₦airaland Forum

Joebie:
No, Aina wouldn't just walk back in, in my opinion. Even Fredericks wouldn't just walk back in. Ajayi has been very solid.. he has speed damn. I'm not saying Osayi and Ajayi are better but they are near perfect doing their job.

Oga you sabi the game

Goke7:
You Dey provoke some elders here o! 😂

Elder don show up,common provoking.Joebie nailed it with Osayi will give Aina a fight....Aina and Frederick just need to be fit and then they're free to go....na me dey support Osayi even when some don zero their minds on him,even rate Alebiosu over him just cuz of Uganda match but know this I watched football with very open minds I don't loose sleep cuz of any player,haba since 80s

Why is Seun Kuti behaving like Sikiru Ayinde Barrister children,let the dead rest

TheSuperNerd:
Alright Elder. Noted. I missed the subtle sarcasm.

Na the boy frame dey make some to dey underrate him...the boy is good

ChrisKels:
When I say Chinedu Ughelumba you should know I was talking about Bassey. There is no other Chinedu in that team. Chinedu Ughelumba is his government name given to him from birth. Bassey is a recently adopted name, in honor of his maternal home. No man uses his mother's surname as his own surname unless he was born out of wedlock and the father isn't known. So, yes I was talking about Ughelumba Calvin Chinedu "Bassey", the son of Ikenna Ughelumba and Eberechi Ughelumba.

But wetin dey happen between the boy and him papa,they need to settle

Goke7:
Make everybody show working Baami! But I trust the competition in the eagles now will bring out the best from everyone in the GWG!

Fit Benji Fredrick and Ola Aina na plus o...

TheSuperNerd:
Benjamin vs Rwanda WCQs benching Ekong

Benjamin, a CB so good he had to play at RB 3x.

Benjamin vs Gabon WCQs playoffs.

Benjamin vs DRC in the WCQs playoffs final. The best defender vs DRC in the playoffs when others went to sleep in the second half till end of extra time. He didnt earn your respect then? Kaaaiii na wa for the amnesia for this thread.

My response was to Goke7 who said Aina must earn our respect and I said Benji too must earn our respect abi....Benji na my boy wey dey under my very good friend Aloy Chuckwueneka in Ilorin then....When he got his invitation I said it here the boy is starting but many said he lacked the experience...my response na sarcasm

TheSuperNerd:
Onyedika failed the physical aggression test in a big game. He is still a MF that can be useful for us as his technical quality remains among the best in the team but I insist on my 3/3 criteria for midfield selection:
- Technical
- Tactically Progressive
- Physically aggressive

If you are not Physically aggressive/assertive as a MF, we go get problem.

Iwobi lost as much physical battles/duels as Onyedika in midfield but he remains the exception because he is the brainbox of our midfield.

Perfectly said, starting Iwobi and Onyedika is minus one,like playing 10 against 11,Frank was all over doing the tackling,even Lookman and Akor and this gave Osimhen tough game

Goke7:
If Iwobi had to come up with spectacular performance to keep his place in the team so why won’t Aina?

Aina must work like Bassey to continue to command our respect

Meaning Benjamin Frederick must work like Bassey to command our respect abi....cuz it will be Osayi/Aina and Ajayi/Frederick,fact Afcon starters have an edge but an seeing Aina and Benji starting if they're fit

TheGoodJoe:
Just say Everybody minus TheGoodJoe and there will be peace.

TheSuperNerd do safe you nau

Blueelf:
Bro, hope say your anger don reduce. No vex for your guy abeg😀😀

About this Aina matter, let's even talk about his fitness despite his return from an injury

Let's even hope he remains the Same player he was and even get better. We can't serve him that position on a platter. He has to work for it and earn it

Yes his fitness be Koko but if he can replicate form of 2023 to the day he got injured against South Africa then Aina is back

TheGoodJoe:

I hope I am not among the Everybody because I always rated Bruno Onyemachi ahead of Sanusi. Ask TheSuperNerd.

Kai why you dey suspect me nau blue man....many don't rate him

Blueelf:
The truth is they haven't given the rest opportunities to prove themselves

Nnadi for example??

Onyedika disappointed me personally cuz am one of those that rated him highly here...Nnadi and Akinsanmiro if they're fit deserves some minutes tomorrow, sincerely not necessarily we win,reaching semi final is a plus for the team

Mujtahida:
He must earn his place. Bruno was given a chance. Baba grab am with his two hands. He shut down Diaz and Hakimi. Imagine what that would do to his confidence.

Bruno shut everybody and as kokmne always saying Sanusi na gbas gbos defender no finesse in his game, hope to see Festus Agu again

Goke7:
If Iwobi had to come up with spectacular performance to keep his place in the team so why won’t Aina?

