charlesemeka85: mikel being deployed as a number 10 by rohr is because of the team's lack of a creative midfielder. if mikel is a super 10 why didn't any of chelsea's coaches risk him in that position during his stint with the londoners? in his present club in china does he play as a 10 often? lets not allow sentiment cloud our sense of reasoning. he is loved by all but his talent and experience will be better utilized if he is deployed as a central midfielder
charlesemeka85: lol i'm just saying the way i see it. mikel playing as a central midfielder doesnt mean he is a lesser player but the best position where his enormous experience will be evident and utilized by the team
Mikel has been most effective for us in recent years as a number 10. Why take him back to CM?
BascoVanVeli: That's not wat the video is about o. Plus the problem is not him being behind Mikel but also being behind Iheanacho and Etebo.
I know. I just made a general comment which is in line with people's preference for Iwobi over Mikel in that number 10 role. And heck no. Iwobi is definitely ahead of Iheanacho and Etebo in that role.
gamaliel9: I know world cup setting is different from friendly matches,Argentina had Perez,Dybala,Celso and Banega in the midfield against us...they also play for big teams and are even younger than Croats midfield of Modric,Kovacic,Rakitic et al...one is thing that is going for us is speed...Modric is surrounded by young legs in Madrid unlike in Croatia..
Yeah, you hit the nail on the head. Our relatively younger midfield players can use pace to out perform the Croats. I need an Ndidi-Etebo combo in that midfield.
Humility017: I think your reservation regarding iwobi Playing the AM role against Croatia is abit reasonable.... reason because the lad hasn't master that role perfectly like mikel...
but still he can often come in as sub for mikel....during the world cup..
Nope we can have both on the pitch.
Iwobi's good understanding of football makes him combine well with Mikel.
Mikel plays the number 10 role, while Iwobi combines from the flanks.
Iwobi no doubt is a highly talented AM. But he is second choice to Mikel in that position. His lack of consistency is still my major source of worry. But Mikel delivers any day any time.
MetalJigsaw: Dominating them is very possible if we field the right combo. The one you suggested really looks good.
That is it. Make one of the DMs just sit and shield the CB and put a workaholic DM/CM that can easily switch positions depending on who is in possession of the ball.
Humility017: bro...please calm down with your words... we are all.learning no need for harsh words..simply because we don't agree on same stance...
his tactics will better work when we play a team like Iceland but I still fear...for us..regarding our difficulties in making good passes upfront... but should mikel and iwobi, etebo or ogu get to play from the middle.....the passes will all come in...and the midfield can be choked...
Nopes, that is contrary to my proposition. Against Croatia We choke up the midfield and hit them on the counter. While we adopt a more attacking approach against Iceland.
charlesemeka85: mikel will sparkle if deployed as a central midfielder or a deep laying play maker (the andrea pirlo/michael carrick role).mikel lacks the speed and shooting ability to operate as a number 10. i believe alex iwobi is blessed with the skill set to metamorphose into a mercurial attacking midfielder. another player who should be nurtured for that role is qpr's eberechi obi after the mundial
jihday: I think this was keshi's strategy at the last World Cup and we were piss poor against France and Argentina, if not for enyeama Benzema abs Di Maria would have destroyed us in both games
We were not particularly poor against France. Infact we held the midfield until Onazi was injured.
Joebie: He is only speaking from the scenario when we are controlling the game. What if they have a better possession? Who keeps possession more dictates more were the ball is played. We’ve been more likea counter attack team
How do you control a game that you have already gifted out the midfield?
Humility017: iwobi can as well play the AM role...
should we go with mikel as AM...it means onazi has to sit on the bench for one of ogu, etebo.... taking look at the Croatia midfield...you will agree with me...those men are experienced bones.. that only experienced players like mikel and ndidi can match...
We all have agreed that the counter attacking approach would be best for the team. That is why we need Mikel as the AM. Those killer passes that will set our strikers apart for a kill.
Iwobi does not have that kind of eye for killer passes as Mikel does.
Humility017: exactly bro...we need an experienced mikel to play the CM role...together with ndidi I trust the interceptions and tackles to be neat and less rash....
By deploying Mikel to the CM you are reducing the potency of our attack. Yet you are agreeing we should gift out our midfield.
