₦airaland Forum

Abeg wait.

Hope say we no get player wey don collect two yellow cards make e no be like WC qualifier o

Modified: I just did a check and only Musa and Semi Ajayi have been carded so far. They are both on one yellow card each. We are good to go

Three Key Decisions For Gernot Rohr Ahead Of Benin

Gernot Rohr has some important decisions to make ahead of the qualifier games against Benin and Lesotho

The Super Eagles of Nigeria go into March’s “double-header” against Benin and Lesotho in search of a point that will, for all intents and purposes, wrap up qualification for the Nations Cup.

It is a favourable state of affairs – to have your destiny in your hands – but the road Gernot Rohr’s side has taken to arrive here has left something of a bitter taste in the mouth.

The disastrous November international window saw Nigeria unable to beat Sierra Leone in two attempts, despite taking a four-goal lead inside the opening 30 minutes of the home leg in Benin. These sorts of results can be deemed a wake-up call and may be described as a teachable moment for what is still, essentially, a young team. But, it narrowed the margin for error, although not by much. A point is eminently achievable over the next two matches, but some important decisions need to be made. These “calls” will significantly help or hinder the cause if they go wrong or right.

How To Format The Attack
Until recently, it seemed set in stone that the Super Eagles’ attacking lynchpin was Victor Osimhen. However, since his injury in the home leg against Sierra Leone last year, his trajectory has plateaued somewhat. He has been unable to get into a decent rhythm at Napoli, and there were even calls for him to be left off the national team list to focus on finding his feet in Italy.

But, it is a different case for Kelechi Iheanacho and Paul Onuachu, both of whom have been prolific for their clubs. However, while their merit is undeniable, they both bring very different strengths to the table than Osimhen, and so Rohr has a tough choice to make: continuity v form. Does he stick with Osimhen based on tactical familiarity, or reward the other two in a bid to broaden his attacking options going forward?.


Rohr has a tough decision to make with Kelechi Iheanacho in form
A further wrinkle comes in with the idea of fielding two of the three, rather than one. But who then misses out? Tough choice…

Recommendation: start Osimhen in a front two, with Iheanacho just off him.

Who Starts At Right Back?
If you think the Super Eagles is spoiled for options in attack, wait till you get a load of the traffic jam at right-back.

Both Ola Aina and Tyronne Ebuehi, being in fine form at club level, are at the front of the queue, but then you get to the more unorthodox picks.

Rohr trusts Chidozie Awaziem, to play at right-back in the service of a greater defensive security, and even Shehu Abdullahi has tried the role.

It really comes down to how Rohr interprets the game. He is more unlikely to field two flying full-backs simultaneously. There is a strong probability (especially if, as expected, Zaidu Sanusi starts at left-back) that we will see a more conservative pick on the other flank.

That doesn’t write off Aina or Ebuehi, however. The Fulham man in particular, has been playing a more disciplined role in the Premier League; something of a hybrid between a full-back and an outside centre-back in a back three. This has sharpened his concentration and curbed some of his wilder instincts. Ebuehi is a complete, well-rounded full-back, and so can be trusted to interpret a more measured role as well.


Does Ola Aina or Tyronne Ebuehi start at right-back?
Recommendation: start Tyronne Ebuehi at right-back.

Midfield Formatting
For the first time, Rohr has the trio of Joe Aribo, Wilfred Ndidi, and Oghenekaro Etebo available to him for selection. Injuries have, since 2019, conspired to deprive him of one or more of the three at various times, and so he will relish the bounty.

Of course, it raises the question of how exactly to deploy them?

Ndidi is pretty much a certain option, but who pairs with him, and how might that determine the shape and flow of the team?

His partnership with Etebo, while a solid one, has often struggled to progress the ball when faced with compact, disciplined opponents (see: 2019’s Africa Cup of Nations semi-final v Algeria). Aribo, with whom he played with against Brazil, is the more expansive option but he can lack defensive awareness due to his attacking instincts.

Also, how does he set it up? Ndidi as the sole holding midfielder, with two shuttlers on either side? A double-pivot? Will we see a re-tread of the flat midfield from the home game against Sierra Leone?


Ndidi looks like a guaranteed starter in midfield
Recommendation: play all three (preferably in a midfield diamond).

fabyom:
It is not fake news! There is nothing on that IG page suggesting otherwise! Did you know how much time it took them traveling on road after arriving on boat?

Firstly, by the time the video of them was circulating of their arrival in Benin it wasn't up to 3 hours like stated Earlier. Also, at bolded; below is the list of Airport in Benin and there's none in Porto Novo, so even if we had taken plane we would still have to travel by bus from Cotonou to Porto Novo in addition to the one from The Island to MM Airport here in Nigeria

This people have started with their useless antics. Why do we do this in this part of the world??

fabyom:
I am more concerned about our expectations from them! When we played at home with less stress, it took a fluke penalty and Kalu's ingenuity to beat Benin. Remember, they scored first and also struck the goal post. I don't think we should expect SE to win!

Portugal also needed a fluke own goal to beat Azerbaijan as well. Na football, D koko na 3 points

JohnBullMySon:
I'm surprised that even Brila is falling victim to fake news.

Go to @teamnigeriauk3 on IG and check the video times. they did not spend up to 3 hours on the boat.

