₦airaland Forum

MetalJigsaw:
IWOBI MUST LEARN FROM ARIBO
opera.com


Alex Iwobi has spent 4 years with the Super Eagles and it’s difficult to identify his best roles in the team.

It’s even more complicated for him with the retirement of John Obi Mikel, he has to assume the role of a creative number 10.
Iwobi made no impact at the World Cup last year as the coach gave him little time at the tournament.

The insurgence of Joe Aribo will now be a big worry for Iwobi as he offers more to the team and could be the pick when the chips are down.
After watching Nigeria vs Benin game, I carefully studied the roles of both players, their weaknesses, strengths and what they will bring to the team..

For better analyses, see below the truths;

POSITION/ROLES

From his first game for Nigeria against Ukraine, the world knew the perfect role for Aribo. A box to box midfielder who loves to burst forward to create and score goals. For Iwobi, he started his rise under Wenger playing as a winger and Rohr adopted that role for him. (When the confusion started)

But since Mikel was inconsistent with the team during the last year of his international career, he was drafted to the middle and that started the position problems for him.

At Rangers under Steven Gerrard, Aribo flourishes as an all-round midfielder and against Benin, he showed and played the role well having 2 shots on target.

Iwobi tried to create chances but his final balls are still his major problem and the only tangible thing he did against Benin was the 1-2 that led to the penalty which Osinhem calmly converted.

It’s now a big headache to identify the position that suits Iwobi as he plays two different roles for club and country. And for Aribo, it’s just like a puzzle as he fits well with the same role for club and country.

GOALS

At Arsenal, Iwobi struggled to get goals as he scored just 15 goals in 149 appearances. A record that led to his sale from Arsenal to Everton.

From his days at Charlton Athletic, Aribo raked up 11 goals in 84 and in just 10 games into the season at Rangers, he has scored a goal. A better goal record to Iwobi.

In 3 appearances for Super Eagles, Aribo has scored 2 goals and against Benin, he had more shots on target than Iwobi.

Managers love midfielders that add goals to their team and despite arriving camp late, Aribo played all 90 minutes.

For Iwobi, it’s now a must he improves his game as there is a better option in the middle of the park if Etebo comes back into the team.

STYLE

With his nickname, English Yaya Toure, you will know you will get the drive and goals. That’s what Aribo brings to the team.
He covered more grounds than any other player on the pitch against Benin and for Iwobi, he contributed nothing special to the team.

With the midfield crowded, Ndidi and Etebo seems like the two players with automatic shirts and Iwobi and Aribo now have to fight for the remaining slot.

Aribo looks ahead of Iwobi in the team and Iwobi must learn from Aribo if he wants to be a dynamic midfilder.



http://news-af.feednews.com/news/detail/49bb0571cfe276f965f713fc36ed9c6c?client=news

Different players with different styles of play. Iwobi is a playmaker/secondary playmaker while Aribo is an all action b2b midfielder.
Aribo prefers coming from deep a la Ramsey, Gerrard and to a certain extent Yaya.
If we play with a 4-3-3, than Aribo can start over him(or simply move Iwobi to the left) but in a 4-2-3-1 formation, I wouldn't pick Aribo as a 10 over Iwobi.

Pidginwhisper:
Sure, while their Xeno neighbour still believe say we be rival for football when they’re no match for Zambia. Zambia plays beautiful attacking football and i love to watch them play even though they fall short and end up losing when they square up with more experienced sides, but they remain the best team down south.

Baba leave collins ooo, aside the head the guyman fit, I still remember how jam Omeruo cmot for ball to score that goal against us during the WC qualifier

Mbesuma was a beast back in his PSL days Sha. I remember when he was a portsmouth and Perrin wondered what was the point of him being a good finisher if he can't run

Joebie:
Pinnick dey talk about dynamism. He needs to beef up our coaching personnel to embrace that concept. Talk is cheap.

No mind am. Either that or let Rohr do his damn job

Joebie:
Next thing we go hear...na Belgium don invite am hahaha

LMFAO abi? Belgium dey a bit stacked Sha. The guy sef go dey do shakara now.

Dessers with a Hattrick and two assists.

safarigirl:
Nothing here is in any way prejuducial in the malicious manner a lot of you have put it. Not just that, but it is clearly hearsey, because he didn't hear it first hand, but was told by someone. if someone tells me something, it is not fact, unless coming from an original source.

