safarigirl:
I thought there is supposed to be a video referee? Abi dem no dey use that one for this match?

There is not even a touchline camera.

Well said. I am not happy that Alex Iwobi isn't starting this match either but I can totally understand why Rohr should still with the same team that has delivered - tried and tested.

Personally, I would make 3 changes if I were in his shoes: Iwobi for Simon; Etebo for Onazi (then I will move Ndidi and Mikel into the DM slots and let Etebo bump forward), and Nacho for Ighalo. I will leave Elderson because I am not 100% sure that Aina is a natural LB. This game is too crucial to experiment players into makeshift positions.

All in all, Rohr makes the calls and he knows best. He trained the players and knows them better than everyone of us.


Having said that, I am predicting nothing less than a 2 goal margin of victory today.


O pari

Mujtahida:

Heyyyy!! In this very crucial match you expect him to go radical? Haba na. Is this not the line up that secured 4:0 against Cameroun? Rohr's first assumption is to believe that this same line up can get the job done. If it does not then he can switch. Iwobi and Aina dey pepper una for body baa? Omo, to qualify is more important to me now that fancy experiments oo. If he does pem and anything happens they will say why did he go change the line up. It's not conservatism, it's wisdom.

oloriooko:

Where did you get your scoreline

I saw it on one soccer site. So sorry for the mistake

If Nigeria is a country with visionary leaders, Siasia and Amuneke would be the coaches drafted to assist and understudy Rohr. Those two are the future of Nigerian coaches. But in naija, we specialize in putting square pegs in round holes.


O pari

terzurum5:
Nigeria vs Zambia: What Super Eagles need to qualify for 2018 World Cup – Siasia
Ifreke Inyang


Siasia

Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has said he is in Uyo, to support the team as they take on Zambia, in a crunch 2018 World Cup qualifier on Saturday.


Siasia, who led Nigeria’s U-23 Dream Team to the last Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil where they won bronze, arrived Friday evening from Abuja, where he has been focusing on his Academy.


“I am a Nigerian and I have decided to travel to Uyo just like every other Nigerians, to support the Super Eagles in their bid to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.


“I believe the Super Eagles will qualify for the World Cup, if we can all give them our support and believe in them,” he told CompleteSports.


Nigeria top Group B with 10 points from four games and need an outright win over Zambia who are on seven points, to qualify before the last day of the qualifiers.

https://www.google.com/amp/dailypost.ng/2017/10/07/nigeria-vs-zambia-super-eagles-need-qualify-2018-world-cup-siasia/amp/

terzurum5:
NO ROOM FOR COSTLY MISTAKES AGAINST ZAMBIA, WARNS GARBA LAWAL

Samuel Ahmadu

www.nairaland.com/attachments/6072697_spereagles_jpeg022d6e537d598c0e1c0ea8c614879f7f

With the Super Eagles setting their sights on securing the World Cup ticket against the Chipolopolo, the former midfielder urges them to avoid errors.


Garba Lawal has warned Nigeria to be vigilant and avoid costly mistakes against Zambia in their crucial World Cup 2018 qualifier.


Gernot Rohr's men have upper hands ahead of the crunch tie with three-point advantage as table-toppers.
But the Chipolopolo still retain chances of qualifying for the showpiece in Russia if they can upset the Super Eagles in Uyo.


"We must get it right with our selection against Zambia," Lawal told Goal.


"When I watched Argentina and Brazil, the Argentines dominated the game and did everything to score but luck was not on their side. They had about eight chances but couldn't score from any of them.


"The players know the importance of being at the World Cup, so they have to give 200% and everything in the 90 minutes against the Zambians and we are there," he continued.


"They need to concentrate more and all through the game to avoid mistakes. There should be no room for costly mistakes though there could be one error or the other but not costly ones.


"I hope with that mentality, the way they've to start is important and Zambia are talking rough ahead of the match. We have everything - the fans, everyone backing the team and the home advantage to win the game. It doesn't matter how we win or about playing good football, what matters is the three points."

http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/no-room-for-costly-mistakes-against-zambia-warns-garba-lawal/1ag3rht07jf601j9hyvrc4nrbk

Last paragraph, last line for goodjoe

Icon79:
If Nigeria is a country with visionary leaders, Siasia and Amuneke would be the coaches drafted to assist and understudy Rohr. Those two are the future of Nigerian coaches. But in naija, we specialize in putting square pegs in round holes.


O pari

the question is will those ones even be ready to be understudies for Rohr

Mehn these South African babes take style try o.
I really like what I'm seeing.
Aight let's talk football now.

Icon79:
Well said. I am not happy that Alex Iwobi isn't starting this match either but I can totally understand why Rohr should still with the same team that has delivered - tried and tested.

Personally, I would make 3 changes if I were in his shoes: Iwobi for Simon; Etebo for Onazi (then I will move Ndidi and Mikel into the DM slots and let Etebo bump forward), and Nacho for Ighalo. I will leave Elderson because I am not 100% sure that Aina is a natural LB. This game is too crucial to experiment players into makeshift positions.

All in all, Rohr makes the calls and he knows best. He trained the players and knows them better than everyone of us.


Having said that, I am predicting nothing less than a 2 goal margin of victory today.


O pari

Yes substitutions will be made possibly along the lines you have suggested. Even Iwobi said what's important is for the team to win not him playing.
If we are winning comfortably Aina will get his debut by substituting either Echiejile or Shehu.

