Goke7:


Even your suggested replacements are not better either

Even if they are not better, atleast there are two stand out performers in my list in the person of Onyekuru and Aluko

stanbillion200:

Even if they are not better, atleast there are two stand out performers in my list in the person of Onyekuru and Aluko

They are not better bruv, we know the players that can deliver and have been delivering, let's save ourselves much trouble as the world cup is already here

Goke7:


What has Martin's and aluko conributions to the team in the past won for Nigeria. It took great depth in talent in moses and Mikel for Nigeria to win another afcon, in addition both players also have European continental cup trophies to show in which they were also largely instrumental for their clubs winning those titles. Even the entire world knows that both moses and Mikel are our best players because of their depth.

We are talking about results delivery on the pitch but you guys shy away from that because your favourite players must be invited and must play even though they are not delivering. This is too bad from you. Mark my words, if aluko is invited, he will flop like Joel. If coaching crew are so convinced about martins and aluko, they would have been invited before now but Joel don spoil market, only you think otherwise.

If you don't play Victor Moses because he played in relegated threatened club as at the time he pledged to play for Nigeria, how will you know he has depth in talent?

Are you serious? You don't know what Obafemi Martins did in Europe with his clubs?

Oga, Obafemi Martins won trophies in Europe and the world knows he contributed to winning those trophies.

He was was more infuencial to his team than Mikel Obi and Victor Moses. You can take that to the bank.

tbaba1234:


Iwobi was poor against Poland but was great against Serbia.. One below par game does not make a bad player.

Pls is Iwobi a consistent player?but am not talking about Iwobi but Ebuehi.

Pls did i say Ebuehi is bad?NO but am not impressed with his performance against Serbia,so Shehu is still the man for that position.

Assumptions filled with personal bias. How many leaked from his wing since he has been playing for us?

safarigirl:
at least nothing leaked from their end, if daddy Echiejile had played, we for dey yarn 5-0 sef

Another assumption, if common Serbia could beat us 2:0, what makes you think Spain wouldn't have done a 10:0 to that yesterday's squad?

safarigirl:
oga, it is now 6-1 o


Our team cannot even be this bad without Mikel

forgiveness:



If you don't play Victor Moses because he played in relegated threatened club as at the time he pledged to play for Nigeria, how will you know he has depth in talent?

Are you serious? You don't know what Obafemi Martins did in Europe with his clubs?

Oga, Obafemi Martins won trophies in Europe and the world knows he contributed to winning those trophies.

He was was more infuencial to his team than Mikel Obi and Victor Moses. You can take that to the bank.

Which European continental coup trophy did martins win for his club? Mikel was a stand out performer on the champs league win over Bayern Munich, even Chelsea fans all over the world still gives him the credit, moses had a good run of form with important goals for Chelsea in their Europa league win. Martins goals for Nigeria could not win any aficon for us and failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2006 world cup. In 2010 world cup, the likes of martins could not take Nigeria beyond the group stage with even countries like Greece and south korea in our group. Am talking about delivering when it matters most. Your beloved martins is still behind mikel and moses. Talking is on the pitch,not on nairaland sports section abeg

All the confusionists, Aluko and Martins hype men, narcissist's and pessimists have crawled out of their holes again and having their day in the sun. We lost and am happy we lost. It has brought us down to earth and will make us humble. The friendlies have served their purpose and now we know our weakness and what we have to work on. Argentina lost 6-1 to Spain, the world has not ended.

I wondered why Rohr had to wait that long before using the subs. Why keep those you know how they play that long on the pitch when you have untested legs on the bench? Why call them if truly you needed to test their abilities?

soetanoreoluwa:


The match is so sweet... Just consolidate to our match.. Good tiki tika football..

For the first time.. I don't feel bad about the loss..

Alot of spy will read wrong tactics.

I'm Happy will lose.

Till may..

Did you see Ajayi brilliance is just few minutes comeo?

I wonder why many people on this thread fail to realise the gigantic difference between a competitive game and a friendly.
Rohr had plans inviting and fielding some so called "unwanted" players. We can fuss all we want on this thread but the coach knows more that all combined on this thread.
The game against Serbia was a test of different formation and use of players in different positions in case of a crisis and we can now see where and how to tweak the team and who to use.
The game was a friendly and many players were very careful not to get injured as the WC is 2 months away.
Rohr can see what many of us cannot see, so instead of making unfriendly remarks, we should rather make constructive criticisms and hope the coach does the right thing.
I always say this,"at the WC, it will be suicidal to judge a team by the results from it's friendlies".
We need a defeat to puncture our unfounded ego going to the WC proper cuz we seem to think we have arrived but we still have a long way to go.
I wish the SE the best ahead!

komekn:


if im right Idowu

Nope... its Ola Aina

Goke7:


Which European continental coup trophy did martins win for his club? Mikel was a stand out performer on the champs league win over Bayern Munich, even Chelsea fans all over the world still gives him the credit, moses had a good run of form with important goals for Chelsea in their Europa league win. Martins goals for Nigeria could not win any aficon for us and failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2006 world cup. In 2010 world cup, the likes of martins could not take Nigeria beyond the group stage with even countries like Greece and south korea in our group. Am talking about delivering when it matters most. Your beloved martins is still behind mikel and moses. Talking is on the pitch,not on nairaland sports section abeg

How many FIFA nomination did Mikel Obi and Victor Moses performance earned them?

