Meliforme:


Nobody was hyping him.
There was a time he was topping the list of players with the highest number of interceptions and tackles in the Belgian Jupiler pro league.
Yes, his name was no 1 on the list.

Statistics are indicative not conclusive.

It's quite possible in fact I am almost certain Ndidi had better statistics than Ngole Kante when it comes to tackles and maybe interceptions. But did anybody EVER think Ndidi was better than Ngole.

I don't think 💬 so.

Some of you guys here are obsessed with statistics and looking at player ratings and using that as the singular basis for player quality.

It's a very very flawed approach.

codemaniacs:


Yusuf is playing in Belgium..

he cannot be favored over an indigene or indigenes with potential talents no matter how good he is.

It has nothing to do with hype. Belgium have to groom their future players and talents...

That's a nonsensical proposition without any iota of substance.

When Mane and Salah were killing it across Europe top leagues, it was because they had an renounced their citizenship of Egypt and Senegal for your mind. 🤔🤔

When Emmanuel Dennis, V.O. , Ndidi did so well in Belgium it was because there was no indigenous home grown players from Belgium in their respective football ⚽ teams abe. See 🙈 reasoning.

Lol... Alhassan Yusuf's current situation at his club was well explained below in this post I made on April 16. I was already well ahead of the agenda folks.

The truth is there is no way Mark Van Bommel will drop an "in-form young Belgian midfielder in the Belgian league" for a lad who just returned from injury towards the season's end.

Alhassan was clearly their best and most inform midfielder before his long term injury but in his absence, young gifted Arthur took his chance superbly.

TheSuperNerd:
Alhassan Yusuf's Current situation at Antwerp

Been observing and monitoring the lad since his return from injury and he is yet to start a game since his return to action on March 19.

The Midfield Sultan last started a league game for Antwerp in November 2022. Nov 13 to be precise. The game vs Onyedika's Club Brugge.

He picked up a foot injury afterwards and missed the next 3 months which included 2 months+ of action (with world cup held between November and December with major top divisions on break).


Since March 19, he has come off the bench 3 times for 3 league games and today again for the 4th game running since his return from injury, he starts from the bench.

The fine form of Belgian Midfield Wonderkid, Arthur Vermeeren (17 when he took up Yusuf's role when he got injured but is now 18 yrs old) hasn't helped at all. The kid has genuinely been good for Antwerp in Yusuf's absence so was always gonna be a tough decision for Van Bommel to make with Yusuf back from injury.
Arthur's Midfield partner, Mandela Keita has also been decent and in good form.

Another thing though is I think Yusuf and Arthur can play together since his last start actually saw him and Arthur paired up in Midfield vs Onyedika's Club Brugge last November, on the 13th.

It's something Van Bommel could explore with time but time will tell. Yusuf was arguably Antwerp's best player before his injury but with him back now, he has to compete for his Midfield role again with Belgium's leading teen Midfield wonder, Arthur Vermeeren and Mandela Keita.

In all, time will tell what Van Bommel settles for especially with the Jupiler Pro approaching the end of the regular season and entering the Championship round.

Iheanacho is back! Perhaps he was rushed back?

Iheanacho and Ndidi start for Leicester in their must-win tie vs Newcastle in the battle against Relegation.

England scores against Tunisia

TheSuperNerd:
Iheanacho is back! Perhaps he was rushed back?

Iheanacho and Ndidi start for Leicester in their must-win tie vs Newcastle in the battle against Relegation.

Iheanacho must be really important for them to rush him into the starting lineup immediately he returned from injury..
I hope Leicester win

Danielnino00:


Iheanacho must be really important for them to rush him into the starting lineup immediately he returned from injury..
I hope Leicester win

is now they are battling for survival, they knew he is important,

If I were Nacho I won't play well, nonsense and Brendan Rodgers

But they use two DMs. Yusuf is overrated!

TheSuperNerd:
Lol... Alhassan Yusuf's current situation at his club was well explained below in this post I made on April 16. I was already well ahead of the agenda folks.

The truth is there is no way Mark Van Bommel will drop an "in-form young Belgian midfielder in the Belgian league" for a lad who just returned from injury towards the season's end.

