TheLoneCitizen:
My biggest fear is Aguero, big game player, most lethal striker in the world and very hard to mark. Scores from outside the box and a incredible poacher when necessary. Scores with feet and although short, is a brilliant header.

I just hope he has truly fallen out with Sampaoli.

. Wrong. Then where do you put Kane and Lukaku?

safarigirl:
lol....funny thing is Kelechi has scored a header for us, but Ighalo has never

Ighalo has
Nigeria vs Cameroon 3-0 friendly (under Oliseh)
Odion scored the third with his head

TSOM:

He's not alone. Most Nigerian Barça fans want Messi (Argentina) to win; to win every international competition, even if it's against us.

It's probably unpatriotic but we can't even explain away the irrationality. Only Barça fans understand why we are that fanatical.

It is wrong but it feels so right.

. Bros,I am a die hard Messi/Barca fan. In fact I wished for Naija and Argentina to qualify but unfortunately it won't happen cos one of us has to leave 2mao and it definitely won't be Nigeria. I seriously love Messi but he gotta go mehn. My country comes first. It's either kill or be killed and he definitely won't hesitate to score us so why should I be sympathetic towards him? They shot themselves in the foot by not winning their initial games and unfortunately for them,they'll have to rely on us to lose this game. But it won't happen. Nah. We have a huge bone to pick with them and tomorrow we'll attack them with so much anger and precision for the hurt they've caused us in the past years. We'll save compassion for later. WithNaijaIStand.

Mikel: Superhuman Messi ‘Stole’ Golden Ball From Me, I Want Revenge
June 25, 2018 12:28 pm

Super Eagles skipper Mikel Obi has claimed Argentina star Lionel Messi “stole” the Golden Ball award from him at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in the Netherlands.

The Flying Eagles faced Argentina in the final but lost 2-1 no thanks to two penalties converted by Messi.

Going into the final, Mikel was tipped to be awarded the Golden Ball for his impressive performances.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s crucial Group D Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup clash against Messi-led Argentina side, Mikel in an interview withThe Guardian reflected how he missed out on the Most Valuable Player award.

“Yeah, Messi stole the Golden Ball off me,” Mikel said.“Before the game people said that I was going to win the Golden Ball for being the player of the tournament.
“But then Messi scored twice, both of them penalties, Argentina won 2-1 and I got the Silver Ball. Messi has kept on stealing awards from me!”

Mikel recalled how the Super Eagles were able to beat Argentina 4-2 in last year’s friendly without Messi, positing the South Americans always struggle without their talisman.

“A certain human being wasn’t playing (in last year’s friendly),” Mikel says. “Actually, is he even a human being? Messi is Messi. He decides games and the last time we met he scored two against us at the Brazil World Cup.

“Without him, they are definitely less of a team. We can’t put all our attention on Messi but he is the man that we need to stop. Do we have to put somebody to mark him? Maybe yes, maybe no because when you do that you are playing with less balance.”

The Tianjin Teda midfielder spoke about playing in different midfield positions during his time at Chelsea and for the Super Eagles.

“I was playing as a No 10 before I went to Chelsea but [José] Mourinho converted me to a holding player,” Mikel told The Guardian. “I enjoy it. When I was at Chelsea and there was a national team break, I’d go there and I’d enjoy it. I’d have this one or two weeks of freedom – to express myself and play the way I want. But at Chelsea, I did a job.”

And on the Super Eagles being drawn against Argentina again at the World Cup, Mikel said:

“We knew we would get them. I said to a friend of mine: ‘Trust me, Argentina are going to be in the same group as us.’ It’s crazy. I don’t know why but it keeps happening.”


https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/mikel-superhuman-messi-stole-golden-ball-from-me-i-want-revenge/

TSOM:

He's not alone. Most Nigerian Barça fans want Messi (Argentina) to win; to win every international competition, even if it's against us.

It's probably unpatriotic but we can't even explain away the irrationality. Only Barça fans understand why we are that fanatical.

