TheLoneCitizen:





Goal Awoniyi!
There are some things you don't see, brothers.

Taiwo did a lot of things well in this game that he couldn't do in his other games.

On point bro! His movement, link up play and decisions on the ball improved a lot.

A lot of work to be done on the team. We are not competing on the air and we lack coordination and composure in the final third. The players need to understand themselves better and we would start flying. Our positive attacking patterns is a plus, the defense bar the mistakes looked more solid than I’ve seen in years. Considering the bad officiating which was wrong on the call for the foul against bassey we would have gotten a point from this game. Overall encouraging signs.

Bolowolowo:
I’ve also heard that South America is in the works of trying to combine their nations league with UEFA’s as well. The NFF should try and throw its hat in there. We need competitive games.

Lil by little they will create another huge competition in Nations league. Smart people

BascoVanVeli:
People will say I was talking nonsense but arsenal fans have started again with Iwobi. They want to blame him for the loss but he was nowhere near their worst player.

He's also not helping his cause, a big club like arsenal you must be chipping a goal once in a while.. H free needs to more selfish and take more risks with shooting.

ChrisKels:
Villarreal Nigeria international forward Samuel Chukwueze has ‎emerged as the most sought after teen in world football after a poll conducted by online Spanish footballportal, Mundo Deportivo el diario deportivo Online

This guy bring a unique feeling of pride to me everytime hes talked about.
tactical intelligence.. technique.. Awereness/use of space... Strength... Unselfish... Ball retention. He has it all, This guy is getting better stats than pros.

Nedville:


Thank you

Call it frank all you want, but it is highly disrespectful and it shows one thing, he will still end up like prince boateng because he will always be filled with regret for not getting called up by Germany....he said 'consider'....the interest is not even there....oh dear

When will you people stop thinking like this, so you are feeling hard done by because this guy said the plain truth....stop all this emotional sentiments, this guy grew up in Germany where they have given him everything to have a wonderful life, do you think he would not feel emotionally attached to them? As much as balogun loves Nigeria, if he was called up by Germany we would not even get a mention from him...until we get our shit together has a country, we should be stop complaining about the treatment from these FB.

Coaches like gernot don’t last too long these generation anymore, good records so far but way too conservative and emotionally attached with certain players. But keep in mind a possibility where eze comes to camp and dosent perform, not becoz he’s not good enough but because he not yet there mentally the weight and pressure can be too much, few players get to fully express themselves on the pitch and fit in seamlessly into a n national team like Iwobi, Iheanacho or uzoho because there are different factors in play like background, orientation, ambition and motives. guys like Joel obi, aina, idowu are better than the performances they have given To the team so what’s the setback for them? If you are not ready mentally then you are not ready atall. football is 30%talent and 70% mental that’s why Cahill is Chelsea captain, few can match his mental strength.
There are players who played in the top 5 league who never raise thier game to those standard for Nigeria and reverse is the situation in some casese.g musa, ogu, elderson. Club football has been a very useful benchmark over the years to know if a player is ready for national team football but what they don’t really explain is that it’s way more mental now. Is it not semi ajayi of rotthadam that played so well against Seychelles, Ekong was very solid for us since when he was at on loan to Norway from genk, balogun of Germany 2nd tier was a beast, the ighalo that scored 18epl goals is now the nemesis of the team, elderson was a Monaco player while he was playing bull for us.
Most players usually go through pain to build thier mental strength, if it’s Nigeria’s snub that would make ebere steely then so be it, but the boy looks like ours. The championship just started maybe gernot wants to see him in more games. He’s committed to us so I’m not scared except England gives him a senior call up.

ChrisKels:
Ekong starts again for Udinese against Lazio. Kalu starts too, already with a huge assist as Kamano gives Bordeaux the lead against Lille

So happy for Ekong, should be fastracked into Watford if he keeps this high level of consistency.
We need more of our players in league 1, their blend of football education, nurturing and competitiveness is perfect for our players trying to adapt in Europe top level.

safarigirl:
Kayode is injured.... This has been established already

He has not played a game so far, that is like asking us to look towards Sarenren Bazee who is in a similar position to him.

You and this your boyfriend will just be doing "I support you" without verifying anything, talk about prejudice and emotive bias

It beats me how he can boldly claim people are biased and accuse them of being illogical and adding sentiments when he is prolly the most biased on this thread, meanwhile he changes Senarios at will to defend his players, talk about hypocrisy!!

tbaba1234:
Heart break for Torino. Dzeko scores last minute..

Aina is developing excellently, like the dream way to start your football career atleast has a defender, playing 44games in your first professional year in a decent league and next year debut in a good team in a top league known for defensive discipline! dude is learning fast.

tbaba1234:
Balogun!!!

