dodobytes:
Firstly I want to congratulate everyone for our good showing yesterday,I am passionate about our female team as so many of us on this thread.I want to point out a few things about the differences in opinions on the coaching input in the game last night.

I still stand by what I said,Okon shouldn’t have gone 90+mins without a single substitution when it was obvious we needed fresh legs.Someone mentioned that as long as we weren’t at risk of injuries he should allow the game go on.I find that ludicrous,do you know there are freak injuries? They just happen out of the blues,even when you are not tackled.Okon risked our starting 11 burning out and getting injured or even getting carded.The major reason for injuries can be fatigue and poor fitness,When a player is tired,judgement becomes impaired and decision making is very poor,you dive into tackles indiscriminately.

I am not a fan of Njoku,but using a traditional centre back as a full back didn’t pay off last night and Okon should have corrected that immediately when it became glaring.Please don’t say Ohale grew into the role,we all saw we got punished severally due to her weakness,and against a disciplined side one goal margin is good enough to send you packing from the tournament.

Do you know Okon sent out a message to opposition coaches last night,they are;
• I don’t have confidence in my bench,cos’ they aren’t up to scratch
• I don’t have a clue on how to influence a game.

Its funny when I hear Ordega,Desire and Oshoala are the best players we got and so changing them is not an option as making changes would have upset the ryhtm of the game.So when we play Australia,and the game gets tough(as I am sure it will),we should stick to the same starting 11 for the full 90mins,same for the USA tie too?
Watching the game I couldn’t tell what Okon wanted,did he want a win or a draw? When we equalised,he could have injected fresh legs into the game.Psychologically that move alone sends shivers down the opposition cos’ they know you have smelt blood and you are going for the kill.Or if he wanted a draw there was no better time to run down the clock by embarking on three needless substitutions all at once.

The national teams belong to all of us,its our pride and the coach is privileged to hold the position of responsibility.Okon is a wonderful coach and his eye for talent is unparalleled,but if we must progress then he has to focus on his flaws too and work on them.Technically he can and should do better,or better still align himself with coaches that are more technically gifted.

In one of my earlier posts,I recall saying that Ngozi “Iniesta” Okobi will be our stand out performer at the mundial and I was proven right yesterday.That girl will set this competition on fire!!,but Okon shouldn’t let her burn out.

The mystery of unpredictability has won many games for many a team,I also recall saying after I saw the team list last night that the game could very well be won from the bench,and I believe that with the right changes Perpetua/Dike/Njoku/Ini,we just very well may have nicked it.

Shout out to all my friends here,we agree to disagree.Iron sharpeneth iron.

.
In fact I was on the same page with Okon for not making any sub but looking at your own side of the story and some of my ogas here I has to reconsider my stands.
How many of you noticed that our players did better in the area of winning tackles in that game?

Chai!!! I've made a faux pas... Oga mi, abeg no vex *prostrates quickly*
You see, I'm just 17 days old 2day on NL... And I hardly take note of ur posts here(honestly Sir, it's not been easy getting to meet and familiarize oneself wit 'the elders' in d entire NL Sports section... But we dey progress sha).
Ejo Sir, e ma bi nu... Gbaram... *boyyy, I still be morula 4 NL*

P.S: ABEG, IF I HV 'INNOCENTLY' DONE DIS TO ANY ELDER. Pls call my attention to it o. So I can apologize... Thanks y'all *smiles*

semid4lyfe:


Lol, u dey welcome me. Na me get here nah

CFCfan and other oldies like FBS and Honeric01 can attest to this.

Thanks for the warm welcome

dodobytes:
Firstly I want to congratulate everyone for our good showing yesterday,I am passionate about our female team as so many of us on this thread.I want to point out a few things about the differences in opinions on the coaching input in the game last night.
I still stand by what I said,Okon shouldn’t have gone 90+mins without a single substitution when it was obvious we needed fresh legs.Someone mentioned that as long as we weren’t at risk of injuries he should allow the game go on.I find that ludicrous,do you know there are freak injuries? They just happen out of the blues,even when you are not tackled.Okon risked our starting 11 burning out and getting injured or even getting carded.The major reason for injuries can be fatigue and poor fitness,When a player is tired,judgement becomes impaired and decision making is very poor,you dive into tackles indiscriminately.
I am not a fan of Njoku,but using a traditional centre back as a full back didn’t pay off last night and Okon should have corrected that immediately when it became glaring.Please don’t say Ohale grew into the role,we all saw we got punished severally due to her weakness,and against a disciplined side one goal margin is good enough to send you packing from the tournament.
Do you know Okon sent out a message to opposition coaches last night,they are;
• I don’t have confidence in my bench,cos’ they aren’t up to scratch
• I don’t have a clue on how to influence a game.
Its funny when I hear Ordega,Desire and Oshoala are the best players we got and so changing them is not an option as making changes would have upset the ryhtm of the game.So when we play Australia,and the game gets tough(as I am sure it will),we should stick to the same starting 11 for the full 90mins,same for the USA tie too?
Watching the game I couldn’t tell what Okon wanted,did he want a win or a draw? When we equalised,he could have injected fresh legs into the game.Psychologically that move alone sends shivers down the opposition cos’ they know you have smelt blood and you are going for the kill.Or if he wanted a draw there was no better time to run down the clock by embarking on three needless substitutions all at once.
The national teams belong to all of us,its our pride and the coach is privileged to hold the position of responsibility.Okon is a wonderful coach and his eye for talent is unparalleled,but if we must progress then he has to focus on his flaws too and work on them.Technically he can and should do better,or better still align himself with coaches that are more technically gifted.
In one of my earlier posts,I recall saying that Ngozi “Iniesta” Okobi will be our stand out performer at the mundial and I was proven right yesterday.That girl will set this competition on fire!!,but Okon shouldn’t let her burn out.
The mystery of unpredictability has won many games for many a team,I also recall saying after I saw the team list last night that the game could very well be won from the bench,and I believe that with the right changes Perpetua/Dike/Njoku/Ini,we just very well may have nicked it.
Shout out to all my friends here,we agree to disagree.Iron sharpeneth iron.

