₦airaland Forum

teeezy00:
We stand together, in solidarity with our goalkeeper Carl Ikeme. We believe he will overcome this challenge and join us again very soon.

I like my goalkeepers big and very tall. If I managed a team, I wouldn't have a goalkeeper standing less than 6ft4" to stand between the pipes. For this reason, I don't really rate Ezenwa. He's the shortest of all the people in the picture,even shorter than Rohr.
I hope we field an energetic midfield who can press the Camerounians not allowing them time and space to fire shots. If they are allowed time and space they will aim and shot close to the poles which will beat Ezenwa. Hugo Bros is a very thorough tactician, Rohr must be at his best and not set the team up to be reactive.

tbaba1234:
We were too gentle in the last game against SA. We missed Mikel, Victor and Leon. We are happy to have them together again. - Gernot Rohr.

The gentility was am eye sore. Thank goodness we have battle hardened guys back for this one.

TheGoodJoe:
How will Kelechi Iheanacho score a hattrick when no one could lay a good final ball? It was so atrocious that final balls were going to the goalkeeper. Food for thought.

Then Rohr wouldn't have invited the same midfielders hitting the balls to the goalkeeper don't you think? Why call up same midfielders and 3 new strikers?
You have even placed Kelechi as your dream AMF. If he was in red hot form, thegoodjoe I know will rather die than put out a line up with Kelechi behind the Cf.

TheGoodJoe:
So what was the evidence that led to the invitation of Onyekuru, Kayode and Osimhen to the National team? It is just a case of keep building.

Ighalo was already in the team. He lost his place because he was not scoring for home or country.

Also, Rohr might be considering playing Iheanacho behind the attack because Iheanacho can also pass. His assists stats show this. This might also be due to lack of good final passes. So if Iheanacho has to deliver the passes, Rohr needs to look for a striker.

Since Rohr called up different personel up front and left the same midfield which featured against SA, it should tell you the department he thought was deficient in the last game.

TheGoodJoe:
[b][/b]

https://www.nairaland.com/3018619/new-super-eagles-thread-russia/1311#59745547

I wonder where the Heskey kind of player came from when I clearly put Nwakaeme to lead the attack because he will complement the speed, skill and creativity style a while ago.

I didn't address you in particular with the Emily Heskey comparism. Just thought I should spell it out that he's not some beast of burden kind of striker who will bully and harass the Camerounians.

TheGoodJoe:
So what was the evidence that led to the invitation of Onyekuru, Kayode and Osimhen to the National team? It is just a case of keep building.

Ighalo was already in the team. He lost his place because he was not scoring for home or country.

Also, Rohr might be considering playing Iheanacho behind the attack because Iheanacho can also pass. His assists stats show this. This might also be due to lack of good final passes. So if Iheanacho has to deliver the passes, Rohr needs to look for a striker.

If Kelechi was effective and maybe scored hattrick, you think Rohr would have contemplated playing him behind a main striker? Food for thought.

tbaba1234:
I rate Kayode and Kelechi ahead of him... From the wings (He plays mainly from the wings), I rate Victor Moses and Iwobi (yes, iwobi) ahead of him. Yes, he offers something (physicality, power and skill) for a game like this but let us not go overboard.

I have watched him for a while now.

When you said outstanding I was expecting you will name true world class players but you rather ended up naming grade C players at best.
When we talk about world football, none of those guys you mentioned are outstanding in the real sense of the word.

tbaba1234:
Good player yes but not really that outstanding.

Who are those outstanding players in front of him?

Kog45:
I don't think there is need for us to go back and be arguing may be Nacho can lead d attack or better than Nwakaeme or Aron Samuel but one thing is glaring we had a match against SA that was an eyes opener and w need to put our house in order.

Truly Rohr is in charge and everything stop at his desk, for inviting Nwakaeme shows that he need some physical guy in d team and if w based it on skill,i don't think Nwakaeme w be picked ahead of even Kayode,also d late invitation of Aaron tells me Rohr want to match Cameroon physically and hope it pay at end of d day.

