nairalanda1:


1.The British gave us railways, true, but the railways were narrow gague...which meant a trip between Lagos and Kano would take two days. MEANWHILE...by 1970's the same trip via road would take a whole day. That does wonders for passengers.

2.The railways the british gave us were for transporting goods and servicies. That's why they were darn slow. They were for transporting crops, metals, etc...people was an afterthought.

3.Railways failed in my opinion because they were heavily subsidised, and they lost money...plus road travel was quite simply a bit faster.

It's only now we are getting standard gague railway lines.

By the way, the extension of the railways to Maiduguri was completed after independence. A major project. Railways worked at least till 1990...when they collapsed.

Thanks for the exposé.

The kind of historical perspectives I love to see.

iamoyindamola:

Funny enough same saka was voted the overall best winger in 2023

You're getting carried away.

BlueRayDick:


E be like say the 20 years the guy talk say he don dey watch arsenal , na mistake . Most likely he meant 20 days .

Saka that has not had one bad season ever since he made first team . Saka wey we dey complain make Arteta dey try rest small.

I just weak for that guy . If a winger scores, crest chances for others and still tracks back and u are not impressed ; what then will impress u?

He’s the first person I will see that despises saka whether as an arsenal fan or an opposition fan

When I mentioned Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard, my point was that at the end of the day, where can they genuinely take us?
By take us, I'm sure you understand where I'm going.
The only reason we got close to anything last season was because Gabriel Jesus played a major role. Once he was injured and the Saliba got injured, they struggled to rise to the occasion.
The only reason we have one Fa Cup is because Aubameyang stole the show. Aubameyang came with loads of experience, so it's easy.

Saka, Martinelli, and Odegaard, they might pull stats here and there and might be exciting to watch from time to time, but genuinely, I don't see them taking us to where we desire to go.
Their lack of experience is showing. I don't blame them.
Again, I talked about the lack of sufficient models in the squad.

Hopefully, you catch my drift.

daveP:


I will strongly disagree with you on this improper development talk. You're totally wrong there.

Have you seen Vini Jr and Rodrigo, both of Madrid doing like no be madrid dem dey upfront. Should i mention as many wingers that got predictable in last 5seasons from different clubs across 5leagues, with data to back up my stance?


Is Rashford improperly developed? Or should we go for Willian at Fulham? Or even Mudryk? I can go on but that's not for tonight.


Forget the development talk. It's not the case atall. Never was. Onana is predictable and has conceded 64 goals in 4months. Improperly developed??

Vini and Rodrygo all had models to help them become the force they are now. Go figure.
Are you not surprised that up till now, Saka and Martinelli are still not a force to reckon with in epl and World football? How come?
Vini and Rodrygo are not just forces to reckon with in Laliga, but in ucl and World football in general.

I hope you play football very well to understand my point.
It'll be very difficult to understand sometimes if you've not really played football to a certain level.

Vinnie2000:


You are so VERY correct.👍👍

Martinelli and Saka are currently Stuck right now and CAN'T develop further than their current abilities.

@their Current Age, Cristiano Ronaldo was already a Terror with Man Utd in 2006/2007 season. The likes of Thierry Henry and Ronaldo delima were Dribbling wizards at 22 years of old.

Only few Gunners fans know this Fact you just put down.

Even Jarrod Bowen of West ham is far BETTER than Saka now while for Martinelli, his case is Terrible.

The only good Thing about Martinelli is dat he is a Disciplined player who plays to Arteta's instructions
And marks well most times.

Otherwise, he is a BIG disappointment.

Bull's eye!
You grasp exactly the point I'm trying to buttress.
Saka and Martinelli are STUCK. And it's a cause for concern for us. A lot of people just follow players and don't study their game development.
Nobody is paying attention to the fact that they're being gradually destroyed in a subtle way given their very young age.

The danger there is that as time goes on, even the fans will see that they won't be able to compete at the top-top level. As a winger, once you can't take a player on, it's just a matter of time before even the management will look for options. Because unlike teams like Burnley, Sheffield, etc., we're a top club and we're going to demand quality players when we see, for instance, how Mohammed Kudus didn't think twice about striking the ball with his right foot to score against United today.

