₦airaland Forum

Mujtahida:
We have an overload of DMs and still Iwobi is made to play as a DM and Onyedika struggles to tie down a position. Is this not jazz?

Isn't it shocking that coach after coach has failed to give Onyedika regular minutes?
Abi is there something they see that we are not seeing?

Was this not the same Onyedika that balled last night?
Curious!!

jihday:
I’m sure nobody said this

You know agenda na..
People have been waiting for Gala and/Or Osimhen to flop, then they will appear with their agenda

Goke7:
I said this earlier here that I will prefer we get the home based players to play Benin. I won’t mind to see the South Africans cry for missing the World Cup. The ojoro from CAF is too much especially playing us on that potato pitch so am on this 💯

Home based players wey go disgrace us??
God forbid abeg
Even if we won't qualify for the WC proper, use the remaining qualifying games for AFCON preparation!!

After all, next international window is October and AFCON is in December..

No homebased abeg

See what SE has reduced us to!

Who needs what to qualify for 2026 World Cup in Africa’s Group C?😂🤣

Struggling #Nigeria on the brink of elimination after 1-1 draw away to leaders #SouthAfrica (facing a 3 points deduction).

Rohr’s led Cheetahs of #Benin must win two games & hope other results go their way😜 https://t.co/iWCgDNaY12 pic.twitter.com/bjN7OyCApt

— Olúwashínà Òkélèjì (@oluwashina) September 19, 2025

I just love this man..
He may be past it, but I love his vibes abeg.
He and Ibrahimovic, they talk same way..
And I love eeeettttt!!!!

Goke7:
I said this earlier here that I will prefer we get the home based players to play Benin. I won’t mind to see the South Africans cry for missing the World Cup. The ojoro from CAF is too much especially playing us on that potato pitch so am on this 💯

But unfortunately, if we beat Lesotho in our next match then we are condemned to win Benin in our last match to at least secure that 2nd spot and wait to see what happens afterwards.

lbrichman2:
Isn't it shocking that coach after coach has failed to give Onyedika regular minutes?
Abi is there something they see that we are not seeing?

Was this not the same Onyedika that balled last night?
Curious!!

Finidi wey manage give am starting berth them still flog us, and he scored in that 2-1 to Benin ooo

minfelix:
Finidi wey manage give am starting berth them still flog us, and he scored in that 2-1 to Benin ooo

Well, true

lbrichman2:
Isn't it shocking that coach after coach has failed to give Onyedika regular minutes?
Abi is there something they see that we are not seeing?

Was this not the same Onyedika that balled last night?
Curious!!

In a team that hardly keeps possession, Ndidi and Onyeka will always be preferred ahead of Onyedika. Without the ball, Onyedika is almost like playing with one less man, as his defensive skills are questionable. His ball recovery is not on the same level as Ndidi or Onyeka, which may explain why chelle doesn’t usually start him ahead of the other two.

But with the ball ,he’s far better Dan ndidi and onyeka

Even though a lot might not agree with me but I believe alhassan Yussuf is more balanced with or without the ball as a DM for Nigeria 🇳🇬 but d problem is where he is playing at d moment (club wise )

joelsteron:
Exactly.... And bench Simon, Iwobi and Ndidi. We are fine

who will be the number 10 in the squad

Go and watch oyedika game, he's not a rugged player, he's more of passes and creativity.

I have long heard this explanation and it seems to only make sense when discussing lone DM/single pivot setups but not in double pivot setups.
So this attempt at analytical explanation is not it because we kept the ball against Rwanda. What was the excuse then?

Also, Club Brugge took on a side that kept the ball (Monaco in the UCL) and Onyedika excelled defensively in a double pivot with Stankovic.

This fallacy that Onyedika cannot defend is part of the nonsense circulating around to keep Ndidi in the first XI and keep making us suffer in the middle.

elyte89:
In a team that hardly keeps possession, Ndidi and Onyeka will always be preferred ahead of Onyedika. Without the ball, Onyedika is almost like playing with one less man, as his defensive skills are questionable. His ball recovery is not on the same level as Ndidi or Onyeka, which may explain why chelle doesn’t usually start him ahead of the other two.

But with the ball ,he’s far better Dan ndidi and onyeka

New England Revolution in the MLS. Seen 2 or 3 games.

elyte89:
Even though a lot might not agree with me but I believe alhassan Yussuf is more balanced with or without the ball as a DM for Nigeria 🇳🇬 but d problem is where he is playing at d moment (club wise )

TheSuperNerd:
I have long heard this explanation and it seems to only make sense when discussing lone DM/single pivot setups but not in double pivot setups.
So this attempt at analytical explanation is not it because we kept the ball against Rwanda. What was the excuse then?

