This year, after the World Cup, Victor Moses surprisingly announced that he was retiring from international football to concentrate on his club career. Many have questioned this move in light of him being in his prime age (he is only 27) as a footballer, but nevertheless, the Super Eagles would have to carry on without him.
Since joining Chelsea in 2012, he’s played three seasons out on loan to Liverpool where he made 22 appearances, Stoke where he was part of the team 23 times and West Ham before returning to Chelsea in 2016. He had 26 appearances for West Ham in all competitions. In the past two seasons, he has made a total of 78 appearances for the Blues, scoring eight goals in the process. His best year with Chelsea was in the 2016/17 season when he made 34 appearances in the Premier League and won the title with his team. Ex Chelsea coach, Antonio Conte used him as a right wingback, a role that Moses has played well in.
This year he’s not had much time on the football pitch. He was in the team for Chelsea’s first Europa League (EL) game against PAOK Salonika but sat the game out on the bench. For their second EL match, he started on the bench before coming on in the second half for Willian. In the premiership, he made the 18 three times only and was used only once, as a sub for Willian against Liverpool where he didn’t have time to make much of an impact. His only start this year was against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup where he played the full 90 minutes and gave a solid performance.
Victor Moses (www.thenff.com)
He didn’t make the squad for their last match against Southampton and is not in the squad for the big game against Manchester United on Saturday.
The problem is that he is fighting for a place in the team with Eden Hazard, Willian and Pedro. Hazard has been brilliant this year and is unlikely not to be the first choice. Pedro has been a starter before he was injured but is not yet fully recovered. Willian has been in the team and even started a few games and is preferred at the moment to Moses.
Another thing is that Coach Sarri plays him in right-wing position and has said before in an interview that Moses needs to improve himself in that position in order to fight for a regular place in the team. The ex-Super Eagles star is under contract at Chelsea until 2021 but it looks like he will have to work even harder to earn his place in the first team.