charlesemeka85:
that one don hide

Being busy is not hiding. I haven't even been here since the first leg in Kumasi. Only used Twitter sparingly after the "WC Ticket loss" and chipped in on a few football groups I belong to outside NL.

In here, I expected a complete meltdown and reading all the way from my last post on the day of the Kumasi tie to all the mixed comments today, didn't disappoint my expectations at all.

You really enjoying this loss aren't you?

Some true passionate fan you must be. Cheers Fat Charles.

Kayode scored a brace by the way. Philip Otele scored and assisted. Caleb Okoli assisted.

No need for the details. Since it's all hypes. You interested? Search it out yourselves.

Samueltemi337:
Morocco will qualify

I think Cameroun stands a chance too. Would be interesting to see if Matip changes his mind now. I would be really proud if my fellow African born coaches, Song, Addo and Cisse make the black man proud with their teams.

Aribo should not always be undropable abeg. He always starts all our games even though his most outstanding games are friendlies against Brazil and Ukraine.

At least ihenacho shows occasional brilliance. Aribo's been mostly average for us.

Nigeria lost the Ticket in Kumasi. In Abuja we finally saw how imbalanced a wrong Midfield 3 can be. Also noted is Eguavoen’s ever annoying tactical monotonousness.

I am not back here to add to the rants and wailings that have happened already.
I am only here to point out as briefly as I can a few facts that most ignore and some which is obvious to us all. So that we learn from this going forward and stop repeating the same mistakes.

I begin with Austin Eguavoen.

1. Eguavoen is very likely one of the biggest tactical dunces in the history of Nigerian football.

It's not a rant but a fact.

Imagine a man who was interviewed by Ghanaian Journo, Juliet Bawuah who asked him what his style of football is and Egu answered with these words while SCRATCHING HIS HEAD, "Ehmmm... you know Guardiola? Yeah... I Like his style of football...."

I was like WTF??!!! Dude your football isn't even close to Guardiola's by any stretch or margins. Total parallels.

When Egu surprised Egypt in the first game at Afcon2021 with his rushed buildup-quick long balls to the wings-tactics, everyone was happy coz it paid off.
And I repeat... it paid off because Egypt didn't know what to expect with Eguavoen as that was his first game after Rohr gave way.

With Rohr, Quieroz and co knew what to expect but Egu was a mystery to them and to all until that first game.

His tactics was simple and obvious but Egypt being the first team to face such weren't ready for it and they fell victim. BUT I POINTED OUT SOMETHING... through the middle, we were toothless. Through the middle we were not inventive and creative. And we were also outpassed by the Egyptians.

Other teams did their homework and easily knew the best way to stop us was to clog the wings because they knew already that our MF won't step up. Our MF is all brawns and workrate BUT little/no brains. A very useless MF only fit for physical battles but not useful for anything of attacking creative note.

Well, In Kumasi Egu repeated the same rubbish and we failed to score. Not a single chance created for the striker. The only big chance came via a player who was practically useless for the entire first leg save that one moment which he created for Simon but which was also squandered.

Had we been more purposeful in Kumasi perhaps we could have come away with a win. But again, with creative direction in the middle, we were never gonna do anything were we?

I had a tactical analysis breakdown of that eye sore in Kumasi done but I chose not to post it until after that 2nd leg and thanks Goodness I didn't bother. The 2nd leg shows it would have been fruitless doing so.



2. IN ABUJA, We played a midfield 3 alright... but what a tactically imbalanced one it was. You don't just play a midfield 3 for the sake of it. Tactical balance must be taken into account.

I won't even say much on this. If you are interested, go to my twitter TL. I believe those who carefully follow my takes on the tactical aspects of our team plays already know where I go with this.



3. So we finally played Aribo behind the striker in Abuja and it yielded.... NOTHING!!! Nothing!!!

Note though, this is not a dent on Aribo. It is a further knock on the tactical blindness of Eguavoen. Now it is true that I have stated here that Aribo's best role is close to the box, behind the striker... but Please NOT as a Playmaker!!! He is no conductor. He is no Tempo director. He is only cut out for 1-2 exchanges, attacking space and using his technique to either shoot for Goal or give the final ball after exploiting gaps between the lines.