Also, Club Brugge took on a side that kept the ball (Monaco in the UCL) and Onyedika excelled defensively in a double pivot with Stankovic.

This fallacy that Onyedika cannot defend is part of the nonsense circulating around to keep Ndidi in the first XI and keep making us suffer in the middle.

What if training says otherwise cos two coaches can’t be making d same mistake …peseiro and chelle …both foreign coaches

It was only finidi dt gave onyedika is starting 11…even though I noticed finidi style of play wants to keep d ball,hence play from d back (showed in Ghana 🇬🇭 and Mali 🇲🇱 friendlies )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEMLkQr18Fo?si=-3_9SrTXSbd836er

This first few mins of this clip destroys your limited analysis which limits him to just passes and creativity.

He doesnt have to be rugged like Gattuso but Onyedika is strong in duels and tackles and he wins them cleanly without being overly aggressive.

123jamessmith:
Go and watch oyedika game, he's not a rugged player, he's more of passes and creativity.

elyte89:
What if training says otherwise cos two coaches can’t be making d same mistake …peseiro and chelle …both foreign coaches

It was only finidi dt gave onyedika is starting 11…even though I noticed finidi style of play wants to keep d ball,hence play from d back (showed in Ghana 🇬🇭 and Mali 🇲🇱 friendlies )

Onyedika is grossly underrated. I will start him ahead of Ndidi.

elyte89:
In a team that hardly keeps possession, Ndidi and Onyeka will always be preferred ahead of Onyedika. Without the ball, Onyedika is almost like playing with one less man, as his defensive skills are questionable. His ball recovery is not on the same level as Ndidi or Onyeka, which may explain why chelle doesn’t usually start him ahead of the other two.

But with the ball ,he’s far better Dan ndidi and onyeka

Hmm

Well, it does happen that two coaches can be wrong. Or one can be wrong while the other is afraid to change the status quo in the middle.

Chelle's Mali kept the ball at Afcon 2023 (played in 2024). Only their game vs SA saw them beaten in possession. They outpassed and outpossessed the other teams till they crashed out vs eventual winners, CIV. Chelle's Mali also beat us and outpassed us in March last year in the first half especially. He played a Finidi side that tried to keep the ball, got their go ahead goal in the first half and only switched strategy to a much more defensive one in the second half to protect their lead which saw us have more of the ball in same 2nd 45... then ofcos they eventually hit us with a second goal in the second half.

The truth is Chelle needs to show balls across the depts of the Super Eagles. He already showed balls with Benjamin Frederick but still shot himself in the foot in the name of Status quo by starting Ekong vs SA. If he had stuck to his new brave decision all the way, we wont have had another Ekong blunder soil our WC Chances.

Chelle needs to take the hard and best decisions in the middle. I can see it. It is obvious and Benjamin in defence is testimony to it.

Ndidi has to be dropped from the first XI for Onyedika if we are going to move forward in the middle. And dropping him is one thing, but playing Onyedika with the right midfield personnel is another.

elyte89:
What if training says otherwise cos two coaches can’t be making d same mistake …peseiro and chelle …both foreign coaches

It was only finidi dt gave onyedika is starting 11…even though I noticed finidi style of play wants to keep d ball,hence play from d back (showed in Ghana 🇬🇭 and Mali 🇲🇱 friendlies )

TheSuperNerd:
Well, it does happen that two coaches can be wrong. Or one can be wrong while the other is afraid to change the status quo in the middle.

Chelle's Mali kept the ball at Afcon 2023 (played in 2024). Only their game vs SA saw them beaten in possession. They outpassed and outpossessed the other teams till they crashed out vs eventual winners, CIV. Chelle's Mali also beat us and outpassed us in March last year in the first half especially. He played a Finidi side that tried to keep the ball, got their go ahead goal in the first half and only switched strategy to a much more defensive one in the second half to protect their lead which saw us have more of the ball in same 2nd 45... then ofcos they eventually hit us with a second goal in the second half.

The truth is Chelle needs to show balls across the depts of the Super Eagles. He already showed balls with Benjamin Frederick but still shot himself in the foot in the name of Status quo by starting Ekong vs SA. If he had stuck to his new brave decision all the way, we wont have had another Ekong blunder soil our WC Chances.

Chelle needs to take the hard and best decisions in the middle. I can see it. It is obvious and Benjamin in defence is testimony to it.

Ndidi has to be dropped from the first XI for Onyedika if we are going to move forward in the middle. And dropping him is one thing, but playing Onyedika with the right midfield personnel is another.

Chelle no send anybody papa o …for him to have d balls to bench ekong(team captain) no b beans o,I knw what would have transpired behind d scenes.its not easy to drop a team captain like dt,not to talk of a team like Nigeria 🇳🇬. Anyway I want him to invite alhassan Yussuf in d next list

Chelle is a decent coach but he needs to step up and do it fast.

