₦airaland Forum

Jarus:
Don't let us forget Babayaro won Ebony Shoe Award in Belgium in 1996 and came 2nd a year earlier - that's the award for the best player of African origin playing in Belgian league. It included other players of African origin who play for Belgium itself, France etc. Other recent winners include Lukaku, Fellaini and Kompany.

He also won Belgian league young footballer of the year twice.

I know.

ChrisKels:
This guy is an arm chair analyst, I have been watching u. How come u didn't say this when he was dropped, in fact u supported Rohr's decision to drop him, back then. I was the only one who rose up against the injustice though I got a lil backing from Saint forgiveness.



I remember when I said Tomori was the best defender in the championship, u said never, buh suddenly, u turned around to shrine same Tomori asking why he hasn't been approached by the NFF.

Gawd!! U are neither here nor there, u are too erratic man

I was strongly against it.

TheGoodJoe:
And won the FA cup, had Gullit, Di Mateo, Vialli, Denis Wise, Le Saux, and a host of others. Leave that side, they were not average.

They were still way below Marseille.

It's like joining Everton of today. He didn't join a big club.

But Taye joined a two time UEFA champions League finalist and UEFA cup runner up.

TheGoodJoe:
You think Gullit would have signed the first African player to play for Chelsea if he was not class?

Chelsea was average as at the time Celestine was bought.

TheGoodJoe:
Taiwo should have come to Epl and see if a top club would have signed him, let alone noticed by CAF. The recognition is from Ligue 1. Babayaro was battling it with the big boys in the Epl. When Taiwo came to the EPL, he lost. Like piam.

When Taye came to EPL he still did better than Celestine.

Is CAF best LB of the year from Ligue 1?

TheGoodJoe:
Zola was the bomb. I think Denis Wise was also great. It was a good time for Chelsea, especially beating Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. Good Times and glad a Nigerian was a big part of that team.

Yeah! Zola was incredible for Chelsea and the most influential of all. Wise was also good but I wasn't interested in those players save Celestine.

TheGoodJoe:
Zola was the bomb. I think Denis Wise was also great. It was a good time for Chelsea, especially beating Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup. Good Times and glad a Nigerian was a big part of that team.

Yes! He was part of it but he was not good enough to be noticed by CAF.

TheGoodJoe:
I did not know Taiwo won it. Does not mean I did not watch him or he was better than Babayaro. Babayaro was pure class.

By the way, I think that coach who removed his track suit, Ruud Gullit (I call him "Rude Boy" was the one who signed Babayaro to Chelsea and also took Babayaro to Newcastle when he became manager.

Pure class that was not noticed.

I don't know who signed him but as soon as I heard he was signed by Chelsea I followed him.

TheGoodJoe:
Lol. They were not average. But you tried.

The coach who removed his track suit and entered the field was Ruud Gullit. He was player manager. He had a one on one in the match and slipped due to a mud caught in between his studs. After him, Vialli became player manager.

You tried but Chelsea was not average then. Keep in mind Gullit himself was formerly the best player in the World.

Guilty don dey expire before he came to Chelsea though he was not bad but Zola was the main man.

TheGoodJoe:
Yes. I think Edozie will learn a lot and I hope he progresses fast at City. Players from that route have grown in quality. I hope he does.

Honestly, though I don't know the lad but for Chelsea to go for him then he must be very good.

TheGoodJoe:
Taiwo was a good player but knowing if he was in team of the season means Google, not watching. As I said, you knew that by Google, not watching.

I knew that the same seasons he won laurels but you got to know last year or two years ago after I told you. You were even shocked he won it. That says alot about everything.

TheGoodJoe:
Chelsea average then? Lol. It shows you lack understanding of football then.

First of all, Chelsea had some of the finest players in the game that period. Off the top of my head I can call Vialli, Gullit, Tore Andre Flo, Hasselbaink, Gianfranco Zola, Some point, George Weah, Graeme Le Saux, Desailly to mention a few.