Good debut.

Clearing his doubters, his debut against man united and he won. I said sometime that his reading of the game would improve Brighton defense and it did.

It was obvious this guy didn’t love us, I guess those who complained about his body language were right after all. But On a serious note I can’t feel bad when there are players like henry, kalu, bazee, success coming through the ranks, they all would be less selfish than Moses for the SE.
And just like that I don’t give a shit if he gets game or rots on the bench at Chelsea, in fact I’ll be rooting more for Hudson-Odoi to get game time over him has a blue fan. loyalty is priceless.

tbaba1234:


Musa's move to the middle east is good for his pocket but not good for the super eagles. Playing regularly with such level of competition will definitely affect Musa.

With the future of Simon Moses also uncertain, we might find ourselves looking for replacements for both players.

At least it will open the door for another talented player to fill in the SE, we can understand when olayinka goes for money but when a so called leader in our nation team goes to Saudi Arabia it reflects our players mentality, hope he comes back to Europe before he gets washed up.
Moses simon I don’t get that guy, raise your game no but he’s doing agidi with a club that brought you to fame, I’m sure clubs will come for him but don’t trust theses niggas and the turkey obsession.

Bolowolowo:
I hope Ola Aina works his ass off during the preseason tour with Chelsea. Our guys really need to step up their game and prove their worth. We can no longer tolerate mediocrity. This loan spell nonsense must end.

Our players are not just ambitious enough! Chelsea have a reputation of not giving youth a chance and these nigga omeruo somehow thinks he can break into the team, it’s time for a new experience for this guy, that’s why I love European players mindset, if it’s not working for you here move on!
Moses I feel needs to go to a club that would assure him of game time, Chelsea I feel just don’t value him enough, he looks like he’s gonna be behind the perking order behind hazard, willian, pedro. He can’t go back to being a squad player, he’s won two cups has a starter for the club he would get good offers.
Aina needs to be a starter at an EPL club, his performances in the championship deserves regularly game time at a mid table EPL team who have faith in youth. Huddersfield, Seagulls, wolves, Bournemouth these are teams he can have a good run of games he should forget sitting on the bench. Success with all his mistakes still has a shot at the watford team because he’s talented but most importantly they are patient with him. Our players need good agents!!!!!!

tbaba1234:


Amuneke did not do very well in Sudan.

Not cutting him any slack but there are other reasons aside from the pitch that can make a coach not get results. The conditions or talent at his disposal might not have favored his ideas.
For example It’s hard to see very technically gifted players in Sudan league, something which is crucial for amunikes philosophy. He’s shown he’s a good coach we can’t judge him solely on his league performances in a sub par league at that.

TheGoodJoe:


I think it has to do with the method Emmanuel Amunike employed in the selection of his players. He worked more with the European tiki taka ideology which made a seamless transition of the players to the European clubs.

Amunike is so knowledgeable, only if he were in the place of salisu, we would have started seeing some beautiful football from the SE b team, feel like all he needs to be a top coach in the not to distant future is the exposure and experience of managing. if only he was the one talking some sense into gernot head in Russia!

raindodger13:


That one no consign me. All Im saying is Ive never seen a team throw together a random group of player and win a world cup.

I agree with you, was just emphasizing on how shortsighted fans can be

NPFL has been suspended, Giwa will not disgrace this country!
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/whos-charge-nigerias-top-league-has-been-suspended-indefinitely

raindodger13:


Yes I feel like there's something special about this young crop of players. That's why I don't want Rohr to leave just yet, because like it or not he knows this current generation of players the most, so I want to see how he will mesh the current SAs with the incoming generation of talent. If we keep switching in random player's and coaches every 2-3 years it will cause instability. I'm not saying keep all the players on the current SA squad, there are some obvious names we need to get rid of like Joel Obi and Onazi. But if you look at the powerhouses in international football like Brazil, Croatia, England, France, Argentina etc, you'll notice that they stick with a golden nucleus of players for a 5-8 years and they have a solid chemistry going. But here in Nigeria we have player's for one world cup and after that they're gone forever.

Look at Argentina, if you look at their 2010, 2014 and 2018 squad closely you'll see a resemblance in their line-ups with slight alterations and gradually they saw he they needed and who they didn't need. But if you look at our line-ups in 2010, 2014, 2018 it's like black, white and blue. It's similar to someone who plays FIFA with an 83 overall Manchester city for 5 years. Overtime it becomes second nature like using your right hand and they person becomes unbeatable. But if the person starts playing with Liverpool then they start loosing. So let's not kick Rohr to the curb just yet but if he performs poorly at the in near future give him the boot, but stick with the lineup.

Sadly people don’t share the same idea with you, to wait and reap the product of development over a period of time.

