Nigeria is billed to play egypt in about 6 days. Right now, our defense is a bit sketchy considering the injury woes and match fitness concerns. The attack seems solid though. Prediction:4-2-3-1- Carl Ikeme.....Troost ekong...?...?...Echiejile.....Mikel...Onazi.....Musa... Iheanacho/Iwobi...Moses(either one).....Ighalo. What do you think?

^{Cc: Icon4s, Thegoodjoe, TheSupernerd, daninya11, tbaba123, joseph1013, orekpeyega}

Heheheheheh, super eagles go see weeeee... they are weakling

safarigirl:
Nigeria is billed to play egypt in about 6 days. Right now, our defense is a bit sketchy considering the injury woes and match fitness concerns. The attack seems solid though. Prediction:4-2-3-1- Carl Ikeme.....Troost ekong...?...?...Echiejile.....Mikel...Onazi.....Musa... Iheanacho/Iwobi...Moses(either one).....Ighalo. What do you think? Cc: Icon4s, Thegoodjoe, TheSupernerd, daninya11, tbaba123, joseph1013, orekpeyega

I sincerely hope that Coach Samson Siasia call upon the likes of William troost-ekong, Kenneth Otigba and Awaziem as our defense looks depleted.

My prediction are as follow..

Gk - Carl Ikeme

CB - Ambrose?? I don't even think he is good enough or fit to hold his own against the Pacy Egyptian wingers and attackers. He had been confined to Celtics bench lately with a seat belt.

CB-Oboabona?? He also suffers from match fitness.

RB-Shehu Abdullahi

LB- Elderson Echiejile

DM- Ogenyi Onazi

CM-Mikel Obi

AM- Iwobi/Iheanacho / Fernando Adi

LFD- Victor Moses / Simon Moses

RFD- Ahmed Musa

FWD- Ighalo.

I forsee a 4-3-2-1 formation or a 4-4-2 formation.

If Samson Siasia opts for the latter, I forsee Fernando Adi pairing Ighalo and my reason is this, Siasia wants to reenact the Watford style where we have Deeney who is strong, Pacy and witty feeding Ighalo with the ball for him. I see a strong similarity between newcomer Fernando Adi and Deeney of Watford in their style of play..

I just hope Siasia send out invitations to this defenders as soon as possible.

The voice of the people is the voice of God..

To be candid with you, I am not comfortable with the likes of Ambrose, Oboabona, Shehu in the defense line..

The weak link is the defense and the Egyptians have quality players who could do the damage against Nigeria.

I hope Siasia,or any body who could channel our recommendations to the coach or appropriate authorities read the observation raised by enthusiasts and sports lovers on Nairaland.

We need to act now.
We should settle for the best and get our acts right.

If we want the results then of course we should match it with words. Or else we fail or rely on luck which I believe it's non existent.

It is either we succeed in our quest or fail trying but I hope we succeed.

The defensive options we have right now make this tie a difficult one.

Today is 20th. It's 5 days to the game. Any chance of new call-ups won't happen UNLESS late invitations are sent today. Anything after midnight today, then I'm afraid the likes of Wilfred Ndidi (DMF and Central defender), William Troost Ekong (Central defender), Kenneth Otigba (Central defender) and Chidozie Awaziem (Central defender) WILL HAVE TO WAIT for call-ups next time if ever.

It's quite unfortunate that Nigeria's two most in-form central defenders in Europe picked up injuries just days to the game. Also, one of them can play the R.B. Position well too.

In the absence of any late call-up as replacements, Siasia will have to work with what he has on ground (I REALLY HATE TO ADMIT THIS BUT THAT'S THE REALITY). I pray, by some miracle late call-ups are sent out today, not just any call-up but good ones (even if na one). BUT...........


........................................................................

I forsee a defensive line-up as follows:

RB- C. Okonkwo (Siasia will likely bench Shehu)
CB- Ambrose Efe
CB- Godfrey Oboabona
LB- Elderson Echiejile


OF COURSE, CARL IKEME STARTS IN GOAL.
.........................................................................


Now, how the above defence fares is down to what they bring to the party ON MATCHDAY. IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT 90-mins MOMENT AND NOTHING MORE.

If we wanna be @Afcon 2017 then those 4 men listed above must put out a performance good enough to match the Pharoahs' blade runners.

A performance that may go down as their best in recent times and maybe revive their "long-term" relevance in the Super Eagles team.

Ambrose has been on the bench for weeks now @ Celtic, only making the odd appearances as a sub.

Oboabona's game @ Rizespor has been topsy-turvy. It goes up, then comes down.

YET, these two men carry a nation's hopes on their shoulders. WILL THE HEIGHTS OF THE EXPECTATIONS AND INTENSITY OF THE OCCASION BRING OUT THE CLASS IN THEM FOR WHICH WE ALL KNOW THEM? OR WILL IT "CRUSH" THEM? Matchday will tell. I pray it's the former.

