Icon4s:


Going into that game, Croatia were the favorites considering the quality they have especially in the midfield.

I was expecting us to be on the back foot for most of the game and thriving on counters but we wrestled the midfield with them.

We didn't create too many chances but Uzoho didn't really make point blank saves either.

We were just unlucky with the own goal. That ball was not goal bound. Etebo's right foot deflected it in.

I expect us to give a better performance against Iceland.

Though Mikel didn't bring his A game but he didnt play as badly as peeps here make it seem. On people blaming Rohr for playing him in the AM position is it not the same player that played the position all through the qualifiers and was hailed by all? He has done well repeatedly in that position so it was a no brainer for Rohr to start him there.

TheSuperNerd:
Mikel that was seen pressing high up the pitch for most of the first half?

He only tired out in the second after that second goal went in... He stayed deep and Etebo was beginning to bomb forward with his driving runs.

No no no... Mikel did enough. Part of the problem was this... Whenever Mikel supported Ighalo with the high press there was no one on the right hand channel to connect with both Mikel and Ighalo to cut out more passing lanes of the Croatians' build up from the back. It was always Mikel and Ighalo pressing high up.... This is because Moses was doing a great Job covering for Shehu.

Now Mikel and Ighalo kinda needed a Victor moses to connect centrally but he was not because he was trying to work his own magic down the right channel... Victor didn't play close enough to the box some tines and this kinda disjointed the flow from our midfield to attack on that side of the pitch. And this should not have happened had Iwobi stepped up to the plate and provided that missing link.

Ighalo played highest up the pitch... Followed by Mikel who some times was seen falling back to help build up plays in that first half. Mikel and his midfield lieutenants actually matched the Croatians in midfield.. You cannot dent that fact despite the loss. It is just that Alex Iwobi was not in his usual A Form of drifting centrally to effortlessly help Mikel and Ighalo upfront with Moses doing his things on the wings.

So trying to blame Mikel just because it seems nobody is talking about him is not right. It is not like we are scared to call him out.. It is actually just that Mikel did enough. I recall a fine pass he created through the middle for Moses which was blown away because Moses was looking for a PK. Sad.

edi287:

Mikel is also guilty of lacking Mobility. Iwobi I'd better driving in...that's what we need.
Let Mikel dictate from deep

Martz101:


they get your self out of Nairaland, you can't control who quotes you

TheSuperNerd:
Rohr had the balls to bench Onazi abi and start Etebo and we saw it justified!

Now let him take it a bit further to bench Ighalo and Shehu. It is a no brainer. What Ighalo failed to do all game, Iheanacho came in and brought some life into that attack having a half chance shot taken and even created for a chance for Musa. We looked more dangerous with Iheanacho after his intro and also with Musa.

As for Shehu, that lad is scared to cross and to open up as an outlet for more attacking plays. Ebuehi trumps him all round. Shehu dulled us on the right going forward even though he did make a few defensive clearances. We need to he more adventurous and daring and sadly Shehu is not! Ebuehi should come in.

How can we have more than two occasions on which an overlap and cross in from Shehu would have caused mayhem in the Croatian box only for Shehu to act all timid when Moses wants him to open up and he chooses to turn and pass backwards. It is criminal. He should be benched. His dullness is the reason Moses was always covering for him too and playing too deep down that right. Moses could not link up as he wants with Mikel upfront and Ighalo further up because of Shehu. Frustrating!


Rohr must be brave and start our very best. Enough of accomodating "players because they played the WCQs bla bla bla."

This is the time for Mad Action with the very best we have. For once we actually had a better bench than what we had on field and Rohr didn't react well enough. Sad. We must do it right against Iceland from the word go because that game ehn..... That is the realest war of them all.

obaaderemi:
Will it not be possible to start Iheanacho with Ighalo and put Moses and Iwobi on the wings like we did in USA94 instead of using a lone striker upfront and our wingers dropping back all the time to help in defense?

TheGoodJoe:
By the way, Mikel worked so hard and does not deserve the criticism he is getting. He showed lots of movement to influence the game and was over worked pulling shifts to help press the defenders of Croatia because Ighalo was not capable of doing it.

Truidstar:
what is possible is sending Ighalo back home.

raindodger13:



I agree with you on one thing, that own goal was not Etebo's fault. That was a well executed set piece that was on course to go in whether Etebo's leg was in the way or not. I don't even think Etebo's leg even touched the ball to be honest.

Other then that let's tell ourselves the truth we played bad yesterday. They we're playing area boy football, just passing that ball around and running aimlessly as if the purpose of playing football is not to score a goal. We can't keep coddling these guys. They're grown men that are being paid a fortune.

I know some people won't like what Im about to do but I dont really care. Although its looking very bleak mathematically we still have chance to progress. Croatia is in the driver seat with 3 points but its a 3 way race between us, Iceland and Argentina. If we win our next two games we'll be destined for the round of 16 with 6 points and there will be no way Iceland or Argentina can get over 5 points. It's a tough mountain to climb but it's possible, as long as Nigeria abandons the nonsense they played yesterday.

obaaderemi:
But Ighalo was lonely up there with no chance.

Martz101:


Sir you wanted him on the bench until mikel get tired, me and icon04 was asking you what if he dont get tired, I'm one of the people that always talked about playing him in the number 10 role too

obaaderemi:
But Ighalo was lonely up there with no chance.

