kennysville: I was about to state all of the above in a post when o read what you posted. Very apt.
Now here is the perfect opportunity to really X Ray why we were not scoring in the absence of Osimhen. The 2 major culprits are Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon. And add to that aimless passing of our supposed midfielders.
We all can see on several occasions where Lookman would prefer to shoot or do useless take ons when he could just have passed the ball. I dare say he is one of the reasons why Boniface looks useless on the pitch if we are really gonna be honest and not be sentimental in the name of APOTY. The less said about Moses Simon the better. My take on him is well documented. It is a big problem when every player on the pitch think o themselves as super stars and so can't work together to get a common result. Each person playing for his own bottomline whether by way of fame or better contracts at club level. And now Nwabali don join the shoulder raise too. Nobody fit correct him.
The first rule is unless you are Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, you need to play as a team and for the team. Wearing the Super Eagles jersey is not to be taken for granted. As a player... you are not doing us a favor. So if you are not gonna give 110 percent in a game, then get the hell out of the way. We have so long enthroned mediocrity in our way that our players are so comfortable with it. They practically wallow in it when they play at the national team. Now can we honestly answer which team played against Benin Republic? Was it because it was imperative to win? How come we didn't approach all other games like that? So we got ourselves into this mess. I have said it before. This mediocre way of thinking started with one coach who always qualifies us with a game to spare. The guy sabi massage ego so tey our players don't even feel bad when they lose to teams like Madagascar and Central African Republic. Drawing 4-4 after going up by 4 goals. Abi is it not the same players? That was when we started hearing things like there are no more minnows in Africa.
It is time to get players on merit and not on sentiments. If we discover a new player better than Alex Iwobi (and quite frankly, there are lots ... please dont ask me where cos somehow we got a Fredrick) we must be ready to throw em in the fray against all sentiments. Play the team according to its strengths. Period
Lookman is just too selfish. Among our forwards, it's only Osimhen and Iwobi that I can say are unselfish.
In Osimhen, we have a star. The team should play for him because he plays 200% for the team.
QueenJazz: To be fair, I wasn't comparing them to the likes of Spain and Argentina etc. lol. That would be a stretch obviously. I'm talking of comparative performance among CAF teams. Cameroon, Morocco and Nigeria have had the most WC appearances. Given the overall poor performance of CAF teams in general when it comes to the World Cup, the fact that they have been frequent competitors is relatively impressive.
CAF teams obviously need to step up their game, but I'm just drawing the line between teams like Cameroon and for instance... Mali, when it comes to global competitions.
I hope CAF contingent performs well. It's time. I just feel we'd do well. There's something about the way this whole thing has played out for us.
QueenJazz: Nigeria has been in the Round of 16 three times (1994, 1998, 2014), which remains the highest number of knockout stage appearances for African teams. They've also won the highest number of World Cup games as CAF representatives. That is World Cup consistency for any African nation.
Also, your facts on the deep runs are off: only Morocco has reached the Semi-Finals. Cameroon, Senegal, and Ghana all peaked one round earlier in the Quarter-Finals. Subsequent outings haven't really favored them too. I don't think Cameroon has managed to qualify out of the group stage since 1990. Same for Ghana after the 2010 WC.
My point still stands regardless: those 6 nations I mentioned are the Big 6 from CAF when it comes to global football. Egypt and Tunisia are 7th and 8th based on number of WC appearances, but like we've already noted, they don't really perform well at the WC.
Yes I agree that these nations are the big guns but I do not see them as being high achievers at the world cup on a consistent basis. That distinction belongs to Germany, France, Brazil, Argentina, England, Holland, Spain (recently sef) We need to do better.
I made a mistake about Morocco. They got to the semis at Qatar. I think Morocco first qualified in 86(checked 1970) and didn't show up again until 1994 and then 98 with Mustapha Hadji. They were knocked out first round. They were absent until 2018. Now they've qualified back to back.
I believe with this expanded quota, the big guns will be more consistent in qualifying for the Mundial.
First time I'm watching Oliseh's podcast. Enjoyed watching it though was rolling my eyes a bit when the lady moderator started gassing Oliseh that his era was the most disciplined and focused bla bla bla.
Anyway back to some of the points raised in the discussion. Yes I agree with them that this is the time to get results. Playoffs is not the time for s*xy penetrating passes but results. Win ugly or boring just get the win 1-0 1-0 I don't care just achieve the win.
Oliseh spoke about being auto-critical I think we've begun to see some of that from Osimhen, Ndidi and Bassey. Call out each others BS before it harms the team.
