Curtisaxel7:
Mikel should've started that game ahead of Etebo.

Etebo is just a combative box to box hard tackling midfielder. No finesse, no passing abilities, no game control abilities, nothing. Service to our forwards was virtually non existent, courtesy of a dead midfield. Sadly, Mikel who should've been at the heart of the midfield was played out of position a couple of times and then condemned to the bench.

Rohr needs to learn, you don't win a game with tackles alone.

I don't understand the way some of us reason. Yet we come here to say all sorts of things against Rohr.

Are you sure you read through the bolded before you posted it?

It is very obvious some of us here only analyze in hindsight. Why didn't you make this recommendation before the Algeria game?

Curtisaxel7:
Balogun should've started that game ahead of that Ekong. Ekong and Omeruo are horrible ball passers, they are only good for tackles and nothing else. Balogun brings that finesse and flair to the defence and in a game where Rohr intended to use his usual strategy of long passes from the CB's to the forwards, Balogun should've been the natural choice. I wonder how a coach can condemn a his best defender to the bench because of a single howler. That was just stupid of Rohr.

forgiveness:


Exactly! But I would had brought in Aina for Awaziem first to see if he could had helped free Chukwueze and gotten him pace to ran at the defenders before switching to that formation peradventure it didn't work.

The problem was, Rohr didn't have plan B.

You are a goal down in a game and your proposed tactical change is to pull out Awaziem to bring in Aina. O di egwu.

BascoVanVeli:


Stop changing my words I said you don't like the player nothing was mentioned about hate. Nobody asked you to make a call for anybody. Someone else made the call and you were acting like the person was crazy.

Shehu has had more good games than bad. In fact I can't name a bad game he has had apart from maybe the Argentina friendly. All you people said "Shehu never goes forward but Awaziem played basically the same way and you are like what a great player so disciplined.

The only game I remembered Shehu did well was the match he won man of the match. The rest na wack.

I agree Shehu and Awaziem play the same way though Awaziem has an edge with his good passes but they are still in the same category. Both are not good enough for the RB position.

Icon4s:


You a goal down in a game and your proposed tactical change is to pull out Awaziem to bring in Aina. O di egwu.

Even after we equalised and Awaziem got a yellow card, Rohr should have changed him. Na common sense na.

forgiveness:


Rohr should have changed the formation to 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 if he read the match and wanted to destabilise the Algerians plot.

If he went for a 4-4-2 who should he have pulled out and who should have come in to partner Ighalo?

forgiveness:


Even after we equalised and Awaziem got a yellow card, Rohr should have changed him. Na common sense na.

Was he our only player that picked a yellow in that game? Why should it be Awaziem that should be substituted?

Curtisaxel7:
Balogun should've started that game ahead of that Ekong. Ekong and Omeruo are horrible ball passers, they are only good for tackles and nothing else. Balogun brings that finesse and flair to the defence and in a game where Rohr intended to use his usual strategy of long passes from the CB's to the forwards, Balogun should've been the natural choice. I wonder how a coach can condemn a his best defender to the bench because of a single howler. That was just stupid of Rohr.

I will have to agree with you on this.

forgiveness:



The only game I remembered Shehu did well was the match he won man of the match. The rest na wack.

I agree Shehu and Awaziem play the same way though Awaziem has an edge with his good passes but they are still in the same category. Both are not good enough for the RB position.

So which players are ''good enough'' for the RB?

forgiveness:


I will have to agree with you on this.

You agree that Balogun should have started the Algeria game ahead of Ekong?
Forget about the Algeria game (because we are analyzing the situation before the game was played), rate the two players' performances up to the SA game.

Icon4s:


I don't understand the way some of us reason. Yet we come here to say all sorts of things against Rohr.

Are you sure you read through the bolded before you posted it?

It is very obvious some of us here only analyze in hindsight. Why didn't you make this recommendation before the Algeria game?

Wrong. I have always screamed and shouted for Mikel to be played at CM. Even when I saw the match list I criticized Rohr for his inflexibility.

So it's not a hindsight thing. It was clear since the first game of this tourney that Etebo is never a creator and it was costing us heavily as the team was finding it extremely difficult moving the ball from defence to attack. We all know this, it's not hidden knowledge.

Curtisaxel7:
Mikel should've started that game ahead of Etebo.

Etebo is just a combative box to box hard tackling midfielder. No finesse, no passing abilities, no game control abilities, nothing. Service to our forwards was virtually non existent, courtesy of a dead midfield. Sadly, Mikel who should've been at the heart of the midfield was played out of position a couple of times and then condemned to the bench.

