edi287:

You wants to bring quotes praising both players?? I assure you if Mbappe was Nigerian, none of you guys would even dare say Nacho is a better allround player. One of the craziest things I've heard on here.
Me saying Mbappe is better than Nacho is denying Nacho's improvement as a player?? Mbappe is not improving as well?? Na wa oo.
Look, if Nigeria and France are playing, I'll support Nacho a 150 percent that day and claim he is better than Mbappe. But as a general football lover, I just can't accept that because it isn't true. The gap between Mbappe and Nacho is large..that is a fact!!
Turn those two to Nigerians and ask any coach to pick who is better and they'll pick Mbappe 8 out of 10 times

Same way if Nacho were French or English, no way will you keep belittling him the way you do whenever super hyped youngsters like Mbappe are mentioned.

As a football lover myself, I cannot accept the nonsense that saying a foreign player is better than any of ours is true only because we want to show that we are not blinded by patriotism even when in fact, our own Players actually are better ..... It just doesn't make sense to me.

Iheanacho has shown multiple facets to his game. He has shown despite little game time his awesome improvement as an all-round attacker/forward. Dude is dangerous from both outside the box and inside the box where he can score with his head, left foot and right foot. Nacho has also shown he is dangerous from set-pieces. His eagle-eyed Vision and shooting accuracy is getting deadlier daily. Have Mbappe and Gabby J scored from a freekick yet?? But Nacho has... He is showing with time that his game is multifaceted and can become a true attacking weapon with many different ways of hurting opponents.

If you think coaches won't pick a player like that over a power-playing flashy road runner? You are on a long thing....

isan:
Some comment u guys made u can only do it on a Nigeria forum like nairaland go to international forum and make those claims . claims like

Mikel is on pirlo level
Iheanacho should bench aguero in man city
Ndidi is the best defensive midfielder in the world
Mikel is a world class player

Mikel is a world class player.

Nigeria duo of Kelechi Iheanacho who plays for Leicester city in the English Premier League and Kelechi Nwakali, an Arsenal loanee to MVV Maastricht in the Dutch league were on fire for their respective club last weekend.
While Iheanacho score and provides an assist in Leicester 4 - 1 triumph over Westbrom, Nwakali score a brace in his team MVV Maastricht 3-1 home win against Jong FC Utrecht. Watch the actions below


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrUpTghTt1k

eterisan:
I did not bring up ndidi and rakitic talk o... Maybe asha80.... I stated it that ndidi is no better than busquets... That ndidi is excellent not world class.... Them Dr de tag me hater now...

Ndidi is still developing as a DMF. He's not yet up to a CMF.

World class!?

Let that be defined first before I can say anything.

edi287:

Bros don't start this Nacho vs Gabriel Jesus/Mbappe talk again. Mbappe has all of a sudden become Overhyped because he had poor games against Madrid.
This argument is becoming tiring. Anyone who watches all 3 know who is better.

But what's really special about mbappe? lhenacho may not be living up to his full potential yet, but he is a more creative player from my angle. Abi na only me dey see am like dat?

Lets assume DT Iheanacho display 4 sterling performance @ his club,scoring,making assist consecutively, peeps on dis thread will immediately start comparing d SCORING ABILITY of IHEANACHO TO C RONALDO,some might even go to d extent of doubting C.RONALDO abilities saying Iheanacho is better.na una go kill am,someone who hardly get games at an average club is been compared to someone who commands shirt week in week out at d expense of di maria,draxler,sent Lucas to Tottenham, ,nothing wey we no go c for dis thread

[center][/center]

jihday:
Please most of us still remember 2013/2014 events, first Mba had club issues when two Naija clubs were dragging his ownership so much that he ended up in a French division 3 club, secondly he was crap during the confederations cup and the world cup qualifiers against Ethiopia

It's division 2 not division 3.

However, we hear wetin happen.

TheSuperNerd:



Same way if Nacho were French or English, no way will you keep belittling him the way you do whenever super hyped youngsters like Mbappe are mentioned.

