hatakekakashi:

This very guy na legit baller. Even when he played for Villa in the EPL, he looked decent.

Don't mind me bro but anything Chelsea must be trolled

Subzero047:
I hope Onyedika's deal with AC Milan doesn't go through, look at Akinkunmi wasting on the bench at this important stage in his career

Terrible deal for him. Was one of the stars at Harmabby. I doubt he's played 5 games since he transferred.

mostob:
Don't mind me bro but anything Chelsea must be trolled

Lol, ok.

Subzero047:
I hope Onyedika's deal with AC Milan doesn't go through, look at Akinkunmi wasting on the bench at this important stage in his career

Transfer has always been a gamble; it may or may not work. Many of us here were against Osimehn moving to Napoli but look where he is today. If Milan meets the fee and onye knows he is up to the task, let him move.

Subzero047:
I hope Onyedika's deal with AC Milan doesn't go through, look at Akinkunmi wasting on the bench at this important stage in his career

This Amoo own is worse. Sitting on Milan bench isn't as bad as sitting on Copenhagen's.

hatakekakashi:

This Amoo own is worse. Sitting on Milan bench isn't as bad as sitting on Copenhagen's.

Amoo has been injured. He is just coming back from injury.

Subzero047:
I hope Onyedika's deal with AC Milan doesn't go through, look at Akinkunmi wasting on the bench at this important stage in his career

Amoo missed 13 of 15 games for Copenhagen last season due to being unfit and injury.

Remember he was accused of refusing to train with Hammarby to force a move.

There's no way Haraldsson is up to half of him, he is just being shepherded into the squad to avoid a relapse.

Mukairu is the one I want to see.

lovewins:


Terrible deal for him. Was one of the stars at Harmabby. I doubt he's played 5 games since he transferred.

Hopefully he is working hard. A goal in one of his cameos will set him on track to get that starting spot.

TheSuperNerd:
I have been avoiding suggesting this here until Nwakali hits 10 games this season showing same form and quality in the middle.... but the hint is this and I have long mentioned it as one of the options on twitter.

An Ndidi-Nwakali-Iwobi Midfield, with all in form, will be a near perfect mix of Steel and Complete cruise control. I know you have mentioned this too before (I just nodded at that post and smiled).

You ought to know, brother, as a self-professed analytical kingpin that three deep-lying midfielders cannot function in the same team without compromising balance.

Subzero047:
I hope Onyedika's deal with AC Milan doesn't go through, look at Akinkunmi wasting on the bench at this important stage in his career

Tglashogee!!!! where are you?? So much vawulence for you to be absent, I've been waiting for your comments since last night man.

TheLoneCitizen:


You ought to know, brother, as a self-professed analytical kingpin that three deep-lying midfielders cannot function in the same team without compromising balance.

Yeah, but I think Wobi will be attacking in this formation

TheSuperNerd:


Eguavoen really messed us up at the Afcon. You talk of long balls yet kept Nwakali benched despite seeing what he could do in that 3rd group game...and then he kept Iwobi benched too and when he played him, it was wingwards towards the right for most of the Afcon tournament.
Ofcos Iwobi in turn didn't do himself any favors by flunking in that role. But it still all falls on Egu.

Thanks goodness for Lampard who got Iwobi going again and finally moved him centrally (as already suggested beforehand by me via twitter) for about 6-9 games or so before finishing with him as RB last season.

Before this new season began, the question arose on twitter about where Lampard should play Iwobi and I said, he should simply use him exactly how he did when Iwobi began playing under Lamps.... As a deeplying CM.

The best part is that Peseiro understood from the first moments he resumed the Super Eagles job that Iwobi is the man to properly oil the wheels of our middle game and keep things rolling from deep.
I guess he saw that we were lacking that deeplying conductor and it shows in the way we have been playing under him even though it is still early days.

Iwobi is our main central midfield playmaker and one who can also play further forward as a number 10 if another deeplying midfield player is assigned that deep conductor role.

What we have here is an opportunity to lift the face of our middle game dynamics. It is up to the SE crew to take things further.

From his interview with Liverpool echo:
Iwobi now believes the turning point for him was not his stoppage time winner but the red card he received while representing Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Iwobi was trash as at AFCON, it was after AFCON he picked form

"That red card was one of the hardest challenges to overcome. [Overcoming it] was why I was able to have a decent run towards the end of the season because without them I would have been struggling."

Regarding Nwakali, he didn't even deserve to be in the AFCON squad.

Agree with the rest of your point, brother, nail on.

Ndidi is no deeplying ballplaying midfielder. He is the ball winner in that midfield 3. The defensive midfield wall.

Nwakali will act deeper than Iwobi who will operate further upfield.

Simple tactical breakdown that comes with detailed functions for each.

So I guess it is your analytical radar that isn't picking up what how that midfield 3 will operate.

