₦airaland Forum

fabyom:
Pepe has scored how many goals for Ivory Coast?

5 goals. 25 apps.

Chuks has 3 goals. 17 apps.

Both are fairly equal, although Pepe has a slightly better goal per international app ratio.

If Pepe had Chukwueze's stats, he wouldn't be anywhere near Arsenal.

Pepe has more goals with Arsenal than all Chukwueze's career goals combined. In the EPL o. And some of us here proudly boast of how Chukwueze is tearing La Liga apart. With what? Mess?

TheSuperNerd:
I dont think so. Pepe hasn't shook the EPL in the same manner or up to the same level Chukwueze shook La Liga. And La Liga is the best league on the planet. So it's rather Chuks who is ahead.

I mean, Pepe hasn't even taken the EPL by storm like Saka has.

Shook La Liga with 14 goals in 3 seasons? Joke.

Meliforme:
The trident strike force of Chukwueze, Osimhen and Onyekuru are the best we have in Africa as it stands. Bar tactics i am yet to identify any defense setup in the world that the trio cannot ravage, when played in their best positions.

Ziyech, Munir, and El-Nesyri say hi
Mahrez, Slimani and Benrahma are also greeting.

I don't want to call Mane, Sarr, and Boulaye Dia/Habib Diallo so lets just leave it there.

TheSuperNerd:
Anyone still holding this view on this thread obviously haven't watched and keenly analytically observed enough of Chukwueze's game evolution this season at all both for Nigeria and Villarreal.

How many times will I say this? The lad can still become even better and needs to keep stepping up but saying he hasn't improved at all is a big lie.

Scott Parker's Fulham plays one of the best football in EPL, yet they are bottom 3.
Norwich was better than many EPL teams last season, but they are in the championship.

No matter how good you are, if you cannot produce results, you haven't started. Even Christ said, "By their fruits, ye shall know them." At first, I thought it was because of youth that Chuks was unproductive. After all, Sterling too was like that at Liverpool. However, after multiple seasons, it seems to be getting worse. His first season, he had 8 goals. This season, only 2. Two goals o. Pepe that everyone says is struggling has 8 in EPL this season. A RW with only two goals, those stats are too poor. No matter how good you are, those stats as a right winger makes you look like a joke. Chuks needs a team like Dortmund with budding young talents to revive his attacking spirit.

TheSuperNerd:
This is a Nigeria-CIV Combined best XI currently in a 4-3-3...

GK- Okoye/Uzoho >>> Gbohouo

LB- Zaidu >>>> Singo and whoever they parade.
RB- Aurier (Can be debated)


CB- Akpoguma
CB- Bailly/Boly

Note: Won't mention Torunarigha because he hasn't played for us yet. But based on what he have, Akpoguma definitely gets in over either Bailly or Boly with either also taking the other CB slot. Balogun and Ekong are good but the argument of where they play now will be used against them. We will see this topic again when Ekong makes it into the EPL with Watford.


DM- Ndidi >>>> Kessie/Sangare
CM- Aribo >>>> Seri
AM- Iwobi undisputably.

LW- Zaha
CF - Osimhen/Onuachu/Iheanacho and the list goes on >>>>>> Haller and every option they have here.
RW- Chukwueze

That's 8 Naija players in this starting lineup.

I want someone to explain how CIV'S starting XI is stronger and better.

Pepe plays volleyball, then.
Sangare at PSV and Akpa-Akpro at Lazio are at higher levels clubwise than Aribo at Rangers.
I wonder how Akpoguma suddenly became our best CB, better than Bailly of Man United and Boly of Wolves. If it is by injury, Akpoguma has also been injured too. Bailly without injury is a starter at Man United. Can Akpoguma even start at Arsenal?
Lets not even discuss how Chukwueze is better than Cornet at Lyon, after Cornet's UCL heroics last season. But let's leave that one. Even Jeremie Boga? Haba.

TheSuperNerd:
He did keep us alive as well at the last Afcon and we all saw how your CIV crashed out quicker than we can spell "Ivory Coast". While my Super Eagles went as far as the semis.

Same story loading for CIV in Cameroun.

Algeria took CIV out on penalties. The only team to do so in the tournament. We were just lucky we didn't meet Algeria earlier.

Teams like ALgeria are teams we should be looking to emulate. The never rest in sourcing and developing good players. They aren't satisfied with being the best in Africa, they are already playing teams like Mexico in preparation for the world cup. That is what we should be doing.

Instead we are forming local champions, celebrating a 3-0 win over Lesotho. When top European nations meet dem Luxembourg and San Marino and co., the scoreline always resounds.

TheSuperNerd:
I disagree on the Ekong passing deficiency. He was really good with his passing range against Benin Republic in Porto Novo. He found Onyekuru with ease in that first half several times with those sweet long balls from the RCB position. But as usual, some of you don't observe to see if our players improve in certain aspects, you just stick to the general boring takes of "This guy can never do this".

Ekong has actually stepped up a bit in his passing. And about being Error prone, well, that hasn't been the case in recent Naija games between last year and this year.


