₦airaland Forum

Certitude:
For God sake, how do tackles not win championship. If an argument can be made for interceptions, then why not tackles. A good tackle would have prevented a good interception. It also returns possession to your team to do whatever you like with the ball... Though na scores we dey count at the end of the game but all these contributes to the final scoreline at the end of the day jo.

Factually a good tackle CAN NEVER prevent a good interception. I mean if you intercept the ball even before the player gets the pass then what's the essence of a tackle? It's only when you fail to intercept a pass that you depend on your ability to tackle outrightly. Also consider the fact that when a player makes a forward pass, he immediately starts moving in an attacking sense, now if he passes the ball for a one-two for example and you intercept it, the said player would have been making a run to go and get a reverse pass and this provides an open channel for you to exploit. But when a player is comfortably on the ball and is approaching you one on one, his teammates would be settled in their position looking out for loss of possession.

Now don't get this whole thing wrong Sir, of course tackles are important since interceptions won't always work. But Busquets is not a tackling god, he excels in interceptions and that's what makes him the best at what he does. Mikel too when he was a DMF was not exactly a tackling machine, he effectively plugged spaces and won back possession without making any tackle. Then you come back to what we have here, Ndidi-Onazi combo does not exactly work because both are more concerned with tackles instead of plugging spaces and making clean interceptions. Now I just gave you practical applications of the theories I just propounded and we know that when a theoritical dysfunction(such as non-disjunction or Trisomy 21) leads to a clinical disease(in this case Down's Syndrome) then it should be taken serious.

Sainty92:
Tackles don't win u championship? Ok score 3 goals and leave your defence open if you won't concede 4. Chelsea defence during José mourinho first reign mainly won titles because of their brutal tackles cos they mainly won games 1-0. Remove Kante's tackles from Leicester title winning side and u will see that they would have battled relegation that year. A single tackle can be the difference between a win, draw or loss. Please sir, don't say tackles doesn't win u championship again. It surely does and we pray Ndidi tackles wins us enough points at the world cup to go far...Amen

Tackles truly don't win titles, you can argue that interceptions do but definetly not tackles. The blocks were exactly that, blocks and not tackles. When you intercept a pass before it gets to the player, you have a quicker possibility of a counter attack, but tackles, that's another thing. Anyways all these things are important thoug

tbaba1234:
They will have a final camp to prove themselves.

if they are effectively drafted into the 32man list from which the final 23 will be assembled what sense does it make? Especially if in that 32man list, Agbo is one of the defenders instead of Omeruo, we can all immediately deduce that they are going to the world cup. If they are not in this friendly or in the next one then so long with them, atleast until after the World Cup

ClumsyFlimsy:
Players in epl that are world class no reach 5

And Aguero is certainly not among world class;
Person wey never win any reasonable trophy outside EPL

Person wey no fit who face for im national team. Always underperforming for Argentina


Someone is only worthy of world class when he proves himself against the big boys in ucl and world Cup, no be epl wey na muscle muscle and drag drag them sabi

Aguero and Harry Kane are not world class except by epl standards but real world class they ain't shit

Very soon Aguero no go dey see ball play.. Guardiola go bench him sorry ass.. because Guardiola no say na only power Aguero get


Compare the stats between Aguero and Suarez you go see difference and consistency


man city all time scorer yet na how many goals im get.. very soon Suarez barca goals go surpass Aguero all time goals

the talk tire me oh. Aguero(who Higuain keeps on the bench at Argentina, HIGUAIN!!!) is a world class player? Who dash him na

TheGoodJoe:
Even if Casemiro's reign at the top is brief, he has been part of a monumental side that broke football records in the highest point of Club football. Not just league title. Definitely a class above Matic.

Aguero has reigned longer than Suarez.

Where has Aguero reigned exactly? Has he ever been the top scorer of any league? He has played for Atletico, nothing, Man City, nothing. Suarez has been the top scorer of the Eredevise(many times), top scorer of the Epl(despite missing more than 10 games), La Liga as well. Aguero is in no way World Class because then you'd need to include Harry Kane as World Class. Name one thing that Aguero has achieved that makes him world class.


