Mujtahida:

Wayodude went deep. Ogu is always looking to score. In the clip I saw that he fired the exact same long left foot curler that scored against Algeria, against South Africa and had two more goal bound long range shots.

Exactly. I could put up more clips but I didn't want to turn this into a Ogu praise blog. The simple question that cannot be answered why has he been ignored all this time. He can keep the ball, he's hard to shake off the ball, he's 6' 3 or something like that so hes aerially not bad and he takes fierce shots from range.

Icon79:
Bingo! Truer words have never been spoken. You don tok am finis ... to add anything else would be most uncivilized.


O pari

i have the feeling that Idowu is going to steal the show .
beside i'm not yet convinced about Aina over Echiejile.
i think the right back is settled for now,but Rohr still need to test Aina at right back in case of anything happens to Shehu.

Yes, we don't have any midifielder in the current set up that can do what he does.

Mujtahida:

Wayodude went deep. Ogu is always looking to score. In the clip I saw that he fired the exact same long left foot curler that scored against Algeria, against South Africa and had two more goal bound long range shots.

Nigeria looking beyond Argentina friendly, World Cup draws - Troost-Ekong

By Augustine Akhilomen

Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong says the team must have to believe in their capability in making things possible ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.


Troost-Ekong who played an integral part in the team's qualification for the World Cup in Russia, stated that Argentina doesn't pose a threat to the team and that Nigeria has what it takes to beat any team.


“I am not scared to play against any team. But, of course, we hope for a favourable draw. We have to believe in ourselves just like we did in the qualifying campaign.


“Many doubted us winning a group with Cameroon and Algeria, and look where that got
us! The experience garnered playing for the Super Eagles has been life-changing for me.


“Facing some of the best forwards in Africa, whilst having to perform and deliver for such a
football-loving nation like Nigeria is a pressure that improves you as a player.


“I enjoy being with the team and working with quality players. Playing alongside someone like
Leon Balogun with his quality has definitely helped, but I would feel just comfortable playing
next to anyone now.”

www.soccernet.com.ng/2017/11/nigeria-looking-beyond-argentina.html

sontoly:


with this qualities about onazi doesnt he deserve to play in a better club than turkish league.

Oga dont be deceived that runing around all night is football. onazi do not have an inch talent or work rate ndidi have, am not talking of club but also for country.


get ur facts right

Onazi was stopped by Lazio from going to EPL but he sa limited game time that same search, it was the main reason he lamented against the club after he was sold the next season.

It has nothing to do with his talent.

U c dis our ppu,who re those digging up enyeamas errors again



Even d best world goal keepers makes silly errors,right from Buffon to de gea to khan...and d rest.enyeama too is not an exception cause he's not an angel .by d way..he still remains our best shot going to d world cup

Have you seen him (Idowu) play before?

As concerns to Aina, he gave a decent performance on very poor playing conditions (pitch, weather etc). Personally, I think he's an upgrade on Echiejile. However, if Idowu can man the LB very well then Aina should fight with Shehu for the RB position. Aina is a natural RB.


O pari

Napoleon55:
i have the feeling that Idowu is going to steal the show .
beside i'm not yet convinced about Aina over Echiejile.
i think the right back is settled for now,but Rohr still need to test Aina at right back in case of anything happens to Shehu.

Omo, I wasn't getting involved in the argument. I was just responding to one quote in what you posted - the highlighted portion. I have watched all Barca's games these seasons and I am not sure that Paulihno has started more than 3 games in total, so it's totally false to claim that he has started ALL games since he joined Barca.


O pari

kingphilip:
this is a case of jumping into an argument


mind remind me where this argument started??

Rohr Eyes Six Super Eagles Friendlies Before Russia 2018



By Dare Esan: Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr believes his side will need up to six friendly matches to be in optimum shape for the Russia 2018 World Cup, Comple tesportsnigeria.com reports.


The team will face Argentina in a high-profile friendly on Tuesday in Krasnodar, Russia but Rohr, who has guided the Super Eagles to the World Cup via an unbeaten qualifying campaign, wants much more.


“It’s very good we have two games to prepare our team between November and March but it is not enough,” Rohr told Comple tesportsnigeria.com.


“We’ll like two games in May, two games at the start of June. We could have six games during the pre-World Cup preparation, with training sessions used as match conditions.”


The only FIFA window for international matches between now and the World Cup in June is 19 to 27 March where two friendlies can be played.