As a football lover myself, I cannot accept the nonsense that saying a foreign player is better than any of ours is true only because we want to show that we are not blinded by patriotism even when in fact, our own Players actually are better ..... It just doesn't make sense to me.

Iheanacho has shown multiple facets to his game. He has shown despite little game time his awesome improvement as an all-round attacker/forward. Dude is dangerous from both outside the box and inside the box where he can score with his head, left foot and right foot. Nacho has also shown he is dangerous from set-pieces. His eagle-eyed Vision and shooting accuracy is getting deadlier daily. Have Mbappe and Gabby J scored from a freekick yet?? But Nacho has... He is showing with time that his game is multifaceted and can become a true attacking weapon with many different ways of hurting opponents.

If you think coaches won't pick a player like that over a power-playing flashy road runner? You are on a long thing....

The fact that you think Mbappe is just a "Power playing road runner" alone is why I'm not really taking you seriously on this matter. It shows you haven't really watched him. He has pace, power, technique and skill. Is it his fault Nacho doesn't possess it?? Look this "everyone is against naija player talk" when it comes to defending our players is starting to become very lame.
I repeat - make Nacho and Mbappe of the same nationality and 8 out of 10 times Mbappe will be picked.
Pep who apparently hates black players was willing to Spend 36m on him before he even played his first full season.
Oh so scoring freekicks is now a means to show a play is well rounded?? Abeg no kill me with laugh. Apart from having a better final ball, they is nothing Nacho can do that Mbappe can't do...probably even better. Anyone who hears how you describe Mbappe will swear we were comparing Walcott to Robbie Fowler or something.
Facts is facts. Mbappe is better than Nacho. I don't care if Nacho is my brother. I'd even tell him to his face that Mbappe is better. Doesn't mean I don't think he's talented

TheSuperNerd:




And I should take this obviously biased analysis of yours seriously? Those bolded are red flags man...

I should place two players waaayyyy above Nacho who has even scored a sumptuous freekick sef... Players who have not pulled off the kind of wickedly skillful assists Nacho don pull off this season twice!!!! (Excluding the others sef)... You say their technique is higher than Nacho's?

On skill, oh no... I watched G.Jesus at Palmeiras... Very skillful one. No arguments. BUT I SEE YOU LEAVE OUT PARAMETERS SUCH AS OVERALL VISION and DECISION MAKING.

Man.... You were right... This discussion is tiring... Red flags in your Mbappe-Nacho analysis man.... And in overall ability........ Even on two counts in your Jesus-Nacho talk.

But see ehn... you truly underrate keenly Nacho's technique despite claiming to watch him..... Why is it so hard to see what is obvious? Smh...

Like I said, you haven't watched Mbappe and Gabriel Jesus extensively enough. Just admit it. You seriously want to sit here and argue the bolded?? Lmaoooo this is very funny.

Daejoyoung:

But what's really special about mbappe? lhenacho may not be living up to his full potential yet, but he is a more creative player from my angle. Abi na only me dey see am like dat?

you need to be watching the current PSG match right now. Mbappe is on his way to a hattrick and the boy is just good

forgiveness:


Ndidi is still developing as a DMF. He's not yet up to a CMF.

World class!?

Let that be defined first before I can say anything.

The way l define it, in major dm roles such as break up play and tackling, he is world class and better than Bousquets, just like Makelele was world class with same criteria. But l understand that many define world class with the yardstick of playing for big clubs. Maybe if Ndidi eventually signs for Liverpool, he would have the opportunity to finally confirm his world class status in that role.

edi287:

