₦airaland Forum

For the fact that Messi is still in this team throwing crazy incisive passes ...running and starting attack ..picking the ball from the base and making things happen at his age....even if Argentina had lost tonight i will always rate him far ahead of one man that will likely be on the bench tomorrow hoping to come in and score a free goal then run to the touch line to show muscle to photographers

Me i no mention anybody name o....mi o fe wahala o��‍♀️��‍♀️��‍♀️

Football can be heartbreaking ...Brazil came to play but Croatia had other plans...there are lots of ways to success in football but Croatia to me is the most pragmatic team in Europe at moment...but they have some 3 weapons...kovacic...Modric and brozovic...this guy's are good at only one thing ..(keeping the ball) ...so they are certain to have at least some possession in the game cos ones they get the ball back from u they will keep cycling it ....what i want to see next is how they deploy that pragmatic tactics against Argentina....now they are at disadvantage cos every team left in that contest knows they don't really have much in attack...but have a strong midfield ...they also know they do nothing but put balls in the cross....we can say they were lucky today but i don't remember the last time a team this pragmatic won a world cup...they deploy such tactics in the final but got beaten ...the next team will be ready for solutions ...Portugal ....Argentina...France....name it....THEY WILL VE READY AND WONT BE LUCKY TWICE with three passive football

All bazill need in the second half is start using the flank much more and run at the croats defence....every attack must be purposeful...Croatias game plan is working well ..just wear out brazill the bring in subs to kill them...but the bad side is this croat side don't really have goals in them....a good attacking side like Brazil will beat them ..the only thing keeping them in the game is there ability to hold possession so well expecially in midfield with kovacic ...brozovic and Modric ...but they have a very average attack and they result to crossing the ball most times...even on their bench they still have not really potent attacker so ...they are kinda playing to their quality ...if they can get 0-0 in the 2nd half .they will take it and rather sit back in the second half cos they can't match the Brazilian ni open game

I don't really like the Croatian team at the moment....they are not really a qualitya ND talented side. ..leaving out model and partly kovacic...there strength is there defensive shape ...they don't have much quality to kill like u will expect from a too side ....at this stage the will rather stay in the game and fancy there chance...Brazil will got it quite easy in there last game scoring early....but although football is unpredictable,they will have more than enough attacks to kill Croatia..... Croatia is a blend of orthodox and possession football so i expect them to throw many long balls into brazil territory which i tink won't be enough cos the Brazilian defence is Soo solid

Our problem majorly is we want an instant result ... unfortunately nothing is instant in football...we don't want to invest but we want to shock the world ...for where now...just take a look at how we have been playing in years...before this brunt...we are a possession based side...i could remember we played Egypt out of the pitch just this Las Afcon....the problem is it's getting obvious we haven't been growing In any way with out football...

Create good training pitch...

Improve the local leagues

Send Nigerian coaches out to learn

Build a playing style from kid age academy

With all this ...it's just a matter of time ...our football will shock the world

We have thousand of people out of which hundreds are very talented...most of this talent only waste with time ..ones again i will rephrase...."nothing is instant in football"....no pain no gain!!!

Morocco to me don't really play like Africans....west Africa to be precise ..today they play against a team that loves to have the ball...but they use the physical side of their game which Africa is known for in a much positive way compare to the way teams like Senegal does...and ones they get the ball they don't hurry and panic to push ...they get it back and progress gently ... that was one of the things i loved in them....a team like Senegal will get the ball and loose in before getting to the box....and keeping possession is also a problem...Morocco was solid in defence ...they are a blend of Africa and Europe i a way for me...West Africa need to improve the technical side of there football....against england Senegal was busy pushing the English player and commiting fouls...each time they get the ball they loose it within a little time...most of there passes were bad...as African ..west Africa as a topic of discussion we need to ask ourselfs this questions

How many of our players are clinical passers

How many midfielders do we have who are good with one touch football

How may defenders do we have that passes the ball smoothly out from the back

How many creative midfielders do we have playing in a top team in Europe


Coaches around the world dont just prefer playing our players in defence and striking role...they know our football thrives more on power than sense....that's why even most of the midfielders we have in Europe are just DMs....

