TheSuperNerd:
In the group stages, he shone in the first match in a 433 majorly.

In the second game, he was slightly above average vs CIV in a 343.

Vs Guinea Bissau in the third game, he was just there off the bench in a 343.

He was truly out of his depths in a 343. More subdued in a 343 than he was in a 433.


The knockouts only proved it further and strongly deeper.

Above average na pass mark. Meaning, he was not out of depth.

Goke7:


Haller rose to the occasion, apart from Ekong and Nwabali who else in the Eagles? It says a lot about the team when your top striker is a defender.

Then change your top striker now, abi?

Let's change the entire team, Ekong and Nwabali rose to the occasion, the team still failed, Haller was the sole game changer for Ivory Coast, not that the team is exceptional.

Who rose to the occasion when Nigeria last won AFCON? Was it a top striker or just Mba a lowly midfielder?

That's finals for you, that's a tournament for you. That's how the game goes. We did not lose because nobody rose to the occasion, we lost because the team in general fell flat. There were failures from the defense as much as the attack and midfield, criticise the team as a whole, no be only Iwobi everytime, he was not on the pitch for the second goal or for the 20 or so minutes remaining in that game.


The Iwobi hate train is too easy to jump on.

Mujtahida:

Like Odunayaw said there's no victory in being a craven mouse. We lost. But I'd rather stay with those with heart to believe than with those who hide behind their fears and feign false humility and want to be right when we lost.

If we had been playing squash buckling football all through the games, I'd have been super hyped but the frailty of the team is well documented rather people think we can luck our way to steal the trophy playing like a mid table team.

Odunayaw:
The stance is a mockery to logic and smells of poor character.

I'm sure he even doesn't believe his nonsense were it club games. Haba

Such people should be avoided in real life oo. I'm a realist and I'm inclined to see errors, flaws and mistakes but in this life one should have faith especially when you have worked hard.

For 6 matches that we fully executed the 343 system, Iwobi was above average once. That is not a pass mark. Not even close.

forgiveness:


Above average na pass mark. Meaning, he was not out of depth.

TheSuperNerd:
It is not a complex term. What I said is clear for anyone who truly wants to understand and not argue.

Do you mean attacking midfielder?

safarigirl:


The talk is so stupid.

"We must keep searching...."

If say things work out for outfield, Nwakali for win GK of the tournament. Even Enyeama did not keep up to 4 cleansheets for us in any tournament, yet, somebody has the temerity to chat rubbish about wanting more from a goalkeeper.

Make he thank God say he no near me talk that nonsense, I just dey restrain myself from really giving him one or two words over that statement.

This entire thread of wailers dey irritate my soul. Nothing dey pain me pass to come thread after a team loss and see people slating players anyhow. People wey never play high stakes football like that for their lives

Yes, we must keep searching. Nwabali needs to work on his positioning, ball handling (he tends to spill balls into the path of onrushing opponents after saving a shot), and ball distribution.

If you don't like to hear the truth, please find yourself a suitably high building and do the needful.

Highly technical midfielders. Attacking or Central.

Cerebral. Brains. Not brawns.

forgiveness:


Do you mean attacking midfielder?

Curtisaxel17:


Wait a minute. Did you just ask how Super Eagles' winning or losing affects my life? Did you even process that in your head before typing it?

Did you not read of the people who literally died watching SE vs SA? Do you know the level of emotional investment that I have in the SE? Do you know the distance I trekked this night risking my life and safety just to watch this match? Do you know the kind of trolling I am going to chop from bad belle Africans?

So I did wrong by suggesting improvements to a team that 200 million Nigerians, including myself love so much?

Wallahi, Safari, you fall my hand.

Did you die though? And once again, how does Super Eagles winning or losing have any impact on the nation compared to government policies? Do you even know how dumb that your analogy is? A football team to a nation's government. That's like saying that whoever wins Big Brother Africa or BBNaija is just as important as who becomes Nigeria's President.

How? Football is entertainment, it does not have the same importance as a nation's leader.

Your suggestion is useless. You picked out one of our best players in this tournament, one of our best players in years. And you did not even support your post with anything valid aside your feelings.

Barryseal:

If we had been playing squash buckling football all through the games, I'd have been super hyped but the frailty of the team is well documented rather people think we can luck our way to steal the trophy playing like a mid table team.

No be only squad na squash. Typical. As we don lose, una don get mouth. You'd be hyped abi and your hypeness would not have affected the team. See you

TheSuperNerd:
For 6 matches that we fully executed the 343 system, Iwobi was above average once. That is not a pass mark. Not even close.

I said he was not out of depth in the group stage. My point was clear.

Curtisaxel17:


Yes, we must keep searching. Nwabali needs to work on his positioning, ball handling (he tends to spill balls into the path of onrushing opponents after saving a shot), and ball distribution.

If you don't like to hear the truth, please find yourself a suitably high building and do the needful.

Once again, go and wear boot and enter pitch. Why keep searching when you're alive and well? Bring your best goalkeeper for us, or stop talking rubbish.

