₦airaland Forum

Oldboss:
Xavi no be Guardiola disciple oo he was never a assistant to Guardiola he play like this cause that's how he knew football

Did Pep work as an assistant for Johan Cryuff?

Jodera:
Lol, I remember last season when all who were in one way or the other connected to Pep was doing well(and topping their respective leagues) and they also included Xavi and Kompany in the list.

Even though I was against it(cos they didn't work with Pep) but most barca fans were adamant he was. I'm just surprised to see one(you) saying he isn't.

That good

Did Pep work with Cryuff as an assistant?

popizaino:
There is a reason why we never tolerated any slander directed at him while he was still at Chelsea. Hazard was the only one talentely closed to messi/Ronaldo.

He never was.

airmark:
Go back to sleep and come back when your mind is prepared to read previous chats, before jumping ignorantly like Boathand.

My friend stop talking wass. You have successfully steered the sheeple in your citadel to believe that anyone who was asserting that Raheem is better than Pulisic and was your most prolific player last season is implying that Sterling is currently world class and playing so well. Forms ebb and flow and admittedly his preseason form has not been great but you guys are reading alot into the friendlies you have played.

When jungle mature, we shall re-assess the players at Chelsea to see who is leading the charts in the relevant stats. Till then, Pulisic was booted out and Raheem is still standing strong like Davido sang.

Shaytun:
To be honest with you, I’ve never heard of and I don’t even know atleats 70% of the name on that list.

So I can’t really pass judgment on what I’ve not scrutinised. That’s why I’m waiting for the portfolios, so I will be able to better research those names.

He should have attached their portfolios though, because I don’t understand how the senate will screen people without knowing the job they will be performing.

BAT was supposed to be more progressive and with-the-times than PMB. So far, he is flattering to deceive. The list does not inspire as much as I hoped and by not including the portfolio, regardless of the constitution, he is coming off as no different.

Nevertheless, the essence of the screening is for discovery. If someone had forged certificates etc. It should be brought to light during the screening so that such a person is never confirmed.

airmark:
It is shocking how those guys reason foolishly. How could any sane person use young player award and golden boy award won several years ago, to rate a washed Sterling now?

I really wish to see how some dullards' faces look offline.

I fear who no fear you.

Airmark, the conversation was Sterling vs Pulisic. You shamelessly brought up MOTM in UCL and FIFA World Cup and claimed it was a better metric than Sterling's PFA Young Player of the year, Golden Boy etc.

Now see you trying to claim Sterling was being rated for what he achieved in 2014?

You are insufferable.

Itsrm:
Post the result of the primaries he lost.

2018 PDP primaries- Atiku 48% of total votes
Tambuwal 21% of total votes

2022 APC primaries- Tinubu 60% of votes
Amaechi - 15% of votes.

2022 PDP Primaries- Atiku 49% of total votes
WIke- 31% of total votes.

So much for an unpopular candidate.

Wike spent much more than Atiku and still lost. That is the conclusive proof of his unpopularity. People betrayed him because they did not see the winnability of the man let us call a spade a spade and not a massive spoon.

You are making it look like Wike is Peter Obi and he is not. He weaponized the resources of River's state to gain traction but it did not translate to the political voter let alone the average one. Wike was rejected at the primaries where his true value was weighted; he stood ZERO chance infront of Nigerians. If he does not get a ministerial portfolio in the Tinubu administration he will become insignificant in the next 2 or 3 years like Odili.

Theflint1:
Wike stood a very realistic chance in the primaries sha, and was well on his way to winning if not for Tambuwal. He had the money bit covered and had in the years leading up to the primaries built real influence.

He did not. That is why he lost. Anyone can look really popular before the actual voting for e.g. Yemi Osinbajo. If the people who should have voted for you could easily be swayed against you, maybe it is because they know you stand no chance in the grand scheme.

Theflint1:
I might not piss on the popularity of Wike in Rivers, but nationally, I don't think he stands any chance. Even South-South sef, men go run circles round am.