The fact that you think Mbappe is just a "Power playing road runner" alone is why I'm not really taking you seriously on this matter. It shows you haven't really watched him. He has pace, power, technique and skill. Is it his fault Nacho doesn't possess it?? Look this "everyone is against naija player talk" when it comes to defending our players is starting to become very lame.
I repeat - make Nacho and Mbappe of the same nationality and 8 out of 10 times Mbappe will be picked.
Pep who apparently hates black players was willing to Spend 36m on him before he even played his first full season.
Oh so scoring freekicks is now a means to show a play is well rounded?? Abeg no kill me with laugh. Apart from having a better final ball, they is nothing Nacho can do that Mbappe can't do...probably even better. Anyone who hears how you describe Mbappe will swear we were comparing Walcott to Robbie Fowler or something.
Facts is facts. Mbappe is better than Nacho. I don't care if Nacho is my brother. I'd even tell him to his face that Mbappe is better. Doesn't mean I don't think he's talented

All this is yawn talk man.... I have hit on the major pointers. Not like I expect you to get it anyway...

daveP:
And there you go again with the wrong choice for comparism.
Is Onazi bossing the league he currently is playing in terms of stats from his position?


very very wrong option you chose there.... It will be long until understanding that what we are saying is just the obvious currently. hj

That is precisely the problem. Using the lowest standard to brush Ndidi aside. Imagine the correlation between Onazi and Modric and Ndidi and Matic.
Tells you how he sees Ndidi. All the talk about Ndidi improving is a ruse. In their eyes Ndidi is not just good enough. Let him improve from here to Mars, they would never see him as being at the top. Shebi we talked about Ndidi's record stats. They say stats doesn't matter so much.
Forget all those yarns about improvement. Imagine Onazi and Modric? Chai

Mickael2:



Bloda Mi, how do you start replying this kind of comment sef

I'm already tired. Imagine arguing that Nacho with his poor first touch has better technique than Mbappe and better off the ball movement than Gabriel Jesus...the same Gabriel Jesus that is benching Aguero BECAUSE OF THAT SAME REASON. I'm just tired...

TheSuperNerd:


All this is yawn talk man.... I have hit on the major pointers. Not like I expect you to get it anyway...

Yeah you're right. It's becoming boring. The unbiased football fan will agree with me anyways. So yeah...

TheSuperNerd:


Elder Sir Kog45.... I greet you Sir. I remember when I unequivocally stated that Mikel is World class with proof. Many came against that truth.

But now for the sake of this Matic-Ndidi argument, they may agree that Mikel is world class and is on Matic's level.... While Ndidi is not abi? Loooollll... Funny lots they are.

Let me make this clear... Mikel being world class is not even dependent on Matic because Mikel is above the level of Matic. It is an insult to compare Mikel's Class to that of Matic... Mikel is what and who Matic dreamed of becoming and that is how it will always be.


As for Ndidi, that lad is near world class status already. There are strong rumors of his move to a bigger club in the summer. He is the World Ranking best young DM in the whole of Europe today. And he had done things Matic at 21 could only even dream of... Dominating tackling stats across the top five leagues of the world/Europe, churning in top rated performances week in week out in arguably the World's toughest league and the third most technically proficient league in Europe and in the world.... "THE EPL"

Even in the EPL currently, who is better? Matic or Ndidi? The answer is obvious. Ndidi takes it. So what are Matic/Man Utd fanboys talking about?

Honestly, what Matic has now is in the name "Matic", I even rate Milinkovic-Savic higher now. Yet, not even Milinkovic-Savic tops Ndidi. Ndidi is the next big thing the world is gonna see since Ngolo Kante. And he will be much bigger no doubt... What he is already doing at 21 is really scary. He is not even at his peak yet.

Call it hypes all you want people..... But this is the Ndidi we've seen evolve in the EPL since January 2017.

Elder Sir Kog45... Mikel is world class. Well said. But biko let us not insult Mikel's class by making the statement because we agree Matic is world class... Mikel is a far bigger and better player than Matic in pure class, sheer footballing abilities, in world class status and in trophies/achievements. Dem no be mate abeg....

It is funny how guys in here continue belittling our own in the name of some subtle allegiance to Euro club football. They cannot see pass their euro club football allegiances and talk "Truth" pertaining to the beautiful game.

