₦airaland Forum

TheGoodJoe:

I expect a better display from Simon on a better surface. With him and Victor on the wings, we will have brilliant pace.

In the middle, Iwobi there will bring in brilliance to create chances for Simon, Victor and Iheanacho.

In a crowded position, Iheanacho can use his stamina to drop deep to form a midfield triangle with Iwobi and Mikel to outplay a stubborn defence set-up. Keeping the midfield chain of Mikel-Iwobi-Iheanacho.

We need a lot of wing running in this set-up and the two Moses can do this well.

I have often said it that Iheanacho in a team makes u have 12 players on the pitch.

Have u also observed that Iheanacho's better games at City were when he was played as a Supporting striker and not as the lone striker?

When Iheanacho plays as a lone striker and does nt get the balls he becomes ineffective.

With Iheanacho as a number 10 in a 4-2-3-1, he can easily drift into the SS position and make it a 4-4-2. Meaning he easily switches btw 10 & 8.

Iheanacho likes being involved in build up play (number 10) and also likes getting involved at the end of the build up play (8 or 9). The 2nd goal against Zambia comes to mind.

Iheanacho playing behind the main striker would be more effective for us.

As for Iwobi, I have always seen him more as a number 10. If we make Iwobi "10" then we can set up the forwards line like this:

.................Ighalo

V.Moses...Iwobi...Iheanacho.

Here, Iwobi can alternate roles with Iheanacho from time to time. Iheanacho is also very deadly as a RWF. Iheanacho can also easily drift in to support Ighalo in this form:

.............Ighalo
........................Iheanacho
Moses.......Iwobi

TheGoodJoe:

My prediction:

.............................Ikeme

Omeruo....Balogun......Ekong........Madu

.......................Onazi
............................Mikel

V.Moses...........Iwobi..............S. Moses

.......................Iheanacho

Hmmm...I dnt see Madu starting ahead of Echiejile.

Rohr may want that Mikel-Iheanacho-Iwobi combo to continue from where it stopped. Iheanacho may b retained as an AM and nt the CF. U dnt change a winning formation(one of the rules of coaching ).

I dnt see Simon starting.

BascoVanVeli:
I am glad the coach did not turn his back on Musa, to me he is a victim of people's fear cuz hasn't done much wrong.

U need the big experience players for the big games. -Gernot Rohr (2016).

Sunnypa11:
Tyrone Ebuehi and Etebo headlines the Super Eagles List for Algeria
Dutch based 20 years old right back,Tyrone Ebuehi is a surprise inclusion for the November 12 clash with desert foxes of Algeria as Coach Rohr and NFF release the long awaited list on Saturday Night.
It also mark the return of Leon Balogun,Victor Moses,OdionIghalo after they were left against Zambia due to differents circumstances.
Dream team superstar, Oghenekaro Etebo is another GoldenAddition while John Ogu replaces Nosa Igiebor.
Full list
Goalkeepers
Carl Ikeme
Ikechukwu Ezenwa
Dele Alampasu
Defenders
Leon Balogun
William Ekong
Kenneth Omeruo
Uche Agbo
Tyrone Ebuehi
Abdullahi Shehu
Musa Muhammed
Elderson Echiejile
Kingsley Madu
Midfielders
Mikel John ObI
Ogenyi Onazi
Wilfried Ndidi
Oghenekaro Etebo
John Ogu
Forwards
Ahmed Musa
Kelechi Iheanacho
Moses Simon
Victor Moses
Odion Ighalo
Brown Ideye
Alexander Iwobi
http://nigfooty..co.ke/2016/10/tyrone-ebuehi-and-etebo-headlines-super.html?m=1

Now we can discuss team formation/Tactics.

My prediction:

..................Ikeme

Omeruo..Balogun..Ekong..Echiejile

.............Onazi
........................Mikel

V.Moses.....Iheanacho.....Iwobi

....................Ighalo

BascoVanVeli:
Its not hard to imagine his big visits were chelsea and watford. He didn't go just for pictures, he had an audience with both coaches and i'm sure he picked the brains for a thing or two.

.. for a thing or two like how the 3-4-3 will work against Algeria.

Bros he chose both teams bc Chelsea and Watford together have 4 Nigerian players. Chelsea also bc of the Mikel's non playing time and Watford could be to assess the recovery rate of Isaac Success. He also visited Arsene and Iwobi.

