****

tbaba1234:
Odey close to a move to Genk.

Very good move for him.

This Genk too like Nigerian players

Isn't it the one Awoniyi left?

fabyom:
I believe Iwobi will come good in the AM role.
The Super Eagles played a high level footy yesterday against a team that topped the Ivorians during the AFCON qualification.
The weather affected our play in the first (over 30degrees).
However, in the second half we played some really good footy as the weather was less sunny.
I have a question:
Why did we play ahead of group A?
Is it because the organisers did not want the Egyptians to play in such a dehydrating weather or what?

Had the same question? Obvious mago mago. Very shameful.

Really sorry Dad. Didn't mean to get you or anyone worried. I've been fine all this time. Thanks for the concern all the same.

And yes I did get your messages. Thanks so much.

And don't worry Dad, I'm back just in time. It's Super Eagles Time again at a Majors. And we need the whole gang in the house to take deep analytical looks at this team and our chances.

Our in-house "23-person" squad is good to go and obviously kicked off fine with the burundi game even in my absence. So let's just keep it rolling....

We are on the March again...

Icon4s:


Hey son!
You got us worried!

Hope our messages were well delivered by those we sent to you?

The analysis of this team during a competition like the AFCON is not complete without your input.

Good job on your Nigeria vs Guinea analysis. And hope we will have you around for the rest of the AFCON.

fabyom:
I believe Iwobi will come good in the AM role.
The Super Eagles played a high level footy yesterday against a team that topped the Ivorians during the AFCON qualification.
The weather affected our play in the first (over 30degrees).
However, in the second half we played some really good footy as the weather was less sunny.
I have a question:
Why did we play ahead of group A?
Is it because the organisers did not want the Egyptians to play in such a dehydrating weather or what?

Strangely no body asked, knowing fully well most of our players are foreign based they put the match for hot sun.

Yea mikel is likely to retire after Afcon

darkelf:


This means some over LD legs may have to make way but it should be gradual. Mikel et al

Yea buh for sometime I hv not been following onomah. Another good mention is ejaria but he seem too feather weight for African footie

komekn:


I would add there is a possibility of

Ademola Lookman
Tega Onomah

The one I rate the most particularly as a CB is Fikayo Tomori.

Abeg, mek you no bother her. She's still busy in the other room with icon79


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TheSuperNerd:
I hope someone is not going to question or talk about all these hugs I have been dashing out since yesterday. Abeg just pardon me Biko.... Make I return the welcomes abeg... It's been a long time coming... Lol




If you need hug too, just walk up okay.... it's a beautiful day.
Safarigirl my Safarigirl... No worry, you no need ask sef... You must collect hug..... Just hope Icon79 no go choke becos of am..

We’ve been struggling with our passes majority of the time under Rohr. If u want to talk good about Rohr pick the obvious facts. With Rohr we no dey press calculator Finito

Rockyrascal:
our passing game have greatly improved and there is also discipline in this team. No be all this our slow type of football wey them know us with....our main challenge now is creating chances to score.

I totally agree with you. Ndidi is not vocal enough to be lead the team. I see Ekong (or Omeruo, if he keeps playing well) as the next team captain after Mikel.


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somehow:
Ndidi won't really do well as the team captain, doesn't look influencing at all. Omerue should, or Troosk.

Yes, all of them are playing in our next match. Except for the goal keeper and the defensive line, anybody who hasn't seen action so far would play in our next match. We have already won the group so we might as well play with our reserve team. So expect to see: Onyekuru, Osimhen, John Ogu etc lining up.


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minfelix:
Mk una beg papi rohr to start onyekuru, osimhen and chukwueze in d next game na.. dis guys wont looz doz kinda goals ighalo and musa squandered yesterday walahi

Musa says hi.

Musa automatically takes over fully once Mikel retires.

After Musa, then the likes of Ekong and Omeruo can come into the picture.

Icon79:
I totally agree with you. Ndidi is not vocal enough to be lead the team. I see Ekong (or Omeruo, if he keeps playing well) as the next team captain after Mikel.


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Joebie:
We’ve been struggling with our passes majority of the time under Rohr. If u want to talk good about Rohr pick the obvious facts. With Rohr we no dey press calculator Finito

When have we not struggled with our passes

We are actually better under Rohr

But what is Rohr's problem ehn? Since he took over, no need for calculators. Even in Russia, our destiny was in our own hands but we blew it. It was not a calculator something.