ChrisKels:


Our Academies are improving and gradually we are getting it right age wise. The previous ones found it so hard because most had passed their formative(learning) stages and even their primes when we paraded them as U17s.

Guy if u come to Diamond Football Academy umuahia, u will agree with me that we have some good Academies. At Diamond, ur original first school leaving cert is ur primary credential to get admitted, in fact they dont normally take students who aint in secondary schools unless u are extremely good, so no how u gonna doctor ur age and it has grades, hence u are placed where ur age falls. They already have a club in the Portuguese third division where they give their top talents that first European exposure to prepare them well.

That’s true I rate diamond very highly! One of the the current best football academies in Nigeria that teach the knowledge of the game and not just physical development, i here they have classy equipment in the academy.
Wish we had more academies like aspire academy.

Who else has noticed that most of our players from the 2015 U-17 set are not finding it as difficult as the previous generations in terms of adapting very quickly to the high standards in Europe top leagues likes of Kingsley Micheal, orji, chuckwueze, kelechi N....signs of progress in our football BTW where is zakari Lukeman? bundle of talent but no major transfer!

Fadiga24:


Abeg put sentiment aside, Duffy and Dunk are brave strong defenders (Leon does not possess much physical strength)

They have considerable pace (Balogun is also lacking in this area)

My greatest worry is that they both possess a telepathic connection, each knows what the other is going to do next which is a fan favorite

I don't think Balogun will get up to 5 games next season

I think you are the one who should put sentiments aside because it seems you think it’s all English defender you see that starts for an elp club are there on merit? Balogun is a brave defender I don’t know what your definition of brave is. Then put that physical strength talk aside because that so wrong, balogun is not strong?? Nawa
Balogun is not the fastest but hoves duo are not considerably faster besides he’s no slouch and his reading of the game makes up for speed. why are you making it seem like Duffy and dunk are Ramos and varane which telepathic understandings that quality talent cannot better.
It’s obvious you think lowly of balogun saying he would not get 5games

Fadiga24:
Brighton have a solid defense partnership in Duffy and Dunk will Balogun ever get to play?

If we are to tell ourselves the truth and not wait for an article gushing about baloguns ability or some big club chasing him, balogun is in top three best defender in Africa when he’s fit! yes putting in mind benatia, koulibaly, hezagy and co. Particularly because his skill set are very rare.
Duffy and dunk are old school Epl defenders who boss all the blocks, clearances and headed duels, they are good but not top class, not even in contention for their national teams. For me seeing is conviction the Duffy and dunk I saw last season are not has good has balogun!
To start with balogun is not lacking when it comes to winning head duels, clearances maybe we’ve not seen enough blocked shots from him. Baloguns “international footballer” status will make him a starter in Brighton, I don’t think they have a better interceptor of the ball in defense than Leon, he reads the game way better than their defensive combo but what really sets him apart from them is his ball playing abilities. Brighton need brains in their defense, they got the perfect defender.

soetanoreoluwa:
I Actually had a mixed feeling immediately I finished watching Portugal and Iran match Two days ago...
That's when I knew that Super eagles will need extra effort and legs to win against Argentina

FIFA is a pure business with Nike and is it addidas or puma sponsoring C Ronaldo and Messi... Definitely everything must be done to help them win respectively.

Though it was very painful... My heart just went dry, sweating profusely...

It was a terror night ...just make sure I ate, do all I need to do before the match...

But I slept like a baby... Very sound sleep... Thank God have recovered...

I will keep supporting super eagles till we get it right...

Focus now shift to AFCON

How many team will qualify from our group..we. Need to start preparation earnest

And also NFF election coming soon in next couple of month... Will AmajuPinnick reelect or get sacked...?

Good mindset, wallowing in the defeat! defeats progress.
Amaju prolly deserves another tenure, seems he’s on to something great. Excellent marketing and actually making efforts, but he talks about his achievements too much, I don’t trust people who brag too much, let your actions do the talking.
AFCON with the kind of dissatisfaction in our players knowing they could stand their ground with the best in the world, football is not maths but we should win the AFCON we have the quality nah if gernot Has the quality in himself not to goofe.

Joebie:
The question is was he in the air when he nodded the ball? If yes, I must say it’s not easy to keep the hands down while attempting to head the ball in the air.

I must agree it is not easy especially has rojo is not the tallest, but that’s the reason why he his not yet considered world class! I feel he was lucky with that handball, if it were against us they would most likely call a penalty.
Look at the way Godin, azpilicueta, barzagli, Tiago silva who are not the tallest handle headers better than taller and imposing defenders.

TheGoodJoe:


The referee was right. It was not a penalty. Rojo nodded the ball to his arm. No way a penalty. Nothing could be more accidental than that.

