Icon79:
Well, we need to find a way to communicate to the NFF because we gonna need that guy at the World Cup. And moreover, he would be easier to convince than the likes of Tammy Abrahams ... he knows or ought to know that his chances of breaking into the loaded Germany side is close to zero.


O pari

tbaba1234:


Joel Obi and Aluko for starters..

Mujtahida:

Sixteen Nations qualified for the 1966 World Cup not 8.
That Shehu has really pushed himself and has turned out good for the RB position. The thing I love about him is that he is very comfortable with the ball on his feet. I guess that comes from being a Midfielder. It's early days but walahi I don't think Ola Aina can edge that guy off but ultimately it's best for the team cos we would be brimming with so much quality and this guys are young.

Why England are perennial underachievers is a mystery to me. In this modern era of the game all the power houses of Europe have given a good account of themselves. Italy won it 2006. France was in the finals in 2006, Spain won it in 2010, Netherlands was in the finals in 2010, Germany won it in 2014. England to my chagrin always under perform.

Kog45:
Oh Iheanacho and thegoodjoe is like Ndidi and Michael2, Akpeyi,Mikel and icon4s, Komne and Nigeria born English player, Ajagun and forgiveness,Awaziem and Safarigirl,Mikel and Kog45 just to mention a few.

I believe when it reach a certain stage in d course of our discussion or arguments we should put aside our love or hate for a player and let football reason take over.

This is d only way we can have good and constructive analysis.In one of my comment yesterday i said Awoniyi was like a son to me but did u ever see me mentioning his name has a potential player to be in d WC team,not yet for him but if he make it fine.

Dele Aiyenugba very closed guy to me,am one of d people that make sure he signed his first professional contract as a footballer but I read all d heated arguments about him yesterday and my comment on him was on football reason,i did not allowed my judgment to be based on personal relationship.

Good to love a player but when it comes to reality we should face it and talk football without sentiments.

I can mention some monikers(icon4s, safarigirl,Bascon velli,tbaba1234,Humility, enomakos,Joseph1013) despite their likeness for a player when it reach certain point they come out and say d truth,this is more reason i hold Jobie and mujtahida in high esteem when it comes to unbiased football analysis.

For instance,i remember safarigirl was one of d championing of Tammy Abraham but now one of d strongest antagonist coz she believe he insulted Nigeria.

forgiveness:


Joel Obi is not an AMF neither Aluko any.

Joel Obi is largely a CMF and LM.

Joebie:
Let everyone watch and analyze for themselves.. You can only make your argument on the first goal. But your argument won't still hold true on that one for obvious reasons. On the other two goals Iheanacho was barely involved in any way.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_m64ISLoAM

Modified
I must say this was not one of our best games. forget the scoreline

chrisooblog:
yeah we were under a lot pressure for parts of the game from the algerians. we did well to weather the storm

Joebie:
Come to think of it, the formation deployed by a coach may alter the player's playing position. This positions are not as strict as some of you make it seem. Actually Joel Obi can play as any.

Joebie:
Let everyone watch and analyze for themselves.. You can only make your argument on the first goal. But your argument won't still hold true on that one for obvious reasons. On the other two goals Iheanacho was barely involved in any way.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_m64ISLoAM

Modified
I must say this was not one of our best games. forget the scoreline

Icon79:
For sure, the 4 countries I would really want to avoid, at all cost, at group stages in Russia are - in this particular order:
Brazil
Germany
Argentina
France

And there are a couple of other tough teams but I think we can navigate our ways through most of the other teams if we are well prepared.


O pari

forgiveness:



Joel Obi is a player I have been following since before he made his debut for Nigeria. That was when Italy wanted him.

So, I know he is a confirmed CMF, LM and sometimes he plays as a DMF.

In short, prior to his move to Torino, he was largely played as a side midfielder.

TheGoodJoe:


Iheanacho has played the center forward role and done well. An example was his days in the academy of City when he played under Patrick Vieira. Another was his hat trick game against Crystal Palace.

Hazard has played the Center Forward role and done well for Chelsea. Aguero has played multi multiple roles also. It is the way the game is played today. Look at CR7 who excelled on the side and is also making good account for himself as a center forward.

