TheSuperNerd:
Yeah... He scores!!! But not with "TAP-INs" only naaa!!!!!

Na wa for u oooo.... Haba!!!! Just to promote the name ba? Look.. Nacho is no ruud boy or inzaghi... He's no Lineker.

He is Nacho.... And HE'S NOT A TAP-IN MERCHANT!!!!! It's so LIMITING!!!! SO, WRONG NAME!!!!!!!!

Generals03:
The walls have ears.
If you guys do not put an end to this 'tap-in merchant' discussions now I won't be surprises if another blog picks it up from here and it becomes news and gets stuck on the poor boy as a nick name.

People can be mean really.
Against Tanzania he scored with a sweet volley shot outside the 18. Against Zambia, he rounds the keeper and scores. Are those tap ins as well?

Mancity's style of play forces team to defend with almost 10 men behind the ball. As such Nacho is mostly always surrounded by defending players. You need to see Nacho in an open game or on a counter attack to appreciate more of his qualities, passing genius and ability to bring others into play.

TheSuperNerd:
It's obvious the public voting was to determine the top 10 from among 40 candidates.

The main voting was done by 30 accredited Media houses across Europe. Nacho, Iwobi, Donnarumma, Rashford (or Rashfraud- Courtesy of Safarigirl ), and Coman all made the top 10. But Renato Sanches takes it... Well deserved. *applause*

......................................................................

EUROPEAN CHAMPION BEATS IHEANACHO, IWOBI TO 2016 GOLDEN BOY AWARD





European Championship winner and Bayern
Munich midfielder, Renato Sanches has been
named winner of the European Golden Boy award beating the Nigerian duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi. The European Golden Boy award put together by Italian newspaper, Tutto Sport listed an array of exciting young talents in the shortlist of the award last month.


19-year-old Sanches is to be handed a trophy at a Monte Carlo ceremony after beating off
contenders like Manchester City starlet, Iheanacho, Arsenal’s Iwobi. His Bayern teammate, Kingsley Coman and AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma were other contenders.


The winner was decided by votes from journalists representing 30 newspapers across Europe to name the best player in 2016 under the age of 21.




Source: http://footballlive.ng/footballnews/9ja-news/european-champion-beats-iheanacho-iwobi-to-2016-golden-boy-award/

BascoVanVeli:


Would calling him that make him suddenly stop scoring those types of goals? There are 2 types of strikers, mercurial and tap in. U guys think tap in is like shooting in an open net but that is wrong. A tap in merchant is more of a team player who scores with the help of his team, while a mercurial goes off alone and makes things happen, sometimes they beat 4 peole and score but other times they get stopped. It has been a debate as to which type of striker is better for the team. Iheanacho is a bit of both but he can't hide how good he is in finishing those team created chances, those crosses into the box scoring with his head, left or right. Man city didn't change him to striker becos he could dribble, pass or kick shots, they saw this quality in him that is what puts him up there with there best. He should carry on becos this will give him time to work on other aspects without presure.

BascoVanVeli:


Would calling him that make him suddenly stop scoring those types of goals? There are 2 types of strikers, mercurial and tap in. U guys think tap in is like shooting in an open net but that is wrong. A tap in merchant is more of a team player who scores with the help of his team, while a mercurial goes off alone and makes things happen, sometimes they beat 4 peole and score but other times they get stopped. It has been a debate as to which type of striker is better for the team. Iheanacho is a bit of both but he can't hide how good he is in finishing those team created chances, those crosses into the box scoring with his head, left or right. Man city didn't change him to striker becos he could dribble, pass or kick shots, they saw this quality in him that is what puts him up there with there best. He should carry on becos this will give him time to work on other aspects without presure.

goldfish80:


Truth is that for those who has never watched him in the colours of Nigeria, iheanacho will look a tap in merchant to them. For Nigerians who have seen him grow through the ranks, we know what he is capable of,no thanks to the position he plays for Man city which is different to how he is used by Nigeria.
Iheanacho will always be confined as a striker, because naturally he is not one. However, if Man city starts playing him off a striker, he will unleash his playmaking abilities with that sweet left foot,the cynics will marvel at how good the guy is.

If they continue playing him as a 9,he will get them the goals and points but am afraid that position will take away so much from his game and stifle his development on the long run . In my opinion of course.