Is FIFA award not European recognition award?

Is FIFA Nairaland?

Be deceiving yourself.

Imagine o. Can you just imagine how our country people think?

Religion caused this, we always use other people's woes to console or make ourselves better. It's a bad mentality. Why must you look for others not doing well to make yourself feel good? That's a saddistic mindset.

Oasis007:


It's funny we are taking Consolation from the Argentina Loss to Spain. Can someone tell me how celebrating the Argies Loss gonna improve our Team?. Let's face our Problem and leave them to face theirs.

stanbillion200:
Take it or leave it, the following players do not have any business in the Super Eagles. They are as follows; Joel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Uche Agbo Henry,Chidozie Awaziem. They are to be replaced by Sone Aluko, Henry Onyekuru, Brown Ideye and Efe Ambrose respectively.

lol. Obviously, you are 3yrs behind in football if you're still calling Brown and Efe.

The qualifiers has ended, we are heading to a stage where more difficult opponents are waiting for us. We must shun emotional and irational thoughts for now.

Goals win matches

Ighalo can't be our sole 9, I think we should be rational and think of a backup 9.

I would rather we go with Ighalo and Martins to the world cup.
One of the DMs should be dropped.

You need goals to win matches.

We need a backup for Mikel too and I think we should be rational here too.

Joel so far hasn't shown he can play that position or should we blame the coach for always playing him as a DM?

Let's think rationally this time around.

mank1234:


lol. Obviously, you are 3yrs behind in football if you're still calling Brown and Efe.

Why are you talking like this?? Efe is still doing something decent in the Scotland while Brown is impressing in Spain

forgiveness:


How many FIFA nomination did Mikel Obi and Victor Moses performance earned them?

Is FIFA award not European recognition award?

Is FIFA Nairaland?

Be deceiving yourself.

You are the one deceiving yourself bruv, am talking about delivering on the pitch for both club and country you dey talk Fifa nomination. who nomination epp

Kog45:
Ebuehi not fully fit but played 90 minutes with Aina on the bench and Balogun was declared not fit for the match and replaced by Awaziem.

So Ebuehi is highly rated to the extent that Rohr need to force him to play when he knew is not 100% fit and Balogun was replaced some minutes to the match due to fitness.

Pls why all these excuses for Ebuehi performance,for God sake i know how some are bashing Shehu performance just cos of Ebuehi.

This are not excuses. That boy was not fit. Didn't you see him wince in pain at one point, didn't you see how gingerly his movement was?

Did we play him as AM or as a DM? Thought he was on the right side of a 4:3:3 formation. How's that an AMF?

Mickael2:



against Poland Joel was one of the better players, way way better than Iheanacho and Shehu, the team was bad. then he was played as an AMF today and of course he didn't give his best because he isn't an AMF

Goke7:


What has Martin's and aluko contribution to the team in the past won for Nigeria. It took great depth in talent in moses and Mikel for Nigeria to win another afcon, in addition both players also have European continental cup trophies to show in which they were also largely instrumental for their clubs winning those titles. Even the entire world knows that both moses and Mikel are our best players because of their depth.

We are talking about results delivery on the pitch but you guys shy away from that because your favourite players must be invited and must play even though they are not delivering. This is too bad from you. Mark my words, if aluko is invited, he will flop like Joel. If coaching crew are so convinced about martins and aluko, they would have been invited before now but Joel don spoil market, only you think otherwise.

Habaaa you are taking this Joel Obi thing too far. Whether he was played out of position or not his performance was okay. You say Joel is a flop and that's not true. Let criticism be fair and balanced. Extreme criticism like yours now is what provokes the cry of hater, hater, hater that litters this thread often.

Icon4s:
First off, can the NFF please change those lemon jerseys we played with today?
1. They were very offensive to the eyes
2. They make the team look uncoordinated and unbusiness like
3. They make the team look childish and so ordinary
4. That jersey does not make a bold statement.

Can the NFF please make a white copy of the darker green as our away jersey while the darker green becomes the home jersey.

Peeps may wonder why I take this jersey issue this seriously. I take branding and image making seriously. Your national team jersey is your first medium of branding. I always make reference to the bigger brands in football and what their jerseys say about them. Nuff said on that.