Nigerian Calculator experts and sellers have had bad market since under Rohr. Haba... We for see Icon4s differentiate and integrate taya assisted by The Taliban man ( a terrorist wey sabi maths)


Been a bad regime for calculator guys. Abi didn't anyone brief Rohr on the "Nigerian culture of qualifying?"

Curtisaxel7:
Since nobody is talking about this, let me say it.

OUR CREATIVE MIDFIELD IS POO. Etebo's passes are average at best, same with Ndidi. Iwobi's inconsistency is of shocking proportions for a player of his level and exposure. One average pass succeeded by three hopeless passes and two awful dribble attempts. The only truly creative player worth his salt in the midfield, Mikel Obi is retiring after this AFCON, after that, what happens? Will we be stuck with this boring nonsense display that Gernot Rohr calls football?.

It is time to declear a state of emergency over our midfield. Intensive scouting AT ALL LEVELS must be embarked upon at this stage. If we can't find FB's to convince, i say let us comb every goddamn team in the NPFL and NNL for creative midfielders!. Someone is being paid huge amounts of taxpayer's money as "SE scout", and I am tempted to ask what the hell they actually do if at the end of the day we still can't look for talent beyond the and established professionals.

Rohr must do better biko.

Don't look too far, Eze Eberechi and Onomah are good enough but the problem is Rohr.

Icon79:
I totally agree with you. Ndidi is not vocal enough to be lead the team. I see Ekong (or Omeruo, if he keeps playing well) as the next team captain after Mikel.


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How vocal was Mikel? There no one way to lead.

iSlayer:


Are they in the Champions league?

Yes! They won the league.

Solid analysis, Nerdie. Here are a few things I will need to add:

- Mikel is likely to become a backup now. His best position in this team is the DM or the so called Deep lying playmaker (Pirlo role). Unfortunately, for Mikel, our best player Wilfred Ndidi doesn't seem to play well with Mikel compared to Etebo. Hence, if you want to get the best out of Ndidi, you'd pair him with Etebo.

- We are blessed with 3 solid Center Backs. And I think the 3-5-2 formation would suit our game best when we start playing against the big guys like Senegal, Egypt, etc. Line up: Balogun - Ekong - Omeruo as CBs and use Ola Aina and Moses Simon (or Collins) as the Wing Backs.

- Odion Ighalo. I will only blame him for missing one chance not two. Like I commented during the game, he could've simply squared that ball to Ahmed Musa for a simple tap in but he selfishly decided to go solo. On the second chance, he wasn't expecting that ball … a Guinean player was blocking his view so he couldn't see the ball until late. All in all, he still remains our best striker option until someone (and I am looking at you, Osihmen) steps up to displace him.


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TheSuperNerd:
Super Eagles Review so far + Bonus Titbit

- Iwobi may have struggled to settle into a good rhythm in the Guinea game but he remains our best bet in the #10 role. And mehn like Tbaba1234 already pointed out... He hit some fine strikes today that brought out two awesome saves from Kone in the Guinea goal. That lays to to rest the saying that "Iwobi cannot shoot." Even Chelsea felt his shooting wrath in the Uefa UEL Final.

- Mikel as DLP/CM remains one of the masterstrokes we haven't executed yet at the Afcon. Perhaps Rohr hasn't seen the need for it yet ..... But I feel that time may yet come. But Mikel as our #10... Please never again especially not in his last tournament for us.

- In Moses Simon and Samuel Kalu we have wingers who give us options tactically and organisationally as both offer so much defensively and offensively too.
Chukwueze and Onyekuru are inverted wingers/Wing forwards needed only to stretch defences further and put them on the back foot intensely.
Their usage will depend on our tactical set-ups and approaches at any point in time as we progress.

Additionally, Chukwueze's skills, trickery, and Vision also mean he could potentially grow into an alternate role as AM/SS apart from his main role as RW/RWF.


- Ighalo wasted two big chances today... Yes! But he still remains a genuine threat upfront as he keeps defences honest. But Osimhen could yet prove an Upgrade even now if, and only if, he gets his chance against Madagascar and takes it with both hands and feet.


- Onuachu is a fine player but his best will only come when he plays with a player like Kalu on the wings and Aina from the left both whipping in fine crosses at intervals into the box.
His monstrous height could still prove a weapon in setpiece situations going forward now that Kalu has marked his return and also with Moses Simon's crossing form, from setpieces.