Alhassan was clearly their best and most inform midfielder before his long term injury but in his absence, young gifted Arthur took his chance superbly.

The April 16 post clearly stated so. It's a double pivot. Both (Keita & Arthur) are in the form of their lives and you clearly haven't been following things at antwerp so your myopic take is expected.

Marjoribanks:
But they use two DMs. Yusuf is overrated!

This is from earlier in the season.

Yusuf Overrated? Laughably ignorant take 🤣

TheSuperNerd:
Alhassan Yusuf has been playing at a high level for weeks: "The relationship in midfield is fine"

Culled from Voetbalkrant (as translated)

Frey scored again on Sunday, Balikwisha also seems to show completely why Antwerp paid so much money for him after a difficult season. But in the lee, Alhassan Yusuf is also working on a strong start to the season. The timid Nigerian also set out on Sunday against OHL at Antwerp.


Almost six full matches in less than twenty days don't seem to bother Alhassan Yusuf . The 22-year-old midfielder also trotted over the turf in the Bosuil against OH Leuven on Sunday. Very strong in recuperation, simple but neat football in possession. It is sometimes said that Antwerp will only get oldies, well: the Great Old will earn a lot from this Yusuf in the long run.


"I am in great form and the midfield is also running very well at the moment. The relationship with Nainggolan and Gerkens is fine," said Yusuf.

Birger Verstraete (Alhassan's Teammate & MF) also sees this, and has to be content with short substitutes for the time being.

"As a defensive midfielder I try to keep the game under control," Yusuf tells GVA .

"The coach makes everything much easier for me. He gives me a lot of tips about tactical discipline and how to choose position," concludes Yusuf, who is close to the Nigerian national team.


Toby Alderweireld also praised his Nigerian teammate after the match against OH Leuven.
"Alhassan reads the game well and keeps walking. He is doing great, especially with the right coaching and tactical guidelines. He has started the season very well."

Breaking: Juventus docked 10 pts in Serie A

This means they are out of the Top 4 again. UCL football would be hard now with 2 games to go after their match vs Ebuehi's Empoli today. The game is now in progress.

Ebuehi starts.

Ebuehi starts for Empoli against juve

As expected,there are a few players of Nigerian origin in the England team...

Yeah ofcos... Samuel Edozie is the most prominent of them.

Daniel Oyegoke and Imari Samuels are two others of Anglo-Nigerian nationalities. Both are fullbacks.

Danielnino00:
As expected,there are a few players of Nigerian origin in the England team...

Ebuehi's Empoli currently hitting Juventus for 2.

Same day Juventus gets docked 10 pts after initially having 15 pts restored after the very first points dock.

Na who go put the cross? Anyway Orban a good free kick taker should be good taking crosses as well.

Boniface is silky and he can man that Left real good.



CF: 1. Osimhen, 2. Awoniyi 3. Sadiq
LF: Boniface
RF: Orban

RW: Chukwueze
LW: Lookman

codemaniacs:


Orban is not tall enough to play CF..

Victor Boniface, Osimhen, Awoniyi, Terem Moffi, Umar Sadiq or Paul Onuachu should be the CF

Gift Orban should play LF

Victor Boniface or Umar Sadiq should play CF due to Osimhen offside wahala.

Terem Moffi should play RF

Osimhen or Awoniyi should play SS behind CF so that when crosses come in both Boniface and Osimhen will be in the box to head the ball.

TheSuperNerd:
Ebuehi's Empoli currently hitting Juventus for 2.

Same day Juventus gets docked 10 pts after initially having 15 pts restored after the very first points dock.

What will the permutation be let's say the league ends like this in Seria A. And then Roma wins the European Cup. That automatically qualifies them for a CL spot. But will that elevate Juventus who probably finishes outside a spot in Europe to at least the conference League?

do4luv14:



is now they are battling for survival, they knew he is important,

If I were Nacho I won't play well, nonsense and Brendan Rodgers

How did you arrive at that deduction.

Have you heard of the saying, that when the desirable is not available the available becomes desirable.

