₦airaland Forum

Harrytimbog:
Christian Obodo should be in the picture too.....nigga was nicknamed bundle of skills during his days. Even if he is older than buhari, d mumu dem still fit pick m. Experience is d key word.

Memories... Obodo was gifted and a delight to watch. Sad he couldn’t do much when he played for Nigeria. Obiora Nwankwo is another player I rated so high and expected to explode after watching him play under Siasia in the under 20. When I saw him play for the Super Eagles, I thought he should be banned from playing football.

Xavier9ja:
Statistically he is good but is he performing at par with the statistics? E.g pogba is better statistically than kante and Lemina of southampton but I'll choose the latter two over pogba anyday cos they perform better on the pitch regardless of their ratings by the media. So joel Obi should go and chill.

I don't think you've watched this guy play.

gbosaa:
I liked his style of play the first time I watched him play for Nigeria. I followed his game when he was at Inter Milan, I admired his power, deft left foot, passes and shootings...however for whatever reasons, those qualities are long gone or have deserted him. He hasn’t grown or added much to his talent.

I watched him come out at Craven Cottage, I saw him during the warm up trying to chip the ball over Agbim and I thought he was back to show Nigerians what we’ve been missing but during the match against Scotland, I think he was one of the greatest disappointments in that field.

I rated him so him and expected so much from him but I don’t think he has got anything to offer or add to the new Super Eagles team.

How can you say 'for whatever reason?'

Injuries obviously... The lad has been battling with injuries for 4 years straight now... His game has obviously grown and if you watched him recently, especially this season you would see this...

He has a lot to offer our team, and completely deserves to be in the Eagles team ATM based on his performances for his club this season...

EbukaLive:
How can you say 'for whatever reason?'

Injuries obviously... The lad has been battling with injuries for 4 years straight now... His game has obviously grown and if you watched him recently, especially this season you would see this...

He has a lot to offer our team, and completely deserves to be in the Eagles team ATM based on his performances for his club this season...

Joel Obi played his first game for the Eagles against Sierra Leone in 2011. That was 7 years ago. I remember someone like Segun Odegbami giving him some good reviews after the match. The Obi i saw then isn’t the same Obi I’m seeing today. I saw a player that was much lighter, good mobility, good passes and shootings. He took on his opponents, muscled his way through.

Obi of 2011-2012 Inter Milan isn’t the same person playing for Torino today. Injuries are not the only reasons for that. First time I saw him back in the days, I saw hunger and passion. I don’t see those anymore. If he has been limited by injuries or still suffering either the physical or psychological effects of his injuries, then I think this present Eagles isn’t a place for him.

The present squad need players who can move, fight, run and wear down the opponents. We saw that against Zambia, Algeria, Cameroon and Argentina. There is a magic in being young, fit and injury free. It lets you win difficult tackles without getting cards, you move and cover spaces easily without much stress, you dribble and shoot at the goal post even at difficult and awkward angles and beat the keeper, you score undeserved goals like chicaritto when balls fall at your feet while you are minding your business away from the action area or even not involved in goal mouth scramble. Ndidi, Ebuehi, Iwobi, Iheanacho have all benefitted from the above. It’s their time and anyone coming in to join the party should blend in with similar qualities.

Obi’s issues are not down to injuries alone. He need some spark to bring himself to at least 70% of what he used to be. If he can’t ignite that passion enough, he should remain in Torino and mind his club football.

OlamideOkadigbo:
Majority of the guys criticizing Joel Obi have not seen him play. The dude is a good and skillful creative midfielder, which the Super Eagles badly need in the world cup(you can check out his highlight against Juventus if you don't believe me) . Injuries have just been extremely cruel to him. More so, those guys sarcastically calling for the recall of Taribo West and Mutiu Adepoju do not know that Joel is actually younger than Mikel Obi. He is probably 26 or 27.
If anything happens to Mikel at the world cup, maybe injury or if he is tightly marked in a match, there is no other genuine creator in that midfield. That's why we badly need Joel and just pray he doesn't get injured because, like Diaby, he is made of glass.

u dd not need to reply these guys that ve neither played football b4 nor watched real soccer b4. The worst performers are the most critiques.
Joel Obi s gud.

robosky02:
check out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z74GFyAKzE

This clip is from 2012.

Joel obi is an average player... very average footballer playing for an average team.

I'd rather hope we pick a good MF from our own league.

Many of you just watch ball... you don't observe quality on and off the ball.

aspirebig:
Scoring 5 goals in all competitions.....not even a double digit and he is being celebrated?

When we go learn?


I hope Taribo West will also join our defence line to fortify the SE defence, with the likes of Uche Okechukwu....their experience is needed for this W/cup.