If Casemiro is World Class because of two seasons of winning the champions league then Cambiasso is also a World Class legend, what he achieved with lesser teammates at Inter beats Madrid's achievement. Just one question, how many of the Ucl games did Madrid win because their defence was water tight? Casemiro wasn't exactly the influential figure all through, and he wasn't part of the 2013 winning squad.

TheGoodJoe:
First of all, thumbs up to everyone keeping this wonderful thread alive.

I think there is a misconception and I am also part of it.

The term World Class should be reserved for those who have done remarkable things in the game of football and for a long time.

With this, we can see the wonderkid Wilfred Ndidi is not yet World Class. The right term is a high quality talent with the potential of becoming World Class.

With this, Nemanja Matic is not World Class. Mbappe is not World Class but like Ndidi, has the potential to become World Class. So he goes into the bracket of High Quality talent.

Casemiro will take the Top Quality bracket while Neymar, Messi, CR7 and Aguero will take the term World Class.

Potential - Iheanacho, Gabriel Jesus, Ousmane Dembele

High quality - Ndidi, Matic (with time running out might not be tagged top quality, let alone World Class), Mbappe, Lukaku

Top quality - Pogba, Casemiro, Harry Kane, Suarez

World Class - Messi, CR7, Aguero

First of all, Aguero is world class but Suarez is top quality? . I know you are a city fan but not even Pep would be that ridiculous.

You place Casemiro as top quality but you want to put Matic in the 'potential' category? I mean Casemiro just became a regular for Madrid two seasons ago and he isn't indespensible. Matic has led Chelsea to premier league titles and is the bed rock of United's team right now but he isn't World Class? That is just....damn.

forgiveness:
Yes, absolutely zero sense because the fact on ground is too difficult for you to comprehend.

do you also want me to start telling every single dangerous moment that Barca created? The things I told you are quite simple, I gave you clear cut chances that Barca created, why are you telling me about misplaced crosses?

forgiveness:
Hahahahahah! Ask realpoacher.
Sarcastism on my part.

Oh now I grab

forgiveness:
There are so many fallacious statement you made but I want to tackle one first which is the bolded..

Who was the French ligue 1 foreign best player of the year in 1987/1988 season? Glenn Hoddle. Is he from Afghanistan?

Which English player was in 2013 UEFA team of year and UEFA Champions League team of the season 2015/2016)? Which league was he playing in those seasons?
Don't forget the same player was FIFA world club top scorer of 2014 season? Gareth Bale. You mean he flopped in the la Liga? Oh! He is from Pluto.


Who was Real Madrid player of the year 2005/2006 season? David Beckham? No, na Guru maraji. He's from Gambia. Manchester United won the UEFA Champions League without playing any team outside EPL. Bhuuuhahaha!


Oh! Less I forget. Which English player won the UEFA Champions League with Dortmond? Paul Lambert. Hmmm! He is from Benin Republic.


You said none but I have given you few English players that succeeded outside U.K.

Now,

which year did Manu win the champions league without meeting any team from outside England?

forgiveness:
Answer question. Yes or No.

what exactly do you want me to answer? What you said made absolutely zero sense

andrew444:
Firminho is not a world class striker,if he is not world class then he is average or is there another word I can use ?the same lukaku has 99 premier league goals in just few years,the same lukaku has about 180 career goals at the age of 24,the same lukaku scored 29 premier league goals for an average Everton team last season,so what are you saying ?

Firminho and lukaku are average players but they are doing well for them self.



Mind you I am a die hard Barcelona fan,check all my post on nairaland of you doubt me ,thank you

Lukaku 43 games so far this season and 24 goals

Firminho 41 games and 22 goals,is the stats not
Almost the same ?

we have A+ students, A students, Good students and then average students. A+ and A constitute the World Class here, so Firmino isn't even a good striker but an average one? Ok

forgiveness:
What I stated, are they true or not? Answer Yes or No.

