NIGERIA V CROATIA 0-2 (match thread) - Links/Lineup

[ANC]

I want to see a Nigerian team next game - win or lose. Not this impotent trifle. I know our natural game is prone to defensive lapses, but at least we will show more fight than was ever on show tonight. Croatia are better man for man. In that case go in with some Naija roforofo.

With players who played formative soccer years in Germany and Russia?

[Rogermilla]

First time I have ever watched a SE game and fell asleep. This game was so boring and I could not believe this is Nigeria I was watching. What happened to Kelechi? That attack needs him. Ighalo was very disappointing

[Cellular]

Someone said Rohr is a bit like Berti. I can see similarities. Pedantic not proactive. For one, he has never taken a team to the World Cup. He has reached his level. Never thought I'd say this. Rohr thinks Nigeria should be satisfied to be at the WC but Nigeria is ambitious. We have gone beyond the group stages.

Never thought I'd say this. Rohr should be sacked after this World Cup. We need a coach either from Nigeria or someone with more tactical Nuance.

Only a Nigerian coach will give us a result at any WC..................it's b/c of that Nigerian mentality that 'RATIONAL' Europeans can and will never understand.
Rohr like all 'RATIONAL' Germans came into this match believing that we should lose against a team with players from Barca, RM, Juve etc. For Rohr it is the 'RATIONAL' result...........................but a Keshi will expect and motivate his team to take the fight to the opponents while reminding them that NAMES don't win matches.

Rohr is just like Winfred Schäfer.............................Textbook and 'ORDERLY' German coaches.

[bepanda]

Africa continues to embarrass at the WC. Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria 0 goals scored. 4 goals conceded.
Senegal and Tunisia ... hopes. hopes hopes ...

[joao]

Nna, all the experts full ground o. But them no wan apply for coaching job.

[ANC]

First time I have ever watched a SE game and fell asleep. This game was so boring and I could not believe this is Nigeria I was watching. What happened to Kelechi? That attack needs him. Ighalo was very disappointing

The German is a fraud. He took out Iwobi for Musa, WTF?

[Mister Dolly]

Iheanacho is at least a proven scorer at the Premiership level. He has pace and some guile and must start the next game ahead of Ighalo.

This will be my starting line up versus Iceland in a 4-5-1 formation.

Uzoho

Shehu
Balogun
Ekong
Idowu

Moses
Ndidi
Iwobi
Etebo
Musa

Iheanacho

Game over. The SE were undone largely by set pieces. Hopefully lessons learnt. On to the next game.

MD....u be my guy, but please tell me......where will the goals come from?

[ohsee]

You all can hyperventilate all evening....we lost to a better team period. They were better than us in every aspect of the game, that we came off with only 2 goals for me was a surprise because they have a team that can do us 4 without breaking a sweat. How many did Denmark do our so called JJ and the so called great team for? 4 goals under 30mins.

We conceded two avoidable goals and if Moses was a Croatian he would have gotten a penalty from that obnoxious ref. Yes that was a penalty but I want someone to swear Ekong was the first person in this world cup to wrap his hands against his opponent.

Its not that we lost that's painful, it the way we played and likely play the same way in the next 2 matches. Even Peru today played much better and still lost.
Moses was the one tripping himself at most time and they were not penalties at all.

Rohr's stubbornness showed again.

You see a team that showed you early how they want to play you. Go to a 352... you are wasting Iwobi on the flanks. You have played multiple games without a decent shot on goal playing 442.

Good thing is that if (and it is a big if) they can get a win against Iceland they are back in this tourney.

Ogbuefi, I don't expect us to win a single game. I did not expect us to win this one, and we certainly won't win against Iceland. Against Argentina, Messi will use us to show why he should still be considered for the GOAT. It's not good right now.

Our team is full of journeymen. That is not necessarily a bad thing if the journeymen can be induced to play organized and intelligent football. We don't do either.

[bret- hart]

Iheanacho is at least a proven scorer at the Premiership level. He has pace and some guile and must start the next game ahead of Ighalo.

This will be my starting line up versus Iceland in a 4-5-1 formation.

Uzoho

Shehu
Balogun
Ekong
Idowu

Moses
Ndidi
Iwobi
Etebo
Musa

Iheanacho

Game over. The SE were undone largely by set pieces. Hopefully lessons learnt. On to the next game.

