincided with Taiwo Awoniyi’s return to fitness and form.
The Nigerian striker missed nine games through injury in total but came back at the start of April and then displayed his ruthlessness by bagging six goals in the team’s final four matches.
His strength and hold-up play make him the ideal focal point for Forest, one who can bring out the best in fellow attackers Elanga, Brennan Johnson and Morgan Gibbs-White.
If Awoniyi can avoid injury in 2023-24, he may well go on to establish himself as one of the division’s most potent centre forwards.
And at the back, former Chelsea and Fulham right-back Ola Aina has been recruited on a free transfer from Italy to provide added competition for the likes of Ivorian international Serge Aurier and former Liverpool youngster Neco Williams. The 26-year-old made his return to the Premier league with the Reds on a year contract after spending the last two seasons in Serie A with Torino. He registered only a goal and an assist in 21 appearances last season.
Emmanuel Dennis’ time, however, at Forest could be over as the team are willing to listen to offers for the former Watford star.
Forest paid a reported £20million to sign Dennis from Watford last summer following his impressive 2021-22 campaign in the Premier League for the Hornets where he notched 10 goals and six assists in 33 top-flight appearances for the Hertfordshire club but could not prevent their relegation to the Championship.
The Nigeria international, whose contract at the City Ground runs until June 2026, has managed just two goals and three assists in 25 appearances since his 2022 move.
At Brentford, energetic midfielder Frank Onyeka has endured two injury-hit seasons in London since arriving the club from FC Midtjylland, a side owned by the owners of Brentford. The 25-year-old has only played 41 times over two seasons, often completely disappearing from their first-team squad entirely without any explanation.
However, manager Thomas Frank believes in the former FC Ebedei trainee’s abilities and recently extended his contract at the West London club by four years.
Onyeka has already featured extensively for the Bees during the Premier League Summer Series, a preseason tournament held in the USA this summer and It is now left for him to have an injury free season and reward the Danish manager’s faith in him.