Kog45:
Good point but am seriously baffled at the way we are going with our analysis on the formation of this team.It seems we are more focus on 3-5-2 formation and even trying to pick our team from it using 45 minutes performance against Argentina as yardstick to the extent players like Shehu,Ighalo even Victor Moses are being given a cold critical look.

Really surprised seeing guys saying Moses is not discipline and selfish forgetting that Moses contribution as a forward is more valuable to the team than WB.I remember how Moses singlehandedly gave us two penalties against Ethopia at 2013 Afcon cos goals refused to come, pls Moses is more valuable upfront.This is Super eagles not Chelsea.

I just read now Moses was named in the list of 100 best players in the world and such player is being scolded here just cos we had a wonder 45 minutes against Argentina.I was surprised seeing guys lineup here excluding Ighalo, Shehu and putting Moses as WB just based on Argentina friendly,if we are in Argentina shoe for losing the 4-2.,heads must have roll,a lot must have called for Rohr sack.

We need to be patient with our players.If Shehu lost his position just cos of Ebuhei performance despite his solid performance during qualifiers and funny enough it was not a disastrous outing for Shehu and Aina even they had better performance than Balogun.

The team generally had a woeful first half performance, pls check Iwobi performance in the first half it was below par,so the team gave too much respect to Argentines and playing 3-5-2 for the first time culminated with Akpeyi howler,really affected the team,our coming back has nothing to do much with the players but coach instructions.It simple Rohr might said guys go out there and play your game is just a friendly,nothing to lose.

There is need for us to stop basking in euphoria of our victory against Argentina,such victory always remind me how my university team beat Kwara united 3 nil during pre season friendly which gave some of our boys opportunity to go for trial with united but they couldn't meet up.I still remeber how Ikpeba and Teslim Fatusi came in against Brazil in Atlanta and changed the game.Sometimes it happens in football and what we need to do is to build up and not destroy the team based on that performance.

I was surprise seeing guys already rating Ebuhei and Idowu over others,truly they had a good performance but a lot forget that no sensible coach would rate that friendly ahead of Nigere- Cameroon or Nigeria-Zambia match.Do we forget how the same Argentina find it tough to qualify for WC,they waited till last match.

Am sorry to say this i had the opportunity of watching some of Ebuhei matches at his club and i want to say i was really surprised with his good performance against Argentina cos most of his games in his club were averaged even in 3-5-2 formation and when Rohr was not using him i wasn't surprise meaning i cannot rate him than Shehu Abdullahi.

We need to see him more and be convinced.Even Idowu we need to be cautious,i watched him against Rostov not really impressed though he played from RB and also against Slyvester Igboun club in which Amer lost 3 nil with Sylvester netting a brace.

I know Rohr is an experience coach who know what he is doing and know where he is going with the team and must have his 80% XI for WC by now not to talk of 23 man list.We have been to WC and we all know how team selection evolves.

Yes there's an euphoria about the 3-5-2 because for long we have been tactically limited in our game. 3-5-2 is the newest car in our garage and many are itching to ride it. It's understandable but don't forget that we are not Rohr. We just talk like krattoss said. And I repeat 3-5-2 is an option. Moreover Rohr has said that the tactics to be adopted depends on the opposition we meet. Truth is we have to strike a balance between our best formation and the need to be tactically unpredictable. Imagine we begin with one shape and suddenly switch. The opponents will be in disarray if they too are not tactically savvy. My point is it's good for us to master at least two more tactical formations apart from 4-4-3 or 4-3-2-1(which is still 4-5-1).

On Ebuehi and Idowu I agree that we need not be in haste but that their performances at their clubs is average cannot be a valid basis to judge them. Before Ebuehi had that good run tbaba1234 had often said that the lad is a good player. Almost all our players apart from Moses and Ndidi post average performances. Balogun the pillar of our defence even seats on the bench in Mainz. Iwobi gets brief moments of play, Iheanacho has no stable place in Leicester, Musa is lost. Mikel and Ighalo ply their trade in barely known clubs in China. But we cannot use that to judge them because the Gwg works magic on them and transforms them into glittering stars when they play for us. I'm still trying to find what the secret is. That's why many like Icon79 and safarigirl have insisted that we judge our players solely by how they perform in the Gwg.