What they said about Lookman is spot on. Dude hasn't had a proper preseason so is a few weeks from his full form. He will get there let's just be patient. That said I think a super sub role should is what he's good enough for now.
Also concur that Ekong shouldn't be a starter in the defense for the time being.
She obviously was born then or must have been a child. Those guys were not the disciplined at all. Oliseh himself though was soft on the players on that point. He knows.
Meliforme: Thank you Mujtahida for making me see this video. Sunday Oliseh's submissions reveal a sound tactical depth.
I quite agree with him on the notion that we should stick to a conservative approach for the time being.
In my opinion, we should stick to a conservative approach for the following reasons:
Our composition of play does not allow for a quick recovery following a counter attack. This is down to coaching, and it is an issue that can be corrected.
The absence of genuine creative midfielders. We need at least two creative midfielders who are also good at winning back possession, to make something out of a possession style of play We have shown that we can dominate possession, if we choose to, but the absence of a creative midfield has made us easy to nulify. We have wingers that can create, but no genuine creator operating mid field. Iwobi's EPL exploits has come from the wings. How many chances has he created for S.E players whenever he is operating through the middle.
It took me some time to realise that Iwobi is not yet a genuine midfield profile. If he must operate mid field, he needs at least two supporting midfielders with him operating a very advanced role.
We need midfielders who cannot only win possession, but can hold the ball, dribble their way through tight spaces, deliver accurate passes and create chances. I can only see two midfielders with those abilities: Ebenezer Akinsanmiro and Kelechi Nwakali
Honestly, I will pick Ebenezer Akinsanmiro above any midfielder in S.E as things stands because of my studies of him. He ticks every box and much more.
Playing without a creative midfield makes our players overwork, making these players injury prone
We should all throw our support around Eric Chelle as Oliseh has advised and hope for the best.
I will stop here
This should be forwarded to Chelle. Sound analysis bro
Goke7: He listened to the so called proponents of tiki taka whereas even right now a whole Oliseh is advocating for just scoring one or two goals during the playoffs and lock shop! Hope you can see how humans are? Dem go push you enter inside well if you no borrow sense
Na TheGoodJoe mislead am 😜😛cos the rumor was that Finidi was coming to this thread to read and he read TheGoodJoe's tactical emphasis on tiki taka 😂😂😂
Goke7: Finidi was assistant to JP, there was nothing wrong in making him coach, even keshi was once an assistant too. Much was expected from Finidi in terms of continuity and building upon what JP left. He’s a certified coach so what else in terms of parameters, did Finidi not see it all in Afcon where we got to the final?
His mistake was that he wanted to try something different and it backfired.
The African teams that consistently perform on the global stage when it comes to senior men's football: Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.
No matter how rubbish these 6 teams are at the continental level, when they get to the global stage, they must always shine. Also, these are the only African teams so far that have pulled major upsets at the World Cup.
No African team performs consistently. Nigeria blazed in 94 and got to the second round and since then has been stuck on the second floor.
Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana have reached the quarters and recently Morocco have reached the Semi finals.
But I do believe that we will perform very well this time around.
QueenJazz: If you mean that he should be there on the bench, no wahala. I no argue that one. It's even good because he can assist if things get into penalty shootouts.
But starting on the pitch, make Dem no even think am. He can be giving motivation from the sidelines abeg.
We don enter knockout format. We have to be at the very top of our defensive game.
What's the deal with Gift Orban and why does he keep getting ignored? That dude is swift, skillful and pacey. What gives?
It honestly bothers (and annoys) me the amount of untapped potential and depth we have in the squad, and yet we keep relying on the same players over and over - sometimes to diminishing returns like in the case of Troost-Ekong
Ekong has to be there oo. He provides leadership which is very important.
lexyman: nice interview , what i have mentioned about Cameroun was also mentioned by Elegbete ... i hope we qualifies, as SE have decided to take a longer route .....
QueenJazz: Lol. I just watched it this morning sef. A lot of interesting insight in here. I know people love to pile on and castigate the 94 set, but if there's anyone among that set that I still regard to a tiny little extent, it's Oliseh. Mostly because he's articulate and knows how to make solid arguments.
Like they said, we shouldn't be celebrating the playoffs like it's a World Cup ticket. But given how abysmally we started the campaign, and our standings before the SA points deduction and Eritrea factor, it's a huge miracle that we're still competing for a spot at the mundial.
Also, I agree with his argument that the defense needs to be more tightened and disciplined.
He said that we should be pragmatic. Win by low margins.
ChrisKels: Onyeka hasn't been giving us that display since the AfCoN ended. He was so poor in his last 4 games. The bulala 3 days ago was just a redemption.
