₦airaland Forum

villagereporter:
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When you watch our match against Angola and SA you will see we were found out and in d final we were completely knocked off.

So generally jpagero is a stuck of one way traffic. Av forgotten the moniker now on this forum, he said,; d dynamism of a coach is to know when to change tactical approach of his team. I don't hate jpagero or any foreign coach (infact foreigners tends to d better with SE) but jpajero should not be seen as our messiah. He is too rigid in his tactical set up.

Peseiro has glaring weaknesses, i don't even prefer him, but asking me to choose between Peseiro and Eguavoen, i will choose Peseiro.

Marjoribanks:
I have said it numerous times here, that we played our best football under Equaveon.

I said we could have easily walked over 2021 AFCON if Iwobi was not red carded against Tunisia though we were a goal down.

Equaveon was the most unlucky Nigerian coach in recent history.

He drew Ghana home and away without a single midfilder completing 180 minutes! In fact he had no single DM/AM in the 2nd half at Abuja. (All injured)!
(No Iwobi, Ndidi, Onyeka first half in Abuja, Bonke-first half Accra).

Equa and Finidi should be given time no matter what happens! Time and support!

Welcome back Nwakali!

God bless Nigeria!

We played better football under Peseiro than we did under Eguavoen. We appeared more tactically drilled, more disciplined, our transitions from defense to attack were more seamless, our movement into spaces, positioning, were better under Peseiro. Peseiro looks more mature and exposed.

Amedino99:
I don't get who else were the midfielders he was supposed to call apart from those players?. That list was like a generic super eagles list. How come salisu get more praise for doing a normal thing than jpes actually being the man in charge of our biggest score in history? Besides sao tome is rated 191 right now out of 210 countries. That is the worst country to brag with.

You guys must argue everything, even when there is nothing to argue about. Peseiro made use of a list compiled by Salisu. How is this difficult to comprehend.

Amedino99:
wdym salisu selected. Jpes was the coach that day na

Salisu compiled the list of invited players. Alex Iwobi and Oghenekaro Etebo were the midfielders on the day, their synergy was very good.

M7even:
And who has been selecting the home-based squad that has failed to qualify us for CHAN and Olympics

It is not always easy to break down tactics for these home base players and to drill them considerably. Salisu is a good tactician. I prefer him to Peseiro.

Mujtahida:
This guy ehn. Omo you dey weak me

Really?

Kog45:
Sao Tome and principe?

What are you really saying?

Amedino99:
guess we are left with salisu for the next international.

I prefer Salisu to Peseiro. Salisu selected the squad that thrashed Sao tome and Principe 10 unreplied goals. That squad had more balance than the squad Peseiro selected.

Joebie:
To answer your question, one of Nwakali’s key stats — ball recoveries — he averages 5.2 per game this season (compare to Onyeka 3.0, Ndidi 3.0, Aribo 2.5, Dele-Bashiru 3.3, Iwobi 4.6, Onyedika 6.3, Yusuf 5.8 ).

You want to consider many factors like the strength of the opposition/league, the team’s style of play, as well as the specific role given to the midfielder amongst others. This is just stating that he brings more to the table than just being a dead ball specialist, top notch long balls delivery and passes (which is why he always has high numbers relatively in key passes)


Recoveries are crucial for several reasons:

1. **Regaining Possession**: Recovering the ball allows a team to regain possession and control of the game. This is essential for maintaining pressure on the opponent and creating scoring opportunities.

2. **Transition**: moving quickly from defense to attack and vice versa. Recoveries help teams transition from defense to attack by quickly regaining the ball and launching counterattacks.

3. **Disrupting Opponent's Rhythm**: By disrupting the opponent's possession and passing rhythm, recoveries can disrupt their game plan and force errors or turnovers.

4. **Defensive Stability**: Recoveries contribute to defensive stability by preventing the opponent from advancing into dangerous scoring positions and reducing the number of shots on goal.

5. **Energy and Momentum**: Recoveries can energize a team and swing momentum in their favor, especially if they lead to scoring chances or successful counterattacks.

Overall, recoveries play a vital role in both defensive and offensive aspects of the game. However, just like in some other key stats it is still a matter of how this translates to the team’s success

This is top notch.

This is excellent.

This is very sincere.

Thank you for bringing to the fore, one of the many things Nwakali offers.

Odunayaw:
Certainly deserves to be called ahead of Awaziem

You don't know Awaziem.