The won the Cup Winners Cup in that era, the FA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup and the League Cup. At one point they came second in the league. Chelsea was no average Club at that time. They were big and just needed the EPL crown.

Chelsea as at that time was average. I followed that team since Babayaro's days.

Where did they finish on the league before Babayaro came?

For you to know I followed Chelsea, Chelsea was the team I saw a coach removed track suit and substituted himself in games.

Yes! They won all those in that era but Marseille was still a bigger and better club than Chelsea during that era. Fact.

TheGoodJoe:
But when we look at the likes of Foden, Denayer, Sancho a d recently, Angelino, the education at the academy level played a big part in their development and then apart from Foden who is taking his growth slowly at City, they seeked first team football to showcase their lessons which showed they were good players.

I think Edozie is making the right choice playing with the City U18 first, then he can go and seek for playing time in a quality ball playing team. I hope he does not need to do that and break in early into the City set up.

Manchester City U18 pattern of play is almost the replica of the main team.

TheGoodJoe:
If anyone is lying, it is you because there is no place I said I did not know Sterling will make it. I think Sterling was PFA player of the year, so he would definitely make it. I said till now, I do not know if Aguero made it because of the brilliance of Hazard, Sterling, Mane and Salah.

At least, you have an idea because you saw them played. How come you didn't have that any idea despite claiming you watched Ligue 1 and Taye?

TheGoodJoe:
Is that not because Musa is giving run of games? Did you watch how brilliant Onyekuru was I think against Seychelles. Would Musa dream of having such ability on the ball?

Without Ebuehi given a chance, would we know how good he was in the green white green?

Musa has not disappointed until now. He should continue to do the good work. Onyekuru can come in and contribute to our game.

TheGoodJoe:
I was watching Marseille and not knowing who made team of the season. That is known by following news and blogs. Not by watching game. As I am like this now, I do not even know the players that made the PFA list but I watched almost all City games. I do not know if Aguero made it because Hazard, Salah, Mane and Sterling were brilliant last season. I can only know by reading it, not watching games as you are trying to make it.

I repeat, I watched Marseille then more than you. Knowing Taiwo made team of the season by you was done by browsing, not watching.

When I said Celestine was better, it is by watching, not browsing. I have watched both sufficiently. You haven't.

Dey lie say you didn't expect Sterling and Aguero make the list.

TheGoodJoe:
Your eyes were glued on none.

More like Google.

Which Google? I saw Oruma played several times.

Earthquake3:
Balogun will be fit by then

No matter how improved Omeruo was, Balogun is still an upgrade

Na lie. The Omeruo I saw yesterday can't be dropped. Maybe Ekong should be dropped if the coach insist on playing Balogun.

TheGoodJoe:
You, can't you highlight?

You are the one who saw the quality. You should be listing them.

TheGoodJoe:
Taiwo was in a mickey mouse league. Celestine was in Chelsea battling with an English International for the left back role, Graeme Le Saux. You will not know things like this because you just browse and use that as yardstick for knowing. Playing at Chelsea and Marseille are two different things. When Taiwo came to the EPL, he did not light fire.

If Babayaro was good enough, he would had been noticed by CAF since he played in a Goliath league.

Chelsea was an average club as at the time Celestine Babayaro played there. Marseille was a better and bigger club than Chelsea as at the time Celestine Babayaro played for Chelsea. You can only deceive those who didn't follow Chelsea.


Did Celestine Babayaro light fire in EPL?

Taye Taiwo still performed better than Celestine Babayaro when he came to EPL.

TheGoodJoe:
I wonder where you got that from. I already highlighted the impact of his performance. Explained how he stretched the game, made direct runs.

I just said I believe Onyekuru would have added more quality, not that Musa played badly.

Can you highlight the qualities?

TheGoodJoe:
That one is their business.

He was not good enough.

TheGoodJoe:
I am an Oruma fan. I was watching Marseille games because of Oruma. I was watching Oruma teaching Nasri how to play ball on the pitch. This one, you can not Google and claim. I followed them because of Oruma. I was watching with Beye in the team before he left.