Joebie: I think this is what Rohr tried against Serbia Poland. we didn’t lose the Serbia game at the midfield. Mikel and Ndidi playing as pivot DMs would neutralize the midfield threat of the Croats. Let’s not forget the duo also have attacking instincts. Our ability to switch up play will be crucial — counter attack being our strong point.
And some one is saying we should gift them the midfield and go through the wings. Are wings not part of midfield?
realpoacher: Its amazing that you watch several matches every day but you seem ignorant of tactics teams deploy against each other. I bet that you see these tactics but just choose to remain stuck to some old school believe about football.
On this thread, several times in the past, it has been said here that football have evolved. The dynamics have changed. But it seems that many people are yet to come to full grasp about how football is currently played on their screens.
If we were both managers, i Nigeria's coach, you Croatia.... You play me from the middle and i will play you from the sidelines... At the end of the day, Baba i will beat you silly
Firstly, please keep this discussion as civil as possible. No need for the use of provocative words. We are only rubbing minds and discussing tactics.
Now, back to the discussion. Yes I watch matches almost everyday mostly club matches. And during international breaks I watch national team matches across different continents.
What most of us here don't understand is the national team setting is usually different from club settings. Club coaches find it convenient staying with coaching of clubs while national team coaches find it convenient coaching the national teams.
Look at the way national teams play and look at the way clubs play. Dont you notice any difference in the approaches?
With clubs a coach can come up with any form of tactics and go out in search of players they feel can fit into such tactics but for the national team you are only limited to the players you have. You cannot buy a ready made player to come and play for you.
National teams are set up such that if you don't win don't lose because the chances to redeem yourself after losing a game are so few. The WC is held every 4years. Unlike Clubs that play weekly at times twice a week. You get whipped on Wednesday you have another competition on Saturday to correct your wrongs.
National team tactics are mostly conservative!
Watch how national teams play and Watch how clubs play and you will understand. You now wonder why so many AFCON and WC group games end in draws. And penalty shoot-outs at knock out stages. Yes, football is dynamic and has evolved over time but the national teams would always adopt the safest approach. You are citing cases of Real Madrid do we have the kind of quality those clubs have?
To your point, you are saying we should gift them the midfield and follow the wings. I hope you don't see the midfield as only the center circle. For your information, part of the wings are also part of the midfield. When you lose possession of the midfield how will you get the balls across to the wingers?
Hold on to your beliefs and let me hold on to mine. No one gets a trophy for winning any arguments here. But once again try remain civil in your comments.
Nairatrenders: With the 2018 World Cup just two months away, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr is putting finishing touches on Nigeria’s dream team.
To get us well hyped for the tournament in Russia, Rohr has revealed Nigeria will play a friendly match against Atlético Madrid.
According to Soccernet, the Super Eagles will use the match to appreciate the government and people of Akwa Ibom State for their support so far.
With three friendly games and the World Cup waiting for the senior team, Rohr said he won’t feature senior players in the friendly match. So it’ll fall on either the CHAN Eagles or selected home-based players to take on the Spanish club.
The friendly match will not only give Nigerian football fans the chance to see stars like Fernando Torres and Diego Costa, it’ll also be a big opportunity for the Nigerian team to test their skills against a 115-year-old club currently in second place in the UEFA ranking.
The game will take place at Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on May 21.
realpoacher: Wrong strategy, you can't "match" a team in the midfield who is presently obviously stronger than you in that regard, that will be tantamount to suicide because they will definitely take the midfield away from you and punish you. Remember they are better than you as you said.
What you should do as a weaker opponent in the midfield is to gift them the midfield but limit their time ⌚ on the ball. How do you do that, its simple, spread or stretch them in the middle and at their defense line. If you can successfully do that, you make their midfield control useless.
How do you spread or stretch a team who plays possessive football in the middle?
- Best formation against such is 4-3-3 or 3-5-2
- Best strategy is mass attack - mass defense
Now with either of those formations with the strategy i spoke of, your players will have to gift the middle to their opponents, its not a contest, whether you gift it willingly or not, they will still take it by force, so it is better you gift it by choice and concentrate your energy where it matters most.
When the middle is gifted, your midfielders will spread out to the touch lines when in possession and keep the ball there, they will extend it forward to the opponents final third, to the wings, from the wings, your forwarders can easily cut-in, or pull out, or do whatever.