I'm just surprised Arteta isn't seeing this problem in Saka and Martinelli.

daveP:



Now imagine an actual 9 with that 25G/A too this season or next. That's my point. Saka and Nelli can't shoulder us always. I don't see it as "being reliant on the 9" because I've factored in days where many players won't get goals too. Nelli and Saka are on those kind of days this season, sincerely. What they need is someone to reduce that burden from them.


It's not like the everybody are even scoring. That's why Nketiah is our highest goalscorer after 18games.


Something needs to change up front. Nelli's performance tonight may getting replicated on big crucial nights and it will be more painful then. This is just to buttress the Saka numbers case which may not happen if something doesn't change.


A bitter fact is-Our wingers are predictable!!!!!!!!!!!

The predictability is why they struggle so much.
You could see them doing same thing over and over again that didn't seem to work.
This is an issue of improper development.
People are not seeing this because they score goals and make assists, but I've noticed this for a long time now.

The problem with an IMPROPERLY DEVELOPED talent is that they'll be found wanting when they're needed most. Why?
Because more than anyone else in the team, they're the ones most relied on for results.

Now, apart from goals and assists, let's be honest. How has Saka and Martinelli improved their game? Can you see it? I can't.

We saw how Alex Song grew and improved. We saw RVP, Fabregas, etc.
Among the major problem is the lack of models for them. They're their own models, and it doesn't work that way when you're not a TRUE special talent.

BlueRayDick:


Attached is Last Year’s official PFA EPL team of the year . Guess what ? Saka had 25 Goal/Assist contribution out of 88 goals we scored , e did that as a winger to earn a place on that team.

Do u know more than the PFA or what exactly ? Or u no just like Saka ?

Interesting.
You use stats to judge your players as opposed to what you watch on the pitch?

Ibrahim3307:
Diaby as a model to Fabregas?

I included Diaby because he came to Arsenal not so long after Fabregas came.
And because Diaby was a top talent, it also helped him in a way.

Surely, you saw all the players I mentioned.
We don't have them much to raise the standard of Saka and Martinelli.
That was my point.

BlueRayDick:


Maybe he lost serious money betting both players will score in this game ; maybe na why he wan cancel them

I don't play bet, lol.

Roland17:


I no sabi why God hold me back after typing nearly 5 serious paragraphs. The thing really vex me.. I mean, pesin watch us over the last 7 years and na Martinelli and Saka be him problem?

While I made an oversight, I meant wingers.

And yes, since I was talking about Wingers, Saka and Martinelli are amongst our major problems in attack.
Then add Odegaard - who's supposed to be our chief influencer but doesn't influence games at all.

Jodera:
Omorr, this is the worst performance I've seen from Martinelli in an arsenal shirt. He's been poor lately but this is the height of it. Gosh, I almost hated him today

Also I noticed our players, attackers mostly are mostly predictable in their moves. Once we reach 18yard box for a shot, Saka is always expected to cut into his left and shoot while Martinelli does same in the opposite flank. The worst part is that opposition knows that's what they want to do and they'll block the space leaving room for shots with their weaker foot, yet our attackers would still want to force it and it's killing our goalscoring chances. Last season we were very unpredictable as Saka scored some right footed shots at the wing (Everton and Leeds for example) while Martinelli scored some left footed shots (west ham and crystal palace for example). Now, they don't even try it at all. If they don't cut in to take shot, No show!!
Also Martinelli needs bench time.

Havertz. While he's not been bad lately, but our attack dulls with him when he's on the ball. Sometimes players will be running and I'll be expecting him to release the ball to the attacker esp in space only for him to turn back and pass(killing the potential goalscoring chance). His workrate esp and confidence is getting better but he needs to add attacking facets to his game. He's an attacker Mf for crying out loud.

I think arsenal had their moments while Liverpool had theirs. Tho we were lucky with the Odegaard handball and Trent miss but overall it's a fair game.

Defence was good except for Zinny. Sometimes his overconfidence can be very very tiring. Tried defensively at least in the second half compared to his first half roasting. We need Tomi quickly

Not a bad result but we could have been better clinically

Before I drop pen, Big Hats off to Saliba and Rice. Those two have been holding this team well and giving the forward confidence. Gabu deserve a mention too


COYG!!!!

The Saka and Martinelli situation has been a cause for concern, and it is only being covered up by the immense displays of Rice and the defenders.

When Sanchez and Ozil were trying their best, the defence was whack aF.
The defenders are now doing well, and our attack is toothless.