Chelsea fan can't disanul the fact on ground.

the fact that you actually think that Chelsea dominated Barcelona says everything

andrew444:
Bros no call morata abeg,dat 1 na striker ? so because someone played for Madrid?friminho is not a world class striker and you know it,Epl fan boys will always side their players,firminho is having his best season does that make him a world class player? It seems you Epl fan boys don't know the meaning of world class,maybe any player that normally scores 15 goals is world class right ? What are you saying ?

Even injury prone Daniel Sturridge has more minute goal ratio than firminho,have you forgotten firminho is an attacking mieldfielder or a winger before klopp convert him ?

Benzema play with Ronaldo and so ?benzema is the player giving Ronaldo more goal assist even than Marcelo?how many assist did Ronaldo give to benzema ? What are you saying ?

how many assists has Firminho given Salah? Go and count it and check if it isn't more than Benzema to Ronaldo, yet Firminho has scored more than Benzema. Did I ever imply that Firminho is world class? The keyword here has been 'average' all along. Firminho is not average by any stretch of the imagination, because if he is average I wonder what Lukaku is.

By the way of course Sturridge would have a better minute to goals ratio because he has played a lesser number of games

andrew444:
Yes firminho is an average striker and I will prove it to you,is he a world class player ? How many goals does he score a season ? Mind you firminho was an attacking mieldfielder before klopp convert him,because you are a Liverpool fan does not mean you should not speak the truth,Firminho is an average striker,quote me more and I give you more reasons

so your only reason is that he hasn't scored enough goals? How many has Benzema scored? Morata? Who else? Before you give me the excuse that Benzema plays with Ronaldo, Firminho has to play for Salah yet he scores too and you called him an 'average' striker not even a 'good' striker. Come on!

Icon79:
They are far ahead of him because they have had more opportunities to play. Do you know that playing week in week out creates confidence and helps you improve? Put KC at a top top team like PSG and/or ManCity, and let him play week in week out then see whether Gabby or Mbappe would be better.

And I will keep repeating this message until I can knock it into the thick heads of the folks in this forum: our players lack the pedigree of an average Euro or Latin American player; hence they are often neglected and overlooked. And sometimes, racism (or nationalism) also comes into the equation!


O pari

do you just fly into a top team?

Let's take Mbappe for example. He was constantly on the bench at Monaco, even when people called him the new Henry, Jardim still kept him on the bench but each time he played you could see the quality and when he was drafted into the first team he kept on performing against every single team he faced. Nobody is just going to hand you a spot in a top team, you work for it and you earn it. How has Iheanacho earned a move to PSG as a starter? Or you think sentiments will make PSG buy him? No one here has a thick skull except you, because I don't know why you think PSG will just come and sign him because he is Nigerian

andrew444:
Bros I don't really know the arguement,yes Gabriel Jesus and mbappe is better than iheanacho,but benching firminho is no big deal,is it because he plays for Liverpool?firminho is an average striker okay,Brazil strikers are average,so please exclude that,the way you mention firminho make it seems he is a Luis Suarez,firminho is not even in the same class as benzema,Brazil has no good striker that's why Jesus will always start

Firmino is an average striker? Christ

forgiveness:
The three goals weren't as a result of Barcelona's brilliant attack but errors on Chelsea's part and useless keeper.

Even at 2 goals up, Barcelona's coach wasn't comfortable with the way Chelsea dominated the game hence the need to remove Inesta and Debele for more defensive minded players.

Barcelona could not soak any pressure, they were exposed but thanks to Chelsea's impotency and in decisions in front of goal.


What about the one Moses Commot Alba for road enter box 18 in the first half but could not place the right pass? He was free to shoot the ball directly at the post or watch the movement of Williams but he passed the ball their defenders.

In the second half, Moses was in the same position Messi scored after he commot Alba again but instead of mamaring a shot, he passed the ball to Barcelona.

What about the one Kante went through the whole Barcelona's defence and had only the keeper to beat but played the ball across the post? Remember, he was suppose to leave the ball for Marcos who was in the best position to shoot.