But friendly games can be organised after the European season in May when teams begin intensive camping for the World Cup.

www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-eyes-six-super-eagles-friendlies-russia-2018/

BBC Africa MVP Award: Chelsea Canvass Support For Moses



Premier League champions Chelsea have called on its fans to vote for Super Eaglesforward Victor Moses as 2017 BBC African Footballer of the Year.


Chelsea launched the campaign on their official website.
Moses will slug it out with the quartet of Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt), Naby Keita (RB Leipzig/Guinea), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Dortmund/Gabon), Sadio Mane (Liverpool/Senegal).


Moses was also included in the 30-man shortlist for the 2017 CAF African Player of the Year Award.
The Blues’ fans were given a link on their website which will direct them to where they can cast their vote.


“Our Nigerian star’s nomination for the prestigious award, which is voted for exclusively by fans, was confirmed Saturday night. You can help Victor win by voting for him here,” www.m.bbc.com/sport/football/41890718
Chelsea wrote on their website.


www.completesportsnigeria.com/bbc-africa-mvp-award-chelsea-canvass-support-moses/

Rohr: Aina Will Give Echiejile Good Competition In Super Eagles



By Dare Esan:

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr is confident Hull City full-back Ola Aina will offer recuperating Elderson Echiejile good competition for the left-back role ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup.


Rohr who is set to hand Aina his third international cap against Argentina on Tuesday in Krasnodar, Russia was pleased with the 21-year-old’s showing against Algeria.


“It’s good for the competition for Elderson Echiejile when you want to progress you need two good players in each position,” Rohr told Compl etesportnigeria.com, referring to Aina.


“I’m happy we already have this friendly against Argentina. It is wonderful to play against some of the best players in the world.


“We are unbeaten in the qualifiers but now we need to work harder ahead of Tuesday. But it’s going to be tough because we have just two days to prepare for it.”

www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-aina-will-give-echiejile-good-competition-super-eagles/

I think you guys are still misunderstanding what I was trying to say. I was just responding to the claim that we have always started slowly in all our games. That claim is not accurate because we have started very well in certain games even if we didn't score early.

Secondly, you guys are making an assumption that Zambia, Cameroun, and Algeria are not tactically good teams? Are you aware that we're the only team that Zambia lost to in the whole qualifiers? Same with Cameroun! And by the way, this same Cameroun team went to the Confed Cup and they were not disgraced. Please let's not write them off because they lost to us, they are a pretty decent team.

Listen, there are only 3 countries that I am worried about in Russia: Brazil, Germany, and Argentina (if they can get it together). As per France, Belgium, and the other countries .... let them bring it on!



O pari

Mujtahida:

It's not about goals. It's about our style. Anyway maybe that's our own uniqueness but the disadvantage of a style is that tactical teams can easily dismantle you unless you have very good players.

Nigeria
Points collected in Group B: 14
Goals scored: 14
Goals conceded: 4
Top scorer: Victor Moses (3 goals)
Drawn in the toughest group of the African qualifiers, nobody had expected it would be that easy for Nigeria, especially after they surprisingly missed out on a place at the African Cup of Nations early this year.
But they took Group B by surprise, reaching next year's Russia finals with one match to spare after garnering 13 points from five matches in an impressive unbeaten run.
They were greatly helped by some inspiring displays from Arsenal's young forward Alex Iwobi and Chelsea's versatile midfielder Victor Moses, who scored five goals between them.
Nigeria overcame Swaziland with a 2-0 aggregate win in the second qualifying round but they might have feared the worst after being drawn with Algeria, Nations Cup winners Cameroon and Zambia in a "group of death".
However, an ideal start saw them secure a 2-1 away win over Zambia, with Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho scoring two first-half goals.
They also gave a footballing lesson to Algeria in their second encounter, producing a vivid attacking display to down the North Africans 3-1 at home, thanks to a double from Moses and a goal from veteran midfielder John Obi Mikel.
Next in the line were African champions Cameroon, who suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss away to Nigeria as goals from Odion Ighalo, Mikel, Moses and Iheanacho underlined their embarrassment of riches.
Their first draw was against the same opponents in a 1-1 stalemate in Yaounde after Nigeria had thrown away their lead but there wasn't anything to worry about as they went on to beat Zambia 1-0 with a goal from Iwobi in their penultimate match to reach their third straight World Cup.
They kept their unbeaten run intact with a 1-1 draw against Algeria in their final qualifier.

