Nigeria will win group D

[waka-man]

It’s that time. My tournament prediction for Nigeria:

We will win Group D.

I wasn’t sure until yesterday. Now, I’m pretty confident. At least as confident as I was when making us favourites for the ANC in 2013
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=229801&hilit=Favourites

Although not quite as confident when I predicted our easy qualification for Russia
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=274293&p=5105812&hi ... e#p5105812

Here’s the facts:
This is a tough and unpredictable group. Every one will take points off everyone.

An aging Messi will not be able to cover for what is an unsettled and inflexible argentine squad. Their qualification problems were not a fluke. This is a team far to reliant on Messi, forcing good players to fit around him and not building a solid base in defence. They will loose to Croatia and may struggle to beat Iceland. Facing us will be a must win game for them, contrary to everyone’s expectation. That will not be bad for us.

If Messi is aging, the entire squad of Croatia is aging. They’ll be tidy and in control of the midfield in all the games, but they will struggle with the pace and be perfect fodder for our pace and strength. And while I don’t think we need to win this game, I think the longer it goes on, the more we’ll come into it. If we don’t concede in the first half, we should have enough to beat them.

Which will certainly throw the cats among the pigeons.

Iceland will be the determining factor in this group. Yes, they will be limited, but man they’ll be unorganised and crucially, unambitious. That’ll drive Argentina nuts and put them at risk. Where we’ll have an advantage is a better physical presence than both Argentina and Croatia and I see us getting the result we need against Iceland.

In summary, expect an incredibly tight group, less influence from Messi than we’ve come to expect and the group being won with 5 points.

And for us to be that team with 5 points.

[niyi]

Please include past references to your failed predictions too.

[okuns]

I am not as confident after watching yesterday's match... I am quite worried about Rohr's selection and whether he will have the cajones to bench unfit players based on facts and not sentiments ala Robbynice... For your prediction to remotely have a chance of coming to fruition, several decisions has to be made: Omeruo has to start over Balagon, Iwobi can never be assigned to play on the flanks, Onazi has to be permanently benched, Ebuehi needs to start at RB. Also, if Joel Obi was unfit as Rohr said, and he believes he could play himself back into fitness, then I will prefer him partner Ndidi. Or Etebo. John Ogu is too slow, but he has the ball handling skills to offset his deficiency.

In essence, what I am saying is that we will be pressed early and often and we need players that can break the press quite easily. Currently watching the Brazil/Croatia match and in the first have they pressed Brazil with 5 players. That is what we will see in Russia... But the key is in Rohr's hands and honestly, I am not sure he will organize hus that way to break the press. He might organize us to withstand it. but breaking it is of most importance.

[waka-man]

Please include past references to your failed predictions too.

I would. But there aren’t any

[waka-man]

I am not as confident after watching yesterday's match... I am quite worried about Rohr's selection and whether he will have the cajones to bench unfit players based on facts and not sentiments ala Robbynice... For your prediction to remotely have a chance of coming to fruition, several decisions has to be made: Omeruo has to start over Balagon, Iwobi can never be assigned to play on the flanks, Onazi has to be permanently benched, Ebuehi needs to start at RB. Also, if Joel Obi was unfit as Rohr said, and he believes he could play himself back into fitness, then I will prefer him partner Ndidi. Or Etebo. John Ogu is too slow, but he has the ball handling skills to offset his deficiency.

In essence, what I am saying is that we will be pressed early and often and we need players that can break the press quite easily. Currently watching the Brazil/Croatia match and in the first have they pressed Brazil with 5 players. That is what we will see in Russia... But the key is in Rohr's hands and honestly, I am not sure he will organize hus that way to break the press. He might organize us to withstand it. but breaking it is of most importance.

I agree with just about everything you’ve said

[Al B Sure]

[zee]

Please include past references to your failed predictions too.

I would. But there aren’t any

[Lolly]

We will need a miracle to top the group but I see us qualifying from the group behind Croatia.

[9jaMan]

I am not as confident after watching yesterday's match... I am quite worried about Rohr's selection and whether he will have the cajones to bench unfit players based on facts and not sentiments ala Robbynice... For your prediction to remotely have a chance of coming to fruition, several decisions has to be made: Omeruo has to start over Balagon, Iwobi can never be assigned to play on the flanks, Onazi has to be permanently benched, Ebuehi needs to start at RB. Also, if Joel Obi was unfit as Rohr said, and he believes he could play himself back into fitness, then I will prefer him partner Ndidi. Or Etebo. John Ogu is too slow, but he has the ball handling skills to offset his deficiency.

In essence, what I am saying is that we will be pressed early and often and we need players that can break the press quite easily. Currently watching the Brazil/Croatia match and in the first have they pressed Brazil with 5 players. That is what we will see in Russia... But the key is in Rohr's hands and honestly, I am not sure he will organize hus that way to break the press. He might organize us to withstand it. but breaking it is of most importance.

Balogun starts if SE is to have a chance, everything else you wrote makes sense

[Bigpokey24]

Maybe in 2022 worldcup..you people are delusional

[waka-man]

Maybe in 2022 worldcup..you people are delusional

You say that every time. Maybe time to start being analytical instead of emotional about it

[Sir V]

The smarter team will win on the day.