Their unpredictability is a sign of IMPROPER DEVELOPMENT.
That's why they tend to blow hot and cold from time to time.

BlueRayDick:


This na long 🧢, big okpata yarns .

If u want to lash out at Marzinelli for his Abysmal performance , feel free to do that but don’t disrespect Saka with this kind yarns .

U admit an attacker is giving returns of goals and assists and yet u claim he’s the worst attacker u’ve seen playing for arsenal ….. smh . I guess Lacazette, Joel Campbell and dem Chamakh are ur best arsenal attackers shebi ?

I don’t even think u read what u posted before posting it

It's actually an oversight.
It was supposed to be wingers.

Saka and Martinelli are Wingers.
And it is the both of them and not just Martinelli alone.

As a Gunner, I'm not sure if I'm the only one worried about our attackers, saka and Martinelli. Then add Odegaard to the mix.
They're just too poor for my liking.
Yes, every player tends to have off days, but the off days of saka, Martinelli and Odegaard are so much that it tends to be covered up by the better displays of Declan Rice, and the rest of the defenders on the pitch.

I said before that saka and Martinelli are not Special Talents. If you see a Special Talent, you'll know.
The problem with the both of them, including Odegaard is that because they have no models, they're unlikely to develop more than they already have. I will never get carried away by the goals they score because, no. They're not DEVELOPING.

Compare with Fabregas, who had a lot of models around him (Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Viera, Edu, Kanu, Campbell, Toure, Hleb, Rosicky, Diaby, Adebayor, Gilberto, Ljungberg, etc), it was easy for him to raise his game and also learn from the best.
Who and who would I consider models where saka and Martinelly can raise their game and learn from? There's literally know one.
That way, you can see that years have gone by and there's nothing like GAME PLAY IMPROVEMENT in saka and Martinelli. We might want to say, "oh, they scored 15 goals a season." Yes, they did. After that, there's nothing else to show in their game.
It becomes a cause for concern because you genuinely wonder where these attackers can take us.

I was under the impression Trossard was better than Martinelli and saka, but the lack of models in the team means he's struggled to even replicate the game play he brought from Brighton, and has struggled to even raise his game.

I've been a Gunner for more than 20 years and I can tell you for free that saka and Martinelli might be scoring goals and giving assists, but they're the worst WINGERS we've had since I started following Arsenal.
I hope I'm NOT the only one paying keen attention.

Edit: Wingers and not attackers.
My bad here.

As a Gunner, I'm not sure if I'm the only one worried about our attackers, Saka and Martinelli. Then add Odegaard to the mix.
They're just too poor for my liking.
Yes, every player tends to have off days, but the off days of Saka, Martinelli and Odegaard are so much that it tends to be covered up by the better displays of Declan Rice, and the rest of the defenders on the pitch.

I said before that Saka and Martinelli are not Special Talents. If you see a Special Talent, you'll know.
The problem with the both of them, including Odegaard is that because they have no models, they're unlikely to develop more than they already have. I will never get carried away by the goals they score because, no. They're not DEVELOPING.

Compare with Fabregas, who had a lot of models around him (Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Viera, Edu, Kanu, Campbell, Toure, Hleb, Rosicky, DIaby, Adebayor, Gilberto, Ljungberg, etc), it was easy for him to raise his game and also learn from the best.
Who and who would I consider models where Saka and Martinelly can raise their game and learn from? There's literally know one.
That way, you can see that years have gone by and there's nothing like GAME PLAY IMPROVEMENT in Saka and Martinelli. We might want to say, "oh, they scored 15 goals a season." Yes, they did. After that, there's nothing else to show in their game.
It becomes a cause for concern because you genuinely wonder where these attackers can take us.

I was under the impression Trossard was better than Martinelli and Saka, but the lack of models in the team means he's struggled to even replicate the game play he brought from Brighton, and has struggled to even raise his game.

I've been a Gunner for more than 20 years and I can tell you for free that Saka and Martinelli might be scoring goals and giving assists, but they're the worst WINGERS we've had since I started following Arsenal.
I hope I'm NOT the only one paying keen attention.

Edit: Wingers and not Attackers.
This was an oversight.

Interesting story.

But it beats me, you know?
What kind of Professor coming from the US travels in such a weird way? Haba!

Abi na so he like adventure ni?