He is popular AKA feared because of his money and penchant for extreme violence. Nothing more.

Itsrm:
Now I know you're just playing around.

Without Wike, Amaechi would never have been governor. Amaechi himself said that after God, it was Wike who made his victory possible.

Wike defeated his candidate when he was a sitting governor in 2015 and has been flogging him since them.

Made his victory possible the very same way he made his own victories possible. Brute force.

People were maimed, beheaded, shot at, bribed. That is the Wike way. He has never been that popular. That is why he lost the primaries.

Theflint1:
So you think it was money that Wike could not pay that made Tambuwal tell his delegates to vote Atiku and not Wike?

Tambuwal went with who he thought stood a realistic chance of winning. It is that simple.

People overanalyze politics in Nigeria.

GloriousGbola:
Man all those wikes talk would have been on repeat

Christian state, mosque demolition, ipob.

It would have been a gift, though I cannot predict how the polity would have responded

Don't mind @Itsrm. Wike has not won any elections in his life due to his popularity. Wike is Mr. Iron Bender and Mr. Point and Kill. That is how he took over Rivers.

Itsrm:
I already answered you. Wike is an overkill. A cone would have defeated BAT

Your fanboyism for Wike na Gear 10 e reach.

PDP lost because they did not have Peter Obi. It is not about their unpopular party and definitely not about having a northern candidate.

Wike won't win a fairly contested election against Amaechi let alone Tinubu.

Itsrm:
A cone would have defeated Tinubu if PDP fielded it. They only needed to be united. Tinubu won as a result of the division in PDP. This is an undeniable fact.

You are not answering the question. I know an Atiku/Peter Obi partnership would have defeated Tinubu but Atiku without Peter Obi could not, as we saw. My question to you is, do you really believe Nyesom Wike on a ticket would have defeated Tinubu?

WhoDeyHause:
He is a midfielder but he was the ones who scored those key goals not another person. When haaland developed goalnopause was it not your other players including him that dragged you people to the treble? I don't know if you people would buy another goalscoring midfielder when people are buying almost all the good ones but if you think Kovacic will replace him especially in that goalscoring area then you don't follow this thread enough. You people will still be strong for efl and fa cup but losing more of your best players thinking you will be the same or stronger next season is 🧢.

You guys always underestimate Pep. Let us see if Gundo will be the same player for Barca and on the other end, we will see how prolific Kova or even Kalvin Phillips will be this season if Pep deploys them in that role.

To whom it may concern, you can't "spend" your foreign reserves. And that Excess Crude Account, it is Jonathan that depleted it from $20B to $2B without the consent of the governors without which he was not allowed to spend that money.

You guys will lionize the very people whose profound cluelessness catalyzed the devolution of an already ailing Nigeria.

Itsrm:
The ticket was meant to be zoned to the South. Atiku in his usual sneaky and desperate move quickly rushed to buy the ticket in connivance with the leadership of the party.

When the issue of zoning finally came up, they said people had bought forms and that it should be thrown open.

That was the genesis of the whole problem. Atiku was responsible for all of PDPs misfortune in the last election. He was not meant to contest the primaries in the first place.

As events finally showed, they didn't even need Atiku in the first place. If they were united, anyone from the South would have defeated BAT.

Are you claiming Wike would have defeated Tinubu?

WhoDeyHause:
If not for gundogan's goal will you have beaten livarpool last year's premier league? If not for his late season goalscoring return will you have won the treble? You that is a man shitty fan should know that it is not easy to replace key parts of a winning team just the next season. Mahrez was also impactful in your title dominances especially recently he was coming off the bench in the past seasons. If bernando goes I honestly don't see how you people won't struggle to even make second.

Is it the goals he was there for abi did he dribble the whole pitch to score?

kendrick93:
Occupy spaces, counter defensive pressure,
protecting ake
Too much rigmarole...
E no easy to defend flop sha.
Imagine spending 100m on a attacking player for him to cover for Ake and counter progressive measures 😄
Shey na why Dem pay record fee be that?