Aribo as a #10 will work only in the presence of a genuine Midfield Conductor with a solid ball winner (CDM) sitting deeper than the Conductor and Aribo.

Aribo as a #10 will not create or conduct for you. He will only offer the option of creating an attack overload in the opposition's Defensive third. The creative direction of plays and conducting must come from elsewhere and NOT Aribo because the lad doesn't have the skillset for it. And in the absence of that Conductor, Aribo suffers. It makes him only a more hardworking version of Iheanacho in same role with no genuine Conductor behind orchestrating things and trying to pick him/Nacho up between the lines as direct or indirect ways to goal or links to the main striker.


We played a midfield 3 of Onyeka(Defensive roaming machine with limited passing range), Etebo (gidigbo footballer with limited vision from deep) and Aribo (a box to box worktate horse and Goalscoring MF who cannot run the plays). Highly unbalanced from tactical views.

I hope folks can finally see why I have been hammering on this gap in our midfield balance that we haven't still filled properly since Mikel Obi left the stage.


I have much to say but I can't say all. I am just glad Eguavoen is gone as Rohr as gone. Sacking Rohr was the right thing because he was on a massive decline but engaging Eguavoen was even far worse. We have to get our coaching pick Right this time!

4. In conclusion, it's not game over for this current generation. I know they can still achieve great things BUT ONLY WITH THE RIGHT TACTICAL MIND AT THE HELM OF AFFAIRS. BE IT A LOCAL OR A FOREIGNER.

I want Amunike or Ndubuisi Egbo but most specially Amunike because they are tactical men. They know their stuff in the modern game.

If it must be a foreigner then it has to be a sound technician and not another European Journeyman.


Afcon 2023 is the next target. The Qualifiers begin soon. We can make the Comeback we want if we get this team into the hands of a mind that will turn it into a real force indeed.

Gracias... Super Eagles Forever! We will be back. Hearts will keep getting broken, but we must pick up the pieces and stay on still we finally hit that jackpot.

Our time will still come.





P.S: And Semid4lyfe.... you must not agree with what you don't understand. Giving the wrong picture of my twitter thread to some folks in here is not cool. If you don't see that we have a real MF problem that can only be tackled perfectly by a few lads in our ranks because of their quality exactly matching that gaping tactical hole, then I don't know what else to say.

Having said that... I like the name Super Efico. Like PT Barnum, I will also adopt it nicely somewhere and somehow.


And oh... thanks for renaming the thread. It really needed that.

Now let's continue this ride to the next Chapters.

Listen and listen good. Aribo behind the striker in a midfield 3 only works when we have a genuine Midfield Conductor in the middle.

Iheanacho is less hardworking in that role compared to Aribo so I will rather have Iheanacho benched than an Aribo.

In a midfield 3, Aribo's workrate and knack for causing attack overloads will augur well with a genuine Playmaker from deep who also works in tandem with a Midfield ball winner.

But having Iheanacho in a midfield 3 weakens the workrate meter of our Middle game. All Nacho has in this role behind the striker is his final ball expertise (example is that final pass for Simon out of nothing on Kumasi to create that big chance). Nacho is no genuine Playmaker himself. A final ball expert isn't always a Playmaker. But a Playmaker always will boast the knack for the final ball.


Another angle... can both be benched? Hell yes!!!

hatakekakashi:
Aribo should not always be undropable abeg. He always starts all our games even though his most outstanding games are friendlies against Brazil and Ukraine.

At least ihenacho shows occasional brilliance. Aribo's been mostly average for us.

TheSuperNerd:
Listen and listen good. Aribo behind the striker in a midfield 3 only works when we have a genuine Midfield Conductor in the middle.

Iheanacho is less hardworking in that role compared to Aribo so I will rather have Iheanacho benched than an Aribo.