Bros, u never see where coach make substitution and later reverse substitution? I've seen it happen a few times in football. Heck, it even happened to me. Case in point, friendly match between ISL & CMS Grammar School, I started as Left-Back but their No 7 was so good and fast, I couldn't keep up with him. (no be my fault, I learnt he was also their school's 100m champion ). Coach removed me and brought in the alternate left-back but he was even worse and Coach reintroduced me 10mins into the 2nd half. Needless to say we lost that game

Sometimes, a squad lacks depth and has only 15-18 or so good players that can be competitive, execute a game plan and deliver. We've seen this with many top clubsides. That's the case with the Super Falcons. I only reckon with 18 players in the Falcons team.

Was there any need for substitution yesterday, I don't think so. Our first 11 balled and were full of running till the final whistle . Also, the Swedes were not physical and the referee was completely in control. That being said, if I were the Coach would I have made (a) change(s)? YES, a low risk substitution during the 3mins injury time. . . . Bringing in Courtney Dike for Fransesca Ordega basically to run down the clock.

Finally, y'all should give the coach some credit. His team was down by 2 goals at half time, and they scored two goals in quick succession on resumption. No be wetin him tell them ginger them to push forward, pile pressure and equalise? You think say e easy to stand for 93mins and be coaching/shouting instructions? Remember, this is the female game and more often than not, the players need to be lead and told what to do. It was his shouted instruction that lead to Okobi playing the ball forward for Oshaola's goal. If u don coach team before, u go know say shouting to your player "player behind u, throwing better" can save the day

Also, how come no one is given Coach Okon credit for his work in transforming this team into an intelligent passing, smooth transition, extremely mobile and (wo)man marking one? Compare this Falcons team to that of Uche Eucharia in 2011 and you'll notice a stark positive difference. Uche Eucharia's 2011 team bunkered a lot, was too physical, panicky, could not pass the ball out of defence, looped the ball forward always, lacked mobility and fighting spirit. Close ball control, good use of space & width, wing play, team work were all evident yesterday. Who is responsible for this transformation? No be coach?

No be only TV, I dey watch Super Falcons. I have actually been involved with the team as I covered & reported Nigerian female football in the past for a Sports concern. I know them first hand & inside out.

((I have watched Ini Umutong play and she is "overrated". Courtney Dike is good but most people take a liking to her not cos of her footballing skill but her cuteness & "exotic background".)

A little tip-off/expo: Y'all should watch out for Ngozi Ebere, in my opinion, one of the best left backs in the women's game. Solid defending ability, good overlapping runs, excellent crosser of the ball and the free-kick/dead ball specialist of the team. I call her Ngozi "Alaba" Ebere. She bends 'em better than Beckham & Messi.

I remain semi-retired. *Going back to operating in ghost mode*

Thanks Sir Dodobytes. I've always respected ur views and I'll always do. There are really a lot of angles to look at dat match from but ur technical analysis is NOTED Sir.
Every game has its own story... Against Australia, I beliv Things will be much much better.

AND YEAH! You indeed pointed out Ngozi Okobi to be the next breakout Super Star and u were truly spot on! *smiles*
Honestly, I wasn't surprised at all... Coz afta beholding her brilliance at d 2010 Fifa u-17 WWC and 2012 Fifa u-20 WWC(do u knw she was also there as a smallish 15yr old at d 2008 fifa u-17 WWC? She spotted d jersey no.20), I've had my eyes locked on her as one dat will surely outshine and take off 4m where Rita Chikwelu left off. Delta Queens shud prepare their hearts.

AND I LOVE THE NAME U GAVE HER... Ngozi 'INIESTA' Okobi. Her super goal and world class assists are worthy of changing and winning any game. Her pass to Oshoala 4 d 2nd was awesome(OSHOALA DID WELL TO UTILIZE IT, I MUST SAY- SHRUGGING OFF ABOUT 2 MARKERS) BUT HER PASS 4 'DAT 3RD GOAL' NA ONE ZILLION DOLLARS-WORTH... What a pass! And I tot Iniesta had become a 'NIGERIAN LADY' *SMILES*
Catch y'all later...

dodobytes:
Firstly I want to congratulate everyone for our good showing yesterday,I am passionate about our female team as so many of us on this thread.I want to point out a few things about the differences in opinions on the coaching input in the game last night.

