TheGoodJoe:


It could paint a fake picture to you like Onazi and Khedira play the same way. Think about that.

Your points are well noted.
But you have to factor in that Rohrs favoured formation is 4-2-3-1 formation. Which is the German national team's formation. Its not strange for Rohr who has worked within the DFB setup for a while to employ this formation.

Coming to the midfield analysis in this formation, it requires a double pivot of a play maker and a runner.
Germany played with Schweinsteiger as the deeplying playmaker while Sammy Khediera is the runner....
Shweinsteiger is required to recycle the ball and hit long passes to the wingers and forward runners to setup a lightning quick counter. While Khediera presses high up the field and distrups the opposition from getting to mark out Shweinsteiger, just like Gattuso used to do for Pirlo and later Vidal at Juve.
The Germans really on Khediera's incredible big engine to drive them from midfield. Midnight you, Kross can do same job Shweinsteiger used to do.

Coming to Nigeria, Onazi could just be our Khediera while Mikel our Shweinsteiger. With either Iwobi or Etebo playing the Ozil role.
In this role, onazi doesn't really require to be a pass master since he has a Mikel playing beside him. His job will be to take away markers from Mikel, while Obi sets attacks from deep... Just like Onazi, Khediera is not a pass master but he uses his energy to steam role teams.

Alot of teams who play 4-2-3-1 formation most times have a player who is limited in passing range in a double Pivot.
Just like Arsenal plays with Carzola the deep lying playmaker and Couqline the energetic but limited passer.

Let's not throw Onazi away yet. He could add alot to the team in a dual pivot role.

goldfish80:

I didn't match their stats to come to my conclusion.
Having watched Sami khedira, I always see an Onazi in Arabian body. They both aren't so excellent with the ball at feet, they both love attacking space, incredible energy etc...
I don't think you followed my conversation with Michael2..
Here's my original post that brought up the khedira and Onazi comparism



Watch this little clip of Onazi... You can see the way he went past 3 players to score in 2.0mins...
You can also watch his clips against Italy at Fulham. He basically suffocated the Azurris in midfield. He's our energizer in midfield.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_DhPwCfSAc

goldfish80:

I didn't match their stats to come to my conclusion.
Having watched Sami khedira, I always see an Onazi in Arabian body. They both aren't so excellent with the ball at feet, they both love attacking space, incredible energy etc...
I don't think you followed my conversation with Michael2..
Here's my original post that brought up the khedira and Onazi comparism



Watch this little clip of Onazi... You can see the way he went past 3 players to score in 2.0mins...
You can also watch his clips against Italy at Fulham. He basically suffocated the Azurris in midfield. He's our energizer in midfield.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_DhPwCfSAc

goldfish80:

I didn't match their stats to come to my conclusion.
Having watched Sami khedira, I always see an Onazi in Arabian body. They both aren't so excellent with the ball at feet, they both love attacking space, incredible energy etc...
I don't think you followed my conversation with Michael2..
Here's my original post that brought up the khedira and Onazi comparism



Watch this little clip of Onazi... You can see the way he went past 3 players to score in 2.0mins...
You can also watch his clips against Italy at Fulham. He basically suffocated the Azurris in midfield. He's our energizer in midfield.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_DhPwCfSAc

goldfish80:

I didn't match their stats to come to my conclusion.
Having watched Sami khedira, I always see an Onazi in Arabian body. They both aren't so excellent with the ball at feet, they both love attacking space, incredible energy etc...
I don't think you followed my conversation with Michael2..
Here's my original post that brought up the khedira and Onazi comparism



Watch this little clip of Onazi... You can see the way he went past 3 players to score in 2.0mins...
You can also watch his clips against Italy at Fulham. He basically suffocated the Azurris in midfield. He's our energizer in midfield.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_DhPwCfSAc

TheGoodJoe:


But he is not intelligent in his passes. The Germans play a holistic passing game. And, Khedira makes intelligent choices. Khedira soaks pressure. There is a big contrast in styles. I do not know we can correlate them.
Unless you mean like a water carrier. However, just as someone pointed out Leon Balogun referred to our play as Tiki Taka. I do not see Onazi fitting the bill. However, I have seen Khedira on numerous occasions exhibit those abilities.

goldfish80:

But Onazi was in the team when Leon Balogoun posted the tweet.

