₦airaland Forum

TheGoodJoe:
Prolific. Bojan was not Prolific (I did not say poor). Dos Santos was Prolific.

dos Santos totalled how many goals and assists in his best season? I understand that your bias is because of the fact that dos Santos is a flashy player but that's just like saying that Robinho is a better talent than Messi because he is flashy.

TheGoodJoe:
Browse Dos Santos goal against Inter Milan during the preseason with Barcelona. I believe you will find it on YouTube. After the stars of Barca could not score, Dos Santos came in and showed quality. Bojan's ability is not close to Dos Santos. So there was no way he would have become a Barca top man. Not Guardiola telling him to play Barca B. Ability wise, I even saw Gai Assulin with a brighter talent than Bojan. Injury messed that guy.

so one goal scored against AC Milan in pre-season as a matter of fact shows more quality than a player who scored 10 league goals in his first season in 2007 when he was just coming from the under 17 world cup?! how does that sound to you?

TheGoodJoe:
Bojan's rep is U13, U15. At Barcelona senior team, the time he had his chance, he was not prolific. I watched all their games then. That was towards the end of Rijkaard's reign. Every time Gio got a chance, he performed. In his last game, he scored a hattrick. That preseason, Gio was even doing better than the trident of Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Henry.

Note, I said in their late teens. Bojan did not come close.

In Bojan's breakout season, he scored 10league goals, he was the youngest ever Barca goalscorer in La Liga, youngest starter etc etc. His problems started when Pep told him to go back to Barca B and he refused, yet whenever he played he scored enough, I wonder where you got the impression that he used to be poor

TheGoodJoe:
There is racism in Brazil. It is a major problem there.

I totally meant the black dominated parts, like Favelas(or so) I think, people there do not complain about racism one bit. Of course racism exists in every colonised country where the colonisers deposit some of their own citizens in such countries

TheGoodJoe:
Honestly, Bojan did not have the quality to become a great at Barcelona. Regular time does not make stars. It is ability and hardwork. Bojan was a good talent but no where near even Saviola, Giovanni Dos Santos or Aguero in talent in their late teens.

Iheanacho needs to work hard to make something out of Leicester City but with time find himself in a club that plays a possessive attacking football system, with good creative midfielders that will suit him.

Bojan?! Maybe you need to watch his tapes again, let me just say you didn't follow him that much. Giovanni wasn't even close to Bojan. Bojan is a typical Messi kind of player, you can mark Giovanni out of a game but Bojan is a typical striker that drops deep to collect the ball and create for others. Comparing Bojan to Giovanni is a joke.

On the plus side, Giovanni is also another example

BascoVanVeli:
I don't agree one bit. Porto is known for hoarding Nigerians. The best they get is team B or being sent out on loan. He did very well for himself at Man city now is just the time to buckle up and make things happen. I still believe in the boy he will come good.

except if you mean the owners have something against Nigerians specifically and not Africans(which is totally ridiculous)then I agree with you. If not, then you only need to browse what Brahimi and Aboubakar did there and you will see that they have no issue with playing black players with great potential. You are forgetting that this is Portugal, some of their races are black in fact, just like telling me that racism exists in Brazil, false stories all round. If you are not good enough then you won't make it so far

TheSuperNerd:
I disagree with the first bolded.... Nacho shone at Man City and became the first real great quality from Man City's EDS and had such a rapid rise into the first team and made fine impacts with little game time coming his way... he achieved god status in the man city EDS set up and became the face of the man City Academy... till date Al Khaldoon Mubarak and co rate Nacho very highly and even mentioned him in their season review for 2015/16 as a key part of what they are trying to achieve as a club. If not why do you think He has such a huge buyback fee on his head from Same Man City?

Nacho did what no other youngster from Man City's EDS in recent years have done... and it will be hard to match even for the likes of Brahim Diaz and Phil Foden. Nacho blazed a trail and made his mark... give the boy credits and not lashing him because that is what you always wanna do when it comes to Nacho.. na wa...