I guess he did not pick the brains for a thing or two from Wenger bc he does not play 3-4-3.

TheSuperNerd:
Loooolllllll....... No mind Sir Basco.... Hahahahahaha.....

Abeg na four center backs and three fullbacks dey that list....

He is just too in love with that 3back line thing.

Mickael2:
we have four full backs there not just three because Omeruo and or Leon can play as full backs so the 3-4-3 is a No go.

so that one aside, I for one do not like that 4-2-3-1 at all. it is too defensive minded, not to mention that I'd Mikel will start then the formation won't look like it should at all, I don't know why we can't just start with two strikers up top, slim down the number of midfielders we have in our game and go for a smooth transitional formation from defence straight to attack, not a formation that will have to control the midfield first which requires a lot of passes in midfield. I watched Senegal the other day, there midfield only had to win back possession and push the ball to the forwards immediately and it was working, keeping the ball in the middle for too long, especially with players like Onazi who can't make a square pass even if their lives depend on it is risky against these Algerians oooh, I have said my own

Bascovanveli is still mentioning that 3 back thing and yet he would say "it is not about the Algeria game".

For an opponent that is blessed with fine midfielders a crowded midfield is a good option.

Even if we dnt win, we should not lose.

BascoVanVeli:
Huh, this beautiful man named Rohr, chai! See me see good list. Idowu is the easiest steal ever cuz i'm sure Russia won't have called him ever. Also I think Rohr is going to look at 3 at the back, he selected 5 centerbacks and 2 fullbacks.

Please explain ur last sentence.

BascoVanVeli:
Oga don't even dare, we've had that convo already, this is not about Algeria and u know it. Ur comments were about the 3-4-3 being the worst system becos chelsea lost to west ham.

I am particular about its application or non-application to the national team. I am sure u know some peeps here are already clamouring for Rohr to adopt the formation.

joseph1013:
[So it's by ranking now? You believe based on FIFA ranking that Iran is superior to Algeria? [/b][/color]

Have you looked at the quality the Welsh team posses?

jotey:
the list is out



Goalkeppers
Carl Ikeme
Daniel Akpeyi
Dele Alampasu
Defenders
Elderson Echiejile
Brian Idowu
Tyrone Ebuehi *
Kenneth Omeruo
William Troost Ekong
Leon Balogun
Godfrey Obaboana/ Uche Agbo
Midfielders
Mikel Obi
Ogenyi Onazi
John Ogu
Shehu Abdullahi
Wilfred Ndidi
Forwards
Kelechi Iheanacho
Odion Ighalo
Brown Ideye
Alex Iwobi
Oghenekaro Etebo
Moses Simon
Isacc Success *
Victor Osimhen
Ahmed Musa
Victor Moses

Thanks!

joseph1013:
How come you like Moses but you say he wont listen to the instructions of coaches of African teams? I look at attitudes, not platitudes towards players to determine which players are favourites with some people here.

Common, Joseph, na u dey talk like this?

Are u telling me Moses has been as efficient in the Super Eagles as he has been under Conte?

U have forgotten how reckless he was against Tanzania?

The fact dat i love a player doesn't stop me from pointing out his weakness. Victor Moses when he comes to the Eagles usually loses that tactical discipline he displays at club level. U can take that to the CBN governor.

joseph1013:
I did. Please check the words you quoted.

Good that you mentioned Wales. Is Wales also better than all African teams? How come they can pull off formations that you think we can't?

Which African team is ranked as high as Wales?

joseph1013:
I see that you intentionally left Chile. Chile has always had more quality than all African teams, abi? African countries do not have the football brains to pull off what a country that didn't win any trophy for 99 years did during their dark years? Okay na. Continue.

African players are brain-dead with no ability to learn and switch formations.

I am sure u know African football well enough to understand what I am talking about.

joseph1013:
I see that you intentionally left Chile. Chile has always had more quality than all African teams, abi? African countries do not have the football brains to pull off what a country that didn't win any trophy for 99 years did during their dark years? Okay na. Continue.

African players are brain-dead with no ability to learn and switch formations.

And let me also help u add Wales.

joseph1013:


How many times have I said we should try them only in friendlies and low pressure games? Have I been singing to the choir?

Do Argentine players have most of their players playing in the same league when Bielsa used it with them? What about Chile?