I still stand by what I said,Okon shouldn’t have gone 90+mins without a single substitution when it was obvious we needed fresh legs.Someone mentioned that as long as we weren’t at risk of injuries he should allow the game go on.I find that ludicrous,do you know there are freak injuries? They just happen out of the blues,even when you are not tackled.Okon risked our starting 11 burning out and getting injured or even getting carded.The major reason for injuries can be fatigue and poor fitness,When a player is tired,judgement becomes impaired and decision making is very poor,you dive into tackles indiscriminately.

I am not a fan of Njoku,but using a traditional centre back as a full back didn’t pay off last night and Okon should have corrected that immediately when it became glaring.Please don’t say Ohale grew into the role,we all saw we got punished severally due to her weakness,and against a disciplined side one goal margin is good enough to send you packing from the tournament.

Do you know Okon sent out a message to opposition coaches last night,they are;
• I don’t have confidence in my bench,cos’ they aren’t up to scratch
• I don’t have a clue on how to influence a game.

Its funny when I hear Ordega,Desire and Oshoala are the best players we got and so changing them is not an option as making changes would have upset the ryhtm of the game.So when we play Australia,and the game gets tough(as I am sure it will),we should stick to the same starting 11 for the full 90mins,same for the USA tie too?
Watching the game I couldn’t tell what Okon wanted,did he want a win or a draw? When we equalised,he could have injected fresh legs into the game.Psychologically that move alone sends shivers down the opposition cos’ they know you have smelt blood and you are going for the kill.Or if he wanted a draw there was no better time to run down the clock by embarking on three needless substitutions all at once.

The national teams belong to all of us,its our pride and the coach is privileged to hold the position of responsibility.Okon is a wonderful coach and his eye for talent is unparalleled,but if we must progress then he has to focus on his flaws too and work on them.Technically he can and should do better,or better still align himself with coaches that are more technically gifted.

In one of my earlier posts,I recall saying that Ngozi “Iniesta” Okobi will be our stand out performer at the mundial and I was proven right yesterday.That girl will set this competition on fire!!,but Okon shouldn’t let her burn out.

The mystery of unpredictability has won many games for many a team,I also recall saying after I saw the team list last night that the game could very well be won from the bench,and I believe that with the right changes Perpetua/Dike/Njoku/Ini,we just very well may have nicked it.

Shout out to all my friends here,we agree to disagree.Iron sharpeneth iron.

First off id like to apologize to Ohale cuz she was trying and it is not her fault the coach played her out of position. All around my women were on fire all 90 minutes even at 2-0 they were the better team they should shon that ranking mess because from what i see they are one of the best teams there, they can beat the USWNT.
Also id like to apologize for my comments about Okon even though he is as equipped to handle this team as Nigeria with nuclear weapons he made a genius call in playing Oshoala in the midfield with her there we commanded the game, she is so fast she will always find her way to score and she is so strong those physically imposing Sweden women seemed more like girls the way they bounced off of her.
All together great game but it can and will be better. Okobi was sent from God to assist Oshoala in blessing Nigeria dam that girl is good, i know all my guys go be like na me go marry am me i no mind just allow her play good ball lol.

On a side note our jersey is hideous the NFF signed a slave deal with Nike even highschool teams get better stuff than that and they didn't even have the Sweden Nigeria flag on ours so na to wash am wear against Australia. Either way na win o.

TheSuperNerd:
Come on guys... What are u talking abt? THAT WAS OUR STRONGEST 11 OUT THERE... Who u wan commot? Oparanozie was gr8 (minus d own goal) wit hold up play and more. Oshoala was highly impressive and too hot 4 d swedes. Ordega was da bomb. Okobi was superb wit attacking play, a goal and 2 assists 4 our 2nd and vital 3rd goal. Nwabuoku was special in the dmf role. Ayinde was my woman of the match(Oshoala and Okobi deserve dis mvp 4m me but Ayinde's a super pass master and excellent ball retainer/winner/distributor... She did her job). Chukwunonye and Ebi were rocks in dat defence dat stood tall against the swedes but they were ball watching, as wit odas, 4 dat 2nd and 3rd goal. Ebere ngozi was good at left full back, got 4ward well and did good in defence. Ohale was gr8 also but d 3rd goal came thru her wing. Dede didnt organize the defenders in the 1st half but did gr8 in d 2nd though she was hardly tested in the 2nd thanks to improved play from Chukwunonye, Ebi, Ohale, Ebere and d dmf, Nwabuoku(our captain fantastic).
I PREDICTED A SCORE DRAW OR A SLENDER WIN 4 THE SUPER FALCONS IN MY LAST POST IF THE GIRLS PLAYED TO THEIR STRENGTHS. It wud hv been the latter(a win) but It's ok, it's still a good result...
WE HV A GOOD BENCH NO DOUBT WITH THE LIKES OF COURTNEY, UMOTONG, NKWOCHA, OHADUGHA, ESTHER SUNDAY, ETC. BUT I THINK I AGREE WITH OKON HERE... The girls on d pitch were in control and had hit a particular momentum dat was gonna ride us to victory or at worse a draw. TAKING ONE PLAYER OUT ESPECIALLY 4M THE ATTACK OR THE MIDFIELD IN THE GAME THAT JUST FINISHED WUD HV SOMEWHAT TWITCHED THE MOMENTUM THE TEAM WAS BUILDING OR EVEN ALTERED THE CHEMISTRY OF D TEAM WIT RESPECT TO DIS MATCH ALONE. I wanted to see Courtney come in coz he got power and pace and, like Oshoala and Oparanozie, can match the swedes power 4 power, strength 4 strength. BUT ALL DA SAME, IT'S A GOOD START AGAINST THE WORLD NO.4 OR IS IT NO.6? Any1 sha... But I knw they're in da Top 10 in FIFA RANKINGS. And to think we are ranked no.33? Boyyyy!!! THE SUPER FALCONS I SAW IN DA 2ND HALF ARE TOP 10 MATERIAL...
Congrats Nigeria... LET'S KEEP THIS SUPER MOMENTUM GOING...