I am an Ebuehi fan but I acknowledge that Shehu has been incredible as our RB. To praise Ebuehi doesn't mean Shehu is slighted. Rather we should rejoice at the richness of our team. The team has meat. You can choose which one to chew unlike the 2014 Keshi team that was just bones. Nothing to chew.

So there's reason for caution but it should be joyous, positive caution. The call should be for the team to master that tactics. To have used it and succeeded against Argentina with the players trying it out within a short period of time means there's potential there for us to exploit. Remember Amaju Pinnick said Rohr told him a night before that he has a tactical answer to Argentina's game. We should master it and not let fear to stop us from expanding our tactical options. Still I don't think 3-5-2 is our main tactical formation. Rohr is not that naive.

Mujtahida:

Yeah but most people exaggerate the point about selfishness. I believe our pin point passes will improve before the WC and Vicmo will go with the flow.

Yeah, you are right but it is important forhim to note that you could only create one opportunity in competitive tournament like the WC hence the need to take our chances. That could change our fortune if utilized ultimately. We saw what happened against Argentina. Few chances but we utilized all.

komekn:


Sterling was always way ahead of KC by a huge margin. He was leading vthe front line for Liverpool when KC was playing youth football.

For what Pep wants hard truth is Sterling is much better.

You are making excuses for a player who simply has been unable to adapt and perform. You earn the right to play week in week out by top performances. Vardy has proved his ability KC has not simply put.

You are putting other players down who have proven ability to promote your favoured player. KC is a very good player that is not in doubt but to pull others down to push him forward is not the way forward.

Constructive criticism with a more objective approach would be more beneficial.

Which player did I pull down? To promote who? Please try read my post again. If I mentioned sterling, it is what I saw and many can attest to that for last season. We are not talking about this season. Last season we saw Sterling and yet he was given chance after chance. How is that a pulling down? Was it not the chances that he got that made him better? Can that be said of Iheanacho last season? Did he even get enough cameos? At the end of it all it is the stats that you guys will be using to judge a player. Now I am the one making excuses abi? Try and be empathetic.

forgiveness:


Yeah, you are right but it is important forhim to note that you could only create one opportunity in competitive tournament like the WC hence the need to take our chances. That could change our fortune if utilized ultimately. We saw what happened against Argentina. Few chances but we utilized all.

Utilized all?

Iheanacho should have passed to Iwobi twice but was selfish with the ball.

He was wrong to have done that twice.If we ignore the first, what of the second?

For my own sanity.

kennysville:


Best decision you have made....

It is becoming more obvious that Moses is far better than Zappacosta.

Mickael2:



I will explain why I am trying to fit Onyekuru in and not Ahmed Musa or anybody else.

There are teams you come up against and quick passes will not work, Iceland is a perfect example. You can stand infront of their backline and make 20 quick passes but those guys won't move until you come closer and you see that they will double up on each of your players what do you then do? You need quick dribblers. When you have a player who can just beat his immediate marker that creates room instantly and serious panic through the opposing teams rank(this is why I believe Iceland will be mincemeat for Argentina precisely). Now we don't have Messi but we have Onyekuru and Iwobi two guys who are nice(not great) dribblers and under normal circumstances we will place a CF who can pass the ball well and engage in your one-touch-two-go football, in that same way Onyekuru or Iwobi(depending on who is well-placed) can make those Alli-esque runs when the CF falls back and joins the passing triangles in the middle.

