The pitch at Abuja national stadium looks very verdant and healthy

Lekan Salami also looking good. However, the surroundings could use some touching up. I'd suggest that they develop some mid rise buildings or houses, but y'all know how it is in Ibadan

So Simy is still at Crotone, his agent must be very lazy or unambitious.

Ppogbae:


Likewise sir. I'm excited for the new;season and our players are already firing on all cylinders. Also excited to see new additions in the Premier League and Serie A. Looking forward to watching Osimhen, Onyeka and Moffi this season. Honorable mentions go to Simy. We've got players in almost all of the top 5 leagues not sure about Spain). This season is too sweet! Can't wait!

We hope Sadiq join Samu in Laliga

maidaboi:
We Sadiq join Samu in Laliga

Ah yes, Samu left my memory for a sec there

daveP:


To a large degree, i don't think most Nigerian fans are true, absolute fans before hitv came. I hope you get my angle. But we meuve.

hitv? Boys don dey watch epl/laliga and ucl since the 90s, what the hell is hitv

Karlovych:
So Simy is still at Crotone, his agent must be very lazy or unambitious.

He's joined Salernitana

Ppogbae:
The pitch at Abuja national stadium looks very verdant and healthy

Let's see it on video first. I feel this image is enhanced.

JohnBullMySon:
Let's see it on video first. I feel this image is enhanced.

No be to even feel, once you look at the image you will know it has been enhanced

Yusuf did very well yesterday

Alhassan Yusuf's Midfield performance yesterday was again splendid. Saw his game and got my time's worth. One of three midfield displays I saw yesterday.

HE ALSO BAGGED AN ASSIST THAT WAS WRONGLY CREDITED TO AURELIO BUTA. Buta was in the box when the cross from the right came in from Yusuf which found Viktor Fischer for the opening goal of the game between Sporting Charleroi and Yusuf's Royal Antwerp. Game ended 1-1.

The commentators didn't help matters as they also mixed up Yusuf with Buta hence the misidentification.... and every stats site I have checked from whoscored to sofascore to Soccer24 to Goal live, etc made the same error. They all assumed it was Buta simply because he is Antwerp's right back and should normally be the one in that position from where the cross came from. They obviously don't know how mobile and ubiquitous Yusuf is.

So the bottomline, Yusuf bags his first direct goal involvement of the season.

See it here... ppogbae and also do us the honors with his drops for those who cannot assess twitter.

https://twitter.com/ElevenSportsBEn/status/1426302794726785024?s=19

Ppogbae:
Lekan Salami also looking good. However, the surroundings could use some touching up. I'd suggest that they develop some mid rise buildings or houses, but y'all know how it is in Ibadan

There’s no blue roof in that Lekan Salami stadium.

Another Midfield performance I saw yesterday was Kelechi Nwakali's for Huesca. Stationed majorly on the right side of central midfield, he did his bits and helped Huesca control the game. To be honest, not much action going through his side as most Huesca attacks went through the left side. He played 65mins and was taken off with Huesca leading 1-0. Tactical decision.

His first game and I hope for more from him.

jubilantagida:


Did he win the WC or the Euros and nobody told me?

I meant club.

Morning all, any stat on k.Nwakali?
Learnt he went full 90

Oh, thanks doc
Didn't see that before posting

The third and final midfield performance I saw yesterday was the one everyone else saw. The most visible of them all.... Frank Onyeka for Brentford.

We all know the lad is a CDM but yesterday, Thomas Frank decided to use Onyeka differently. He knew Arteta's men were gonna have the Lion's share of possession so he played Onyeka as a Box-to-box Bison. A midfielder with the licence to press and hassle opponents anywhere on the pitch.

Thomas Frank knew that if he was gonna get anything out of yesterday's game, he needed players who knew how to play without the ball and keep some kind of control when not in possession. Frank Onyeka was his answer to Arsenal's possession-based game.

When Brentford applied the high press, Onyeka was always found close to their top forwards, Toney and Mbeumo helping greatly with the press and it worked out quite well. Arsenal struggled with Brentford's Constant High pressing and it came in layers.
His workrate, crazy running, and assurance in duels also gave Brentford a fighting chance and kept them defensively impenetrable.

He lasted 80mins and by this time he was definitely fatigued even though he still had some fuel left in his engine. Thomas Frank wanted to save his secret defensive weapon (no longer a secret now after that decent showing) for many more games to come.

Noorgaard played DM yesterday, a role Onyeka is much more accustomed to but Onyeka played a kind of box-to-box role that didn't involve much ball-carrying. He did okay with the ball at his feet but he can be better and needs more work but he did okay generally on the passing side. 81.3% passing accuracy suggests that too.

Brentford came into that Arsenal game with players boasting a grand total of just 3 EPL apperances (Sergi Canos with 1 EPL app and Ivan Toney with 2 EPL apps) and their inexperience is going to be exploited at some point.
They won't always keep the ball too against most of the other vastly experienced EPL sides and this is where Frank Onyeka comes in. His mobility, strength in duels, ability to block out passing lanes and workrate should give Brentford a huge fighting chance in games to come as seen with the one vs Arsenal.

He did enough to impress yesterday but he is still a work in progress. Welcome to the PL, Super Frank the Tank.

Nope. Played 65mins yesterday. Look up the thread.

mkrest:
Morning all, any stat on k.Nwakali?
Learnt he went full 90

Yes I am back my good man.