TheGoodJoe:


I do not get why you persist with this talk. Some of you went as far as listing strikers considered Tap-in strikers and it is clear Nacho is far from that.

Iheanacho is not a tap-in striker. It is as simple as that. No matter how you try to add glamour to the name, he is not a tap-in striker. So the name does not suit him.

goldfish80:


Truth is that for those who has never watched him in the colours of Nigeria, iheanacho will look a tap in merchant to them. For Nigerians who have seen him grow through the ranks, we know what he is capable of,no thanks to the position he plays for Man city which is different to how he is used by Nigeria.
Iheanacho will always be confined as a striker, because naturally he is not one. However, if Man city starts playing him off a striker, he will unleash his playmaking abilities with that sweet left foot,the cynics will marvel at how good the guy is.

If they continue playing him as a 9,he will get them the goals and points but am afraid that position will take away so much from his game and stifle his development on the long run . In my opinion of course.

terzurum5:
[b][size=14pt]
2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER: Algeria Plots Eagles’ Downfall, Contacts Wilmots, Courbis
[/size]
By Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Algerian Football Federation (FAF) has placed former coach of Belgium, Marc Wilmots on top of its wish list for the 2018 World Cup showdown between Nigeria and Algeria in Uyo on November 12 .


The other favourite is Rolland Courbis , who coached Niger in 2012 and was recently in charge of French club, Stade Rennaias.


The former defender is also familiar with Algeria having coached local club USM Alger between 2012 and 2013.


Algeria which is in a tough Africa qualifying Group B in the race to Russia 2018 along Zambia, Cameroun and Nigeria, has been left with an Mount Everest to climb, following Serbian Milovan Rajevac’s departure in the wake of the 1-1 home draw with Cameroun.


Various media reports in Algeria last night said that FAF President, Mohamed Raouraoua, met Wilmots in Brussels on Thursday to sound him out on the prospect of the national team job, while he held further discussions in Paris the following day with Courbis.


The board of FAF is expected to announce a new coach as soon as possible after studying the reports of the technical committee to galvanise the Fennecs preparations for the must-win clash against old adversaries, Nigeria.


Wilmots, who was at the helms of Belgium Euro 2016 campaign in France where they were eliminated in the quarter final by Wales, is reported to have demanded a monthly salary of 100,000 Euros from FAF to take the plunge with Algeria.


The two technicians have been presented with a mandate to qualify Algeria for the 2018 World Cup and at least a quarter final berth at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.


But there are fears that Algeria may not be in position to afford a wage bill of 100,000 Euroes because of decline in government revenue arising from the sharp fall in the international prices of crude oil, the mainstay of Algeria’s economy.


Apart from that Algeria is competing with German club Schalke 04 in the race to lure Wilmot and may match the Belgian’s monetary demands.
www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/10/24/2018-world-cup-qualifier-algeria-plots-eagles-downfall-contacts-wilmots-courbis/
[/b]

BascoVanVeli:


Given my explanation what type of striker has Iheanacho been this season for man city a or b?

goldfish80:


Truth is that for those who has never watched him in the colours of Nigeria, iheanacho will look a tap in merchant to them. For Nigerians who have seen him grow through the ranks, we know what he is capable of,no thanks to the position he plays for Man city which is different to how he is used by Nigeria.
Iheanacho will always be confined as a striker, because naturally he is not one. However, if Man city starts playing him off a striker, he will unleash his playmaking abilities with that sweet left foot,the cynics will marvel at how good the guy is.

If they continue playing him as a 9,he will get them the goals and points but am afraid that position will take away so much from his game and stifle his development on the long run . In my opinion of course.

AIG07:

I thought I'm d only one that harbours d same fear.

Nacho brings more to d game than just staying up front and scoring goals.
Though he helps in d buildup play(on and off d ball)-but that is not what he is all about.
It's beauty watching nacho making use of his deft left leg in a full fledge.
It could have been a diff story if he didn't show us a glimpse of what he is capable of @u17.

TheGoodJoe:


Luis Suárez Characteristics (Whoscored)

+ Strengths

Key passes - Very Strong
Finishing - Very Strong
Long shots - Strong
Dribbling - Strong
Through balls - Strong
Passing - Strong
Direct free-kicks - Strong
Crossing - Strong
Holding on to the ball - Strong

This simply explains the point you guys miss. If you look at his strongest characteristics it is key passes and finishing.