Truth is he was a non entity in his first season, Pep just tried to make him a bit manageable which he was last season.

Abeg no put Hazard and that guy for same sentence.
Any coach that will take Grealish over Hazard, would have to question where he got his coaching badges from

It is the same empty and superficial arguments. You make up your mind about what a player should be doing then you rate him based on those expectations never mind that you did not buy him. lol

I have told you people to first find out what a player was supposed to bring to the table before thrusting your own opinion on them.

Which of Pep's signings did not struggle to adapt? Even Haaland struggled. But will you know? You won't because all you see is 53 goals (which atleast in Erling's case was part of his KPI).

Here is a list of players that did not play to their standards in their first season under Pep:

1. Rodri
2. Bernardo Silva
3. Cancelo
4. Mahrez

I could go on and on. Not playing well in your first season under Pep is customary. The system is harder to understand because Pep does not bring you in for your individual talent. He deploys you in roles based on the needs of the team. You should be taking notes.

Capaldi:
Instead of Man city to focus on replenishing their aging midfield they are buying a center back despite having 5 already for 100million.

Don't worry about City until the transfer window is over. City won't lose any player without adequate replacement even from the youth team. Then we have the best manager in world football. The best thing to happen to a winning team is to reinject it with some new hunger and players wanting to make imprints.

I am yet to see the significant improvement in the other teams that are to catch up with City. Liverpool might finish 2nd but Arsenal and United will be the other top 4 teams most likely. Who exactly is going to win the league?

WhoDeyHause:
They won't win the premier league next season. Haaland will not even score up to 35 goals next season too.They are losing key players of their past successful seasons which won't be easy to rebuild. I wonder who they will buy now to replace mahrez. Kovacic also might help apari to dribble well in tight places and drive the ball to escape pressing but he won't give him gundogan's goals.

Was Gundogan giving Gundogan's goals before Pep? You guys downplay the impact of the manager at the beginning and then give all the credits to the players at the end.

airmark:
Why will I make sense to you, when your points are childish just like the honours you are attracted to and shamelessly flaunting for Sterling. Golden boy ambassador. 😄




Not only at scoring, Saka is better in everything as a winger. Both Saka and Pulisic showcased themselves at the world cup, in which Sterling was a flop.

We could also see that Saka won MOTM award in the same world cup your Sterling played in. A fit Pulisic won MOTM award against England and he is better than Sterling that couldn't dribble a training cone in the tournament.

Flopped for Chelsea and flopped for England.

A human being said the award that Messi, Haaland won is childish but MOTM in an inconsequential game is what differentiates players. I am not sure you understand the implications of your points.

So Gotze is better than Messi because of 2014? Shame dey catch me for you.

kendrick93:
You still have not explained in detail the tactical in relation to Grealish.
Or is it just related to defending?
He isn't even good at defending, bring up his pressure stats or stop throwing terms you can't defend..
When a player can't produce you start bringing up intagibbles..
Pep would take a Hazard over Grealish, he would be insane not to.
This was how some were saying Pep could not pick Haaland in his team cause he doesn't contribute in build up and does not press enough.
For your info, Hazard played as a no 10 for Chelsea most times not just on the left wing.
In the 2015 title win, Mourinho deployed him as a no 10 and he was excellent

Apart from prime Mané, no Liverpool winger/LM applied or applies more defensive pressure than Grealish. Teams basically avoided that side of the pitch in attacking City. Saka and co who were buzzing all season failed because Grealish and Aké paired on that end to frustrate opposing attackers and then on the offensive end, Grealish always created vent for Gundo and KDB to occupy the half spaces because of his gravity.

Under immense counterpressing from teams like Arsenal and Bayern that matched City's shape, Grealish was THE relief system and an outlet. He received the ball under intense pressure and always progressed the ball or got fouled.

Grealish is very tactically discipline. He over dribbled but not due to his own predilection. Pep specifically told him to do so to give the team time to re-set.

