₦airaland Forum

femicyrus:
Go and watch Morocco or south Africa matches in this afcon and see that the hype you are giving iwobi is just a child's play compared to what those two teams are playing.
For every one chance iwobi created, 5 Moroccan player has created 3. South African players are not left out. Almost all players are creative for both teams

Did you see me say anything about Morocco and South Africa? Why are you trying to force an argument that I never even started?

Newton1045:
Who will tackle and be giving him the ball to distribute.
Osimen is tackling,then who is a midfielder .
He's doing a lazy work.

Nawa for you oo. E get some kind things wey person no suppose dey talk, especially if they consider themselves a football fan, so that they'll avoid looking somehow.


Don't you know that there're different kinds of midfielders? Don't you know that there're different kinds of midfielder roles depending on whichever formation the coach decides to deploy?


So you thought all midfielders performed the same job? No, that's not how it works.


The answer to your question is in the third paragraph of my earlier reply to you.

honour7:
What people do not understand is Iwobi is just like Mikel Obi, you may think he is doing nothing but just remove him, bam you would find out that the centre cannot hold.

Very true.

Newton1045:
He plays wat most ordinary midfielder can play. And won no duel by air, land and sea. Doesn't even mark. He is minus one.
Thank God for Osimen who was pressing them

If "most ordinary midfielders" can do what he does, then why aren't they doing it? Why is it so hard for them to do it? How come Nigeria suffers to create chances anytime Iwobi is injured? Did you watch the qualifiers at all?


Multiple analysts of great repute around the world, have been praising Iwobi for his creativity. They know what they're seeing. You just don't have the eyes to see what he does. Don't you listen to the commentators before, during and after the matches?


Everything is not about gra gra. This is not Wrestling or Rugby. That's not Iwobi's job. That job belongs to Onyeka and Alhassan.


Iwobi's job according to Peseiro's tactics is distribution --- linking the midfield to the attack, --- and he does it wonderfully.


If everybody marks, who's going to distribute? If everybody marks, who's going to score? You need to understand that everyone has their individual roles on the pitch, and Iwobi does his, very well.

Topman7:
I don't know why people are attacking this boy.

This boy called Iwobi has been at the heart of virtually every goal we've scored in this tournament!

Their hatred for him has blinded their eyes to the obvious truth.

SmartyPants:
Lol nope. Aina, Bassey and Chukwueze created most of Osimhen's chances. Iwobi created just one. Lookman is more creative and ironically, the most creative is Osimhen himself.

See the last paragraph here:

Victor Osimhen had 13 shots and created four chances in the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations group stage, the most shots and chances created combined of any Nigeria player. Indeed, it’s the most by a Nigeria player in an AFCON group stage that Opta has on record since 2010.
https://www.cafonline.com/caf-africa-cup-of-nations/news/round-of-16-nigeria-v-cameroon-facts-figures/

I see no reason for the link you posted, because I obviously said that he has created chances for "Osimhen and Zaidu," which they both missed and not just Osimhen.



The link you posted talks about the combination of most shots and chances created. That was never my focus. I'm talking about chance creation and not a combination of both, so that link is inconsequential. Besides, it never mentioned anything about Iwobi creating just one chance. You did.



Since the CAF link you posted cited Opta as its source, I checked Opta's website and found out that Iwobi is even our most creative Midfielder.


According to Opta, prior to yesterday's match, Iwobi had created THREE chances and was only surpassed by Osimhen and Lookman who are forwards. Iwobi is the most creative Midfielder in that team, and Opta (your main source), supports my stand.



Who gave that one-on-one chance to Osimhen earlier in the tournament which he missed?
Answer: Iwobi


Who gave that one-on-one chance to Zaidu Sanusi earlier in the tournament, which he missed?
Answer: Iwobi


Who sent that superb lob into the box which ended up being an offside goal for Zaidu?
Answer: Iwobi


Who keeps on supplying multiple through balls to Osimhen, despite playing from deep?
Answer: Iwobi


He's always trying to create chances.


Let's not forget that Iwobi has been played out of position throughout this tournament. Iwobi is a CAM, but has been playing a deeper role since this tournament started, still that hasn't stopped him from creating chances.


He functions best when he plays closer to the box, especially the D area. Just look at that sweet pass he gave to Bassey who ended up assisting Lookman for our second goal yesterday. That's what he can do. That's his best position.


