₦airaland Forum

@Basco. You put some nigerian women league teams videos on Youtube. I watched it and was impressed by the quality of play by the girls. Teams such as Rivers Angels & Edo Queens with relatively good players but these girls were not given invites to play in the National Team. Why do we like relying on foreign born/based players so much.

Samueltemi337:
Gift Orban on the bench for Gent. I wonder why the coach don't start him during league matches

He is there because of Tarik Tissoudali. A Moroccan professional footballer. Very skillful and highly mobile. His style makes there attack fluid with cuiypers who is more of a finisher like Orban.

Troost Ekong has not been getting call up of recent to the National Team despite still playing actively in his club. Has he been banned or not good enough again? Just wondering

Pidginwhisper:
Lol. I just dey laugh as some people just dey pin Nwakali anyhow. Guyman dey gba, make una rest this guy name. Una dey see pass mid clubs wey dey jump am pass?. He dey always find his level club wise.

We need to inject new set of players who are relatively unknown but doing well for their clubsides in EuropeThese set of players are hunger driven and would die for the Green white green jersey, not these set of players who plays like they’re indispensable. 6players with Osimhen mentality is enough. We can continue to change coach from now till forever if the players can’t bring same mentality we see dem display for their clubsides to the national team,then we should forget it.

You are very correct. Super Eagles problem is not just coaching but mostly players mentality. Nigeria lacks players that bring a lot of business like movement on the pitch like Osimhen. In Nigeria, we have an obsession with anything foreign and believing that best players are only those playing in western europe. A player's talent and game mentality goes a long way. These guys we are parading currently are lacking that. Maybe they are owed so much like the coach. The players are so half-hearted in the matches it was like they are begged to play or the Nff offended them. Teamwork brings success. There should be support from one another & synergy in game play.

elyte89:
But some coaches might be tempted to invite sadiq over with d way he creates chances even though he hardly converts any 😀,na one kind awkward kind of a player

And don't be surprised when Sadiq made the Afcon team just when one of Musa or Zaidu failed to make it.

Leon Balogun featired today. Dessers fired blank. Olakunle Olusegun a decent talent, scored today. Moses Usor, left footed right winger, can be a decent replacement for Chukwueze in the NT.

*Special player things*

TheSuperNerd:
You are spot on. With a 23-man list, the attack will command no more than 7 players with 4 being wingers and 3 being CFs. If JPes goes with 8 in attack then it means the midfield dept will have only 5 players and defence will have 7 lads alongside 3 GKs.


So we know Simon, Chukwueze and Lookman are 3 of the wingers 100% bound for CIV barring injuries in January.

[b]Tella and Musa [/b]will simply be out for the last Wing/WF slot.

It gets interesting indeed now that we are back to a 23 man list and not 28 like last covid edition.

Sir, it's Chukwueze and Tella that will compete. 70% fit Musa is Afcon bound. Its not just about talents, but national team politics.

TheSuperNerd:
Updated info: Taiwo Awoniyi returns and is the strongest contender to seal that final CF Proper slot but will have to hold off Terem Moffi as well.

Ndidi, Chukwueze and Osimhen are all temporarily injured and will all likely miss the November WCQs giving room for the likes of Nathan Tella, Moffi, Alhassan or any other new name a chance to push for final squad places. Time will tell.


SE 23-man squad: Secured Positions so far in the Super Eagles ahead of Afcon 23, Nothing Changes.

GKs - Francis Uzoho (1st choice) - expect to see him start in the WCQs in November

CBs - Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Kenneth Omeruo

LBs - Bruno Onyemaechi

RBs - Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ola Aina

CDMs - Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika

CMs - Frank Onyeka, Joe Aribo*

CAMs - Alex Iwobi

LWs - Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman

RWs - Samuel Chukwueze

CFs/STs/SS - Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Kelechi Iheanacho (an SS but likely to be listed as MF).



That's 18 names. Others (5 slots) still up for grabs as squad members and in one or two roles as the team jokers.