Today's game, though we lost but we learnt some additional things that will help strengthen the team.

Some observations from our last 2 friendlies. I will drop more as discussions proceed:
1. This team has lost its passing and ball possessive abilities all in a bid to play more of counter attacking football. Rohr needs to do something about this as this has been a major strength for us especially when we play against European teams. Poland and Serbia totally dominated us.

2. Mikel is the heart and soul of this team

3. The oyinbo wall is the best CB pairing

4. We are going to the WC without cutting edge strikers.

5. Idowu's performance over the two games may have given Rohr reasons to take another look at Echiejile

6. Ebuehi is second choice to Shehu. Ola Aina: I fear for that lad. He may be the sacrificial lamb.

7. Uzoho had a better performance today but we are still in a crisis situation in that department. We may be watching the WC with our hearts in our mouths each time there is enemies incursion.

8. Alex Iwobi is the closest replacement for Mikel in that AM role. But when Mikel is in the team he may operate from the wings.

9. Onazi clawed his way back into a vantage position in the team. Presence of Joel Obi could be responsible.

9. Ndidi is the engine room of that midfield and should be handed the CM role while Ogu and Onazi should battle for the DM position.

10. Joel Obi's inclusion into the team, contrary to remarks on here, is value added. He has brought more steel to the midfield as he combines his skills with physicality. He may not make the first 11, though, with Ndidi as the CM and Mikel as AM.

11. We don't have business like wingers. Simon is not imposing enough, Musa never makes one perfect cross. Moses stands out but often plays to the gallery.
Iwobi some times does one trick too many and may occasionally get lost in the game

12. Odion Ighalo. I think we need to tell ourselves the truth. Once Mikel is back Iheanacho should take up that CF position. What do you call a CF that could not even test any goalkeeper over the two games?

13. We are most comfortable with the 4-2-3-1 formation with which we qualified for the WC. The other formations may just be back-up options that may be employed depending on the dynamics of the game.

14. One major positive: We have a better bench than that of the 2014 WC.

I am not shaken by this defeat even though I had wanted a 100% record in our build up process.
The team building is continuous even after the WC.

Over all, quality friendlies and quality oppositions. Yes we were tested.
Let's see what the team offers us in the May and June friendlies.

Nice post and good observation.

Hmmmm the jersey,nothing to say

Goalkeeping department,Uzoho is our number one but not ready for WC,his quality is questionable,hope Rohr psyche him up. He just remind me of early days of Austin Ejide until Enyeama came in with confidence.

Defence, good to see Ekong and Awaziem but truth be told Leon experience is very vital and i think Rohr should know for now that Ekong and Awaziem lacks the require experience, it happened against South Africa and now Serbia, next time he should try Omeruo and Ekong,that partnership worked against Zambia and Chad.

Good to see Ebuehi but Shehu still a player to beat but happy that we are having quality at RB.

Idowu had a good game cos Elderson couldn't have done better but am seeing Aina looking calmed and read the game very well,good to have three LB competing.

Our midfield is our unique selling point but still our headache. Mikel has been the missing link and something need to be done.Rohr should realised that too many DMs cannot help his team,this finished Brazil at 2014 WC against Germany and Holland.

We have Ndidi, Onazi,Agu,Agbo,Joel,Ogu and Etebo,these seven players almost shared the same attributes, need for us to search for alternatives,may be one or two players who can bring fluidity to our games or we move Iwobi to the middle to complement Mikel.

And now time for Rohr to explain continuous invitation of Uche Agbo to Nigerians cos am suspecting fowl play and with your experience Sir in politics of the game you should know better.

icon4s our attacks looked so blunt in the two friendlies and there is need for urgency in our approach to this,something is missing cos apart from Moses who sometimes is erratic i don't see anyone to bank on again,Musa not really convincing,Moses Simeon look so average,Ighalo and Iheanacho promising but of recent not really convincing.

In a nutshell is a team in progress and i believe before WC we should have a strong team that would bring smiles to our faces at WC.

Goke7:


You are the one deceiving yourself bruv, am talking about delivering on the pitch for both club and country you dey talk Fifa nomination. who nomination epp

Can you explain how one can be nominated for such award without delivering on the pitch?

I think that is being subjective and not objective.

Where was Mikel when we failed to qualify AFCON?
What about Victor Moses?

What did Mikel Obi and Victor Moses bring to the table in the world cup they went?

Goke7:


They are not better bruv, we know the players that can deliver and have been delivering, let's save ourselves much trouble as the world cup is already here

You are not paying attention to the essence of this friendly games. You have fixed your eyes on the first eleven and totally forgotten about the bench.

Long and short is- I get am before no be property.


Joel Obi is the best, Joel Obi is Mikel Standard, Joel Obi is a midfield maestro. How far Joel Obi now? Nothing


So, if Joel Obi came back and was below par, what guarantees do we have that the likes of Martins and Aluko will not be trash as well? We cannot be citing games from three to six years ago to call up anybody. Especially people who have gone down in their club career.