What about Marcos three chances? The blocked shot inside the post after Barcelona yanch open, the one Debele removed from his leg and the one he was pushed at the back? Marcos shot was blocked because he was in experience to have shown the blocker the direction of his shoot. On a good day, Giroud or an experienced player will score. He was too slow in the one Debele removed from his leg. On a good day, a good player will make Debele kick his leg and win a penalty. The third one was a pure penalty. Go and watch the replay. Pique hands were on his back, it was a push. Penalty.


What about, the one Williams open the defence but Hazard miss judged the pass and went other way? You know see that one?

What about the one Hazard was alone in the position Messi scored, but instead of him to shoot, he passed to an empty space?

Didn't you see all those moment that made Barcelona fans dey fear, wey the areana was like a graveyard?

I have seen that you watch football as a typical Chelsea fan, no need replying any further

forgiveness:
Chelsea dominated Barcelona all through the game. The only difference was MESSI and the flop goalkeeper wey dey open toros like basket wey dey leak.

oya see the stats.

Possession Barca 56- Chelsea 44

Shots Barca 8- Chelsea 14

Shots on goal Barca 7- Chelsea 3.

How did Chelsea dominate Barca exactly?

tbaba1234:
Courtois was poor today... 4 shots on target and 3 goals.. It is not as if the goals were unstoppable. Two goals through the leg? That is too poor.

Belgium number 1

Maybe that first goal was stoppable but the rest weren't. I can count 2 saves he made from Suarez, one from Messi's freekick and one from Paulinho's header off the top of my head, so that's like 5 or so saves in total, so that gives us 3 goals out of 9 shots or so on target, not sure that's a bad return. How many shots on target did Chelsea have all game?

forgiveness:
Barcelona was not as good as Conte thought in first leg.

The only difference between Chelsea and Barca in this match was MESSI. that's all. Apart from that Chelsea dominated them from start to finish.

I don't think they can beat Bayern.

But referee do ojoro no give Chelsea penalty.

Kante na World class. Hazard was the biggest flop. Did nothing.

Giroud na asset.

there was absolutely nothing special about what Chelsea did. At the end how many shots on target did they have? Barcelona have played like this against Athletico Madrid, Real Madrid and even Juventus, they sit back and soak the pressure and attack for 3 or 5minutes and score. I was laughing when someone said that Chelsea outplayed Barcelona, that was exactly what the coach wanted. Ok which good chance did Chelsea create? That Alonso freekick was never ever going to go in, it hit the outside of the bar. Rudiger's header came when they were already down by 3, then that Alonso chance too is the only genuine chance I can recall. Oya Barca, Suarez had a chance which he would have scored anyother day which Courtois saved, Paulinho's header was saved by Courtouis, Messi has scored 3 freekicks in 3 consecutive matches but Courtouis saved his freekick(cc Tbaba1234, it was way more than 4 shots on target so it wasn't as if there was no GK). This was easily Barcelona's game plan and it worked to perfection. Infact Suarez had two good chances, one from an Iniesta backheel and one from a mistake, both saved by the GK.


If you want to talk about the ref then do well to tell us that Giroud should have been sent off for up to three blatant elbows on opposing defenders. That was never a penalty anyday

kingphilip:
did you consider Iheanacho not adopting tii because he didn't partake in preseason

I did, he went there in August and it wasn't until November/December that we started complaining

Icon79:
Apples to apples, if given a fair and equitable chance to compete, I can count on my fingers tips the number of teams in the world that Kelechi is not good enough to start. Fact is, there is politics and covert racism in modern football. And again, I can cite the case of Kelechi vis-à-vis Alexis Sanchez. How many games did KC start for Leicester City after his transfer before they concluded that he wasn't "good enough" to start? Now how many games has Alexis Sanchez started for Man Utd despite showing that he's out of hid depth? Do you sincerely think that Kelechi couldn't have delivered if he were given the same opportunities that Alexis had been given so far? And don't even let me talk about Fernando Torres at Chelsea.

Meanwhile, my hope and prayer is that our boys would show the world how good they really are in June/July. Bottom line, our players will not start getting any respect and/or fair opportunities in Europe until we start playing well at the World Cup. The whole world would definitely take notice if peradventure we reach the semi finals in Russia. Or even the quarter finals sef.


