Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to help?

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Ayo Akinfe
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Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to help?

Post by Ayo Akinfe »

[1] Can I please urge everyone to watch the Argentina game again without the pressure that accompanies watching the game live:

[2] I have watched the game several times and one thing that struck me was the fact that the Argentines pressed up very high

[3] Particularly at the start of the game when the players were full of energy, the Argentines did not let our back three settle on the ball at all. as soon as they tried to play the ball out of the back, the likes of Aguero, Pavon and De Maria were on their backs

[4] On numerous ocassions, Mikel had to drop back to pick up the ball and help play it out

[5] Without Mikel in that role, we would easily have been caught in possession at the back. He provided an outlet that no other player really could offer

[6] Yes, Onazi, Ndidi, Ogu, Agu, Etebe, etc know that when they are playing they have to do this too but none of them has Mikel comfort on the ball, his passing range and his ability to spot out a team mate when he is in possession like that at the back

[7] I also do not think any other of our midfielders can deliver a 50-yard crossfield pass as Mikel does

[8] As things stand, we are simply too dependent on Mikel to make the Super Eagles tick, which is scary. See how Argentina were toothless without Messi

[9] Anyone who watches this match closely will know that the thought of playing Mikel as a playmaker is totally out of the question. We need him in front of the defence to calm things down and bring the ball forward

[10] If we want to lessen this reliance on Mikel, we need two things - a playmaker (You all know I want Kelechi Nwakali) and at least one centreback who can play the ball out of defence. I would like to see Ekong and Awaziem do a bit more of this but I would also like to see Kelvin Akpoguma and Felix Uduokhai tried out. Rohr should intensify his efforts to get at least one of them. Ironically, Kenneth Omeruo is very good at bringing the ball out of defence but alas, he makes too many defensive blunders for comfort.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by mcal »

...him not being at epl and Chelsea is a plus to SE. More energy and focus.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by Ayo Akinfe »

mcal wrote:...him not being at epl and Chelsea is a plus to SE. More energy and focus.

I suspect he may move back to Europe in January though. He appears to be very energetic at the moment. Funny enough, he did not appear this fit when we played Cameroon.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by mystic »

Ayo Akinfe wrote:
mcal wrote:...him not being at epl and Chelsea is a plus to SE. More energy and focus.

I suspect he may move back to Europe in January though. He appears to be very energetic at the moment. Funny enough, he did not appear this fit when we played Cameroon.

He was just returning to fitness after a long injury break against Cameroon. You know this, yet you keep using that game as a reference point with regard to Mikel's ability to go 90 minutes.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by kali »

There are many ways to respond to a press. One is by playing your midfield deeper as Atletico does to recover the ball and then pushing it out from there with a deep counter. Another is to use the wings as the outlet once you recover the ball. Another is to pop it up English style to the midfield or forwards.

Nigeria's defence WAS NOT TRAINED well to react to the Argentina press. Mikel who understood how to handle a press naturally went back to stabilize things. This doesnt mean that the team is dependent on him, it means that Rohr needs to work on his defenders in a high press situation.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by Ayo Akinfe »

kali wrote:There are many ways to respond to a press. One is by playing your midfield deeper as Atletico does to recover the ball and then pushing it out from there with a deep counter. Another is to use the wings as the outlet once you recover the ball. Another is to pop it up English style to the midfield or forwards.

Nigeria's defence WAS NOT TRAINED well to react to the Argentina press. Mikel who understood how to handle a press naturally went back to stabilize things. This doesnt mean that the team is dependent on him, it means that Rohr needs to work on his defenders in a high press situation.
You need to give yourself as many options as possible. Whatever other options there are, we need to keep the option of Mikel being there to drop back and help.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by oyek »

Ejaria is another player i hope we get for the future.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA »

oyek wrote:Ejaria is another player i hope we get for the future.

:roll: :roll: :roll:
OCCUPY NFF!!
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by oyek »

EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA wrote:
oyek wrote:Ejaria is another player i hope we get for the future.

:roll: :roll: :roll:
?
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by Eaglezbeak »

oyek wrote:Ejaria is another player i hope we get for the future.
Why?
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by Ayo Akinfe »

We desperately need Mikel in front of our back four. Playing him further up the pitch will be suicidal!
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by oyek »

Eaglezbeak wrote:
oyek wrote:Ejaria is another player i hope we get for the future.
Why?
He's a box to box midfielder that would be valuable to our midfield. We need to start finding capable replacement for Mikel.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by mapet »

Ayo Akinfe wrote:You all know I want Kelechi Nwakali.
Keep it simple Bro
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by smartbrother »

Once again no need for a new thread to make this point
nothing you have said here hasnt been said before
Unfortunately Mikel is both our best attacking midfielder and our best holding midfielder

As things stand, we have no other holding midfielder in the squad capable of easing pressure on the back four
I noticed this during the first cameroun game and called for Azuibike Okechukwu to be introduced
but he is not on Rohr's radar unfortunately

I agree Mikel should be played deeper (a) because we have NO other Holding midfielder (b) because he gases out playing the AM role after 70 minutes
I disagree with your (typically)hyperbolic view that it would be 'suicidal' not to play him there.
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by Ayo Akinfe »

smartbrother wrote:Once again no need for a new thread to make this point
nothing you have said here hasnt been said before
Unfortunately Mikel is both our best attacking midfielder and our best holding midfielder

As things stand, we have no other holding midfielder in the squad capable of easing pressure on the back four
I noticed this during the first cameroun game and called for Azuibike Okechukwu to be introduced
but he is not on Rohr's radar unfortunately

I agree Mikel should be played deeper (a) because we have NO other Holding midfielder (b) because he gases out playing the AM role after 70 minutes
I disagree with your (typically)hyperbolic view that it would be 'suicidal' not to play him there.
Get used to seeing a thread a day, everyday until the World Cup. That is the spirit upon which nations are built!
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Re: Did anyone else notice Mikel constantly coming back to h

Post by smartbrother »

Ayo Akinfe wrote:
smartbrother wrote:Once again no need for a new thread to make this point
nothing you have said here hasnt been said before
Unfortunately Mikel is both our best attacking midfielder and our best holding midfielder

As things stand, we have no other holding midfielder in the squad capable of easing pressure on the back four
I noticed this during the first cameroun game and called for Azuibike Okechukwu to be introduced
but he is not on Rohr's radar unfortunately

I agree Mikel should be played deeper (a) because we have NO other Holding midfielder (b) because he gases out playing the AM role after 70 minutes
I disagree with your (typically)hyperbolic view that it would be 'suicidal' not to play him there.
Get used to seeing a thread a day, everyday until the World Cup. That is the spirit upon which nations are built!
thankfully i wont be here everyday until the world cup
unlike you i have a job
nations are built on the back of hardworking people with actual jobs
not jobless irritants on the internet

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