- Omeruo and Balogun should continue their CB pairing going forward. The oyibo wall was really good but The Black&White (Naija-oyibo) Wall looks even better. Ekong should rightly deputise for them now.


- Awaziem keeps growing into that player that will someday command our Super Eagles defence on his own. Very adaptable player. Very mobile. Very composed for a player so young. Very confident and solid. Can't wait to watch him marshal our U-23 defence at the U-23 Afcon and subsequently at the 2020 Olympics. That plus this Afcon exposure coupled with his continued club career progress will hopefully bring a world class defensive beast out of him to the benefit of our Super Eagles in the long run.



- Ola Aina have shown strong mentality coming back from that WC miss last year. His time at Torino has instilled more confidence in the lad and made hin realise he can be just as good as he has been touted to be potential-wise.


- Ndidi is on his way to being UNDISPUTABLY the best DM in Africa BUT HE NEEDS TO KEEP IMPROVING HIS PASSING GAME, NEEDS TO KEEP UPPING HIS ABILITY TO READ PLAYS AND CONTRIBUTE TO MORE INTRICATE BALL DISTRIBUTION. Nail these aspects down to a fine extent added to the aspects he already does so excellently and he will soon become the most dreaded and most valuable DM on the Planet.
He is still U-23 afterall.

- Musa remains our best from the LW. Ighalo just have to be more clinical so as to complement Musa's work down that flank. Musa could easily have had two assists if Ighalo was sharper today.


- Akpeyi is well shielded by the defence and that has added to help keep him settled in and composed. He did have one "Akpeyi" moment again as he did in the first game and I hope he doesn't repeat this as the next "Akpeyi moment" could prove costly.... But I hope it doesn't anyway.
Just eradicate the nerves Akpeyi... Be a man!!!


- We have a rich bench. A f**king rich bench.

Except in the GK Dept, we are covered in all areas. Even if we don't use fullbacks, we have Kalu and Simon Moses who can fill in superbly as wingbacks on the right and left respectively in a 3-5-2/3-4-3/3-4-1-2.

In attack, Iggy's covers are Onuachu and a hungry Osimhen.

In midfield, Ogu is yet to see action. Mikel is also backup now depending on the tactical maneuvers.

In defence, Ekong covers for the new wall of Naija-Oyibo. Awaziem also fills in as cover at CB if Aina is moved back to RB if Collins gets back to full fitness and reclaims his LB spot (would be tough as Aina wanna make LB his own at least at this Afcon alone). Reports say Collins have like a week to be back to top gear. It is Shehu who may not play again depending on how far we go in EGYPT.

On the wings, Musa is first choice and in his stead we could have Simon Moses or Henry Onyekuru. On the right, we could have Kalu or Simon or the electrifying and exciting presence of Chukwueze.

Boy!! We do have a rich bench... And a deep pool.








BONUS TITBIT:

Our first goal at this Afcon created by Aina's intelligent backheel pass graced by Ighalo's sumptuous finish BEARS SOME RESEMBLANCE to the Backheel pass of OKOCHA to Ben Iroha at Tunisia 94 vs CIV.

Both incidents took place in North Africa and in 94, we lifted the Afcon title. De ja Vu? I don't know.... Just pointing it out.

Earthquake3:


This Genk too like Nigerian players

Isn't it the one Awoniyi left?

No. Gent is the one.

More Thoughts on Rohr at the AFCON

I feel the team ought to be braver under Rohr. To be honest, I didn't see the need having both Etebo and Ndidi on the field against Burundi.

I knew it was unbeaten Burundi but again we are classes upon classes above them. When Mikel was messing things up in the AM role, I would have suggested Rohr shifts him backwards to the Deep lying CM role, alongside DM Ndidi, to calm things, settle in and dictate the game's flow from there. Move Iwobi to the AM as he did anyway and bring in Musa. The culprit will now be Etebo to drop to the bench not because he was having a bad game but because Nigeria had to take offensive control and truly rip apart the opponents.


Rohr needs to be braver offensively and look at at the big picture of making us a consistently fluid passing side creating chances upon chances upon chances and upon chances.
That way I don't even care if Ighalo or anyone leading the line will miss one or two big chances because I know we will have and create more. That way we also boost our chances against the other top teams where chances don't easily come by unless you deliberately create them.
We did create chances against Guinea though but we can do much much better offensively. Imagine a Mikel-Iwobi Combo with NDIDI doing the dirty works helped by Mikel's deep positional discipline as DLP/Regista helping out in defence too.