All your "when a player can't produce" will depend on what is expected of him. Nobody signed Grealish to score 25 goals and get 15 assists. If he does that, it will make him a worldclass player. Till then, he is doing what he was signed for.

Stop bringing up Haaland and Pep when addressing me as you did not see me make any of those arguments. Better ask me for my take rather than generalize. Hazard played 10 in how many games? Grealish played false 9 for City in some games during his first season. Tactical superiority is not about playing random roles poorly. It is about bringing unique interpretations to different roles and making the team better while you do. Grealish did so.

Before you give Hazard credit for being CFCs best player in 2014/15, see if you can account for Costa's league goals and Fabregas' assists. Being the better player does not mean being more effective. Hazard's prime is better than Grealish's -no doubt. But it won't translate if he played that same way for City. That is why Pep wanted Alexis but never Hazard.

kendrick93:
Hazard was one of the most effective dribblers ever.
Saying he was dribbling into tight corners is dishonesty or you probably didn't watch him enough.
This isn't Bolasie or saint Maxim we're talking about.
Any comparison with those players shows you are biased.

Yes Hazard was very close to Messi dribbling wise, infact he pipped Messi to the most completed couple of seasons and this was Messi at his prime.

Grealish tactically superior how?
If you mean not producing end product then yeah.
Hazard at his best literally carried Chelsea attack on his back for several seasons till he left..
Grealish is nowhere near him, putting them in the same sentence is not even worth a mention

I don't do imaginary arguments. A tactically superior player is one a manager can use in more tactical positions than another. What else can Hazard do when not on the Left side of the wings?

Hazard piped Messi, pray tell what data made you conclude that? Useless take-ons that did not result to assists or goals? Hazard carried Chelsea on his back and they won the UCL without him? What was Grealish doing for Aston Villa then?

Again, you need to make sure you understand what you are responding to. Hazard is a tactical liability. He is not on Messi's level and has never been except a neophyte is making the argument. Messi did not need to track back or defend because what he did on the offense made up more than significantly enough for what he would not do on the other end. The same can never be said of Hazard. That does not mean Hazard was not better than Grealish in his prime. It just means whatever Hazard could do, Grealish would do less of it in attack but then dominate him in every other aspect of the game. Reason why I said Pep will prefer Grealish more than Hazard.

There are 2 sides to the game.

lordfalcao:
airmark is shameless. He loves mediocrity.

The sterling Vs pulisic debated ended the day Chelsea offloaded pulisic

Like I said, pulisic will leave before sterling, and it has happened.

They are not mates, not in this world or the next to come. Sterling is way above pulisic

He is a character.

airmark:
I brought Saka's stats to tell you that your defence of Sterling's poverty stats for England, is nonsense. And you are yet to prove it to us why Sterling is significantly better. When they are both fit and met at the World cup, one outperformed the other and was even the Man of the match.



One is preferred because 300k per week shouldn't be sitting redundantly on the bench, that's why some of us want him gone as he may still hinder younger and better players from developing, this season. The world cup exposed the washed player from Etihad.



Even Angelino made the squad of the season, show us his multiple MOTM awards and Ucl 🏅. Is that too big to ask your great Sterling? 😄

What you are saying makes no sense I am sorry. Saka is better at scoring than Sterling at this point in their careers. Bringing up Saka to show Sterling could have done better is you making my argument for me. Just use Sterling vs Pulisic and then compare both players at Chelsea. Buahahaha.

Again, I don't know why you are bringing up Angelino when it supports my argument. If Angelino made team of the year what is Pulisic's excuse? You said he got MOTM awards and what not yet he did not make it.

You are not making the impact you think you are. You are just arguing for me.

airmark:
Your useless Sterling has 20 goals in 82 matches, you claimed it was because England faced strong opponents. Saka is on 11 goals in 28 matches but no, bang average Sterling is who you are defending foolishly.

I referred to when both Sterling and Pulisic met at the world cup, you haven't told us who outperformed the other with a MOTM award and who was bundled out for poor performance.

