ChrisKels:


If you are pissed, u hang urself

I said it was joke calling u an unknown entity and that it was a joke calling for Rohr's sack before our first match. I never said it was a joke calling Rohr inept.


Prove me wrong or face ur palm

TheGoodJoe:



Watch the first shot Nacho had and watch his movement to the ball. As long as you have an attacker with movement, the midfield has chances. Ighalo did not offer that all game. Also, Ighalo was too lazy to press all game, causing Mikel to aid in the pressing.

I hammered on this before. If Mikel has to do the pressing, you have a problem. Mikel was all over the pitch working hard and that can not be a description of poor performance. Simple we were not mobile enough and that was basically what nullified us.

So why were we not mobile.

Simple.

Shehu and Ighalo.

Mickael2:



wait oh, so Ighalo was supposed to press the entire back four alone? So Mikel does not have to press even though he is the second most advanced player as per Messi or something? I think it was in the beginning of the second half when we actually created a chance for Ighalo did you not see his brilliant movement to get onto the wrong side of his marker? if not for that brilliant block he would have scored. There was a time Ighalo had the ball on the byline but Iwobi was too slow to get into the box, that summed up what was happening. Ighalo played upfront alone because Moses was busy showing off his skills in a wide area

TheSuperNerd:


Alright, now I knew you were never gonna leave... When I saw that comment of yours, I had a reply in mind to save you putting yourself in such position but I decided to keep mute.... But now... Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.... Mehn that lawyer GF of yours have truly taught you some tricks from the law book abi... I hail ooooo... Looooolllll...

TheGoodJoe:



Most of the problems the Croats caused us was after clever build up plays. That gave them enough time to attack from Shehu's wing. With pressure from our striker, the build-up plays of the Croats would have been less organized.

Rohr instructing Mikel to help press is because he know Ighalo lacks the capability. If some of you want us to continue that way, feel free.

pelezico:
The real problem is that Ighalo is not very good and Mikel should not be playing as an attacking midfield player. The teams formation did not lend itself to an attacking formation at all. The zone system we played meant that Nigeria did not pick up players when defending but allowed them room to pass the ball at ease. No one Nigeria player tried to change things up in midfield. We lack leaders or players who are willing to put themselves on the line.

This world cup looks alot like when that Swedish guy managed us. Its history repeating itself again.

AIG07:
When your full backs are poor and clueless.,there is nothing your wingers can do.

Shehu a full back that can not open up space to receive pass for crossing is that one a fullback?

Bascovanveli and Goldfish80, you guys are not honest with the truth. Shehu was below par. Even Idowu though not phenomenal improved on his game.

Why did you think Modric kept playing those long balls to his side. They knew Shehu was not just it.
He was caught out of position so many times. Not a single cross from him.

In short he was Echiejile on the right.

TheGoodJoe:


When Iheanacho was on the pitch, Mikel reduced his pressing duties and Iheanacho carried most of the load. It was until Nacho came on we had the keeper under pressure to disturb their build-up plays which was a big part of their game.

I repeat, when Mikel has to do a lot of pressing when you have a striker on the field, you have a problem. Heck, repeatedly, Mikel was ahead of Ighalo pressing. That already spelt doom for us.

I did not say Ighalo was stationary but not mobile enough to cause the Croats problems.

AIG07:
This is the second time you are using this word. Sir, you need to stop it. It is deleterious. So kindly put it down and desist from using it again.

Oasis007:




LMAO! Didn't you see To-Let written boldly on your Door?! The Management of this Thread has already marked your Room as a vacant One.

We are hoping you gonna do the needful and pack out in time. There are too many homeless Members of the Thread (ghost Readers) that are eager to move in.