Aina must work like Bassey to continue to command our respect

Ola Aina that got injured against South Africa will come back stronger

TheSuperNerd:
Calvin Bassey: The Ever Present

Chinedu should be eagles captain,very calm despite his rugged play.

TheSuperNerd:
What is this? So until Nwaiwu is tried, Benjamin is not a bonafide starter? Kaaaiii... things I read.

So this here is the reason behind you asking how many games Benjamin and Bassey have played together. Lol

Benjamin Frederick is a starter anytime any day except injury,that boy na baller,the boy that made Ekong to decide and retired

Bukola Saraki with ABS football academy boys who he sponsored to Morocco to watch eagles,also met with Arsene Wenger with his son Seni Saraki the Grammy award winner....also our great papilo Nwankwo Kanu met with his former manager Wenger in Morocvo

ChrisKels:
Back to this, the captain armband does not suit Osimhen because it obviously tames him. We don't need a tamed lion upfront.

Secondly, Victor tends to get weakened whenever things aren't going our way especially late in the match, but Chinedu is a complete opposite of this. Dude maintains same steam from the first blast of the whistle to the final one, that is the type of player you want captaining your team because when others see their captain soldiering on tirelessly, they get motivated to stretch themselves even more.

Another person who should be standing as an assistant is Nwabali. Dude has aura and can intimidate referees with his confidence and presence, but I will be skeptical because nna-gi's head dey touch. He could become power drunk and misuse it.

Are you talking about Calvin Bassey(Chinedu)

Goke7:
Na because dem win. If we win na beating all our people for see for Morocco 😂 look at what happened after Algeria game!

Moroccans are not like that,yes during match they can only intimidate through their supporters but in reality they are not that hostile

Odunayaw:
You underestimate the power of rumors

Oga oh you think fans get that kind time again,Godwin Odiye let a whole country down inside National Stadium,our first WC appearance hope shattered,that team would have been our first golden generation,nothing happened...Naija fans dey rake o but in reality no no haba things no dey reach that kind level... tomorrow you see the same fans hailing Chuckwueze

Bascovanveli3:
In this situation, when u imply someone missed a penalty on purpose. U are putting the person and their family at risk. That is nothing to play about.

Oga yes Chuckwueze not to be blamed but make I tell you Koko people dey vex and the vex be say he took it like nothing was at stake...next time he should not near it...Bassey and Ajayi lost against Congo but fans no vex much cuz they saw their kicks..... nothing will happen to his family, we're not animals in Nigeria....Odiye not die nau,Aiyegbeni no die nau.... Chuckwueze will come good with time

TheGoodJoe:
My brother please, I didn't say Lookman is sabotaging the team. I have explained and explained. We were in a comfortable position and players went off script. I said they should change that mindset.

Please don't vex.

No wahala baba

TheGoodJoe:
God bless Nigerians. God will give us victory soon. The joyous celebration of the Super Eagles and Nigerians is not far.

Let us keep the faith.

I also love the Moroccans too. In all that happened, they still showed love to us.

See how the Moroccan fans cheered up this Nigerian fan outside the stadium 😫😂😂❤️ pic.twitter.com/9iPxv59o7y

— Cleverly 💐 (@Cleverlydey4u) January 16, 2026

The beautiful of it all is that the team is taking shape,but players like Nnadi, Akinsanmiro should get more playing time with team and hope we discovered more young lads to replace player like Simon

minfelix:
i could remember when i tried to raise dust on Osimhen issue during the DRC game, i was saying that he left pitch and went inside the dressing room to fight someone thats why he didn’t come out of the dressing, so long i did not have any evidence to back up that agenda😅🤣, i had to shut my mouth on what i do not have full knowledge of, even though i may wanna still do small arguments 🤣.
But na for Nairaland here some people feel they have strong case against a player that he is a saboteur because he played penalty and missed in a lackadaisical way…
“becos he is chewing gum yen yen yen””
“becos he showed Bono his body movement”
“becos he has been on the bench for 119mins and coach refused to use him”

SHEY CHUKWUEZE TELL YOU ALL THIS THINGS!!!!!
Same Chukwueze that was seen shedding tears after that miss?…..