TheGoodJoe:


Your love for stats and analysis gives a good picture. No doubt about that. It gives a different dimension to the debate. I just do not want you hinging to it like a grail because sometimes it does not paint the true picture.

Either way, I will watch Onazi closely. Maybe I missed an aspect of his passing because of the intensity he plays with.

We are still getting to understand Rohr. His next choice of players will give us a clearer understanding of his set up.

Good night and enjoy the E-Beer. Courtesy of Yara Yara.

goldfish80:

I didn't match their stats to come to my conclusion.
Having watched Sami khedira, I always see an Onazi in Arabian body. They both aren't so excellent with the ball at feet, they both love attacking space, incredible energy etc...
I don't think you followed my conversation with Michael2..
Here's my original post that brought up the khedira and Onazi comparism



Watch this little clip of Onazi... You can see the way he went past 3 players to score in 2.0mins...
You can also watch his clips against Italy at Fulham. He basically suffocated the Azurris in midfield. He's our energizer in midfield.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_DhPwCfSAc

goldfish80:

I think I have to clear this up. Am a numbers man, I don't hide that but I don't hang on to stat for the fun of it or as some form of Holy grail.
I post stats and numbers because that's the global standard these days.
Teams like Germany at the last world cup invested alot scouting softwares they used to checkout their opponents.

Arsenal scouting software called StatDna was bought for millions of pounds. This scouting software was responsible for unearthing Elneny, Mustafi, Perez and Xhaka.
I was overjoyed when the Nff under Maigari purchased a scouting software which had the data bank of every Nigerian player in Europe, I don't know what have become of that recently.

I know stats and numbers don't tell everything about a player because most times Agents and manager ask players to play for numbers.
This makes some players not to bt daring because they r too mindful of their numbers.

TheGoodJoe:


That is what I tried to explain. If we go holistic with the Tiki Taka pattern, even the defenders should have good passing abilities. That is why you can see a player like Mascherano and Kolarov converted to defenders.

If Onazi can pull off the passing, he can fit into the team. However, if Rohr wants the team to play with more coherency, and Onazi can not pull it off, then he has to look for a better player.

Just like City. Over the next year, Guardiola will ship out players and bring in players that suit his philosophy. That does not mean we are not playing to his philosophy. We can get better at it with players that fit in better.

goldfish80:

Playing ticki tacka appears quite appealing. I love football with lots of passing fans movement.
But you must understand in national team football especially African football, you need athletes not just artists all over the pitch.
South Africa play this lovely passing game but in Africa they get found out because they lack the athletes.

Wenger can't just go with a team of 11 tippy tappy players in Yaounde or Dakar... The pitches won't eve allow you move the ball around quickly.
There should be a little bit of variation to our ticki tacka. Where there is room for an energizer with four longs,who snapps at opposition and run relentlessly over 90mins.
This is Africa, we must employ a pattern that suits us.

TheGoodJoe:


No beef. As long as you do not hang on every bit of it, it is a good aspect of analysis. If your strong at it, it gives a different insight. At the end, it is best to stay you. If you are a numbers man, stick to a numbers man.

If not your views, I would not think of watching Onazi closely to see other dimensions of his game.

Mikel at 2010 Afcon

goldfish80:

Playing ticki tacka appears quite appealing. I love football with lots of passing fans movement.
But you must understand in national team football especially African football, you need athletes not just artists all over the pitch.
South Africa play this lovely passing game but in Africa they get found out because they lack the athletes.

Wenger can't just go with a team of 11 tippy tappy players in Yaounde or Dakar... The pitches won't eve allow you move the ball around quickly.
There should be a little bit of variation to our ticki tacka. Where there is room for an energizer with four lungs, who snapps at opposition and run relentlessly over 90mins.
This is Africa, we must employ a pattern that suits us.

goldfish80:

LOL... You do realise that Rohr is a numbers man?
Against Zambia, his reason for playing Ndidi was because he feared the Zambian threat from set pieces.

