₦airaland Forum

Stormtrooper11:
Luka Modric is one of the greatest midfielders in the history of this game. He got nothing to prove. His leadership has been excellent and inspiring.

They said he is not up there with Xavi and Iniesta

I LOLed thrice

Ppogbae:
You mention Yugoslavia. Why is it that Serbia and Bosnia are not emulating this success?

What gives?

Good question for which I don't have an answer. Yes something Croatia is doing right absolutely as since 98 they have been a force to reckon with.

Croatia is swiftly becoming a big footballing nation. This just proves that their appearance at the final of the last world cup was no fluke. Today's result didn't come as a surprise to me at all. I'm sad but not surprised.

They're a proper tournament team.

You like beating around the bush! So na penalty Croat we should go and study now! You guys will not stop amusing me! lol!

Ppogbae:
NFF need to travel and study the Croatian football infrastructure. Their consistency and ability to rise to the occasion at important moments is unmatched.

But you guys did not give credit to the Super Eagles who almost qualified from a group with Croatia, Argentina and Iceland(that top England).

COOL10:
Croatia is swiftly becoming a big footballing nation. This just proves that their appearance at the final of the last world cup was no fluke. Today's result didn't come as a surprise to me at all. I'm sad but not surprised.

They're a proper tournament team.

Tite/Brazil has come up short against European opposition in the quarters yet again.

This Brazil team has a different identity from their previous title winners ...a bit too European in their style. His squad had too many forwards.

The cup will most likely remain in Europe.

Na roasted agbado he dey use.

AndSunGorilla:
Chief High Priest what is happening? Are you using adulterated palm oil or is palm wine for the sacrifices?

caprikon:
Tite/Brazil has come up short against European opposition in the quarters yet again.

This Brazil team has a different identity from their previous title winners ...a bit too European in their style. His squad had too many forwards.

The cup will most likely remain in Europe.

This generation of Brazilian players may be as talented as the previous ones, but they don't really have that winners mentality in them.... But we can't tag them a golden generation cus they produce star players almost every year....

Odunayaw:
They said he is not up there with Xavi and Iniesta

I LOLed thrice

He's one of the underrated football players out there. People can say anything.

Marjoribanks:
But you guys did not give credit to the Super Eagles who almost qualified from a group with Croatia, Argentina and Iceland(that top England).

Lol, of course I did. It seems you're new here.

Losing 2:0 to eventual finalists and then 2:1 to a messi-led Argentina is nothing to be ashamed of considering the quality of our squad.

Modric at this World cup: Zero goals, Zero Assists, 5 games played yet he is at it again. Midfield General.

No G/A but we all can see his midfield influence. He even had it better in 2018 at this stage of the competition in terms of G/A but it was similar influence and it culminated in his ballon dor year.

Modric is a NON/LOW-G/A midfielder but his primary body of work is more about orchestrating his team's plays and conducting passing sequences like the maestro he truly is.

The middle game is a world for more intelligence and brains before the use of brawns and G/A stats.

Appreciate the true artistry of midfield plays. This is what we need in the Super Eagles and we have the personnel that if picked right can give us something close enough.

elyte89:
Tell dis to emeka ,na club name Dem always Dey after

It's simple. This goalkeeper though playing in the local league must have shown quality in training to merit being the first choice goalkeeper and across several matches he's been outstanding. Quality does not hide.

Now compare this to the darling of the thread. He was invited for the Afcon. Started one match in which he was just normal. Question is why did Eguavoen who saw his qualities in training not use him as a first teamer?

Okay Eguavoen is gone. In matters like this only practical realities ends the debate. I am all for the improvement of our team. If only I am the coach of the SE, I'd have invited him and given him a run of game.

Keshi did something like this with Obafemi Martins. He had not been inviting Martins. The noise was loud and the pressure strong for him to invite Martins. He did. Martins played. He was washed out. After that game nobody called for Martins to be invited. His performance on the day ended the debate. That was the last match Martins played for Nigeria.


The point here is not that Nwakali will show himself to be washed out. No. The point is that his performance one way or the other will settle the argument.

TheSuperNerd:
Even I, here, know my Maroc Boys will likely fall on Saturday. It's been a good run. And yes, that "Arab world-only mentality" talk that they allowed to go public isn't drawing a lot of goodwill towards them despite their coach doing his best to deflect from it.