When out of possession, your midfielders will just form a wall around your 18 yard, such a wall would be very difficult to break, and when your opponent loses possession to you in such location, Bros trust me, your counterattack will be deadly.
Real live Simulation:
I have watched European matches alot to know what i am saying. Lets look at Real Madrid.
Their most used formation 4-3-3.
Real Madrid rarely play possession football. I mean, they are good in the midfield, very good, no doubt about that. But many times in the UCL, they have come against teams who are better compared to them yet they keep winning. If you compare player to player, most times, they fall short in ability compared to their opponents, but guess what,? They keep winning... For two years now!
Their secrets is simple, they gift their opponents the middle.!! Full stop!!.. They mostly outplay their opponents from the sidelines in the midfield, and wings from the attack. They spread you out in the middle, and wear you out. Make no mistake, if you dare to match them on the sidelines, they quickly switch to the middle because they can as well play from the middle too.
But many times you prove stubborn from the middle, they leave you to it and focus on the sidelines and wings. They combine this with a deadly counter attack too with C. Ronaldo leading the strike force. They use cutbacks alot alongside with pin point crossing. By the time you settle down, you are already a goal or two down. Such a demoralizing predicament.
From there on, your insistence on equalizing, the pressure, etc will make you increase your possessive play and also your frustration... Before you know it, you are exposed to deadly counterattacks at will for the rest of the match.
Against Croatia ��
Our Formation 3-5-2 Our strategy: Mass attack - Mass defense
We must resist the temptation to choke the middle with too much original DMs, Ndidi or Onazi alone will be okay. A double pivot AM of Iwobi and Mikel should be encouraged or A CM in Ogu and AM in Mikel should suffice. We must gift them that midfield and play from the sidelines inorder to catch them on the break(counterattack) !!
But if we decide to match them kick for kick, man for man in the middle then i am sorry, we will be whooped! No two ways about it.
When you gift your midfield away you will lose control of the game, starve your forwards of balls, plus your defense will come under serious threat and will capitulate. Na white washing be that.
The best approach is still to choke up the midfield, and try to shield your defense while also capitalizing on breaks to hit them on the counter.
TheSuperNerd: Lol.... Tempting right? But look keenly Sir Basco, It is possible. In a 4-3-3, we could have Samuel Chukwueze and his devastating left foot coming in akin to a young Robben from the right.. And then Peter Eneji will operate from the left... That could be mouth watering potentially. But it is all up to Coach Aigbogun and the crew shaa... **shrugs**
Not really been following Samuel Chukwueze's development. What do you know about his recent performances?
TheSuperNerd: NFF contact CAF on U20 AFCON qualifier against Guinea Bissau as Flying Eagles beat Pars Academy
Worried by the continued silence of Guinea Bissau FA, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have reached out to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to ascertain the status of the Flying Eagles forthcoming fixture in Bissau.
“The NFF have written to CAF as regards the U20 AFCON qualifier against Guinea Bissau as they are yet to hear from the host FA,” an official told SCORENigeria
“We hope we get a response not later than today.” The continued silence by Guinea Bissau has fueled speculations that they may well have pulled out of the match despite shocking out Sierra Leone in the previous round.
However, a journalist in Guinea Bissau has told SCORENigeria that the match will go ahead as arranged. He said the game will be played in Bissau on Saturday, May 12.
In the meantime, the Flying Eagles beat Pars Academy 3-0 in another friendly played today in Abuja.
The U20s are due to fly out on Wednesday for Guinea Bissau.
MetalJigsaw: Nice but don't you think just one DM us insufficient against Croatia.
We need two DMs in that game . One that will sit in front of the CBs and one that supports the midfield when on the attack and falls back as a DM when we lose the ball.
MetalJigsaw: Three bottles of Guilder for you bro! And you must finish am o make you no east my money. hehehe
I'm glad someone here really understands the magnitude of Mikel's superiority and perfection more than any other player in the team when it comes to the highly sensitive, accuracy, creativity, brilliance and vision demanding AM role among any other player in the team. How can someone mention Iwobi when Mikel still exists in the team?? Oh my...
Sports › Re: "The Super Eagles Thread: The Road To AFCON 2027, 2028 And 2030 World Cup by Icon4s(m): 9:51pm On May 07, 2018
But it is all up to Coach Aigbogun and the crew shaa... **shrugs**