PapaNnamdi:


how I go collect loan 2times

There was a financial report I saw of Nigerians calling in to obtain loans every minute of the day.
Some are usually denied, some are accepted.
While a lot pay back in due time, some people delay. Some come back to pay after a year after e don hook for neck and realise they can't move forward.

You think because everyone is doing well around you, they have money?
The people that don't beg you for money when you have because they know you won't give, where do you think they sort alternatives?
Through Loans, lol.

PapaNnamdi:
My own question is, why is fair money giving huge loans just like that without collateral or anything for this Nigeria wey we dey,

for my front person collect 150k loan

another 300k loan,
by just registering on app,

Nigerianz wey no de gree pay back

what is fair money getting back in return

Well, I don't think it's everyone they give loans, lol.

You'll be surprised that you'll input your details and get denied.
BVN, phone number and bank records play a huge role.
As long as that bvn is in place, unless you no wan do anything banking again, e go hard make u collect loan and not pay sha.

In the US, you wan buy car or collect loan, dem go first check your credit score.
If I still remember correctly, people having 750 and above could move forward with their application in the US. But below that, a BRAND NEW 2024 car go dey look you, and you no go fit carry am go house because you've got a messed up credit score.

Mrice22:
I was shocked when I wanted to book for flight from Lagos to Owerri 250k Air Peace.. I just respect myself enter Night Bus to Owerri at 18,500.. I endure the stress but flex the next day wey be Sunday still get enough money left.. I even reason to de attachment for the car..😂😂

Lol, how much was attachment?
I remember entering attachment those days, lol.

Olawade24:



Oga, how come you know every member of your family history.

You be sango ni

It's just 20th century.
E no too old naaa, lol.

At the end of the day, it all depends. I'm in my 30s and I'm unmarried.

My grandfather married in 1944 at 32 and his marriage lasted 30 years till his wife died in 1974. Married again in same 1974 and it lasted 12 years till he died in 1986.
My late uncle married at 25 in 1970 to a wife 7 years older than him and he lived with her 42 years (dying in 2012).
His junior brother (my dad) married at 30 and the marriage didn't last 8 years. He married my mother and it didn't last 5 years.
He brought back same wife and he nearly died in the marriage. He kukuma say, "I no do again" and abandoned everyone to live the solitary religious life he always wanted to live (almost became a priest and last minute it went south).
His junior brother, my uncle, who was 12 years and 8 years their junior, married at 36 and his marriage is 30 years this month.
He's 66 and his last child is 18 and in University.

My aunt (father's elder sister) married a man at 42 (in 1967) when she was 19, and the marriage lasted 40 years till he died in 2008.
My aunt again (father's junior sister) married a man at 38/39 in 1980 and their marriage lasted till he died early this year, after 43 years.


At the end of the day, it all depends. Some work, some don't.
I encourage those wanting to marry to always inquire from God in their quest to get married. My own family was destroyed due to bad marriage decisions.
Father, step-mother, mother, siblings; all alive but scattered, with no atom of emotional bonding.

Adewale1603:
offa, kwara state

Maybe Kwara sha.
That note wasn't even available in Lagos as at the mid to late 90s.

Kobicove:


Is he still getting first team call-up for his country?

Peter Shilton was number 1 goal keeper for England until he retired at about 40 years of age

He is.

Nice.
But how does it work? Do they get paid extra, or...?

Kobicove:
He should know that the life span of a footballer career is very short, once you get to a certain age attention shifts to younger players.

The only goal keepers that I know of who were still actively getting first team shirts in their national teams after crossing the age of 35 were Peter Shilton of England and that scorpion-kick goal keeper from Colombia

Neuer is 37.
Wouldn't drop till he decides to.

Wande Coal...

I don't know why I personally feel this guy's talent was always superior than many that have graced the music stage.
Except on a personal level, he didn't really blow like the rest. Well, he blew in his own right sha, but God knows best.

Interesting goal, tbh.

I was always looking at her as someone that was already done. The manner in which she scored was like she was making a direct statement to me that she wasn't.
Happy for her. Not easy.

aQUINandmore:
edo state, what public primary schools pay then was handwork and it was 3 naira. I'm talking about 97,98,99.