GO GO GO 'AWESOME' SUPER FALCONS! ! ! ! ! ! !

Thank u very much.

BascoVanVeli:


All 3 goals came from Ohale she gave up needless corners that cost the first 2 goals Njoku should start from now on she does everything better, playing only 11 players in a game is plain stupid there is no excuse for that its not cute its dumb. The Swedish players were also playing good but they got changed.

And what was the result of their changes?

Emmzyst:
And what was the result of their changes?

Im past that now but if must know a sub scored their third goal.

Emmzyst:
And what was the result of their changes?

Bro did u really watch the game?
So you didn't c dat d substitution led to a goal for Sweden?

It's presently France 0-0 England.
France have been on top, with England parking the bus

Le Sommer of France scores!!

France 1-0 England

BascoVanVeli:
First off id like to apologize to Ohale cuz she was trying and it is not her fault the coach played her out of position. All around my women were on fire all 90 minutes even at 2-0 they were the better team they should shon that ranking mess because from what i see they are one of the best teams there, they can beat the USWNT.
Also id like to apologize for my comments about Okon even though he is as equipped to handle this team as Nigeria with nuclear weapons he made a genius call in playing Oshoala in the midfield with her there we commanded the game, she is so fast she will always find her way to score and she is so strong those physically imposing Sweden women seemed more like girls the way they bounced off of her.

All together great game but it can and will be better. Okobi was sent from God to assist Oshoala in blessing Nigeria dam that girl is good, i know all my guys go be like na me go marry am me i no mind just allow her play good ball lol.

On a side note our jersey is hideous the NFF signed a slave deal with Nike even highschool teams get better stuff than that and they didn't even have the Sweden Nigeria flag on ours so na to wash am wear against Australia. Either way na win o.

Are u for real. I like the Jersey. Unlike our previous jerseys, its body fitting, shape enhancing and brings out the femininity of our players.

Even a few neutral observers on redcafe.net and reddit.com have commended the Falcons jersey.

How to beat Australia:
1. Keep Dede in goal. Most people dont know that Whyte is shyte! She is worse than Dede.
2. Bring in Njoku, drop Chukwunonye and move Ohale to partner Onome Ebi. This should have been done at halftime against Sweden. Its a no brainer. You cannot play 3 at the back and leave the flanks exposed like that. Ohale was doing too much and it backfired.
3. Keep the midfield as it is. Okobi, Ayinde and Nwabuoku really tried. They held the midfield well, though the 3 at the back somehow disrupted things.
4. Start Esther Sunday ahead of Ordega against Australia. Why? Because Australia will be out to attack us, and Esther Sunday's runs and dribbles will be key, with Njoku also pushing forward, Australia will be on the backfoot for most of the match.
5. Make substitutions!!!!! For heaven sake, this is artificial turf, the girls will cramp badly if they all play another 90 minutes. Dike, Ini, and even Nkwocha are all ripe to come in.
6. Zonal marking! I know the coach is naive and thus is adamant on man marking, even when height is not to our advantage. Watch Sweden's first goal and see how Fisher sold Ayinde to get a header. We simply cannot do man marking. Let the players have a zone to mark, so they can attack the ball before it gets to the opponent. This will be key against Wambach of USA when the match comes.
7. Players should try to get at the referee. Often times Nigeria gets bad refereeing because of bad perception, but yesterday, We had only 4 fouls all game, against 14 fouls of Sweden. This is even despite leniency of ref towards Swedes. They got no yellowcards. This must stop! Let our players call attention of refs where needed.
8. Relax and know that Australia cannot beat Nigeria. I mean if you do not lose against Sweden, and put in better performance, you will surely beat Australia

olapluto:
How to beat Australia:
1. Keep Dede in goal. Most people dont know that Whyte is shyte! She is worse than Dede.