In a midfield 3, Aribo's workrate and knack for causing attack overloads will augur well with a genuine Playmaker from deep who also works in tandem with a Midfield ball winner.

But having Iheanacho in a midfield 3 weakens the workrate meter of our Middle game. All Nacho has in this role behind the striker is his final ball expertise (example is that final pass for Simon out of nothing on Kumasi to create that big chance). Nacho is no genuine Playmaker himself. A final ball expert isn't always a Playmaker. But a Playmaker always will boast the knack for the final ball.


Another angle... can both be benched? Hell yes!!!

I still would have preferred Iheanacho. I cant tell u he is a number 10, all I know is that young man scores goals and assists his teammates. He created the best opportunity in the 2 matches. I will continue to say that Iheanacho is a player that can always come up with something at any moment. All I would have asked of him was to shoot more.

hatakekakashi:
Aribo should not always be undropable abeg. He always starts all our games even though his most outstanding games are friendlies against Brazil and Ukraine.

At least ihenacho shows occasional brilliance. Aribo's been mostly average for us.

Sir,if i have my way i will drop Aribo to the bench based on our playoff with Ghana

...time to call Obinna Nwobodo and hopefully Kelechi Nwakili sort out his club career and move to any div one European league to rediscover himself.Amoo too need to be given a chance....sincerely our midfield damn too eyesore.We need real midfieder to shape things up not just marker who cannot carry the ball.

Iheanacho too has lost it.Pls compare Iheanacho of 2017 to 2022.The real Iheanacho would have buried Ghana in the first leg.In afcon he could not carry the team in the absence of Osimehn and had below performance against Tunisia even than Awoniyi.

Iheanacho's knack for creating a chance out of the blues is well noted and known. His eye for the final pass is deadly but his workrate off the ball and synergy with the midfield while in that role is really off.

All things considered, He is more dangerous than Aribo close to the box no doubt. But Aribo's workrate off the ball in that same role gives him the edge for me. Both are similar in attacking the box from between the lines and both can shoot from the edge of the box anywhere around the box... but Iheanacho is actually the better offensive threat no doubt.

To be honest, I am just all for the right tactical balance to accommodate the talents we have in this team.

BascoVanVeli:


I still would have preferred Iheanacho. I cant tell u he is a number 10, all I know is that young man scores goals and assists his teammates. He created the best opportunity in the 2 matches. I will continue to say that Iheanacho is a player that can always come up with something at any moment. All I would have asked of him was to shoot more.

leathalbeast:
hahaha there is always faction in the team, andre is still the captain, he will lead the team at the world cup but i personally think he wont be playing 90 mins at the WC so partey will be captain also in the second half of the world cup games... I wished we could have taken asamoah gyan to qatar but he is very off pace at the moment..

With the way that youngsters Kudus impressed in the first leg I can see Dede not playing 90 but u need his goals badly.

Yea it would take a lot for gyan to get back in shape cos he definitely doesn't look like a baby jet right now that's my guy though, I used to love his celebrations.

JohnBullMySon:
They are Ghanaians. We're living rent free on their heads. Always obsessed with Nigeria. By the grace of God we will put them to shame in March.

eli eli lama sabachthani

TheSuperNerd:
Nigeria lost the Ticket in Kumasi. In Abuja we finally saw how imbalanced a wrong Midfield 3 can be. Also noted is Eguavoen’s ever annoying tactical monotonousness.



I want Amunike or Ndubuisi Egbo but most specially Amunike because they are tactical men. They know their stuff in the modern game.

If it must be a foreigner then it has to be a sound technician and not another European Journeyman.


Now let's continue this ride to the next Chapters.

once again I ask, what is Amunike’s antecedent? At least Egbo have won a league in a European country, what has Amunike done? If we want to hire a local coach we have Fidelis and Maikaba, coaches with a proper CV, well known style of play who have achieved on the local scene. Why is Amunike better than them? Besides, he was a key component in the Eguavoen team, they are all culpable he doesn’t stand out.

More on Naija players in Europe....