And talking about complaints... have you heard Nacho complain? so why say he shouldn't complain?

you have been complaining for him, that's by the way.


Forget all the fancy talks about mentioning a player in your review etc etc, the thing there(the most important thing)is showing total believe in your young player. There was a period when Messi was constantly injured and didn't score or create enough(during Riijkard's tenure)but despite how pressing it was, the Barca board never even thought of buying another left-wing forward, rather Ronaldinho given his free role would always be available to help out the young lad, now that is the perfect and maximum definition of trust, they didn't even need to mention Messi's name in their end of the year review. In 2008, they were more willing to kick out Dinho instead of Messi, if you don't gain enough confidence from that then you need serious deliverance. Now in quick contrast, Bojan was tearing it up at youth level, doing things seemingly impossible and people thought he was the next Messi and rightly so too, but the board went ahead and bought Henry, effectively stalling the little lad's development, as if that wasn't enough when Eto and Henry left, they still got Villa and Sanchez, that destroyed the boy's confidence and development, no need telling you how well he is faring now. Same goes for Cuenca(though his was mainly cause he was injury-prone, but even Messi used to be).

My point is an entire club showing faith and trust in one particular player leads to the making of a world class player. Check all the world class players, at 18 or 19, they'd already be regulars or near regulars for their clubs, not because they are the best there but because the clubs believe in them.

Now take a look at Iheanacho's case. His first full season, he had the best GtM ratio in the Epl and the best shot conversion? Stats beffiting of a potential world class player(or in the worst possible case, just a level below World Class), the previous coach showed believe in him but once he got replaced, the new coach didn't play him at all, the club never complained and they were more than willing to spend so much to buy other strikers that would effectively push him out of the team, the coach even played wingers in his place and the club never complained despite finishing 4th, that is enough to bring down Iheanacho's confidence and if he doesn't hit the ground running at Leicester frustration might get the better of him and that would be another talent wasted(God forbid, it won't be well with Man City). Now tell me, if Iheanacho was an Arsenal player do you think they would have sold him to Leicester? They wouldn't have purchased Lacazzette even and that is why most of their players perform beyond their abilities. Man City was the wrong move for the boy.


Meanwhile, quit the childish and senseless comments about me always trying to ridicule Iheanacho, it turns all your serious comment into some childish gibberish, it doesn't bode well for you

Kog45:
True talk managers always feel d heat but can we say Leicester is a big team,truly they won EPL but wasn't surprise with their performance so far or what do u expect, credit to Ranieri for giving d club good image.Shakespeare came in and make sure d team remain in EPL and we must give him that credit.

I know u are not happy with d development of Nacho,Ndidi even Musa under Shakespeare but there is nothing anybody can do about it.It's either our players perform or face d music like Musa.Thank God Ndidi is doing it weekly and hope Nacho should do d same thing irrespective of what Shakespeare bring to d table.Mind u £25m is not a joke,so high expectations on Nacho to deliver.

How i wish Nacho join club like Dortmund where he can blossom well but sometimes players always have their reason for chosen club.Truly Leicester want him more than any other club at that moment,just let see how it goes but i believe Nacho w show his class.

I agree totally with you. Iheanacho's career started stagnating the very day he choose money over football when he signed for man city, at Porto this boy would have been a god or a mini god at least, other top clubs came for him with a proven youth system. right now not even a single player on the city bench in fact is from their academy, how can somebody see that and still go there?

He shouldn't complain about Leicester, Ndidi is doing very well there, Musa does well too sometimes so he should buckle up and alter his style of play to suit the club, from the way I see it, he either learns from this experience or.....

komekn:
You can't blame the Manager this is the style format that saved Leicester from relegation.

You do your homework before you sign for a team. Will my style of play fit in, will I develop and improve, can I adapt to thier style of play amongst other questions to be asked.Not just the pay package.

I said donkeys ago that KC baptism will come when he leaves City for a less technically proficient team and where he will have limited support.

He was bought to be a striker and so now like it or not he must strike and score goals. If he doesn't all this hype will be forgotten and he could be the next expensive striker to fail.

