How long will Rohr’s Super Eagles be unconvincing against less fancied teams?


ScoScorenigeria

IKENWA NNABUOGOR wonders why coach Gernot Rohr and his Super Eagles have struggled to beat even the less illustrious opponents…

Super Eagles were again not convincing when the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier group’s bottom team Liberia showed superior tactical discipline even in defeat.

Coach Gernot Rohr continued to entertain begging questions why Eagles have struggled to beat less fancied countries in recent times as seen in their laboured 2-0 victory against Liberia in Tangier, Morocco, the neutral venue of the World Cup qualifier.

It was from the penalty spot that the Eagles managed to beat their fellow West Africans, who were well prepared for the Eagles by the robust defending.

The Lone Star knew their opponents too well and stoutly defended their vital area as if their lives depended on it and they almost ran away with it, but for two careless penalty calls against their goalkeeper.

What this actually means is Eagles would have embraced pressures were it not for the two penalties the Lone Star goalkeeper gifted Eagles, who had boxed themselves in a corner by losing 1-0 at home to Central African Republic last month, to wait till Tuesday for the final decider?

Rohr reverted to 3-5-2 formation and no doubt played the better part of the game in the Liberian half, but clearly forgot the keys to unlock the well prepared Liberian defence in Lagos.

The game was played with what game plan?

Still a wicked begging question because the team lacked any form of ideas going forward and only appeared to be satisfied knocking the ball around in the midfield as the Liberian vital area looked like a “no fly” zone.


Iheanacho – Eagles forward
Liberia English coach Peter Butler knew he had no team to beat the almighty Eagles and tactically prepared a team that could stop the Victor Osimhen-led attack from scoring and ultimately, avoid a heavy defeat.

True to type, his tactics worked, but for the inexperience of his goalkeeper Boisson Wynney de Souza who was committed to foul Kelechi Iheanacho and Osimhen for Eagles efforts from the spot.

Were the Liberians more resolute in the attack as they were in the defence, the result may have been unpleasant and the attendant pressures would be startling in the Tuesday decider.

Rohr’s Eagles tactical prowess should be in the attack to say the least, but where are the tactics and are they only on the drawing board?

CAR came to town with a team largely made of players from the lower rungs of European football and displayed fantastic tactics that condemned Eagles to a shameful 1-0 defeat before the home fans.

Before that shame, Eagles were in Mindelo and only managed a victory with an own goal-assisted deficit against Cape Verde, who also frustrated Eagles with their stout defending.

The same Cape Verdeans are Eagles visitors for the Tuesday decider armed with 10 points against Eagles 12 points for the mother of all battles in Group C.


Cape Verde vs Super Eagles in September
The Sharks from Praia will storm Lagos more prepared, more daring for an outright victory for a possible first-ever World Cup ticket.

Cape Verde, with their army of Portugal-based players against Eagles motley crew from England, Italy, Turkey and France, will approach this decider will tactics to ground their hosts.

Who wins this showdown it will be determined only after 90 minutes.

Eagles expectations will not necessarily be far-fetched as avoiding a defeat will only do the trick for the ticket to the final rounds, where a home and away basis with another group winner will decide who flies out to Qatar.

Rohr cannot afford to lead his men to another struggle against Cape Verde.

His tactics must get off the drawing board and be clinically executed after all this is the Super Eagles, once feared fourth best football team in the world.

AndSunGorilla:

Uncle na 2 world cups o. He qualified us for the 2002 WCQ and he was sacked after winning bronze at the Nations Cup in Mali and replaced with Chief Onigbinde. He also qualified us for the 2010 WC and won Bronze again in 2010 afcon and was sacked and replaced with Larger Beer before the WCQ. Amodu's sin was that we weren't playing an entertaining brand of football.

Not taking anything away from Shaibu,he was in charge just for three matches to qualify us. It doesn't make Rohr's imminent record rubbish. Shaibu is one of our best local coaches.

Odunayaw:


The only time you "try" to type coherently is when there is pinnick or FB players to bawl about like a malnourished child. Don't worry, food go soon ready and you'd be back to excreting as usual

But is that the reason why you barely make sense with your posts

Amedino99:

Although na bants but 2 million dollars no be small money ooo. 821 milli

Who signed thaf stupid contracts sef

Sometimes I doubt if Pin nick has wisdom or simply corruption is playing out

OSIMEHN DESERVE TO BE WORSHIPPED IN NIGERIA GUY PLAYED OUT HIS HEART.. ONLY INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE CAN SAVE EAGLES AT PLAYOFF STAGE.