Okay na. But your eyes was glued to only Oruma.

TheGoodJoe:
You got that from reading Wiki or some blog. You will not watch league matches of Ligue 1 and see them give Taiwo Team of the season
I repeat, I watched Taiwo in Marseille more than you because I watched their games well.

How come you don't know uniit I told you? It's like saying you will not know SERGIO AGUERO, Raheem, and your other Manchester City players made premier League team of the season until you read it on Wikipedia. Bhuhahahaha

Even blind man wey follow watch EPL go no say dem must dey am. You are a just joking.

Mickael2:
We are actually saying different things.

They had a good game controlling the flow of the game, yes.

They had a good game moving forward, yes.

But they had a poor game shielding the defence line. I really don't think that the same thing happening five or six times equates to 'sometimes' hence the need to work on it.

One love

I hope the defence improves in our next match.

TheGoodJoe:
I watched Taiwo in Marseille more than you. I have told you that before.

Okay, you own my TV.

Somebody wey no say Taiwo made Ligue 1 team of the season until I told him. Keep deceiving yourself.

Mickael2:
The passes weren't awful but just say that the defenders anticipated the passes. It was more of the defender did well, than Musa did not pass well. I do not see the basis behind starting Chuks, if we want to point out errors, there was on instance where Iwobi was right in front of Chuks and he kicked the ball out for a throw trying to locate Aina who was miles away when a simple pass made more sense, there was also a counter where he skinned the first guy then instead of simply squaring for Onuachu he tried a banana pass which the defence was all so glad to cut out. Full of tricks yes, but atrocious decision making, I don't see why he will start ahead of Musa if you ask me, he has his own decision making flaws, but IMHO, he is an upgrade on Chuks. See how Musa's direct running won us a corner as well, I can go on.



Anyways. I don't know why it seems like I watched a different match that wasn't exactly fulfilling. The Burundians created at least 5 3 on 2 situations against our CB, they created well over 4 clear cut chances and if not for a combo of poor passes, poor finishing and a rare GK save, we would have been talking about 3 goals conceded, factually the Burundians bypassed our midfield like it did not even exist, there was a particular 3 on 2 situation where one of the Burundians was unable to give a 2 yard pass to his teammate who would have been one on one. Or should I mention the chance where they skinned Ekong and had a clean run at goal but the guy messed up? Arguably, from an attacking sense this might have been an okayish game, but the midfield and defence were atrocious, that too against Burundi, the worst team in the tournament (statistically). I really am glad that Rohr has come out to acknowledge that the team was poor at least they will work on it. Ndidi and Etebo forget their jobs of shielding the defence multiple times in the game which is why I agree that one of them ought to be axed for Mikel to sit deep entirely, however I would suggest Ndidi is dropped because Etebo is a better shuttle that can move the ball higher up the pitch.

All in all I think the only place we had real issues was with the two DMFs not doing their job, I don't think we would have defeated a better team at all.

You have written well but dropping Ndidi is hard for me to stomach. It will not work.

safarigirl:
I saw it....but was that the question?

You asked for 'repeated' instances that Musa gave a bad pass and I answered, don't change the question because you don't like the answer.

There was no Nigerian players that didn't give bad pass yesterday.

Earthquake3:
You don come with your nonsense argument check the contents of my statement before replying

Then don't make senseless statements.

TheGoodJoe:
I wonder if he even watched the game. If he did, he would not even ask because those passes from Musa were awful. However I would excuse Musa because he was not playing with his natural foot. He was repeatedly forced to use the outside of his right foot.

You are making it look at if Musa played woefully. That's far from the truth.

Earthquake3:
Conceeding a pk at the last match before the selections won't do your chances any good

Did Ebuehi concede pk?

TheGoodJoe:
Cap in games does not signal quality. I can bet Yobo is more capped than Taribo West but he is a learner when it concerns defending to Taribo. In marking, team work and on the ball skills, Celestine Babayaro dwarfs Taiye Taiwo.

How come Babayaro was never noticed by CAF?