Mickael2:



why are you always twisting facts? So Musa was not pressing? it was only Nacho doing all the pressing? At one point you are blaming Ighalo for not pressing alone yet you want us to believe that Nacho was pressing alone when Musa was also pressing like MAD? brother, did Moses ever press? What Mikel was doing would you call that pressing? Play Ighalo with Musa and know if they won't press just as much, even better. I mean if Ighalo presses the GK and he passes the ball to the defender and nobody is pressing the defender what happens? We lose one player

Mujtahida:
I don read am. You wriggle your way out. Good one Bro.

Mickael2:



why are you always twisting facts? So Musa was not pressing? it was only Nacho doing all the pressing? At one point you are blaming Ighalo for not pressing alone yet you want us to believe that Nacho was pressing alone when Musa was also pressing like MAD? brother, did Moses ever press? What Mikel was doing would you call that pressing? Play Ighalo with Musa and know if they won't press just as much, even better. I mean if Ighalo presses the GK and he passes the ball to the defender and nobody is pressing the defender what happens? We lose one player

Mickael2:



why are you always twisting facts? So Musa was not pressing? it was only Nacho doing all the pressing? At one point you are blaming Ighalo for not pressing alone yet you want us to believe that Nacho was pressing alone when Musa was also pressing like MAD? brother, did Moses ever press? What Mikel was doing would you call that pressing? Play Ighalo with Musa and know if they won't press just as much, even better. I mean if Ighalo presses the GK and he passes the ball to the defender and nobody is pressing the defender what happens? We lose one player

ChrisKels:


Lol Oasis so u long wanted me outta this hood huh? Dont worry, I will leave some day but until that day, let's keep the the ship sailing

TheGoodJoe:


How many times was Musa ahead of Nacho pressing? Did you see Musa ahead of Nacho pressing the central defenders? Keep in mind, I said Nacho carried the bulk of the load. In the case of Ighalo we are talking of Mikel carrying a heavy chunk of the load.

Note also, Ighalo had a sufficient amount of time with Musa on the pitch but Mikel still had that burden to help with the pressing. With Nacho, Mikel lacked that responsibility.

Gerrit?

TheGoodJoe:

When you have Mikel doing your pressing, you have a problem.
Finito.

ChrisKels:


Lol Oasis so u long wanted me outta this hood huh? Dont worry, I will leave some day but until that day, let's keep the the ship sailing

Mickael2:



should we blame Ighalo or the coach

TheSuperNerd:


Looooolllll.... Just change the channel my good man... Hahahaahahahahaha.... Indeed it is painful shaa...




This is me when I see any channel that will wanna put me through the torture of watching a game we lost so annoyingly...

I go be like.... "Waka dia... Lol..." **picks up remote and changes the channel** Finito!!

TheGoodJoe:


Throughout Ighalo was on the field, how many times did you see Ighalo go to press the Goalkeeper to pull out the ball early? In the few minutes Nacho was upfront, it was repeated. When Simy came on, it stopped.

We have no striker for now that offers that in the team. So Nacho deserves the nod to spearhead our attack or we suffer from build-up plays from the back of our oppositions.

Finito.

kellycute:
Rohr aka white Onigbinde will never learn from this. He is still going to stick to that loser formation Cos he is clueless and stupid. I almost smashed my tv because of that short Neanderthal coach with his archaic method of coaching. Na coconut water full his brain. I’m so gutted right now. If he like let him stick to same line up and formation, ashawo coach kobo kobo, charge n paid coach with no iota of sense. Oshuo!!! Infact ogun ah gbera gbi izuen!. Nonsense!!

I am going to bring out my Kung-fu shoes the next time someone says White Onigbinde.

TheGoodJoe:



Most of the problems the Croats caused us was after clever build up plays. That gave them enough time to attack from Shehu's wing. With pressure from our striker, the build-up plays of the Croats would have been less organized.

Rohr instructing Mikel to help press is because he know Ighalo lacks the capability. If some of you want us to continue that way, feel free.

TheGoodJoe:


Not Ighalo in any way but the coaching. The balance is wrong. We are still disorganized.

