I don't think it's wise playing so many strong teams before the WC. What if they embarrass us like what we suffered in 98? That's no way to boost morale b4 a competition. I hope we play 2 strong teams, 1 in March and the other in June. Then we can play a plethora of average friendlies in June. There would be a lot of friendlies in May and June of every WC year. In 2014 we played 3 int'l friendlies against Scotland, Greece, and USA in these months. And we still found time to play some Brazilian local teams. So if it's getting friendly I no de fear that one. Just that this current NFF have somehow become so used to arranging friendlies that people can't watch. That's my only fear.

The best news I've heard today is the sacking of Shakespear. I need a coach that would deploy Mahrez as their 10 cos he seems to be the only person that can pass. Play Okazaki (Musa), Vardy and Iheanacho upfront. There would be flair in this team. Enough of all this Albrighton, and English boys that cannot be technical to save their lives. Demaray Gray should also see a lot of game time with the new coach. I just pray Iheanacho answers the new coach with a brace on his debut.

What buildup are we even talking about? Is it the one where his touches and ball control can't even be in sync with the way he runs. His ball control is becoming heavier by the day. I don't even know who to complain about. I don't think Vardy and Iheanacho can play together. They were making similar runs today. I was happy when I saw a Spaniard, Iborra, in the MF, but that one self has been demonized by the uncultured passing at Liecester. Iheanacho would now be under immense pressure to score and I hope that does not affect him.

EEGA:
Exactly,drop deep, help in build-ups and stop waiting for those final balls.

Thank you Lord - Iheanacho starts today. May this MF giving him balls on the ground. Here's wishing him a goal scoring performance today. So happy for him.

Thanks for clarifying. I was even thinking it was a couple of injuries to the first teamers ahead of him that gave him the chance. This is even better cos I was afraid that whenever they came back he'd be back to youth football.

tbaba1234:
Pep Mel chose Uzoho based on his performance in training sidelining the more experienced Pantillimon.

That, my friends is remarkable.

As if you read my mind. FIFA somehow finds a easy to put Africa's best hope in the group of death. 94, 98, and 2002 Naija,
2006, CIV and Ghana had bloody groups, 2010 and 2014, Ghana had another unfortunate draws. This had gotta stop. Just watch Naija and Morocco get wicked draws while Tunisia may get an easy group.

Icon79:
And I would let to get either one of these trio in our group:

Poland
Portugal
Russia

But trust FIFA to put us in the group of death, especially if we find ourselves in pot 3. Don't be surprised if we get this grouping:

Brazil
Italy
Korea Republic
Nigeria

or you can get:

Germany
Uruguay
Mexico
Nigeria

All I know is that if FIFA goes through to form, Nigeria should be in the group of death. Since I started following soccer, the strongest African teams almost always end up in the group of death. FIFA knows what they are doing.


O pari

Did Wolfsburg even play? Cos I watch all of their games for Udokhai

Napoleon55:
i thought that OSIMHEN scored today,how come no one is mentioning it,or has it been reported before?

Samuel Kalu just scored the easiest goal ever. Moses Simon work all day

I thought Tim Eyoma na Naija boy? I may be wrong. I was posotive I saw one play RB the other day.

Icon4s:
Anyone noticed there are no names of Nigerian origin in the current England U17 team(quite unusual) in India?

Hope it is not what I am thinking.

komekn what do you have to say about this?

But at least to enlargen our fullback pool would be very soothing.

tbaba1234:


He is not better than those available.

Why are people not really voicing a push for Ehizube. Very decent right sided player. RB, RWB, RM, RW. He's played them all. We should go for him. He starts again today vs Feyenoord.