Gernot Rohr may not be the most technically astute coach in the world but the man is ready to work and he strikes me as someone who's very organized. We will definitely do well in Russia if the NFF continues to give him a free hand and gives him everything he needs.


O pari

terzurum5:
Rohr Eyes Six Super Eagles Friendlies Before Russia 2018



By Dare Esan: Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr believes his side will need up to six friendly matches to be in optimum shape for the Russia 2018 World Cup, Comple tesportsnigeria.com reports.


The team will face Argentina in a high-profile friendly on Tuesday in Krasnodar, Russia but Rohr, who has guided the Super Eagles to the World Cup via an unbeaten qualifying campaign, wants much more.


“It’s very good we have two games to prepare our team between November and March but it is not enough,” Rohr told Comple tesportsnigeria.com.


“We’ll like two games in May, two games at the start of June. We could have six games during the pre-World Cup preparation, with training sessions used as match conditions.”


The only FIFA window for international matches between now and the World Cup in June is 19 to 27 March where two friendlies can be played.


But friendly games can be organised after the European season in May when teams begin intensive camping for the World Cup.

www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-eyes-six-super-eagles-friendlies-russia-2018/

Gabonese Referee Defends Decision To Award Penalty To Algeria Against Nigeria

The referee who officiated Nigeria’s World Cup 2018 Qualifiers tie against Algeria in Constantine has given an explanation on why he awarded a controversial penalty to the host.


Algeria forced Nigeria to a 1-1 draw thanks to a late penalty awarded to the Fennecs when Shehu Abdullahi was adjudged to have fouled Algerian winger Yacine Brahaimi in the box.


However replays suggest the defender didn’t do much to warrant a penalty to be awarded against him, but referee ‎Eric Otogo-Castane told explained to some Nigerian officials the reason behind the harsh spot kick awarded to the Algerians.


” Expectedly we asked questions after the game and the referee explained to us that the decision was taken based on a newly introduced law into the game, which allows for intention to be punished”, the NFF board member told Owngoalnigeria.com.


” He interpreted Shehu’s intention to impede the man, who stayed on his feet instead of going down from the tackle. ‎The fact that the Algerian attacker Brahaimi didn’t go down is what made the decision to look like the wrong call according to him.


” Let’s be frank he did his best considering the atmosphere he was under and especially after turning down numerous attempt by the Algerians to con him into giving them a penalty.


” Maybe Brahaimi should have been sent off before the incident which lead to the goal, but I guess he didn’t want to lose grip of the match, which a red card to the Algerian captain would have triggered. It’s called game management and we understand his explanation “.

Maxwell Pius

owngoalnigeria.com/2017/11/12/gabonese-referee-defends-decision-to-award-penalty-to-algeria-against-nigeria/

Argentina v Nigeria: International Friendly – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

After qualifying for the World Cup by the skin of their teeth, Argentina will face a stern test against 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champions Nigeria on Tuesday.

by Jon Mackenzie



16:30 GMT, Tuesday 14th November, Stadion FK Krasnodar (Krasnodar, Russia)
Argentina are a relieved nation.


Needing to win last month against Ecuador in the oppressive Quito humidity to avoid missing out on the World Cup for the first time since 1970, they found themselves behind inside the opening minute.


Thankfully for fans of the Albiceleste,though, their captain is Lionel Messi. Messi, often accused of not caring about playing for his country enough, grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck and scored a hat-trick to ensure Argentina’s safe passage to the World Cup – the whole nation breathed a collective sigh of relief.


Their match against Nigeria offers fans of Argentinian football a more relaxed environment in which to watch their team play.


Despite the fact that Argentina have two more friendly matches scheduled in March with two additional ones yet to be arranged in January and February, Jorge Sampaoli will be treating this match against Nigeria as a serious test of his side.


It was only a late Sergio Aguero header that gave them the victory against Russia last week so the Argentine manager will be hoping that his team can deliver a more emphatic performance against the Nigerians on Tuesday.


Nigeria is a country trying to drag itself out of a national recession and the ramifications are being felt in every corner of the country.


The country’s footballing culture has not been spared with the result that a once-burgeoning national team has suffered in recent years, a decline culminating in a failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations this year – the competition they won in the tournament immediately preceding.


Nigeria come into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Algeria in World Cup qualifying – a game that they did not need to win, having already booked their place in Russia next summer. This will be their first game against a non-African side since they played Luxembourg in May last year.