Some people just stubborn unnecessarily in this place…
las las they will tag it as “its my opinion, it must not be palatable to you”……oh oh oh but my stance on the issue of Osimhen entering dressing room and not coming out due to maybe an in-fight, is a false agenda abi🤣
Anyways since i dont have any evidence to back that point up, its mere fallacy and false agenda though….same way im taking all this nonsense Chukwueze Sabotage bla bla bla as a defamatory agenda…
Whosoever is raising such dust, drop it and say it no more!! you dont have any VUGGING POINT🔥🔥same way as i also do not have over Osimhen

Abi no be here Dem dey write say Lookman dey sabotage the team,even said Lookman deficiency is more than his good work to the team,funny from a reputable contributor here,how many people challenged that reckless opinion...I stood my ground cuz I knew it was just cuz of Osimhen/Lookman spat.....on Chuckwueze I will never blame him, penalty you scored or failed to score... Chelle to be blamed...yes Semi and Bassey lost against Congo but i will force one of them to play especially Bassey cuz nobody will blame Bassey for anything in this tournament.

Joebie:
IMHO, our current back 4 now have a solid chemistry. I am not denying the fact that Aina and Fredericks will give us better options when they move forward to support the attack. It would be a blessing to have them back. Those are the kind of players you need when you are talking of plan A and B, regardless of who starts. We have depth in defense. As soon as we can say the same for the midfield, we are set for the world stage.

Thank you

Goke7:
No one denies what Aina did last Afcon, but going forward, we should always let our players do the talking for themselves on the pitch. Ekong did so much last Afcon, too; he was even the man of the tournament. That Aina has nothing to show but fitness can't just be the criterion anymore.

Most foreign analysts are full of praise for both Bruno and Osayi, and that says a lot. Perhaps these guys were actually far better than what most Nigerians actually thought. Even Ajayi wey many of us no rate, has been highly commended too.

You said Osayi raised the bar and I disagree,telling you a fit Aina will get back to eagles starting XI with ease based on the two abilities,no sentiment....I never doubtef Semi Ajayi for once like many here,even Osayi,it was here some started rating Alebiosu and said only Osayi can do it but talking eagles RB,Aina is the main man,even eagles players missed Aina and Frederick, anyway good to have solid squad

Goke7:
osayi was never a player I talked about here before afcon as he was never on my radar, and funny enough, I was one of those who started mentioning how the player did well against Tunisia when many still like Delaw, still doubted him (with their valid views). If Aina is better, he has to show it on the pitch, no cap, cos with what Osayi has done in this Afcon we no go accept anything lesser than that performance in that role, that's my point. No be by name any player go bench anyone for Eagles again.

There is nothing Aina want to show than fitness.Osayi overall performance wasn't better than Aina performance in the last Afcon abi you don forget ni baba...Aina does it at RB and even as LB in the last Afcon...Osayi had not raised any bar relating to performance as RB,is like telling us Bruno has raised the bar too....I gave it to Calvin Bassey and he will be missed against Egypt

do4luv14:
I'm


I no too trust that Oma Guy,
The report about Maduka exclusion was based on agreement between the player his club, the coach and NFF,

That was the News then, so what was Oma trying to paint with that his Reply,
I doubt him thought

NFF or Chelle will never be part of that arrangement or can you give us the source

Sarsaparilla524:
HAS RASHIDI YEKINI EVER MISSED A PENALTY KICK FOR NIGERIA OR HIS CLUB SIDE? NO.

HIS PENALTY KICKS ARE HIT HARD, FIRM AND DECISIVE LEAVING THE GOALKEEPER NO OPTION TO SAVE IT.

HIT IT FIRM, HARD AND DECISIVELY.

DIRECT, ASSERTIVE EXECUTION OVER FINESSE OR PLACEMENT.

GOING FORWARD, NIGERIA MUST ADOPT THIS APPROACH.

PRIORITISE POWER AND CONVICTION OVER DECEPTION.

RIP 9JA GANGLING STRIKER ...

Yes he missed one during Challenge cup

Goke7:
Osayi had to pass a late fitness test to play the game yesterday. I heard it from some foreign analysts, in fact, in the game against Algeria dude was limping to complete that game.

My point is, Aina can't simply walk into our starting line-up easily again; he has to fight for that shirt now, and the team is looking more competitive as we now have more options. Who would have thought that a whole Chukwueze will chop bench tire at this afcon. Na this overhype of some certain players dey affect us at times, see the Onyedika we thought was class, now we know he can't displace Ndidi easily. Aina is welcome back anytime, but he must earn it now.

Oga Goke,una don start Osayi wey una no rate until Mozambique match,na only me dey defend the guy even before Afcon started...well a fit Aina will bench Osayi.

lbrichman2:
Omo..
Una sure say Aina go still walk into this first 11?
E be like say Osayi don build house for that RB position o
Locked Amoura
Found it tougher yesterday but still held his own
Even when dribbled, he recovered superbly to put the ball out for a corner
This defence is sweeting me..

Not to mention Ajayi and General Bassey Bus stop!!!

Na Ola Aina get that RB,no discussion on it...am one of Osayi strongest supporter here when many of you wrote the guy off,he is truly deputy for Ola Aina