I w not deceive u comparing Nwakaeme and Nacho is uncalled for coz for now Nacho is a player w cannot left out of d squad but hope Ighalo,Nwakaeme,Aaron can complement Nacho against Cameroon.Nacho statistics in eagles colours is a top notch and no coach w bench him.

My hope is either Ighalo,Nwakaeme or Aaron,anyone picked among d trio should just do d needful but my fear is this can they pull d string coz this match is massive.

As I said in my last post,i don't really rate Ighalo coz he hasn't prove himself in eagles colour despite d chances given to him,Nwakaeme i cannot say much,Rohr must have see something in him that warrant his invitation,i remembered Aaron during Keshi's reign,he showed good glimpses but can we say that now,his late call to replace injured Iwobi over Kayode shows that Rohr need physical guy as d arrow head against Cameroon.

If w make it simple from d defence to midfield and to attack,Cameroon w definitely fall but believing physical presence of some guys in d team w do it then we are on a long thing.All we need is d chemistry and good combinations to rattle d lion.Honestly from d last squad that face SA,just d addition of Mikel,Moses,Leon and a front man(Ighalo,Nwakaeme, Aaron) that w free Nacho upfront,with this we are beating Cameroon.

First of all, I compared Kelechi with Nwakaeme in the skills department because most people have erroneously thought that Nwakaeme is the Emily Heskey type of jam body striker. Not knowing he actually is more skillful than our darling Kelechi. I had to fix that thought because Kelechi averages just 0.4 dribbles per game while Nwakaeme averages 1.7, for a little bit of perspective, Mbappe averages 1.3 dribbles per game.
So you see? Nwakaeme is actually a very polished player.

A few months ago on this thread when Nwakaeme's name popped up, about all the commenters derided him because of his looks. I felt very pained but ignored them because it would have quickly turned into a dirty fist fight if I intervened. I see most people now putting Nwakaeme on their imaginary starting list but he was roundly insulted because of his looks, tells you how babyish and petty people can be.

TheGoodJoe:

I wonder where you got the notion I am against Aaron Samuel's inclusion. I see his addition to the squad to give the team a second option. My point is strictly against the term that physicality in front was our problem against South Africa. It was not but the lack of good final balls.

Colin Udoh and you may sprout the addition of Samuel to the team as Rohr's fix to our problem against South Africa, neglecting the return of Mikel as a fix too.

My point is that the coaches after reviewing the game with the video editor coming in handy, they decided that the striking position was our undoing in the game. That's the reason why they invited all the midfielders who featured in that game with Mikel (of course), whilst inviting 3 new strikers.
This should be enough indicator to you that they think the striking position was flat out against South Africa.
They evidence is starring you in the face.

TheGoodJoe:
I wonder why people continue showing pure ignorance to a clear fact. You have watched the replay of the match. You have seen repeatedly the clearly over hit passes and seen Nacho made fine runs. Baffling you have decided to toe the line of ignorance.

You can not change the fact. When we brought in Kayode who had more physical presence, there was literally no improvement. Our best chance to win the game was in that first half. Unfortunately, we overhit the passes.

Every man is entitled to his opinion. Thankfully the manager in charge is of different opinion from yours after reviewing the game. He has since realised his mistakes and have been open to make adjustments by inviting battle hardened guys who will give us the result. You can keep talking about misplaced passes while Rohr does the right thing.

I don't understand why people see Aaron Samuel as solely a tough man striker. From what I've seen of Samuel during Keshi's reign, he was quite a skilful player who possessed outstanding technical abilities. I recall the scissors kick he nearly scored with in his debut match in Abuja. Against Congo, he showed his technical ability once more by taking on the Congolese defence and scored a beauty which drove the Congolese fans crazy. Even Anthony Nwakaeme have displayed speed, Skills and guts to take defences on in the Europa league. If he was all brawls without brains, he wouldn't have been the best player in Isreal for about 2 seasons now. There are lots of Brazilians and Argentines in the Israeli league. Skill for skill, Kelechi has nothing on Nwakaeme. Anyone in doubt should ask me to provide evidence.

