Take it or leave it, West Bromwich Albion forward, Odemwingie, is Nigeria‘s hottest football property at the moment.
The Edo-born player arrived in West Brom from Lokomotiv Moscow on Aug. 20 on a three-year contract and a day later he scored the winner against Sunderland in his Premier League debut.
After several fantastic displays in his first month in England, culminating in three goals in five games, and helping his side earn two wins and a draw; he was named the Barclays Player of the Month for September, while his manager Roberto Di Matteo bagged the manager‘s award.
It was the first time a Baggies boss and player have won the individual accolades while Odemwingie became the first Nigerian to scoop the prize since Austin Okocha won it with Bolton in 2003.
West Brom actually defied the odds in September, bagging seven points from a possible nine to finish the month in sixth place in the Premier League.
Kicking off the month with a fine 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham, the Baggies went on to record an impressive 3-1 victory over Birmingham with Odemwingie scoring a goal.
West Brom stunned title hopefuls Arsenal in a 3-2 win at the Emirates and Odemwingie was again on target with the crucial opening goal of the game as he played a key role in the visitors springing arguably the biggest top-flight surprise so far this term.
But on Saturday (today), the former Lille player will face the biggest challenge of his EPL career yet when his side play against United at Old Trafford.
Odemwingie has been down with a knee injury which ensured that he missed Nigeria‘s 1-0 defeat to Guinea in a 2012 Africa Nations Cup qualifier last Sunday in Conakry.
He felt discomfort in his knee during the draw with Bolton, but completed the match and a precautionary scan confirmed there was no serious damage.
But the Baggies have been keen to have Odemwingie in their Old Trafford line-up after his stunning start to Premier League life and the 29-year-old admitted he is relishing the chance to play as a striker for the Baggies after being marginalised as a winger at Lokomotiv Moscow.
”I can bring more results playing up top because I can score goals when I‘m closer to the goal,” he says.
”I‘m happier up front and that‘s where I like to play, but I‘m ready to play where the manager wants. Sometimes I might need to adapt my role in the team and I‘m happy to do that.
”My manager in France (at Lille) transformed me into that kind of striker so I have a lot to be grateful to him. I‘ve tried to learn and improve the things a striker needs like one against one and finishing. I‘ve been looking forward to Premier League action for many years.”
Also, Nsofor, who is currently on a season-long loan deal from Inter Milan, will be hoping to help the Hammers secure all three points away from home. Nsofor was an instant hit and has helped the improved form of West Ham in recent weeks as they bounced back from a slow start to the season to go on a four-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Nsofor’s first goal of the season sealed a rare away win for West Ham to book their place in the last 16 of the Carling Cup. The Hammers won 2-1.
The Nigeria striker‘s goal earned the Hammers a win on the road for the first time in 13 months when he swept home an inviting cross from Pablo Barrera just before the hour.
Nsofor also had a hand in the first goal as West Ham broke the deadlock 10 minutes before the interval as Piquionne latched onto his (Nsofor) smart through ball in the Sunderland area to beat keeper Simon Mignolet from a narrow angle.
Asamoah Gyan put Sunderland level with a powerful header before the break on his full debut, but Nsofor ensured the Black Cats suffered only their second home defeat in 10 months.
Incidentally, a former England international, John Fashanu‘s last football match was at Old Trafford on Feb. 4, 1995 in an EPL game, but he believes Odemwingie can withstand the tide against the vociferous United fans on Saturday.
He went in for a tackle with Ryan Giggs and that snapped his Achilles and he was stretchered off and never played professional football again.
”My last game as a footballer was at Old Trafford; the environment is threatening because it‘s one of the biggest stadiums in the world. But I think Odemwingie will do well.
”If you ask me, I will tell you United will beat West Brom convincingly, but there is an unusual circumstance now that Albion has Odemwingie. He can make things happen; he‘s in the category of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Austin Okocha. He can turn a lemon to lemonade. I am proud that he is a Nigerian and I believe he can spring a surprise.”
After his own experience in the hands of the the former English champions, Fashanu advises Odemwingie to ”go there with your eyes open because you will be playing against over 50,000 fans. It is going to be his baptism of fire but he‘s up for it; he can do the job. As a Presidential Task Force member I watched him closely at the 2010 Nations and World Cups and I am happy he‘s gone ahead to play in the EPL because that‘s the best league in the world.”
On Nsofor, the former Nigeria Football Federation board member was optimistic that the Beijing 2008 Olympic silver medallist would not disappoint Hammers fans.
He says, ”My late brother Justin played for West Ham; they are not a traditional London side, but I think Obinna will do well against Wolves. He‘s a nitty-gritty player and he‘s a player I call Mr. Reliable. West Ham may not be exciting but they are great passers of the ball.”
In comparing Odemwingie and Nsofor in their first seasons in England, Fashanu adds, “Odemwingie is a big match man, while Obinna is an everyday player.”
Well, Fashanu sure has good reasons for his analysis, having established himself as a topflight player in the English game. He was leading goal scorer for six consecutive seasons for Wimbledon and was also the longest serving captain (eight years). He helped the Dons win the FA beating Liverpool 1-0 in Wembley in 1988.
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