₦airaland Forum

Damn I thought we had squad depth. Now I've realized that we are really toothless without Osimhen and Chukwueze running our attack, and Aribo running midfield.

Onuachu is not a marker. This is not his type of game.

Omanbala and co, do you see the difference when layers like Aribo are not in the team?

Melvinity:
I think Amoo Akinwunmi does such with ease too.. Check his games, he scores frequently from curlers

Frequently is a big word to use here... Considering he has only scored two curlers.

Anyways, I hope he continues developing and becomes the next Insigne. I heard rumors that Leicester were interested.

kennysville:
Er... quick question.
The ones he ballooned nko? How about his near misses? The chances he couldnt convert?

Yeah! Thats why we shouldnt bother about how inferior our players are. Let us appreciate what we have. Lets stop measuring ouselves through the lenses of the west!

I hate it when people are satisfied with mediocrity, especially when we are on the same side. I dream to watch Nigeria lift the world cup someday, and if you don't share the same dream, then you shouldn't be making this kind of comment.

Our players should be working hard everyday to improve themselves, to be the best in the world. Ronaldo may not have been the most talented, but he worked his way to become a legend. That's the kind of person I am, and those are the kind of people I want the SE players to emulate. The only ones I can see that are really showing drive for improvement are Osimhen, Ndidi, Aribo, Okoye and a few others. Justlook back and see where these guys have come, compared to their peers in the same team.

jihday:
Just saw this goal you dey hype, I swear I enjoyed watching Musa/Ighalo link up against Cameroon more than that one. There's nothing really special about the goal. Good goal? yes but something uncommon? No

That's the problem.

Curlers from the edge of the 18 yard box are so common these days... You can almost predict them nowadays. That's why it is so surprising that none of our players has been able to hone this ability, considering that they play at the highest levels of football. The closest we have are Iwobi, Chukwueze and Nacho, and they aren't consistent.

Look at football today, there are some players that once they get ball at the edge of the 18, you know a curler is coming up. See Mahrez, Salah, even players like Martial do it with ease.

I was watching Griezmann's goal against Wales today and I realized something. We claim to be improving, with some of the best young players coming up, but we're still nowhere yet. See the way Griezmann casually flew the ball into the top corner. We don't still have players that can be a threat from any position, that can just casually score goals the way Mbappe and Griezmann do. I thought Chukwueze would have improved to fly Robben-esque balls into the top corner, but it seems like his development has stagnated.

Sadiq is very fast for his height. Also good in counters. Predatory, but not up to Osimhen. I expected his finishing to be better though.

TheSuperNerd:
Super Eagles in Austria

Moses Simon also joins the team to make it 18 Eagles in Austria.

Updated No. Of Players in camp:
M. Simon, M. Okoye, F. Uzoho, J. Noble, W. Troost-Ekong, A. Iwobi, S. Abdullahi, W. Ndidi, K. Iheanacho, C. Awaziem, J. Collins, O. Etebo, V. Ozonwafor, A. Iwuala, A. Marcus, T. Moffi, P. Olayinka, S. Tijani.

Our main problem in this list is defence. We only have like four recognized defenders there, and only Ekong and Awaziem are decently recognizable at the top level. We might ship in plenty goals with our backline.

DrKlever:
Villareal is not Leicester. Chelsea will beat them easily.

Chelsea that Porto beat? Abegi.

Beloved3:
Would be beaten black and blue by Manutd, you would think they stole something.

Lol

1realBobby:
Fact! I just wasted over 1gb of data to stream pure nonsense football! At least they scored... Just for the Gatusso to lock up the defense and secure the lead, Mba!

Lock up defense against Verona? Never. Napoli had enough attacking force to give Verona at least three goals.

12large1:
The greatest DELUSION IS Nigerians thinking that sacking gattuso will be good for osimehn. Don't be surprised if gattuso leaves and osimehn becomes a bench player at Napoli. Osimehn is a Gattuso signing (if you know what I mean)

So who will bench him? Mertens? Petagna?

I as a coach would have done better than Gattuso did in this game. I have watched Napoli's last four games, and I can say for a fact that there are only two reasons Napoli played this bad today. Either all Napoli players didn't eat today, or Gattuso connived to sell the match. It just doesn't make sense.

First off, it was clear Di Lorenzo was not in the game. Everything he touched went wrong. Fabian Ruiz looked lost. I'm surprised Man City is interested in the guy, with the way he played today. Osimhen got isolated, and Napoli players refused to feed him into space.

As a coach, I would have substituted Di Lorenzo and Fabian Ruiz immediately. Instruct my defenders to fly in long balls keep Insigne and Zielinski close to Osimhen for second balls. Keep Lozano on tell him to cross balls in. It was so funny when Gattuso substituted Lozano first. As soon as he did that, the right wing lost all threat because Di Lorenzo at RB was not ready for the game.

Surebaba01:
Name the match he’s been poor and still scored

West Brom
Southampton FA Cup

I don't think I have seen Nacho play poorer in a game. Most annoying thing is that it was the first time fans were watching live in a long time. This would have been an opportunity for him to further solidify his place in the first team and the hearts of Leicester fans. Compare to how good Ndidi played today as a CB, not his natural position. He was ale to cut out a lot of dangerous balls coming in, and neutralized a one on one against Kane.

Nacho still has a long way to go to be a world class player. He needs to work on his fitness, for one. His positioning was surprisingly also poor today.