Nigerdeltaboi:
Colin Udoh, KweséESPN Regional Editor 13h

Samuel recall is good news for Super Eagles

Fortune sometimes finds its own unsolicited way of rearranging the pieces on the board, and Nigeria striker Aaron Samuel is the latest benefactor in that regard.
Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has moved CSKA Moscow forward Samuel up from the standby list to the main squad, in the wake of Arsenal's Alex Iwobi being forced to withdraw with a leg injury.
Under normal circumstances, losing a first team player would be a weakness, a blow to the squad, especially as they are facing African champions Cameroon in a set of 2018 World Cup qualifiers this coming week.
But these circumstances are not normal, and this small piece of misfortune could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the Nigerians.
Make no mistake, Iwobi is a fine, tidy, skilled, and cerebral football player. There is a reason he plays for Arsenal, after all. But games between Nigeria and Cameroon have historically not been about finesse.
Intelligence, yes. Nwankwo Kanu's visionary pass to find John Utaka for the winner at Afcon 2006, for example. Skill, perhaps. Here, that sublime Samuel Eto'o finish in Lagos in the 2000 Afcon Final comes to mind.
There are numerous other examples where brilliance, skill, and intelligence have decided the games. But they have, for the most part, happened after brutally physical skirmishes with no quarters asked and none given.
While polished Iwobi would certainly have been an asset, 6ft2in Samuel's style appears better suited to this particular opposition, and in light of what is at stake, this particular set of games.
The CSKA man is big, burly, and quick, and would sooner stop breathing than shy away from a scuffle. Putting himself in harm's way in search of goals comes as second nature, and it's how he got his first of only two goals for Nigeria.
Against Sudan in 2014, he found himself amidst a sea of bodies and instinctively threw out his favoured left peg into the fray to stab home a close range rebound.
He would be the perfect muscle foil or substitute for any of the starting forwards, whether it is Odion Ighalo or Kelechi Iheanacho. It would not be at all inconceivable to see him as a starter.
Samuel is not lacking in the skills department, and can match almost any of the other forwards for speed of foot and thought. But where he takes the edge is in his ability to get into, and come out on top of, a good scrap.
It is a characteristic the Super Eagles missed against South Africa in June, and it is one they will sorely need against the Indomitable Lions on 1 and 4 September .

So Colin observed that we missed a physical presence against South Africa when some people wanted to make us believe the balls were not coming for the wonder boy to tap it in
Why is nobody talking about going for speed and skills while shying away from the physical challenge the Camerounians will bring to the table? I guess it has become old story since reality have finally set in.

I believe it was a blessing to have lost that game against SA. If we hadn't lost the game, I trust Rohr to invite Osimhen and probably leave out Ighalo and Aaron. What a sight it would have been watching Oshimhen warm up on the sidelines to rescue the team in Yaounde

Joebie:
Joel Obi makes Whoscored's best XI in Italy

A glance at his dashboard tells me he was the highest rated midfielder in the Seria A last week.
I hope he has finally gotten over his injury worries. He possess a well educated left foot.

And the knives keep coming out. Its like a diick swinging contest now on the thread.

Petrobros:
You cannot be talking about federal character in the national team setting.

Let the best get the nod. Of they are from a particular section of a country so be it.

Not only in football. Nigeria will be great if we reward excellence and always go with our first eleven in critical sectors of the economy.
I'm not a fan of turn by turn politics as we have it presently.

What else can a man ask for?
Rangers win away from home practically putting to bed any talk of relegation and D'tigress crowned African champions
Congratulations champion girls...
POWER!

This team have been outstanding from their first game in this championship. Totally deserved the win. Congratulations to the girls and Sam Vincent.

Humility017:
Aaron Samuel called to replace iwobi due to an undisclosed injury he sustained...
and Uche Agbo of standard liege called to camp...

source: All Nigeria Football

Makes sense to call an extra body in defence. We were one man short from the initial list. I wonder what Rohr and the technical committee were thinking before publishing the first list.
Iwobi wasn't going to get on the pitch in these type of games anyway.

Please let's not turn this thread to a battle field of ethnic warlords and tribal champions. As an adult I have my own political views which I forget about when I talk about football.