The moment Lagos fans were shouting Osimehn's name I feel like crying.

jihday:
my fear too. I hope they throw it open and do proper interview or better still approach a semi retired grade A coach

I don't know why the NFF hardly get it right when it comes to coach appointment for the national team... Always settling for mediocrity..

Just look at the super falcons ..

Salisu is a decent coach and probably a better tactician than Rohr, but he isn't what the super eagles need...

humility33:


Who signed thaf stupid contracts sef

Sometimes I doubt if Pin nick has wisdom or simply corruption is playing out

To a large extent, I blame covid for this... If not for covid, we would have seen Rohr team at the AFCON already... And by now, the mood would be different...

Super eagles would have lost at the last minute just like against Algeria. Thank Simon for removing himself

JohnBullMySon:


I no like Rohr neither do i hate him. But sometimes we are over expectant. Firstly I agree we should have hit Liberia harder. The loss to CAR was also embarrasing. But you see this Cape Verde game. It was always going to be tough. Cape Verde had a chance to take the group. Just like Algeria vs Burkina. So why the noise? It's not as if Cape Verde is a small team in Africa, as many think here.

Guy why u dey yarn like this now? Wetin cape Verde dey play wey u say dem no be small team for Africa? An average European team no for hammer us that yesterday?

Did CPV display anything special or spectacular yesterday for you to hype them so much?

Just look at the magnitude of exciting talents we have (not even compared to cape Verde but the rest of Africa)
Now consider our status and pedigree in African football, are we supposed to be struggling against CPV, CAR, Liberia etc. at all?

Wetin u dey yarn now bros?

Danielnino00:


To a large extent, I blame covid for this... If not for covid, we would have seen Rohr team at the AFCON already... And by now, the mood would be different...

I tell u bro
Some of us here are better intelligent in tactics and team composition than Rohr

zuchyblink:
Not taking anything away from Shaibu,he was in charge just for three matches to qualify us. It doesn't make Rohr's imminent record rubbish. Shaibu is one of our best local coaches.

It still remains he qualified us for the world cup. In both times, we were faced in dire situations. 3 important matches that would have seen Liberia qualify ahead of us. Liberia were on top when he came in 2002 and we needed to win to get the job done and he did.

Same as 2010, Tunisia were sitting comfortably till the last game and he pulled a shocker in Nairobi. You think it's this nonsense Rohr is playing against Liberia and Cape Verde?

Put some respect to his name please.

humility33:

I tell u bro
Some of us here are better intelligent in tactics and team composition than Rohr

punditry and real life coaching are not brothers. If you think it is easy start from your neighborhood academy team, something is really wrong with our football and I see poor football foundation and lack of commitment in the part of the players. While Rohr takes the bulk of the blame we should as well blame our players for lack of commitment. Most of our players cannot shoot or cross to save their lives.

nelszx:

It still remains he qualified us for the world cup. In both times, we were faced in dire situations. 3 important matches that would have seen Liberia qualify ahead of us. Liberia were on top when he came in 2002 and we needed to win to get the job done and he did.

Same as 2010, Tunisia were sitting comfortably till the last game and he pulled a shocker in Nairobi. You think it's this nonsense Rohr is playing against Liberia and Cape Verde?

Put some respect to his name please.

same with Rohr,he Qualified us in a group that had Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia

nelszx:

It still remains he qualified us for the world cup. In both times, we were faced in dire situations. 3 important matches that would have seen Liberia qualify ahead of us. Liberia were on top when he came in 2002 and we needed to win to get the job done and he did.

Same as 2010, Tunisia were sitting comfortably till the last game and he pulled a shocker in Nairobi. You think it's this nonsense Rohr is playing against Liberia and Cape Verde?

Put some respect to his name please.

I remember that 3 -2 win at Nairobi

A brace from Yakubu and one from Martins

ChrisKels:


When did we play Serbia bro. I thought it was Poland and Czech we played as tune ups

We played Serbia. It ended 1-0.
https://www.google.com/search?q=nigeria+v+serbia+friendly&client=ms-android-transsion-tecno-rev1&sxsrf=AOaemvIf3mmrzZsvdCz4Fcnsy458Zpo_Bw%3A1637135529584&ei=qbSUYfGKI4noUfaSm4gD&oq=nigeria+v+serbia+friendly&gs_lcp=ChNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwEAMyBQgAEM0COgQIABBHOgYIABAHEB46BggAEAgQHlCCClisKGDYMmgAcAF4AIABwwKIAcgSkgEHMC4zLjcuMZgBAKABAcgBBMABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#

elyte89:


We played Serbia in London na and I thinks DT was d third friendly self,if I am jot mistaken

You are correct but I'm not sure it was played in London.