MD....u be my guy, but please tell me......where will the goals come from?

Shehu ke???

[Oguleftie]

First time I have ever watched a SE game and fell asleep. This game was so boring and I could not believe this is Nigeria I was watching. What happened to Kelechi? That attack needs him. Ighalo was very disappointing

The German is a fraud. He took out Iwobi for Musa, WTF?

That was a clueless substitution. Iwobi & Iheanacho know each other well & combine well together.

[mate]

Thanks for the match guys. I was riveted and always fearing a sudden surge by Nigeria.

Don’t get down. This is our best team since 1998. Yours is very young and inexperienced. Yet we have full respect and played cautiously.

I’m hoping Croatia and Nigeria both advance. Dream big.

[Mister Dolly]

He struggled early due to nerves which is normal playing at this level. I don't have a problem having Ebuehi start ahead of him but this is the line up I want to see.

Iheanacho is at least a proven scorer at the Premiership level. He has pace and some guile and must start the next game ahead of Ighalo.

This will be my starting line up versus Iceland in a 4-5-1 formation.

Uzoho

Shehu
Balogun
Ekong
Idowu

Moses
Ndidi
Iwobi
Etebo
Musa

Iheanacho

Game over. The SE were undone largely by set pieces. Hopefully lessons learnt. On to the next game.

MD....u be my guy, but please tell me......where will the goals come from?

Shehu ke???

[Mister Dolly]

Nice one mate

Thanks for the match guys. I was riveted and always fearing a sudden surge by Nigeria.

Don’t get down. This is our best team since 1998. Yours is very young and inexperienced. Yet we have full respect and played cautiously.

I’m hoping Croatia and Nigeria both advance. Dream big.

[K]

Someone said Rohr is a bit like Berti. I can see similarities. Pedantic not proactive. For one, he has never taken a team to the World Cup. He has reached his level. Never thought I'd say this. Rohr thinks Nigeria should be satisfied to be at the WC but Nigeria is ambitious. We have gone beyond the group stages.

Never thought I'd say this. Rohr should be sacked after this World Cup. We need a coach either from Nigeria or someone with more tactical Nuance.

Rohr kept harping on a team for 2022 and about being realistic because we are ranked 47. I thought he was playing mind games, but it's clear he believed in that crap. Rohr doesn't understand the Naija can-do spirit and for that reason alone he should be fired.

[Oguleftie]

Nice one mate

Thanks for the match guys. I was riveted and always fearing a sudden surge by Nigeria.

Don’t get down. This is our best team since 1998. Yours is very young and inexperienced. Yet we have full respect and played cautiously.

I’m hoping Croatia and Nigeria both advance. Dream big.

This is not the team that should be selected to go the Russia.

[zee]

You all can hyperventilate all evening....we lost to a better team period. They were better than us in every aspect of the game, that we came off with only 2 goals for me was a surprise because they have a team that can do us 4 without breaking a sweat. How many did Denmark do our so called JJ and the so called great team for? 4 goals under 30mins.

We conceded two avoidable goals and if Moses was a Croatian he would have gotten a penalty from that obnoxious ref. Yes that was a penalty but I want someone to swear Ekong was the first person in this world cup to wrap his hands against his opponent.

Its not that we lost that's painful, it the way we played and likely play the same way in the next 2 matches. Even Peru today played much better and still lost.
Moses was the one tripping himself at most time and they were not penalties at all.

Rohr's stubbornness showed again.

You see a team that showed you early how they want to play you. Go to a 352... you are wasting Iwobi on the flanks. You have played multiple games without a decent shot on goal playing 442.

Good thing is that if (and it is a big if) they can get a win against Iceland they are back in this tourney.

Ogbuefi, I don't expect us to win a single game. I did not expect us to win this one, and we certainly won't win against Iceland. Against Argentina, Messi will use us to show why he should still be considered for the GOAT. It's not good right now.

Our team is full of journeymen. That is not necessarily a bad thing if the journeymen can be induced to play organized and intelligent football. We don't do either.