Truidstarr:
I did a simulation on EA sports FIFA 23 with our current SE setup from the quarter finals to the finals of the nations cup…. The addition of Nwakali gave us victory by 2 goal margins all the way to the finals. I am not a fan… but I was really surprised.

Thank you for this, considering that you have not been a fan, it goes a long way to show that you have a kind heart. I developed an algorithm that calculated Nwakali's presence giving at least 30 percent chances of winning any game, i believe i posted the outcome of the calculations before the AFCON.

Joebie:
god of Nigeria Abi?

He bears our names.

Joebie:
I would be surprised should Olise switch.

Let God touch him.

typicalgamer:
Is this a joke to you ?

Explain what you mean.

Joebie:
We need a De Bruyne
And we need crossers from the flanks

Kelechi Nwakali, Michael Olise, and Zaidu Sanusi can be relied upon for good crosses of the ball.

MallamSpicey:
As far as midfield goes, these are the players that should form the core and depth of our MF going forward. Enough of the daft habits of recycling the same 3 or 4 midfielders every time who offers us absolutely no creativity.

1. Iwobi- I honestly don't really rate him that highly as I feel he has fallen off but he still offers experience at least. But to be fair to Iwobi, Peseiro played him out of position at the AFCON and nullified his attacking qualities with all the defensive pivot duties he was tasked with...Iwobi IS NOT A DM, and can't thrive in a 2 man midfield system where he has to press ,Iwobi isn't that guy.

2. Ndidi- The impact of Ndidi can't be emphasized enough, he was sorely missed at the AFCON especially with his experience and improved ability to press high thanks to his Leicester form...An Onyeka/Ndidi anchorship would have given Iwobi more freedom to influence his creative duties more.

3. Frank Onyeka- I believe he announced his name in a big way at the AFCON, absolute Trojan workhorse who gives his all for the team and does the dirty work like no other...Ndidi will find joy pairing with him since he loves to bomb forward to join the attack and can trust Frank the Tank to mop up any mistakes behind him.

4. Michael Folrunsho- Needs no introduction, this is one player who will give you work-rate and a good eye for passing abilities, I don't know why NFF haven't approached and capped him yet when he is still in the fringe radar of Italy.

5. Nwakali- somewhat of an enigma as much as a fan's favorite, in the eyes of many he's supposed to be our own Pirlo...I personally think Nwakali would have fit so perfectly like a glove in that 343 formation Peseiro used at the AFCON...especially when you factor in his set piece abilities and good passing IQ (seems like an opportunity missed).

6. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru- This lad should be tried out as that under-study to Iwobi, not only does he have a good creative ability to his game, he offers work rate as well and can actually pop up with goals here and there. I don't know we never saw more of him after his last cameo in the Mozambique friendly game last year.

6. Tim Iroegbulam- I have watched this kid and he is definitely a baller, he's a perfect modern day Box2Box midfielder who can dribble well and pass brilliantly as well, now back to Aston Villa from loan and he's one to watch...read somewhere he's not far off the radar of an international call up to Nigeria soon.

8. Ifeanyi Matthew- When you want a very cerebral and composed midfielder who plays with the finesse of a prime Mikel, look no further than this lad. I daresay the ONLY reason he has not been called up yet to the SE is because he plays in the Swiss league, and has no connection to "Top Ogas in the NFF" that he can bribe.

Fringe players to be looked at: Daniel Daga, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Victor Eletu, Obinna Nwobodo, Ibrahim Olawoyin and Tochukwu Nnadi.

Whoever will be the coach whether Peseiro or not will have to start building our midfield around these players if he really wants to succeed. The only reason we lost that final to Ivory Coast was down to a paper thin and overworked midfield, and we had no bench to balance it out.

Notice how I didn't include Aribo, cause I honestly think he's currently not good enough to be a mainstay player in that team. Aribo needs to fight his way back at his club to prove his hunger cause a division 2 bench warmer who gets sparse minutes every now and then isn't deserving of a place in a serious nation team.

A nice take.

God bless you.

Kelechi Nwakali, Alex Iwobi and Ifeanyi Mathew should be starting in a midfield three, If personal interests are to be set aside.

ChrisKels:
You go just dey talk rubbish. Na you carry Partey go AFCON? Ibrahim Sangare that flopped so bad he got benched by Seri? Oga go and sit down because it is obvious you didn’t watch any of the AFCON matches except maybe the ones played by Nigeria

I mixed up Partey's name, i was actually profiling all the midfielders in Africa, touching also the midfielders that featured in the AFCON. You should have easily seen this, because Nwakali was also in the mix, but you are quick tempered like a child that refused to be bridled by the parents.