TheLoneCitizen:


You ought to know, brother, as a self-professed analytical kingpin that three deep-lying midfielders cannot function in the same team without compromising balance.

Cecco90:


Yeah, but I think Wobi will be attacking in this formation

Iwobi doesn't have the attacking aggression of an AM..
And just as Mourinho once said. You will be wasting a good CM for a poor AM.

To push Iwobi higher up the pitch at best will be a box-box, anything further than that is overkill.

mostob:
Transfer has always been a gamble; it may or may not work. Many of us here were against Osimehn moving to Napoli but look where he is today. If Milan meets the fee and onye knows he is up to the task, let him move.

Osimhen to Napoli was the right deal the team needed him, The reason I was initially against it was the racism

Iwobi was thrash for real and I called it 100% at the time but I also didn't excuse the main culprit, Eguavoen. He is part reason why Iwobi didn't excel.

Really glad Iwobi is back and balling and in his best role that suits the evolution of his abilities.


As for Nwakali, yes he didn't deserve to be there but when he played, he impressed. Our highest big chances creator at the tournament. Also transformed the threat we could offer from set piece situations like cornerkicks. Brought a new lease of life to the middle when he played.
He justified his pick in his own way.

TheLoneCitizen:


From his interview with Liverpool echo:
Iwobi now believes the turning point for him was not his stoppage time winner but the red card he received while representing Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Iwobi was trash as at AFCON, it was after AFCON he picked from

"That red card was one of the hardest challenges to overcome. [Overcoming it] was why I was able to have a decent run towards the end of the season because without them I would have been struggling."

Regarding Nwakali, he didn't even deserve to be in the AFCON squad.

Agree with the rest of your point, brother, nail on.

TheSuperNerd:
Ndidi is no deeplying ballplaying midfielder. He is the ball winner in that midfield 3. The defensive midfield wall.

Nwakali will act deeper than Iwobi who will operate further upfield.

Simple tactical breakdown that comes with detailed functions for each.

So I guess it is your analytical radar that isn't picking up what how that midfield 3 will operate.

I said deep-lying MF, not deep-lying playmaker. You can't play three deep-lying MF in the same team without major tactical tweaks.

Secondly three deep-lying MFs is not a good idea in a system where the fullbacks are not given attacking freedom. That is the Nigerian system.

Just as you said, utilising Aribo is the best option.

Some of Iwobi's best games under Rohr came with him as an AM. Did you miss those?

TheLoneCitizen:


Iwobi doesn't have the attacking aggression of an AM..
And just as Mourinho once said. You will be wasting a good CM for a poor AM.

To push Iwobi higher up the pitch at best will be a box-box, anything further than that is overkill.

Stop toying around with this "deeplying" and call it as it is specifically.

Ndidi is the CDM in this setup. Nwakali to play as the deeplying playmaker or conductor CM and Iwobi reprising a role he has excelled in for the Super Eagles as an AM.

And with Fullbacks like Aina and Zaidu who have huge offensive instincts, it can work. Especially with Zaidu who has good measure of balance offensively and defensively.

This system is practically used by some top teams with fullbacks allowed to push up in attacking transitions. We have those kind of fullbacks.


And ofcos, in an Ndidi-Iwobi-Aribo combo, Aribo as AM is the obvious tactical adjustment here and Iwobi playing deeper. Aribo don't possess the requisite ball-playing qualities to exploit gaps consistently with lines-breaking passes. And also can't spread plays if caught sometimes deeper out from his AM role. His interpretation of the role is gonna be more direct and more of 1-2 interplays.

Thing is when he's relied on to orchestrate, he simply doesn't cut it.

Remember we used Aribo vs Ghana in the AM role and he flunked it. With him further forward, Etebo sitting and Onyeka b2b, we couldn't muster any real chances from midfield plays.

We literally struggled to dictate the flow... Aribo was AM that day but was lacking a proper midfield conductor behind him to run things and bring him into play between the lines.

Now this is why I want Iwobi deeper and Aribo again reprising his AM role. I want to see what that gives. Already I know Aribo has actually struggled on his own in the AM role without a proper ballplaying midfielder.

TheLoneCitizen:


I said deep-lying MF, not deep-lying playmaker. You can't play three deep-lying MF in the same team without major tactical tweaks.

Secondly three deep-lying MFs is not a good idea in a system where the fullbacks are not given attacking freedom. That is the Nigerian system.

Just as you said, utilising Aribo is the best option.

Subzero047:


Osimhen to Napoli was the right deal the team needed him, The reason I was initially against it was the racism

Well...I know they wanted him but It could have gone the other way but thank God it didn't.
Amoo will be back.

TheSuperNerd:
Some of Iwobi's best games under Rohr came with him as an AM. Did you miss those?