We cannot expect Leicester to change for him he must change, adapt and perform for them. We cannot change the goal posts. It's tough but this is football he has to get going or loose his place. Leicester will expect a minimum of 15 goals from him at least probably more, this season. That is why they paid near £25 million for him as is reported.

This is his opportunity to prove himself

this is the second time you are posting an absolutely brilliant piece. nacho was poor yesterday, it's as simple as that, Okazaki would have offered a whole lot more and this is Leicester city's system, even under Ranieri they hardly kept possession so he should have known where he was going to. let me just be watching silently

Humility017:
ndidi only crime is that he is in Leicester...
I watched chelsea match yesterday...I can tell you ndidi is just in same class of players like bakayoko....even better had it been he play for a team that maintain more ball possessions in games

Ndidi wil not work in a possession-based team at all. He is the chase-the-ball kind of the guy

komekn:
A few days ago I came across a guy who was a senior part of Tottenham's youth development coaching team, he was there for over 10 years. He said to me that up until 16/18 they considered letting Kane go he wasn't outstanding. His view its almost impossible to tell who is going to be exceptional up to even age 15/16.

that is totally true. Many things change, biologically and psychologically. I remember when we were in junior secondary, we had a guy who was quite tall for his age and he was the best number 9 by far, he was taller than us and quicker than us all, the day I marked him it didn't go down so well(not trying to blow my horn but I was the best CB) but he did score from a long ball still. When we got to senior secondary and we all got tall, even got taller than him we found out just how average he is, he wasn't even close to the top 10 number 9s we had in the school.

This case was because of his physical advantage, there are many things that could lead to a young lad losing steamwhen he gets older

Napoleon55:
the guy is ignorant about how things works in football,we have seen several kids being compared to messi,okocha,ronaldo,and expecting them to live up to their hype,but we've seen them come n go without attaining such height. but we pray that Lafeef's case will b different.

I am 0% sold on the kid. I would be shocked to even be hearing his name 6years from now, the US hardly produces any good player. The favouritism this boy is getting will spur other players to greater heights though, that's the only positive

BascoVanVeli:
I love the fact that Iheanacho is not feeling too big to play with the U23's. Bright future ahead of the young man.

he doesn't have a choice. Bigger players have played for the U23s so nothing special there

Napoleon55:
Raul,Spanish greatest striker of all time and the best striker in the world at that time('98/99)
Luis Enrique,one of the best midfielders of his time,
Zubizaretta,one of the Spanish greatest goalkeepers,
Hiero.
does this players ring bell to your ears?

Zubizarreta
Andoni Zubizarreta
Albert Ferrer
Alkorta
Nadal
Ivan Campo
Hierro
Sergi
Luis Enrique
Francisco 'Kiko' Narvaez
ALFONSO Perez Munoz
Raul
Goalkeeper
Defender
Defender
Defender/Centre back
Defender/Left back
Midfielder
Midfielder
Midfielder
Midfielder
Midfielder/Forward
Forward
Starting lineup:
Peter Rufai
Uche Okechukwu
Mobi Oparaku
Taribo West
Celestine Babayaro
Mutiu Adepoju
Garba Lawal
Jay Jay Okocha
Sunday Oliseh
Finidi George
Victor Ikpeba
Substitutions:
Guillermo Amor for Albert Ferrer 46
Joseba Etxeberria for
ALFONSO Perez Munoz 57
Alberto Celades Lopez for Nadal 76
Substitutions:
Rachidi Yekini for Mobi Oparaku 69
Tijana Babangida for Victor Ikpeba 83
Godwin Okpara for Garba Lawal 90
These were the starting 11's of the two nations. Now could you please name the clubs of those spanish players right there.

Luis Enrique is a good midfielder no doubt, but he played the tournament more as a forward. Enrique is considered a great player because of his versatility but not a great midfielder.