Bear in mind, logistical costs is a valid reason at times. It is the same way, when we had a friendly recently, only those based abroad were invited, because the friendly was abroad and NFF didn't want to spend money on travels.


There is nothing here to prove that there was malicious intent to his exclusion, and there is nothing here to even say with certainty, that Alaba was dropped because he wasn't a local player.

Hearsey is generally, an inadmissible evidence.

U17s is mostly reserved for home based players. This is a well known fact and something people on here have confirmed and applauded.
Logistical reasons are valid but that doesn't change the fact the U17 is mostly reserved for home based players.

Icon4s:
Edi, i am not sure u have nominated. Please do so now. U have till 12noon Nigerian Time.

I have Chief. I nominated Charlesemeka85.

safarigirl:
Yes, please. Post proof that he said this, preferably quotes from him.

BAYERN Munich youngster, David Alaba, says he should have been playing representative football for Nigeria but was denied by stringent eligibility rule by football officials in the country.

Alaba, whose father is Nigerian and of Filipino mother, plays for Austrian national team but only after he has been turned down by Nigeria.
The defender said he actually planned to join Nigeria's cadet team which won the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship at South Korea but words reached him of his ineligibilty.

''I wanted to play for Nigeria but I must confess that there was no formal approach for me. A scout actually discussed that with me. I was excited because of my dad, he was a fan of Sunday Oliseh when Oliseh played for FC Koln. As a kid, I loved to watch Victor Agali in the jersey of Hansa Rostock,'' he told an Austrian news medium.

However, Alaba was shocked when told by the scout that Nigeria had plans mainly for its home-grown talents.
'' I got the information that Nigeria will only consider those who were in the country perhaps because of travelling logistics and that is the end of that."

Source - Tribune NG

TheSuperNerd:
He is a child. He doesn't know how to stand by words. But me I am done. It is case closed.

The Super Eagles Marches on... Next up is the U-23s this weekend.

You don't have to call him a child.

This is beyond surprising if true. Looks like Pinnick has truly lost control of NFF or NFF are trying to save face.

Eartquake1:
Osimhen may be one of the fastest player in the world

Wow

I saw someone compare him to Vardy... It might not be far off.

charlesemeka85:
the kid is good and highly rated in the Scandinavia. i think he should ignore the epl for now and move to the eirdivisie or belgian league where he will be given room to develop more. wolves are serious in having him and a winter move have been rumored in the english media

Wolves are interested in signing him this Jan.

darkelf:
Who is he? And when are we signing him?

One of the most talented young defenders around. Plays for RB Leipzig.
Probably during the summer.

Unlimited22:
Make una no vex o, e get one funny thought wey just enter my head.


What the HELL happened to Ambrose Vanzekin?

Heard he went to uni and got a degree in engineering. I could be wrong...

khiaa:
I can ask you the same question. Why are Nigerians always talking down about black Americans who live better than most of you who live in your villages without electricity most of the time. If you're living in a glass house don't you throw any stones. Which means, don't try to demean people when you are living a hundred times worse.
Charity belongs in your Nigeria, start cleaning her up.

They never learn.

I nominate Charlesemeka85

Cc Icon4s and Andrewbaba44

forgiveness:
I see. Nacho and Balogun are the only Nigerian players abroad.

Why you dey follow that guy argue? His trolling is not even top class.
WE all know he isn't Ghanaian.

BascoVanVeli:
The list

Olayinka or Okereke for Onauchu would've been good.

Curtisaxel7:
Just look at his aboki face.!! Overpriviledged quota system product. Gworo eating head slamming cattle rearer. Bloody blockheaded Buhari imposition. Black as soot. Ugly as an ape. Can he even spell his name?. Northerners are only fit for terrorism, armed banditry, shoemaking work and cattle rearing.





.

I do hope you're being sarcastic. You don't look like one that's this stupid.

darkelf:
I am happy Liverpool won today but we need depth in our defence seriously

If VVD injures now (plus Matip is already injured), then we are goners men

Klopp needs to sign one more CB

You guys are signing Konate

mostob:
I would pick Iwobi . Pepe is good no doubt but iwobi will offer something more to this current arsenal team. Although, am not writing off pepe yet. He seems to me someone who is willing to do more.