Rohr needs to learn, you don't win a game with tackles alone.

Talk like this is disgusting. Mikel over Etebo. Current Mikel?

What are you even saying.

Etebo has been the most reliable SE player this Afcon. Chai

Curtisaxel7:


Wrong. I have always screamed and shouted for Mikel to be played at CM. Even when I saw the match list I criticized Rohr for his inflexibility.

So it's not a hindsight thing. It was clear since the first game of this tourney that Etebo is never a creator and it was costing us heavily as the team was finding it extremely difficult moving the ball from defence to attack. We all know this, it's not hidden knowledge.

Sorry bro. I don't think you have been watching this AFCON.

forgiveness:


That goalkeeper coach never gave other goalkeepers chance to prove themselves for 3 years. Even Alampasu was conspicuously denied the opportunity to show himself despite being the second or third choice goalkeeper for years.

I don't want to say what I noticed in that goalkeeper trainer. Let me end it here.

I remember calling for Alampasu to be invited to at least train with the team.Some goons here said he is not getting playing time. What we don't know is that there are ways clubs and countries benefit from each other concerning a certain player.

daveP:



Talk like this is disgusting. Mikel over Etebo. Current Mikel?

What are you even saying.

Etebo has been the most reliable SE player this Afcon. Chai

some people's analysis can be so shocking!

We were just tactically overwhelmed. Thats all. Stop looking for errors in players that took us this far into semis to use as excuse.

The fright of Mahrez is why we need prioritize freekick specialists in SE.

Icon4s:


You agree that Balogun should have started the Algeria game ahead of Ekong?
Forget about the Algeria game (because we are analyzing the situation before the game was played), rate the two players' performances up to the SA game.

Did you watch the friendly against Zimbabwe? Balogun was an absolute beast in that game, I remember an occasion when he was isolated in defence and marked by two Zimbabwean attackers but he somehow managed to not only beat them but still make a meaningful forward pass at the end of it to trigger a rapturous applause from the fans.

Omeruo and Ekong in such a situation will panic and kick the ball into the sidelines. That is the quality Balogun brings to the table. The Madagascar game was an off day for him, it happens even to the best players. You can't judge a player's quality by the achievements or mistakes of a single game.

Icon4s:


Was he our only player that picked a yellow in that game? Why should it be Awaziem that should be substituted?

Awaziem did nothing to free Chukwueze. He left him to deal with the Algerian LB on his own.

I expected Awaziem to support him upfront but he lack the pace to run up and down the flank and lacked the experience of a RB.

Besides, Awaziem was the only Nigerian player that got a yellow card. The Algerian pressed his wings often in that game.

However, the plan B is if Chukwueze didn't get the space after the introduction of Aina, we can easily switch to 3-5-2.

TheGoodJoe:


The point is time. Amunike was in the group of death and what played out was expected before the whistle was blown in the tournament.

It will take time to turn mediocres like Tanzania to compete in such unfavourable group. Rohr on the other hand had a plethora of quality players but chose to set up in a mediocre way.

I am okay with losing while teaching the team to play in an offensive brand but I find it ridiculous playing conservative for results because in the end, the team is not growing. Our best chance to get a good grade coach who understands the possessive philosophy and can impact that knowledge lies with Amunike. Someone who has trained and worked with some of the masters.

If you still want conservative footie, good for you. As for me, the philosophy comes first and with time, the result. Rohr does not have the philosophy.

Bros Amuneke is like a brother to me, not even a friend. Yet, I will not recommend him for the Eagles job.

His team played the worst football in this AFCON. I know Emma very well and his coaching philosophy and he totally lost control after the first half in their first game against Senegal. He came back with his Plan B and it was obvious they spent more time on his plan A. His team never clicked till the final whistle of their last group game.

He is grossly an inexperienced coach.

Icon4s:


some people's analysis can be so shocking!

Me,i just refused to discuss the game with anyone since that fk spinned in. But some talk i see here ehn. Chai.



Suddenly someone is saying Jamilu is crap, in here? Another person is saying Shehu offers nothing. Nawa o.


Only 2 players has consistent blame as each game went by. Not cos of delivery, but cos of decision making in the final 3rd in crucial situations..... Our 9, Ighalo. He is the top scorer and i love that. Lemme not start sef. Also Akpeyi, our wall were so scared for baba, sotey Onyekuru has to lie down incase fk was taken low. The foul itself was cos of the fear that Akpeyi would ef up if clear shot angle was given.


Our guys know he is minus 1. No doubt.