Portugal to go through but I am proud of My Maroc Boys. I am open to a shocker but Portugal have got too much quality and are more direct and much more swiftly vertical in their attacking plays than Spain.

Once gain, you have come with an intelligent analysis that is unparalleled

You are a blessing to this thread man. Keep it up

Odunayaw:
They said he is not up there with Xavi and Iniesta

I LOLed thrice

Thos kind of analysts not only analyze football at beer parlors, they also own the beer parlors where they ply their trade

SMH

You guys see what the Croatia goal keeper was doing today,you can go far in football without a goal keeper,....the heroics of Croatia and morroco was due to their goal keepers,...if the NFF was serious they would have started squatting for goal keepers now

Meanwhile Brazil had too many forwards in this team,like it or hate it,the midfield is the engine of any team,.....their midfield was too thin

COOL10:
Croatia is swiftly becoming a big footballing nation. This just proves that their appearance at the final of the last world cup was no fluke. Today's result didn't come as a surprise to me at all. I'm sad but not surprised.

They're a proper tournament team.

I am neither sad nor surprised

I said it before that Brazil had yet to face a real test at this world cup

charlesemeka85:
that guy na the major problem in this current Brazilian team

Loves to play to the gallery unnecessarily and not a team player. He is a big minus and liability when his team is chasing the ball

No talk too much before him fans go call you hater

Neymar is overrated because of this quality you just pointed out. I will always call him overrated

Danielnino00:
This generation of Brazilian players may be as talented as the previous ones, but they don't really have that winners mentality in them.... But we can't tag them a golden generation cus they produce star players almost every year....

Their team isn't quite balanced in terms of talent distribution in my opinion. The top is pretty top heavy..very talented forwards, and goal keepers but can't say same about the midfield.

Blueelf:
Thos kind of analysts not only analyze football at beer parlors, they also own the beer parlors where they ply their trade

SMH

Habamana! Looolllll

Blueelf:
I am neither sad nor surprised

I said it before that Brazil had yet to face a real test at this world cup

The thing pain me sha. I really wanted Brazil to do well this time.

TheSuperNerd:
Modric at this World cup: Zero goals, Zero Assists, 5 games played yet he is at it again. Midfield General.

No G/A but we all can see his midfield influence. He even had it better in 2018 at this stage of the competition in terms of G/A but it was similar influence and it culminated in his ballon dor year.

Modric is a NON/LOW-G/A midfielder but his primary body of work is more about orchestrating his team's plays and conducting passing sequences like the maestro he truly is.

The middle game is a world for more intelligence and brains before the use of brawns and G/A stats.

Appreciate the true artistry of midfield plays. This is what we need in the Super Eagles and we have the personnel that if picked right can give us something close enough.

I pray and I pray that Victor eletu emerges at AC Milan. If he does well in the u20 world cup next year then big teams will start looking for him and he will get into a big team in Europe just like Mikel of 2005.

Besides Supernwrd have you noticed that the present u20 team seems to be interesting with many promising players. Onuche Ogbelu etc.
2023 could be interesting in Nigerian football

Their midfield have always been an issue under Tite. Fans and analysts alike in Brazil have sometimes termed him Conservative with respect to their midfield as he doesn't seem to know how to use a midfield player like Bruno Guimaraes.

The man just couldn't fix the drag in their midfield plays and this is why he went with a "temporary hack fix" in Neymar to operate as the team’s #10 with a CDM and a CM behind him. Neymar had the licence to roam anywhere across the final third.

And even with Neymar, their MF problem shows when they meet a quality midfield 3 like Croatia's today knowing Neymar won't offer much in defensive transitions.

Also, Watch Neymar-less Brazil vs Switzerland and against Cameroun and their creative struggle through the middle was obvious.

Casemiro as a single pivot is a Baller but at Madrid he operated in the role alongside Genuine midfield ballers like Modric and Kroos who also put in good defensive shifts.
But for Brazil, Casemiro has so much more to do in midfield battles as his midfield partners don't exactly help buffer things on the defensive side.

caprikon:
Their team isn't quite balanced in terms of talent distribution in my opinion. The top is pretty top heavy..very talented forwards, and goal keepers but can't say same about the midfield.

After Mikel left the scene, the only player that kept me hoping, if only our coaches can actually "see", to emerge as our team's next DLP depending on Tactical set-ups was always Kelechi Nwakali. And his performances this season still bring him to mind keenly. Nwakali has been so good this season. Currently he is injured and it's not surprise his team now languish in the relegation zone.