Akor Adams scores for Lillestrøm SK in Norway. Igoh Ogbu and Ifeanyi Matthew are also involved.

TheSuperNerd:
Kayode scored a brace by the way. Philip Otele scored and assisted. Caleb Okoli assisted.

No need for the details. Since it's all hypes. You interested? Search it out yourselves.

jihday:
he wouldn’t have done anything tho, our problem was not scoring goals but creating them

I said this during afcon that our strikers are not the real issue but some did not understand,believing with Osimehn we would have had a good tournament but here we are now....How can a team have a striker like Osimehn and there was no cleared cut chance for him for good 90 mins playing very average Ghana team.

Amunike coached a talentless Tanzania and got them qualified for the Afcon for only the 2nd time in their history. 39 yrs absence brought to a halt in 2019 by Amunike. And they didn't even make the next edition after he left.

Tanzania's only Afcon appearances are Afcon 1980 and Afcon 2019.

At Afcon 2019, Amunike Played some brave attacking football despite his tanzanian side being not so good quality wise. Their style earned them 3 big chances vs Algeria in a first round game which they squandered. They lost 3-0 but what would have been if they had stronger attacking quality to support Samatta.


Amunike won the Fifa U17 WC twice. Once as assistant to Manu Garba and another as the main boss the following year. But it is not his wins at that level that give him the credibility I note. It is the fact that his coaching style and tactics absolutely confounded the entire FIFA Technical Study group assigned to that tournament at Chile 2015.

Since then, Amunike has been part of the FIFA technical study group at Russia 2018 and just finished a technical role in CAF technical study group at the last Afcon won by Senegal.

So my dear Jide... Amunike deserves to be looked at. It is very clear his footballing Philosophy differs from Eguavoen even from an interview Amunike had before the 2nd leg.

Also, every tactical decision made in the first and second legs were made by Eguavoen.

jihday:
once again I ask, what is Amunike’s antecedent? At least Egbo have won a league in a European country, what has Amunike done? If we want to hire a local coach we have Fidelis and Maikaba, coaches with a proper CV, well known style of play who have achieved on the local scene. Why is Amunike better than them? Besides, he was a key component in the Eguavoen team, they are all culpable he doesn’t stand out.

BascoVanVeli:


With the way that youngsters Kudus impressed in the first leg I can see Dede not playing 90 but u need his goals badly.

Yea it would take a lot for gyan to get back in shape cos he definitely doesn't look like a baby jet right now that's my guy though, I used to love his celebrations.

andre ayew will be playing 60-65 mins in WC matches, i think Gyan is lazy coz even muntari is still in good shape playing for hearts of oak so gyan can also do it.... Btw chelsea is being cooked oo brentford 1-4 now.

Kog45:
Sir,if i have my way i will drop Aribo to the bench based on our playoff with Ghana

...time to call Obinna Nwobodo and hopefully Kelechi Nwakili sort out his club career and move to any div one European league to rediscover himself.Amoo too need to be given a chance....sincerely our midfield damn too eyesore.We need real midfieder to shape things up not just marker who cannot carry the ball.

Iheanacho too has lost it.Pls compare Iheanacho of 2017 to 2022.The real Iheanacho would have buried Ghana in the first leg.In afcon he could not carry the team in the absence of Osimehn and had below performance against Tunisia even than Awoniyi.

Exactly. I was expecting the coach to sub Amoo in for Aribo and also sub out Dennis, but alas he subbed lookman that has been playing well and also delivering great corners.

Those our set piece chances at the end might have counted for something.

Really feel sorry for Osihmen despite all his efforts. Missed Olympics, afcon due to injury and now won't play world cup.

TheSuperNerd:
Iheanacho's knack for creating a chance out of the blues is well noted and known. His eye for the final pass is deadly but his workrate off the ball and synergy with the midfield while in that role is really off.

All things considered, He is more dangerous than Aribo close to the box no doubt. But Aribo's workrate off the ball in that same role gives him the edge for me. Both are similar in attacking the box from between the lines and both can shoot from the edge of the box anywhere around the box... but Iheanacho is actually the better offensive threat no doubt.

