₦airaland Forum

TheSuperNerd:
https://fscomps.fotosearch.com/compc/CSK/CSK008/pr83763.jpg

**yeah, Johnson... I'm at the Luxembourg vs Nigeria thread now... re-schedule that late night meeting for 10pm okay? Good**

Hi Optional, I left your boo Klexycole in the other thread with some real challenge to cross...

If he is here, then it means he somehow escaped.... Lol... seems he can't take them all... Lol...

**grabs a popcorn... and moves to the third row**

Iheanacho and Iwobi in the same team from the start.... hehehehehe... this is gonna be fun.

TheSuperNerd:
https://fscomps.fotosearch.com/compc/CSK/CSK008/pr83763.jpg

**yeah, Johnson... I'm at the Luxembourg vs Nigeria thread now... re-schedule that late night meeting for 10pm okay? Good**

Hi Optional, I left your boo Klexycole in the other thread with some real challenge to cross...

If he is here, then it means he somehow escaped.... Lol... seems he can't take them all... Lol...

**grabs a popcorn... and moves to the third row**

Iheanacho and Iwobi in the same team from the start.... hehehehehe... this is gonna be fun.

TheGoodJoe:

Which Muhammed is that? Is it Musa?

joseph1013:
Online streaming. Enjoy http://www.usagoals.net/football/1578629/3/luxembourg-vs-nigeria-live-stream-online.html

assfreaky:
Goooooooooal



Nice goal from Pawpaw. Me still dey watch Yobo Testimonial joor.

optional1:
TheSuperNerd mikron klexycole pamcode shizzy7 cruzita juhan mediapace is almost tym 4 d match lets warm up ourselves too.

assfreaky:
Panasonic.

optional1:
TheSuperNerd mikron klexycole pamcode shizzy7 cruzita juhan mediapace is almost tym 4 d match lets warm up ourselves too.

safarigirl:
yes

bboiabb:
Not too bad so far. Dominating possession, making good passing and movement.. we need to be more clinical in the final 3rd

I sense a goal coming soon for us

TheGoodJoe:

Has Musa Muhammed played in midfield before? Because, Abdullahi is on the field who plays right back.

TheSuperNerd:
Musa Mohammed is playing right back

Shehu Abdullahi is playing dmf/CMF.

TheGoodJoe:

Which Muhammed is that? Is it Musa?

naijaobi:
IDEYE scores..
Nice movement from muhammed

wayodude:
Your analysis is excellent. I like it when football analysis is done in a thoughtful manner, explaining the reasons behind certain decisions. I don't completely agree with some of it though.

Firstly, Ikeme in goal is of decent quality and we perhaps need to come to terms with the reality which is Enyeama's retirement after 14 yrs of commendable service. I think the Enyimba keeper Afelokhai is the best in the league and should be involved in the set up as an understudy to Ikeme. If Enyimba do well in the Champions League this season I will expect his stock will rise massively.

GK: Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers)

As of today and with what i have seen of Troost-Ekong, he is not better than Oboabona but maybe he has more potential. The fact remains that our defence is currently a shambles. This is not only as a result of the personnel at our disposal at the back, but more because of the lack of continuity in this area. We are always chopping and changing here and very stupidly! e.g In the last 2 yrs we have had Oshaniwa, Madu, Echiejile and Amuzie start as left back. Why?? Is it really that difficult to identify who the best player we have in that position is?

Okay enough about the past. Based on current form, fitness and ability,our best Defensive line if NFF can do their jobs competently in getting change of allegiance sorted out in time should look like this:

RB: Odubajo (Hull City) - He has said a million times he is waiting for a call up from Nigeria. He is better than Muhammed and dont get me started on Ambrose.
CB: Balogun (Mainz) - Always improving both for club and country and commands respect from his teammates. Future captain.
CB: Omeruo (Kasimpasa) - If a better option arises he is the one who would be losing his shirt here. Not top quality yet but the most athletic defender we have, his recovery is good when he's beaten.
LB: Echiejile (Monaco) - When fit he is much much better than the other options here, just needs to tackle harder like a defender should.

Troost-Ekong (Haugesund), Otigba (Hereenven), Oboabona (Rizespor), Awaziem (Porto), Madu (Trencin), Muhammed (Istanbul BB), Akpoguma (Hoffenheim) should keep working harder to displace the above starters.

Oshaniwa (Hearts), Ambrose (Celtic), Shehu Abdullahi (Uniao MAdiera), Eguwuekwe (KuPS), Amuzie (Olhanese SC) Etc SHOULD NOT be considered National Team defenders for now as they are not as good as the above 9 listed. No Home based, for now. Sorry.