Iwobi is impressing me a lot. I don't think he should waste on the wings for SE. Either of Onazi or Ndidi may drop out in MF to make us more expressive in the WC

Thank you very much for this. When I comment I don't comment as a biased Nigerian, I comment as a Neutral who has Nigerian interest. Apart from Nairaland you can't go on any forum and boldly hit your chest and state that for the 2017/2018 season Iheanacho has been a success. You would be trolled. We hate the truth as Nigerians, the truth could be painful but it's real. I have no beef whatsoever with Iheanacho - I want him to succeed along with Success and Awoniyi cos I had and still have high hopes on these three. But my hope on them would not blind my eyes from the stark obvious. If Iheeanachi comes on Nairaland and the only thing he takes from the comments is to cry, then sorry to say it, he ain't ready for this profession. Moses has taken kicks and he's an today he's an undisputed starter. He has the talent to soar but if he's not going to change his style of play then the APP is not the only league and he may have to leave for some other well suited league to achieve his goals. That's all.

goldfish80:
By the way, football365.com have Kelechi on their top 10 disappointments of the season.
He came in at no 7



Football is serious buisness. People get judged from the first minute. If he doesn't buckle up real fast and get back to the form that saw him join Man city in the first place, he could slip into obscurity in no time. Football can be unforgiving.

That's what I'm talking about. If your team does Not play to your strengths then you try and adapt to their style. Iheanacho is a good player but he needs to vary his game so as to score and play for Liecester. From the way this Leicester plays, it'll be hard to see goals coming for him a lot. They don't pass cleanly hence he has to work on becoming tough and use this as a chance to improve on his hold up play. I had feared that this Leicester deal would either go smooth or awry for him. It's October and yet he's not playing as frequently as expected cos he's been back from injury for a while, I'm scared for him cos this is a true talent that has not really exploded as anticipated. After the WC if he's gotten his citizenship he should take his skills to Italy, Spain or Germany where passing is a key focus in every player. The teams in EPL that he fits their style is so competitive to get a shirt and Iheanacho of late has not been doing too well when faced with determined competition. He needs to leave England fast.

TheGoodJoe:


I still disagree with the SS role. Look at Dortmund for instance. Aubameyang gets to have some games four to five clean chances. However, he gets to miss loads and still record an impressive goal scoring rate.

Put Iheanacho in such a role and see him bury goals repeatedly. Can you say someone wants to cage Aubameyang? The pace and intensity of the other players will blow any team doing that.

Iheanacho is not in a team that creates chances. Look at Monaco last season. How can you hold who ever leads the attack. The pressure from all angles restricts that.

The problem is not the role but the lack of offensive set-up. Which Iheanacho is suffering from both in the National team and Leicester City.

Just like the SA game, with a brilliant passer in the midfield, Nacho would have shone.

Not looking good for Musa Mohd. I'm thinking his club has played 11 games cos an attacker had played 11times. If out of 11 he's played 3 times then it's a poor return. Well I hope he moved late to that club, that's the only good excuse I could think of.... Why can't this guy be the first choice at any club he goes to?

Thanks. Lemme go look up his game time

tbaba1234:


He is in Bulgaria, i believe

Has Musa Mohd been playing? If so what club? That's a player I really want to progress cos of his all action style.

komekn:


Seyi Ojo

What's making him the best option? All the attackers trained and Rohr selected Ighalo ahead. So on what grounds are you basing "best option" for us? Mind you, with every passing day the guy is losing shirts, minutes and value on all fronts. I don't get this overtly praise for Iheanacho. I valued him very well back then but now I don't really hold him high cos he cannot vary his game play, and does not do well when he has a stiff competition.
If you put Ighalo in front of the MC midfielders he'd blow the net open. Forget all those stats of last season. Gabriel Jesus came and equalled and usurped those stats. All the attackers that have played in City from Nacho's era till date have scored relentlessly given the sweet MF they posses.
Also his game style is becoming to limited, just waiting to pounce and score. Coaches don't want those kinda strikers anymore. If you can't be part of the game play and build play as well as score then, I'm sorry to say this, very few coaches would play you as a striker. He needs to add aggressiveness and stamina to his game else he'd always be benched in any club in the epl. He may cut it in Italy cos they are laid back and don't run much.
Also, since Iheanacho dribbled Mweene to score can someone kindly remind me of any successful dribble that he attempted. Forget all those sorry stats that are never consistent online. I'm talking of what we used our korokoro eye to watch.
Boy needs to step up his game big time cos he's been on a very STEADY declining slope. Look at all the people he's been compared to have become stalwarts in their club while he prays for minutes. Rashford has gone on to become a very peripheral figure, Chai em even get mind de hold ball for freekick. And em de score am set. Chai I don suffer. Its Iheanacho that cause all these things sha. I dare anyone to say Rashford won't become a mainstay in City's squad? He'd successfully wrestle a shirt from Jesus and I'm positive about it. I digressed....