Pepe has better end product than Iwobi. The ball carrying ability Iwobi would offer is/should be filled up by Ceballos.
The idea was Iwobi at LW and Pepe at RW when one of Auba/Laca isn't around.
While I'm disappointed Iwobi left, I wouldn't have kept him if it meant not signing Pepe.

andrew444:
Pepe is not iwobi replacement , but i am just letting you know of what a player should be able to do with that price tag

And mind you wingers are compared to wingers either Left or right so pepe can be compared to iwobi ok, Iwobi plays as more as a winger than AM at his arsenal days.

Well if I were to choose between Pepe and Iwobi, I'd pick Pepe easily as I know what he can give when he fully adapts.
Dude has the most key passes and dribbles in the team. He is adapting very slowly but the talent is not in doubt.

andrew444:
Where is the lie in what he said? Icon is being sincere here

How can you say let him spend the same period iwobi spent at arsenal

You think 75 million is 25 million abi?

Pepe is not Iwobi's direct replacement. I don't know why people keep making this comparison.
He plays at RW while Iwobi mostly plays at LW or AM.

Joebie:
Ebere Eze has been on our lips. He could have easily got a competitive call up long ago considering we've had only Iwobi as AM, when Mikel was observing his sabbatical from SE. There was no better AM out there. We cried Eze Eze.. today he is even perfoming better than then. He was devoted to Nigeria, and there is absolutely nothing wrong if he has second thoughts for whatever reason whether sensible or not. He is human to have second thoughts.

Exactly man. It's not like we were loaded with attacking midfielders then.
It would be foolish to castigate the guy.

andrew444:
Dont be surprise rohr is very interested in eze and have been making moves but dude isn't interested, but most people here are insulting rohr and blaming him

Same Eze said with his own mouth he'd play for naija even when he got that U20 call up from England.
For all we know he and his agent knew he wouldn't be capped tied if he played with the U20s while waiting for us to call him up.

Barryseal:
Yes, the English premium is real, but these days other players around the globe have earned better commercial sponsorship than the English.
Iwobi was on 70k a week at Arsenal at 21. Everton currently pays him 120K. He is a Nike athlete, he also has an endorsement with Pepsi. I don't know what these contracts are worth but I'm sure he will be a commercial success if he becomes a world class player.
Football have drastically evolved, not only the English make money. No English man is in the top5 most marketable player in the world.

Zaha is the highest earner at Crystal Palace. A club record 130K/ week, yet he is turning out for Ivory Coast. That should tell you something.

Easier for Zaha to make that switch as he had already taken advantage of the "young English player with potential" talk. The likes of Eze, Tammy, etc are still young and haven't tapped into that yet.
EPL is the financial heavyweight of the game. The average epl footballer earns more than your LA Liga, Buli, Ligue Un and Serie A player.
The average English youth player is earning more than any other youth player around.
I know we like to clown Dominic Iorfa on here but his father wasn't stupid when he said Iorfa would play for naija when he's 23. The guy knew what he was doing.

Barryseal:
Bros, you build a brand over time. Mention an English U21 player who commands a massive endorsement at this time. Trent Alexander Arnold and Rashford he mentioned plays for traditional teams in the Premiership and they are full time England internationals. These guys are no bench warmers for club adn country. Their marketing value is what it is because of who they are.

A guy like Eze will will get enough sponsorship if he is pop and fashionable, has good social media presence, plays for a top team as a major player, wins trophies and generally has good cross over appeal. With all these in the locker, he will get good endorsements and fat pay checks. Its immaterial if he played for Liberia or England.

He would earn more if he's marketable as an English international than Nigerian. It's just the plain truth.
You think Iwobi wouldn't have been getting much more from endorsement if he played for England?
I'll give you an example of Josh Mceachran. That dude was earning 38k per week at 2010 as a 17 year old. There isn't a 17 year old African no matter how talented they are that would earn that amount... Heck even in 2018. Not Nwakali that was a golden ball winner at U17 or Nacho after a the debut season he had(base wage was 15k).
This English premium we dey hear about no be for fancy. That can guarantee a player an additional 10-20k a week on top of what they'd earn normally.
I don't think finances is mainly the reason why Eze is having second thoughts but part of it.

safarigirl:
when was Eze putting in good performances and they invited Chidiebere? Was Eze not invited once upon a time, alongside Aina and Akpom?