O pari

I still do not understand y'all. Before Iheanacho came to Leicester who was he? Who knew his name? Why would you all of a sudden send Vardy to the bench? When Alexis came who was he? The best player in Arsenal, who was going to bench him? Martial? Rashford? Not to mention that Alexis never took part in the ManU preseason, so you can say that this is his own preseason and there is no shame in that, he is adapting

eterisan:
should be the Everton player formerly at aston villa... Forgotten the name too.... Used to top the tackling stats... Nd distance covered.... We did not here world class... O now I remember... Idrissa gueye..... Some fans here can be so gwg biased they cannot see beyond their nose....

Yes!!! Everton not Southampton. In fact let me take it upon myself to find out the players that have topped the tackling dept for the last 5 seasons

TheGoodJoe:
Simple, it is easier to score braces in France than England.

Finito.

so it's easier to score braces against Peterborough and Fleetwood than it is to score against Angers? You see when you people say something today then you come tomorrow to change your position it gets funny. Now it's scoring braces in England isn't easy, so scoring braces against Blackpool isn't easy? Heck, scoring braces against Colchester and Yeovil town requires a lot more than scoring braces against Monaco and Nantes

edi287:
Yeah he was so hyped up he played well in the ucl in his first season. 6 goals. That's half the goals Nacho scored in 46 games for City despite Mbappe playing as a support striker.
It's Mbappe facts that Pep benched Nacho for Sterling because of his off the ball movement
It's Mbappe facts that when Gabriel Jesus signed for City, you were saying how he'd play as a winger and wouldn't be affected yet Jesus ended up benching both him and Nacho.
Mbappe facts are true facts!! Majority of football fans love Mbappe facts. Heck even Pep loves Mbappe facts!!

Mujtahida:
The bolded is the recognition his stats has earned him and that's my point. Truth is tackling is not all there is about his game but thus far that is what stands him out and he deserves commendation.

I am not sure anyone in their right state of mind would not commend his development, but I totally agree with you

Daejoyoung:
l'll rather advise him to move to a top ltallian side like Juventus or Roma.
But who says he can't show his attacking potentials in such big clubs like Barca or Madrid? You'll never know.

that is the problem. What if he goes there and he doesn't perform? The European press would quickly tag him a flash in the pan, there really is not assurance so why not just stick to your guns? I totally agree with Roma but I disagree with Juventus

tbaba1234:
If he does not move to a bigger club, he would not get the desired attention. If he is churning these stats on champions league nights, his profile will grow.

Bigger clubs can also help him improve other areas of his game.

I think there was an error in what I said. He should move to a big club yes, but the type of big club is the issue. Is Valencia a big club? What I have a problem with is saying he should move to a barca type-possession dependent big club. At 21, passing still isn't his best trait, let him just continue what he is doing where he is doing it

TheGoodJoe:
In France that Giroud and Lacazette were like Maradona.

I am not sure that anyone complained when Iheanacho scored against Peterborough

tbaba1234:
Kelechi scored from several cameos at Man City though.

Anyway, i think we should allow Kelechi grow.. Mbappe is playing at a higher level than him now. Hopefully Kelechi can reach the heights of world football. But for now, let him grow.

which is why I said it is very very possible that he can be a starter for Sevilla no doubt, his talent isn't in doubt.

Meanwhile, can you confidently beat your chest and tell me that you can't recall when people were asking if I wanted him to score goals from cameos?

edi287:
Make i stop

Make we go back to Ndidi. That boy's progress is one of the best things in Nigerian football

tbaba1234:
Just a few weeks back, Ndidi played a midfield of Fabregas, Kante and Bakayoko. He was dominant and outshone all the big names. He was the man of the match with all the midfield stars on show.

He just needs to move to a bigger club to gain more recognition.

I really really disagree with this moving to a bigger club tag. Not every player is made for the big clubs, I gave an example of Krychowiak who is similar to Ndidi. I believe, in England atleast, Leicester is his best bet. It's not like Puel is a bad manager