#MDAfcon23

I think a fit Musa, Ekong, Zaidu, Okoye and a third goalkeeper will make the team complete base on experience and pattern of selection over the years. I doubt Bruno Onyemaechi will ever make it ahead of a fit Zaidu for the left back position.

TheSuperNerd:
Igoh Ogbu, 23yrs CB, kept a Cleansheet for Slavia Prague in their 2-0 away win vs Bohemians in the Czech Liga. The win sees them move to top spot in the league after Victor Olatunji's Sparta Prague fell 3-1 to Mlada Boleslav.

Olatunji, 24 yrs, FW played 26mins+ off the bench.

Tolu Arokodare, 22yrs CF, scored his 3rd league Goal of the 23/24 Pro league season as his side Genk won 3-0 away at KV Kortrijk.

Yira Collins Sor, 23yrs WF, played 2 mins + 7 mins added time off the bench.

Spanish-Nigerian, Mujaid Sadick, 23 yrs CB, kept his 5th cleansheet for Genk as he played all 90mins+ at the heart of the backline.

Igoh Ogbu, Tolu Arokodare, Victor Boniface, Bruno Onyemaechi and Adebayo Adeleye were part of the 2017 Golden eaglet set coached by Manu Garba

Kog45:
OMG!just watched Christian Nwoke of Sporting Lagos and Amas Obasogie,the two are better than Uzoho and Maduka…Nwoke hasn’t conceded so far in three matches but from what I saw in the highlights Nwoke and Obasogie will not makes those pure elementary errors committed by Uzoho.

I noticed that too. They have better reflex than him especially Nwoke. But we are obsessed with foreign talents, lets continue to hope a better talent than Uzoho will come from abroad. Home based talents will need to do more to be recognised.

Bannedlargedx2:
Football is the only thing in Nigeria that absolutely no one is a tribalist. When it comes to football, everyone in Nigeria just wants the best and anyone from any tribe will be applauded or disrespected if he performs or fails.

.
My brother, it is not football that keep Nigerians very united . It is stealing public funds.. They neither remember tribe nor religion. In every state, they are very united.

TheSuperNerd:
Okay, Forgiveness and the rest of the house... kindly answer this honestly and to the best of y'all ball knowledge.

Based on player profiles and personnel synergy, who among these CF options look the best to pair Osimhen up top? Take into account the various tactical variations and their contributions to the 2nd phase plays.

- Kelechi Iheanacho
- Taiwo Awoniyi
- Victor Boniface
- Sadiq Umar
- Terem Moffi


Note: I don't even expect the same answers coz ball knowledge levels differ and perspectives on why some pick A or B would sound legit.

Qualities highlighted previously of Terem Moffi still remains the best to pair Osimhen. To me, Terem Moffi. He his Strong, Quick, technical, SKillful and left footed. He can operate on both wings and from behind the main striker. Osimhen plays better when he his attacking from the right. He his right footed.

Karibe. Oruma's teammate at Japan 93.

mostob:
I'm not sure we watched the same match. It was actually the other way round. Sadiq was the one who nodded straight at the keeper instead of directing his header towards Boniface.

Apologies. It's being modified.

forgiveness:
Recently, my son's team won AMAC competition. One of the coaches in his club scouted him and 6 other players to play for his personal owned club because his own players are overaged.

One player from the original club is very fast and technical but he is a very selfish player. He would rather dribble or shot than pass to the nearest player.

At the end of the competition, he was chosen for national team u15/16 and he won the highest goalscorer of the tournament though missed several glaring chances.

On several occasions, the team were almost knocked out of the competition due to his selfishness but miraculously, they won the tournament.

Back at the main club, he was immediately pulled out or told to keep once he displaces his galala dribbling.

The last league match, the club lost the match because he refused to past on several occasions.

No doubt, he will go up but how far? European football has gone beyond that.

Technical ability is good but in modern football, tactical ability is over everything.