Dey chat nonsense with your full chest. Shebi you get two legs? Donate yourself as goalkeeper for our AFCON next time, no be to come dey form Nairaland fingers. Put your blood on that P.

TheSuperNerd:
Ndidi was at the last Afcon and we saw where his game of passing got us to.

Ndidi is no better passer than Iwobi yet Iwobi was atrocious tonight just as he was against SA.

Iwobi is not in the mould of Nwakali, i have always said that Nwakali, Ndidi and Osimhen are very vital to this team, i did not include Iwobi for some reasons. However the torchlight is on Onyeka and Ndidi, Onyeka has the advantage of speed, but Ndidi is better at duels, passing etc, Ndidi is actually a better midfielder, but that doesn't mean Onyeka is not good. Ndidi that was paired with Aribo, what do you want him to do. Again, Eguavoen tactics is similar to Peseiro's tactics, the midfield is not central or celebral to how the team plays, the defense and attack are.

safarigirl:
Please, you people should leave Iwobi alone and leave these players alone

You could tell from the Cameroon game that they were getting tired and the coach didn't think to allow them rest.

They were running on barely any fuel by the time we played Angola and just dragged tired legs to the finals. The rotation was poor, players like Raphael Onyedika were barely allowed to play.

I didn't even know CIV had Kessie and Haller until Round of 16. I had forgotten they were on the team. So, they had enough strength to carry through the remaining 4 games against a tired side in Nigeria.

Everytime you people want a scapegoat from one of the players. Last time, Okoye was the easy one, but as he no dey again, we're back to our favourite scapegoat Iwobi.

Iwobi is bad, Iwobi is bad, yet the two times we conceded vital goals, Iwobi was not on the pitch. Make una better go find who dey do una.

I'm seeing niggas dropping Nwakali as usual, una don dey drop Nwakali name for the last 5 years, shebi he sef play for the last AFCON, wetin we win for there? And since then, dem don ghost him papa, yet, una no go gree us hear word with him name. Nwakali in big 2024.....abeg abeg abeg.

Nwakali, the god of Nigerian football. That's why charlesemeka85 opposes them bitterly. They are delusional

safarigirl:


Did you die though? And once again, how does Super Eagles winning or losing have any impact on the nation compared to government policies? Do you even know how dumb that your analogy is? A football team to a nation's government. That's like saying that whoever wins Big Brother Africa or BBNaija is just as important as who becomes Nigeria's President.

How? Football is entertainment, it does not have the same importance as a nation's leader.

Your suggestion is useless. You picked out one of our best players in this tournament, one of our best players in years. And you did not even support your post with anything valid aside your feelings.

Madam, the ordinary Nigerian is more concerned about the SE than about whoever wins Nigeria's sham elections. Did you hear of anybody who died of heartbreak after Bulaba was declared winner?

Well, we played 343 twice only in the group stage and he barely impressed.
He was brilliant in the 433 from the first game. That was it.

forgiveness:


I said he was not out of depth in the group stage. My point was clear.

Goke7:


Let's all be honest and this is no bashing any body, he should make his way out of the team, there is no use. After over 70 caps is this what we will continue to get haba. People can make excuses about the formation, but you need more from your experienced players in the team. We can't continue to spoon-feed Iwobi, if he's not willing anymore he should be excused. That Ghanaian analyst picked him out as our weakest link teams could exploit and it has happened as he said it. If Angola knew better dem for pepper us more than they did.

More from Ekong as a winger na. He has experience.

Mujtahida:

No be only squad na squash. Typical. As we don lose, una don get mouth. You'd be hyped abi and your hypeness would not have affected the team. See you

Everybody mouth don sharp as we no win tournament. Tournament that we even had no business in the finals if it is based on how good teams were.

TheSuperNerd:
Highly technical midfielders. Attacking or Central.

Cerebral. Brains. Not brawns.

Were Yaya Toure, Seydou Keita, Okocha, Mikel Obi etc all brawn no brain?

Because all these played in top clubs.

safarigirl:


Then change your top striker now, abi?

Let's change the entire team, Ekong and Nwabali rose to the occasion, the team still failed, Haller was the sole game changer for Ivory Coast, not that the team is exceptional.

Who rose to the occasion when Nigeria last won AFCON? Was it a top striker or just Mba a lowly midfielder?

That's finals for you, that's a tournament for you. That's how the game goes. We did not lose because nobody rose to the occasion, we lost because the team in general fell flat. There were failures from the defense as much as the attack and midfield, criticise the team as a whole, no be only Iwobi everytime, he was not on the pitch for the second goal or for the 20 or so minutes remaining in that game.


The Iwobi hate train is too easy to jump on.

don't be emotional about Iwobi, he's one of the senior players in the team and if he's not doing well he will always be called out. Simple. We all chased Uzoho out but we want to continue to look away from Iwobi's poor performance, that will be unfair to Uzoho and other players we have lambasted, very unfair.

