₦airaland Forum

Same way Nwabali gets his which is also undeserved. My critique of Okoye is valid and not agenda driven.

Nwabali has his big arms that covers more distance with his throws than what Okoye delivers with his legs. It is not a highly debatable discourse. Nwabali is the better GK right now. His positioning, reaction time and anticipation is better than Okoye's and that is why he is hardly beaten by outside-the-box strikes. His positioning makes several of those seem non-threatening.

Okoye has more to improve on compared to Nwabali. Box presence... 18 yard box Command and defensive organisation, Nwabali owns these so comfortably pls. It is no debate.

Meliforme:
Okoye is not beyond improvement. I have in the past pointed out areas where he needs to improve.
What i am against is a player getting a backlash that is underserved.

Whoever is better at goalkeeping between Maduka Okoye and Stanley Nwabali is highly debatable because the two goalkeepers are very good.
However what Maduka Okoye does with the ball at his feet is what makes me prefer him the more, this is an area where he beats Nwabali by a very good margin.

jihday:
Many people have tipped Japan as a potential dark horse but looking at their squad they don’t even have better players than us which make me think, how did they achieve this level of consistency? 🤔
N.B: their coach have been in charge since 2018, maybe we should give Chelle enough time let’s see how far he can go with this team

Go watch japs u17 train and you’ll see that super eagles will never have that equipment for the next 10 years that’s the difference

Physically the weakest country in the tournament but see what they’re doing

Damn. These Ecuadorians rattle the crossbar via Yeboah. Careless "counting leg" defending by Agbadou and Konan. Na wa.

I have never been a fan of of this Agbadou. Ndicka is definitely better than him. Ivory Coast look like they are going to beat themselves rather than Ecuador actually beating them. Keep your head in the game and don't throw it away by a silly error.

Ecuador nearly had its first goal of the tournament but it's off the woodwork!

To win any of these Americans is never going to be easy

Caceido may retaliate that tackle by fofana 😂

Second time Crossbar by Ecuador. The Ivorians living dangerously.

TheSuperNerd:
Damn. These Ecuadorians rattle the crossbar via Yeboah. Careless "counting leg" defending by Agbadou and Konan. Na wa.

mostob:
Morocco will dominate African football

We have been hearing this statement for 5 years now. Their women team lost two finals in a row. The reason why Morocco got to the last Afcon final was because of the unserious players we paraded. Even their cheating couldn't save them.

Infrastructure? Yes
Talent poaching? Yes

I'm not going to let the hate watch prevent me from giving them kudos sha. They play excellent and slick football but that doesn't translate to automatic domination.
TBH, Brazil were poor yesterday too.

CIV fit come chance them from back for Caf domination. All these noise na cos Naija sef dey self destruct. But as for other caf teams, west Africa go too ride high in coming years.

9JAMac10:
Ecuador nearly had its first goal of the tournament but it's off the woodwork!

Another one again hitting the woodwork

African countries really need to invest in coaching

Yan Diomande is such a powerfully skillful RW threat. Liverpool better get this guy.

Ecuador 25th vs CIV 33rd…Ecuador really showing that quality…They hold the more and creating chances more

Meliforme:
If it was Maduka Okoye that conceded the goal that Manuel Neuer could not stop.
The degree of persecution he will get.

Small small now.

Neuer loun loun. You no even use Ezenwa as starter. Na neuer wey don carry germany and bayern on shoulder more than 2ice? When has Maduka carried Nigeria?

My brother. The excuse of using World Class Neuer as shield to defend Okoye was really funny. No correlation at all sef.

daveP:
Small small now.

Neuer loun loun. You no even use Ezenwa as starter. Na neuer wey don carry germany and bayern on shoulder more than 2ice? When has Maduka carried Nigeria?

CIV has 3 yellows in this first half alone... Abeg. Easy Ivorians. Their 2 CMs (Kessie and Fofana) are on yellows. Their best RB, Guela Doue is on yellow.

