Starboytwo:
yeah it’s true, the supernerd can fit the role well, Andrew can clearly work in the glass house or technical director, you and idenna are very tall and fit as I heard, whose better to man the gates.

drDoom3:
My criticism of Nwakali is not because I hate him, it is because I see hiss potential and how it is being wasted.

Sure, he is a decent player on the ball. He has the "touch" I talked about earlier that players like Nacho, Ejuke, Aribo etc have that makes them look like they are gliding effortlessly on the ball. His passing is decent, albeit not to the level hyped on this thread (playing teams with top players in top leagues with better tactical positioning closes spaces for the long defense-splitting passes you guys have been longing to see). On the ball, sure, I can see what he adds to the team.

However, off the ball, the guy is a mess. He strolls on the pitch like he is on the runway of a beauty pageant. For an 8, that is disastrous.

For example, note his movement (number 8 jersey) for the Girona goal from 0:11 until 0:18:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH4z_Gw-xqg

Note his movement for all the goals, both his team and the opponents:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eUI4SFWRy0

Just watch basically all Huesca highlights and look at how static he is off the ball. He just switches off.

That tells you two things:
1. How poor the league is. You will never see in any of the top five leagues an 8 standing static in one spot without running or marking any player in a dangerous attack by the opponent. It doesn't happen. Do that in the Prem and you won't finish that game.

2. How far Nwakali has to go to chill with the big boys football wise. In competitive leagues, players don't stop moving unless in a dead ball situation or you are a GK. You are either pressing or marking or moving into positions to receive passes. You switch off for five seconds and it can cost you a game. My guy only switches on when he receives the ball. The guy i almost watching the game as if it is on TV when he is not with the ball.

It is not all about having good technique, being skillful and all that crap. If you can't do the basics of the game, you're not ready.

ChrisKels:


Well, let's see how it goes. I'm not really sold on Awoniyi, maybe I haven't really observed him closely, but he tends to miss more than he scores and that could harm the team in a match where chances are scarce.

TheSuperNerd:
Tell all these to Jorginho who is also kinda Languid in some phases of the game and didn't track Tielemans.

I hope you know Jorginho is also a deeplying Playmaker. A regista in Italian football terms.

Check from 2.30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq8Wj8hvNLA


One thing you must understand is that DLPs/Central Midfiled conductors are not expected to be workhorses. They contribute Decent Defensive shifts and focus primarily on taking up positions that set them up to receive the ball and dictate the flow.


So expecting Nwakali or a Jorginho or a Modric to be running up and down almost every moment to show workrate is not so, My dear Doom3. Not every MF is a Kante or an Onyeka. Lol

TheGoodJoe:


You might ask, what about defending the midfield?

That is where zone play will come in. The players will likely get a crash course in Zone defending. Well shown in the U17 team of Amunike.

When the ball gets to a different area, three or four players would cover that zone to receive the ball.

That was why Spain could play a midfield of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta, and still dominate the midfield defensively.

humility33:

Awoniyi problem is him not been aggressive and hungry enough

There is something Oshimen and Ighalo brings when they play...They're always hungry and aggressive that alone is something expected of a striker...

Awoniyi is like the morientes kind of striker. A gentleman kind of striker.... not aggressive and that only will make me pick even Dessers ahead of him... I don't know much about Sadiq in that aspect

PurpleHouse:
Make I nor lie, Algeria is the team to beat. The cup is theirs to lose. And I pray we avoid them at least, till finals.

TheGoodJoe:


I honestly will not be shocked if Sadiq claims the 9 role. His pressing, and being able to drift to midfield and both wings will give him an edge over Awo.

I think that was why Eguavoen desperately wanted Osimhen. It is going to be a case of utilizing long balls.

TheGoodJoe:


I honestly will not be shocked if Sadiq claims the 9 role. His pressing, and being able to drift to midfield and both wings will give him an edge over Awo.