We need low gravity player with good touch on the ball and with good vision and brilliance....and this players need to learn how to create chance and how to take games by the neck....every time we play top teams in the world we suffer more defending than we should ..that's why we end up commiting and getting thrashed

I tink england was good but i tink Wales made them look so good really....today especially in the second half wales played the kinda football there opponent thrives on...they didn't keep it slow ND steady by pegging england back but was so eager to start the attack...wen Rashford scored the freekick it even got worse and they started moving the ball without caution...england started Winning the ball close to Wales final third and wen u do that against teams with fast players infront u will be killed.....the funny part is teams england will be playing from now will be better and try won't be given that satisfaction.....france...brail... Portugal will be more wary of all this ...forget the win england isn't as good as they seem

Imagine some people saying Switzerland isn't good... Switzerland is one of the most compact and deadly up rising team in Europe...today Neymar didn't play and it's just like a blessing in disguise which most people won't believe...today Brazil looked more solid and they lost lesser possession going forward....why?....cos Neymar didn't play ofcourse....Neymar is a deadly player no doubt but his goodies of creativity comes also with loads of dispossession ...although he get the team fouls but sometimes u need the progressive ball retention and possession than the petty fouls....and if you are still doubting Brazil's quality and how much they are a contender in this game ...then look at their tactical set up today ...on paper they were a 4-3-3 team but on the pitch they looked more like a 2-5-3...with Tiago and maquinhos in the center ...militia was pushed slightly in front of them also a little to the right 2 add to the legs they have in-between...the Casemiro and Fred was played. In front. ..this i believe was to short out Swizz i counter ..and even with this they still played well and looked even more solid...once again ...write Brazil off this world cup at ur own peril!!

The people that still compares the effectiveness of messi in any team to that of Ronaldo knows close to nothing about football...even at 40...Messi will still likely be a weapon for any team in the world (and that's asides scoring) bad days are normal in football and Argentina might still crash out but you look at the team and you see how much Messi is involved in almost every attack...he drops deep to pick the ball ...run against defence ...pick passes to unlock the backline ...takes crosses ...throws himself around ...his dribbling is NT as swift as it use to be due to age but he will still go off one or two players In a flash ....Ronaldo can't do all this anymore...he will only look for an opportunity to get a goal the run to the touchline and jump ..forget they will play few matches soon against top sides where he might not smell the ball upfront for 45mins....then heaven will be let loose and he will start blaming the team for NT passing to him... Ronaldo will always be a great player but let's quit the pretence ....MESSI IS FAR MORE BETTER TO HAVE ALL ROUND IN A MODERN DAY SQUAD...he makes the team click ..Ronaldo isn't such player by any stretch

I still don't know how England intends to get close to semis NT to talk if winning it with such a flat midfield...very blunt and very uncreative ..u can have good players on the flank but they will most likely be pinned down if u don't move the ball into channels fast...to worsen it all most of their midfielders ain't comfortable in possession and are poor ball passers. ..u can't really on you wingers to keep doing the magic cos it won't work....any day this English team meets a classy side they will get bundled out...USA looks far more better off and on the possession

Well ..how many times are we going to the debate on how African team always try to do it but they dont....tonight is another moment such debate resurfaces...but to be candid Ghana really impressed me at the last minute...i hope tonight opens their eyes a little if they get lucky to leave the group....you can get ur chance against any team in the world...fine u also need to fear them...cos to me opening the game a little more at the start of the second half killed them....but wat could dey have done the anxiety of trying to get going after the first goal is normal ..but going forward they need to understand u can do it against any side..they are normal players like u probably just with a better technical know how but any team can suffer if u do the right thing ... Brazil..Germany....Spain...just name it...at a point Portugal had to even deploy a delay tactics ..that speaks volume

Spain played a good day but it's no news...we know on there day they will play any team out of the field ...we have seen them doing it with there possession based short passes style of play...to day they made sure they had many players close together ...and identity of how they play their tiki taka...but against a better team they might not have that satisfaction ...Costa Rica"s pressing wasn't good enough and with a much tougher opponent it won't be this easy..they even played a midfielder as a center back...let's just see how the competition proceeds

With what i witness today in ibadan...Obi will likely get 40% vote here...and if he does am sorry he has south west already cos even Tinibu won't get 60% in Lagos...