Let everybody just hold their peace on this thread. We already know our first XI at this point, so, make we dey monitor them and pray they are all fit come June. That is the team we will play in Wembley come June.


Anybody else outside the usual guys that always get invited, we no wan hear. At least with the likes of Ebuehi, Awaziem and co, we know which formation they would be best in, we cannot comman start finding good formation for any new faces mbok.

tbaba1234:
My world cup first 11

Uzoho

Ebuehi Ekong Balogun Idowu

.............Ndidi Onazi/Etebo/Ogu (twin pivot)

..................... ...Mikel

...............V.Moses........ Iwobi.............

.....................Iheanacho..........

I am convinced that this is our best system with Iwobi playing with Mikel in the middle.

Iheanacho over Ighalo,

as you said. we should stop sticking iwobi in the wings.

what if we have a mid of ndidi and mikel, with mikel being a deep lying playmaker, and iwobi as a 10.
then we inject onyekuru in the attack along with vic mo plus nacho in a 3 man attack....

somehow:
Imagine o. Can you just imagine how our country people think?

Religion caused this, we always use other people's woes to console or make ourselves better. It's a bad mentality. Why must you look for others not doing well to make yourself feel good? That's a saddistic mindset.

how religion take cause am?


Check even the foreign sites and see how they compare themselves to other teams in their groups. Nobody is saying the team is great, but don't act like only Nigerians do the "at least we aren't that bad" line.


Everybody does it.

forgiveness:



If you don't play Victor Moses because he played in relegated threatened club as at the time he pledged to play for Nigeria, how will you know he has depth in talent?

Are you serious? You don't know what Obafemi Martins did in Europe with his clubs?

Oga, Obafemi Martins won trophies in Europe and the world knows he contributed to winning those trophies.

He was was more infuencial to his team than Mikel Obi and Victor Moses. You can take that to the bank.

Mr Forgiveness As usual from you,Always crying like a sheep for yoruba players to be invited,Who is talking about the trophies martins has won in europe? Did martins win champions league or europa league? Matrins is a great player No doubt,talk about individual performance than talking about trophies,that shows you have no clue in anything you are saying.

Who is martins better than in super eagles at the moment or your so called Ajagun? Na only yourba players you dey see ooo,Your eye blind to see others players,even your aluko who is he better than?

Martins is world class during his time and his time is past,I am very sure if yakubu aiyegbeni has not retired from football you will call for Yakubu.

Mr Forgivness your matter tire people for this thread,Abeg make we hear word

somehow:
Another assumption, if common Serbia could beat us 2:0, what makes you think Spain wouldn't have done a 10:0 to that yesterday's squad?

Call any team at this WC 'common' at your own peril.

See how ordinary friendly just triggered the panic button on this thread..

Everyone turning to pundits overnight...

Well thank God y'all opinions doesn't change any damn thing...

safarigirl:
Long and short is- I get am before no be property.


Joel Obi is the best, Joel Obi is Mikel Standard, Joel Obi is a midfield maestro. How far Joel Obi now? Nothing


So, if Joel Obi came back and was below par, what guarantees do we have that the likes of Martins and Aluko will not be trash as well? We cannot be citing games from three to six years ago to call up anybody. Especially people who have gone down in their club career.


Let everybody just hold their peace on this thread. We already know our first XI at this point, so, make we dey monitor them and pray they are all fit come June. That is the team we will play in Wembley come June.


Anybody else outside the usual guys that always get invited, we no wan hear. At least with the likes of Ebuehi, Awaziem and co, we know which formation they would be best in, we cannot comman start finding good formation for any new faces mbok.

No mind them....Martins and aluko is not better than any player in super eagles right now,Martins has past his best

somehow:
Another assumption, if common Serbia could beat us 2:0, what makes you think Spain wouldn't have done a 10:0 to that yesterday's squad?

common Serbia abi?

Now, Serbia is common. Please, where is common Serbia in FIFA ranking and where is your uncommon Nigeria? Abi you think you and Serbia are mates because you qualify for World Cup and dem no qualify?



Is it not this same Argentina that we won 4-2? That means, nothing is special about them and we are probably even better than them.


I can assure you, this Nigerian team can never be beaten by 6 goals by any team, not even Germany or Brazil, talk less Spain.

Mujtahida:

This are not excuses. That boy was not fit. Didn't you see him wince in pain at one point, didn't you see how gingerly his movement was?

Sir no coach used unfit player for a match.

Balogun Leon failed late fitness test and what happened,replaced by Awaziem ASAP.

Ebuehi was fully fit for him to pass fitness test and played 90 minutes,but had average game.

OK Sir,wll you pick Ebuehi as our best RB with his performance against Serbia