₦airaland Forum

Odunayaw:
I can't understand how Ajayi who I considered at best a squad player now rose up to be counted in this AFCON. Especially that we weren't defensive in this one like the last one Ekong won

Ajayi was a warrior.

TheSuperNerd:
Salah did and it was saved.

I know but I still think if you place it there, you'd stand a greater chance to score than placing it on his right hand side.

yinkeys:
First touch don't mean sheet
Osimheen will get you goals and that's all that matters
See how isak and gyokores are struggling despite 1st touch lol
Can you guys put some respect on that guy's name
This is very disrespectful to a generational talent
In the streets boys go beat you o

First touch is the alpha and omega of football. Imagine if Bergkamp had a bad first touch, would he had been able to score this crucial goal?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsZkCFoqSBs?si=cbc9r-LH1PvQG1TF

SymphonyRad:
Hopefully Chelle builds on this cause we are finally solid in defence and goal keeping, Arthur Okonkwo will join soon as #2 to Nwabali and Benjamin will miss his defensive best friend (Bassey), Ajayi is in his best prime and will provide effective leadership till he retires with a gold trophy in AFCON 27/28 insha Allah.

The foundation already looks good, the only few tweaks needed will be for Chelle to inject new prospects (as he promised) like Durosinmi who will be the next big #9 for us to understudy Osimhen and build a partnership with Akor (who is learning a lot from Osimhen already). We need them as reliable strikers who can hold it down when Osimhen is injured etc

Lastly the North curse seems to be broken under Chelle, we beat every North African team in this tournament except Morocco (arguably the best and most complete team in Africa at the moment) we didn't lose to them in regulation time, it took PKs with all the dodgy officiatings and Chukwueze's gaffe for them to beat us.

I make bold to say that right now, no African team can talk to us on the pitch except for Morocco, Senegal and maybe Ivory Coast.

That Moroccan team will be exposed soon.

caprikon:
Saw the Egyptian coach giving clues to their keeper on where our players usually put their PKs but he could only save one.lol.

I like how Nwabali handles penalties..he anticipates the opponent but delays early movement..reason why even for the penalties scored against him, he usually dives in the right direction.

His left side is his weak side. Put it there, you'd score.

Kog45:
Chuckwueze gave it to Morocco

On a platter.

It's a shame that given that Nwabali must have at least one save during Pks, we have lost two crucial games on Pks.

FiveFootNinja:
This just proves that we threw the game to Morocco on penalties. We could have won it 4-3 at least.

That's why I wan craze cos we would have defeated Morocco

Blueelf:
Just saw this

thesupernerd, kog45, thegoodjoe, mujtahida

Is this a good Idea?

How do you think this would compare to the AFCON in terms of prestige?

Any worries about player health?

Are we forseeing morocco continued antics with this new tournament?

If it's well organized, it's a good idea

chrisooblog:
Bro!

So far Benjamin is 100% fit he walks straight into the SE starting XI.

Like I said months back I haven't seen a defender so comfortable on the ball the way he is. Pesin wey tackle win ball still carry go front get presence of mind give assist? Omo how I go say he no dey assured?

Not taking anything away from Ajayi. He was immense in this tournament never at fault for the goals we conceded plus was never shaky. He looks like a good dependable back up to have for at least 2-3 years in case of injuries to the B-Square (copyright BankyGee ) partnership.

Nwabali or whoever will be our SE number 1 goalkeeper will enjoy plenty cleansheets in the nearest future with this B-Square CB pairing.

Benjamin is too smooth.

I thought about Onyedika, I begin laugh. The match pass him power. Man pass man oo.

semid4lyfe:
Na 3 hin be. Seriously good one.

Na this kind genuinely young ones our NPFL journos suppose dey push instead of oldies like Ismaila Sodiq.

Appears we'd soon have a glut of talented players. Future looks bright. We just need some measure of stability

TheSuperNerd:
Sodiq Lawal (18), LB... in training with new club, Kalmar FF.

I thought he's an attacker from his clip I saw on X.

Blueelf:
Please there's a particular player I've noticed in our team that has been hiding under the radar and I can't even pkint to one or 2 good games he has had for us. I also feel the said player should be gradually phased out - Chidozie Awaziem

We need an inclusion of new talents in that CB. Because Awaziem has to go, together with Semi Ajayi (this one don try)

Semid4lyfe, mujtahida, how you take see am?

Awaziem was brought in because of the injury to Benjamin. He's been on the fringes of the team for a long time. I'm not sure he was even at the last Afcon.

Ajayi is still part of the team. He performed well during this Afcon.

Goke7:
😂 😂 😂 na green coat and white trousers e go wear

That one na temu lumumba 😂😂

Goke7:
No be backdoor things Morocco Dey do? Na for backdoor dem Dey run soccer for Africa now o na who form mugu go regret. Na the same backdoor Congo Dey use for mercenaries matter 😂

When we qualify, we go carry their Mr. Lumumba go America 😂😂

TheSuperNerd:
Na wa ooo... na so u don troway Tolu, once termed a real Eagle by you, like that😂😂😂

Yes I did oo. I'm not the one who threw him out, it's Chelle and even at that nobody can shut the door permanently to any player cos with Uzoho and Onuachu making this afcon team, any player can reclaim his place.

I read that Tolu couldn't jump to nod. Eagle that cannot fly, is that one an Eagle?

123jamessmith:
Wait o, so nobody reason this matter. At the time chukwueze play that penalty, Morocco has already lost theirs. Chukwueze suppose to be ginger and scored but he didn't.. I dey get the believe say something happen somewhere.

That's what I have been hammering about. Nwabali just gave us the advantage. If he had scored, those Moroccans would have peed in their shorts.

