₦airaland Forum

mrwilliams9:
This is true, even Argentina played a 4-4-2 at times during the last WC but the difference is the 4 across the midfield had at least 3 actual midfielders in Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernandez and Alex Mac Allister. It was more of a 4-3-3 as Messi would play as a RW and Alvarez as ST.

We play 4-4-2 but with only two midfielders. That is the issue.

forgiveness:
Make una dey deceive unaself. The guy plays like primary school boy. Dribble without head.

CornOak:
...And the Ejuke's marketing continues, lol.

dijon:
Please dead this Nwakali this Nwakali that....lets give our support to the players called up.
Nwakali was never in the consideration of 27 players not to talk of the 25 called up. Nwakali can never win the Afcon for us nor make our midfield fearsome...Nwakali is not better than any of the base line midfieldercalled up. I watch his game almost every other weekend am opportune, i have not seen any extra ordinary play he does. He is good but not fantastic...just there.

femianski:
He still had a way to slot in Nwakali like we won't notice

TheLoneCitizen:
Iwobi and Ejuke testament of what good coaching can do to a player's career.

Iwobi improved attacking aggression and off-the-ball movement.
Now attempts more shots than any other time in his career. Almost 3 times more than his everton days.
Now makes more touches in opposition box than his time at Everton. Highest since Arsenal days.
Has more expected goals in 8 starts for Fulham than 38 starts for Everton last season.

Ejuke improved technique and decision-making
Has 4 more shots on target in 8 games this season (2 starts) than 20 games for Hertha Berlin last season.
Has highest shooting accuracy in his career.
Technique has been bettered so much that he now takes corner kicks and shoots from half-way line.
Attempts two times more passes per match than any other time in his career.

TheLoneCitizen:
How Antwerp could give UCL opportunity to a player that is on loan in a dead-rubber tie baffles me.

They just gave mans the biggest PR of his career.

"Chidera Ejuke vs Barcelona ⚽️

- Most Chances Created (3)
- Most Dribbles Completed (9)
- Most Fouled Player (2)
- Most Duels Won (12)
- 100% Tackles Won
- 8 Recoveries"

lovewins:
It depends on what the standard is in the Portuguese league. Some leagues could go as low as 21 yrs and there are cases (only seen this in the WNBA) where age isn't a factor as long as it's your first time. So a 30 yr old could potentially win the rookie award. Traditionally though rookie award is for young adults.

komekn:
Another person forgetting where the discussion emanated and was birthed from 😞

komekn:
Long ball is not an outstanding skill set ( police game) it's a tactic used and relied upon by limited poor players and poor teams. When it becomes the core strategy.

Otherwise top players and teamd use precision passing movement and skill to bring the ball forward most of the time. And yes they do use long pin point precison balls at the right time.



But if that's all you can do long ball then you will be in semi professional football.

Marjoribanks:
Same as Ndidi is definitely a poor returning playing in that role. See Aribo pass to both Osimhen and Simon against S/leone and Zim respectively. That is the vision he lacks. Anybody can play long passes to the wings.
We are talking about long passes to players in situations to harm the opponents. This is why I don't take stat seriously. I watch actual match!

Kog45:
Oga no be initial gra gra o…it seems the gap is no longer wide o as before,initially I thought it was wide but with results coming outs the smaller teams no send o

GeneralDae:
Oga let's tell ourselves the truth. Aside Osimehn and Ndidi, our players are bang average and some like Uzoho are even below average.

theophilusj31:
if NIgeria players are that good in their craft,they will beat a minnow team like Zimbabwe without a hurdle irrespective of the supervising coach or the quality of the playing pitch.

You will never see a team like France struggling against an impotent Lithuania irrespective of the supervising coach

Meliforme:
REASONS WHY WE SHOULD CONTINUE IN 4-4-2 TACTICAL SETUP

1. To have more men in the finishing phase of attack. The paucity of bodies in the finishing phases of our attack was one of the problems Gernot Rohr faced that opted the switch to 4-4-2. With two strikers occupying the opposition CB's, the inverted wingers seeking to cut in to shoot and the presence of overlapping fullbacks produces more body in attack, and in many instances of it can create an overload in the finishing phases of attack.