It is about time he called in Ebenezer Akinsanmiro. We need that boy too. Having Uche is not enough. Having Onyedika is not enough. Akinsanmiro is another profile that has long held my attention and he is going to be a key player in the middle if given the chance.

The ability to recognise early, the talents and players that can raise the level of the team EVEN BEFORE THEY TRULY EXPLODE is not to be scoffed at.

Chelle. Get more serious and fix our middle game.

Samueltemi337:
He really said this?
This thing be like wetin that Stanley nwabali fans page for Facebook go write

Na from their sir 🤣🤣🤣

How I wish Dey sacked dis coach b4 employing chelle . This man sabi

He let his guard down when he went back to playing Ekong vs SA. He "send papa" for 45 mins when he made the mistake I was expecting him to avoid which is STARTING EKONG.

Chelle needs to realise 100% not 75%, not 95% but 100% that to keep this job and truly progress with this team, he needs to grow bigger balls, harden his heart, close his eyes and let his unbiased/unsentimental tactical brain show him our best players to drive us forward. Inviting Uche and Onyedika yet not utilising them effectively is same to me as not inviting them at all.

Chelle should damn the status quo and pick the actual best.

elyte89:
Chelle no send anybody papa o …for him to have d balls to bench ekong(team captain) no b beans o,I knw what would have transpired behind d scenes.its not easy to drop a team captain like dt,not to talk of a team like Nigeria 🇳🇬. Anyway I want him to invite alhassan Yussuf in d next list

TheSuperNerd:
He let his guard down when he went back to playing Ekong vs SA. He "send papa" for 45 mins when he made the mistake I was expecting him to avoid which is STARTING EKONG.

Chelle needs to realise 100% not 75%, not 95% but 100% that to keep this job and truly progress with this team, he needs to grow bigger balls, harden his heart, close his eyes and let his unbiased/unsentimental tactical brain show him our best players to drive us forward. Inviting Uche and Onyedika yet not utilising them effectively is same to me as not inviting them at all.

Chelle should damn the status quo and pick the actual best.

I believe “behind d scenes politics made him to start ekong against South Africa 🇿🇦…you would notice he yanked him off b4 d start of second half …more like ;sheybe Una don c ,make I start experience,make I start experience…

lbrichman2:
I just love this man..
He may be past it, but I love his vibes abeg.
He and Ibrahimovic, they talk same way..
And I love eeeettttt!!!!

Hes a joker at this point
Smh
I think Osimhen really messed up some of his plans
He shouldn’t have taken this job
I thought he should’ve been patient
Wait for EPL job opening
Forest made a big mistake letting Nuno go
Nuno stabilized that ship

joelsteron:
Haha, yes of course. My issue with Iwobi is clear, he can’t shoot, offers nothing in 2v2s, can't shield the ball, always in a haste to pass sideways and doesn’t mark or press.

iwobi doesn't mark or press keh, just say you have an agenda

elyte89:
How I wish Dey sacked dis coach b4 employing chelle . This man sabi

Chelle is better than him
Chelle used Mali o to beat South Africa & Nigeria o
I wish there is no interference in the man’s job
I believe Chelle can fine tune the team properly if he’s allowed to do his job without any form of interference
Chelle should play players in their best position of performance without sentiments

Ezekiel Nathaniel. So close to a medal. Finished 4th in the Men's 400mH finam behind USA's Rai Benjamin, Brazil'z Alison dos santos and Qatar's Samba.

Karsten Warholm did not have a good race at all. Ezekiel even topped him.

TheSuperNerd:
He let his guard down when he went back to playing Ekong vs SA. He "send papa" for 45 mins when he made the mistake I was expecting him to avoid which is STARTING EKONG.

Chelle needs to realise 100% not 75%, not 95% but 100% that to keep this job and truly progress with this team, he needs to grow bigger balls, harden his heart, close his eyes and let his unbiased/unsentimental tactical brain show him our best players to drive us forward. Inviting Uche and Onyedika yet not utilising them effectively is same to me as not inviting them at all.

Chelle should damn the status quo and pick the actual best.

Hé is Moses Simons friend
Personally I don’t wish Simon starts from the left
Sinon doesn’t have killer instincts like Lookman does
The team doesn’t really high press like crazy without Osimhen
Arokodare is a Super Eagles asset
What happened, Dessers switched off.
Is it due to bad pitch or his first time playing in a competitive African game

Mujtahida:
Bia, take your time oo

Take a cold drink to calm your nerves

Mujtahida:
Nothing will give me great joy than to see SA not qualify.

D'Law - for me it's a tight and tough something oooooo

I don't want SA to qualify likewise Benin