₦airaland Forum

BascoVanVeli:
That was false information Plateau had 66points and Remo had 29. 66-29=37

safarigirl:
Please o, you people should not take anything away from our group of death because of Spain.

Just because Algeria lost form between last year and now, we all want to deny the fact that they were the best team in Africa not too long ago?

Because we won Cameroon 3-0 and 4-0 respectively, and because they were drubbed in Confeds (like every African nation is), we want to take the AFCON Champion status away from them?


At least you have saved Zambia some of their pride ..

Our group is made up of the best team in Southern Africa, the best team in Central Africa, the (former) best team in North Africa and the (second) best team in West Africa.

In European parlance, that would be like having Italy, France, Spain and Netherlands in one group. Nobody would be showboating in such a group.

Abeg, give our team and our group the respect they deserve. E no easy

Icon4s:
A league that the difference between the top and bottom team is always less than 10points. Plateau United and MFM are to represent us at the CAF champions league and I am sure you know the expectations of even the Plateau and MFM fans on how far both teams will progress.

The league is in a mess.

joinnow:
Is this the beginning of the Downfall of Amaechi.
Amaechi right now .....

Mickael2:
first and foremost don't give up common sense just because you want to be patriotic, thank you.

number two, Cameroon were the punching bags at the confederations cup, so the point about them being a strong team isn't true. the last time we met they collected three. Algeria just lost twice to Zambia, hardly the toughest opposition we have ever faced. now don get me wrong, these are strong teams in the African continent Nd we are doing a marvelous job bossing them in the group and the boys have been doing very well but the truth is that we ain't close yet, not at all. we need to keep improving, if that performance against Cameroon is our best then we need help and quick too. most of the people who started this argument with me later got the point and left, your headache I don't know.

Which players did the Spanish team have prior to that world cup in 98? this is their golden generation. as at then all our first team players were playing in top clubs, we had just won the Olympics two years earlier.

edi287:
Sha he said he was just being patriotic.

edi287:
Sha he said he was just being patriotic.

Icon4s:
'Coming close to scoring' is making headline again?

Icon4s:
Our case will not be like any of these by the special Grace of God.

edi287:
Did you look at the midfielders spain have before you made this comment??

Chrismario:
I was reading through until I see this.

saying that Ndidi is better than busquet sounds ridiculous. Not ear friendly at all.

Mickael2:
if Tammy switches won't he go to the world cup. Anyways this argument sef no make sense

Mickael2:
please tell me you are joking. This is getting more and more ridiculous by the day, as in it is Ndidi that will displace Busquets? Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi? Oga you are sounding like a 2year old who thinks his dad owns everything in the world. Busquets will walk into this team, in fact he will play even if he is injured, Busquets oga, Busquets.

That David Villa got back into the team means nothing. We are not talking about age as a yardstick but talent and output wise.

And yes I am talking about the present spanish team that walloped Italy and destroyed another country 8-0, that is the team we are talking about.

Mickael2:
try to understand what I say before you jump in.

I meant Nwokolor is the one who is closest to first team action for his club, that means he has more experience than Alampasu, I didn't say he is closer to the number 1 spot for the SE

Mickael2:
I was referring to those calling him names and not you.

I can't see Mikel in a spanish team because he never will. If Mikel was a spainard he would have probably developed as an Amf at a top Spanish team but this current Mikel playing in China will not be a starter for Spain. So you see, that assumption isn't concrete


but I totally understood your point and you are correct. He held his own and can hold his own against anybody

Mickael2:
there are currently 4 or so clubs fromTurkey looking for Enyeama if not for his injury(there own transfer window is still open), they even want to tie him down to a post-injury contract just like Ibra and Manu, but Enyeama wants to move to a better league, so he may stay till January for a bigger league but the guy's class is just too much.