To be honest, I am just all for the right tactical balance to accommodate the talents we have in this team.

Doctor walahi i dey vex and is like i will report you to icon4s.....sey na Aribo and Iheanacho u dey analyse like dis....pls just forget those boys.

It is time to drop some of these overrated boys and have real super eagles back.

That is why I included a third angle to both in my original post on them.

I say, Both of them can be dropped from the first 11 for the sake of proper Midfield balance and to fix our attacking transitions plays through the middle. Once that is fixed, even our wingplays will be the better for it.

Kog45:
Doctor walahi i dey vex and is like i will report you to icon4s.....sey na Aribo and Iheanacho u dey analyse like dis....pls just forget those boys.

It is time to drop some of these overrated boys and have real super eagles back.

TheSuperNerd:
Iheanacho's knack for creating a chance out of the blues is well noted and known. His eye for the final pass is deadly but his workrate off the ball and synergy with the midfield while in that role is really off.

All things considered, He is more dangerous than Aribo close to the box no doubt. But Aribo's workrate off the ball in that same role gives him the edge for me. Both are similar in attacking the box from between the lines and both can shoot from the edge of the box anywhere around the box... but Iheanacho is actually the better offensive threat no doubt.

To be honest, I am just all for the right tactical balance to accommodate the talents we have in this team.

We would have left Etebo at the 10 if workrate mattered so much and people can't complain about our poor midfield in the first leg and also wonder why Iheanacho did not have synergy with them.

The only thing Aribo does better than Iheanacho in attack is making runs into the box. We have not seen him put a long range strike on target in the SE jersey. He is creative but not on Iheanacho's level and he definitely can't score like him even though he is above average in that department.

I don't see why Aribo wasn't left in his regular position. The Shehu sub should be investigated cos wat was that Even if he brought in Amoo it would have been better.

leathalbeast:
andre ayew will be playing 60-65 mins in WC matches, i think Gyan is lazy coz even muntari is still in good shape playing for hearts of oak so gyan can also do it.... Btw chelsea is being cooked oo brentford 1-4 now.

He is not lazy, he is wealthy at some point u wonder why am I doing this?

that Eriksen is a cheat code

BascoVanVeli:



We would have left Etebo at the 10 if workrate mattered so much and people can't complain about our poor midfield in the first leg and also wonder why Iheanacho did not have synergy with them.

The only thing Aribo does better than Iheanacho in attack is making runs into the box. We have not seen him put a long range strike on target in the SE jersey. He is creative but not on Iheanacho's level and he definitely can't score like him even though he is above average in that department.

I don't see why Aribo wasn't left in his regular position. The Shehu sub should be investigated cos wat was that Even if he brought in Amoo it would have been better.

Shehu sub should be investigated...okay wetin u wan talk with Onazi on standby...injury to Ndidi na Bonnke wey no dey list replaced Ndidi and started Kumasi match then why faded Onazi on standby....what of John Noble a bench warmer in NPFL who replaced Maduka....Oga Basco you see sey wahala dey.

Etebo can't create first of all. Lacks Vision. So him at a number 10 just because I hit on Aribo's workrate won't be feasible tactically.
Etebo is now mostly a defensive minded player.


And yes, in attacking the box and causing attack overloads in the opposition box, Aribo trumps Nacho. But please shaa... Aribo has actually hit a strike on target from the top of the box in the GWG before. I think that was against Cape Verde in Lagos. You remember?
But that one example doesn't suddenly erase the fact that Nacho bests him in that area.


And honestlyyyyyyy speakinggggggg.... Amoo in for Onyeka at that point would have been wayyyy better my dear Basco. Way better I must admit. Put him forward and drop Aribo and his workrate behind since the experiment was already a disaster in the first half.

Amoo has drive and is a good ball carrier with dare added to the fact he is an unknown, it MIGHT have yielded something because that is a genuine creative attacking talent who won't be looking for comfortable 1-2 exchanges but seeking proper daringly purposeful sequence of plays in the opposition half.