Against Croatia though is another thing entirely. We will have to adopt a system similar to Barcelona 2015. These guys midfield will kill us if we engage them so here we sacrifice midfield play for outright direct football. Rakitic is a briliant DMF when he plays there and someone said Kovacic hardly plays for Madrid, well that is because he is out injured, he recently returned and has already played a game for them, pure quality, no need saying much about Modric. There is another problem too, their midfielders all have wonderful shots so they should not be allowed to even come so close to our post which is why I wouldn't play Onazi. In this type of game we need direct players, once we get the ball we should take a maximum of 3-4 touches and get the ball to the forward players without dwelling on midfield play

Interesting analysis Doc.

I'd however, like to see your preferred lineup/personnel to face those sides.

Even though we all know Rorh is one who'd most likely stick to one starting lineup all through

tbaba1234:
It is becoming more obvious that Moses is far better than Zappacosta.

♤Far- Far better

♤in the attacking sense to me..

somehow:
For my own sanity.

Yes o!

Read somewhere dt we would b playing d Polish national team on March 23rd, who can confirm dt?

elyte89:
Read somewhere dt we would b playing d Polish national team on March 23rd, who can confirm dt?

Correct. Poland has confirmed that they have a game with Nigeria on March 23rd.

Balogun starts for Mainz as they tackle Liepzig away

Did I ever suggest Poland for Iceland ?

tbaba1234:


Correct. Poland has confirmed that they have a game with Nigeria on March 23rd.

Conte thinks he can rotate squad anyhow and go Scot free

I wish we had an Arthur Masuaku. That guy is an elegant left back mbok!!

Old Zaire (DR Congo) get players oo, wetin dey happen abeg? Why dem no qualify for the World Cup?

tbaba1234:


Correct. Poland has confirmed that they have a game with Nigeria on March 23rd.

Good one . I expect the secured friendlies to be announced on the 11th in the press conference which is just two days away.

tbaba1234:


Correct. Poland has confirmed that they have a game with Nigeria on March 23rd.

How true is this bro??

MetalJigsaw:
How true is this bro??

True, it has been reported in the polish press.

Poland is playing Nigeria and South Korea.

Balogun dependable so far. Have witnessed a clearance and a defensive aerial duel won. He is playing as the RCB among the 3CBs.
He was almost beaten for pace initially.

Modified
Mainz concede. Well worked goal by liepzig

Isaac Success returns. In Watford’s bench away to Burnley. I will switch over to that game if he is brought on. For now it seems there is only one Nigerian on the pitch.

tbaba1234:


True, it has been reported in the polish press.

Poland is playing Nigeria and South Korea.

I love this news if true. Are we still going to play England? The date for that match is too far, bro.

Mainz denied a feeekick close to the box

Modified
Ref goes to watch the replay.
Free kick given

Mainz scores from a rebound
Leipzig 1-1 Mainz

VAR is a great idea.

Mujtahida:

Omo, so blueto pass the scrutiny of your lab? Woowwwww. I dey enjoy una on this 3-5-2. You have taken it deeper. What if Mikel plays as a DM as you said and either one of Ndidi or Onazi sits on the bench that means Iwobi can slot into the AM and Iheanacho and any other attacker say Musa or Onyekuru can partner with him upfront but Onyekuru is still on the fringes of the team and has not had a game to show his quality.

Mikel is our most creative midfielder, so I don't see Rohr playing him as a DM. The guy can pass, hold ball for Africa.

Joebie:
Isaac Success returns. In Watford’s bench away to Burnley. I will switch over to that game if he is brought on. For now it seems there is only one Nigerian on the pitch.

Happy for him
He's been out for a long time

If Isaac Succes can get a run of games together, perhaps he can gatecrash the WC team.

I'm not sure who commited the infringement.
But Liebzig has been awarded a penalty.
Balogun was in the thick of things.
Referee heads to watch the VAR.

Modified
Decision upheld.
It seems it was Balogun.
Nobody carded though.

Liepzig 2-1 Mainz

Yes he needs to start preparing for project Qatar. Time is running out for him now.

oloriooko:

Happy for him
He's been out for a long time