Oga Ohsee..........The great Keshi used worst Journeymen to get almost to the q/finals.
Africans can NEVER beat Europeans at their SYSTEM...........our only chance is our unpredictability.
German coaches believe in 'RATIONAL' football laws, meaning that better players(trained in european system) will always win against normal players..............................
That's why the Germans call their 1954 WC win against Hungary(with better players) ............................. THE WONDER IN BERN.

[Oguleftie]

This is not the team that should be selected to go the Russia.

[DIMKA76]

You all can hyperventilate all evening....we lost to a better team period. They were better than us in every aspect of the game, that we came off with only 2 goals for me was a surprise because they have a team that can do us 4 without breaking a sweat. How many did Denmark do our so called JJ and the so called great team for? 4 goals under 30mins.

We conceded two avoidable goals and if Moses was a Croatian he would have gotten a penalty from that obnoxious ref. Yes that was a penalty but I want someone to swear Ekong was the first person in this world cup to wrap his hands against his opponent.

Its not that we lost that's painful, it the way we played and likely play the same way in the next 2 matches. Even Peru today played much better and still lost.
Moses was the one tripping himself at most time and they were not penalties at all.

This is what a number of forumites have alluded to, Rohr has tried to coach the impulsive, expressive and hence unpredictability out of our team. I say we go back to Siasia or Oliseh and his Dutch assistant with the same level of organisation and support that we have seen of the current NFF. Is it any surprise Rohr left out players like Nwakali, Onyekuru (sp) and other flair players?

[Dr. Sabinus Okoro Phd]

Iheanacho is at least a proven scorer at the Premiership level. He has pace and some guile and must start the next game ahead of Ighalo.

This will be my starting line up versus Iceland in a 4-5-1 formation.

Uzoho

Shehu
Balogun
Ekong
Idowu

Moses
Ndidi
Iwobi
Etebo
Musa

Iheanacho

Game over. The SE were undone largely by set pieces. Hopefully lessons learnt. On to the next game.

MD....u be my guy, but please tell me......where will the goals come from?

Get ready to cry again with a line up like this.

[marko]

Might be too late for Nigeria, we cannot defend for 90 minutes and thats why we will not qualify

[Cellular]

Thanks for the match guys. I was riveted and always fearing a sudden surge by Nigeria.

Don’t get down. This is our best team since 1998. Yours is very young and inexperienced. Yet we have full respect and played cautiously.

I’m hoping Croatia and Nigeria both advance. Dream big.

Congrats Mate.

You guys played way too cautiously.

I along with other fans saw it early... our coach decides to keep playing the same way.

We were lucky we didn't score early or else you guys would have attacked and would have seen you would have carved us up any time you wanted with quick passing.

The better team won not because they had better players... they were just the better team.

[Cellular]

You all can hyperventilate all evening....we lost to a better team period. They were better than us in every aspect of the game, that we came off with only 2 goals for me was a surprise because they have a team that can do us 4 without breaking a sweat. How many did Denmark do our so called JJ and the so called great team for? 4 goals under 30mins.

We conceded two avoidable goals and if Moses was a Croatian he would have gotten a penalty from that obnoxious ref. Yes that was a penalty but I want someone to swear Ekong was the first person in this world cup to wrap his hands against his opponent.

Its not that we lost that's painful, it the way we played and likely play the same way in the next 2 matches. Even Peru today played much better and still lost.
Moses was the one tripping himself at most time and they were not penalties at all.

Rohr's stubbornness showed again.

You see a team that showed you early how they want to play you. Go to a 352... you are wasting Iwobi on the flanks. You have played multiple games without a decent shot on goal playing 442.

Good thing is that if (and it is a big if) they can get a win against Iceland they are back in this tourney.

Ogbuefi, I don't expect us to win a single game. I did not expect us to win this one, and we certainly won't win against Iceland. Against Argentina, Messi will use us to show why he should still be considered for the GOAT. It's not good right now.

Our team is full of journeymen. That is not necessarily a bad thing if the journeymen can be induced to play organized and intelligent football. We don't do either.

Dede, it is not the players that made us lose. We weren't lined up right. And we couldn't adjust once we saw that these guys were going to play a very cautious game against us. The tactics and strategy even made me not harp on the player error that led to the goals.

Don't know if we went in trying to play for a draw...

But we not once exposed their deficiencies.

[Ebyboy]

I am with Zee........ Our team played with the ‘belief’ of our
coach. No motivation. No ambition.