I think that was why Eguavoen desperately wanted Osimhen. It is going to be a case of utilizing long balls.

humility33:


The truth bro... what I have against Nwakali is his defensive ethics same issues I have with Eze of Crystal Palace

You know his work rate when his team is chasing the ball off the opponent legs or when his team is off the ball is poor . Offensively I know the deadly passes and others Nwakali offers.

If Dude has improved on that trust me I will blow his trumpet. I just fear his pairing with Ndidi might over work Ndidi and even expose us when we get to play a ball possessive and dominating team even not sold on Aribo playing the CM role he is not defensive enough thats why you see me advocate for Onyeka Ndidi start.... with Onyeka as a CM and Ndidi as DM but anyway lets see the surprises that await us

Watched the way Kovacic plays for Chelsea recently trust me will be super excited we have a player that can pull such stint in Cameroon

drDoom3:


Does not work in modern football because of how easy it is to switch play nowadays. Players today make off-the-ball runs like never before. If players only in the zone where the ball is are turned on defensively, your team will chop goals steady.

TheGoodJoe:


You might ask, what about defending the midfield?

That is where zone play will come in. The players will likely get a crash course in Zone defending. Well shown in the U17 team of Amunike.

When the ball gets to a different area, three or four players would cover that zone to receive the ball.

That was why Spain could play a midfield of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta, and still dominate the midfield defensively.

TheGoodJoe:


Works more in modern football than ever before. Defending now is done in groups. When play gets switch, the ball arrives a new zone and a new defending shape takes place.

Are there risk to it? Yes but it is a far more effective option.

Keep in mind Amunike is a modern strategic coach. So when we talk of modern football, his ideas are testaments to it.

TheSuperNerd:
I understand you. But you should be referencing Jorginho not Kovacic. Lol

Anyways, trust me when I say I watched Nwakali for every single minute from August up until December and finally on January 2 before he joined the SE camp.

His workrate has improved most especially in his most recent games. His recovery in his last game was on the moderately high side. He made 6 recoveries. Committed 4 fouls. Lad can get dirty if he has to. On same day, Onyeka committed 2 fouls for Brentford and made 3 recoveries.
These are their last games and sometimes you guys here say, you are as good as your last game.

So I understand your fears but your fears persist only because you haven't watched the lad as much as I have in recent times.

It is well, Royal one. We move.

ChrisKels:


Does Sadiq do well playing as a lone striker?

TheGoodJoe:


Very well.

drDoom3:


Gegenpressing is basically zone defending in the opponents half. However it always breaks down once the ball gets to your half. Once the ball is in your half, every player needs to come in to mark and help the defense by tracking and marking all over the pitch. Else, you see a slide rule pass because the right back was ball watching or the CM decided that watching the player with the ball was more important than tracking the guy with the potential to receive the ball in a dangerous area. This is where Nwakali fails completely.

drDoom3:


Gegenpressing is basically zone defending in the opponents half. However it always breaks down once the ball gets to your half. Once the ball is in your half, every player needs to come in to mark and help the defense by tracking and marking all over the pitch. Else, you see a slide rule pass because the right back was ball watching or the CM decided that watching the player with the ball was more important than tracking the guy with the potential to receive the ball in a dangerous area. This is where Nwakali fails completely.

humility33:


Having Dessers can help too as a super sub

Dude psychologically have been programmed to see himself and play well in such manner lately

TheGoodJoe:


You are basing your idea on the zonal defending failing. That is not how it works theoretically.

This is about perfecting winning the ball with intense concentration. Get it right and you nullify the extra man to receive the ball. Out number the opposition in opposing areas.

If it fails, a defender or a defensive midfielder tracks the guy with the ball, provides cover until defensive reinforcements come to cover gaps.

Sometimes it fails but most times it succeeds. It is in the ratio of success you count on.

drDoom3:


You said it yourself.