Anybody we lose, I can never be disappointed. If he got lost, he was never for us then. I cannot waste my disappointment on people that always had us as afterthought.

You mean for a kick about that didn't mean much?
When both Nwakali brothers were invited, Eze was doing better. We argued this extensively here.
Nothing wrong in feeling the way you do. Unlike Tammy, I won't blame Eze that much(still disappointed) provided he pledged to us but we were inviting players who didn't deserve to get invited ahead of him as at that time.
Anyhow Na for Rohr to play 2 DM and a CM when Iwobi is not so no worries...

safarigirl:
So, now it's about money, not career growth anymore? Is it not komekn that preaches about career growth being more important than monetary gains? Or does that apply only to the homegrown lads?

You people must be confusing Eze with Eden Hazard, because I don't see how he will start making all this money simply for agreeing to play for an overbloated English team. He would be a compound fool to join Abraham and Tomori on England's bench, because that is where he will end up. Even more, Maddison is playing the position he wishes to occupy, some people would call such a choice international career suicide.

The only thing komekn knows how to do is crucify homegrown kids for making certain decisions, while excusing his innit boys when they do the same thing.

Now, Eze is making this decision for his career, the same BS he sold us with Abraham. So, we should be chasing players that could switch upon us the moment England whistles at them? We are not doing that poorly in football, to start chasing after every other English player that's down on his luck. These excuses are useless.

All I'm saying is the financial angle Komekn is giving isn't as far fetched as some are making it out to be.
Rohr and NFF deserve some of the blame too. I repeat there was no reason inviting Chidiebere Nwakali when Eze was putting in some good performances. He should've been invited and given at least 10 - 15 mins.
I'm disappointed the guy is now having thoughts but I did warn that this could happen if we didn't move quick enough.

Barryseal:
Oga, just hear yourself. You're claiming Eze is holding out to play for Nigeria because of the endorsements he could get from commercial sponsorship. That's a very childish way to analyze the situation, to be honest.
Do you know Aubemeyang is top 25 most marketable ATHLETE with a good cross over appeal ratings. Incase you don't know, this guy plays for Gabon. Can you locate Gabon on the atlas if I challenged you?
Mohammed Salah's endorsement with Pepsi, Vodafone and the likes runs into $70 annually.
Wilfred Zaha is doing well with his many fashion endsorments.
Your inclination about Eze's international future is rank amateur. You're better off not saying anything than coming up with waffle like this, as if you're preaching to primary school pupils.

What Komekn is saying is Eze as at this moment is more likely to earn more as a English youth player/prospective whatever than as a Nigerian NT player which is partly true.
The English premium thing doesn't only apply to transfer fees but contracts and sponsorship deals.
The names you're mentioning like Salah, Auba, etc were mostly not top earners in their age group when they were Eze's age.

jihday:
he's a DM ffs, is he supposed to pass like fabregas?

No but it should be much better than it is. That's the modern game for you.

sheyishemba:
Bye bye to Ebere eze


QPR Ebere Eze Ask For More Time Before Committing His Future To Nigeria After Talks With Rohr


England youth international and QPR midfielder Ebere Eze has requested for more time to be given to him before he can decide on representing Nigeria at senior level , Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.
Rohr spoke with the midfielder few days ago about teaming up with the Super Eagles for the AFCON 2021 Qualifiers games against Benin Republic and Lesotho respectively but he felt the move came too sudden.


Eze reportedly told the coach he will need time to decide on the offer, which means he could miss out on a chance to play for Nigeria next month. His answer came as a shock to the coach judging by the fact that he trained with the Super Eagles in 2017, a year before he played for England at U20 level.


Despite not committing his future to Nigeria yet, reports has it that Eze could accept an invitation to play for England U21 which will complicate his chances of playing for Nigeria as he will now require a clearance from FIFA as the next game for the England youth team is a competitive fixture.


” Eze has spoken with Rohr but no decision has been made on his inclusion in the team for the upcoming games. I think he knows if he plays in the game he’s committed to Nigeria for life as it’s a competitive game.
“However we are hoping he makes up his mind on time before the squad list is released. If he decide to stick with England where he is about to be called up to their U21 team base on what we heard then we wish him all the best”, a chieftain of the Nigeria Football Federation

I won't blame him if this is true. We had ample opportunities to invite him before this but no ooo... Rohr kept testing CMs when he should've been looking for an AM.