Icon4s:


If he went for a 4-4-2 who should he have pulled out and who should have come in to partner Ighalo?

Honestly, I would have preferred a 3-5-2 formation.

Musa will partner Ighalo if we are to use 2 strikers.

Icon4s:


So which players are ''good enough'' for the RB?

In this tournament or generally?

Curtisaxel7:


Did you watch the friendly against Zimbabwe? Balogun was an absolute beast in that game, I remember an occasion when he was isolated in defence and marked by two Zimbabwean attackers but he somehow managed to not only beat them but still make a meaningful forward pass at the end of it to trigger a rapturous applause from the fans.



Omeruo and Ekong in such a situation will panic and kick the ball into the sidelines. That is the quality Balogun brings to the table. The Madagascar game was an off day for him, it happens even to the best players. You can't judge a player's quality by the achievements or mistakes of a single game.

We are talking about the AFCON you are talking about one friendly we played against Zimbabwe.
Do you know what is called tournament form? Sorry, Balogun, just like Mikel did not have it in this AFCON. Forget about previous competitions.

At the semi-final stage players are fielded based on how they had performed up till that moment in the tournament.

forgiveness:


In this tournament or generally?

You should decide, because the comment came from you.

mostob:
I remember calling for Alampasu to be invited to at least train with the team.Some goons here said he is not getting playing time. What we don't know is that there are ways clubs and countries benefit from each other concerning a certain player.

Akpeyi, Ezenwa and Uzoho are all bench warmers. But the goons here will not tell you that.

Well, e don happen and everybody eyes don clear.

forgiveness:


Honestly, I would have preferred a 3-5-2 formation.

Musa will partner Ighalo if we are to use 2 strikers.

You would prefer 3-5-2 from the start of the game or as a tactical switch to salvage the situation in the game?

Icon4s:


You should decide, because the comment came from you.

Of course, Aina and Ebuehi are better than Shehu and Awaziem in the RB position.

Icon4s:


You would prefer 3-5-2 from the start of the game or as a tactical switch to salvage the situation in the game?

As a plan B from the start of the game.

Icon4s:


Sorry bro. I don't think you have been watching this AFCON.

Has Mikel played a single game as a CM in this tourney?. How then can you rate a player's performance when he is played out of position?.

As far as I am concerned, Rohr is responsible for Mikel's poor show at this AFCON. It is clear even to the blind since the Croatia game at the WC that Mikel is no longer a no. 10. Yet Rohr insisted on playing him there and then dumping him on the bench for "not performing". What was he expecting?. How would Etebo perform if played as a CF or goalkeeper?.

The last game Mikel played as a CM for us was in his man-of-the-match performance against Zimbabwe. I strongly suggest you go rewatch that game to fully appreciate the quality of Mikel in his natural position. See the beautiful quick one-two passes with Iwobi. See the brilliant ball controls. See the midfield organization. See the flair. See the finesse. See the beauty. If not for the heavy rain and perhaps Onuachu, we would've put at least 3 goals into the Zimbabwean net.

Mikel as a CM was our key to beautiful football at this AFCON, but trust Rohr, the chief carpenter, to pick one of his co-tradesmen .

Icon4s:


Sorry bro. I don't think you have been watching this AFCON.

Why take Mikel Obi to the tournament if he can't find a way to use him?

I am not saying he should have started Mikel oooo.

andrew444:


Lol UZOHO?

Isnt it major knowledge that a half fit uzoho is better than the current akpeyi aka fraidycat?

That freekick cannot pass Uzoho and defenders need not protect uzoho or worry about his positioning during setpieces.


Overall uzoho organizes his wall instead of stand directly behind it.

forgiveness:


Awaziem did nothing to free Chukwueze. He left him to deal with the Algerian LB on his own.

I expected Awaziem to support him upfront but he lack the pace to run up and down the flank and lacked the experience of a RB.

Besides, Awaziem was the only Nigerian player that got a yellow card. The Algerian pressed his wings often in that game.

However, the plan B is if Chukwueze didn't get the space after the introduction of Aina, we can easily switch to 3-5-2.

Firstly, the primary duty of a defender is to defend. Did you also consider whether Chukwueze also did enough to support Awaziem? Look you played Algeria who are the best attacking team in this tournament.

A full back should be more engaged in checking the advancement of the opposing wingers than adventuring forward. Chukwueze not living up to expectations in that game cannot be attributed to Awaziem. The Algerians just pocketed him. Simple. SA did not know how lethal Chukwueze was. His introduction into that game was the joker Rohr used to beat SA.