On the national side, Nacho is losing his shirt. From starter to bencher, Soon it'll become from bencher to making announced 23man squad, then from there to standby list. This is how it starts. Lets call a spade a spade and stop using all these ninteen-keredem stats to rationalize the stark obvious.
If it's based on stats do you know how many people would be great. Sani Emmanuel had a crazy stats in 2009, Same with Isaac Success in 2013.
Truth is if Iheanacho flops in Liecester, I don't even want to think of how he'd be categorized by true football pundits. I'd keep supporting him as a Nigerian but he needs to wake up and fast!

TheGoodJoe:


Iheanacho has played the center forward role and done well. An example was his days in the academy of City when he played under Patrick Vieira. Another was his hat trick game against Crystal Palace.

Hazard has played the Center Forward role and done well for Chelsea. Aguero has played multi multiple roles also. It is the way the game is played today. Look at CR7 who excelled on the side and is also making good account for himself as a center forward.

Look at Danillo at City who this season has played as a right back, left back, Center back and defensive midfielder. The game today requires more than being restricted to one wing.

Delph recently put in a brilliant performance against Chelsea playing an unfamiliar left back role and we see Shehu perform brilliantly on the right back when he can also play as a defensive midfielder.

So when making a selection, we look for our best set-up with where we can make the most effect offensively and defensively.

For now, Iheanacho is our best option up front if we weigh in all the factors like mobility, pressing, skills, holding up play, passing, finishing etc. That is why he gets the nod most times when I make my list.

Pellegrini plays two center forwards and that makes it difficult to hold the Attacking pair. It is always more difficult playing as a one man striker.

what I came up with in my spare time. I tried to be fair. lol

[img][/img]

KevinDein:

Nightmarish draw
Germany/Brazil
Uruguay/Spain
Croatia
Nigeria

Dream draw
Poland
Peru
Iran
Nigeria

Wow we were close. I just had Senegal in Pot 4 and Serbia in Pot 3 in mine. I even tried to distribute them to groups based on FIFA rules.
[img][/img]

tbaba1234:
Potentially, depending on how the playoffs go

Earlier I had told Tbaba123 that October rankings would be used. However, after looking at the points and performances this last international break I don't think much would change in the rankings. Except maybe France moving into Pot1 and Switzerland dropping to Pot2. So it shouldn't really change much.

I just re-read the rules and October 2017 rankings would be used. However, what you posted is September rankings that are still active IN October. However, the October rankings would be released on October 16. That's the one that would be used and things could and would change. Spain could move up, Poland may still stay up cos of their wins etc

tbaba1234:


These are the top seeds, nothing is changing.. I got this from FIFA.

It's not that u can't pay in two different continents. The distance must not be more than 5-6 hrs I think. Ghana played in Africa but went to Asia l8r.

chrisooblog:
i hope CAF can help out the African teams who qualify for the world cup by postponing their games in march to enable them prepare adequately for the world cup by playing top grade A friendlies. since FIFA has said a country cannot play back to back matches in 2 different confederations it's unlikely that a team like nigeria would be able to play a good friendly. one might argue that playing a competitive AFCON qualifier would help keep your players in shape but in reality it doesn't benefit a team like nigeria facing african opposition so close to the mundial. after the world cup the AFCON game can easily be rescheduled. unless FIFA relaxes their rule about where you can play your friendlies going into the world cup i think it's something CAF should consider so that african teams can represent well at russia

October Ranking would be used for the Euro playoffs once released on October 16. Then the November rankings would be used for the WC draw proper.

jihday:
nope October ranking will be used

This year's format is pretty stupid. I think the draws are made early December. I hope by then either Spain or Crotia (if they qualify) pushes Poland outta that top 8 spot. If Switzerland makes it they may even push France out of the top 8, but I hope they fall in the next rankings. This is just ridiculous.

tbaba1234:
Top seeds

Russia
Germany
Brazil
Portugal
Argentina
Belgium
Poland
France

Who do you want in our group?