Messi and Ronaldo are both technical and tactical in their early years but as they grew, they became more tactical.

But most Nigerian thinks technical ability will make you world class player.

The statement in bold is what have observed about Boniface. Sometimes a simple pass would have given his teammate opportunity to score but instead he would be twisting and turning or just shoot at goal. That's why he has so many shots at goal but mostly off target. He has the abilty to make lot of assist with his skillset. He needs to understand the need to pass the ball when his team mates are free in the box if he his closed down. In Leverkusen, they create lot of scoring chances, they are constantly moving into space and releasing the ball. Without him, they will still score lot of goals. But he brings a different dynamics, he is a striker who plays as a 7/8/9/10/11. I believe once Patrick schik is back to full fitness, Boniface will end up on the wings because he lacks that cut edge finishing.

TheSuperNerd:
Secured Positions so far in the Super Eagles ahead of Afcon 23

GKs - Francis Uzoho (1st choice) - expect to see him start in the WCQs in November

CBs - Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Kenneth Omeruo

LBs - Bruno Onyemaechi

RBs - Bright Osayi-Samuel, Ola Aina

CDMs - Wilfred Ndidi, Raphael Onyedika

CMs - Frank Onyeka, Joe Aribo

CAMs - Alex Iwobi

LWs - Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman

RWs - Samuel Chukwueze

CFs/STs/SS - Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Kelechi Iheanacho

That's 18 names. Others (10 slots I think) still up for grabs as squad members and in one or two roles, the team jokers.

Barring any injury the team is complete then. The remaining 5 slots will be for two goalkeepers and the usual in Ekong, Musa and Awoniyi/Moffi.

Our obsession with anything foreign in Nigeria is always baffling. The moment a player plays abroad then he or she has more qualities than the ones still playing at home.
Uzoho can never give what he does not have same goes for other Super Eagles players. Uzoho's elevation to the No.1 goalie spot to me, was basically on his playing in europe. And never on personal qualities because he wasn't that good with exceptional goalkeeping qualities. He was a 3rd choice goalkeeper at the FIFA U17 world cup for Nigeria in UAE.
The Super Eagles is a composition of good talents and each one of them wants to show off, especially the forward players. That is why they always end up making very poor decisions. Only teamwork will take them far. Working together is success.

Psittacus:
We will not qualify from this group. Best point tally we will get is 3 point. Strikers don’t win games, only a team does. As it stands we don’t have a team. We just have few players that turn up once in a while. Tunisian found us out in the last tournament by clipping our wings … we are now so predictable. In a serious tournament like Afcon most of the teams know how we will play already.

You totally nailed it. I can't even remember the last time the Super Eagles won an international friendly match away from home . They are still very far from Afcon trophy grip.

Curtisaxel10:
Iheanacho apparently starting on the left wing. Hmmm. Anyways, today na experimentation galore

With that is poor first touch, hardly able to use his right foot and inability to dribble through when close down by one or two opponents.

Uzoho – Aina, Semi , Bassey, Bruno – Onyedika, Ndidi- Iheanacho, Awoniyi, Osimhen & Lookman.

On Onyedika. His he Frank or Rapheal. Being seeing Frank online. Who plays Right wing & Left wing from this line up.

I doubt if Nigeria can ever score 4 goals today. With the set of midfielders we have, creativity in the middle & distribution between defence, midfield & attack will probably not be flowing.

zuchyblink:
Gift Orban is a beast. You can't tell me nothing

He is good. Osimhen, moffi, Orban & Boniface. Our best all round striking talents for now. If our NT handlers can't see this combo, then they need being told.

Meliforme:
I am yet to watch any of the matches that has him as a feature.
Going by stats alone, he is good when compared to what we have.
He is also a young player with time for improvements.

Dude is bang average. Nothing special about him. Don't be deceived by stats.

Akpoguma & Bassey as Centre Bacck is a recipe for defeat. These two are so poor watching them play together. The only place for bassey should be Leftback while zaidu sit on the bench. Uzoho is a damn too poor a goalkeeper. Lately, i will rate Agbim better than him.