Last Time Out

Russia 0-1 Argentina (International Friendly)



If the scoreline looked respectable when Argentina took on Russia in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Saturday, it was mainly thanks to the heroics of Igor Akinfeev, the Russian goalkeeper.


La Albiceleste looked on course for a disappointing stalemate after Akinfeev denied both Di Maria and Aguero in open play from what looked certain goalscoring efforts.


After Lionel Messi had a delicate chip cleared off the line by Konstantin Rausch, it looked liked it was going to be Russia’s day.


In the end, though, Akinfeev could only parry a late strike from Sergio Aguero straight back at him, leaving the relieved Manchester City forward with a simple header into a mostly open net.

Algeria 1-1 Nigeria (World Cup Qualifier)



In a dead rubber game between Nigeria and Algeria in the CAF World Cup qualifying groups, it was Algeria who had the last laugh. Despite going down to a thumping strike outside the box from John Ogu in the second half, the Algerians were handed a soft penalty by Gabonese referee Eric Otogo which Yacine Brahimi converted.


Even more galling to the Nigerians was the fact that Brahimi should have been sent off ten minutes earlier when he headbutted an opponent. The referee waved away the Nigerian protests and, in the end, may have been happy that the game carried no bearing on Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying.
Argentina Lineup



With Lionel Messi returning to Barcelona after the victory to Russia after picking up an injury, this will give Jorge Sampaoli the chance to experiment with a lineup which is missing his midfield maestro.


Often struggling to play with Messi in the side, Paulo Dybala will take the number 10 spot on Tuesday and will hope to put in a good performance to give Sampaoli something of a selection headache.

Nigeria Lineup



In the run-up to this international break, Nigeria manager Salisu Yusuf omitted some big names from the squad with Victor Moses and Isaac Success the most notable absentees.


With the likes of Moses Simon and Odion Ighalo injured, Anthony Nwakaeme should get the nod to play up front. Where Nigeria have prefered playing two up front through qualifying, against Argentina they are likely to favour a lone striker in order to give themselves more coverage elsewhere.


Key Battle: Paulo Dybala (Argentina) vs Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)

Paulo Dybala is having an up-and-down season this year. Eleven Serie A goals in ten appearances would suggest that he’s having a very fruitful campaign for Juventus and yet, when the rubber hits the road in the Champions League, he is yet to score in 353 minutes of football.


As far as his international form is concerned, the Argentine youngster has been struggling to make the starting XI as the result of a perceived inability to play alongside Argentina’s talisman, Lionel Messi.



This is something Dybala will need to work on but, given Messi’s withdrawal from the Nigeria game, he will have to wait for his chance to shine in the same team. However, what this game does offer is the chance to make a case that his selection cannot be overlooked.



Despite only ever appearing on the fringes, Wilfred Ndidi is a key player for Leicester City. Sitting in the centre of midfield in a slightly deeper position, he is perhaps overlooked because he is attempting to fill the boots of Ngolo Kante. That said, Ndidi and Kante offer entirely different outputs: Nidid is more adept at ball carrying than Kante, if a little less defensively proficient.


Against Argentina, though, he will be expected to do much of the tracking work on Dybala, who likes to exploit space in between the lines of midfield and defence. With the Juventus player looking to make an impact, Ndidi will have his work cut out for him.

Talking Points

How good are Argentina?

Although Lionel Messi did make certain of a World Cup place when the chips were down, there are still big questions about how good the Argentinian national team are as things stand.


Whilst they did make the final in the last World Cup, that team was undeniably better than the current one. It remains to be seen what Jorge Sampaoli can do in the time he has to work with them in the run-up to the summer next year.


Nigeria rising out of the ashes

Where Nigeria have traditionally had a strong football team, their recent economic problems have stymied their development somewhat. With a growing crop of players in the Premier League, though, it looks like a corner has been turned recently.


Tuesday’s fixture will give a good indication of how much improvement there has been in Nigerian football and will go some way towards allaying fears as the Super Eagles head into the World Cup next year.


Prediction: Argentina 2-1 Nigeria

With Argentina having spent the international break in Russia, they will be raring to go for this one. Nigeria, on the other hand, have only just finished their qualifying schedule for the World Cup, playing in Algeria last Friday.


As a result, they are likely to be the more tired of the two squads. However, with Argentina going through some uncertainty in their set-up of late, don’t expect this to be a roll-over for La Albiceleste.