When you want to defend a cross one of the basics is for your arms not to be lifted, the head is what is needed, rojos arms were so high, he nodded the ball and it hits his arm, how can you say that is not a penalty? This is not ball to hand, he attempted a header he didn’t get the hit and it took a deflection of his hand.
If the rules cannot be applied to other wc matches like the Iran potugal match, you cannot justify them enough.
The kick on nacho head in the box was without doubt a penalty

I didn’t want to accept it but finally it has sunk! Football the so called beautiful game has been destroyed by politics, it’s baffles me these officials and referees can get away with such unbelievable decisions, killing the dreams of millions of people and players, coaches, staffs who have giving their lives to the game and these referees do the most unbelievable things without any punishment or probing! It just shows that the higher powers are the one who decide the games, the players who have trained, worked, fought and pushed them selves to the limits, they are all just wasting their efforts the match has long been decided before even the warm ups. Im in for the end game and I’m very proud of our players but these kind of officiating in argi match just makes you lose a bit or a lot of passion for the game. I can only just imagine how our players who gave their best would feel.
Infantinos tenure is looking worse than blatters! The officiating in this World Cup is probably the worst in history.
We gave our best, we will heal.

Danielnino00:
Tomorrow game is probably the most important game we will b playing under Rohr...Its no myth that our destiny is in our own hands tomorrow.. The round of 16 ticket is ours to lose...

I expect Argentina to come at us with full strength.. They need the win badly than.. They will definitely play an attacking game against us and that's how we will beat them.. Their defence is porous.. compared to theirs,our defence is world class...
I'm sure Sampaoli isn't foolish enough to underrate us... if he decides to go all attacking, their defence will suffer...if he decides to keep the defence tight, they mayn't score quick... Tough choice for him ...
However, it's important that our players stay focused . I really hope they aren't over celebrating the Iceland win like some fans are..its not yet over .... Three important things I think the players should do during the game are:

1) Don't show the Argentines too much respect
2) avoid giving away fouls in dangerous areas
3) Avoid this habit of starting the first half sloppily.

Rohr should stick with d formation and lineup we used on Friday though I won't mind Ebuehi starting ahead of Idowu while Moses move to LWB... The midfield trio of Ndidi Etebo and Mikel should be retained. it will be useful in stopping Argentina's dangerous attack.. Iwobi can come in the second half.. Musa and Nacho should continue up front...their pace will be a handful for Argentina's slow defenders. We don't need an Ighalo or Simmy to slow down our counter attacking move abeg... Argentina will surely boss the game like they did in the friendly we played against them,and we must also properly utilise the chances we get..

It's gonna b an exciting game tomorrow and I'm optimistic the eagles will soar....

On point! I agree that Moses should start has a lwb while tyron takes his natural rwb position nothing spoil, would even be better coz Moses can cut into his right stronger foot in attack.
Etebo is the man to close down messi on the ball, because of his balance, I have a feeling messi will turn Ndidi inside out! while mikel intercepts

Icon4s:


Moses is not a tactically disciplined player.

Only in the national team!

That attack we need a striker that can press, ighalo just they do gra gra yesterday we should not allow them play from the back simmy or iheanacho pressing for upset England, rohr they vex me sometimes

tbaba1234:
By the way, Uzoho will be a world class keeper. I hope we have a good tournament and he moves to another club to play top flight football.

Endorsed!
In every problem or conflict there it’s advanges!
Looked like the world had ended when ikeme got sick but Uzoho I can’t believe Nigerians aren’t excited about him, coz his talent speaks for him. He’s not there yet but looks like he’s gonna be a worldclass goalkeeper before or in his mid 20s

forgiveness:


Etebo na NEPA. Off and on.

Lol most young players worse pass etebo own.
Problem is he raises the bar so high, so when he loses form it would be very glaring because he’s a player that has the potential to impact games for any team.
But forgiveness let me ask you a question would you drop etebo for aluko after all qualifying series ad friendlies? It would help understand why you are always so passionate about Yoruba players.
I’m Yoruba, love Hausas the most, most of my trusted friends are Igbo and I feel better when i see a Nigerian young talent is Igbo because they bring that assurance of quality over time atleast most of them, with th northern unique talents like musa, sadiq, Nura sheue etc and the Yorubas intelligent players like balogun, idowu, aina, kehinde, that’s what makes the team special so Why must you try and sow a seed of discomfort in matters of tribe, if you do not see all in naija has one then your no much better than these called rasicts. We are one ad that’s what makes naija giants, this your tribal conflict insistence is troubling especially on a soccer forum.
You do not want to be a troll trust me, because when you bring good analysis people will ignore thinking you’ve started another tribe war, your a man and reputation matters a lot.
✌�.