2. 4-4-2 tactical formation is very dynamic The buildup to finishing (goalscoring) is shorter in 4-4-2.Teams that opt to go with a lean midfield, teams going into the game as the underdog can decide on a 4-4-2 for a quicker route to goalscoring while retaining a good defensive shape, that is without compromising on defense. Ekong's and Omeruo's longballs to Moses Simon during the last AFCON tourney is a good example.
This feature of 4-4-2 does not mean that teams seeking for good buildup prior to goalscoring cannot utilize it, it however presents a dynamic feature of 4-4-2 and possible adaptations.

3. It is easier to maintain a defensive shape using 4-4-2. Teams coming into a game to defend more, teams with shaky defense, may decide on a 4-4-2 with play patterns that may intend to conserve the midfield etc

4. It appears we have trained and rehearsed more using 4-4-2 In the game against Mozambique, our cohesion and communication improved when we switched tactical formation to 4-4-2.

Meliforme:
I am dropping it....

Meliforme:
The more detail you gather about the S.E, the less you want to say, but in saying, we shall say it. I will say it.

I wanted to apologise for the detail that i have gathered, and intending to share, but why should i apologise.

Anyways i will drop it.

Kog45:
Calvin Bassey with 11 caps a revelation against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique?

TheSuperNerd:
Injury knocks out Osimhen from 2026 World Cup qualifiers

Victor Osimhen will most likely miss next month’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe after he suffered a second degree hamstring injury on international duty.

Reports from Italy said the injury the Napoli striker suffered while playing against Saudi Arabia in a friendly in Portugal Friday will rule him out of action for between four and six weeks.

The World Cup qualifiers are scheduled from November 13, just about the time he will likely begin rehabilitation from this latest injury setback.

Osimhen left the Super Eagles training camp Sunday to return to Italy after a scan was done on the injury.

He will also miss Serie A matches against Verona, Milan, Salernitana and Empoli as well as the UEFA Champions League trip to Union Berlin.

In November 2020, Osimhen was sidelined for several weeks after he dislocated his shoulder playing for the Super Eagles against Sierra Leone in Benin City.


Source: Score Nigeria.

skallion7:
You've no right to say a player is not fit for the team, when you're know as promoting a mediocre player like nwakali. Guy you're a shameless mtchheew

TheSuperNerd:
If Nacho and Boniface will start alongside Iwobi, then Iwobi won't play 10. There would be no #10. Rather we would have advanced 8s. Iwobi will play deeper.

Think 3-4-2-1 formation. No wingers. The 2-1 is Boniface-Iheanacho playing in the half spaces close to Osimhen. The 4 is Ndidi-Iwobi flanked by the wingbacks of Osayi and Bruno. The back 3 will be Omeruo/Awaziem, Ajayi and Bassey.

That is one formation where they can all fit into.

Another I have been pondering is one with a 3 man midfield. A 4-3-1-2. The 1 is the man in the hole behind two strikers who can also work the channels. And that 1 must also be able to penetrate centrally with his BTL runs to finish or create dangerous angled chances Foe the 2 CFs.

But in a 433, it won't work unless the corresponding Fullback on the right takes up both offensive and defensive roles with the RCB & DM covering for the RFB's overlaps. Iheanacho shouldn't operate as a wide RW but as an 8 from the RHS.


I don't like this 442 especially because Peseiro doesn't know how to set it up to look like a 4-2-2-2. Our wingers should have one of them as an advanced 8 to support Iwobi's creative role.

lovewins:
Hate Moses Simon all you want, he brings more to the team than Lookman does. Doesn't mean Lookman isn't better than him overall.

Kog45:
Performance?Maduka or who?

Maduka had two matches last season,one in league cup and FA cup and conceded three goals,yet to feature for Udinese this season.

Pls where is the performance.