mostob:
Two seasons ago is a long long long time ago sir. His assists for Nacho came from midfield

65% of his assists came as a CB.

chrisooblog:
That was a friendly meant in terms of first competitive match.

.

But even friendlies are counted as appearances for every player(no of caps).

Friendlies are also official but not cap-tying.

AndSunGorilla:

I think we are playing a 1-2-3-4

It's a 4-3-3 with Lookman playing as a AML and Iheanacho as a AMR.

I'm tipping Dele Bashiru for an assist or a goal today.Who is with me?#Soar Super Eagles#

viccy12:
I have no confidence in Bashiru but I hope he proves me wrong.

Bashiru's goal saved his team Hatayaspor from relegation against Besiktas.

He has been their most creative midfielder.

Lazio was credited with an interest and tabled a bid of 5 million Euros to Hatayaspor, but Hatayaspor want 6-7 million euros and add ons.

chrisooblog:
Tanimu and Fisayo make their first official match full debut.

Game will be tight but we have enough quality to overcome the Southies.

Get the job done tonight lads.

LET'S GO SUPER EAGLES!

Tanimu started the game against Ghana though a friendly.

Napoleon55:

The question y'all should b asking is why Onuachu is starting ahead of Boniface, is he not fit enough or for tactical reason?
because Boni is way better option than Onuachu

Finidi is setting up his team for attacking football and retaining possession.

Onuachu thrives in this kind of set-up.

He should not drop to the mid-field or help the team in defending.

He should keep lurking around the box, as we expect him to be more of a poacher.

Excellent line-up from Finidi and his back room staff.#Soar!Soar!!Soar!!! Super Eagles.

M7even:


We will miss the dirty works of frank the tank in this match. However Ndidi new found ability to be a B2B player will be helpful.Ndidi can now score and assist.

Ndidi will be screening and shielding the defence today.

He will be saddled with the responsibility of building from the rear alongside Wilfred Ndidi as our CB pairs are not ball-playing ones.

New starting XI:
Nwabali

Ajayi
Tanimu
Osayi
Bassey
Ndidi
Iwobi
Bashiru
Iheanacho
Onuachu
Lookman

Ndidi back in midfield as Frank Onyeka failed a late fitness test.

Ihefu FC of Tanzania player, Benjamin Tanimu will now pair Semi Ajayi at Central defence.

LoverOfPussy:
Then why didn't he call trusted legs then


Ekong was there
Omeruo
Jamilu Collins


He left them out

Ekoong has not played since AFCON.

Omeruo is injured.

Jamilu Collins is not in-form, struggled against Mali in our last friendly.

UncleHaba22:



Big fat lie if not.....

100% true.

This line-up is real.

LoverOfPussy:
Why park NPFL players when you don't trust them to start

This is a crucial WC qualifier game.

You go for trusted legs that have built a chemistry for about 6 months to a year.

Most of the NPFL players are being called up for the first time.Integration into the national team is gradual and not immediate.Hopefully, we get to see some of them from the bench especially Sodiq Ismael of Remo Stars.

LoverOfPussy:
This is not true


Iwobi played his best game playing from the wings and as an AM for Fulham this season

Iwobi is more of a CM in his Everton days under Lampard.

Iwobi struggles when we don't have a good deep lying play maker to complement him as an AMF.This is why at the last AFCON we saw him featuring as a DLP alongside Onyeka and not AMF.

If you followed AFCON 2019 with Algeria emerging victorious in the semi-final game.You will come to the realisation that the double pivot of Ndidi and Etebo couldn't initiate attacks from the rear nor build from deep.

This resulted in Iwobi dropping deep to DMF position to get the ball to our attackers.

komekn:


Remove KC he cannot play wing.too slow , he seams heavy to me and doesn't have the skill set to play wing.

KC is not playing as a wide forward today.He will be playing as an AMR(i.e a right attacking midfielder).

Onuachu is best suited for this formation which relies heavily on retaining possession and attacking football.

To be efficient under this setup, he must not drop deep to defend like he did under Peseiro, but must always lurk around the box, as he is a very good poacher.

komekn:


KC has been match rusty for three seasons.

But he got us the equaliser in our last WC qualifier game.