In Ucl we know who helped his team to the final and who knocked his own out. But no, one Renato Golden award is all that matters to you. You are the shameless one here. 😄

Is the argument Saka vs Raheem? Why are you bringing irrelevant things? If Sterling is bang average what is Pulisic? You are acting like I am saying Sterling is the best player in the world. He is not. He is significantly better than Pulisic though.

You referred me to when they played against each other but not when they are receiving assists and service from the same players and instructions from the same coach? That one is not good enough?

We should compare someone playing for USA national team playing ninnies to an England international but not when they are playing for the same team?

Pulisic helped his team win the UCL but never got on the team of the year but bang average Sterling made it twice. Has that not shown that UEFA agrees that Sterling is twice the player Pulisic is?

airmark:
That Sports Writers Association of Burundi gave Messi, a World best award, doesn't make the award credible. I don't need to be spoon-feeding you, since you claimed you are not Eruditor, without limbs. Don't stress me.

Show me Sterling's multiple MOTM awards in the world cup and Ucl or bounce with your Pangolo Renato award.



When USA played England in the World cup, featuring the two players, who outperformed the other? Like your friend, Dayo, would ask, what happened when they met?

Sterling left City and they won Ucl immediately. He joined us we finished 12th, our worst for a long time.

A fit Pulisic gave us a goal and assist that bundled Madrid out on our way to clinching the Ucl. Sterling was responsible for the big miss that knocked out Man city in the Ucl in his last season at Ettihad. Below is the moment Fraudiola decided that Sterling was beyond repair and should fvck off.

One would think Pulisic was perfect, never missed a chance or scores or assists more. He does not.

From one feeble argument to another you go. So Golden Boy award is not credible but MOTM award is a major differentiator between 2 players, ehn Airmark? And you still repeating this nonsense like anyone is buying it.

We should not use the player's outputs within the same team. Not their output over the course of their careers. Not the major individual honors. Not even the volume of major team honors. The argument between Pulisic and Sterling should be based on one irrelevant MOTM in which Pulisic's team lost by the way?

I am disgusted. Tueh.

kendrick93:
Apart from keeping possession what exactly does Grealish add to that city team?
Remove Him and City would still win games..
He can keep the ball in tight spaces and draw fouls but Hazard was on different level when it comes to that.
Hazard was the best dribbler apart from Messi in world football for a good number of years along with adding goals, assists and creativity..

Pep would have loved a prime Hazard...

Grealish is tactically superior to Eden. He reads the game better, is a better team player and influences the game on both ends of the pitch with his workrate which Eden does not have.

Of course, Eden is more dynamic in attack and the better dribbler but that did not translate well to the rest of the team when you can do all that and not score or assist like Messi and then will not track back to help in defense and even when you did were no better than a cone. Why do you think more attacking players like Mahrez were being benched with more goals and assists than Grealish? You guys must not know Pep.

Pedro's best tally at Barca was not up to Henry's in Pep's first season yet Pep benched him for majority of the next for not tracking back. Before you rate players, always make sure that rating is aligned with his managers expectations or else you will find yourself making the arguments you have above.

Notice I did not say Grealish is a better player than Hazard. I said Pep would rather have Grealish than prime Hazard. And no, Hazard was never on Messi's level as a dribbler otherwise, Bolasie, Zaha, Saint Maxim and Adam Traore were as well. Effective dribbling is not running into tight corners, doing unnecessary moves, putting your team into cul-de- sacs and diving your way out of it.

How many times have you watched Pep's teams to know he does not allow players hold onto the ball for too long except like Grealish he trusts you?

pkasso:
Your first three statements are fallacious as they come. When we apply the same argument to Haaland, you see how it falls short. "What was City missing that Haaland was to provide? Remember City never had problems scoring goals." Then why did they buy Haaland? Was it for balance?

Pep switched to playing 3 CBs and Stones in midfield, but it is Grealish we should praise for providing balance. Him being a starter is not really a big deal when his only competition at LM was Foden who got injured and couldn't get back into the starting XI because Pep didn't want to tamper with a team that was on a winning streak.