Just say you don't like Moses. Saying Moses will not play to the instructions of the coach is below the belt. The players respect Rohr. And with the crop of players we have now, why are you under-estimating their technical and tactical ability to pull off all kinds of formations including 3-5-2 with enough training and devotion? It's not good that you are saying the same things that those white supremists say. Africans can do anything that people of other races can do. We are not inferior beings.

We dnt even need it in friendlies. We should instead use the friendlies to try natural LB and RB options.
4 defenders at the back is still the big deal.

And wait... i don't like Moses? Wow.

joseph1013:
What I dont understand is the attack on 3-5-2. You have never used it but you are afraid of it. If you check enough forums, you will see some people afraid of 4-5-1. What I see here is just bias.

It's not just clubs that use 3-5-2 for goodness sake. National team use it. Conte used it with Italy. Bielsa used it with Argentina. Prandeli used it with Italy too. Chile has also used it.

I seriously don't know why there is such opposition to trying out different tactics. If we have friendlies or have an extended period for camping, why not? What is the harm in trying new things in low pressure games?

Or is this about Conte and the issue with Mikel?

What is my own with Conte and Mikel's case. Did you see me make any comment critisizing Conte for not fielding Mikel?

U mentioned countries that play that formation as Italy and Argentina. These are teams that have quality in abundance to execute which ever formation they chose. Their players also have the tactical discipline to adhere to the instructions that will back that kind of formation.

We are in Africa.

Conditions are not right here. Our players play in different leagues and under different coaches with different idealogies. AFRICAN PLAYERS GENERALLY LACK TACTICAL DISCIPLINE.
There may b little or no time to for the boys to train together to adjust to an unfamiliar formation.

A 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation requires a lot of running and movements from the Wing backs/LMF/RMF. For our kind of climate/weather the steam in those wing backs will die out after 60mins of the game and the wall of Jericho of that team will colapse U know what will follow.

TheSuperNerd:
EX-EAGLETS STAR JOHN LAZARUS HEADS
OUT FOR BOAVISTA TRIALS

https://africanfootball.com/bp_images/2016/10/Nigeria_U_17_champions_4.jpg




Former Nigeria U17 defender John Lazarus will
this weekend fly out to Portuguese club Boavista
on trials.

The stocky right fullback, who played a key role
as Nigeria won a record fifth FIFA U17 World Cup
last November in Chile, has been courted by
several overseas clubs.

“He will leave for Boavista latest by the weekend.
All his travel documents have been sorted,” his
agent informed.

“It’s a big chance for the youngster and we hope he comes good there.”


The Abuja-born Lazarus, who was 18 in June,
featured in all seven matches as Nigeria were
again crowned world champions last year.
He was also part of the ill-fated Flying Eagles, who failed to qualify for next year’s U20 AFCON in Zambia.


Source: http://africanfootball.com/news/658993/Ex-Eaglets-star-John-Lazarus-heads-out-for-Boavista-trials

I have always had my eyes on this boy. He could end up as that illusive RB we have been searching for.

joseph1013:
Please read more about the formation. I can show you articles upon articles about the formation.

Do you know that Pep used that formation to conquer Europe at Barcelona?

You can't be rigid and say you will stick to a formation when you have personnel to play another formation brilliantly. Football has passed that stage. Coaches regularly switch formations in games nowadays. From 4-3-3 to 3-4-3 to 4-1-4-1 to 3-5-2. You cannot be static and say an experienced coach like Rohr should not try new formation. You never know when you will need them.

See, it is very normal for coaches to switch formations even in a single match. Football is dynamic as u rightly put it. A team can start up with a 4-5-1, switch to 4-4-2, switch to 4-3-3 & end up with 3-4-3 in a single game depending on the situation the team found itself during d game and what results it aims to achieve.

Nobody is saying 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 is not a good formation. There are so many factors to consider before a team adopts a particular formation for a particular game or competition.

Each of those formations have there advantages and also disadvantages. So many things are involved. They have their own risks elements. And several times u run ur cost and benefit anslysis for each.

IMO the formation with the least risk associated with it is the 4-5-1. MOST national teams in the world set-up their teams with this formation. A very balanced formation that can get u mass attack eg 4-1-4-1 or mass defence 4-4-1-1.U can also play with a crowded midfield eg 4-2-3-1. U can also easily switch to a 4-4-2 without making any substitution.

For a 3-4-3 formation u stand a risk of being over-run and demolished if ur opponents really capitalise on ur lack of RB & LB.