People will see the fact of ground and not embrace it.....Ronaldo had no fucking right to ahead and start talking down on a team where he plays .....is just like working in First bank and having light issues then one faithful morning a popular radio presenter invites u to his program And getting there by started bullshitting the structure of your work place even while u are still a staff. .nobody should even tell u resuming to work on Monday won't be necessary

At 37 u still expect to start every match.. which serious team builds there hope on a 37 year old player....man city of course taught about it and decided they didn't need him even wen they stood a better chance of signing him..

Must everything in football be about you ..u are in united to help the team wen they need u and NT be the main man ..what happens to other players and attackers would still needs to grow in their game wen it's only u getting the playing time. .

Somebody will come and talk about Messi ...the truth is Messi is old too and has lost most of his bustful moves but he still has some things that will make him still relevant in any top team

1) Ability to pick the ball and initiate attack anywhere on the pitch
2) Crazy passing accuracy


Messi can seat in any role and still destroy

Ronaldo is also great but everything about him revolves aroundbhim getting scoring chances ...if his NT doing that then his close to useless

Is there any team has useless as Chelsea in Europe as we speak??....hell NO...

Even shooting stars of ibadan would have put up a better performance

Nonsense and burnt dodo!!��‍♀️��‍♀️��‍♀️��‍♀️

I saw someone already saying Chelsea is out and Dortmund will progress...is like most people don't know chelsea is a different animal in champions league and by then Kante and James will be back.... Dortmund will be lucky to get a draw in Germany!!!....don't Bleep with Chelsea...no team will want to draw that team

Arsenal win need to start the game in the second half with better precision...Chelsea is only staying in the game and waiting to wreck havoc....they have kovacic... Gallagher...pulisic...broja all on bench ..arsenal has close to nothing ....

Btw ...i still don't know the madness running through Kai havertz....his rendering Aubumeyangs moves useless and will rather shoot ..how such joke of a player got into chelsea team still baffles me ..very useless!!!

I just checked the line up...am sorry...arsenal will flog us this afternoon....u are playing a 2 man center defense against arsenal without a DM...sometimes in football u need to be pragmatic...Chelsea can do anything today but they shouldnt loose at home of NT for anything ...for the pride...wtf is wrong with potter...u don't want go along opening the game against arsenal...Matinelli will have a good time player ceaser ..saka will salivate playing cucurella...knowing Brighton destroyed him last week...today is a day i expect him to play a 3 solid center back....the. Put Zakaria alongside Jorginho in midfield....we all know u want to attack arsenal but how much can u stop them from putting 4 past u in the first half ..mm

I understand sometimes attacking ur oponente could be the best form of defence but wat did i just see...Chelsea started the game with mount...Gallagher...sterling .. pulisic...havertz ..(5 attackers) and could only muster a goal....

Any right thinking could will know Chelsea wake point at the moment is that wing back position...sterling is no fucking winger back ..pulisic isnt either for Bleep sake ..their strength is in the last few meters of the pitch... reverting into back for made in fair but again we hand no one with the work of running people down and stealing the ball ..none of the players on that pitch is defensive cautious..

You bought Zakaria ( an outright DM) but placed him in the bench....