Even if the amoo change had failed, I would have at least applauded Eguavoen for going for it with the only creative midfield talent on the bench that can play AM alongside RW.

And after throwing in Amoo, he should have brought in Ighalo earlier than the 76 or so mins he did. Ghana immediately went 4-5-1 at the beginning of the second half and Egu just sat there like Oga Sabinus mopping into thin air. Annoying!!!

Anyway, Let us leave matter. Game is over. You all have said most of what need to be said. I can only add my own angles and perspectives.

BascoVanVeli:



We would have left Etebo at the 10 if workrate mattered so much and people can't complain about our poor midfield in the first leg and also wonder why Iheanacho did not have synergy with them.

The only thing Aribo does better than Iheanacho in attack is making runs into the box. We have not seen him put a long range strike on target in the SE jersey. He is creative but not on Iheanacho's level and he definitely can't score like him even though he is above average in that department.

I don't see why Aribo wasn't left in his regular position. The Shehu sub should be investigated cos wat was that Even if he brought in Amoo it would have been better.

TheSuperNerd:

That is why I included a third angle to both in my original post on them.

I say, Both of them can be dropped from the first 11 for the sake of proper Midfield balance and to fix our attacking transitions plays through the middle. Once that is fixed, even our wingplays will be the better for it.

That midfield and goalkepping dept need urgent attention ASAP.

Kog45:
Sir,if i have my way i will drop Aribo to the bench based on our playoff with Ghana

...time to call Obinna Nwobodo and hopefully Kelechi Nwakili sort out his club career and move to any div one European league to rediscover himself.Amoo too need to be given a chance....sincerely our midfield damn too eyesore.We need real midfieder to shape things up not just marker who cannot carry the ball.

Iheanacho too has lost it.Pls compare Iheanacho of 2017 to 2022.The real Iheanacho would have buried Ghana in the first leg.In afcon he could not carry the team in the absence of Osimehn and had below performance against Tunisia even than Awoniyi.

Among all the players we had on the bench, iheanacho or amoo was the better choice coming in than the Sadiq, Musa and ighalo. I just feel the coach was trying to make sure all the 21out field players get few minutes

Oasis001:


Seems much more unpopular Opinion on this Thread now, but I still believe Amuneke should be given a Chance, but Alloy Agu should never near the Technical Crew again, rather Ike Shorunmu should be brought back.

What qualifies all these names you mentioned to be assigned eagles job.? Be like say failure no dey tire some people shaa

BascoVanVeli:


He is not lazy, he is wealthy at some point u wonder why am I doing this?

that Eriksen is a cheat code

well you are right but i am sure he would love to be in qatar as a player. His experience as a striker is very valuable, we dont have any forward of his calibre at the moment.

TheSuperNerd:
Amunike coached a talentless Tanzania and got them qualified for the Afcon for only the 2nd time in their history. 39 yrs absence brought to a halt in 2019 by Amunike. And they didn't even make the next edition after he left.

Tanzania's only Afcon appearances are Afcon 1980 and Afcon 2019.

At Afcon 2019, Amunike Played some brave attacking football despite his tanzanian side being not so good quality wise. Their style earned them 3 big chances vs Algeria in a first round game which they squandered. They lost 3-0 but what would have been if they had stronger attacking quality to support Samatta.


Amunike won the Fifa U17 WC twice. Once as assistant to Manu Garba and another as the main boss the following year. But it is not his wins at that level that give him the credibility I note. It is the fact that his coaching style and tactics absolutely confounded the entire FIFA Technical Study group assigned to that tournament at Chile 2015.

Since then, Amunike has been part of the FIFA technical study group at Russia 2018 and just finished a technical role in CAF technical study group at the last Afcon won by Senegal.

So my dear Jide... Amunike deserves to be looked at. It is very clear his footballing Philosophy differs from Eguavoen even from an interview Amunike had before the 2nd leg.