Clubs can afford to take more risks and perform more experiments than the national teams. Clubs spend more time together and usually have the quality of players to execute which ever formation they chose. Also Club competitions run every year and several competitions run concurrently in a year. So if u are out of one u still have others to take part in and then correct ur mistakes.

But for the national team? U dnt take any how risk. If u are out of a competition it will take u another 2 or 4 years to come back.

Let Conte and Pep be entertaining us with their 3-4-3. And let Rohr take us to Russia with his adopted 4-2-3-1.

Pls we are ok for now with that formation.

BascoVanVeli:
So why didn't u cry out about 4 at the back when liverpool trashed arsenal or just now when chelsea destroyed man u? This is football u win some u lose some, anything can happen.

Are you of the opinion that we try that 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation against Algeria? Tell me.

joseph1013:
All you've proven is that you don't like the system. Or may be it's Conte you dislike.

Conte has been found out? Because he lost an EFL cup to a full-strength West Ham playing a second-string team? I guess Pep has been found out with his 4-5-1 formation, right? At least he also lost to United.

Conte is no amateur. His Juventus 3-5-2 team won titles upon titles. He's a brilliant tactician.

I think that formation would work for Nigeria. Moses is made for that formation. Chelsea's not lost a game since he started featuring. Nigeria just needs to not rush it if the coach wants it. Friendly matches can be used as guinea-pigs.

Most times, you don't know what will happen until you try. For a lot of years, no one thought a formation outside 4-4-2 could win trophies.

That formation cannot work for an African Team.
We do not have both the time and tactical discipline to do such in the WC qualifiers that the team has barely 4-5 days to train together.

Club football is different from national team football. National teams that try such formation usually have most of their national team players playing in the same league and such it would be easier to build the Team Chemistry based on that formation.

A player like Victor Moses would keep to instruction at Chelsea but when he comes to Nigeria he would b playing to the gallery. Na that one u want make him play defense for u?

BascoVanVeli:
I watched that match it was the midfield that was getting over ran. Kante is not god and so he can't boss a midfield by himself against a full west ham squad.

That exactly is how to foil that formation. Over run or by pass the Midfielders with quick paced wingers and the 3 backs would be stretched leaving holes for the opposing attackers to feast on.

TheGoodJoe:
You are still preaching your three at the back gospel? Did you watch Chelsea against West Ham in the EFL Cup? By twenty minutes, the West Ham players laughed during their streams of attack.

They were allover Chelsea. They over crowded the wings and operated from the gaps at the defensive sides.

When Chelsea spread wide, they shifted the ball to the center and they were through many times.

Three at the back works with a well drilled defensive set-up.

When Mancini played three at the back, Richards said there were some positions the opponents took that he did not know who he was to mark.

See, I was jst laughing when i saw how West Ham wingers were running over the Chelsea defense. Antonio and Payet were jst enjoying themselves. But for poor finishing Chelsea would have been down 3-0 at half time.

I have played that 3-5-2 formation a couple of times on PS . Any opposition that have fast wingers will jst stretch and demolish the defence. What the opposition does is to press from the Midfield and put a through pass that will by pass the players at Wing back or LMF/RMF. One of the CBs will be committed to chase the winger leaving the other two CB with abt 3-4 attacking Players to handle. It happens also on PS.

The weakness in Conte's 3-5-2 formation has been found out.

There is nothing as good as playing the traditional 4 defenders.

Mickael2:
lol. Noooo! You know I like Ndidi pass all of them, I just said that Esiti is a better option than Onazi for me o. And somebody(I think it was you SIR) asked me if I had any replacement for Igiebor who was in camp then, I said Ogu or Igiebor can do it with Ajagun too

All these names u dey mention: Ogu, Igiebor, Ajagun no move market.

Mickael2:
the 3-4-3 can work for us, brilliantly too. You do not necessarily need two wingbacks for a 3-4-3, it depends on the kind of 3-4-3 you want to play. Like Barca under Pep would adjust to Abidal-Pique-Mascherano defence, with Alves pushing not into a midfield position but as a winger and Messi comes into the midfield instead so there will be literally no need for wingbacks. We can do that too since we have Omeruo-Ekong-Balogun as 3 good Cbs, Victor Moses can play that Alves role, but if we want to play the dual wingback formation then we might have a problem.