This is debatable. I prefer Whyte in goal but it needs to be drummed into whoever gets the nod that during corners, its better to stay in the post than come out for crosses so that she can be in a position to make a save.

2. Bring in Njoku, drop Chukwunonye and move Ohale to partner Onome Ebi. This should have been done at halftime against Sweden. Its a no brainer. You cannot play 3 at the back and leave the flanks exposed like that. Ohale was doing too much and it backfired.

Wrong! We played 4 at the back against Sweden. Ngozi Ebere (Left Back), Josephine Chukwunonye (Central defence), Onome Ebi (Central Defence) & Osinachi Ohale (Right Back). Ohale was simply not effective at right back. I prefer the coach makes a direct swap. He should drop Ohale to the bench and play Njoku at right back.

3. Keep the midfield as it is. Okobi, Ayinde and Nwabuoku really tried. They held the midfield well, though the 3 at the back somehow disrupted things.

I agree with keeping the 3 midfielders. Again it was a 4 (wo)man defence and not 3. . .and they were not disruptive to the midfield.

4. Start Esther Sunday ahead of Ordega against Australia. Why? Because Australia will be out to attack us, and Esther Sunday's runs and dribbles will be key, with Njoku also pushing forward, Australia will be on the backfoot for most of the match.

Starting Esther Sunday is a recipe for failure. She is selfish/individualistic, showboats, turns over the ball a lot & not a team player. This does not augur well for team morale. Also her decision making and final ball is very poor. Wetin be the use of legover wey no dey comot defender & beat opponent? Its a 4-3-3. Oshaola and Oparanozie have the speed & skills to work the wings while Ordega can drift into the middle.

Njoku will definitely add extra bite to the right wing of our attack.

5. Make substitutions!!!!! For heaven sake, this is artificial turf, the girls will cramp badly if they all play another 90 minutes. Dike, Ini, and even Nkwocha are all ripe to come in.

In principle I agree. Players that come into the game will be determined by the match situation.

6. Zonal marking! I know the coach is naive and thus is adamant on man marking, even when height is not to our advantage. Watch Sweden's first goal and see how Fisher sold Ayinde to get a header. We simply cannot do man marking. Let the players have a zone to mark, so they can attack the ball before it gets to the opponent. This will be key against Wambach of USA when the match comes.

This is my problem with Internet Coaches. Y'all have watched EPL, La Liga, Serie A etc and you know a lot of football theories and you espouse them and abuse Nigerian coaches.

Guy, the reality is Zonal marking is alien to Nigerian football coaching and Nigerian coaches dont teach it. Nigerian coaches always emphasize man marking and its what the players imbibe from their early playing days. Its where the phrase "No free man, mark one person" comes from.

Pray, tell, how do u zonal mark with 3 players standing on your goal line? Also, I think its too late in the day to teach the players to defend using Zonal marking. I also doubt the players have the discipline to carry it out effectively. I prefer they stick to that which they know and has always worked for them.

The swedes like most European teams played zonal marking and how did it work out for them.? We man marked but completely bossed the game and severely limited their goal scoring chances.

7. Players should try to get at the referee. Often times Nigeria gets bad refereeing because of bad perception, but yesterday, We had only 4 fouls all game, against 14 fouls of Sweden. This is even despite leniency of ref towards Swedes. They got no yellowcards. This must stop! Let our players call attention of refs where needed.

Your head dey there. Our players should shout and roll on the floor when tackled to the ground to draw cards for our opponents. A yellow carded player is only half a player.

8. Relax and know that Australia cannot beat Nigeria. I mean if you do not lose against Sweden, and put in better performance, you will surely beat Australia

Anything is possible but I expect the falcons to nick this.

On a lighter note,if this coaching thing ends for Okon someday.He will make a good General Overseer shaa..

Did i hear someone say an amen...

Still Mexico 1-0 Colombia

dodobytes:
On a lighter note,if this coaching thing ends for Okon someday.He will make a good General Overseer shaa..

Did i hear someone say an amen...

semid4lyfe:


Are u for real. I like the Jersey. Unlike our previous jerseys, its body fitting, shape enhancing and brings out the femininity of our players.

Even a few neutral observers on redcafe.net and reddit.com have commended the Falcons jersey.

It can be form fitting without looking like Zambia its unoriginal.

This can be the best world Cup we are watching (both male and female footie)

Super Falcons coach, Edwin Okon has maintained that last night’s half-time team-talk turned the fortunes of his side around and ensured that they forced Sweden to a 3-3 draw night in the first game of Group D at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015.

According to him, the team will now correct the mistakes which saw them concede cheap goals ahead of their next match against Australia.

“We just had to let the girls know that in football mistakes can come and that Germany utilized 45 minutes to score two goals the same way we too can score even five goals in the second half and that even made the players work harder” he told footballlive.ng.

“For now I am just thinking about the next game and so I have to just sit back and check what went wrong in the match, how we conceded the goals and correct those mistakes”

The Super Falcons will take on Australia later on Friday in the second round of group matches and the girls will try to record their first win of the tournament.