Do you know why Casillas broke into the team at 17? Yeah, Zubbiz-whatever is a great GK indeed. Now like I said, compare the clubs these nigerians were playing to the ones their spanish counterparts were playing for then

Eligreat247:
Hmmmmmm... I knew somebody will observe that (just as I did) and will definitely highlight the matter

I saw it too, and has anybody noticed that Joebie has gone AWOL ever since liberio and Safarigirl started their argument? It's very unlike him to keep mute so long.....are you getting my point?

Kog45:
Thank u my guy coz u are able to understand my simple comment.

As a Nigerian do they expect me to be carrying Spanish players matter for head against my own team.There are things i can say as a football analyst but when it comes to my national team sometimes i w be sentimental especially if someone is trying to rubbish our players at d expense of foreign players i don't take a poo.

Honestly am very conservative when it comes to this,i can even tell u Akpeyi is better than De Gea.Spain may have it good this time around with beautiful players but not to d extent of trying to rubbish your own team not even this young team.

I remember prior to France 98,most people believe Nigeria doesn't have d chance against Spain but at d end what was d result.

We need to give this guys some respect and they deserves it.This is d first time Nigeria is having it so good in a group comprising Algeria, Cameroon, Zambia. Do anybody believe we w have it so good in this group but telling us that hey can't hold it against any team in d world is out of it.

If Spain are beating tough oppositions in their group are we beating minnows here,Cameroon Afcon champion, Algeria a team rated as d best in Africa,Zambia a team to reckon with in Africa.

Thank u my guy for showing simple understanding coz it takes a wise one to understand my point.

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

My brother have you seen what I saw

Kog45:
Oh understand! pls read my comment again,did i say No 1 spot for d Eagles.My point is cleared u don't refer to a player who has not get invitation to d team as one of d possible to world cup.

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

Kog45:
Chei my friend, pls don't see as craze man,am damn serious,can Busquets enter Nigeria team with d presence of Ndidi,recently old warhorse David Vil]la made a come back to d same Spanish team and u are telling me Mikel cannot make Spanish team.Hope to meet Spain soon,may be by that time u w accept reality.Pls are u talking about Spain of 2010 or the present Spanish team.

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.

Kog45:
Michael2 honestly i go flog u o.pls is Nwokolor in Super Eagles for him to be closer to the team than Alampasu who has been part of d team since Rohr took over.Hope u listen to Rohr recently he named them, Ikeme,Enyeama,Akpeyi,Ezenwa, Alampasu,mind u new entrant Dele Ajiboye.Let Nwokolor joined the team first before this your assertion.

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

Mujtahida:
Noooo I am not trashing him. I just wanted you to see the background. Okay imagine Mikel in the Spain team. What do you see?

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

TheSuperNerd:
Ezenwa is good but I won't lie to you... He is not world class material. But yes he is good and one of the very best (if not the very best) we have in the local scene.
And hey guess what? I rate the uncapped Alampasu ahead of Ezenwa. I believe Alampasu will be a long term mainstay in the Super Eagles with time and if and when he gets the chance to man goal... I believe Rohr will find it difficult ignoring Alampasu for long too.... and we will have another strong headache in Goalies selection...


Meanwhile, Vincent is on his way back... more recently updated lips from his twitter account shows he has made remarkable recovery from his right knee injury... he is still involved in Light one-on-one training with a Goalie coach and Physio too... but eventually, Enyeama will make a comeback but first he needs to find a club and get his match fitness levels up.


Finally Carl... all I can say is keep praying for Carl. Right now he stands no chance of making it before the mundial... a miracle is possible but as things stand.. nope... no miracles in sight. Carl is out of the picture for now... he has to fully concentrate on his therapies and steps to recovery from this cancer before he can settle down and know if he can return to the Beautiful game or not coz his condition is really serious.... but I am optimistic he will recover and live a little longer. But to return to Football? That is kinda hanging... so just #prayforCarl