Fae may have to shuffle the middle. Inao Oulai should be stepping in by 2nd half. Having your 2 CMs on yellows wont be good going into the 2nd 45 knowing Ecuador will keep probing.

Ppogbae:
I tip Ivory Coast to humiliate this German team

This is the CIV that want to humiliate German team…wo!! Africans we are not ready to dominate in this soccer of a thing walai…
CIV i saw against France should be dispatching this Ecuadorians…Anyways thats why its called friendly match…if not for woodwork Ecuador would have been leading 2-0 now..
Well they should try and statpad Curacao to stand a chance of qualifiers to round 32…
Cos they ain’t winning this Ecuador match and sure Germany will still wire them clean

jihday:
African countries really need to invest in coaching

Seeing the stats of how Local coaches won the world cup, one would think the caf reps will invest heavily in at least 2 coaches before world cup cycle comes.

I know the caf reps can do this and be successful at it. But guess the country that will have this and still self destruct from off pitch antics



Nigeria

TheSuperNerd:
My brother. The excuse of using World Class Neuer as shield to defend Okoye was really funny. No correlation at all sef.

Me don hands down from anything defending okoye. If i can hands down from Uzoho wey go World cup in Russia, who kon be Okoye? No be excuses we need for that guy. If he doesn't improve, make person take spot abeg. He's a great beneficial of love and fandom since 2022. Yet no visible improvement to warrant chest Beating from Egbon adugbo in isale Eko.

It's the world cup.

Im unfazed by what happens in group stages

That's why it is World cup too

Breakfast
Dinner
Shockers
Ojoro Beneficiaries
Solid team
Achilles heel
Plan disruptors


All na world cup e dey happen. This germany fit stop for quarters.
Morocco fit chop breakfast
Japan fit shock everybody touch Semifinal
Ojoro fit stop one better team building momentum game by game.


That's the beauty. I don't think I'll be surprised if France jaa sef. I have no hopes for Argentina. If they jam Japan, japan fit use their albiceleste wipe the sky.

They can win this game if they simply don't self-destruct. Ecuador has no answer for Diomande. Keep feeding him. Also, all three players that were on yellow cards should be substituted. That referee looks to me to be one of those that will not hesitate to reduce them to 10 men.

All the clear court chances Ecuador had in this game were handed to them by Ivory Coast. Stay tactically disciplined and play smart football, and you can come out of this match with at least a point.

Funny how I used to tag Uzoho "SuperBoy" of the Super Eagles goal back in 2018 at the WC especially after that Iceland Cleansheet. Omo, we don see things. You have said it all.

Okoye gotta Improve. Simple. Nwabali too had to adjust and respond with huge showings on the pitch when the criticisms came from left, right, center and everywhere.

I have never seen Nigerians debate at length on saveable and unsaveable shots over any other GK aside Maduka Okoye. It's nauseating and tells you they are pampering the guy. We need improvement and not these pampering talks.

daveP:
Me don hands down from anything defending okoye. If i can hands down from Uzoho wey go World cup in Russia, who kon be Okoye? No be excuses we need for that guy. If he doesn't improve, make person take spot abeg. He's a great beneficial of love and fandom since 2022. Yet no visible improvement to warrant chest Beating from Egbon adugbo in isale Eko.

TheSuperNerd:
Funny how I used to tag Uzoho "SuperBoy" of the Super Eagles goal back in 2018 at the WC especially after that Iceland Cleansheet. Omo, we don see things. You have said it all.

Okoye gotta Improve. Simple. Nwabali too had to adjust and respond with huge showings on the pitch when the criticisms came from left, right, center and everywhere.

I have never seen Nigerians debate at length on saveable and unsaveable shots over any other GK aside Maduka Okoye. It's nauseating and tells you they are pampering the guy. We need improvement and not these pampering talks.