To get the best of Suarez is to explore his finishing characteristics. Which is as a striker who can assist his team-mates.

Same thing goes to Iheanacho. The stats show his is one of the finest finishers on the planet. Why play him in a role to diminish his finest attribute?

If there is a term to describe Iheanacho's attacking style, I will go for a DYNAMIC STRIKER. Not tap-in.

BascoVanVeli:


Boss i didn't create the name it is all over twitter. There's nothing derogatory about it so take a chill pill at least they gave hiim a name, that shows he is doing something right. Michael Jordan is called air jordan but he do everything on the court, he could have said "no i can do other things apart from dunk" but he didn't and now people die for air jordan sneakers. Like i said don't shy away from wat u are good at.

goldfish80:


Luis suarez is a proper striker from his days in Ajax. Kelechi is not.
Kelechi is a no8, pair Kelechi up front with a Benzema/Lewandoski type of striker you will see the best from him. Brown Ideye for all the slack he gets made Kelechi prosper in Ndola.

Playing Kelechi as a no9 is like buying a Ferrari and driving it like a Nissan. Kelechi is being schakled by man city. Period

forgiveness:
Omeruo, Echiejile should be dropped against Algeria – Elaho

October 25, 2016

Festus Abu

Nigeria’s defensive duo Kenneth Omeruo and Elderson Echiejile should not start for the Super Eagles in their Russia 2018 World Cup Group B qualifier in Uyo on November 12, says Friday Elaho.

Turkey-based Omeruo has taken a lot of flak from football pundits and fans for conceding “a cheap goal” in the Eagles’ 2-1 defeat of Zambia’s Chipolopolo in their opening Russia 2018 Group B qualifier at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia, on October 9.

Veteran Chipolopolo striker Collins Mbesuma and captain Rainford Kalaba took advantage of Monaco flop Echiejile’s lack of pace at the left-back to torment the Eagles’ defence, especially in the second half.

Although former Nigeria winger Elaho is happy the Eagles picked up maximum points on the road to lead the table on three points, he fears the defence could deny the team the chance to maintain their position at the top of the table. Cameroon, who held Algeria to a 1-1 draw in the group’s other fixture in Bilda, are second in the table. Algeria are third followed by Zambia in the last place.

Elaho insists Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr needs replacements for Alanyaspor’s Omeruo and Echiejile, who was shipped out on loan to Belgian outfit Standard Liege by Monaco during the summer transfer market after falling down the pecking order at the French club, in the game against Algeria.

“Algeria and Cameroon will be scared of the Eagles following our victory over Zambia,” the Algiers ’90 Africa Cup of Nations silver medallist told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday.

“But we must improve on our performance against Chipolopolo if we want to beat Algeria.

“Algeria have (Leicester City’s attacking duo) Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani, who are dangerous players. They have other experienced players.

“I’m really worried about our defence, which almost let us down against Chipolopolo.”

The Senegal ’92 Africa Cup of Nations bronze medallist added, “Omeruo and Echiejile didn’t play as professionals against Zambia.

“If we play them in our defence against Algeria, they (Desert Foxes) will bury us in Uyo. The Algerians are very fast and we need good defenders to stop them.

“However, the coach should invite them for the match if there is evidence they have improved.”

The former Brondby forward urged Rohr to leave players warming the bench at their clubs out of the squad to face Algeria.

Elaho said, “We should stop inviting players based on what they have achieved in the past. We should invite players on current form.

“We have many good young players in Europe and in the domestic league. they should be given a chance to play for the national team.”

http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/2/855412959?-21310:8643:0

forgiveness:
Chelsea wonderkid to pen new deal after lowering outrageous wage demands
CHELSEA striker Dominic Solanke is reportedly close to agreeing a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

By DAVID WRIGHT
12:27, Sat, Oct 22, 2016 | UPDATED: 12:35, Sat, Oct 22, 2016




Dominic Solanke close to new Chelsea deal
The 19-year-old's representatives has been in talks with Chelsea over improved terms since towards the end of last season.

The England Under-21 international is said to have asked a sensational £50,000-a-week deal but has recently lowered his demands.

That is according to The Times, who claim the Solanke is now prepared to accept around half of his initial figure.

Dominic Solanke spent last season on loan at Vitesse

Solanke, who was named on Antonio Conte's bench in last weekend's 3-0 win over champions Leicester, is highly regarded at Stamford Bridge.