Probably a govt school, correct?
As at same 1997 as a primary school student in Lagos, my tuition was in the thousands ọ.
Maybe less than 5k or 3k, but definitely in the thousands.

aloyin:
This made me remembered the day I stole #1 note. I couldn't spend it. I think I was in primary 3 or so then. I gave it to mama alakara, she refused to sell akara for me, she asked me where I got the money from. I told her that my mummy gave me. She said is a lied that I stole it. I took it to iya alamala, she also refused to sell Amala for. I later took it to school. In the break I gave it to our food seller, she reported me to one of our teachers. I can't forget MR AFOLABI in my life . He beat the hell out of me, before taking me to the house. My grandma had been searching for the money in the room. Skater the whole room for the #1....... #20 note is the highest money then..... The highest money given to me by my grandma then is 25kobo (if I don't eat in the house). But if I ate food at home, I will only got 5kobo. And the 5kobo is enough to buy Amala or food in the break....... WHAT A LIFE

Damn! This was probably the 80s or thereabouts, shay?
Dem days when morals were still so high. Imagine 2 people refused to collect it and one reported you.

These days, someone wey im mama and papa dey struggle go bring iPhone 12 and there'll be no question. They'll even buy cars and cruise around and no one will bat an eye. Chooi.
Good ol days!

Adewale1603:
it can't be. I was born 1994, and all through the year 2000s, I spent that one naira notes. Until 2004 There was even a time they reintroduce the new one naira notes back around 2009 or 2010

Guy, which state was that?
Haba na!

themanderon:
The good old Herbert Macaulay note. I won't forget when I found 3 of those notes in one of my dad's old cloths he doesn't wear again. It was as if I hit the jackpot that day. I spent that 3naira for days and days on end. It was like a ten year old child finding free 3thoisand naira today. To think the value of that money then is worth thousands today I pitiful. Are we making progress or retrograding on a yearly basis?

This one go don tey ooo.
Like which year?

aQUINandmore:
in 98/99 we didn't pay school fees in primary school, what we were paying was 3 naira for handwork.
And you still get to see many kids sent home by their teachers, many parents were still unable to pay that 3 naira.
Mumsy too try abeg, she still singlehandedly sent two of us to the best private school in the town then.

N3 ke?
Perhaps, not in Lagos.

What state was this?

casualobserver:




Is he the only one that lives abroad? Has he spent as many years abroad as Okocha or Kanu? We know those who have been in the Uk longer than him, they don’t have funny accent, they have the same accent they have when they left for the Uk. Has he been abroad as long as Okonjo Iweala?

It is a fake accent, I was born in the uk, i cam back as a 5 yr old before again leaving, I spent more years in the uk than he has been there, I have a Nigerian accent. We know those who have been there longer than him. Don’t tell me what I know. It is a fake accent , it is an accent that betrays inferiority complex probably because of his background.

As for the Soyinkas and the Achebes, they were Colonial era Nigerians brought up to speak queens English. They were programmed to speak that way. In their days they not only studied English, many of that era also studied English phonetics/diction as a subject in school…it used to be called oral English. A slave colonial mentality concept. I am sure it has since been scrapped. Nigerians who were brought up in Nigeria post independence and who spent their formative years in Nigeria do not have fake accents.

Once you spent your formative years in Nigeria, your accent is fixed. Anyone who has lived abroad will tell you the difference between someone with a fake accent and someone with an inferiority complex seeking acceptance by white. Obis accent is a product of an inferiority complex. Bush man from the ghetto trying to sound like Oyinbo. You rarely see people properly educated with good social status/background speak with a fake accent….like I said it,s a clear sign of insecurity and an inferiority complex.

Can he be more Oyinbo than odemwinge? Odenwinge get fake accent? Abeg stop this nonsense.

I needed to point out a few things quickly.
Mikel has probably spent more years abroad than Okonjo - who mostly studied abroad but didn't necessarily live there as long as Mikel.
Odemwingie came to Nigeria early in life but he wasn't also born in an English speaking country but Russian speaking.

That said, I was worried about Mikel's accent and quickly went to do a research. Turns out he's been speaking almost same way for close to 20 years - as there's a video of him on YouTube with a timestamp of about 16 years ago - same accent.
It might be fake ooo, but you've made it sound like such accents can't be learned. It can. Tbh, there's nothing a big deal there. He probably put a lot of effort in learning it and that's possible too.

I'm not saying your assessment on the matter isn't profound, but we shouldn't rule out the fact that such can be learned and learned properly.