Mickael2:


I give up, you win.

Iheanacho is the messiah we have been waiting for.
Finito

Mickael2:



That's not what matters now but how the team will move forward, they are representing Nigeria anyways. But there are some issues here

First of all Mikel was poor, very very poor. There was only one reasonable chance that Mikel created, the one he gave to Nacho which Nacho should have dropped back for him because Mikel was in a better position yet he choose to shoot, looking for the glory for himself. Mikel dispossessed Modric by the corner flag and he just passed the ball to Subasic, is that a chance created? Mikel was supposed to do a 1-2 with Moses but passed the ball far ahead of Moses and there was no way Moses was going to get that ball so he dived, is that a chance created? Modric was easily the best player on the pitch followed by Rakitic why? Whenever Modric had the ball no Nigerian player bothered to press him, and that was supposed to be the work of Mikel and since nobody was pressuring him he had enough time to pick his passes precisely. In fact from the 52-78 minutes Modric was not dispossessed even once because nobody dared to mark him. Even when Rakitic also dropped into Modrics role towards the end of the game nobody was marking him either. Mikel was bad, let us not hide that fact but to me he remains our best bet in the AMF role, there is no assurance that Iwobi would have done better.


All the blames on Shehu are all pointless. Two seasons ago at Barca, Alba was very very poor because he was playing on the same wing with Neymar but last season he was a totally different beast. When you play on the same wing with a player who likes to dribble so much, you as a fullback will be reluctant to attack knowing fully well that any mistake and you would be out of position badly and that was what clearly restricted Shehu. There were times when Moses had better options yet he choose to beat his man, after seeing that will you still want to attack knowing fully well that the person you are living behind is Perisic, a quick winger? Also, the lack of press on Modric by Mikel was easily the reason why Perisic kept on receiving accurate long balls but instead of blaming Mikel we blame Shehu? The young guy contained Perisic which nobody can really guarantee that Ebuehi could have done especially since we were a goal down and the onus would have been on Ebuehi to attack leaving gaps for Perisic. Cut Shehu some slack, he was not bad today. not outstanding but absolutely solid.


we really need to tell our GK that there is a difference between winning and losing. even when we were losing it took him hours to get the ball back in play allowing the Croatians to regroup and easily counter our long balls.


this one is going to create serious controversy but I wasn't overly impressed with Etebo. too many back passes, just too many. too much ball hogging, just too much. he pressed well, won the ball back well but did absolutely nothing with it except the driving runs that he made once or twice which all happened in the middle of the pitch which really didn't matter. Now peeps want him to play as the 10 after that performance against Algeria and SA in that role? that should not happen any time soon. Ndidi was anonymous in this match, he was not the deepest midfielder so I would have guessed that it was his work to carry the ball forward which he absolutely did not do all game long.

Mickael2:


so why are you sounding as if Nacho upfront would have made any difference?

goldfish80:


Your analysis is very apt and totally spot on. It's unbelievable, at this age people are still sentimental and defensive of their favourite players.

Fact is that Ndidi and Mikel were piss poor in ball circulation. I lost count how many times Ndidi passed the ball straight to an opponent.
I think Rohrs plan was to contain the Croats and hope for something to drop, while the Baltics played it safe and didn't try to force anything, knowing that Nigeria will self implode at some point, especially from dead balls and corner kicks.

The problem with our tactics is that Rohr had no contingency plan if his team went a goal down. Because it's a different ball game matching the Croats, which he set up to team to do than trying to force the opening when you are a goal behind.

Again, back to Mikel, do you know it took until the 2nd half before we had a shot at goal? A tame shot for that matter.The fanatics here made us believe the absence of Mikel against Poland and Serbia was the reason why we hardly had a shot at goal in those games.Being the most advanced midfielder, what was his job, if not to create chances?

BascoVanVeli:


No one player can press a defense even if na Kante and Firmino in one body.