Thomas Partey, Lamine Camara, Pape Matar Sarr and Ibrahim Sangare are the midfielders who were present in this just concluded AFCON, whose style of play impresses me the most.

You know what? Kelechi Nwakali impresses me more than the aforementioned. He is a game controller, and he creates more chances. To control a game you need a good level of technique, this is where he and Thomas Partey towers above the midfielders that I have mentioned.

do4luv14:
It's not about a good Coach bros, And I think that's the reason Pinnick appointed both Randy and JP as managers respectively,

And if you look closely, you will notice those 2 coaches going through same pattern of results

Tell me what it is all about, if it is not about a good coach.

safarigirl:
You get?

I don't know why empathy is such a foreign concept to fans.

Do they think they're more affected by the loss than players themselves? These tournaments are part of the players careers, they are used in their profiles and used to judge the success of the career. You wey no dey pitch, no fit dey more interested in the win than the people who give 90 minutes of their sweat on that pitch, so, to pile on them on top their own feelings of failure is wicked.

The players gave their all. Peseiro made the selection of players. Peseiro decided the game plan and managed the game. Peseiro can't give what he does not have. The NFF takes the whole blame. Let them right their wrongs by giving us a good coach and paying salaries when due.

It is not just that the Ivorians won, rather it is in the manner we were beaten. The Ivorians made us look like amateurs, we had only one shot on target.

Curtisaxel17:
Nwabali is not who we think he is. He has potential, but we are not out of the woods yet in terms of our GK search. That first goal wouldn't have happened if he was correctly positioned.

The search must continue.

The pressure was much.

TheSuperNerd:
Ndidi was at the last Afcon and we saw where his game of passing got us to.

Ndidi is no better passer than Iwobi yet Iwobi was atrocious tonight just as he was against SA.

Iwobi is not in the mould of Nwakali, i have always said that Nwakali, Ndidi and Osimhen are very vital to this team, i did not include Iwobi for some reasons. However the torchlight is on Onyeka and Ndidi, Onyeka has the advantage of speed, but Ndidi is better at duels, passing etc, Ndidi is actually a better midfielder, but that doesn't mean Onyeka is not good. Ndidi that was paired with Aribo, what do you want him to do. Again, Eguavoen tactics is similar to Peseiro's tactics, the midfield is not central or celebral to how the team plays, the defense and attack are.

MetalJigsaw:
Iwobi that has a better "passing range" what did he do? Is he not supposed to compliment Onyeka's inabilities as the "main man" in midfield?

Onyeka did the things he was expected to do and he did very well all through the competition... Who even gave him a chance?

The coach's game plan limited Iwobi. Peseiro's plan was to loop the ball from the defense to attack and the midfield to try recover the ball when it didn't get through, that might be the reason Onyeka had a more advanced role: to recover the ball and make forward drives, since he has more pace and is also better defensively. Iwobi's role wasn't as loud, that's why many didn't notice.

Those heaping blames on Iwobi don't actually see, if there is any cohesion in the team, Iwobi and Bassey are notable figures. Nwakali and midfielders like Ifeanyi Matthew are what this team needs, plus good coaching. Nwakali started only one game at the last AFCON, what do you expect from such meagre minutes.

Nwakali plays in the lowly Chaves, and yet guys from Mamelodi Sundows were knocking our super stars around, and we were lucky to escape.

kennysville:
Inverted wingers

Anyways, i get you, but they need to do more in ball control and passing.

I have seen the midfielders that this AFCON has paraded and none is as good as Kelechi Nwakali. Nwakali trumps these Ivorian midfielders even in what he does defensively, the defensive aspect may land on some as a shocker, but it is the truth. It may land as a shock because many don't actually see.

I said it before that none of our wingers will start at Royal Antwerp, considering how Royal Antwerp likes to play.

TheSuperNerd:
Ndidi is not a controller either. None of the midfielders in this team to CIV 2023 is a controller. None.

This team needed an Nwakali but Jpes kept playing dumb and stubborn.

Ndidi isn't a pass master himself.

Ndidi is way ahead of Onyeka in the game of passing.

forgiveness:
Oga, the battle was lost in the midfield.

I know, but defensively he is not as strong as the others. Today he was put to the real test against an elite winger and his slack revealed. Aina's presence was to help a very limited midfield that can't hold its own.