You asked of me? Guess I didn't get the mention.


And yeah, hopefully he keeps doing good and getting even better. So much potential the kid's got.

Enjoy the weekend.

ibuks12:


SUPERNERD IS BACK!! I Don dey ask of you na

Hopefully, he will continue his impressive form

Nigeria is trying small small in stadium matters architectural design...the only issues now is capacity and lush green nature of grass and also FIFA standard equipment...

Eket still under building process

Clubs Banter corner

Happy Weekend, Arsenal fans

37 games to go. Cheer up

TheSuperNerd:
Nope. Played 65mins yesterday. Look up the thread.

Sure thing, thanks

minfelix:
Nigeria is trying small small in stadium matters architectural design...the only issues now is capacity and lush green nature of grass and also FIFA standard equipment...

In terms of architecture, those stadiums are very okay, some European teams playing in lesser stadiums.

But there is one problem with this country. We shy away from whatever requires close maintenance and running costs. What will it take them to correct those pitches to premier league standard grasses?

Karlovych:
So Simy is still at Crotone, his agent must be very lazy or unambitious.

According to nerdy he is joining newly promoted seria A team

minfelix:
Nigeria is trying small small in stadium matters architectural design...the only issues now is capacity and lush green nature of grass and also FIFA standard equipment...

I was happy when I saw the green state of the Abuja national stadium..

Only if we can maintain these standards

TheLoneCitizen:


That's probably why some players lack the mentality to make it at elite level.

Ole has won everything winnable in his life and knows what it takes.

How many has he won as a coach We are talking about his coaching don't shift the post abeg

TheSuperNerd:
The third and final midfield performance I saw yesterday was the one everyone else saw. The most visible of them all.... Frank Onyeka for Brentford.

We all know the lad is a CDM but yesterday, Thomas Frank decided to use Onyeka differently. He knew Arteta's men were gonna have the Lion's share of possession so he played Onyeka as a Box-to-box Bison. A midfielder with the licence to press and hassle opponents anywhere on the pitch.

Thomas Frank knew that if he was gonna get anything out of yesterday's game, he needed players who knew how to play without the ball and keep some kind of control when not in possession. Frank Onyeka was his answer to Arsenal's possession-based game.

When Brentford applied the high press, Onyeka was always found close to their top forwards, Toney and Mbeumo helping greatly with the press and it worked out quite well. Arsenal struggled with Brentford's Constant High pressing and it came in layers.
His workrate, crazy running, and assurance in duels also gave Brentford a fighting chance and kept them defensively impenetrable.

He lasted 80mins and by this time he was definitely fatigued even though he still had some fuel left in his engine. Thomas Frank wanted to save his secret defensive weapon (no longer a secret now after that decent showing) for many more games to come.

Noorgaard played DM yesterday, a role Onyeka is much more accustomed to but Onyeka played a kind of box-to-box role that didn't involve much ball-carrying. He did okay with the ball at his feet but he can be better and needs more work but he did okay generally on the passing side. 81.3% passing accuracy suggests that too.

Brentford came into that Arsenal game with players boasting a grand total of just 3 EPL apperances (Sergi Canos with 1 EPL app and Ivan Toney with 2 EPL apps) and their inexperience is going to be exploited at some point.
They won't always keep the ball too against most of the other vastly experienced EPL sides and this is where Frank Onyeka comes in. His mobility, strength in duels, ability to block out passing lanes and workrate should give Brentford a huge fighting chance in games to come as seen with the one vs Arsenal.

He did enough to impress yesterday but he is still a work in progress. Welcome to the PL, Super Frank the Tank.

Thanks alot for this analysis

Have u ever thought of having a sport blog or something where you can monetize this write ups but us here can get it free sha

You are really doing a great job

minfelix:
Nigeria is trying small small in stadium matters architectural design...the only issues now is capacity and lush green nature of grass and also FIFA standard equipment...

The major issue has always been maintenance....

Government should lease out these stadiums to clubs or private individuals who will make regular use of the stadium and keep it in shape... It isn't everytime they should be waiting for the national team to make use of the stadiums...

The super eagles moved to Abuja and left the Lagos stadium to rot.. they moved to Calabar and left Abuja to rot...

BascoVanVeli:


How many has he won as a coach We are talking about his coaching don't shift the post abeg

Since you're so fixated on trophies in relation to discipline, here's what one of the greatest managers of all time did to one of the greatest players of all time.

From Skysports:

David Beckham has revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson once made him shave his head before a Manchester United game at Wembley. Beckham recalled how he hid his latest haircut at the time - a mohawk - under a beanie hat in the build-up to the Community Shield match against Chelsea at the beginning of the 2000-01 season

Extravagant hairstyles and greatness don't mix.

humility33:


Thanks alot for this analysis

Have u ever thought of having a sport blog or something where you can monetize this write ups but us here can get it free sha

You are really doing a great job

If too say nerdy na my son
..I 4 don beat am taya cos e no dey hear word ...I don tell am to monetize dis stuff,most sport journalist in Nigeria don't do dis,he will b a big real hit in d sector

andrew444:


According to nerdy he is joining newly promoted seria A team

Okay I thought as much, thanks

JohnBullMySon:
He's joined Salernitana

That's good to hear, it would have been a shame if he ended up spending the season in Seria b