It is wrong but it feels so right.

Oga, I am also a Barca and Messi Fan asides being Arsenal.

But Nigeria before any useless club abeg.

Bolowolowo:
SENEGAL AND NIGERIA SHALL MOVE ON IN JESUS NAME!!!!

Other teams know God too.

The best team shall win. Hence we ought to strive to be the best

tbaba1234:


There are 5 Metacarpal bones in each hand that support the fingers. Apparently, he broke one of them. He will be able to play with a cast on his hand.

true. it would have been a lot worse of he injured his carpals instead. Many people break their metacarpals by accident and still participate in sports with minimal fuss

joelayomide:
NDIDI ALONE WILL HAVE MESSI POCKETED, BALOGUN AND EMERUO WILL SINGLEHANDEDLY TAKE CARE OF ANY OTHER MORAFUCKA FORWARDER THEY WILL BE PARADING TOMORROW.

Then be ready to concede a penalty, free-kicks in dangerous areas and also to get a red card

Bolowolowo:
Panama shouldn't be at the World Cup. See goal massacre.

Na dem and Saudi dey compete.

Kog45:
My post is not about missing players but how I wish young players are on the bench than LB Echiejile who was not even trusted to replaced Idowu cos Rohr preferred makeshift Ebuehi.

If I have my way i will never dropped Aina and Agu for Echiejile and Joel,my opinion.

If we were playing another formation like 4:4:2, Echiejile's experience would have been priceless, infact in the croatia game, i wouldhave played echiejile because i saw nothing special in what idowu did. there was nothing he added to the attack.

Well your i wouldn't pick Obi either after what he did in the friendly neither would i have picked agu since we have too many heads in that position already. i would have still gone with M. Simon to the worldcup since his injury wasn't that long.

To me now, Echiejile is still better than the current Idowu i have seen in this WC.

Joebie:
Goals tally gets priority over H2H. A goalless draw for Nigeria will not be enough if Iceland beats Croatia 2-0. Iceland will have a total of 3 goals, Nigeria will have 2 goals.

If Iceland win by 2 goals, they will have +0 and 4 points.
if we draw by another goal margin, we will also have +0.

Then comes H2H which means we will be ahead because we beat them.

Do you understand now?

COOL10:
. Wrong. Then where do you put Kane and Lukaku?

I put Kane immediately behind, then Salah, then Vardy, then Costa, then Sturridge and the list goes on...

darkelf:


Then be ready to concede a penalty, free-kicks in dangerous areas and also to get a red card

On point, as good as Ndidi might seem, he is very rash.

somehow:


If Iceland win by 2 goals, they will have +0 and 4 points.
if we draw by another goal margin, we will also have +0.

Then comes H2H which means we will be ahead because we beat them.

Do you understand now?

eh,pardon my ignorance.. Does the H2H include games played previously between the two teams or d one played only in d tournament?

Iceland beat us 3-0 in 1981

Kog45:
Sir,my post is not Iheanacho vs Ighalo.

thats what you makes it look like.

forgiveness:
I think we should play with 3-5-2 formation against Argentina.

.................................. Uzoho.......

............ Balogun......... Ekong............. Omeruo...


Ebuehi.............Ndidi.............. Mikel........... Brian.....

..................................Etebo...............

........... Victor................................. Ahmed..

It's better like this because when we defend, the defense will form a paralle line with five players while Victor and Ahmed defend on the wings.

Iheanacho is needed. Against Iceland we finally had decent corners and we all know how deadly he is from free kicks. Do you still want Moses handling our set pieces?

COOL10:
. Wrong. Then where do you put Kane and Lukaku?

Kane and lukaku is no where near aguero unless you started watching ball yesterday.

Sergio aguero has been a consistent player for the past 9 years from his ATM days

lakesidepapa:
Gbam1

Kilode.

Because of common match

Danielnino00:



You are joking.. a fat and foul loving Onazi ahead of a workaholic Ndidi?