I did a quick check and I discovered that Ndidi won the most ariel balls out of our Defenders and Midfielders, according to his stats.
Rohr wouldn't have known this piece of information from just watching him in training if he hadn't studied his numbers.

This decision alone shows me that Rohr is a realist not an idealist.

A realist conforms to the opposition and adjusts to the reality on ground like a Mourinho and Anceloti while an Idealist does not change his pattern no matter the opposition eg Wenger, Guardiola Roland Koeman..
Rohr being a realist will not attempt to convert the super Eagles to Barcelona without considering the opposition and the environment he's working at.
Good night

phamarsenal:
@golfish80, I tink u just hit d nail on d head with ur analysis as far as African football is concerned we can't do away with players like onazi in our set up, we cannot HV just flair and guile alone we need steel too. imagine we HV a match in far away Kenya or any other places in Africa where d terrain is not favourable with d bad pitch and weather conditions. hw are we going to play d beautiful passes some of us are talking abt. we witnessed d match in Ndola where our boys managed to play on d bad pitch after 45 minutes d likes of iwobi, ihenacho got tired. it was players with steel like onazi DAT kept us alive in DAT match, with his endless running and strength, even wen esiti came in he brought d same power and steel into d midfield DAT helped us curtail d attacking forays of d Zambians.

tbaba1234:
Reports from camp say Alampasu is outshining other keepers in the evening training:

Training report from @kayodesuberu:

Kelechi and Iwobi touches this evening training oozes confidence and hope for Nigeria football future. Pure class

Beautiful Lob goal from Kelechi now. When u talk Abt Mahrez & Slimane, you talk Abt Kelechi & Iwobi. Algeria ll surely fall.

Alampasu looks so sharp and fit. No stage fright for this young lady.

Alampasu has clearly drowned akpeyi at this evening training. Fit, agile, aware and very talented.

Mikel look fit and sharp. You can never buy his years of experience. Needed greatly in this Team. Clear leader.

Moses recent form is rubbing off on his confidence. Sharp, smart and hugely talented. Algeria will surely fall

John Ogu looks very fit, couple with huge physical presence.

The politician and business in the form of @Thenff are here. Training ended. Team looking sharp, fit and full of confidence.

TheGoodJoe:


If you go back, I did a Shor review on this thread about our games in Zambia and I pointed out that, Although Ndidi had a tough time in the right, his aerial presence helped the team. I do not need to look at stats to know that. I pointed out he drifted into the 18 to help in defence.

As I said, Puff Puff and Chin Chin.

I noticed it during the game. You noticed it after by browsing.

You read data, I watch.

Nigeria needed to keep things tight at the back and, Rohr noticed Ndidi marks better and doesn’t give out fouls around the edge of the box than most defenders in the team.
Aside that his aerial abilities in defending set piece in training won Rohr over, as the manager drilled his defenders on how to defend set piece from which they expect Zambia to threaten prior to the game

phamarsenal:
@golfish80, I tink u just hit d nail on d head with ur analysis as far as African football is concerned we can't do away with players like onazi in our set up, we cannot HV just flair and guile alone we need steel too. imagine we HV a match in far away Kenya or any other places in Africa where d terrain is not favourable with d bad pitch and weather conditions. hw are we going to play d beautiful passes some of us are talking abt. we witnessed d match in Ndola where our boys managed to play on d bad pitch after 45 minutes d likes of iwobi, ihenacho got tired. it was players with steel like onazi DAT kept us alive in DAT match, with his endless running and strength, even wen esiti came in he brought d same power and steel into d midfield DAT helped us curtail d attacking forays of d Zambians.

zuchyblink:
@goldfish80 Ndidi was actually winning aerial duels for Nigeria. He helped our centre backs in that encounter

TheGoodJoe:


You guys are wrapped with just the African scene. We are building for the World Cup. By the time we get there, we should be a top playing side. So it is not only about playing Kenya.

Napoleon55:
Can't it b done with phone?