Coman's defensive work rate is just as good if not even better than Grealish's. He played a similar role under Nagelsmann last season and still came up with the goods offensively. Stop making it look like Grealish's role was some sort of game changer that deserves all of the applause in the world.

I wish you would make relevant citations rather than just brandish us with your own conjectures for the expectations City had for Grealish. The Haaland angle is flatter than a straight surface. City never had a scoring problem - City had an efficiency issue with regards to scoring. Too many chances being missed and sometimes coming off as 1-D.

Haaland came to IMPROVE City's finishing (tap-ins, penalties, direct play) and provide a more dynamic scoring system than what City had to deal with playing without strikers. Did he do that? Yes. That's how to assess the player. Riyad scored 24 goals one season and was benched the very next season because City rated the goals way less than stat lovers would have.

And when it comes to City, you will need more insight than Stones playing midfield to make your argument more robust. Rico Lewis was playing that role this last season before Stones was ever used there and Grealish was still providing the balance for City. Pep even had to force Foden to the right side of the wings just to keep Jack on that left which again, negates your argument head-on.

I saw Kingsley Coman play City home and away and maybe Tuchel relieved him of those defensive duties you are speaking about because at no point did City worry about Bayern's defending in any part of the pitch least of all when Coman was trying to do it. See if you can make that argument a little bit more believable because as it currently stands, even you know e no make.

airmark:
Let me help you add other useless winners of your ignominious Golden boy awards:

Anthony Martial
Renato Sanches

Like Sterling, Martial and Omo ologo Renato were useless for their countries at the most glamorous football competition in the world.

While Pulisic had 25 goals in 60 matches for his country, the goal-shy Jamaican, Sterling, managed just 20 goals in 82 matches for his adopted country. If you don't know how to do the maths, Ibime can come to your rescue.



Did Lampard win this mushroom Young player award before going to become the 2nd best player in the world?

If it's not one golden boyish award that bibs parker, Renato Sanches won, it will be one Young award that average player like Milner won. When will Sterling grow to become a MAN and win multiple MAN of the match awards at the world cup like Pulisic?

Some fans have already advised Chelsea to add 'AL' to his Raheem name and put on his jersey to attract the Arabians, to buy.

From one level of shameless to another.

In your argument, Golden Boy award is insignificant because there are 1 or 2 players who did not translate into becoming mega stars while ignoring the gazillion others that did. Is that how to think Airmark?

You will ignore the output of 2 players within the same team but bring up irrelevant stats like Pulisic's returns playing in CONCACAF where the USA is traditionally better than all the useless teams there that won't even beat Gibraltar or Moldova. Have you posted how many times Pulisic made top 20 in the world? What about 30? How low should I go to show you the players being compared are not mates?

I can't believe what I am reading from you. You are comparing MOTM awards to players making TOTY in the same competition and you are doing it with a straight face. Lordfalcao should help us with that "shame shame shame" GIF for Cersei. It is perfect for your arguments.

airmark:
Fvcking Young player award he won at 24, playing for Man city, after 6 years in Epl? You are shameless.

Pulisic was collecting honours in Ucl and World cup matches, something Sterling couldn't do and was chased away by Man city and country.

Sterling should hit the form of his life so we can luckily get our ROI next summer and bounce.

Sterling was Golden Boy aged 20. Incase you have forgotten, Rooney, Messi and Erling Haaland are past winners of the same individual honor. You have to be a special type of shameless to compare individual awards like that to MOTM awards even in a UCL or WC game.

Shebi Pulisic is about to turn 25, where is his PFA Young Player award? That's what I thought, he has been sold by one of the worst Chelsea teams in forever. That is how useless he was to your team.

And by the way, I am not one of those that you can hoodwink with wishy-washy stats. The Pulisic you keep hyping about with regards to the UCL of 2021 did not even make team of the year. See how inconsequential he was to your team. Yet, the Raheem that you are pitting with Pulisic made the squad twice.

I SMH for your infantile arguments in defense of Pulisic compared to Sterling.