Look at Danillo at City who this season has played as a right back, left back, Center back and defensive midfielder. The game today requires more than being restricted to one wing.

Delph recently put in a brilliant performance against Chelsea playing an unfamiliar left back role and we see Shehu perform brilliantly on the right back when he can also play as a defensive midfielder.

So when making a selection, we look for our best set-up with where we can make the most effect offensively and defensively.

For now, Iheanacho is our best option up front if we weigh in all the factors like mobility, pressing, skills, holding up play, passing, finishing etc. That is why he gets the nod most times when I make my list.

Pellegrini plays two center forwards and that makes it difficult to hold the Attacking pair. It is always more difficult playing as a one man striker.

goldfish80:

No doubt Moses had a good season with Chelsea but when you consider his achievements compared to Mohamed Salah, it becomes very difficult to see how Moses will take the gong.

For starters Aubameyang was at the Nations cup with Gabon to start with. Moses wasn't with Nigeria in the year under review.

Yes he won the Premiership with Chelsea but for the super Eagles he basically played 3 good games in the year under review. Hang on, Moses as good a season he had was not nominated in the Premiership team of the season.

Now, when we compare notes with Salah. It becomes very clear he is 2 paces above Moses.

First of all, Salah has been nominated in the Seria A team of the seaon back to back. He single handledly bundled us out of the nations cup party and was one of the stand out players of the tournament.
At the world cup qualification series, he has stood out for Egypt enroute their qualification for the World Cup after almost 30years absence.
Egypt also played up to the finals of the AFCON.


According to FHIS Salah was the bargain buy of the season. As a matter of fact Liverpool got him almost 3 times less than his actual value. So far in the Premiership, he has won several man of the match awards and on multiple occasions, he have been in the Premiership team of the week.

I understand out pan Nigerianism on this thread. But I cannot leave the truth and buy the lie.

Mo Salah will take home the gong. You can take it to the bank and cash it out through the atm come January 2018 at the glo gala night in Abuja.

TheGoodJoe:


Please, Iheanacho's movement was also a distraction to the defenders for the second goal. Even in the first minute, you can clearly see Iheanacho's pressing causing Victor Moses to win the ball.

Joebie:
I know where a player can play based on their attributes and strengths not just purely on where their clubs coaches play them. Coaches make decisions based on other factors as well. Statistically Joel Obi has played once as an AM..

Now let's get more practica. Watch Joel Obi's assist in our famous friendly win over Argentina. Was that not typical of a right winger? You guys talk as if football is that rigid.

forgiveness:


If you are not playing regularly in a position your are used to for too long, bros you will find it hard to at first to cope and gather yourself.


If the coach wants to play Joel Obi in the AMF position, he must play him there for at least 4 - 5 games then after that he can draw his conclusion.

TheGoodJoe:


Please, Iheanacho's movement was also a distraction to the defenders for the second goal. Even in the first minute, you can clearly see Iheanacho's pressing causing Victor Moses to win the ball.

Joebie:
Russia 2018 Full Back Contenders

Right Back ONLY Options
Shehu Abdullahi
Nura Abdullahi
Dominic Iorfa (CB also)
Kingsley Ehizibue

Left Back ONLY Options
Jordan Torunarigha (CB also)
Elderson Echiejile
Stanley Amuzie

Left&Right Back Options
Ola Aina
Tyronne Ebuehi
Musa Muhammed (surprisingly LB all current season)

Moses Odubajo (NOT IN CONTENTION)is expected to be back around May 2018

Missing any name?

daveP:
I Dont mind having the French again. The fear of Mbappe, Griezmann, Martial, Ribery, Giroud, Pogba, Lacazette? lol

blueto:
you didn't get my point. I wasn't saying that they can't do well in other roles, but my question was, will they perform better? We saw how Ndidi performed against Zambia in the RB role and how he is currently performing in DM and CM. Every player have their best positions, but that doesn't mean they can't thrive in other roles too. I am for the best performance for Iheanacho, that is why I want him play his best role. Even Nigerian coaches that watched and trained him have attested to the fact that he is better behind a CF, at least the games against Senegal, Algeria and South Africa have proven this to us. Against Zambia in the first leg, even in absence of Moses, he had a good game playing from behind the CF.