Alampasu like you rightly said should be the third choice going to the world cup but the problem is that you have to remember that Nwokolor is still alive, he is young and is doing better than Alampasu, he is closer to that first team than Alampasu. I personally would go with Enyeama, Nwokolor and Ezenwa/Alampasu in that order

Mickael2:
Maybe someone vexed you, after you must have calmed down, go and read that post again. I clearly stated that Ndidi wasn't contributing anything attack-wise or you also want me to blame Ndidi for Onazi's mistake before I make you happy?


Tell me how we qualified for 98 world cup, I think with a game to spare. Stop the hype, this team might be good but they are not close to it. Telling me you fancy your chances against Spain in the round of 16 is biased sentiment at best

Mickael2:
i just did and I think that what I said was an understatement. If we play like that against Spain they'd have us for breakfast everyday of the week and twice on sundays, not to mention Germany and Brazil.

The defeciencies in that game were quite open, and I will be using instances too.
From defence: if Isco drifts into Echejile's wing(even if Echejile is there he will still beat him silly, no brainer really) and has enough space to operate that will draw Balogun out of his wings like he did a lot of times(this should actually be Onazi's role but Balogun was doing it, nice against Cameroon but deadly against top teams) that creates a Spanish over-load in the middle and we all know Isco's decision making is top-notch, a quick pass into the middle(if he doesn't fancy his chances against Balogun one-on-one anyways,just ask the Italians) and they will surely create a chance, Enyeama can only do so much. This is the defence first of all.


Midfield: the spaces left by Onazi continously was an eyesore. Against Spain, we can count that as two assists for Iniesta wrapped in a gift bag and delivered promptly. Just drift in, receive a pass and do the damage, the worse part is that Onazi when he sees that he is out of position will come driving in, at the end there will be two players marking one player(Iniesta) and what does that mean? Another guy is free, creating more space and you can believe that Iniesta will pick that pass with perfection. This is how the midfield battle is won. With Mikel as our Amf and Busquets(probably the best DMF in the world or top 2 at least) holding him off trust me Mikel's impact will be reduced markedly, of course Mikel's brilliance may shine through once in a while but Busq gets the upper hand 90% of the time, now what happens when Mikel actually gets the upper hand? Read on

do you fancy Ideye's chances against Spain? I do not. Iheanacho stands a better chance. But then you are talking about two of the best CBs in the game against a young lad who is yet to cut it at club level, now that is not a great sight to behold. Now all they need to do is isolate Iheanacho from Moses and Moses will start trying to beat all the four defenders plus GK, result? No shot close to goal and when Moses is having a bad day our attack is too.

The defeciencies in our game like I said were clear, claiming that we stand a chance against Spain(Spain are vastly inferior to Germany or Brazil) is pure fantasy. Trust me the performance that Siaone's team gave against Argentina was actually better than this performance by far, that too against vastly superior opponent. Our best bet is to pray we follow Ghana's path, I fancy our chances against Uruguay and other mid-level teams but top teams? We don't have the players, the technical ability, the coach or even the facilities to attempt it

TheGoodJoe:
But Busquets could not diminish Mikel, Abi? You were totally wrong there. You are making it look like Busquets is one defensive genius. Give Mikel Busquets, I can bet my three months salary. Mikel will skin him alive. That one is a sure Banker.

Is it not Busquets I have watched very well.

Joebie:
And I've been calling for Echiejile's competition long. But most of us maintained he is trusted and experienced -- agreed. But when better competition (teams) comes knocking we will have no choice but to fix what is actually broken.

somehow:
You said Rohr would have started Aina bar the late clearance right? Please boomark this chat, come October 7th, Ederson and Shehu won't be replaced by anyone. At least for the Zambian game.

Oliseh walked in you say? Which match did he walk into? Was there a void he walked into or he displaced someone already mounting that position?

For all I care, Aina wouldn't displace Ederson come Oct 7 except illness or injury happens or maybe sudden drop of form.

I am not saying Aina is bad so no need telling me about his prowess.

Icon79:
Leon Balogun is a solid and intelligent defender. I really don't see the intensity in his game, per se but his reading of the game is top notch. He reminds me of the legendary Uche Okechukwu, at his best.