Ndidi is better than Matic currently... And I agree with Elder Kog45 when he first made this similar comment. If anybody don't like it, then take a hike... **In trump's voice** Looollll

Case closed.

eterisan:
why you carry the matter for head like gala.... E dr do.... He said European asslickers.... Directed at who exactly.... He should have been brave to quote me... Why hide like a coward.... We should not derail the thread.. We agree na... Ndidi is world class.. Next case .... Ebuehi injury

were yoi the only pro-European here? I counted at least four people who were pro-Europe, but you took it upon yourself to carry an insult not directed at you. Why didn't the others also pick offence?


Sometimes, you say more by ignoring a person than by responding to him.

I will use.Alibaba's quote when he was arraigned in court for insulting Obasanjo- "I said Baba, is his name Baba?"

eterisan:
I am a city fan... Lolz... And city is seriously in search for a dm..... They are the mark of excellence right now.... So if ndidi is so good why is he not a target for them.... Oga tbaba1234 could not mention one top team interested in ndidi nd the dm ndidi will bench...... I so much love what ndidi has achieved, I aspire for him to reach the top level... But saying he is there yet when clearly he is not is..... Smh..... I tire..... Naso una been do for nacho case o..... When chief icon4s say the boy never ready..... Some even claim... TheGoodJoe...... Say nacho better pass Gabriel Jesus nd mbappe..... Now how d thing turn out..... Mek we De calm down jo

and the report stated Matic as their top target for the role

edi287:

I'm already tired. Imagine arguing that Nacho with his poor first touch has better technique than Mbappe and better off the ball movement than Gabriel Jesus...the same Gabriel Jesus that is benching Aguero BECAUSE OF THAT SAME REASON. I'm just tired...

which poor first touch? The one he has worked on abi you are still watching Nacho from January?

You people need to come and join us in March if you want to argue any point about players. You cannot be pulling out ancient cards to make your points.


Poor first touch indeed......

Daejoyoung:

But what's really special about mbappe? lhenacho may not be living up to his full potential yet, but he is a more creative player from my angle. Abi na only me dey see am like dat?

Nacho obviously has a better final pass. I've been saying that since. However, that is the only thing you can say he edges out Mbappe in. Finishing can be argued too but I'll put them on par 6 out of 10 times

Don't mind them let them continue to underestimate our players. Just a few days Mauricio Pochettino, one of the best coaches in the world, listed our own Jay Jay Okocha alongside Diego Maradona and Ronaldihno as 3 of the greatest footballers he has seen play the game! How many Nigerian soccer fan can accord Jay Jay such honors?

I used to underestimate our guys as well, based on the football clubs they play or don't play for, until after the Beijing Olympics. That tournament opened my eyes to regarding putting things in perspectives when it comes to evaluating our players. I believe that I had posted that revelation on this thread, if you make a quick search.

I think you're underestimating the level of Nigerian players due to the football clubs they play or do not play for. A few years ago I published an article in a Naija daily regarding a peculiar Nigerian perspectives in football: when the Nigerian U-23 team lined up at the Beijing Olympics soccer event final, the profile of the players could not have been more different from their Argentine counterparts.

At CD Argentina had Ezekiel Garay of Real Madrid, Nigeria had Dele Adeleye from the bench of Dutch basement club Sparta Rotterdam. Just over a year ago, he was at Shooting Stars, oscillating between Division 1 and 2.

At LB, with the responsibility of marking the dreaded Leo Messi; yes Lionel Messi of Barcelona, was Chibuzor Okonkwo from Bayelsa United, a right footed player converted to LB.

In CM, where Argentina had Riquelme, Gago and Mascherano, arguably the best DM in the world at that time, Nigeria presented Ebenezer Ajilore of Mydjtilland and from the bench at Sparta, Sanni Kaita. A few years ago, Ajilore plied his trade at Ebiede Babes, a Lagos youth club.

But as the game unfolded, the confidence of the Nigerian players and the cautious approach their opponents showed, belied the reputation and CV of Argentina's players.