I have had disagreements with forgiveness in the past especially when he claimed Thiago Ilori was better than the current defenders we have in the Super Eagles. I had an incline that there was a tribal colouration to his position but I countered him facts and figures.
If he says Kayode is better than Onyekuru or Nwakaeme and you think otherwise, bring your data to back up your claims while he brings his. That way we maintain the integrity of the thread and bystanders can actually learn a thing or two.

I actually don't take it too serious what forgiveness says sometimes, I see him as the chaos factor and court jester of the thread. Every successful forum have these sort of posters. Even Kickoff some people are making reference to have posters like forgiveness whose diverse opinions made Kickoff what it was.
Personally I wouldn't want forgiveness to quit the thread.

By the way, Congratulations to D'tigress. The team looks good to make a statement at the world championships. They have been shooting teams into submission throughout this championship, they can easily blow out Senegal just like they did at the group stages.
Ride on girls!
Go for gold!
Power!

forgiveness:
Peter Olayinka has scored again. Based on past glory, ONYEKURU AND IHEANACHO are not qualified to be called, ba?

I'm a huge fan of this Olayinka guy. Top talent... Top player... Proper footballer, Shine on! .

Power!

Joebie:
take note.. I said proved his mettle at a higher stage than Kayode -- Champions League qualification. He did not just play at a higher stage. but proved his mettle as well. That's an advantage over Kayode. And that is a fact.

Playing Champions league qualification games against Qarabag and Maribo is not any higher than Europa league.

forgiveness:
Based on past glory theory some players should not be on the list.

Number one on the list is HENRY ONYEKURU. Zero goal, zero assist and *cough*that's it.

Number two on the list is KELECHI IHEANACHO... Zero goal, zero assist and 8 minutes of game time. Chisos!

While Ahmed Musa don score for the only match he played and Moses Simon has done nothing special as Henry though he has more game time than Onyekuru yet some people want them out just because of ONYEKURU.

Can Onyekuru play free kick better than Simon Moses? can Onyekuru play SS, RM, AM, LM & CF better than Moses Simon?

OK, Taiwo Awoniyi has scored 1 goal and assisted twice in 3 matches, why is he not mentioned or called? Is this not present glory?

Based on Rohr claims of lack of game time one player ought not to be in the team..

Kelechi Iheanacho......

Why did Rohr exclude Kayode Olanrewaju? Mafians ruling the national team as a cult. I guess.

I'm surprised you didn't mention Olayinka. The guy have been the best Nigerian player in Europe this season so far. He has been tearing teams to pieces all season. Apart from. Victor Moses, no winger in this SE team can lace his boots as I speak.
No jokes .

komekn:
I disagree with your position, I am suprised you even have that view. Considering your past substantive contributions.

It is the club that you play in week and week out, the performances and achievements you make in your club. That is what gives the rational and justification for your selection to the SE.

So if you are striker scoring 30 goals in Azerbaijan it's not the same as scoring even 5 goals in La liga.

I know that you know these things, perplexed.

We are talking about the Right Back position which is up for grabs owing to the fact that we don't have a specialist in that position. The better player in the Nigerian league who have displayed guts, skill and ability in that position deserves a look in. Going by his past antecedents as an ex youth international, Caf champions league and CHAN championship player, it makes sense to have him in the mix.
If he's performing in Nigeria, nothing stops him from performing in Cyprus and Netherlands where his competition for the position plays.
That has been my position

mumemma:
We need Chidi Odiah back....

I heard he's a New York taxi driver these days.

TheGoodJoe:

I think Eguavoen camped the U17 team in Manchester and they trained at Manchester United. That was where the coaches of Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson saw Mikel. He was to sign for Manchester United then but I think trying to spin a deal out of Mikel caused Anderson (who is an ally of Ferguson and then Mikel’s agent negotiated and brokered the deal to Lynn Oslo, hoping to sell him back to Manchester United for profit.

It backfired and Chelsea got Mikel. I think Anderson went to jail for forging Mikel’s signature.

Mikel should be thinking of publishing a biography. It will make a worthy read. There's more to that Man utd deal that even Ferguson could be tainted if the full report see the light. I believe he signed a non disclosure agreement with the powers that brokered the Man Utd deal anyway. Everything reeks of a maifa arrangement.

tbaba1234:
You sounded so certain that he could do a better job than shehu, Ebuehi and Aina but those players are playing in much better leagues. I do not think right back is a problematic position.There are several options ahead of Osas.