May God help our girls. I believe Australia is in for it. They are in trouble. Go Go Go Falcons.....

olapluto:
How to beat Australia:
1. Keep Dede in goal. Most people dont know that Whyte is shyte! She is worse than Dede.
2. Bring in Njoku, drop Chukwunonye and move Ohale to partner Onome Ebi. This should have been done at halftime against Sweden. Its a no brainer. You cannot play 3 at the back and leave the flanks exposed like that. Ohale was doing too much and it backfired.
3. Keep the midfield as it is. Okobi, Ayinde and Nwabuoku really tried. They held the midfield well, though the 3 at the back somehow disrupted things.
4. Start Esther Sunday ahead of Ordega against Australia. Why? Because Australia will be out to attack us, and Esther Sunday's runs and dribbles will be key, with Njoku also pushing forward, Australia will be on the backfoot for most of the match.
5. Make substitutions!!!!! For heaven sake, this is artificial turf, the girls will cramp badly if they all play another 90 minutes. Dike, Ini, and even Nkwocha are all ripe to come in.
6. Zonal marking! I know the coach is naive and thus is adamant on man marking, even when height is not to our advantage. Watch Sweden's first goal and see how Fisher sold Ayinde to get a header. We simply cannot do man marking. Let the players have a zone to mark, so they can attack the ball before it gets to the opponent. This will be key against Wambach of USA when the match comes.
7. Players should try to get at the referee. Often times Nigeria gets bad refereeing because of bad perception, but yesterday, We had only 4 fouls all game, against 14 fouls of Sweden. This is even despite leniency of ref towards Swedes. They got no yellowcards. This must stop! Let our players call attention of refs where needed.
8. Relax and know that Australia cannot beat Nigeria. I mean if you do not lose against Sweden, and put in better performance, you will surely beat Australia

Pick Esther Sunday ahead of Francisca Ordega at the team's detriment. Ordega contributes alot to attack and also knows how to defend more than Esther Sunday. Esther can dribble and end up dribbling herself, she finds it hard to give accurate passes when crossing balls in. Even in terms of stamina and height Ordega is ahead of her. In terms of goal scoring abilities too Esther is way below ordega. Pls you made alot of sense in you post until you brought in this issue about Esther. My oga I still remain loyal. Thanks.

Falcons Get Win Bonus for Sweden Draw.
Following their superlative come back against Sweden, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) approved for the Super Falcons to get their full win match bonus.
The Falcons came from two goals down to pull out a 3-3 draw and shock bookmakers, who had given Sweden this game.
NFF head of women’s football and chairperson women league, Dilichukwu Onyedinma, revealed to AfricanFootball.com“the girls got full compliment of their bonus”.
She said: “NFF president Amaju Pinnick surprised the girls after the game when he announced that he had ordered that their full win bonus be paid to them.
“He even came ahead of the team waiting for them in the hotel and expressed his satisfaction with their performance.
“And I must tell you that this gesture from the president has propelled the girls. Remember that he had already promised them several other monies.”
thenationonlineng.net/new/falcons-get-win-bonus-for-sweden-draw/

To get a tactical formation that will help us defeat Australia we need to have some things at the back of our minds.The match against Sweden revealed a lot about our team to our opponents,gone is the surprise factor.They will be coming prepared now

The key to any successful tactical formation is simple.Dont think like Coach Okon alone,think like Alen Stajcic(Australia's Team Coach),cos' you need to get into the head of your enemy to plan your own strategy.

What do you think will be going through his mind after watching the falcons play.

1..The Nigerians have a very pacy attack,if given space they will hardly be caught.

2...The Nigerians look jittery when ever there is a dead-ball situation

3..Okobi seems to be the live wire in the midfield,if she is kept busy would that kill the creative spark in the team?

4..The coach doesnt seem to be quick to make changes,so it definitely means his best 11 are on the pitch,we may not be in for any surprises from the bench.

5..The Nigerians look fit and very physical so a duel with them on that level is totally out of it.

6..The keeper doesnt look too confident,ruffling her very early may very well unsettle her all through the game.

7..How do i stop Oshoala from her fast breaks coming from the flanks or right through the middle?

8..They didnt pick up too many cards,what if we try to get under their skin and make them play dirty?

9..The central back pairing seems pretty decent but how well can they cope against tall strikers,seeing that the defence seems to fumble with aerial balls.

10..After watching the last 4 competitive games of the falcons,is the coaching crew one to mix things up a bit,or they have a pattern they always stick to and a set emergency response system.


These are the kind of questions we need to answer to enable us prepare for the Aussies..

dodobytes:
To get a tactical formation that will help us defeat Australia we need to have some things at the back of our minds.The match against Sweden revealed a lot about our team to our opponents,gone is the surprise factor.They will be coming prepared now

The key to any successful tactical formation is simple.Dont think like Coach Okon alone,think like Alen Stajcic(Australia's Team Coach),cos' you need to get into the head of your enemy to plan your own strategy.

What do you think will be going through his mind after watching the falcons play.

1..The Nigerians have a very pacy attack,if given space they will hardly be caught.