After watching this highlights again, I am pained about the state of the Abuja stadium. This stadium is a very magnificent edifice. See how smooth the grass was, way bigger and intimidating atmosphere. How Tunisia managed to score 2 goals in that stadium with that crowd is shocking.
It is my hope that Naija can renovate Abuja, Amesiamaka, and Lagos Stadium. In fact Lagos needs to be increased to 80,000 capacity with a well maintained pitch. These things are very doable. How I wish someone would see the vision to build a 100k capacity stadium in Kano and Enugu, these cities would always guarantee a full capacity with gate fees. But we should never play a day game in Kano rather we should always kickoff by 7 to 8pm when's it's much cooler.

Naija can have a world-class stadium cos it's very doable.

tglobal:


Bottles don't have to be glass. Plastic bottles filled with water and cans can still be dangerous. That is even beside the point as what I disputed was your claim that there was no such thing as throwing missiles at players at AFCON 2000 which you claimed to have attended but the finals.

It's a pity there is no clip of that match around.

However, on the question of bottles and "objects" not being allowed in the stadium, take a look at what happened to the Tunisians at Abuja stadium in 2009 in the video below from 2:51 - 3:03. You don't have to be in the stadium to know that those weren't pure water sachets:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgoS-jH5cUk

Me I'm not understanding again oooo. The team lists I have been seeing tho. Afraid is catching me. Even Brazil, Germany and Belgium that had already qualified put out strong and true 1st elevens barring 2 to 3 changes. Even Brazil could have told their stars to rest in Europe but they still invited them. Thank God Rohr is not a Nairalander coach. I still say it that i expect not more than 4 maximum changes to the squad that started against Zambia.

soetanoreoluwa:

Are we building a new team?

I was extremely nervous can't tell why. The Zambians were supposed to be more nervous since they needed to win away from home but dang we were more nervous. This goes to show that African football has really caught up. Except from the perpetual minnows like Swaziland, Seychelles, Madagascar et al, the average minnows like Zambia, BurkinaFaso, CapeVerde and some others have seriously bridged the gap and caught up with the super powers. Qualifying for worldcup would be so tough in 2022. But by 2026 it should become a little bit more relaxed as 9 teams would qualify. Wheeh!!! So mush for the tension today.

tbaba1234:
I have not felt nervous like i felt before this match in a very long time. Maybe it had to do with recent failures to qualify or just the build up to the game or both. The last time i remember getting this tense was Nigeria Senegal, at the 2000 nations cup.

Russia 2018. Maybe i will find an excuse to be there.

Guy you have made much sense. I just finished watching the game again. Ezenwa only touched the ball once and that was punching it to the post from that long range shot. I'm asking myself what speed t=did the Zambians have? For all of their running we matched them. Even Echejile ran as well and matched them speed for speed. The team tried very well. Zambia didn't have any meaningful chance in the second half except one where Sakala beat Balogun and almost created a chance but Shehu was well positioned and was there to cover for the defence. Nigeria on the other hand had a very splendid second pre and post Iwobi's introduction.

Mujtahida:

A second view of the match has made me rethink how I judged Balogun. He was everywhere in the defence. The only thing is that he wasn't as sleek as we are used to seeing him. He was raggedy sort of in his play but he did well. Not as bad as I thought initially.

Now I know that National team pressure is totally different from Club pressure. If I lie ask Messi and Ronaldo. National pressure comes with emotional stress Messi was heavily under stress against Peru and Ronaldo and his team mates almost wanted to faint to day against Andorra. There's nothing as sweet as playing for pride. I could tell that most of those Nigerian players today were under immense pressure. Most have not played a game of this pressure. Forget the fact they play in Europe or wherever, but playing for your country in a must win game is a very different feeling. Kudos to those players and Mikel for guiding them.

The closest that plays Onazi's style is Lawal due to defending. Ajagun and Joel are more attack minded. I rather turn the tv off thant watch heavy duty Raheem Lawal play for Naija. I just can never ever fancy that guys style of play. I'd play Rabiu Ali before Raheem Lawal in my MF. Yes he may have some passes but he's too slow and lethargic when in possesion.

forgiveness:


If we are looking for a direct replacement for Onazi in the CMF role, my first choice is Joel Obi followed by Abdul Ajagun. But it these two are not available then Raheem Lawal is a better option than Azubuike.

[img][/img]

Bro from the pics you can see where Leon is standing and where Ekong is. Ekong was the one.