He won Chelsea's Academy Player of the year two seasons ago and was sent out to Dutch club Vitesse on loan for the following campaign - in which he scored seven goals in 25 outings.

Solanke, who is currently earning £7,000 a week at the west London club, was reportedly denied the chance to leave on loan again in the summer.

Chelsea have shipped a record 38 players out on loan this summer, but who are they and where have they gone?


Where have Chelsea sent 38 of their players on loan this season?

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/724038/Dominic-Solanke-Chelsea-CFC-New-Contract-Transfer-News-Rumours-Gossip

TheGoodJoe:


Which one is Luis Suárez is and what about pairing Kelechi with someone who has very strong attributes in other areas? Someone like Messi.

Why is Kelechi a support striker and not a striker? Can you tell me your reason?

I have told you mine. His finest attribute is finishing. Not crossing, passing and build-up play. I have shown you Suarez stats. He is a top striker because he is exceptional at finishing.

Iheanacho is today one of the finest finishers on the planet. So why is Suarez a proper striker and Iheanacho not?

Can you tell me your reason?

goldfish80:

Sadly enough, I doubt we will see an off the chain Kelechi in the sort of line up man city plays.
Kelechi will prosper more in a team like Bayern Munich where he has a good foil in Lewandoski or Chelsea with Diego Costa as a good foil.

I see iheanacho more as a player doing what Antonio greizman does. Didier Deschamps had to play Giroud to provide a foil for greizman while at Athletico he has Fernando torres.

Sadly enough Aguero is not the kind of player who suits Iheanacho as a partner. Mind you, Aguero is a good striker but he is not so good to play with upfront. That's why he's always confined to the bench with Argentina, in my opinion.

goldfish80:

I don't get your points. We are discussing iheanacho and you pulled up Luis suarez stats.
Iheanacho and suarez are the same person?

TheGoodJoe:


I feel shocked that we are in this discussion after Kelechi Iheanacho's performance against Southampton. Before the Barcelona game, Guardiola rested Iheanacho and Aguero. Reports say he wanted Aguero to watch Suarez and see what he wants.

Throughout the game, we got to see what Guardiola wants. Dynamism. Not because your a striker, you sit in the front and wait for the ball.

Keep talking Giroud and not notice that Arsene Wenger opted for a dynamic solution with Alexis Sanchez playing as the top man.

In the game against Chelsea, we saw Sanchez drift to the wing and give a wonderful cross to Ozil. We have seen Sanchez run at the defences with pace, track back with unbelievable work rate and score some breath-taking goals.

That is the kind of dynamic attacking style Iheanacho must become one of the best in the world at. We hope Success and Osimhen develop same top dynamic attributes to create the Nigerian League of Extraordinary Hitmen.

Not a striker like Giroud to play off. Even Lewandowski is highly dynamic.

TheGoodJoe:


I am showing you with the stats of Suarez that he has the characteristics to make a top quality creative midfielder. The stats shows his versatile attributes. Suarez could play on the wings too.

He plays as a striker because despite all these, he is excellent at finishing.

What I just wrote above is exactly the same thing for Nacho. He has the attributes to play as a ten or a winger. However, he is excellent at finishing. So Iheanacho is best developed as a dynamic striker.

TheGoodJoe:


I agree Echiejile was a liability and I hope the coach calls Oshaniwa and check if he can offer more to the team. He must not put him in the game squad but test if he is sharp to help the team cope in coming games.

I disagree with the Omeruo point. He made one mistake but was our most imposing defender that day. We can not drop a player who performed well because of a mistake.

goldfish80:


Iheanacho cannot compare with suarez. Suarez has ruthless dynamism in the final third. He selfish to a fault (Barcelona has coached this out of him). While iheanacho is a passer as shown in his stats.
In the champions league, you will be amazed iheanacho has completed all the passenger has attempted while suarez pass completion rate is at 76% (not bad for a striker).
You can take it to the bank, kelechi is being schakled at man city.

TheGoodJoe:


That £50,000 was outrageous. He is not close to that. Solanke should keep working hard in training and sharpening his finishing skills. He needs to take his chances when the opportunity comes.

forgiveness:


I don't agree Echiejile should be totally dropped but I agree he should be replaced with another left back. Oshaniwa doesn't deserve a call. I prefer TT.

Omeruo needs to work on his concentration.