Also, every tactical decision made in the first and second legs were made by Eguavoen.

you tried to give him some credit for 2013 U-17 victory but absolving him from the Ghana failure and he was assistant in both instances, no be juju be that? Besides U-17 doesn’t count, youth tournament no be ball. At the Afcon he lost to a beatable Kenya side. Since 2019 his career have grounded to a halt. He should go and find success elsewhere we’ll call him when we are satisfied, there are better coaches on the local scene (even though I don’t want us to go local)

All the people shouting Sadiq all over this thread can now see why you can't compare a division 2 player with a top league player.

Kog45:
Shehu sub should be investigated...okay wetin u wan talk with Onazi on standby...injury to Ndidi na Bonnke wey no dey list replaced Ndidi and started Kumasi match then why faded Onazi on standby....what of John Noble a bench warmer in NPFL who replaced Maduka....Oga Basco you see sey wahala dey.

Noble isn’t a bench warmer sha, he played the weekend before the Ghana games

The Midfield is a much bigger issue for me than the GK dept.

Uzoho in Kumasi - The Epitome of Calm.

Uzoho in Abuja - The Epitome of Calamity.

And guess what... the Men who attacked Okoye so vehemently after our Afcon ouster kinda went soft on Uzoho by ignoring the blooper he committed in Abuja. This is because they all know that attacking Uzoho will absolutely cancel their attack on Okoye earlier in the year and make them all look stupid.


Fact still remains Uzoho have had better performances in the GWG compared to Okoye but both are really not reliable right now. We don't even know what to expect anymore. But I believe Okoye's recent form in Holland and potential to keep improving will make him better. Uzoho too can get better. Both are still young but need fiercer competition.


But you see that our midfield.... tufiakwa!!!! A midfield that cannot string even 7 Decent passes at once. 5 sef dey hard!!!! Our sequence of plays in the middle is just terrible and even when we try to bypass the middle, we don't execute the bypass well at all!!!

We need to stop calling up players only based on the fact that they feature in Top 5 leagues. We need to have a mix of doing just that for the sake of merit and also inviting midfield lads that carry actual tactical solutions for our Middle game.

For instance, based on top 5 leagues ratings, we call up Ndidi, Bonke, Onyeka and Etebo. All of which are Defensive minded MF juggernauts. All we have here is more brawns and imposing physicality but Little brains and deficient technical quality.

We need to address our midfield call ups from a tactical angle majorly before even considering where they play, if not we would only be calling up DMs upon DMs that give us Zero breakthrough via middle plays.

Kog45:
That midfield and goalkepping dept need urgent attention ASAP.

TheSuperNerd:
Etebo can't create first of all. Lacks Vision. So him at a number 10 just because I hit on Aribo's workrate won't be feasible tactically.
Etebo is now mostly a defensive minded player.


And yes, in attacking the box and causing attack overloads in the opposition box, Aribo trumps Nacho. But please shaa... Aribo has actually hit a strike on target from the top of the box in the GWG before. I think that was against Cape Verde in Lagos. You remember?
But that one example doesn't suddenly erase the fact that Nacho bests him in that area.


And honestlyyyyyyy speakinggggggg.... Amoo in for Onyeka at that point would have been wayyyy better my dear Basco. Way better I must admit. Put him forward and drop Aribo and his workrate behind since the experiment was already a disaster in the first half.

Amoo has drive and is a good ball carrier with dare added to the fact he is an unknown, it MIGHT have yielded something because that is a genuine creative attacking talent who won't be looking for comfortable 1-2 exchanges but seeking proper daringly purposeful sequence of plays in the opposition half.

Even if the amoo change had failed, I would have at least applauded Eguavoen for going for it with the only creative midfield talent on the bench that can play AM alongside RW.

And after throwing in Amoo, he should have brought in Ighalo earlier earlier the 76 or so mins he did. Ghana immediately went 4-5-1 at the beginning of the first half and Egu just sat there like Oga Sabinus mopping into thin air. Annoying!!!

Anyway, Let us leave matter. Game is over. You all have said most of what need to be said. I can only add my own angles and perspectives.

Sabi-nwam I love that guy. Good afternoon how is your family?