This effectively proved two things, if you can believe it:

(i) that the club status of the Nigerian players does not accurately reflect their real quality; and that

(ii) a new measure is urgently required to determine the quality of our players; one that is not entirely dependent on the judgment of European club managers whose philosophy of the game and needs, vis a vis their clubs, may not necessarily be in alignment with the development of the average Nigerian player, or the SE.

Likewise I had argued with someone of this forum regarding Kelechi Iheanacho vs Ever Banega, when they claimed that KC isn't good enough to start for Sevilla. Well, we played Argentina a few days after that argument .... guess what? Kelechi scored 2 goals and Banega scored ZERO!


O pari

Lucque:
I want to thank safarigirl, thesupernerd, icon79, ND all d oda Veterans Dat have given their voice-laced with truth- to this issue, u guys rock.... ..some.. ppl no go stop underating our players.

safarigirl:
which poor first touch? The one he has worked on abi you are still watching Nacho from January?

You people need to come and join us in March if you want to argue any point about players. You cannot be pulling out ancient cards to make your points.


Poor first touch indeed......

Nacho first touch is better than Mbappe??

Daejoyoung:

But what's really special about mbappe? lhenacho may not be living up to his full potential yet, but he is a more creative player from my angle. Abi na only me dey see am like dat?

bros, na only you o.

The only reason you think this of Nacho is because you are a Nigerian, for once, erase your sentiments and you will realise that Nacho is not even as good as Bony.

edi287:
Nacho first touch is better than Mbappe??

this matter never tire you?

edi287:

Nacho first touch is better than Mbappe??

you said "Nacho with his port first touch"....I am attacking your statement that he has a poor first touch. Whether it is better than Mbappe's or not, is not my concern. I don't even watch Mbappe, so, I cannot speak on the comparison


I am only correcting your erroneous notion that Nacho's first touch is poor. It is not, is it better than Mbappe's? I don't know and I don't care

edi287:

Like I said, you haven't watched Mbappe and Gabriel Jesus extensively enough. Just admit it. You seriously want to sit here and argue the bolded?? Lmaoooo this is very funny.

Actually I have watched them well enough and infact the poweplaying roadrunner is in action right now against Angers... Using his unreal speed and power as usual to good effect... And in a 1.5 league I must remind everyone.


But the tthing is you actually have obviously not taken your time to watch and Obserce Nacho as keenly as you do Mbappe and Gabby J. Especially Mbappe.

It is really funny knowing that you find funny what I actually find factual....... Looooollllll.... You folks of the European club flavor just cannot bring yourself to admit that we have certain young players on par with or even better than most of overhyped foreign youngsters.

Believe me, I am just enjoying the evolution of Nacho showing time and times again what I know to be true based on observation. And showing you all there is much more to him than just being a fine forward hybrid. Mbappe keeps scoring the old damn way... Same as Gabby J...

But Nacho has scored in many different ways: with his head, his right foot, his left foot, from outside the box and from inside the box... And hey! He also curled in a lovely freekick... And his Vision and decision making trumps Mbappe all round...

So yeah.. It is funny having this talk with you because you obviously don't watch Nacho to observe, you just watch him casually. But you take your time with Mbappe and hype his every touch... Loooollll

TheGoodJoe:
The point is so simple. When it concerns the defensive side of the DM role, Ndidi rules the planet of football. That makes him World Class especially when it concerns shielding the defence and breaking up plays.

Gerrit?

My issue is that when another player does these same thing that person becomes a standard. When a Nigerian does it they say he should keep improving. Omo, improvements in a player's life is good but in this case their call for his continued improvement without recognising what he's done so far is fraudulent. I no gree for such talk abeg.

Icon79:
Don't mind them let them continue to underestimate our players. Just a few days Mauricio Pochettino, one of the best coaches in the world, listed our own Jay Jay Okocha alongside Diego Maradona and Ronaldihno as 3 of the greatest footballers he has seen play the game! How many Nigerian soccer fan can accord Jay Jay such honors?