[truetalk]

Maybe in 2022 worldcup..you people are delusional

You say that every time. Maybe time to start being analytical instead of emotional about it

Funny that Wakaman & I have stood in the minority regarding the 2013 CAN & the 2018 WC qualification.
For the 2013 CAN, my only caveat was that Onazi starts over Ogude in the QF match that was making all of you afraid, and for the WCQ, I knew it was going to be a breeze and said so here (I panicked after Ikeme went down, but did not change my stance).

Once again, I agree with Wakaman, but with 2 Caveats.

1) Eldersen Echiejile does not go anywhere near the SE starting lineup, or come in as a substitute. He will cost us if he does.

2) Uzoho cannot cost us. I am his biggest fan & probably the 1st to mention him on the forum to counter the ridiculous invitation of Alampasu. I also felt that he could come off his line a bit more if necessary, but in the last 2 games, he committed a clear penalty against DRC, and while Sterling was already going down in anticipation of contact, Uzoho DID make contact, and some refs could have called that. In the WC, that could be a penalty, a red card and more tragically, the prospect of Karishika being one of 2 GK options left for the Eagles in a WC game.

3) Ndidi is fit (not as important as the 1st 2, but I'll just add it as jara)

Outside of these 2 events, we will have a good

[Robotnik]

This is an example of hoping against all hope

[Ugbowo]

I agree with you but I actually think we finish second to Croatia.

I see Argentina coming into the final game against us with 1 point and leaving the WC with 2 points.

[truetalk]

Maybe in 2022 worldcup..you people are delusional

You dis fear fear boy!

Don't worry other players will make up for your hero's laziness (He has been good since 2016, but you can make a case for him costing us the game against England)

I'm passing through Texas on my way to Russia. Maybe I'll just come and slap the fear out of you. I'll be on the lookout for a fat 6'5 guy at Walmart.

[The YeyeMan]

I also felt that he could come off his line a bit more

Yes, he is VERY hesitant.

[truetalk]

This is an example of hoping against all hope

CE never changes. I remember the threads before the CIV game in 2013.

The biggest enemy and limitation of Nigeria has always been Nigeria. For the first time there have been no off field issues with the Eagles (even in 2013, NFF had checked the team out of the hotel on the CIV QF date). There are only about 3 wastepipes on the team (with none likely to play).

You want to give a Nigerian team 2 weeks to focus and prepare, and you think we will be underdogs.

Like I have said here several times, but for off field issues, we had the team (some may want to say players) to get to the Semi Finals of every World Cup since 1994. And that includes the 2006 WC that we did not qualify for. The only exception to this was maybe 1998, but if Kanu & Amokachi did not ruin the team with politics & allowed deserving players like Ohenhen & Akpoborie on that team, we may have even survived Denmark (no getting past Brazil in those quarters though, even with a fit Shorunmu and Shakpoke)

[maceo4]

This is an example of hoping against all hope

CE never changes. I remember the threads before the CIV game in 2013.

The biggest enemy and limitation of Nigeria has always been Nigeria. For the first time there have been no off field issues with the Eagles (even in 2013, NFF had checked the team out of the hotel on the CIV QF date). There are only about 3 wastepipes on the team (with none likely to play).

You want to give a Nigerian team 2 weeks to focus and prepare, and you think we will be underdogs.

Like I have said here several times, but for off field issues, we had the team (some may want to say players) to get to the Semi Finals of every World Cup since 1994. And that includes the 2006 WC that we did not qualify for. The only exception to this was maybe 1998, but if Kanu & Amokachi did not ruin the team with politics & allowed deserving players like Ohenhen & Akpoborie on that team, we may have even survived Denmark (no getting past Brazil in those quarters though, even with a fit Shorunmu and Shakpoke)

Why are you going back to 2013 ANC? Since then we've missed 2 ANCs, did you guys also predict that?

[niyi]

This is an example of hoping against all hope

CE never changes. I remember the threads before the CIV game in 2013.

The biggest enemy and limitation of Nigeria has always been Nigeria. For the first time there have been no off field issues with the Eagles (even in 2013, NFF had checked the team out of the hotel on the CIV QF date). There are only about 3 wastepipes on the team (with none likely to play).

You want to give a Nigerian team 2 weeks to focus and prepare, and you think we will be underdogs.

Like I have said here several times, but for off field issues, we had the team (some may want to say players) to get to the Semi Finals of every World Cup since 1994. And that includes the 2006 WC that we did not qualify for. The only exception to this was maybe 1998, but if Kanu & Amokachi did not ruin the team with politics & allowed deserving players like Ohenhen & Akpoborie on that team, we may have even survived Denmark (no getting past Brazil in those quarters though, even with a fit Shorunmu and Shakpoke)

Why are you going back to 2013 ANC? Since then we've missed 2 ANCs, did you guys also predict that?

I'm guessing they'll claim their silence was a prediction.

[marko]

Sorry group D open, if Onazi starts any game, we will be lucky to get a draw

[joao]

Great observations waka-man.
One thing many fail to recognize is that Naija is very unpredictable, and right when every
d#$% and Harry start writing the country off on anything- 'GBAM' - surprise!!!
It's not going to be easy, but I predict we make the round of 16, at least.

[Tobi17]

Maybe in 2022 worldcup..you people are delusional

You dis fear fear boy!

Don't worry other players will make up for your hero's laziness (He has been good since 2016, but you can make a case for him costing us the game against England)

I'm passing through Texas on my way to Russia. Maybe I'll just come and slap the fear out of you. I'll be on the lookout for a fat 6'5 guy at Walmart.