Elderson's been doing pretty good @ AS Monaco. Not spectacular but he's been good. Stanley Amuzie (who hasn't really had much game time this season) stands in as a replacement for him.

Chibuzor Okonkwo. To be honest, I frowned at his inclusion. I wondered why Siasia will invite a player who people like Goal's Solace Chukwu called "washed-up". But he's our slim chance now @ Rightback ALONGSIDE SHEHU ABDULLAHI (who plays his best football as a DMF) based on those "invited". Let's hope he does just enough to keep our defence solid on matchday.

IT'S ALL ABOUT MATCHDAY, Right there in Kaduna shall our Afcon dreams be lost or revived.

................................................................................

The Midfield and Attack have beautiful options. THESE ARE THE TWO DEPARTMENTS THAT MUST ENSURE TWO THINGS:

-We outscore the Pharoahs (the attack and attacking midfield).
-We protect the defence (the midfield and the winged forwards/side midfielders).


WE DO THIS IN ONAZI'S ABSENCE FOR THE KADUNA TIE


Midfield: if it's 4-3-3
-Azubuike Okechukwu (DMF)
-John Mikel Obi (CMF)
-Ifeanyi Matthew/Alex Iwobi (AMF)

Midfield: if it's 4-4-2
-Azubuike Okechukwu (DMF)
-John Mikel Obi (CMF/AMF)
-Moses Simon/Victor Moses (Left WF/SMF)
-Alex Iwobi/Ahmed Musa* (Right WF/SMF)


*I put Musa in 4-4-2 as an option but I prefer Iwobi who knows midfield play than musa. But Musa is skipper/captain.


Midfield: if it's 4-2-3-1
-John Mikel Obi (DMF/CMF)
-Azubuike Okechukwu (DMF)
-Ifeanyi matthew/Kelechi Iheanacho (Central AMF)
-Ahmed Musa/Alex Iwobi (Right AMF)
-Moses Simon/Victor Moses (Left AMF)

NOTE:
1). A 4-3-3 formation can collapse into a 4-5-1 with the two wide men in attack falling back as full side-midfielders (on the left and the right).

2). A 4-2-3-1 is another subtle variant of 4-3-3 and 4-5-1.
»For 4-3-3 variant, the 4-2-3-1 changes by moving the two wide AMFs in 4-2-3-1 further forward with the central AMF maintaining his position or dropping just slightly. With that done, we have a 4-3-3.

»For 4-5-1 variant, the 4-2-3-1 changes simply by the two wide AMFs dropping back a bit into Side Midfielders (SMFs) and the central AMF allowed to roam in his creative role.
................................

Attack: if it's 4-3-3
-Ahmed Musa/Victor Moses (Right Forward)
-Odion Ighalo (Centre forward)
-Moses Simon (Left forward)

Attack: if it's 4-4-2
-Odion Ighalo (Centre forward/main target man)
-Kelechi Iheanacho/Fanendo Adi (Support Striker/Withdrawn forward)

Attack: if it's 4-2-3-1
-Odion Ighalo (Centre forward/Target man)
....................................................................

Subs: In 4-3-3»» A player I rate so so high but he gotta start on the bench for me in this formation against those Pharoahs, Kelechi Iheanacho; Oghenekaro Etebo; Daniel Akpeyi; Aminu Umar; Fanendo Adi and others...

Subs: In 4-4-2»» Ahmed Musa (I wish this were possible, he's captain... He'll start in a 4-3-3 but in a 4-4-2, I prefer an Iwobi who knows midfield play better than Musa); Oghenekaro Etebo; Daniel Akpeyi; Aminu Umar; and others...

Subs: In 4-2-3-1»» Oghenakaro Etebo; Daniel Akpeyi; Fanendo Adi; and others...
......................................................................................

THIS IS WHAT I THINK BASED ON THE PLAYERS ON THAT 42-MAN LIST THAT BECAME A 43-MAN LIST BEFORE IT WENT DOWN TO A 40-MAN LIST AND NOW WE'RE LEFT WITH 19 FOREIGN-BASED AND 11 HOME-BASED (Heard the homebased will be reduced or maybe this is it).


I hope we win in Kaduna and pick a result in Alexandria. If it happens the other way round (draw in kaduna and win in alexandria) I don't care, splendid!! Though some Nigerians would have passed on due to hypertension before the alexandria game comes around for that "miracle" #Big smiles#

Let's rally round the team. Omeruo and Balogun are out but they believe their teammates can still do it. Let's believe with them.

Though I've never been so worried about A Super Eagles game in the recent times like this one.

Go Super Eagles!!!

I suggest that Onazi should be drafted to right back. His strength, pacy runs would be very useful..