Why can't a tea have a dependable first 11

Personally i tink potter is quite good ..but sometimes i don't really like coaches that tweaks the team too much that normal....strength to strength this Brighton can beat any top team in Europe...Chelsea first 11 isn't guaranteed to win this Brighton ...u went ahead to play a very week side .. cos i threw in a all attacking side doesn't mean you will win...they had a brilliant plan to attack from cucurella side and they found it so easy... cucurella is good but his NT a player you will want to leave in a one on one situation and they know sterling is lazy and won't cover...where is Zakaria ....you had ur center back injured but u never tauhht it's nice to bring in someone from the academy....it's gone already...to the next match please

If Messi was in Barca ...well they won't be doing so great, but they won't be this bad...YES!! that's just it...watching them game after game it's not like they are bad and that the probably don't play well enough but they just lack that extra creativity and genius brain they had in Messi...well will i say they lack it ....NO... considering the fact they have some nice creative player too..but they miss that crazy passes...those unexpected moves..those "la pausa" Messi does effortlessly every game to release attack ...the reason why this is telling more is cos they have a coach that still plays around that same Juan cryuff style of possession football ...nothing has really changed in approach with XAVI....that style gave them a lot of success ...and what made that so possible is the personal they had that implemented it well...XAVI ...INIESTA...but most especially the finesse of all round talent they had in Messi...which is no more there

Arsenal fan won't stop amazing me....no one is arguing that your team is much more better this season and not just that they started with the best playing form ...their rhythm is beautiful and they seem to have that ruthless play in them but let's cut ourselves some slacks ...you guys will likely burn out before Jan....that team has a deadly first 11 but the bench is a total mess ..now ask yourselves ...how many player do you have in that team that can play 50matches with same intensity and form....it's not possible ....how do u expect to field that same team all game cos anything asides that your first team will gett a nice beating....how do you cope wen odegard...Jesus ..saka or Marinelli gets injure...fine am not playing it happens but we all know the rigours of EPL....fine you could say so many teams will get injury too but can u compare the quality and depth of arsenal to that of city ...man UTD or Chelsea?....not even Tottenham....

Am NT an arsenal hater and sincerely i tink they have a team that has the strength to book the top 4 this season ...but again i won't say they would win the league neither will i say anything team will yet...fine they are in the form of their life but they only need to loose a match and that story will change (i no be bad belle but it's true"....we ve seen some of the top sides loose crucial players to there system this season and still held on and won matches....Chelsea lost James and Kanye still won few matches ...United had no striker and are still grinding result...how will arsenal survive if the lose Odegaard...partey and saka...the lost the second man mentioned against united and we saw how they were severely purnished..now if u will be sincere with yourself how many points are their between arsenal and other teams behind in top 6...very few u will agree ..that means just one loss or even a draw and it's all open again...but regardlessly i have to say arsenal are no more where they use to be and have grown a little spine ....but so many teams will still hit form in cause of the season...even as we speak most top teams are NT so far away from them in performance just that they happen to be in real form...time will tell.... someone would say Leicester won cause in same way but i will say NO....that season almost every top side were poor and that team was a machine filled with crazy players with massive strenght ...they are much more stronger all round than this arsenal as a team... defensively especially

Lekan239:
you see nothing wrong in an offensive midfielder having only 11 assist and 3 goals in over 130 appearance?

The only thing you have problem with is Jorginho a defensive minded player to be creating assist.

Seems u don't know about football. Jorginho's work is too control the midfield from the back pairing with the defenders, while kovacic role is usually controlling the midfielder pairing with the attackers.

I wonder where Manchester City will be if Gundogan also have the poor stats kovacic have in Chelsea

....You are right kind of....but let me chip in few things you might NT notice...sincerely jorginhos work in that team isn't so much anymore..u are right that he dictates the tempo of the game and plays as a "registre" kind of midfielder...he gives Chelsea rythm wen he plays but take this from me....if Chelsea will unleash the best of that attack they will need a completely new idea of player in that midfield...jorginhos today was been worked pass and dribble pass with no stress ..and with the ball he isn't that player that gives spark in midfield...now like i say his no more doing the work like he was under tuchel...potter prefers his center back stepping out and picking the pass instead of jorginho...of u notice today Silva was the one doing that....kovacic is a disaster for now but he will pick up... Chelsea need 2 new crop of midfielders....that can break line and can take risk more in possession...Zakaria will need to be slotted in too ...the abscence of a real DM today was too obvious

Am NT bitter about us loosing ...but any good football watcher will see we are some mile behind Algeria ..we are most times ball watching while they play around us. With ease...they are better will passes ..and positioning ....but we just want miracle .this is cos they have a team that's been together for long and this team had really good players .NT exceptional but good ..we have good players but we don't have a stable team and a playing structure....most of this players are even getting aged...we need to sit and work towards bringing up a stable team that will keep serving and stay together with a playing rhythm... something we truly lack

What havertz does in the training ground to cajole coaches to play him every week still baffles me...he can never succeed in EPL...NEVER!!