Subzerooo:
Chai each action Finidi takes makes me lose the respect I never had for him, sack this man if we don't beat South Africa

Oga, we are beating South Africa.We can never lose with this formation.

mostob:
Well.. he can still distribute from Midfield. And Ndidi is not exactly a distributor as explained here by you. That's not his forte.

Onyeka was exceptional in the middle of the park getting us to the finals of the AFCON.

He will get the nod to start in DMF over Ndidi.

Since Finidi favours attacking football, it's only necessary that he starts the game with 2 creative midfielders in Dele Bashiru and Iwobi.

LoverOfPussy:
Iwobi is not a CM


When are we gonna learn

He is more of a CM and functions best as a DLP.

That was the role that brought the best out of him under Lampard in his Everton days.

mostob:
When did he played last as a CB please?

Ndidi played CB last 2 seasons.He always has this knack of locating Iheanacho when via long balls whenever he starts in central defence.

That's why Iheanacho's goals 2 season's ago were always assisted by Ndidi when he starts as a CB.

They have this telepathic understanding both on and off the pitch.

Starting XI:

Nwabali
Ndidi
Ajayi
Osayi
Bassey
Iwobi
Onyeka
Fisayo Dele Bashiru
Iheanacho
Onuachu
Lookman


It's a 4-3-3.

ChrisKels:
Seems Finidi will be starting Onuachu ahead of Boniface today.

Any poacher will be able to score with that mid-field trio of Dele,Iwobi and Onyeka.

Onuachu thrives in a formation set-up for attacking football and not Jose Peseiro's counter-attacking football we saw in the AFCON.

If you have been following the national team you must have noticed a dearth of ball-playing centre backs in the team after Leon Balogun's retirement from the national team.

Ndidi might not be a Kimpbepe but he can easily play the ball out from the back.He will be saddled with the responsibility of building from the rear.

mostob:
Na when I see Ndidi at CB I go finally believe say Finidi doesn't know what he is doing.

Finidi is correct.Ndidi has played the central defence role a couple of times in a back 3 formation.A mid-field with two creative midfielders and one box2box/DMF will see us creating a lot of chances for our forwards.Fisayo Dele Bashiru as AMF,Iwobi as CMF/DLP and Onyeka as the DMF.(

mostob:
Na when I see Ndidi at CB I go finally believe say Finidi doesn't know what he is doing.

Mujtahida:
Why is this place quiet like this? When is the match?

8:00pm.

EEGA:
Finidi is setting up the team for attacking /breathtaking football against South Africa.

Sodiq Ismael can come in for Osayi,Moffi for Iheanacho and Raphael Onyedika for Frank Onyeka depending on how the game progresses in the second-half.

Finidi is setting up the team for attacking /breathtaking football against South Africa.

EEGA:
Possible line-up for today's game.

.............................. Nwabali.....................

Osayi......Ndidi......Ajayi......... Bassey


.....Onyeka....Iwobi
.....Fisayo Dele Bashiru.........

Iheanacho ............. Boniface.......Lookman

Possible line-up for today's game.

.............................. Nwabali.....................

Osayi......Ndidi......Ajayi......... Bassey


.....Onyeka....Iwobi
.....Fisayo Dele Bashiru.........

Iheanacho ............. Boniface.......Lookman

komekn:


None of these players have the invention, creativity and forward attacking ability of Aribo.

Sir,it's like you spoke with him after the play-offs .

Odunayaw:
You know Lookman was furious, how? Same "top team source"?

Lookman isn't the coach. Friendlies are for trying out other ideas and that's why we only fault Finidi for not trying out Tella.

Stop looking for what is not missing

Why then was he invited?

Read again pls.

Lookman is a professional and knows what friendlies are meant for.

Will Finidi have left VO9 on the bench for 2 games.

It would have been better to leave him out of the team and try out other players.

Napoleon55:

where was Lookman quoted from the link u provided?
another rumor monger like u was quoted and u are crediting it to Lookman? oga rest.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7Nx4hKlcH7E&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjAnvTY7r-GAxXkk_0HHfayAO0QtwJ6BAgEEAE&usg=AOvVaw3rec3CNbQEzxTYWIuO-uZa