Remove Iwobi from that team and watch Osimhen get frustrated due to a lack of service.



Here's the Opta stats:

SmartyPants:
Iwobi is not that creative but he is very good at ball retention. Aribo is a close substitute to deliver what Iwobi brings to the game.

Iwobi is very creative. Most of Nigeria's goal scoring chances in this tournament have been created by Iwobi. Go and verify. Most of the chances that Osimhen and Zaidu have missed were created by Iwobi. The coach has been playing him too deep, but that hasn't prevented him from creating chances.

happney65:
Don't mind them. who go replace Iwobi as of now? Aribo wey dey crase?

Unless Iheanacho is available we are stuck with Iwobi

Very true.

Explicit02:
I congratulate everyone for today's win against Cameron... but please don't condemn iwobi he actually brought a killer pass to Calvin Bassey that led to lookmans goal and aside that he fell back to give the team the balance we need for rhe match ....to me iwobi contributions to the match is silent but felt... the team played well and osimen and lookman have been good since day one ...Aina is beast and Calvin ajayi and ekong did a great job...

Lastly I want to remind us that the team is playing 5man defender so don't blame iwobi the load in the midfield is more that's y onyeka is only marking and iwobi is trying to maintain stability

Nigerians don't know the importance of Iwobi. Remove him from that team and our creativity as a team dies.

austineaddy:
Thank you!
I was arguing with someone online, he was saying Iwobi was one of our worst players! Can you imagine

It's only those who know nothing about football tactics and player roles that'll argue with you. Most of them don't even know that Iwobi has been played out of position for most of this tournament, still that doesn't stop him from being creative.


Remove Iwobi from that team and watch our creativity die. All you'll have is football carpentry, except Iheanacho plays as the AM.

Sportilitica:
Shocked some people insulted this coach. I said it before that the problem lies with our players. We kept on insulting the coach for no reason. Give the guy his accolade. He has gotten his tactics right

He's not a local coach, so they won't praise him. They'll tell you that the players are responsible for our success and not the coach, but when the players play nonsense, it becomes the coach's fault. Typical Nigerian fans

Mujtahida:
He gives his all. I love him

Excellent player. Very dedicated.

charlesemeka85:
we for carry home based players with nwakali as our number 10 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Haaa, Calamity 🙆🏽‍♂️🙆🏽‍♂️😆

austineaddy:
What exactly did he say about Iwobi ??

Talked about how dangerous Iwobi is around the box and how he had to drop to play a deeper role today, but that didn't stop him from trying to create from deep.

He also talked about Iwobi's ability to keep things simple and his eagerness to run back to defend. He said those are the reasons, Iwobi played 90 minutes today.

"The foreign borns are not dedicated enough; they don't know what it's like to play for a team like Nigeria. Invite Kamaru and Gbadamosi who play for Gbas Gbos United and Hit-me-I-Hit-You FC, instead." Yen yen yen


An "innit" boy just qualified us to the quarter final with his two goals.


Shame!!! 🤣🤣🤣

Joebie:
I must say our so called foreign borns have destroyed that sterotype that they cannot play african football.

The so-called broilers have shut up their haters. 😆

toluxe0075:
Maybe it’s time Zaidu stopped playing so Bassey can play that position.

Perhaps 🤷🏾‍♂️

The commentators just talked of Iwobi's importance in the team. Glad they noticed it.

charlesemeka85:
the defense no Dey leak water 🤣🤣🤣🤣

At all 💪💪

We need to give more credit to our defense abeg. They're not getting enough praises. Cameroon had 6 shots with none on target. Nonnnnnnne!!!!!

What a match!!! What a performance!!!!

Peseiro, you do this one oo. 🌟🌟🌟

Onuachu with the legover

Finally, substitutions

Onyeka stepped up his game today.

Coach, these players are tired.

Bassey has always been a better LB than CB. I still remember his amazing cross and Dessers' beautiful header in a friendly.

Iwobi with the pre-assist, Bassey with the cross and Lookman with the finish.

Goooooooooooaaaalll

Lookman, Iwobi was off nah.

Freekick with Uzoho in goal. God help us

Hold Aboubakar oo. Hold am.

Nwabali's injury is serious oo. Uzoho is about to come on.

Aboubakar is on and it's going to be Uzoho in goal.