Even with all these “factors like mobility, pressing, skills, holding up play, passing, finishing etc” that you are attributing to him, he was still simply “caged” by the Algerian and South African defenses. What will then happen if we play in the world cup against the likes Germany and Argentina? He will be completely lost as a CF. The Super Eagles should not be brought down to such level.

Lamiri:
Onauchu is probably a Striker the team needs to call up

PDPGuy:


I’d go with Dominic Iorfa as a back-up to Shehu Abdullahi at the RB position. His versality will come in handy when the team needs a CB if something happens to the Oyibo Wall.

chrisooblog:
bros you are the only one seeing this ''movement'' the first goal moses made a darting run at the algerian defence tried to find nacho with a pass
got a lucky rebound and buried his chance. for the second the incompetent algerian defenders were ball watching. if you are going to praise KC for the 2nd goal then ighalo deserves praise for drawing the zambian defenders so iwobi had enough space to rifle home the winner

Joebie:
haha.. After Ajagun had played as a CMF for so long in Roda JC, where did Kortrijk deploy him immediately? Did the coach there just go by where he has been playing in Holland? I'm sure the coach could have looked at the stats like yourself and decided he would only play Ajagun as a CMF. Coaches consider other factors my friend.

Second question, Is Joel not very attack minded in a way that is typical of an AMF. He has it in him as well. Stop judging solely on what some coaches do with him. If you want to be good at analyzing don't focus on stats alone. Watch videos and study what the player brings to the team.

safarigirl:
more often than not, the most OBVIOUS team to win, usually doesn't.

A lot of things go into winning a game, sometimes you can have a team of the best players in a competition. It's a perfect team and all, but one day, they will play a game with a lesser team and luck will evade them.

No need to talk too much on it

Joebie:
haha.. After Ajagun had played as a CMF for so long in Roda JC, where did Kortrijk deploy him immediately? Did the coach there just go by where he has been playing in Holland? I'm sure the coach could have looked at the stats like yourself and decided he would only play Ajagun as a CMF. Coaches consider other factors my friend.

Second question, Is Joel not very attack minded in a way that is typical of an AMF. He has it in him as well. Stop judging solely on what some coaches do with him. If you want to be good at analyzing don't focus on stats alone. Watch videos and study what the player brings to the team.

TheGoodJoe:


Iheanacho was not caged by the South African defence. Algeria yes. But in the South African game it was not caging but our inability to deliver basic final balls. Some even went to the goalkeeper. They were that poor.

Iheanacho has thrived in the role. Unfortunately, we are a team that is not utilizing his ability. If we attack with pace and dynamism, Nacho will flourish in the role.

In the modern way, with a lot of emphasis in team work, a player can thrive and do well in different roles. Restricting a player to one role now is diminishing the quality of the player.

Joebie:
I don't know why you call that a distraction. The CF's job is to open, and the opposing CB's job is to mark him. How is that a distraction? That's football basics. All CF's get marked that way. Victor Moses clearly evaded his markers. You make it seem that Iheanacho attracted them and Victor Moses had a free run to the goal haha.. I don't want to keep arguing.. the video is here. Let others watch and have their views.

Modified
The second goal? hahaha

Mujtahida:

My belle the sweet me. He plays CB and LB. They should launch a drive for the Torunarigha guy, maybe his Dad will have a change of mind. The truth is that those boys stand a better chance with us than the German National team. Once we get them and since they are quite young o mehn, our defence will be solid for a long time to come.

chrisooblog:
brother he was caged against the south africans just like the algerians did. the senegalese tried to cage him but he broke free. why i'm saying that you shouldn't rely on the lack of good service excuse is that every good striker knows it's not every game that service will be ideal. if i had seen KC hustling and trying to make things happen then i would have agreed with you

TheGoodJoe:


Watch the Movement of Iheanacho and the central defenders. You will see them move towards his direction. On both occasions. Their eyes were on him which also created the room.