Marjoribanks:
The player who is matured for call up is Victor Boniface USG.
We need to let Orban concentrate on his blossoming career for now!

Orban over Boniface. Orban is quickfire, Obafemi Martins kind of player with a right foot. Onuachu offers more of what Boniface offers. Nigeria plays quick counter-attacking football. Orban will thrive more in that system than Boniface.

Amedino99:
Totally ignore the main problem which is the coaching and focus on the birth country of the players. Classic nff.

It's nether coaching nor place of birth.
It's the low quality of the talents we are parading currently that is causing decline in our National team. SEs are bang below average players. They can't hold the ball well, can't string passes together continually, at lost when defending dead balls, they can't even make good use of it when presented with it. And above all, administrative ineptitude & the demonic monster called corruption.

fabyom:
Osayi is not a right back but I had he was invited as well. He was used as a wing back in some games same way Rohr used Simon. Osaze is not a right back. Akpoguma and Awaziem can play at right back as well. Shehu will continue to get invite as long as he is playing and fit.

There is something bad if a player is getting invite when there is another player doing better than him. If we are having a Friendly match invites should be used as options to test new players & formation. Invites should not be by familiar faces or experience over form. Osayi-Samuel may have started out as RW/LW, but he has been playing as RWB and RB oftentimes in matches. Shehu is primarily a DM who got converted to function in RB position at least that i saw with my eyes when he was in Kano Pillars. And even his recent stats listed him in DM position. Players sometimes excel in multiple roles depending on their adaptability.

komekn:
So there are no young players doing well as RB in the whole of Europe that we invite an ancestor playing in Bulgarian league rated close to 30 in Europe.

We should be looking at promising young players not retired ones.

There is a certain Bright Osayi-Samuel (24yrs) playing for Fenerbache in Turkey. Currently valued at €9m on Transfermarkt. He plays very well as RB, RWB, RW & LW. He's very versatile.

M7even:
Okoli. Isaac success. Ebosse, Destiny Udogie, Ademola lookman. 5 Nigerian bloods who played on the pitch in match between Udinese and Atalanta.

This guy is not Nigerian. Enzo Ebosse is a Cameroonian Leftback.

maidaboi:
Yes my boy Yira Collins Sor is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moses Usor is a better, compose & cerebral player than Yira Sor. And a better finisher.

charlesemeka85:
iwobi can’t create chances but has 4 assist already in the epl?

The only thing missing in iwobi’s game as a midfielder is his scoring ability and once he improves on that aspect he will be the most complete midfielder we can boast of

You did not read it very well sir. @mostob said ''only Iwobi is capable of creating chances'' and i said ''And i believe only Iwobi can't create chances''. It is different from ''iwobi can’t create chances but has 4 assist already in the epl?''

mostob:
I understand you sir but most coaches don't pick squad the way you posted here sir. Squad are picked based on skillset varieties in order to aid tactical flexibility during the tourney.
Take for instance your Midfield, none of them is an excellent ball carrier and there are 4 natural DMs and only Iwobi is capable of creating chances.
Even goalkeepers are sometimes picked based on their prowess. If you need to dominate, your keeper must have ball-playibg quality. If your team is facing people like Peter Crouch, you need a tall keeper. Some keepers are even picked because of their penalty prowess. Tim Krul was subbed on for Netherland in 2014 world cup for the penalty shootout despite not being a first choice.

It's not true.
Take for instance, if you had never watched Mikel Obi during is U17 & Lynn Oslo days, you would have called him a natural DM, but he was converted. Ndidi was a CB at U17 & U20 for Nigeria, he was converted to DM. Nwobodo was a CAM at U20 for Nigeria, CM/Winger at Enugu Rangers & Ujpest, but was converted to CDM in Turkey and currently playing the CDM role in MLS. All the guys in midfield are versatile. And i believe only Iwobi can't create chances.