The Performance vs Brazil and Argentina i think. The guy was something else. You predicted he'll become a Buffon sef. And it wasn't exaggeration. He was really superboy under Rohr. Na that Saudi Arabia game wey Ndidi shock for inside net, na dat game i hands down. Like, your own captain shock at the kine goal Saudi Arabia score you. 😭😭😂😂😂

Ezenwa didn't even get this kine pampering that year when he begin messup

Where's that Harcourt boy of u20 sef? Nff don yeye our cadet team sotey no feeders again. I pray we see more Yohannas. Esp for DM and GK spot.

O la la, Pepe hitting the crossbar!! Allez Allez l'elephants d'Afrique!!!

Amad Diallo in for Bazoumana

Ange Yoan Bonny in for Elye Wahi.

True. Vs Brazil 1-1 after the Afcon in 2019 and vs Argentina when he played the second 45mins in that 2017 4-2 win. Time has flown.

The Saudi 2-2 howler game from Uzoho was 2023. Lol. I think I still have that moment Ndidi looked at Uzoho.

Ezenwa was even delivering at some point even though we also hit him for some onfield antics he overdid. But we were never assured with Ezenwa.... we were just managing the guy.

Harcourt is still at Sporting Lagos. Andy Ezekiel is still at Bayelsa utd.

Aside the local lads, we still have GKs coming through in Europe as well... let me drop some from my database.

✅️Chijioke Aniagboso, 22 (Chernomorets Odesa, Ukraine)... just got promoted to Ukrainian Topflight. Former Flying Eagles GK in the 2023 class that produced Benjamin Frederick.

✅️Colin Andrew, 22 (Zbrovojka Brno, Czech 2nd tier 🇳🇬🇨🇿)... just promoted to Czech Liga. Naija Father, Czech Mum. Eligible for us now as he is yet to play for Czech U21s or any Czech team. Made their bench 2ce though.

✅️Simeon Rapsch, 19 (Bayer Leverkusen U19, 🇩🇪🇳🇬) Young man needs no switch

✅️Mark Nnamdi Ugboh, 22 (FC Midtjylland, Den)... been out on loans

✅️Ovie Ejeheri, 23 (FC Midtjylland, Den)... been on loans... was good at Fredericia before injury struck. He trained with us at the Unity Cup so Chelle saw him upclose.

✅️Samuel Friday James, 20 (SJK/SJK II, Finland... Veikkausliiga/Ykkosliiga) - Former Mavlon FA GK prospect now in Europe and making a name for himself.

It is just a matter of time really.

We have Arthur who has come in and will settle soon. Okoye to still keep growing... and Nwabali to return once he lands a club this summer.

For DM... Chelle is already addressing that. Chelle is actually after even more technically composed midfield profiles. AMs who can play deep.

daveP:
The Performance vs Brazil and Argentina i think. The guy was something else. You predicted he'll become a Buffon sef. And it wasn't exaggeration. He was really superboy under Rohr. Na that Saudi Arabia game wey Ndidi shock for inside net, na dat game i hands down. Like, your own captain shock at the kine goal Saudi Arabia score you. 😭😭😂😂😂

Ezenwa didn't even get this kine pampering that year when he begin messup

Where's that Harcourt boy of u20 sef? Nff don yeye our cadet team sotey no feeders again. I pray we see more Yohannas. Esp for DM and GK spot.

RW or LW, the lad is just as dangerous. 5 chances created by him alone. 9 duels won. He is indeed Africa's most valuable player in the world today according to Transfermrkt.

TheSuperNerd:
Yan Diomande is such a powerfully skillful RW threat. Liverpool better get this guy.

Diomande my goodness

Gol!!!!!!!!!!! Magnifique par Amad Diallo!!!!!

Goallllllll

It came late but it is deserved!!

Ivory Coast with a big goal. Amad diallo coming up clutch again from the bench! Singo with a brilliant assist after a super run down the right flank.

1-0 CIV

Golazo Ivory Coast! What a press!