There are different ways and phylosophy yo success in football ..Barca has there way same with Bayern....Barcas progressive possession style of football under Xavi can kill any team on its day...we have seen the football destroy the best of teams in years...but it can also be work against...now that's NT just the problem ..they problem is there are few days this playing style hits the wall...days like this they don't always have much answer ...the short is "barca plays the way they play and when it seem NT to working then they are bleeped

Bayern today defeated them with wat they have been using in years.."Robust football"...they know Barca will want to play around and use the wife areas but in the second half they ran at them and got the ball more...barcas style is sweet at the moment but personally i doubt if it will give them any glory outside la Liga if they don't hard much intensity ...guile.tenacity and power...

Today Bayern know they would press them high and they never tried playing out Everytime but sometimes lobbed the ball to th midfield which they knew will be less crowded...Bayern showed them they are a well grilled side ...small players like musiala kept on running and winning duel same with the old...they are a team that can do the good football "jogo bonito" and can still play rough and get the job done a far distance still between them and the la Liga giant

Btw the man utd i just saw is still the man utd i have seen under Mourinho and Ole on their day against big sides...defend ruthlessly,... wait patiently for a cut back ball or counter..then purnish the opponent...it's now almost a trademark .....meanwhile there are days when smaller sides won't give u that satisfaction but also a win is a win and it's highly needed today to lift the team....�

Arsenal will likely nt reap the reward of wat Arteta is building this season but if they will be patient enough to stick with the gaffer then the reward will come and it will be "long term"...today i saw a team that can play and want to play...with little inclusion of quality in defence and few places they will look fierce and ready to challenge...ITS ALL ABOUT TIME...but the team isn't where they were to be candid...

Am not a coach but i know so well Chelsea doesnt have the personel and are not well suited to play a back four....but Alas boda Thomas tuchel taught otherwise.��‍♂️��‍♂️��‍♂️.played a back four and got his ass whooped...that one no be my problem

No be me dem go give sack letter

Arindin coach���

The only think i will be asking Tuchel if i have an encounter with him is ...wats ur aim and goal this season ...to fight for top4 yet again....cos of course he can't tell me his fighting for the title ....with this squad,HELL NO!!!

IamAtikulate:

Africa expert we hail thee

You must be ignorant not to know that Kante is injured and Kovavic just returned from injury. If you don't know Jorginho role in the midfield then you need help

His job is to help Chelsea maintain possession and he is doing it so well.

Creativity from Tuchel set up comes from the wings, that is the reason Chelsea lost the title race last season when James and Ben were injured.

Only Tuchel knows the profile of players he need, not clowns from Africa

....And will Chelsea have been any close to the league with chilwel and James ..you are expecting to win the league cos ur wingers will provide chance...tell me one team that has banned on only that and won the league ...it's like u are yet to understand that even with that Chelsea has one of the most impotent attack with low conversion rate last season...jorginho helps us to maintain possession ofcourse but aside that wat does he do ..if he won't chip in with few passes to unlock and break lines then he isnt adding so much ....where was he wen leads ran the show last week...bosquet does similar work on Barca but adds And provides more with his better passing range And vision ...bosquets makes mistakes too but it been overlooked by how much he does in that deep role .. something jorginho isn't even close to ...Am NT here to argue but kindly know you about going into argument with a football analyst and NT just any crook u could imagine....and let me remind u i relate football with foreigners too so kindly swallow the "AFRICAN" thing ..anyone in the world has the ability to see things and point out facts...u can be an exception to that i don't care . ...if u reply this message i won't answer ...i no get the time

Rest Mr foreigner worshipper