Shiòooor...

You dey watch ball? Is he a striker?even if he has. Zero goals he remains a good player,Joel obi has played 17 serial A games and scored 2 goals and there is nothing bad about it because he is not a striker,pogba that was bought for 100 million has played 17 premier league games and scored 3 goals,does that make pogba a bad player? Nigerians are quick to criticize our own players,if you don't have meaningful thing to say it's better you keep quiet.

LorDBolton:
Joel obi is an average player... very average footballer playing for an average team.

I'd rather hope we pick a good MF from our own league.

Many of you just watch ball... you don't observe quality on and off the ball.

Onazi that is in super eagles no b average team e dey play for ? Or will you call trabzonspor among the top 5 teams in turkey?how many super eagles players are playing for a big team? Is Italy league not better than turkey,in Torino they have Andre belotti and he is in the Italian national team so what are you saying?it seems you don't watch football,even in an average crystal palace team they have cabaye who is in France national team and they also have Benteke who is in Belgium,if you don't know football it's better you keep your mouth shut.

gbosaa:
Joel Obi played his first game for the Eagles against Sierra Leone in 2011. That was 7 years ago. I remember someone like Segun Odegbami giving him some good reviews after the match. The Obi i saw then isn’t the same Obi I’m seeing today. I saw a player that was much lighter, good mobility, good passes and shootings. He took on his opponents, muscled his way through.

Obi of 2011-2012 Inter Milan isn’t the same person playing for Torino today. Injuries are not the only reasons for that. First time I saw him back in the days, I saw hunger and passion. I don’t see those anymore. If he has been limited by injuries or still suffering either the physical or psychological effects of his injuries, then I think this present Eagles isn’t a place for him.

The present squad need players who can move, fight, run and wear down the opponents. We saw that against Zambia, Algeria, Cameroon and Argentina. There is a magic in being young, fit and injury free. It lets you win difficult tackles without getting cards, you move and cover spaces easily without much stress, you dribble and shoot at the goal post even at difficult and awkward angles and beat the keeper, you score undeserved goals like chicaritto when balls fall at your feet while you are minding your business away from the action area or even not involved in goal mouth scramble. Ndidi, Ebuehi, Iwobi, Iheanacho have all benefitted from the above. It’s their time and anyone coming in to join the party should blend in with similar qualities.

Obi’s issues are not down to injuries alone. He need some spark to bring himself to at least 70% of what he used to be. If he can’t ignite that passion enough, he should remain in Torino and mind his club football.

I agree he is not the same player we saw 7 years ago. He had potentials to develop into a world class midfielder then. Injuries have obviously slowed him down and he might never reach a world class level again, but he has had sustained football since last season. This season, he has shone like a million stars. There is still no one in that Super Eagles midfield that can create space and move the ball as he does. Ndidi is a world class defensive midfielder, not a creative midfielder. Mikel is creative but he is not very mobile and he can be choked against opponents that play the ghen ghen pressing. The likes of Moses and Iwobi will play from the wings, not the middle of the pack. Iheanacho is a striker and Ebuehi is a right back.
Hence, we absolutely need his talent, mobility and creativity especially against stubborn defenses and high pressing teams.

aspirebig:
Scoring 5 goals in all competitions.....not even a double digit and he is being celebrated?

When we go learn?


I hope Taribo West will also join our defence line to fortify the SE defence, with the likes of Uche Okechukwu....their experience is needed for this W/cup.


Shiòooor...

He's a midfielder,not a centre forward..goals are not the ONLY yard stick for measuring a good performance..How many did Zidane score in his career?

victormeg:
Are you through? Say baba 2019.whether you like it or not. When they say vote pdp in 2014,una say no.the suffer must continue for una 2019.anofia.you never see anything. If you like curse from now till eternity,he must come back 2019 and your suffering and cursing must continue.

I didn't vote Buhari slowpoke

I think it's a good decision to take him. Regardless of what anyone thinks, a world cup squad MUST have some experience blended with the young hotshots. This is why I believe it would be in our best interest to take Enyeama to Russia. Experience counts a whole lot at that level, and of the current squad of SE players, Joel Obi is the player with the most experience of playing consistently at the top level in Europe, only behind Mikel. Besides I don't want to see Onazi, Etebo etc near our starting 11 anymore we can't keep accommodating that level. I would wish to see a midfield trio of Ndidi, Mikel and Joel Obi in Russia.

Just here to read the comments to see how good the guy is. Let's see how he adapts to the super eagles team during the coming friendlies.

donbenie:
He's a midfielder,not a centre forward..goals are not the ONLY yard stick for measuring a good performance..How many did Zidane score in his career?