Meanwhile, yes... Toru-Akpo combo looks bright on paper but they will need time too. Without that synergy, it's just one for the paper talks.

Measuring passing ability against Benin... lol

Our best passers atm are Ndidi, Iwobi (through passes), and probably Chukwueze. Aside those, the rest are average, with some like Aina and Ekong far below.

TheSuperNerd:
Chris, it's only in your world that CIV has depth compared to the Super Eagles or has a better team. But it's what obsession can do.

We have an Incoming Torunarigha and I will pick him over Boly. We have Akpoguma and I will pick him over Bailly. No be by "I get am before".

But for the sake of durable synergy and understanding, Ekong and Balogun is good to go because they have this balance and maturity in their combo.

I love and appreciate my country, but I am also not blind to facts. None of our defenders is on the level required to take a team far at a tournament like the world cup. Same with our goalkeepers. Ndidi is world class in midfield, and Aribo has potential, but with no solid AM, the midfield is also blunt. Osimhen is brutal, and Onuachu is a lethal finisher. However, our wingers have been very poor at the moment. Chukwueze isn't considerably improving to the level I thought he would get to. Simon and Kalu are struggling with inconsistency. Onyekuru is doing well only in Galatasaray, his comfort zone. These are not the type of players that can win crucial battles against big guns like France, Brazil and Belgium in the course of a major tournament. We need really good players, or better development for our potentials, and we need it soon.

TheSuperNerd:
Chris, it's only in your world that CIV has depth compared to the Super Eagles or has a better team. But it's what obsession can do.

We have an Incoming Torunarigha and I will pick him over Boly. We have Akpoguma and I will pick him over Bailly. No be by "I get am before".

But for the sake of durable synergy and understanding, Ekong and Balogun is good to go because they have this balance and maturity in their combo.

CIV has better depth and a better team than us. No caps. Their problem is like Senegal's, they haven't gotten the understanding to play together, like we and Algeria have. Once they understand themselves and gel, they are world beaters.

maidaboi:
to me he is not

So who do you think is better? Chukwueze? Moses Simon? Onyekuru? Who?

KVN1:
Hello friends

please what is the fate of a prospective undergraduate
student in an American University with an eight year old
NECO result of all C's provided I come up with a good SAT
score

Depends on how much you're looking for.

Subzero047:
We can do with Josh Onomah in our midfield

God forbid.

The guy looks like he has no purpose. Took too much time to take a shot that would have got one back for Fulham.

Tosin Adarabioyo is a liability. He always tries to do nonsense dribbles around his box, forgetting he is a CB. Countless times, strikers have snatched balls away from him and scored.

Aina is too easily dribbled. I've said it over and over again. You go with that kind of player to the world cup, good right wingers will destroy your team.

Osimhen is very good at winning the ball back from slow defenders.

andrewbaba44:
Simmy is good

From now on no simmy slander will be accepted here

You guys are warned

Lol

I'm watching the game live... Simy has very good finishing. Very good. Better than Osimhen's in fact. Not better than Onuachu's finishing though. Simy scores a lot of goals for Crotone because he scores nearly every chance he gets, because he is a good finisher. Aside that, there's not much to him. If he could use his height better, with better hold-up plays and a little more speed, he could have been far better than he is.

Ladumaa:
Do you speak Italian?

No, French.

But Facebook translates comments on Napoli's page.

Osimhen's offside positioning is too poor. Too too poor. No wonder Napoli fans are always complaining.

Simy has wonderful ball control and finishing. However, he's worse than Onuachu in every area asides ball control. Onuachu has better finishing. Simy also doesn't use his height and large frame to his advantage. Doesn't win most aerial balls, poor strength, etc.

Simy gets one back against Napoli!

Osimhen scores a tap-in!

Olise has very good passing

Ejaria scores!

Olise is so young sha

Ejaria starting as a winger and Olise as an AM in Barnsley vs Reading. A certain Adegboyejo is the CF for Barnsley in this game.

Onuachu's strengths:

1. Aerial ability
2. Physical strength
3. Finishing

Weaknesses:
1. Pressing
2. Counter-attacks
3. Speed
4. Positioning and movement to create chances for himself to score
5. Draws fouls a lot


Osimhen's strengths:
1. Aerial ability
2. Physical strength
3. Pressing
4. Counter-attacks
5. Speed
6. Positioning and movement to create chances for himself to score

Weaknesses:
1. Finishing
2. Prone to anger like Balotelli
3. Defenders use him to draw fouls a lot, and he mostly falls for their traps

TheSuperNerd:
And one of the Big Questions here:

Who is the better finisher? Osimhen or Onuachu

I could easily tell you my own take but I would rather use Stats to help enhance my points.

Osimhen in serie A alone have missed 5 big chances in 13 games (7 starts). He has 3 goals and 1 assist.

Onuachu in Belgian Pro League has missed "just" 8 big chances in 30 games (28 starts).

My focus is on the number of Big chances missed per Game.