In midfield. I dont subscribe to the role of holding midfielders. You are either a box to box midfielder or you dont get in the team. One of the most underrated players in Nigeria today (there are two, I'll name the other later) is John Ogu. He possess good technique and passing ability. His physique is intimidating, he is big and strong, you CANNOT push him off the ball, he is mobile, he can track runners and his shooting from range is similar to Sunday Oliseh's used to be, very potent and accurate! He is our most complete midfielder bar none. He has just won the league in Israel. Yet this man does not even get a call-up. This is partly why I am a pro-foreign coach campaigner because I am 100% sure with a competent foreign coach in place, players like this wont be ignored.

My 2 in midfield will be
CM:John Ogu (Hapoel Beer Sheeva)
CM: Onazi (Lazio). For me he fits the description of box to box midfielder better than the other candidates we have.

If we chose to change it tactically to be defensive either Mikel (Chelsea), Ndidi (Gent) or Ogude (Amkar Perm)
To maintain the offensive flow; Igiebor (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Esiti (Estoril), Rabiu Ibrahim (Trencin) or Igboun (Ufa). We don't have many real top quality midfielders so we need committed hard workers who can do the basics consistently, full stop. The magicians are further up the pitch.

Lukman (Astana), Joel Obi (Torino), Izochukwu (Odense), Etebo (Feirense) etc SHOULD NOT be considered National Team players for now either due to prolonged period of poor form, fitness or as in the case of Etebo, not yet ready for the step up required to play international football.

Now it gets very interesting, in the area of Attacking Midfielder/Wingers. This is where Nigeria is most blessed and yet still managing to screw it up. I don tire! In this area we will need 3 players ideally capable and comfortable in seamlessly switching roles and knowing when to do it without being prompted. To keep it short I will have

LW: Moses Simon (Gent)
AMC: Iheanacho (Man City)
RW: Victor Moses (West Ham)

The options or should i say alternatives will include Iwobi (Arsenal), Aluko (Hull), Success (Granada), Ajagun (Panathinaikos), Babatunde (Qatar SC). Babatunde is the second most underrated player in Nigeria today. He can beat a man, he can shoot, he has pace to burn and makes better decisions in the final third than the likes of Musa and Moses. If fit and in form he will be a starter taking the place of Victor Moses. This is the area where our games will be won as our quality here is excellent!

Finally up front: In selecting a player to lead the line you have to assess and predict how much of the ball the team is going to see. Are we going to control the midfield? Is the opposition midfield stronger than ours with more technical players in abundance such as Spain, Croatia? If we are going to be on top in midfield then I will go with Ahmed Musa as our Striker! All those goals we hear he scores for his club, from what position does he get them? Exactly! He will never get in my team in any other role. Though a good player, he is a woeful winger and his cross completion rate stats must make grim reading. How our local coaches have still not realized this since he made his debut in 2011 is quite astounding. Get me a foreign coach please!! If we are going to be under alot of pressure and would need to hold up the ball when attacking I will go for Brown Ideye.

So here
ST: Musa (CSKA Moscow)
or
ST: Ideye Brown (Olympiacos)

On the bench working hard to come in would include Ujah (Werder Bremen), Ighalo (Watford), Samuel (CSKA Moscow), Kayode (Austria Vienna), Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt), Umar Sadiq (Roma) and Mfon Udoh (Enyimba).

Imoh (Anderlecht), Osimen (Wolfsburg), Adi (Portland Timbers), Eduok (Esperance), Salami (KuPS), Umar (Osmanilispor), Mbakogu (Carpi 1909) etc will have to keep working hard to get a call up.

So there you have it our best team:

4-2-3-1

GK: Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
RB: Odubajo (Hull City)
CB: Balogun (Mainz)
CB: Omeruo (Kasimpasa)
LB: Echiejile (Monaco)
CM:John Ogu (Hapoel Beer Sheeva)
CM: Onazi (Lazio)
LW: Moses Simon (Gent)
AMC: Iheanacho (Man City)
RW: Victor Moses (West Ham)
ST: Musa (CSKA Moscow)

TheGoodJoe:

Ideye justifies his place over Ighalo but I feel this is against a weaker defence the Mali.

Good one.

TheGoodJoe:

Why play two defensive midfielders against Luxembourg. A team we are supposed to dominate. It is a defensive approach (maybe for running from the midfield) which might reduce our goal scoring chances.

Why not play Onazi at the back and play Iwobi and Babatunde creatively. Not watching the match. That is why I am asking.

naijaobi:
I prefer ideye to ighalo anyday anytime

shizzy7:
Present....
.

Luxembourg should be a walk over for us,

If we can't score at least 4 goals, Super eagles should be buried and NFF must be dissolved....

*drops mic*

TheSuperNerd:
Beats me too.... Onazi and shehu are dmfs/cmfs.... Well,

do you still have that plank you were carrying for Siasia?

I could use it now....

TheGoodJoe:

I do not know how Ighalo lost it. Earlier this season, he was amazing. Anything he touched turned to goal.