We need to be more assertive on the scoreboard and not just in tackling and defensive stats which makes us settle for just 1-0 scorelines.

LOL. Mikel is not a leader either. He may be the captain but I am yet to see true leadership qualities in him.


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BascoVanVeli:



How vocal was Mikel? There no one way to lead.

Ahmed Musa may retire along with Mikel. The way I see it, those two players are not in Rohr's 2022 World Cup plans.


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TheSuperNerd:
Musa says hi.

Musa automatically takes over fully once Mikel retires.

After Musa, then the likes of Ekong and Omeruo can come into the picture.

Musa go still dey the team

Icon79:
Ahmed Musa may retire along with Mikel. The way I see it, those two players are not in Rohr's 2022 World Cup plans.


O pari

Hmm. Isn't he already semi retired in Saudi Arabia?

TBH, I am not counting on either one of Mikel, Musa, and Ighalo to be around for 2022, but I would like for them to prove me wrong sha.


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charlesemeka85:
Musa go still dey the team

2022 WC is just three years away and I believe Musa would still be around except he loses his mojo. He is younger than Mikel and joined the NT about five years after Mikel joined in 2005.


Players I don't expect to see at 2022 WC in Qatar and Afcon 2021:

- Mikel Obi

- Odion Ighalo

- John Ogu

- Leon Balogun** (Defenders have better longevity than forwards so he MAY still be around for at least Afcon 2021 or maybe not).

- Daniel Akpeyi

Icon79:
Ahmed Musa may retire along with Mikel. The way I see it, those two players are not in Rohr's 2022 World Cup plans.


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TheGoodJoe:
Omeruo impressed me by picking up and motivating the Guineans after they lost today. That single act showed compassion, brotherliness and leadership.

Kenneth Omeruo has earned my respect and I hope he becomes the Super Eagles captain in the near future.

I throwaway salute to Kenneth Omeruo.

That is after Mikel and Ahmed retires, and if Onazi is not in the team.

Good point on Musa. And like an old wine, he actually seems to be getting better in his old age. Musa used to be all speed and little brains but now his football IQ has definitely improved tremendously.

But what da heck is he doing in Saudi Arabia? I don't get it!


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TheSuperNerd:
2022 WC is just three years away and I believe Musa would still be around except he loses his mojo. He is younger than Mikel and joined the NT about five years after Mikel joined in 2005.


Players I don't expect to see at 2022 WC in Qatar and Afcon 2021:

- Mikel Obi

- Odion Ighalo

- John Ogu

- Leon Balogun** (Defenders have better longevity than forwards so he MAY still be around for at least Afcon 2021 or maybe not).

- Daniel Akpeyi

TheSuperNerd:
Oh yeah the Camera guy did fine. Just fine. Thanks for the welcome Sir AIG... Greetings to you and I recall Mikron and you as tight buddies. Hope he is doing great. Excelsior Eagles!!!

yeah I'm. Been a while bro, @AIG my personal person, I gallant.

Mikel even led and inspired the team back in 2013 without the band on his arm. He led from the middle and was one of the reasons we defied odds at Afcon 2013.

Leading up to Rio 2016, he paid for their flight and hotel tickets when they were in camp, I believe, from his personal money when things went so bad. How truer than that does leadership get?

Icon79:
LOL. Mikel is not a leader either. He may be the captain but I am yet to see true leadership qualities in him.


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We may yet land Eze Ebere. We haven't exactly lost that lad just yet.
But I hear and read about Joe Aribo too. Have watched only clips of him so can't say much in-depth about the lad for now. Onomah is another but.... **Shrugs**

forgiveness:


Don't look too far, Eze Eberechi and Onomah are good enough but the problem is Rohr.

Icon79:
LOL. Mikel is not a leader either. He may be the captain but I am yet to see true leadership qualities in him.


O pari

I would like to know what those qualities are because there is no difference between Mikel's leadership style and that of Messi. They are not vocal but players still follow their lead. For a young African team Mikel's style is the best

Mikron my man... Good to see you again bro.

mikron:
yeah I'm. Been a while bro, @AIG my personal person, I gallant.