There you are once more passing judgment whilst using league ratings as a yard stick, not talent, individual ability or what the man could bring to the team.
When was the last time we had a true Right back impress for the Super Eagles? if we are being honest.
Funny enough, these guys you mentioned are playing for mediocre teams in their various leagues. I may not be having this argument if they were playing for Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
It will be much fun if we base our posts on the individual qualities of the players and not the Nigerian stereotype of where they are based.

I think it's time people stop berating the Turkish league. Something is brewing there. Just last week Samir Nasri transfered to Antalyaspor. Compasrims between Turkey/Championship is way off the mark following the transfer market trend.
Wish Alex all the best in his decision. That's all I can say.
************************

Alex Iwobi could make shock loan move: Galatsaray in talks with Arsenal over deal - report



Iwobi broke onto the first-team scene at the Emirates last season.
But a surprise exit to Turkey could be on the cards.
Galatasaray after in talks over a loan swoop for the Nigeria international, Takvim .
The report claims the Istanbul club's sporting director Cenk Ergun has opened talks with Gunners top brass about a deal.
Iwobi is under contract with the north London club until 2020.
He made 38 appearances last season, but with many of those run-outs coming off the bench, his development may be boosted by a season of starting week-in, week-out in Turkey.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/640135/Arsenal-transfer-news-Alex-Iwobi-Galatasaray-loan-deal

tbaba1234:
That's the thing. You do not know how good a player is until he is tested at a higher level. How would Osas perfom in better leagues? That is the true test.

I belive this thread is about the Super Eagles not about players who perform in better leagues. If he can do the buisness for us in a position we are handicapped who gives a hoot if he can perform in Portugal or Belgium.
Do you honestly belive all the players in Europe or so called better leagues are better than this guy? That's the thing about makimg blanket statements.. I recall a player named Tony Hiberts, who played RB for Everton for many years. That individual, was one of the poorest technical players I've ever seen but Hey! He played for Everton, he's definitely better than everyone who never played in the Premiership.

tbaba1234:
That's the thing. You do not know how good a player is until he is tested at a higher level. How would Osas perfom in better leagues? That is the true test.

I belive this thread is about the Super Eagles not about players who perform in better leagues. If he can do the buisness for us in a position we are handicapped who gives a hoot if he can perform in Portugal or Belgium.

Humility017:
Okoro I believe can give rohr...some things to think about should he show his prowess in the upcoming chan....

Do. You know he was one of our best performers at the last CHAN? Check through your archives, you will see I'm not lying.

tbaba1234:
We have seen players who were explosive in Nigeria become average when they move abroad. You are as good as the standard where you play

So talent doesn't matter but where you ply your trade that's all that matters. Just a few months ago, you watched Cameroun with players from Czech Republic and Bulgaria grab the AFCON.
If we go by your analysis, it means Zambia with players culled from Congo Kinshasa should be stripped off the AFCON they won back in 2012. How dare Zambian players from Zesco beat Ivorian players from Chelsea, Man city and Liverpool.

I am an advocate of talent no matter where they play. Hulk used to play in Japan before he was bought by Porto where he dominated Europe. Kante was playing for a 3rd division French club just 4 years ago.
Look at Dembele, who was bought from Nice just last season for €18M, is being transferred to Barcelona for €120M. Barcelona would have saved a whopping €100M if they spotted him earlier. That's the thing with talents, things can happen very quickly at the drop of the hat.
Talent is not directly proposional to country of residence.

You can't make such a blanket statement that all the players who left NPFL have struggled in Europe therefore,every player in the NPFL will flop. That's too simplistic. Learn to give people a chance.

tbaba1234:
They already knew about him and could easily track his development based on what they had seen. Adegbenro on the other hand does not have that background.

If they were tracking him while at Lynn Oslo it means they were watching the Norwegian league. Same could be said about Samuel Adegbenro, someone somewhere is watching him. His data is on the spreadsheet.