Now after Nwakali, it is this lad... Victor Ehuwa Eletu. When we are talking deeplying playmaking, these 3 show qualities that put them in the same sentence talking "pure attributes" only.

The Victor boy's ceiling is high. I hope his development continues fine at Milan and by the time he hits 18 next year, we should be seeing more playing opportunities at Senior pro level for the lad.

Remember: I will drop an analytical dossier on Eletu soon. Been doing my homework on various talents.

Philosopher1979:
I pray and I pray that Victor eletu emerges at AC Milan. If he does well in the u20 world cup next year then big teams will start looking for him and he will get into a big team in Europe just like Mikel of 2005.

Besides Supernwrd have you noticed that the present u20 team seems to be interesting with many promising players. Onuche Ogbelu etc.
2023 could be interesting in Nigerian football

And yes, about the U20 team, ofcos I have been following their progress in training ahead of the U20 Afcon early next year. They have a fine pool of genuine talents I am excited to see at the Afcon proper but guess what... the excitement I have for the U20s is not as limitless as what I have for the U17s.

You see those U17 ballers. That's where the bulk of the real deal ballers reside. That team is fire! I repeat... Fire! And they are in good coaching hands.

Philosopher1979:
I pray and I pray that Victor eletu emerges at AC Milan. If he does well in the u20 world cup next year then big teams will start looking for him and he will get into a big team in Europe just like Mikel of 2005.

Besides Supernwrd have you noticed that the present u20 team seems to be interesting with many promising players. Onuche Ogbelu etc.
2023 could be interesting in Nigerian football

AndSunGorilla:
Chief High Priest what is happening? Are you using adulterated palm oil or is palm wine for the sacrifices?

The schnapps wey em use don expire

TheSuperNerd:
Their midfield have always been an issue under Tite. Fans and analysts alike in Brazil have sometimes termed him Conservative with respect to their midfield as he doesn't seem to know how to use a midfield player like Bruno Guimaraes.

The man just couldn't fix the drag in their midfield plays and this is why he went with a "temporary hack fix" in Neymar to operate as the team’s #10 with a CDM and a CM behind him. Neymar had the licence to roam anywhere across the final third.

And even with Neymar, their MF problem shows when they meet a quality midfield 3 like Croatia's today knowing Neymar won't offer much in defensive transitions.

Also, Watch Neymar-less Brazil vs Switzerland and against Cameroun and their creative struggle through the middle was obvious.

Casemiro as a single pivot is a Baller but at Madrid he operated in the role alongside Genuine midfield ballers like Modric and Kroos who also put in good defensive shifts.
But for Brazil, Casemiro has so much more to do in midfield battles as his midfield partners don't exactly help buffer things on the defensive side.

I wholeheartedly agree. The midfield conundrum was Tite's biggest headache.

There is presently a dearth of quality options in midfield for Brazil particularly in the CM and CAM roles.

Coutinho was another option but his limitations in midfield and decline post Liverpool effectively ruled him out.

Damn, this Brazil loss is painting me. I really enjoyed watching that team!

caprikon:
Tite/Brazil has come up short against European opposition in the quarters yet again.

This Brazil team has a different identity from their previous title winners ...a bit too European in their style. His squad had too many forwards.

The cup will most likely remain in Europe.

Everybody plays the European way. Who then can beat Europe at its own game?

TheSuperNerd:
And yes, about the U20 team, ofcos I have been following their progress in training ahead of the U20 Afcon early next year. They have a fine pool of genuine talents I am excited to see at the Afcon proper but guess what... the excitement I have for the U20s is not as limitless as what I have for the U17s.

You see those U17 ballers. That's where the bulk of the real deal ballers reside. That team is fire! I repeat... Fire! And they are in good coaching hands.

what about Daniel Daga?

Ppogbae:
Damn, this Brazil loss is painting me. I really enjoyed watching that team!

loll

let me get you bp drugs for your chest pain

Daga is there. U20 baller. Genuine midfield talent. That's one of the lads Philosopher refers to alongside the mentioned Onuche Ogbelu.

Even Ohaka Dominion, that kid who shone at RB against Costa Rica in that friendly is in the U20 team.

I am just saying the U17 lads hold more Joy and excitement long term for me because in my informed opinion, they have a better pool of Genuine technically gifted youngsters across all departments.

Truidstar:
what about Daniel Daga?

Gooooaaaallllllll ...