Exactly, I had to go confirm the time difference and it wasn't up to 3 hours

fabyom:
It will be a miracle if we get a draw tomorrow!
We are playing in Benin yet we make it seems like we are playing in a distant place like China.
Ridiculous and absolutely disgusting!
How can you take players on a 6 hours Boat and Land trip to Benin republic a day before an important game and still ask them to train the same day?
Are you out of your f.. mind?

Oga get your facts right, they did not spend 6 hours on the trip o

ChrisKels:
Another big steal after Koulibaly and Eduard Mendy is Abdou Diallo. I even read that his younger brother who plays for Southampton is considering going to the AFCON with Senegal.

Did you know that it doesn't take more than two weeks for those players to get cleared from France to rep any of these francophone countries, unlike England that takes up to 2years to clear a player for the anglophone countries in Africa?

I think England does that thing intentionally because I mean Akpoguma was cleared in less than how many months but Ejaria and Lookman don dey take years.

ChrisKels:
Those so called "rest" being given to them, would all have about 10 England caps(a very big achievement for angloNigerians) each if they they were born in England.

Guys like Diallo and Koulibally would even bench every center back England can boast of

No doubt

andrewbaba44:
Koulibally is a big steal for Senegal thou

No doubt.

ChrisKels:
They made their team and country attractive to these players, same can't be said about us

Or rather. France have more than Enough talents and can easily let go of them. No be the same Nampalys Mendy talk say him no fit imaging himself for another Jersey except France before??.


No be attractive anything, dem no see space for their country of birth

andrewbaba44:
Or France is reaping from them

Na both ways. France dey harvest the best dey give them the rest

JohnBullMySon:
Half of Senegalese squad is from France sir

Or more than half sef

ChrisKels:
Many of their top stars were groomed here in Senegal not France.

Yeah

Doesn't mean they've not benefited a lot from France as well. Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Salif Sane, Sabaly, Kamara their third choice keeper, Boulaye Dia who seems to have replaced Niang as their first choice striker as well. The 3 newly invited guys you listed as well

Not to talk of Guys like Keita Balde, Gomis and the Dieng guy who were groomed in Spain,Italy and Switzerland respectively.

They have some exciting young talents tho

andrewbaba44:
Na your work I trust you ,Senegal Dey blessed with GKs

If this dieng na naija e go be our first choice straight

Dude is not even a sure 3rd choice for Senegal self and a regular at the championship ,he will have to fight with they Strasbourg guy

Mendy and Gomis are the first 2 choice

these guys just dey reap from France mehn.


Players from PSG and Monaco just agreed to play for them.


if to say na our borough boys...... make i end there

phamarsenal:
If only we had a reasonable coach that is not afraid to make bold moves and decisions, dis formation is what suits us right nw, and we strikers who could do well in dis formation...although am skeptical abt aribo ability to do well in a 2- man midfield he plays better in a 3-man midfield..

Exactly

ChrisKels:
If we had a reasonable coach, then we could bring down any team in Africa using this line up, though at the long run, I would shake it up by replacing Iwobi with Ademola Lookman. Also Maduka should sit for Uzoho.


Nice line up

Nice line up. I would prefer Etebo instead of Aribo and Tyrone ahead of Aina tho

Netherlands Vs Turkey. What a game

andrewbaba44:
They where the better teams in all games they played including against Portugal and Spain

No African team will even beat iran on that group

That Iran is just so tough. Very difficult team to beat. After I watch them beat Morocco, I quickly forgave Keshi's Eagles for drawing against them

JayromWrites:
Nah bro


I think He got it spot on(I believe it's in no particular order)

Alright

BascoVanVeli:
Quality wise this team is better than the team that came in third place.

True

BascoVanVeli:
I would remove Ivory Coast and Egypt. On paper this is the best Al Ahly, seeing as they were third in the world cup. Add Mo Salah, trezeguet, Al Gazzi, Elneny and even that defender at Stoke. Egypt will be a favourite for the next nations cup.

Egypt will always be favorite going to any AFCON, even if them carry only Zamalek or Pyramids players lol.

Ppogbae:
I’m gonna have to disagree with the selection of Algeria. They have too many old players that all play in the Arab leagues.

Right but then they are the current champions and they have Mahrez

JayromWrites:
Zack loves Nigeria


no be today

So you're saying he mentioned Nigeria out of bias??.

What are your own top five teams based on depth in no particular order??

Hmmmmm

ChrisKels:
Joke's on you, if you think you stand a chance against Senegal and CIV

Same Ivory Coast that Ethiopia beat in this same qualifiers??

Okay

ChrisKels:
Your PE house master ain't gon be bold with his own approach either, hence giving Benin room to molest us. We have been here before, expect nothing new

This man

ChrisKels:
Be reeling out names upon names, las las na white Onigbinde still be their head coach. Make Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, Mali, Ivory Coast or Zaire catch this team with Rohr as the coach, our body go hear am

Apart from Algeria and then probably Morocco, all this other teams wey you mention too their coach sef na short 1. Welcome back by the way, been a long time

IDENNAA:
I know that many might disagree with me but I am not sold on Aribo. The boy was badly exposed in the match against Sierra Leone.

Blame it on the clueless coach we have. When he will invite just 3 midfielders what was he expecting. He was using Etebo and Aribo, two guys who are not exactly defensive players in the middle and wanted to defend a lead. When they scored the second goal, he definitely should have tighten things in the middle buh we all know what happened

When senior man go land nau??

Senior man wan make grand entry

What would it cost us to have something like this. But then even if we do, with the poor maintenance culture we have, in a few years the place will be nothing to write home about