Osimhen missed 5 in 13.

Onuachu missed 8 in 30. If Osimhen had played more games, the chances of him missing more are there. Meanwhile Onuachu had gone through 30 full games and haven't even hit double figures yet in Big Chances missed. What does this tell us? The man is one of the most ice-cold finishers in Europe right now. Infact I have an interesting stat I had compiled since March 8 and waited for the right time to drop which shows that Onuachu is actually Europe's most wicked finisher focusing on League stats alone i.e the guy who hardly misses the Big Chances he gets. He even tops the Finisher-Elite, Haaland and we all know just how Brilliant a finisher Haaland is

Without pressing any calculators, it's safe to say Onuachu's finishing is superior because The Big Man HARDLY misses a big chance.

So what's the simple answer I wanted to give you without this stats-filled preamble? It is easily Paul Onuachu. No arguments. Osimhen is a fine finisher. A very good one infact but Onuachu is Elite in this Attribute. But it doesn't make him the better striker all round compared to the Monster Machine.

I will drop those Big Chances missed stats comparison that shows how clinical Onuachu is compared to the goals scored.

Funny enough, out of the 8 big chances Onuachu has missed, almost half were off the line clearances or saves. This means that he puts over 90% of chances you create for him on target at least, and scores about 90% of his shots on target from big chances. If that isn't a finisher, then I don't know what is.

Meliforme:
Onuachu being a better finisher is debatable.

There is more to finishing than just goals.

Check Onuachu's total SE shots on target.
Check his total goals.
Compare to Osimhen.
Some things should not be argued.

JohnBullMySon:
First of all, that was a slow freekick, there was more reaction time than Uzoho's header.

Also consider this, Okoye was in motion tracking the ball only to flip back to save the header, while Uzoho was facing a foward moving ball throughout. BTW headers are the most difficult thing to save

Lastly, as a professional keeper. Saving a strike greater than 2yrds, you are expected to push the ball out because a rebound would be a goal, parring that ball straight out was just not it.

It wasn't a slow freekick. If it was slow, he could have caught it. It was a flash save, and considering the angle, the only way he could push the ball was forward.

JohnBullMySon:
Ok, when I watch games especially Naija, I try to monitor players' performance and abilities. Now let me use an example from this last two matches to drive home my point.

Uzoho and Okoye both faced a similar chance to their lower left at close range, medium speed.

Okoye faced a header to his lower left from a Benin player, he parried the ball out for a corner.

Uzoho faced a similar ball to his lower left as well, now instead of parring the ball out for a corner, he pushes it straight to a second Lesotho player who drives the ball straight into the net. Had the player not been offside, it would have been a goal for Lesotho.

The power of a header is very different from the power of a freekick. The best a good keeper could do from that position is to stop the ball from entering. That's just like saying good keepers should be expected to parry saved penalties out for a corner.

JohnBullMySon:
Reflexes is Okoye. I can prove it. Meanwhile what is stability? Seems Uzoho's looks is deceiving you guys.

By the way, don't you think there's a reason Ajax want Okoye to replace Onana?

Secondly how did you come to the conclusion that Uzoho reads the game better as well as marshalling defence line?

Is it because of how he shouts during corners?

I have watched Sparta games throughout the season.
Once a striker drifts past Maduka's defenders, it's a goal already.
In his last match before the international break, Heracles had only one chance in the entire match, one shot on target, and it was their goal.
Their game against Ajax, it was like the net was empty. almost every single attack Ajax had was a goal.

The guy struggles a lot with indecision in crosses and long balls. Comes out first, then realizes he can't reach the ball, then struggles to go back. Remember Sierra Leone's second goal?

JohnBullMySon:
Command and presence are not direct skills sir. In terms of reaction and saves, Maduka is better.

Nigeria vs Brazil? Uzoho made about 6 flash saves. Maduka made 1, and Ajayi had to clear one off the line because Maduka got stuck on his feet.

safarigirl:
So, we had Okoye man the post against Benin, and Uzoho man the post against Lesotho, with both goalies keeping clean sheets.

First of all, I am glad we have risen from the ashes of Akpeyi and Ezenwa, but I would genuinely like to know what you guys think of both players and the possibility of rotation between them.

Bear in mind, when I say 'rotation', I don't mean the way Enyeama and Ejide were rotated, but something with a little more equity. I genuinely feel like Ejide was shortchanged a lot in the team, because of Enyeama's brilliance, so, while I acknowledge how much of a legend Vincent is, I do feel a bit for Ejide.

So guys, what's your take on the Maduka-Uzoho GK rotation? If you can include their performances in the last two games in your analysis, factor their strengths and weaknesses, it would also be appreciated.

Cc: icon4s, Supernerd, andrewbaba44, Fabyom, Kog45, subzero047, terzurum5, and other forumites.

PS: If anyone thinks this should be a standalone topic outside of this thread, also signify.

Thanks

Uzoho seemed more confident to me. Remember when Okoye caught the ball outside the 18 box due to pressure?

Aina should never start over Ebuehi.