All of Leicester city's striker's have been wholly inadequate for a Premier league team. Vardy has the excuse of age he is 36 now and is struggling. But for the past decade he has been outstanding for them. But all good things must come to an end.


However, KC and Daka are just about the same never good enough for the premier League. Both of them are poor.

And I can imagine KC getting subbed off and Daka coming on , I can't see them winning this game, LEICESTER have nothing to offer.

But it's football, anything can happen although highly unlikely.

komekn:


How did you arrive at that deduction.

Have you heard of the saying, that when the desirable is not available the available becomes desirable.

All of Leicester city's striker's have been wholly inadequate for a Premier league team. Vardy has the excuse of age he is 36 now and is struggling. But for the past decade he has been outstanding for them. But all good things must come to an end.


However, KC and Daka are just about the same never good enough for the premier League. Both of them are poor.

And I can imagine KC getting subbed off and Daka coming on , I can't see them winning this game, LEICESTER have nothing to offer.

But it's football, anything can happen although highly unlikely.

Save me all this English abeg, I no go school

BascoVanVeli:


U guys are just saying anything now. If Origi could play in that system, what they heck are we talking about here?

Origi was a very technically gifted player and became the quintessential super sub.

Origi was also a very expensive bench warner albeit valued.

So what next for the Foxes after this scoreless draw

Leicester lives to fight another day in the relegation potopoto battle. Everton's fate in their own hands, all they need do, is defeat Bournemouth otherwise Leeds or Leicester could stay alive at their expense. I hope Everton survives and unfortunately Ndidi and Iheanacho's LC are almost through the Championship's customs and immigration border, just waiting to be officially granted entry.

Woah!!! GAMBIA LEADS 1-0!!!

Adama Bojang!!! What a stunner!!! The fastest goal at this U20 WC so far.

Lad scored against us in the U20 Afcon Semis. A game we lost so unluckily. But man, this Bojang is quite the finisher!

#MDU20WCDiaries

And Honduras responds instantly on 5mins. What a game!!!

TheSuperNerd:
Woah!!! GAMBIA LEADS 1-0!!!

Adama Bojang!!! What a stunner!!! The fastest goal at this U20 WC so far.

Lad scored against us in the U20 Afcon Semis. A game we lost so unluckily. But man, this Bojang is quite the finisher!

#MDU20WCDiaries

Nigeria and Gambia are the only African teams to have scored at this year's U20 WC so far from MD 1.

Senegal and Tunisia failed to do so.

Nigeria also has Africa's only win so far. Let's see if Gambia follows suit.

#MDU20WCDiaries

komekn:


Origi was a very technically gifted player and became the quintessential super sub.

Origi was also a very expensive bench warner albeit valued.

2 goals & 1 assist in 35 appearances for AC Milan this season. Outside Liverpool origi has been average at best.

Gambia takes the lead again. And who else but their number 20 Adama Bojang.

Honduras level again .
Gambia 2-2 Honduras

Modify. VAR check. Goal disallowed for offside.

U20 World Cup MD1 Results - Day 3: Gambia secures Africa's 2nd win.
Highly rated Adama Bojang, 2nd Joint Top scorer at the U20 Afcon bags a brace including a super fast stunner

Group E
England 1-0 Tunisia
Uruguay 4-0 Iraq

Group F
France 1-2 South Korea
Gambia 2-1 Honduras


Next up (Tuesday) - Day 4

Group A
Uzbekistan vs New Zealand
Argentina vs Guatemala

Group B
USA vs Fiji
Ecuador vs Slovakia


#MDU20WCDiaries

BascoVanVeli:


2 goals & 1 assist in 35 appearances for AC Milan this season. Outside Liverpool origi has been average at best.

I would say very poor, average a big No, he has been quite disappointing.

However, when he played for Liverpool he was the oustanding super sub. I have to say he was not the best in training, a lazy trainer.

I just watched the Vinicius reel of the many racist abuse he has received from fans in the La Liga.. it's disgusting.. quite shockingly,it has gone unnoticed and unpunished by the league hierarchy...

This is one of the things that set the premier league apart...racism exists there,yes, but actions are taken against offenders.. other leagues just don't seem to care