Sheuns:
I've always said the best set of players that should be taken for national honors are home based players. Our international players are average and get little or no playing time in their clubs. Imagine leaving Nwakali and Lokosa behind because you feel Mikel, and other mediocre players have experience. People playing in Chinese league that's not even as competitive as our own league. We should bone those foreign players and pick local ones. How can a country of over 180m people not be able to get 23 good and hungry players? Croatia and Iceland have far less population. Those our players are just doing big boy on the pitch, even Ronaldo and Messi didn't stroll aimlessly on the pitch. That Mikel is just a big waste, carry no 10 give defender.

Sheuns:
I've always said the best set of players that should be taken for national honors are home based players. Our international players are average and get little or no playing time in their clubs. Imagine leaving Nwakali and Lokosa behind because you feel Mikel, and other mediocre players have experience. People playing in Chinese league that's not even as competitive as our own league. We should bone those foreign players and pick local ones. How can a country of over 180m people not be able to get 23 good and hungry players? Croatia and Iceland have far less population. Those our players are just doing big boy on the pitch, even Ronaldo and Messi didn't stroll aimlessly on the pitch. That Mikel is just a big waste, carry no 10 give defender.

ChrisKels:


This post got more than 15 likes

Today the moniker dun give am bad name "white onigbinde"

Remember my reply to this post? Yes I said it, u guys were deceiving urselves.

ChrisKels:
If the Eagles lose against the Croatians, I, Chris Josh Kels, will leave this thread never to return again.


My boys are good and I believe they will never disappoint me. Whoever gets selected will prove his mettle. Be it Shehu or Ighalo

#wakanda

Martz101:


what is there to say, iwobi can play in the flanks and the middle, but mikel is there, me and you ealry argument was about keeping iwobi on the bench until mikel is tired.

mind you few months before world cup, everyone including you believe mikel is the best person to play the 10 role, many believe mikel absent was the reason why we lost.

Sir what's you point really??

that iwobi should be kept on the bench?? because you have never believe his better than Mikel in the middle.

Like jay jay rightly said he plays in the wing in arsenal and he mustly drift in playing there, iwobi today didn't do that.

TheGoodJoe:


If it is big boy on the pitch, Mikel was not doing that at all. He worked his socks off. Watch there were times he was exchanging balls with the defence and times he was ahead of Ighalo pressing the opposition defence. That is covering the length of the field.

Sheuns:
I've always said the best set of players that should be taken for national honors are home based players. Our international players are average and get little or no playing time in their clubs. Imagine leaving Nwakali and Lokosa behind because you feel Mikel, and other mediocre players have experience. People playing in Chinese league that's not even as competitive as our own league. We should bone those foreign players and pick local ones. How can a country of over 180m people not be able to get 23 good and hungry players? Croatia and Iceland have far less population. Those our players are just doing big boy on the pitch, even Ronaldo and Messi didn't stroll aimlessly on the pitch. That Mikel is just a big waste, carry no 10 give defender.

ChrisKels:


Dude have you any rope around there? Hang urself if u so hurt

Sheuns:


A number 10 that cannot create chances is that one a 10? I expected Rohr to have made two subs at the beginning of the 2nd half. Bring in Iheanacho to support Ighalo change formation but waited till 60min and did mumu sub. I don't see this team that played yesterday winning any points or scoring a goal. They didn't play like they came to win at all.

Sheuns:


A number 10 that cannot create chances is that one a 10? I expected Rohr to have made two subs at the beginning of the 2nd half. Bring in Iheanacho to support Ighalo change formation but waited till 60min and did mumu sub. I don't see this team that played yesterday winning any points or scoring a goal. They didn't play like they came to win at all.

ChrisKels:


I made this post on the 6th of june and some empty brains were waging war against me but today all them eyes dun clear Lol

TheLoneCitizen:
So I keep saying it, our biggest player is our weakest link. Moses was our most wasteful player, Etebo by far the best of both teams. I remember once saying we should let the older players play what they want and retire; Moses, Mikel would have retired at the next call up.

TheSuperNerd:
And what the hell will a lokosa bring??!! What exactly?

This is very very funny.

K.Nwakali was not even on the list of 30 so he could not even be considered. He is one for the nearest future.

Meanwhile, this is always how most of you guys talk. To you guys, The best players are those not there in Russia, the lokosas and the Nwakalis and co..... in fact you even say the home based players will do better... hahahahahahahahaha.... mehn, you are just being reactionary and emotional and I understand. Just go relax yourself because you obviously don't understand the magnitude of a World cup tournament.

Odunayaw:
You're trying to feel good through the I-Told-You-So cliché? in 2018?

*face palm*

TheSuperNerd:

What of the chance he created after chasing and winning the ball off Modric beautifully?

What of the pass he rolled into Moses' path but Moses chose to fall like a woman instead of making good use of the chance Mikel offered him?

And you say Mikel didn't create chances??!

What was Ighalo doing up there too??! Why was his movement off the ball so below par?

Mikel is not to blame abeg. He worked his socks off Yesterday. That is a fact.

Sheuns:
I've always said the best set of players that should be taken for national honors are home based players. Our international players are average and get little or no playing time in their clubs. Imagine leaving Nwakali and Lokosa behind because you feel Mikel, and other mediocre players have experience. People playing in Chinese league that's not even as competitive as our own league. We should bone those foreign players and pick local ones. How can a country of over 180m people not be able to get 23 good and hungry players? Croatia and Iceland have far less population. Those our players are just doing big boy on the pitch, even Ronaldo and Messi didn't stroll aimlessly on the pitch. That Mikel is just a big waste, carry no 10 give defender.