Poll: Who will win in Russia on Tuesday?


www.realsport101.com/news/sports/football/argentina-v-nigeria-international-friendly-lineups-preview-and-prediction/

Just a few month ago,some people were clamouring for Ezenwa to be our first choice in Russia,but this Algeria game has totally exposed him . Apart from his average play,what I hate most about him is the drama he display on the pitch like he is still playing street football...


Rohr should give Uzoho and even Alampasu their chance... We can't go with Akpeyi or Ezenwa as our No.1, we don't know if Enyeama will return and its very unlikely that Ikeme will be back by June...

terzurum5:
Rohr: Aina Will Give Echiejile Good Competition In Super Eagles



By Dare Esan:

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr is confident Hull City full-back Ola Aina will offer recuperating Elderson Echiejile good competition for the left-back role ahead of the Russia 2018 World Cup.


Rohr who is set to hand Aina his third international cap against Argentina on Tuesday in Krasnodar, Russia was pleased with the 21-year-old’s showing against Algeria.


“It’s good for the competition for Elderson Echiejile when you want to progress you need two good players in each position,” Rohr told Compl etesportnigeria.com, referring to Aina.


“I’m happy we already have this friendly against Argentina. It is wonderful to play against some of the best players in the world.


“We are unbeaten in the qualifiers but now we need to work harder ahead of Tuesday. But it’s going to be tough because we have just two days to prepare for it.”

www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-aina-will-give-echiejile-good-competition-super-eagles/

Thank God Rohr is thinking this way.

I am having problem voting for Moses on bbc

safarigirl:
for some reason, I can't vote

Tried with opera mini and it didn't even pop up....something about JavaScript

Tried with the main browser and it says I have to enable cookies.... It's enabled in the settings, me I dunno again.

I ve given him more than 10 votes already..
Still counting tho..

Danielnino00:
Just a few month ago,some people were clamouring for Ezenwa to be our first choice in Russia,but this Algeria game has totally exposed him . Apart from his average play,what I hate most about him is the drama he display on the pitch like he is still playing street football...


Rohr should give Uzoho and even Alampasu their chance... We can't go with Akpeyi or Ezenwa as our No.1, we don't know if Enyeama will return and its very unlikely that Ikeme will be back by June...

Danielnino00:
Just a few month ago,some people were clamouring for Ezenwa to be our first choice in Russia,but this Algeria game has totally exposed him . Apart from his average play,what I hate most about him is the drama he display on the pitch like he is still playing street football...


Rohr should give Uzoho and even Alampasu their chance... We can't go with Akpeyi or Ezenwa as our No.1, we don't know if Enyeama will return and its very unlikely that Ikeme will be back by June...

You and I are on the same thought about that local and childish Ezenwa of a guy.

terzurum5:
Argentina v Nigeria: International Friendly – Lineups, Preview and Prediction

After qualifying for the World Cup by the skin of their teeth, Argentina will face a stern test against 2013 Africa Cup of Nations champions Nigeria on Tuesday.

by Jon Mackenzie



16:30 GMT, Tuesday 14th November, Stadion FK Krasnodar (Krasnodar, Russia)
Argentina are a relieved nation.


Needing to win last month against Ecuador in the oppressive Quito humidity to avoid missing out on the World Cup for the first time since 1970, they found themselves behind inside the opening minute.


Thankfully for fans of the Albiceleste,though, their captain is Lionel Messi. Messi, often accused of not caring about playing for his country enough, grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck and scored a hat-trick to ensure Argentina’s safe passage to the World Cup – the whole nation breathed a collective sigh of relief.


Their match against Nigeria offers fans of Argentinian football a more relaxed environment in which to watch their team play.


Despite the fact that Argentina have two more friendly matches scheduled in March with two additional ones yet to be arranged in January and February, Jorge Sampaoli will be treating this match against Nigeria as a serious test of his side.


It was only a late Sergio Aguero header that gave them the victory against Russia last week so the Argentine manager will be hoping that his team can deliver a more emphatic performance against the Nigerians on Tuesday.


Nigeria is a country trying to drag itself out of a national recession and the ramifications are being felt in every corner of the country.


The country’s footballing culture has not been spared with the result that a once-burgeoning national team has suffered in recent years, a decline culminating in a failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations this year – the competition they won in the tournament immediately preceding.


Nigeria come into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Algeria in World Cup qualifying – a game that they did not need to win, having already booked their place in Russia next summer. This will be their first game against a non-African side since they played Luxembourg in May last year.