We often blame the NFF for playing big brother on the continent. Now that they have chosen not to play big brother with Congo DR, some Nigerians are not happy. They say we are going through the back door.

Well, backdoor or front door, if DRC is found wanting then they must suffer the consequences. The law is the law.

AndSunGorilla:
I would like to seen Chuks tomorrow. Probably it would be
Uzoho
Awaziem Ogbu Ajayi Sanusi
Onyedika Fisayo
Chuks Onuachu Akor/Nnadi Mosis

Osayi deserves to rest and am not sure Alebiosu is back from injury. Nnadi not competing with Akor but just incase Chelle plays a 4-3-3, then Akor should rest too.

Ebenezer, MC Hammer Ejuke and Fago should get some good minutes too.

Osimhen and Lookman will most likely play just for them to score goals

lbrichman2:
To be honest, we didn't really miss him
Shows how good our team is

We missed him oo. Benjamin used to go on this mazy drives. Against a side like Morocco, he'd have been a great pillar in that defense.

Nevertheless I salute Ajayi for the tremendous work he did manning the defense. He was jittery at the start of the match against Morocco but he stabilized and got the job done.

Blueelf:
Bro, hope say your anger don reduce. No vex for your guy abeg😀😀

About this Aina matter, let's even talk about his fitness despite his return from an injury

Let's even hope he remains the Same player he was and even get better. We can't serve him that position on a platter. He has to work for it and earn it

I no vex again. I even appreciate ChrisKels because he - perhaps without intending to - made me realize that people thought I was attacking Chuks from the angle of tribalism. If I had suspected that people would see my opinion like that, I would have hushed up since after the match. That's gone sha.

Nobody walks into the team. You must earn your place. You slack off, you get benched or even thrown out of the team like Tolu.

Kog45:
Bruno shut everybody and as kokmne always saying Sanusi na gbas gbos defender no finesse in his game, hope to see Festus Agu again

In truth I never had issues with Bruno. In fact when people were complaining, I was at a loss as to why.

Goke7:
If Iwobi had to come up with spectacular performance to keep his place in the team so why won’t Aina?

Aina must work like Bassey to continue to command our respect

He must earn his place. Bruno was given a chance. Baba grab am with his two hands. He shut down Diaz and Hakimi. Imagine what that would do to his confidence.

When it was stated that Afcon will be a four year event and many people protested by saying that we are trying to Europeanize the AFCON, I resisted that idea because as Africans we tend to resist ideas with Pan African mindset instead of the merit or demerit of the idea.

With the AFCON coming to a close, I think it's best it continues to be a biannual event. It is one event that brings the continent together and unlike in the past, it's now commanding greater global attention. We are gaining traction. We should build on this momentum rather than let it zap out into a four year event.

Afcon dey sweet. And e dey pain.

Kog45:
Chinedu should be eagles captain,very calm despite his rugged play.

I don't like strikers being captain. I prefer goalkeepers and defenders.

TheSuperNerd:
Let us be open. If someone can rise to be better than both Benjy and Bassey combined, he is welcome. But right now, Benjamin Frederick earns his place as the bonafide partner for Bassey. Nwaiwu would have to outdo Semi Ajayi first sef before we mention Benjy.

Benjy that benched Ekong?? That Benjy?? Nwaiwu cant touch him and Benjy is younger.

Benjamin is a rock star of a defender. He walked straight into the first eleven. I say this against the backdrop of the fact that players like Akinsanmiro and Nnadi are in this team but more like apprentice.

Only God knows why that boy got injured on the eve of the AFCON.

Papi85:
U guys shouldn’t certify Benjamin as a Bonifide starter yet when others like Nwaiwu is yet to be tried

Bro, can somebody be better than Benjamin? Like TheSuperNerd said anytime Benjamin and Bassey plays, it's Benji that gets the praise. Imagine oo. Any defender better than Benjamin must be rare quality. If Nwaiwu is better, then our future is bright.

Even without Aina and Benjamin, we kept clean sheets throughout the knockout. That's impressive.

Papi85:
and a whole Caf and fifa approved the pitch 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Also allowed SA to host home and away games for opponents in the same group with them 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

We swallowed too much nonsense during the WCQ.

We must protest anything that we think is unfavorable to us. Look how we accepted Ghanaian Ref. We should have protested whether CAF would have changed him or not is immaterial. Our protest would have put him in check. Just like we protested Abongile's appointment during the playoffs

Many players just like every other person need someone to believe in them. I was relentless in saying Bright is not a good defender but his performance became better and better in this Afcon especially in the last two crunch matches. If he can learn how to whip in crosses, he'd be a great RB for us.

I agree with Goke7 that Ola Aina will not stroll back into the first 11. I also agree with Kog45 that Aina will still be our first RB but he would have to raise his game because Bright has significantly raised his own game.

A backline of Aina, Benjamin, Bassey and Bruno will be impregnable.

Imagine two ball playing CBs. Oh God.

ChrisKels:
We are too good for my liking. We ought to be giving back to these guys what we get from them. If only a wucked man like me could get his way to lead the NFF, wetin I go do SA, Lybia and others ehn whenever we have a home game against them, mouth no go fit talk am.

Imagine SA having good pitches yet took us to a potato farm for the WCQ and Aina got injured.

Nigeria can never even nurse such low thinking not to talk of doing it.

ChrisKels:
CIV's win was clean. Morocco has no honor. They have cheated their way to the final.

Yes the officiating for CIV was good. But our fans saw shege in the stadium. I've read various accounts.

We - for all our bad character - never do that. We are always gracious to our opponents. When we failed to qualify for Qatar, our people destroyed the stadium but never attacked Ghanaian team or their fans.