Not actually, Iwobi's best games for Nigeria under Rohr was against Sierra Leone. That 4-4 draw.
In this game, he was deployed as AM on paper, but on-pitch functioned as a CM.

In the second half he was pushed higher up the pitch after the introduction Kelechi Iheanacho, and that's where the capitulation started as we lost his control in midfield.

TheLoneCitizen:


Iwobi doesn't have the attacking aggression of an AM..
And just as Mourinho once said. You will be wasting a good CM for a poor AM.

To push Iwobi higher up the pitch at best will be a box-box, anything further than that is overkill.

I beg to disagree.

TheSuperNerd:


Now this is why I want Iwobi deeper and Aribo again reprising his AM role. I want to see what that gives. Already I know Aribo has actually struggled on his own in the AM role without a proper ballplaying midfielder.

100 percent agree. Watching Aribo at Saints reminds me of Dele Alli at his prime, a modern SS.

He's no CM.

mostob:
I beg to disagree.

Go ahead brother, you have the floor.

TheSuperNerd:
Ndidi is no deeplying ballplaying midfielder. He is the ball winner in that midfield 3. The defensive midfield wall.

Nwakali will act deeper than Iwobi who will operate further upfield.

Simple tactical breakdown that comes with detailed functions for each.

So I guess it is your analytical radar that isn't picking up what how that midfield 3 will operate.

Nwakali ahead of Aribo. This man you must either be a Criminal or an Agent because what sane person will drop Aribo for nwakali (passing attributes or not)

Nope. You are the one making it look like he played CM that day. Your analytical interpretation of his role that day is wrong. He played closer to the final third and was predominantly found between the lines which is why he bagged those 2 goals.

He fell a bit deeper in certain phases of plays but he functioned as the AM that day.

Iheanacho's entrance saw him take up Iwobi's role and Iwobi was pushed towards the left wing coz Musa subbed out for Nacho.

So removing Iwobi from the centre towards to the left is where a huge part of the problem began. He couldn't exert the same kind of control that he was exerting when playing AM.

He was practically the AM-Playmaker that day. Aribo and Etebo played alongside him in midfield with Iwobi exploiting gaps between the lines in final third.

Playmakers aren't only deeper. They can be CM-playmakers and AM-playmakers. And a CAM who can playmake doesn't sit his ass all game between the lines, he also falls deep when need be to come run plays for the team. That is exactly what Iwobi did that day. So he was our AM that day. Finito.

TheLoneCitizen:


Not actually, Iwobi's best games for Nigeria under Rohr was against Sierra Leone. In this game, he was deployed as AM on paper, but on-pitch functioned as a CM.

In the second half he was pushed higher up the pitch after the introduction Kelechi Iheanacho, and that's where the capitulation started as we lost his control in midfield.

TheLoneCitizen:


Go ahead brother, you have the floor.

Iwobi is better as an AM. Playing him as a CM is like wasting his talent. Haven't you wondered why he doesn't have any goal contribution lately. His ability to give that final pass, lead the press and give us some goals too is why he is better as an AM. In a match, if you ever find Iwobi in the CM instead of the AM where he was asked to play, then the ball progression is poor or slow. A good ball carrier and dictator in CM will benefit Iwobi a lot.

Now, who would you rather play as our AM if Iwobi is left as the CM? I mean a player who has his skillset and probably better than him.

Exactly. Kinda Lampard-esque in some ways. He plays with a direct way to goal. Doesn't orchestrate, doesn't playmake. Uses more of 1-2 interplays and direct running to break lines and cause attack overloads in the final third.

TheLoneCitizen:


100 percent agree. Watching Aribo at Saints reminds me of Dele Alli at his prime, a modern SS.

He's no CM.

TheSuperNerd:
Chidera Ejuke on his Home league debut with Hertha BSC.

I'm tired of robotic answers players give in interviews. Damn!

BannedLarge:


Nwakali ahead of Aribo. This man you must either be a Criminal or an Agent because what sane person will drop Aribo for nwakali (passing attributes or not)

Go and collect your toy from Chriskel.... Let's finish our argument in peace.

A coach that understands the need for Ball-playing qualities can consider such and won't even make it a like for like change.

Aribo is more AM/SS. A direct playing midfielder who loves to operate close to the box. His 1-2 interplay style can either set him up to score or to lay on an assist.

Nwakali is more a central midfield conductor. He orchestrates plays, breaks lines with his passing and also has eyes for the Final pass.


So Nwakali for Aribo means Nwakali will play deeper... while Iwobi will be pushed forward.

But read.... I said, I want the Ndidi-Iwobi-Aribo trio seen first.

Read.

BannedLarge:


Nwakali ahead of Aribo. This man you must either be a Criminal or an Agent because what sane person will drop Aribo for nwakali (passing attributes or not)