Mujtahida:
You are correct but I'm not sure it was played in London.

It was played in London ..Craven Cottage... And it ended 2-0 not 1-0

jihday:
Egypt DRC and Ghana won’t be bad, their attack is quite blunt

Don't kid yourself. If we go into the playoffs with the way we have been playing, these teams are gonna beat us black and blue..

MetalJigsaw:
Guy why u dey yarn like this now? Wetin cape Verde dey play wey u say dem no be small team for Africa? An average European team no for hammer us that yesterday?

Did CPV display anything special or spectacular yesterday for you to hype them so much?

Just look at the magnitude of exciting talents we have (not even compared to cape Verde but the rest of Africa)
Now consider our status and pedigree in African football, are we supposed to be struggling against CPV, CAR, Liberia etc. at all?

Wetin u dey yarn now bros?

Read my previous comments sir. Na only us get the "status"?

I honestly wish Rohr will be sacked soon. Let's see if Super Eagles will start thrashing any African team. Let's see if anything will change at all.

Mujtahida:

We played Serbia. It ended 1-0.
https://www.google.com/search?q=nigeria+v+serbia+friendly&client=ms-android-transsion-tecno-rev1&sxsrf=AOaemvIf3mmrzZsvdCz4Fcnsy458Zpo_Bw%3A1637135529584&ei=qbSUYfGKI4noUfaSm4gD&oq=nigeria+v+serbia+friendly&gs_lcp=ChNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwEAMyBQgAEM0COgQIABBHOgYIABAHEB46BggAEAgQHlCCClisKGDYMmgAcAF4AIABwwKIAcgSkgEHMC4zLjcuMZgBAKABAcgBBMABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp#

Serbia beat us 2-0 with a brace from mitrovic

Joezinho:


Don't kid yourself. If we go into the playoffs with the way we have been playing, these teams are gonna beat us black and blue..

Have you asked yourself what those teams themselves have been playing?

JohnBullMySon:
Have you asked yourself what those teams themselves have been playing?

They have been playing well. Egypt didn't lose any game in their group.

How many mistakes will Rohr allow Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun make What is wrong in giving Kenneth Omeruo the chance he deserved from the beginning.

BascoVanVeli:
How many mistakes will Rohr allow Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun make What is wrong in giving Kenneth Omeruo the chance he deserved from the beginning.

Omerue is even more reliable



Rohr and amaju cornicing to spoil Nigeria football

Danielnino00:


It was played in London ..Craven Cottage... And it ended 2-0 not 1-0

Okay. Noted

Leicester, Ajax interested in Amoo.

humility33:


But is that the reason why you barely make sense with your posts

You should be worried about your own comprehension deficiencies boy

chuks404:
. Its better he is sacked. The new coach will use Afcon to experiment. Believe me,a sound coach will do wonders with this team. At least good football and making good use of our weapons. Baba ejuke and chukwuez with osihmen na bomb ooooo

We beat Algeria in 2017 enroute Russia 2018 with basically the same team that won the Afcon in 2019. What changed? The coach. Since then they have been on the ascendancy and we have rapidly regressed. One major thing I have noticed about Rohr is not even his tactics (of course his tactics reflects my point) is that he is uninspiring. He cannot motivate the players with that secret all important ingredient: confidence and believe.

Now we must get a coach who apart from technical nous, also oozes confidence and self belief. You guys will be surprised to see these same okro soup players do wonders on the pitch.

TheLoneCitizen:
Unpopular Opinion:

Iheanacho and Ndidi, Nigeria's only world class players currently.

Iheanacho rated above Haaland in all-round ability by the very meticulous CIES.

https://football-observatory.com/-profile-80446-133093

The most accurate representation I've seen.

Joezinho:


They have been playing well. Egypt didn't lose any game in their group.

yen yen yen. Which kain playing well

And we lost only a game 1-nil. Any difference?

Why don't you criticize the fact that they haven't pumped in goals against small teams, the way we chant for Rohr here?

Egypt beat Gabon ranked far below Cape Verde 2-1with just a penalty and an owngoal from Gabon. If it were Nigeria, all hell will be let loose with all manner of Rohr nonsense.

Cut your cloth according to your size bro.

The NFF are the greatest enemies of Nigerian football. It's obvious they are the one's sabotaging the development of football in Nigeria. By now Rohr should have been shown the door if the NFF were serious. Most times i blame FIFA for this. Their insistence on government not interfering in football activities has brought us to this state.