2...The Nigerians look jittery when ever there is a dead-ball situation

3..Okobi seems to be the live wire in the midfield,if she is kept busy would that kill the creative spark in the team?

4..The coach doesnt seem to be quick to make changes,so it definitely means his best 11 are on the pitch,we may not be in for any surprises from the bench.

5..The Nigerians look fit and very physical so a duel with them on that level is totally out of it.

6..The keeper doesnt look too confident,ruffling her very early may very well unsettle her all through the game.

7..How do i stop Oshoala from her fast breaks coming from the flanks or right through the middle?

8..They didnt pick up too many cards,what if we try to get under their skin and make them play dirty?

9..The central back pairing seems pretty decent but how well can they cope against tall strikers,seeing that the defence seems to fumble with aerial balls.

10..After watching the last 4 competitive games of the falcons,is the coaching crew one to mix things up a bit,or they have a pattern they always stick to and a set emergency response system.


These are the kind of questions we need to answer to enable us prepare for the Aussies..

How I wish coach Edwin Okon could read this.

dodobytes:
To get a tactical formation that will help us defeat Australia we need to have some things at the back of our minds.The match against Sweden revealed a lot about our team to our opponents,gone is the surprise factor.They will be coming prepared now

The key to any successful tactical formation is simple.Dont think like Coach Okon alone,think like Alen Stajcic(Australia's Team Coach),cos' you need to get into the head of your enemy to plan your own strategy.

What do you think will be going through his mind after watching the falcons play.

1..The Nigerians have a very pacy attack,if given space they will hardly be caught.

2...The Nigerians look jittery when ever there is a dead-ball situation

3..Okobi seems to be the live wire in the midfield,if she is kept busy would that kill the creative spark in the team?

4..The coach doesnt seem to be quick to make changes,so it definitely means his best 11 are on the pitch,we may not be in for any surprises from the bench.

5..The Nigerians look fit and very physical so a duel with them on that level is totally out of it.

6..The keeper doesnt look too confident,ruffling her very early may very well unsettle her all through the game.

7..How do i stop Oshoala from her fast breaks coming from the flanks or right through the middle?

8..They didnt pick up too many cards,what if we try to get under their skin and make them play dirty?

9..The central back pairing seems pretty decent but how well can they cope against tall strikers,seeing that the defence seems to fumble with aerial balls.

10..After watching the last 4 competitive games of the falcons,is the coaching crew one to mix things up a bit,or they have a pattern they always stick to and a set emergency response system.


These are the kind of questions we need to answer to enable us prepare for the Aussies..

wow!,nice points there,hope they put those things in mind....GO FALCONS!!!

FIFA Women’s World Cup: Australia Match is a Must-win – Nigeria’s Coach.
The Head Coach of the Super Falcons, Edwin Okon, has said that the team will win the game against Australia on Friday.
“Our next match against Australia is a must-win and we are moving forward from there. Nothing is going to stop us,” he told FIFA.com.
“We will go back to the drawing board to make sure we correct those mistakes of conceding own goals and not being able to defend set-pieces. We played a brand of football that was more of skill to entertain our fans,” he explained after his team’s draw with Sweden on Monday Night.
Speaking at the post match conference, the Coach of Rivers Angels football club and winner of the 2014 edition of All African Games said he was happy he clinched his first ever world cup goal.
“I am excited about this game because this is my first World Cup goal and I thank God for giving me the chance and opportunity to do this,” he expressed joyfully.
“I was not surprised with our performance because we had planned to win the match against Sweden. The goals they scored were given to them by us, so I think we did well,” he said.
The reigning African champions, Falcons, will play their second match in Group D against Australia on Friday.
www.premiumtimesng.com/sports/184767-fifa-womens-world-cup-australia-match-is-a-must-win-nigerias-coach.html

Okon Says Strength Key For Falcons.
African champions, Nigeria came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Sweden in their opening game of the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada on Monday.
Remarkably, the Falcons pulled off the feat without head coach, Edwin Okon needing to effect any substitution for all 90 minutes.
The trainer has now moved to reveal the reasons why he did not make any substitutions in the game.
“We did not make any substitutions and that is because the girl are fit.
“The eleven on the bench (are also in peak physical condition) can equally play against any team,” Okon told gathered world media at the post-match press conference.
The trainer however confessed that he knew nothing about the strengths and weaknesses of the Swedish team before Monday’s rip-roaring contest in Winnipeg.
“I didn’t know anything about Sweden before the game. However, all I need to know about a team is just by watching them in the opening five minutes.
“(At half time during the game against Sweden with Nigeria trailing 0-2), we told the girls that it’s not over yet until it’s over. They just had to fight till the end of the game.
“We made them understand that mistakes can be made and that they could correct things in the second half.
They (Sweden) are a good side and I said it severally that when two Elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.
“It is unfortunate that we conceded those cheap two goals. We are going back to the drawing board to work on it.
“I also don’t know anything about the Australian team we will play next but it is a must win game.
“No team is a pushover. We do not underrate any team. Since it is eleven versus eleven, it is the grass that will decide,” he said.
mobi.supersport.com/football/fifa-womens-world-cup/news/150610/Okon_says_strength_key_for_Falcons