What about Yaya Toure? Is he a Striker?
Or his kind of midfielder is different?

But he won African footballer of the year four consecutive times.....

andrew444:
You dey watch ball? Is he a striker?even if he has. Zero goals he remains a good player,Joel obi has played 17 serial A games and scored 2 goals and there is nothing bad about it because he is not a striker,pogba that was bought for 100 million has played 17 premier league games and scored 3 goals,does that make pogba a bad player? Nigerians are quick to criticize our own players,if you don't have meaningful thing to say it's better you keep quiet.

From your username .....i know you are a confused fool.

aspirebig:
From your username .....i know you are a confused fool.

Kill your self.....Your papa na d confused fool,you go just open your dirty mouth talk nonsense,if you no no something learn how to close your smelling mouth.... OTE

aspirebig:
What about Yaya Toure? Is he a Striker?
Or his kind of midfielder is different?

But he won African footballer of the year four consecutive times.....

I didn't remember Yaya Toure ever winning the highest goalscorer in any of those years he won the award..
You're echoing my point exactly,a good midfielder is not necessarily a goal scoring midfielder..Again,Andres Iniesta and Pirlo comes to mind..tell me who in their generation are better midfielders than them..yet goals are at a premium with them..

andrew444:
Kill your self.....Your papa na d confused fool,you go just open your dirty mouth talk nonsense,if you no no something learn how to close your smelling mouth.... OTE

You are still talking? A fool is always a fool....hahaha

I have been watching this guy play on star times and I cannot see what's so stand out about him. any small tackle and he is always limping about. he also looks heavy which makes him kinda slow compared to other eagles players. Also, why should he be taken, when he can easily get injured after the first match or God forbid before the first match.

andrew444:
Onazi that is in super eagles no b average team e dey play for ? Or will you call trabzonspor among the top 5 teams in turkey?how many super eagles players are playing for a big team? Is Italy league not better than turkey,in Torino they have Andre belotti and he is in the Italian national team so what are you saying?it seems you don't watch football,even in an average crystal palace team they have cabaye who is in France national team and they also have Benteke who is in Belgium,if you don't know football it's better you keep your mouth shut.

Left to me players like onazi no go smell call up mail ...

Now its obvious that either you don't know how to read or you're just ignorant .

My post reads "JOEL OBI IS AN AVERAGE PLAYER PLAYING FOR AN AVERAGE TEAM"

Is cabaye an average player Weren't dele alli, phil Jones et al picked up from very very average teams?

I repeat that either you don't know how to read or just ignorant.

LorDBolton:
Left to me players like onazi no go smell call up mail ...

Now its obvious that either you don't know how to read or you're just ignorant .

My post reads "JOEL OBI IS AN AVERAGE PLAYER PLAYING FOR AN AVERAGE TEAM"

Is cabaye an average player Weren't dele alli, phil Jones et al picked up from very very average teams?

I repeat that either you don't know how to read or just ignorant.

You are the ignorant one here oga....is cabaye a world class player,ogbeni cabaye is an average player playing for an average team,so if dem say make you list world class player you go call cabaye?

Picked up?mk dons is a below average team,Phil jones was from Blackburn,did they get an England call up while at those team?they didn't till they join Man U and Tottenham.

According to you Joel obi is an average player playing for an average team?how many players in super eagles are world class? You are saying a good MF should be picked from our own league,maybe our own league players are world class....I wonder what you are smoking .

andrew444:
You are the ignorant one here oga....is cabaye a world class player,ogbeni cabaye is an average player playing for an average team,so if dem say make you list world class player you go call cabaye?

Picked up?mk dons is a below average team,Phil jones was from Blackburn,did they get an England call up while at those team?they didn't till they join Man U and Tottenham.

According to you Joel obi is an average player playing for an average team?how many players in super eagles are world class? You are saying a good MF should be picked from our own league,maybe our own league players are world class....I wonder what you are smoking .

Oh now I know you CANNOT READ ...it's now an undeniable fact!

I asked "is Cabaye an average player" ? So since cabaye ain't average ...he must be WORLD CLASS

It's futile arguing sports with guys like you... you CANNOT READ

LorDBolton:
Oh now I know you CANNOT READ ...it's now an undeniable fact!

I asked "is Cabaye an average player" ? So since cabaye ain't average ...he must be WORLD CLASS

It's futile arguing sports with guys like you... you CANNOT READ

Then you must be blind or don't know how to read for your eye to skip the side where I said ogbeni cabaye is an average player......you are just quick to pour out your anger,Mr English teacher,educate me more on English language,a teacher who refuse to read where I said (ogbeni cabaye is an average player playing for an average team) English teacher stop disgracing your self......Good morning sir