But let's not go overboard or get carried away, it isn't him who "brings out the music in Ekong". Ekong is a solid defender on his own, OK. If you watched the Rio Olympics soccer team, Ekong was a rock in our defence. Got it


O pari

soetanoreoluwa:
So which position should he play... So far is so good as LB and RB and you also want the coaching crew to retain shehu as RB...

AIna statistics is mine blowing right now...

soetanoreoluwa:
Exactly and I don't think we have a good replacement for the oyinbowall...aside likes of Ndidi that can play CB and Aweziem... I don't see anybody thumping them...

Big challenge for shehu to be candid... I see Aina taking the slot soon... And also according to the drills in camp... Aina was made to play LB and he perform well...

Mujtahida:
Would it not be better for Aina to play on the right and so bring competition to the team so much so that with Aina and Shehu as players for the right we will be rest assured. The challenge, real hard challenge is to find a left back.

soetanoreoluwa:
Nice suggestions..we can take Sheu to LB do far he's the only utility player in the team...

somehow:
You just started watching Nigeria or what? You think Ezenwa is new to the SE?

He is our FC in the CHAN eagles, manned the goalie for the eagles before, ola aina is a newbie, haven't even been tested in a friendly, not to talk of a do and die affairs against the Zambians. Abeg I no wan talk plenty.

I'm not saying he's bad, I am sorry I wouldn't pitch him against the Zambians, maybe he can come in as a sub but not to start ahead of Ederson for now.

freshest4live:
Why does the coach keep saying Ezenwa is a fourth choice keeper, isn't Ezenwa better than Akpeyi from what we've seen so far?

mank1234:
How France missed 1994 world cup.
France needed a win in their last 3 games to qualify which included 2 home games.
The first was home game against Israel. France was leading 2:1 until the last 7min when Israel equalised and went on to win.
The next game France drew away from home.
In the last game, a draw would have been enough but they conceded a 90min goal to end 1:2 against Bulgaria.

This is for those thinking it is over. No team is a pushover. Who says Zambia, cannot win in Nigeria? Who says Nigeria will find it easy beating Algeria away from home?

Except the players fight as they did in Uyo, there's no guarantee.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA_–_Group_6)

wayodude:
I am going to add to all your concerns here regarding our LB position. Trust me this is a very serious concern.

Echiejile simply is not up to it. Let me take you back to our first game against Zambia. Omeruo has been hung out to dry for not dealing with a VERY SIMPLE cross which led to Collins Mbesuma muscling him out and firing at goal. I think the bigger issue not discussed at the time was what the Zambian winger Fwayo Tembo was doing to Echiejile. He was literally molesting the guy, dribbling past him repeatedly like he was a training cone!

Tembo had the freedom and space to put a couple of beautiful crosses in our box because Echiejile was too scared to close him down. Why? Because anytime he tried to go in and win the ball, Tembo just knocked it past him and that was it Echiejile was behind him and he could run clean into our box and pick his options! By being scared of closing him down the guy was able to keep putting balls in dangerous areas within our box and that's how the Zambians got a goal.

Stupidly but favorably for us, the Zambian coach substituted Tembo just after the goal, not sure why, he must have been injured because if he wasn't that would surely rank as one of the most shocking substitutions I have ever seen in football. Tembo was having a free ride and if he had stayed on Zambia will certainly have created more chances and perhaps scored more goals!

We must get a replacement before the Zambia game or I predict a rough ride.

Who else noticed that the Zambian players who scored the goals to knock out star studded Algeria have barely left their teenage years? We must be very very careful. I am worried.

Joebie:
Haha and I'm sure he won't be called up for our subsequent qualifiers, because reports had it that he failed to impress in camp.

Oasis007:


Eagles know what's at Stake. I believe the Technical Crew are already mapping out Strategies to best the Zambians hands down in Uyo.

No need to panic Bro, Zambians are coming for their Funeral in Uyo.