From the clips I posted, did you see how well Nwakali was assisting as a defensive reinforcement? Did you see the gaps he was covering so well? And that was against Girona in La Liga 2. Imagine doing that against Algeria or Senegal.

drDoom3:


Now if you play as an AM and more in the opponent's half than yours, these faults could slide in non-high-tempo games. Nwakali is an 8 though: if the ball gets past him, it's Ndidi and our inshallah defense. Ndidi can try his best but you can't expect him to do Nwakali's defensive duties to mark players while Nwakali strolls on the pitch waiting to receive the ball so he can "command the midfield".

samtol4:

Good formation. Iwobi should be on the bench. that is why the sacked of Rohr was very good because he will not play this formation.

TheSuperNerd:
I thought it was on this thread that it was agreed that we have a dearth of Creative Central and Attacking Midfielders from Africa doing it in Europe. We have much more of CDMs/DMs in Europe from Africa. This is because there is this general mentality that African Midfielders are only good for power plays and Grits. This is why the likes of Kessie goes to Milan, Haidara goes to Leipzig and then Mikel goes to Chelsea and got converted from AM to CDM.

Even Ziyech is pushed to the Wings and not allowed to operate much through the middle


Kelechi Nwakali is highly technical and a brainy kind of MF hard to press and hard to track down because he operates from deep in midfield. Tracking a DLP will mean you sacrificing spaces/gaps behind you for opponents to exploit and before you can hassle the DLP, he has picked his pass.

The lad is not physically built or one for gra gra football which the likes of Kessie and Haidara live for. Lol...


How some don't see this but are only concerned about where one plays, using that to judge actual footballing ability is really shallow. Football is a lot deeper than where I play. Lol

TheSuperNerd:
Tell all these to Jorginho who is also kinda Languid in some phases of the game and didn't track Tielemans.

I hope you know Jorginho is also a deeplying Playmaker. A regista in Italian football terms.

Check from 2.30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq8Wj8hvNLA


One thing you must understand is that DLPs/Central Midfiled conductors are not expected to be workhorses. They contribute Decent Defensive shifts and focus primarily on taking up positions that set them up to receive the ball and dictate the flow.


So expecting Nwakali or a Jorginho or a Modric to be running up and down almost every moment to show workrate is not so, My dear Doom3. Not every MF is a Kante or an Onyeka. Lol

TheGoodJoe:


It is a team work and that is why I highlighted central play. Reshaping for the central guy will require less running.

Also, Nwakali has shown improvement with his running, so I believe he can get sorted out defensively.

Remember Mikel did not run with pace but kept it neat with tidy covering movements.

ChrisKels:


Pass your message without unnecessary mockery and subtle jibes.

drDoom3:


I am not mocking anyone. I am only pointing out facts using sarcasm and irony.

It is all part of the english language we speak everyday (at least for most of us).

12large1:


You might have a good point here o because I just viewed Xavi and Modric 2010 and 2018 stats and it doesn’t seem very impressive enough to win b’allon d’or

Modric 2018 World Cup stats
2 goals and 1 assist in 7 games

Xavi 2010 World Cup stats
0 goals and 0 assist

Okay, as a Central midfielder, you might not score/assist bountifully, but, your overall control of the tempo of the game can have a huge impact on your team result

drDoom3:


Sure, it will. It is not all about running though. It is about awareness.

Are you as a player aware of the immediate danger? Do you recognize what you have to do to stop it? How do you execute that?

drDoom3:


Untrue, at least the second part. Jorginho can be languid at times, but at least he is not catwalking on the pitch. For that goal, you can clearly see from behind that Jorginho drifted to the left to provide cover for Reece James against Vardy receiving the ball which was the immediate threat. The plan was to cover all through passes so that Tielemans will be forced to carry the ball alone where he can then be closed down at the edge of the box. Tielemans saw this and used the space wisely to score an unexpected stunner. It was not Jorginho's fault, rather it was the brilliance of the player.

Also I wonder why you are trying to use scant mistakes of one player to justify the continous failure of another. It is just like saying because no one in a class got 100% in a math test, the kid who got 5% and failed shouldn't be blamed. After all, no one was perfect. That is a dangerous approach.