Conversely we could play a 3-5-2,
leon-Ekong-omeruo
moses-Ndidi-onazi-Iwobi
Mikel
Iheanacho-Ighalo.
I included Onazi there and positioned him beside Iwobi because Onazi is mobile and he will be the acting LB whenever we lose possession and Ndidi will be the standing DMF.

Is this proposal for the Algeria game?
I don talk my own about this una 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation o.

kentAire:
SHOCKER: Rohr Calls Up Victor Osimhen, Drops Esiti And Igiebor, Obaboana On Standby For Algeria Tie
image
Ahead of Nigeria’s Russia World Cup 2018 qualifiers game against Algeria, Owngoalnigeria.com can reveal more shock names included by manager Gernot Rohr for the November 12 tie in Uyo.

Once again, the ever reliable Muyiwa Lawal, whose twitter handle goes by the name @muyiwalawal, revealed to Owngoalnigeria.com the changes made to the list by the German coach.

Gent of Belgium powerhouse Anderson Esiti and Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Nosa Igiebor have both been dropped with the manager handing a recall to John Ogu, who has been in fine form for Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

” Apparently Rohr wasn’t satisfied by Esiti in the game against Zambia and Nosa has not truly lived up to expectation, the two times he has been called up. They are both not in the list but I can confirm to you that John Ogu made the list” @muyiwalawal said in a chat.

He also revealed that Wolfsburg super teen Victor Osimhen was handed a shock recall by the coach after missing out on selection for the previous tie against Zambia in Ndola.

Meanwhile Godfrey Obaboana has been placed on standby as Rohr is yet to decide between the Turkish based central defender and Granada of Spain Uche Agbo.

Emmm hu was it that said he would prefare a pairing of Esiti and Igiebor in the Midfield?

Michael2 right?

Well that wish is looking like it may not see the light of day.

Rohr surely knows his players.

Ernestly waiting for that list.

TheGoodJoe:

To me he was poor. He made lots of errors but I believe Conte used him wrongly. Why play him on the left?

I am judging him based on his age and and his level of exposure. Remember he is a defender. Young players fit in faster in attacking positions than in defensive positions.

Except mayb u expected too much from him.
He did jst ok for me.

forgiveness:
If I say I was impressed with Ola Aina's performance yesterday I dey lie.

Maybe because he played LB.


I want to see him play RB before I form my thought about him.

On the contrary, I was impressed.

For his age he showed so much confidence. Not shy of taking on the position. And he has this excellent ball holding capabilities. Very skillful and creative. He did better than most of those Arsenal Ajebos that played against Reading.

Due to the formation Chelsea played he played more as LMF than as a LB.

He did ok for me for a player of his age though I am still trying to figure out where to fix him in the Super Eagles if i was Rohr.

enomakos:
no wonder,i think they were drunk

No be drunkeness.Many of such people think they know abt football bt dey dnt know nada.

A good number of them are young peeps that only started watching football of late. The only memory such peeps have about "the Yak" is that miss against South Korea at the 2010 WC.

Yakubu Ayegbeni was a goals machine. IMO he has been our best striker since after Yekini.

I fear for this next AFCON.

With what is happening to Mikel at Chelsea, If we had qualified for the next AFCON do u think Mikel would want to attend?
Victor Moses too would have likely faked an injury.
Would Leicester City be willing to release Slimani and Mahrez? If Nigeria had qualified would Leicester be willing to release Musa after releasing the two earlier mentioned players? Would Watford be willing to release Ighalo and Success? There is also an Egyptian player at Watford. What abt Iheanacho and Iwobi?

Would Liverpool also release Mane?
What of Bailly of Manunited?

CAF needs to revisit the timing of the AFCON.

The clubs and players released would really suffer for it.

Sometimes i am even happy we are missing that AFCON. Our players can focus on their club careers and come blazing when the qualifiers resume.

enomakos:
who said odion ighalo is better than the yak?

Two guys were arguing it in a bar/viewing centre where i branched to watch a game last week.

It is obvious such people started watching football in 2010

forgiveness:
Thank God no be ya opinion pundits take judge.

If na ya own, Taiwo no for win bronze medal for under 20 behind only Messi and Mikel and he did not stop there, he went further to win more laurels.

Lets even forget abt the U20 thing.
There was a point in time in Taye Taiwo's career when he was amomg the top 3 LBs in the world.

I can overlook the "Oshiniwa is better than Echiejile" talk but not this "Oshiniwa is better than Taye Taiwo" own.