Last Time Out

Russia 0-1 Argentina (International Friendly)



If the scoreline looked respectable when Argentina took on Russia in Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Saturday, it was mainly thanks to the heroics of Igor Akinfeev, the Russian goalkeeper.


La Albiceleste looked on course for a disappointing stalemate after Akinfeev denied both Di Maria and Aguero in open play from what looked certain goalscoring efforts.


After Lionel Messi had a delicate chip cleared off the line by Konstantin Rausch, it looked liked it was going to be Russia’s day.


In the end, though, Akinfeev could only parry a late strike from Sergio Aguero straight back at him, leaving the relieved Manchester City forward with a simple header into a mostly open net.

Algeria 1-1 Nigeria (World Cup Qualifier)



In a dead rubber game between Nigeria and Algeria in the CAF World Cup qualifying groups, it was Algeria who had the last laugh. Despite going down to a thumping strike outside the box from John Ogu in the second half, the Algerians were handed a soft penalty by Gabonese referee Eric Otogo which Yacine Brahimi converted.


Even more galling to the Nigerians was the fact that Brahimi should have been sent off ten minutes earlier when he headbutted an opponent. The referee waved away the Nigerian protests and, in the end, may have been happy that the game carried no bearing on Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying.
Argentina Lineup



With Lionel Messi returning to Barcelona after the victory to Russia after picking up an injury, this will give Jorge Sampaoli the chance to experiment with a lineup which is missing his midfield maestro.


Often struggling to play with Messi in the side, Paulo Dybala will take the number 10 spot on Tuesday and will hope to put in a good performance to give Sampaoli something of a selection headache.

Nigeria Lineup



In the run-up to this international break, Nigeria manager Salisu Yusuf omitted some big names from the squad with Victor Moses and Isaac Success the most notable absentees.


With the likes of Moses Simon and Odion Ighalo injured, Anthony Nwakaeme should get the nod to play up front. Where Nigeria have prefered playing two up front through qualifying, against Argentina they are likely to favour a lone striker in order to give themselves more coverage elsewhere.


Key Battle: Paulo Dybala (Argentina) vs Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria)

Paulo Dybala is having an up-and-down season this year. Eleven Serie A goals in ten appearances would suggest that he’s having a very fruitful campaign for Juventus and yet, when the rubber hits the road in the Champions League, he is yet to score in 353 minutes of football.


As far as his international form is concerned, the Argentine youngster has been struggling to make the starting XI as the result of a perceived inability to play alongside Argentina’s talisman, Lionel Messi.



This is something Dybala will need to work on but, given Messi’s withdrawal from the Nigeria game, he will have to wait for his chance to shine in the same team. However, what this game does offer is the chance to make a case that his selection cannot be overlooked.



Despite only ever appearing on the fringes, Wilfred Ndidi is a key player for Leicester City. Sitting in the centre of midfield in a slightly deeper position, he is perhaps overlooked because he is attempting to fill the boots of Ngolo Kante. That said, Ndidi and Kante offer entirely different outputs: Nidid is more adept at ball carrying than Kante, if a little less defensively proficient.


Against Argentina, though, he will be expected to do much of the tracking work on Dybala, who likes to exploit space in between the lines of midfield and defence. With the Juventus player looking to make an impact, Ndidi will have his work cut out for him.

Talking Points

How good are Argentina?

Although Lionel Messi did make certain of a World Cup place when the chips were down, there are still big questions about how good the Argentinian national team are as things stand.


Whilst they did make the final in the last World Cup, that team was undeniably better than the current one. It remains to be seen what Jorge Sampaoli can do in the time he has to work with them in the run-up to the summer next year.


Nigeria rising out of the ashes

Where Nigeria have traditionally had a strong football team, their recent economic problems have stymied their development somewhat. With a growing crop of players in the Premier League, though, it looks like a corner has been turned recently.


Tuesday’s fixture will give a good indication of how much improvement there has been in Nigerian football and will go some way towards allaying fears as the Super Eagles head into the World Cup next year.


Prediction: Argentina 2-1 Nigeria

With Argentina having spent the international break in Russia, they will be raring to go for this one. Nigeria, on the other hand, have only just finished their qualifying schedule for the World Cup, playing in Algeria last Friday.


As a result, they are likely to be the more tired of the two squads. However, with Argentina going through some uncertainty in their set-up of late, don’t expect this to be a roll-over for La Albiceleste.