Mikel should take his place in the heart of the midfield serving as a rare guard and a shield to the back four as he does for Chelsea paving room for the young lads who are attack minded Midfielders..

Onazi is suspended for the game in Kaduna. He'll be back for the 2nd leg game in Alexandria.

Daninya11:
I suggest that Onazi should be drafted to right back. His strength, pacy runs would be very useful..

Mikel should take his place in the heart of the midfield serving as a rare guard and a shield to the back four as he does for Chelsea paving room for the young lads who are attack minded Midfielders..

TheSuperNerd:
Onazi is suspended for the game in Kaduna. He'll be back for the 2nd leg game in Alexandria.

Oh my God, you just called me to remembrance.

Mikel plays DMF then.

Yes. Meaning Onazi as Rightback won't be possible for the kaduna game.

Another possibility in midfield with Mikel as DMF in a 4-3-3 could be this:

-Mikel Obi (DMF)
-Ifeanyi Matthew (CMF)
-Oghenekaro Etebo (AMF)



I earlier cited, in my write-up above, this 4-3-3 option:

-Azubike Okechukwu (DMF)
-Mikel Obi (CMF)
-Alex Iwobi/Ifeanyi Matthew (AMF)


But it could also become this:
-Azubuike Okechukwu (DMF)
-Mikel Obi (CMF)
-Oghenekaro Etebo (AMF)

Daninya11:


Oh my God, you just called me to remembrance.

Mikel plays DMF then.

hmmm the almighty defence wish we had a utility player who we could draft into the centre back but alas we have to manage what we got. not too worried about shehu abdulahi in right back role its ambrose and oboabona that are giving me concern. hopefully siasia can fashion a midfield that will retain possession while protecting the defence. hopefully that should result in less pressure on the back line

1. gk carl ikeme
2. lb echeijele
3. rb shehu abdullahi/onazi(for return leg)
4. cb ambrose
5. cb oboabona
6. dm mikel
7. cm azubuike okechukwu
8. am alex iwobi
9. rw ahmed musa (as per captain tinz)
10. lw victor moses
11. fw ighalo


4-2-3-1 formation

subs: fanendo ani, moses simon, iheanacho, i. matthew, etebo, aaron samuel, orji and akpeyi

Abeg who is this Troost-ekong everyone is raving about? Is he dat good?

am afraid for dis defence, it looks so fragile.

phamarsenal:
am afraid for dis defence, it looks so fragile.

Siasia has always been unfortunate with defense , but his attacking style will make d defense look solid ....I think the Egyptian will have their hand full ....our front line men will be too deadly for them to handle ....it's been long I see eagles played with large score line margin

Assessing them by their performance in training this is Sia1 starting 11 against Egypt.


Ikeme; Abdullahi, Ambrose, Oboabona, Amuzie; Mikel, Etebo/Okechukwu; Musa, Moses, Simon; Ighalo

4-2-3-1

gk..ikeme
def...abdullahi..ambrose..obabona...echejile
mid...onazi. mikel
v.moses. iheanacho..musa
FW...ighalo.
sub's..iheanacho for Fernando adi
iwobi for v.moses
s.moses for musa

Onazi is suspended for today's game.

stevecr7:
gk..ikeme def...abdullahi..ambrose..obabona...echejile mid...onazi. mikel v.moses. iheanacho..musa FW...ighalo. sub's..iheanacho for Fernando adi iwobi for v.moses s.moses for musa

Ikeme
Echiejile Efe Oboabona Shehu Abdul
Etebo Mikel
Moses (Iheanacho)
Moses Simon A.Musa(Iwobi)
Ighalo (F. Adi)

Hmm... According to last camp reports, your predicted line-up comes close.

As right-back, I won't be stunned to see Chibuzor Okonkwo. But Shehu Abdullahi is still in with a chance to start.

An Etebo-Mikel combo means Mikel plays DMF, while Etebo (because of his boundless energy and his being full of running and pace) play the CMF role.

Hmm... Not bad. #smiles Let's see what Time will say.

Misterdhee1:
Ikeme

Echiejile Efe Oboabona Shehu Abdul

Etebo Mikel

Moses (Iheanacho)

Moses Simon A.Musa(Iwobi)

Ighalo (F. Adi)

menabae:
Heheheheheh, super eagles go see weeeee... they are weakling

Clive dt ur smelling mouth. Instead of u to cheer dem up that's Wat u will tell dem. Mugu

Nig 1-0

2 0 in favour of Egypt

D super eagles r effing up big time. If dey continue in dis manner,i see d Pharoahs of Egypt beating dem hands down

Line up. Peeps are busy posting scores. Stadium be like village square.

Predict score line jare... 2 - 1. Naija winning

Waris dis again?

Nigeria 1 - 0 Egypt

E be like say the mod nor get anything to post for front page today

NONSENSE