Barbieri Alongside Bresciano as She Eyes Nigeria Clash.
Australia goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri joined Socceroo Mark Bresciano for number of World Cup appearances and hopes she can hold onto her spot for the Matildas' clash against Nigeria.
Barbieri, 35, was a surprise starter in Australia's 3-1 loss to United States at the Women's World Cup on Tuesday (AEST).
The appearance was her ninth at the World Cup, drawing level with Bresciano – who has made the most by an Australian male footballer.
"It's very special. I mean I've always looked up to those footballers for a long time because we never had women's footballers on the TV," Barbieri said.
"Hopefully I can be a role model for those younger girls now knowing what they can achieve as a female footballer."
She still has work to do if she is to become the all-time leader for Australia, with Cheryl Salisbury (12), Heather Garriock (11) and Dianne Alagich (10) ahead of her.
Barbieri hopes to regain her spot for Saturday morning's meeting with Nigeria, with number one Lydia Williams battling a thigh injury.
"I'm ready. Whatever happens, I'm ready," she said.
"I'm not in charge of this team, I put my best foot forward in training and in games and then I leave the decision making up to them. That's the hard part."
Barbieri talked up the Matildas' chances of progressing from Group D despite the loss to USA.
She told Australia to take inspiration from 2010 men's world champions Spain, who were beaten in their opening game before winning the title.
"I keep bringing up the fact that Spain lost their first game to Switzerland and then won the World Cup," Barbieri said.
"This is by no means our tournament over at all. It's a trip, but it's certainly not a trip over. We'll stand back up. We'll hold our feet and we'll look to Nigeria and Sweden and look for six points."
www.fourfourtwo.com/au/news/barbieri-alongside-bresciano-she-eyes-nigeria-clash

CFCfan:
^^
@ semid4lyfe: I don't think Whyte is better than Dede. Whyte has the same problems with Dede - vulnerability at crosses. Whyte also fumbles a lot of straight shots.
But I agree that deploying Ohale at RB was a terrible decision. She's better at centre back. Also, Dike and Umotong could come on in the 2nd half on Friday.

I've seen Australia boss the midfield against the US, so I expect Okon to field 3 central midfielders on Friday.

Anybody but Dede is okay at the post. She looks so old in between the sticks. The same thing goes for Ayinde. I had hoped the coach included Ihezuo, Igbinovia Uchechi and Ibrahim on this team. The Swedish are very tall girls so do the Matildas.

terzurum5:
Okon Says Strength Key For Falcons.
African champions, Nigeria came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Sweden in their opening game of the 2015 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada on Monday.
Remarkably, the Falcons pulled off the feat without head coach, Edwin Okon needing to effect any substitution for all 90 minutes.
The trainer has now moved to reveal the reasons why he did not make any substitutions in the game.
“We did not make any substitutions and that is because the girl are fit.
“The eleven on the bench (are also in peak physical condition) can equally play against any team,” Okon told gathered world media at the post-match press conference.
The trainer however confessed that he knew nothing about the strengths and weaknesses of the Swedish team before Monday’s rip-roaring contest in Winnipeg.
“I didn’t know anything about Sweden before the game. However, all I need to know about a team is just by watching them in the opening five minutes.
“(At half time during the game against Sweden with Nigeria trailing 0-2), we told the girls that it’s not over yet until it’s over. They just had to fight till the end of the game.
“We made them understand that mistakes can be made and that they could correct things in the second half.
They (Sweden) are a good side and I said it severally that when two Elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.
“It is unfortunate that we conceded those cheap two goals. We are going back to the drawing board to work on it.
“I also don’t know anything about the Australian team we will play next but it is a must win game.
“No team is a pushover. We do not underrate any team. Since it is eleven versus eleven, it is the grass that will decide,” he said.
mobi.supersport.com/football/fifa-womens-world-cup/news/150610/Okon_says_strength_key_for_Falcons

If this is truly from our coach,then i am afraid,very afraid.

We did not make any substitutions and that is because the girl are fit

Even if they are battery operated,they still need rest,We are mighty glad the girls are fit,and would like you to keep them in tip-top shape so that they can go far in the tournament.Secondly,substitutions arent made because players get tired only,its a tactical maneovre to turn things in your favour and counter your opponents.

I didn’t know anything about Sweden before the game. However, all I need to know about a team is just by watching them in the opening five minutes

I hope you are seriously kidding me bro,i hope this is a ploy to make you look like a really smart coach,cos if this is the truth i am shocked!..you and your team had more than 6months to prepare for the biggest tournament of your careers and there was no scouting done on your opponents?..no video tapes watched?..no dossier compiled on your opponents strengths and weaknesses.So we should rely on your magical powers that in 5mins all the teams strength and weaknesses becomes bare before you.

I also don’t know anything about the Australian team we will play next but it is a must win game

Dear Coach i appeal to you,football has gone beyond this your level of operation,so many things go into preparing for a match,and i am afraid that this is not the way to go.