Poll: Who will win in Russia on Tuesday?


www.realsport101.com/news/sports/football/argentina-v-nigeria-international-friendly-lineups-preview-and-prediction/

no offence, but Mr. MacKenzie is obviously more knowledgeable of the state of our economy than the state of our football.

He obviously failed to recognize the uphill task of qualifying from our group

He is blissfully unaware of our players in camp and their abilities hence his lazy postulation that we will line up against Argentina in a similar fashion as we did against Algeria.

This article lacks proper research and the writer would have achieved more playing a PS4 ESPN game of this match than writing such an amateurish article

elyte89:




Let's kukuma invite nsofor,osaze,olofinjana(if still playing), ogbeche etc

Let's not ridicule the proposal.

Obagoal was on top of his game in the MLS, a stand out player winning several accolades. He has been on top of his game in the Chinese league as well. Until he lost momentum after getting injured and us still injured.

Most of the players compared to him have not achieved anything near what he has achieved. The question is does he have something to offer. Prior to Injury he has a higher goal ratio than Ighalo and more assists.

Does he not at least deserve to be considered. Of he can't perform we look elsewhere.

@Safarigirl,instull this browser to vote,
link below:
https://browser.en.uptodown.com/android

Mujtahida:

We've been round this bend before. This is me being subjective. It's my preference that we leave out Martins, Ike and others of the old gaurd. But if the coach invites them, fine.

You are being evasive.

You are informed, articulate and conversant enrich the discourse with substantive argument and or view points.

I don't believe you would for emotive sentimental reasons dismis these players because they are older. They are not even as old as Roger Milla when he went to the world cup.

Without old Roger Milla would Cameroon have progressed to the levels they did

Age is relative and not conclusive and much more so than in the context of Nigeria.

kingphilip:
that's what i've been trying to make him understand

Shehu is giving us what we want to see in the right back role. even if there is a rating kind of that is unbiased, Shehu might be clocking 90 and Aina around 94-95 for instance while probably at left back he might be on 85-89 while our left back might be around 75-80. Isn't it safe we forgo him at right back and fix him at left back since we won't be missing him too much in the right back role while we embark on the search for a better left back?

cc: komekn

In the absence of a good quality tried and tested LB which we do not have. That's the most pragmatic approach to take.

I agree

Napoleon55:
@Safarigirl,instull this browser to vote,
link below:
https://browser.en.uptodown.com/android

I no get space for my phone to install anything. I can't even update the apps on the phone

Thanks sha...I'll try to vote, but if I can't, best of luck to Vic Mo

tbaba1234:


I have not downgraded Ogu, oga.. My assessment is based on the several games that have seen him play.

I have said that if you make conclusions that he is a great scorer from 4 starts, you can also say, he is a rash tackler from those same stats.

Both are untrue and unfair.

However, there is enough data on his game to show how he plays.

Just as we say one game doesn't define and or make your season. It's your performance across the whole season that determine your position.

One game doe's not make a player, we have had many flash in the pan players.

I have not seen Ogu in depth but I have watched a few of his games live on TV. I noticed immediately he really lacks pace. We can not afford to have two slow coaches in midfield. Mikel is slow having two of them in midfield will see us getting over run in midfield. That will in turn cause players to over compensate pulling them out of position. Leaving team cohesion and structure in tatters. A team with fast players will have a field day.

MetalJigsaw:
I haven't heard Yakubu's name in this thread, don't we need his experience in the team? :-XI haven't heard Yakubu's name in this thread, don't we need hi experience in the team?

Yak is a non starter he is finished.

safarigirl:
no offence, but Mr. MacKenzie is obviously more knowledgeable of the state of our economy than the state of our football.

He obviously failed to recognize the uphill task of qualifying from our group

He is blissfully unaware of our players in camp and their abilities hence his lazy postulation that we will line up against Argentina in a similar fashion as we did against Algeria.

This article lacks proper research and the writer would have achieved more playing a PS4 ESPN game of this match than writing such an amateurish article

the moment i saw Isaac Success mentioned as a notable absentee,i knew the guy do not have enough knowledge of Nigaerian football

Mujtahida:

Morocco lineup in the crucial WC qualifier in Abidjan:
4 players born in Holland
4 players born in France
2 players born in Spain
Just one born in Morocco - and he grew up in Belgium

If it was Nigeria?

Copied

Wow! Nigerians on nairaland go gree?