I used to underestimate our guys as well, based on the football clubs they play or don't play for, until after the Beijing Olympics. That tournament opened my eyes to regarding putting things in perspectives when it comes to evaluating our players. I believe that I had posted that revelation on this thread, if you make a quick search.

I think you're underestimating the level of Nigerian players due to the football clubs they play or do not play for. A few years ago I published an article in a Naija daily regarding a peculiar Nigerian perspectives in football: when the Nigerian U-23 team lined up at the Beijing Olympics soccer event final, the profile of the players could not have been more different from their Argentine counterparts.

At CD Argentina had Ezekiel Garay of Real Madrid, Nigeria had Dele Adeleye from the bench of Dutch basement club Sparta Rotterdam. Just over a year ago, he was at Shooting Stars, oscillating between Division 1 and 2.

At LB, with the responsibility of marking the dreaded Leo Messi; yes Lionel Messi of Barcelona, was Chibuzor Okonkwo from Bayelsa United, a right footed player converted to LB.

In CM, where Argentina had Riquelme, Gago and Mascherano, arguably the best DM in the world at that time, Nigeria presented Ebenezer Ajilore of Mydjtilland and from the bench at Sparta, Sanni Kaita. A few years ago, Ajilore plied his trade at Ebiede Babes, a Lagos youth club.

But as the game unfolded, the confidence of the Nigerian players and the cautious approach their opponents showed, belied the reputation and CV of Argentina's players.

This effectively proved two things, if you can believe it:

(i) that the club status of the Nigerian players does not accurately reflect their real quality; and that

(ii) a new measure is urgently required to determine the quality of our players; one that is not entirely dependent on the judgment of European club managers whose philosophy of the game and needs, vis a vis their clubs, may not necessarily be in alignment with the development of the average Nigerian player, or the SE.

Likewise I had argued with someone of this forum regarding Kelechi Iheanacho vs Ever Banega, when they claimed that KC isn't good enough to start for Sevilla. Well, we played Argentina a few days after that argument .... guess what? Kelechi scored 2 goals and Banega scored ZERO!


O pari

kelechi scored one goal(the free kick) banega scored one goal(the free kick)

edi287:

Yeah you're right. It's becoming boring. The unbiased football fan will agree with me anyways. So yeah...

Certainly not your version of unbiased tho.... Loooollll.... So yeah....

safarigirl:
bros, na only you o.

The only reason you think this of Nacho is because you are a Nigerian, for once, erase your sentiments and you will realise that Nacho is not even as good as Bony.

Lol, you go fear nah.
l tell you, these people mata don tire me. Anything Europe is quickly termed world class, but our own must work double for us to even hype them small too? na wa o.

Sorry ... my bad, you're right. Yes, KC scored one and created one and Benga scored one goal. But overall, KC had a better game on the day. And, if anything, that proves that if KC is good enough to start for Sevilla if Banega is arguably one of their best player.


O pari

asha80:


kelechi scored one goal(the free kick) banega scored one goal(the free kick)

Mujtahida:

My issue is that when another player does these same thing that person becomes a standard. When a Nigerian does it they say he should keep improving. Omo, improvements in a player's life is good but in this case their call for his continued improvement without recognising what he's done so far is fraudulent. I no gree for such talk abeg.

do you know that at some point last season a Southampton player had the highest number of interceptions and tackles as a midfielder but who cares? I sure can't even remember his name. Then there was Krychowiak when he was the top tackler too but he is in West Brom now. My point is tackling isn't everything, if you are a super tackler you will make a steady living in a mid-table team that loves to chase the ball, when you make that leap(like Krychowiak going to PSG) you discover that that isn't the only necessary tool.


By the way you know how much I fancy Ndidi, in fact Goldfish and I had a misunderstanding because I was blaming Onazi for our midfield issues instead of Ndidi who was understandably having a tough time then. The simple truth is that Ndidi is brilliant at what he does, but potential wise I would advice him to remain in Leicester or move to an underdog type of European powerhouse(like Monaco) but not Mancity or Barca were possession is everything