TheSuperNerd:
Well, we played 343 twice only in the group stage and he barely impressed.
He was brilliant in the 433 from the first game. That was it.

Meaning, my point remains intact. I already said it.

Mujtahida:

No be only squad na squash. Typical. As we don lose, una don get mouth. You'd be hyped abi and your hypeness would not have affected the team. See you

I have been quite active on this thread all through the competition. We don loose una get mouth is coming from where?
From day1 of the competition, I've pointed the strength and weakness of this team. The result of this final is not a shock because the signs were there.

Curtisaxel17:


Madam, the ordinary Nigerian is more concerned about the SE than about whoever wins Nigeria's sham elections. Did you hear of anybody who died of heartbreak after Bulaba was declared winner?

Please don't be stupid in my mentions.

How can the ordinary Nigerian be more concerned about football than who wins elections?

Do you know how many people have died in avoidable circumstances because of Bulaba's policies? Do you know how many lives have been ruined long term?

Please, don't provoke me with stupid talk this night. Bag of rice is 77k, dollar is 1,500. The hardship will not stop because you won one football trophy, so, Super Eagles is not and can never be more important than who is President.

Please, talk like an adult that pays tax, can't be talking like one small child without responsibilities

Goke7:


we need ball-playing midfielders, that's why we can't boss games, and is putting too much pressure on our defence and keeper. Let's not be sentimental about this Iwobi, that team will never improve if we continue this way. we need midfielders who can impose themselves on our game. Is Iwobi that kind of player?

Nwabali had no business conceding two goals today, it's unfair to that guy who had saved us so many times in this tournament.

You are the one allowing your bias against Iwobi making you sentimental. First question: is that the role he's suited for? You saddle him with defensive duties and expect to get the best of him. Make una free the boy jare

Mujtahida:

Such people should be avoided in real life oo. I'm a realist and I'm inclined to see errors, flaws and mistakes but in this life one should have faith especially when you have worked hard.

Imagine them trying hard to make all the hardwork look like a fluke.

What is man without hope? Importantly hope in the works of his hands.

Anyway sha na another man's work easy to point at.

lexyman:
dont blame the boys , blame the tactics ... its been a wonderful tournament

One thing I'm glad about is that I didn't feel so hurt like I did when we lost to Tunisia at the last AFCON in cameroun

I agree Ndidi is the better MF compared to Onyeka. That is not the angle I debate. And ofcos Ndidi is a better passer but he isn't a controller.

The point is the role Onyeka played in this 343 is what Ndidi would have executed if he made this team bar injury.

In truth, Onyeka's performances didn't make me miss much of Ndidi. I rather felt pain seeing how he didn't have a proper deep-lying midfield operator playing alongside him to compliment to insane hardwork in that middle game.

That is what I know this team missed in the middle. Not Ndidi.

Meliforme:
Iwobi is not in the mould of Nwakali, i have always said that Nwakali, Ndidi and Osimhen are very vital to this team, i did not include Iwobi for some reasons. However the torchlight is on Onyeka and Ndidi, Onyeka has the advantage of speed, but Ndidi is better at duels, passing etc, Ndidi is actually a better midfielder, but that doesn't mean Onyeka is not good. Ndidi that was paired with Aribo, what do you want him to do. Again, Eguavoen tactics is similar to Peseiro's tactics, the midfield is not central or celebral to how the team plays, the defense and attack are.

solonnachi:


Dummy. We are not losers but runners up. What position did your team occupy

😭😭

Barryseal:

I have been quite active on this thread all through the competition. We don loose una get mouth is coming from where?
From day1 of the competition, I've pointed the strength and weakness of this team. The result of this final is not a shock because the signs were there.

We don lose na. You don win. Carry your trophy

Mujtahida:

You are the one allowing your bias against Iwobi making you sentimental. First question: is that the role he's suited for? You saddle him with defensive duties and expect to get the best of him. Make una free the boy jare

it's better we free uzoho too nah

Goke7:


don't be emotional about Iwobi, he's one of the senior players in the team and if he's not doing well he will always be called out. Simple. We all chased Uzoho out but we want to continue to look away from Iwobi's poor performance, that will be unfair to Uzoho and other players we have lambasted, very unfair.

Iwobi's poor performance is not why we lost the game.

He was not the only poor performer and he has not been horrendous this entire tournament, so, this entire thing just looks like easy bullying. Iwobi has been very good for us for the last 7 or so years, so, the comparison to Uzoho that was never particularly good is even unfair.

Even in this tournament, Iwobi put on a shift in the group stages at least, but he is always a convenient scapegoat for you people. Maybe he should retire, so, y'all can go and find your topclass midfielder and have someone new to insult.

Curtisaxel17:


Madam, the ordinary Nigerian is more concerned about the SE than about whoever wins Nigeria's sham elections. Did you hear of anybody who died of heartbreak after Bulaba was declared winner?

Misplaced priorities. But sha, I know you are the ordinary Nigerian that is more concerned