Ppogbae:
I said earlier that the blood is on his hands. He screwed that chelsea game up

The start Nacho started today, e for no beta if he no just come from bench? Abegii.

andrewbaba44:
Same way tielemans goal was unsaveable

If it was kepa in goal today I am sure the goal won’t be unsaveable

Kepa's was very saveable. For one, he had a 30 yard headstart to position and dive. Traore's goal had a wicked swerve because of the way it bounced as he kicked it. Also, Traore was from close to the penalty spot with less than 15 yards.

andrewbaba44:
Shebi Chelsea fans said mendy would have saved tielemans goal

How come he should not save traore?

That goal was unsaveable. Didn't you see how Mendy flew, even collapsing into the post just to save it, all to no avail? The way the ball dipped and hugged the bar, you would need a headstart to be able to keep it out, and Traore was too close for Mendy to have any headstart.

Iheanacho is not a big game player. That is his greatest disadvantage.

He plays wonderfully in low risk situations, then when you critically need him to perform, like FA cup final and the last game to take Leicester to UCL, my guy just fumbles.

I still think Nacho plays better as an early second half sub than as a starter, from most of the games I have watched him in.

Samueltemi337:
Leicester

How do you want Leicester to win, when Iheanacho is playing like a pregnant fowl?

Nmecha with a panenka to draw Anderlecht level against Brugge.

I think we should try Ejuke out as an AM. His passing is decent, dribbling is world class, and his only flaw is that he doesn't know when to release the ball, like Eze does too sometimes. Nigerians will definitely stand behind the guy because of his similarities to Okocha.

zuchyblink:
Lozano is a Beast in front of goal but Mexico is beatable

Mexico's biggest player is Lozano, and we see Osimhen at Napoli with him everyday. The difference is, we have multiple payers like Osimhen in their various positions, players like Ndidi, Chuks, Nacho etc. The only things we need to do to beat Mexico are:
1. Close up our defense. Our defense is still a bit shaky.
2. Make tactical decisions during the game
3. Be able to work in unison, like a team.

andrewbaba44:
Forget nothing to play for ooo

If you see the seriousness wey inter millan wey din already win seria A take play juventus you self go fear

I hope Atlanta will do as you say sha ,truly no one wants juve to make it to the champions league

They where luck against inter ,thanks to the refree

Inter played nonsense abeg, I watched that match.

If you watched Inter before they won the title, that wasn't how they played. Imagine Inter dominating possession, with multiple chances, but no drive to score at all. That Cuadrado penalty was the most annoying part, Inter defense just slept off after their second goal, allowing Cuadrado to just waltz into their 18 and fall down theatrically.

drDoom3:
If Juve qualify for this UCL, they can get the funds to keep these big name players and dominate the playing field. UEL money and publicity is low, and the financial crisis will weaken Juve, making them unattractive to good players. As a result, the league table will be more balanced, allowing teams like Atalanta and Napoli win titles in coming years, even after Pirlo finishes his disasterclass.

I hope Atalanta sees this logic and does the needful.

If Juve qualify for this UCL, they can get the funds to keep these big name players and dominate the playing field. UEL money and publicity is low, and the financial crisis will weaken Juve, making them unattractive to good players. As a result, the league table will be more balanced, allowing teams like Atalanta and Napoli win titles in coming years, even after Pirlo finishes his disasterclass.

andrewbaba44:
Atlanta won’t sell that game ,never

Ac millan should be at their best to win

Napoli will make it to the champions league

Ac millan and juventus one person to drop

Ac millan wanna waste their good season just like that

We Dey observe

Milan will find it difficult to win Atalanta.

If I was Atalanta coach, I'd rest the big boys, Muriel and co. Nothing to play for, no reason to risk injury etc. EVen if they don't sell the game.

No one wants Juve to go to UCL, as revenge for their nine year domination financially and on the pitch. Let them see what it feels like to play Qarabag FK on Thursdays.

kingphilip:
Barcelona are deserving winners sha.

They lost at the finals last year, so I think it is best they take this and for our very own Asisat too.

But Chelsea will be compensated on the 29th since they're not playing against any known Nigeria player

I predicted last week that Chelsea would lose all three finals.

Two down, one to go.

andrewbaba44:
Okay no cap ,we move

Ac should beat Atlanta and make it

I am sure Napoli will win

Milan just bleeped up big time.

Atalanta should wise up and sell that game, because they themselves know that it would be better to face Milan in UCL knockouts than to face Juve. However, they might just be foolish and play at their best, give Juve a chance.

I'm sure Napoli won't bleep up, though. Milan has done everyone a big favor by not winning. Now, even if Napoli don't win their last game, they could still likely go through.

temi1290:
Just back from Injury, ain't 100% fit

Yeah... When she came on, she didn't look too fit. A bit sluggish, especially with offside awareness. She did well to score though, even though the goal was disallowed for a marginal offside. Love the way she turned that defender to get one on one.

Barca look like the next big thing in women football. With some improvements, they could dominate women's football for a long time, like their male counterparts.

Oshoala is better than all these Barca forwards, Hermoso and co. Surprised she isn't starting.

daveP:
Rodgers just seem to never be fully convinced with Nacho. Its like Pep vs Toure.

I don't like that it reoccurs, and even in the face of same scenario with Vardy on poor games, yet he leaves Vardy on. Smh.

Vardy was poor, missed too many chances today, but the difference between him and Nacho today was he didn't burn out. He also pressed more, and his speed threat kept Silva back, stopping Chelsea from completely bringing everyone out for the attack.