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

Mujtahida:
You should understand the applause for Mikel stems from the fact that while Spain with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets were loaded in the middle, the SE on the other hand were lean in that sector. Mikel was like the guy from a poor family who goes on to make it big while Busquets is like the scion of a rich family just doing his thing. Widows mite

see how they are trashing Busq just to exult Mikel, I don't do that and it's bad

Mujtahida:
You should understand the applause for Mikel stems from the fact that while Spain with Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets were loaded in the middle, the SE on the other hand were lean in that sector. Mikel was like the guy from a poor family who goes on to make it big while Busquets is like the scion of a rich family just doing his thing. Widows mite

see how they are trashing Busq just to exult Mikel, I don't do that

Mujtahida:
We lost because of the team but the fact is that Mikel had an impressive showing in the midfield against Spain. In 1998 we lost to Denmark 4:0 yet Okocha stood out so much so that his value went up and he was the most expensive African player when PSG bought him. My point is a team might be woeful on a particular day yet a player will distinguish himself.

you are getting my point.

Mikel HELD his own against them but he didn't school them, that's the point I made

TheSuperNerd:
Hahahahahahahahaha.... these two (Dr Mickael and Egbon Forgiveness) are in form hilarious-wise.... looolll.... so what will Messi's calling be in this ministry set-up?



Abeg shift make I laugh Small......

https://www.intuitiveaccountant.com/downloads/626/download/ROFLMAO.jpg

No Messi will be the true preacher telling them that it's not everyone that dives gets a penalty

forgiveness:
CR7 na learner where Busi dey.

Marcelo na supremo and he learnt from Cr7 sef

forgiveness:
Was Spain not outplayed in the confederations cup by Mikel?

Oga, Busicat abi na Busqshirt can be skinned by Mikel. Na Football.

and yet we lost 3-0. And had only 2 shots all game long. Brilliant dominance from Mikel right there

forgiveness:
Hahahahahah!! You dey mind d guy!?

Busicat will be very useful in fall and die ministry where ordinary movement or breeze dey fall person down because he is best an actor.

and CR7 will be the Bishop right

kingphilip:
you said chelsea won them on away goals rule and i'll also like to remind you that in 2008 too it was on same rule but laced with controversies

www.101greatgoals.com/blog/were-chelsea-really-robbed-against-barcelona-in-the-2009-champions-league-semi-final/


please read this article and see that Barca were robbed just as much as Chelsea. One clear penalty call in the first leg and a dubious red card

Joebie:
Sir this Mikel matter people almost called me a Mikel hater just because I don't hold him highly as they. Facts and stats are not debatable. When we start to debate and we start to say if this if that then it throws away all logic. The truth is Mikel is our best midfielder. The most versatile and experienced who has played at the highest level than the others. And that's a fact. But what I don't like is exaggerations. I won't go into another Mikel argument.

I know he is the best we have and I acknowledge it but the point is he has his limits.

See the relationship here ooo

Mikel(a DMF that has been playing recently as a Cb for his lowly side in the Chinese league) will skin Busquets(the number one Dmf in Barcelona and Spain, arguably the best DMF in the world at large), it's only in Nigeria that people believe this kind of story honestly. Mikel is a class act, against Busquets he will more than hold his own, but saying he will skin...rephrase he will totally outplay Busquets is rubbish

forgiveness:
Bhuuuhahaha! What is the d duty of a DMF in such situation?

Is it not to block all leakages?

Barcelona during those days made teams Park bus by force, abi you know know?

And we know Busqshirt the sisi was charged with the responsibility of detecting and eliminating counter attacks. Abi you no know?

The sisi will always fall easily to draw sympathy from the referees and it worked for him but during the match against Chelsea he was bypassed with beautiful one touch counters because we know his dirty antics.

What happened? Barcelona era was destroyed by Chelsea. The apari (bald headed) was disgraced and sent to self exil for recovery from the shock.

ok, watch that goal that Torres scored and tell me it has anything to do with the DMF. Watch the one Ramires scored and tell me the Dmf had any business there. The Dmf stops attacks coming from the midfield but the DMF can be bypassed by long balls which Chelsea implemented.

Wait sef it's not as if Chelsea schooled Barca. They almost always won on away goals rule and that apari even defeated Chelsea en route the treble in 2008 so I don't get your point