The guy so funny

No sir, game played in this tournament.

Danielnino00:




eh,pardon my ignorance.. Does the H2H include games played previously between the two teams or d one played only in d tournament?

Iceland beat us 3-0 in 1981

M7even:
If you want to know how useless an African team can be, watch Tunisia against Panama and see how they would only salvage a draw against Panama.

I wasn't thinking Egypt woukd loose sef.

MetalJigsaw:
Na dem and Saudi dey compete.

Saudi a better team than panama

andrew444:


Kane and lukaku is no where near aguero unless you started watching ball yesterday.

Sergio aguero has been a consistent player for the past 9 years from his ATM days

. U're free to believe what you want my brother but I do not agree that Aguero is the most lethal striker presently. It's not possible.

minfelix:
my own is that tomoro all d following are bound to happen
1. messi wil surely get a freekick in his usual position

2. there will surely be a close penalty call tmoro

3. Argentina wil score us and we wil score too

4.Argentina wil bow out with disappointment tmoro

5.Naija wil play counter attacking football tmoro

6.Argentina wil in the closing hours of the game mount pressure on us by locking us down in our box 18 with missiles coming from left,right and centre


get ready for dis soccer showdown tomoro

And hold your Ampicilin tablets with you. U know Naija defense na

Egypt na mumu team

TheLoneCitizen:


I put Kane immediately behind, then Salah, then Vardy, then Costa, then Sturridge and the list goes on...

. Nawa for you oo. Sturridge wouldn't even make my top 5. I'll still pick a Costa over an Aguero anytime.

What must Nigeria do in the crucial game against Argentina? Today we explore some key areas.

https://www.yoursoccerblog.com/nigeria-must-beat-argentina/

CLT123:
Iheanacho is needed. Against Iceland we finally had decent corners and we all know how deadly he is from free kicks. Do you still want Moses handling our set pieces?

Can you please remind me of any of his deadly freekick that almost led to a goal because I can't remember one?

It was for that reason Etebo took over from him. I guess?

However, I can still remember Victor Moses's cross that found Balogun though he didn't score.

At least, I remembered one or two Victor handled well.

Maybe you watched a different match.

Tomorrow game is probably the most important game we will b playing under Rohr...Its no myth that our destiny is in our own hands tomorrow.. The round of 16 ticket is ours to lose...

I expect Argentina to come at us with full strength.. They need the win badly than.. They will definitely play an attacking game against us and that's how we will beat them.. Their defence is porous.. compared to theirs,our defence is world class...
I'm sure Sampaoli isn't foolish enough to underrate us... if he decides to go all attacking, their defence will suffer...if he decides to keep the defence tight, they mayn't score quick... Tough choice for him ...
However, it's important that our players stay focused . I really hope they aren't over celebrating the Iceland win like some fans are..its not yet over .... Three important things I think the players should do during the game are:

1) Don't show the Argentines too much respect
2) avoid giving away fouls in dangerous areas
3) Avoid this habit of starting the first half sloppily.

Rohr should stick with d formation and lineup we used on Friday though I won't mind Ebuehi starting ahead of Idowu while Moses move to LWB... The midfield trio of Ndidi Etebo and Mikel should be retained. it will be useful in stopping Argentina's dangerous attack.. Iwobi can come in the second half.. Musa and Nacho should continue up front...their pace will be a handful for Argentina's slow defenders. We don't need an Ighalo or Simmy to slow down our counter attacking move abeg... Argentina will surely boss the game like they did in the friendly we played against them,and we must also properly utilise the chances we get..

It's gonna b an exciting game tomorrow and I'm optimistic the eagles will soar....

andrew444:

Saudi a better team than panama

Based on the tournament or ..?

somehow:
No sir, game played in this tournament.

No pressure then

darkelf:

Kilode.
Because of common match

Oga the match pass common match o,I bet people here cannot call it common match.