Let's guard that Shehu. Everybody would be thinking Echiejile while that Zambian Coach decides to spring a surprise through Shehu's position.

BascoVanVeli:

Who will u drop?

Ndidi

some zonal markings may help

Hello Folks.

As we wait upon this match that is likely to qualify us for the World Cup in Russia, I must salute the dedication that very many of you have put into discussing the Senior Male National football team for so long, spanning more than a thousand pages of this thread.

The enormity of information on this thread is enough, if used appropriately, to set up the template for building national football teams that can win the world cup at cadet, youth and senior levels under the next two decades.

I must however let you know that nairaland may be too narrow, and/or too far, despite the huge abundance of information being shared here, for the administrators and officials that make the most important decisions regarding Nigerian football. Narrow in the sense that there are too many distractions and trolling, bickering and tribal all-what-nots for some real talk on this website and that might just keep the eyes that matter away from the significant knowledge regularly shared hereon.

Starting XI

jotey:


etebo for onazi is not necessary

I rather go with aina for elderson

Substitutions are done according to how the game is progressing. You that prefer to introduce Aina, what if we are chasing the game and need more bite in the attack?

nelszx:
Starting XI

Perfect for me.
You don't change a winning team.

hope is not raining there,

Yes, I will definitely wanna see Iwobi, Nacho, and Aina introduced in the game today. I think Nacho and Iwobi has the skillsets to hurt Zambia. The two of them were arguably the best players in our first game against Zambia. In addition, I wanna see how Aina is gonna perform in the green and white. However, I would prefer if he plays in his natural position so we can see him at his best.

I am not a big believer in making people play the positions where they are not comfortable. We that that mistake by playing Ndidi as a RB in Zambia and it almost cost us.


O pari

Mujtahida:

Yes substitutions will be made possibly along the lines you have suggested. Even Iwobi said what's important is for the team to win not him playing.
If we are winning comfortably Aina will get his debut by substituting either Echiejile or Shehu.

Let's guard that Shehu. Everybody would be thinking Echiejile while that Zambian Coach decides to spring a surprise through Shehu's position.

Zambia Starting XI

Of course, if you convince them that it's a long term plan - for them to take over the reins once Rohr leaves. As a matter of fact, this would've been done a year ago with the idea that Rohr would hand over to Siasia and Amuneke after the World Cup.


O pari

eitsei:
the question is will those ones even be ready to be understudies for Rohr

These Zambians and their mind games sha. See how all those players that they told us that they were injured are suddenly fit to start?


O pari

nelszx:
Zambia Starting XI

Icon79:
Well said. I am not happy that Alex Iwobi isn't starting this match either but I can totally understand why Rohr should still with the same team that has delivered - tried and tested.

Personally, I would make 3 changes if I were in his shoes: Iwobi for Simon; Etebo for Onazi (then I will move Ndidi and Mikel into the DM slots and let Etebo bump forward), and Nacho for Ighalo. I will leave Elderson because I am not 100% sure that Aina is a natural LB. This game is too crucial to experiment players into makeshift positions.

All in all, Rohr makes the calls and he knows best. He trained the players and knows them better than everyone of us.


Having said that, I am predicting nothing less than a 2 goal margin of victory today.


O pari

@bolded. I think I gotta agree with u.. Echijele is probably the worst player in the team now but how sure are we that Aina can play the LB role well??
So far I've not see any game in which he played the role.. Rohr isn't underrating Zambia that's why he isn't taking any risk.

Hopefully we will get to see Aina play the role after we clinch th world cup ticket today...

hope it is not raining over there?

Exactly. When we played Ndidi as a RB in Ndola, it almost cost us the match. Hopefully we can finish the job today so we can experiment against Algeria.


O pari

Danielnino00:




@bolded. I think I gotta agree with u.. Echijele is probably the worst player in the team now but how sure are we that Aina can play the LB role well??
So far I've not see any game in which he played the role.. Rohr isn't underrating Zambia that's why he isn't taking any risk.

Hopefully we will get to see Aina play the role after we clinch th world cup ticket today...

Icon79:
These Zambians and their mind games sha. See how all those players that they told us that they were injured are suddenly fit to start?


O pari

Only Mweene started the rest are truly injured. Maybe Daka may be introduced in the second half (though report has it he has a knock, maybe that's why he isn't starting).

SA 3 Burkina 1 (Ten men SA).

Icon79:
If Nigeria is a country with visionary leaders, Siasia and Amuneke would be the coaches drafted to assist and understudy Rohr. Those two are the future of Nigerian coaches. But in naija, we specialize in putting square pegs in round holes.


O pari

Garba Shehu should replace Amuneke because his boys are doing better than Amuneke's boys.

Ummm Where are those Ghanians who always come to this forum? I know they won't come today. hahaha

Ghana just got raped out of the world cup, Clean goal.

African referees are utter clowns. Ghana had two good goals incorrectly ruled out for offside. It's just a bad rep for African football.

If Egypt play out a draw with Republic of Congo, Ghana will be eliminated.

Joebie:
Ummm Where are those Ghanians who always come to this forum? I know they won't come today. hahaha

They will still come oo

they will brag to us about how they have reached the world cup quarter final while we haven't

haha.. that will make the forum even more interesting..
well too bad ref was against them today. I was really supporting them.

Danielnino00:




They will still come oo

they will brag to us about how they have reached the world cup quarter final while we haven't

Their chances would still have been slim even if they had won. The ref only made it worse

BascoVanVeli:
Ghana just got raped out of the world cup, Clean goal.