That's true perhaps as chrisooblog just said it's due to the style of play we have now
chrisooblog: But honestly D'Law is our DM destiny tied to Ndidi?
Can't anybody just do a job even if it's two games?
Wilfred is a cool guy but the way he gets easily bypassed by opponents these days causes me serious palpitations.
I say Onyeka but peeps here say Ndidi is better than him. Frank carried the full burden of defending from our midfield during the last Afcon and he was awesome - energetic and mobile.
forgiveness: How can you claim Moffi is more reliable than Awoniyi with 4 goals in 799 minutes after 19 matches?
Awoniyi on the other hand played 426 minutes and had 2 goals in 10 matches. Do that stats look like Moffi is more reliable than Awoniyi?
You are also wrong about Awoniyi being on the same level with Boniface andOnuachu
Boniface with 655 minutes in 13 caps score only 1 goal. How does that look same?
Onuachu own worst pass. Only 3 goals in 25 matches with 797 minutes. How are they the same?
Simmy didn't get more chances though.
It's not always about numbers. There's something more. Maybe I should call it ginger plus luck. Boniface, Onuachu, Sadiq lacked it. You know even if you give them days to play for the team, dem no go score like that.
On the other hand, some players just have this air of danger around them. Even if they don't score, you can sense it that it's coming.
NIGHTMARE0O7: U dey scatter my head u sabi ball die!. As i read ur post it seems like im the one posting them.. because u say a lot of things i have in mind to say but i camt say them because i dont have that patient to type lenghty stuffs.
Kudos to you
My brother finish work in that analysis. Kundus to him. Realpoacher more ink to your pen.
QueenJazz: Lol. I just had this funny visual in my head of us winning the next WAFCON, but instead of celebrating it, we just take the trophy, stroll out of the stadium, get on the bus and head home, because we're bored of winning the trophy and having to jump and celebrate it every year. 😂
Exactly. It will be too routine. The romance that gave flair to mission X will not follow mission XI if we win it next year. We need to be starved a little.
I am not going overboard with my Praise of Chukwueze... My accolades on him is based on extensive analysis of his game play since 2015 U-17s.
De nerd, you know what I am saying. Look at him with your trained eyes. Chukwueze has mastered the art of playing 3 solid positions on the field. He started with 11 at the U-17s to Villarreal and even his early days in the SE. Later switched to 7 and inverted RW. Now Chelle mistakenly played him as a 10 against Jamaica and he shoned like he was born for that role.
His wing play either as a LW or RW can be erratic but I promise you, his midfield role will not be the same.
You people forget that Chukwueze has more Assist in that Team than any other players, yet he played less than most of them.
He has been giving Osimehn assist back to back. He was the one who assisted Osimehn with the second goal away to Rwanda.
Playing him as a 10 with a free role means that he can be seen anywhere on the pitch and he will do well with the ball, LW, RW, AM, CM etc just name it, he will always wiggle his way out.
In the process, the issue about his on & off performance won't even arise.
If you are making Iwobi sit deep with Ndidi, then by all means allow Chukwueze sit and roam just ahead of them.
Another person Chelle is not utilizing is Uche, Second half, Uche can come in for either Iwobi or Chukwueze. Having a versatile player like Uche is always a blessing most coaches pray for, someone that can play DM, CM and AM comfortably is who you are rooting to the bench.
This squad is more than capable of putting aside all teams in the playoffs including Cameroon, Bolivia or Costa Rica. It doesn't matter who we meet.
We have been given a lifeline here, let's not blow it.
Let them approach this playoff as our own World Cup before the main world Cup. Whatever display we are hoping to do at America should start from the playoffs.
Quite insightful and I must say that many people here show great understanding of the tactical demands of modern football.
Having said that, I was first enthused by your statement in the bolded portion above but on second thought, this might prove to costly as the defensive burden will be on Ndidi alone. On the flip side, our defensive onslaught coming from Chuks sitting in front of the attackers and even Iwobi from deep makes me salivate but it depends on the kind of opposition we facing.
Someone asked me this morning, if we would make it out from the African play offs. I said yes. This is because we tend to raise our game when the stakes are high and the opponent has pedigree.
On the other hand we bring down our game when we meet the so called minnows while the minnows raise their game. This is the reason why whenever we meet minnows they play like Barca and we play like Burnley. This is a terrible behavior. We need to be ruthless to the point where teams shudder at the prospect of playing us.
Sports › Re: "The Super Eagles Thread: The Road To AFCON 2027, 2028 And 2030 World Cup by Mujtahida: 2:55pm On Oct 18, 2025
