Am I the only one believing we will still top the group?

[Ayo Akinfe]

[1] Maybe I am in a minority of one here but that is me. Everything points to Nigeria being highly favoured to top the group from what I can gather

[2] Argentina have to go for broke, so will pour forward in search of goals, leaving themselves very vulnerable on the counter attack

[3] Argentina's midfield and defence is similar to that of Brazil in 2014, so I see nothing preventing us from putting four or five past them if we want to

[4] Croatia has already said they will rest players against Iceland, so I can see the Vikings winning that match

[5] If Iceland beat Croatia and we beat Argentina, both us and the Croats will end up with six points

[6] Now, we have a goal difference of 0 and Croatia have a goal difference of +5. This means that if we beat Argentina 5-0 and Croatia lose 0-1, we top the group on goals difference

[7] Can someone please tell me why this is not feasible? I see Argentina crumbling after the first goal goes in. They will have to then attack like crazy, leaving themselves open to long balls from Kenenth Omeruo and Mikel Obi

[8] Nobody has also explained how the Argentines will deal with the pace of Ebuehi, Moses, Musa and Iwobi

[9] With their porous midfield, I am also scratching my head trying to figure out how Argentina will cope with the Mikel-Ndidi-Etebo combionation

[10] It looks like an early goal will decide our fate in this group. If we score early, I can see us going four up by half time

[Rawlings]

Yes,you are the only one
Naija is at the end of the road.

[Shownoja]

Very unlikely, though I agree the key is having a go at them early, and hammering them with goals They will certainly capitulate if we score first. The part of your hypothesis that won't happen is an Iceland victory. A second string Croatia will beat them or at the very least draw.

[waka-man]

It was always my prediction, but e go hard.

We won't beat Argentina 5-0.
For all their problems, they'll play for pride.

And for all our strengths, we can't yet dominate teams.
I do predict a small win for us: 1-0, 2-1 or something like that.

But I also think Croatia will get a point against Iceland.

Alas, our mistakes in the first game have proved costly.

[Orion]

[6] Now, we have a goal difference of 0 and Croatia have a goal difference of +5. This means that if we beat Argentina 5-0 and Croatia lose 0-1, we top the group on goals difference

You're the master troll of this forum now.

[Odas]

Before the beginning of the tournament, I had no doubt we will BEAT Croatia and top the group, but after we shot ourselves on the foot and lost to Croatia, topping the group has become realistically impossible.

Thus Chief Ago, I think you are on your own in this one because there is no way we will BEAT Argentina by five goals. The ONLY possibility of our topping the group is if Argentina and Croatia, both loses their games by three goals, then we will be on top; however, I don't see how such will happen.

[Ayo Akinfe]

Yes,you are the only one
Naija is at the end of the road.

Eh yaa, DNQ can be really painful. Why did you not apply to the Russian authorities to allow you open a kenkey stall at the World Cup though? You could have wrapped the stall up in Ghana's flag and that way, you could claim you were present at the tournament too.

[Odas]

Yes,you are the only one
Naija is at the end of the road.

What do you mean, Professor Rawings?

[Cmoke]

Hopeful but very unlikely scenario.

We know we will likely qualify with a draw or narrow win. So once we score, expect our boys to defend, slow the game down and rely on fast counter attacks.

Topping the group carries not that much premium because all surviving teams will be good! Match up is the key.

If we take a lead late into the second half, I expect him to bring Ogu to help secure our victory !

We need to score first!

No yeye setpieces given away or taken.

Cmoke

[Odas]

It was always my prediction, but e go hard.

We won't beat Argentina 5-0.
For all their problems, they'll play for pride.

And for all our strengths, we can't yet dominate teams.
I do predict a small win for us: 1-0, 2-1 or something like that.

But I also think Croatia will get a point against Iceland.

Alas, our mistakes in the first game have proved costly.

... more than costly. The mistakes by the coaching crew and by the players were monumental

[Ipe Grams]

Hopeful but very unlikely scenario.

We know we will likely qualify with a draw or narrow win. So once we score, expect our boys to defend, slow the game down and rely on fast counter attacks.

Topping the group carries not that much premium because all surviving teams will be good! Match up is the key.

If we take a lead late into the second half, I expect him to bring Ogu to help secure our victory !

We need to score first!

No yeye setpieces given away or taken.

Cmoke

Am more concern with Argentina dirty play and hope none of our boys get red carded and the ref giving free kicks and penalties and frustrating us.

[seunt]

Yes, you're on your own.

[Tbite]

We don't need to beat Argentina 5-0.

Topping the Group implies that Croatia will lose. A Croatian loss means their GD will diminish.

They will then not be +5. They will be +4, +3, +2, +1 etc.

A 2-0 loss for Croatia, means a 4-0 win will see us top the group. 3-0 will not be good enough, because we would have the same GD, and because of H2H. I.e. Points between the teams concerned. We woukd also not be ahead on goals scored.

A 3-0 loss for Croatia means a 3-0 win will see us though. This will not go to H2H, due to GD.

Argentina's GK and defense is terrible, it would really not be earth shattering if we put 3 or 4 goals past them.

The clearest path for Nigeria to top the group is to bridge the deficit with -2 goals on one end and +4 on the other, or -3 on one end and +3 on the other. -1 for example means we need to score 5, not 4! (We cannot be tied with Croatia), we have to be ahead of them in something.

Either GD or be tied in GD but ahead in goals scored.

[Tbite]

but Iceland do not have more than 2 goals in them.

Which means Croatia's deficit goes to +3 at best, which means we have to score no fewer than 4 goals. 4-1 would be fine, that ties the GD and means we would have scored more goals than Croatia.

The only realistic scoreline (based on each team's odds) in both matches that sees Nigeria top the group IMO is Iceland to win 2-0 and Nigeria to win 4-1.

[Ayo Akinfe]

but Iceland do not have more than 2 goals in them.

Which means Croatia's deficit goes to +3 at best, which means we have to score no fewer than 4 goals. 4-1 would be fine, that ties the GD and means we would have scored more goals than Croatia.

The only realistic scoreline (based on each team's odds) in both matches that sees Nigeria top the group IMO is Iceland to win 2-0 and Nigeria to win 4-1.

You mean 4-0?

[Tbite]

but Iceland do not have more than 2 goals in them.

Which means Croatia's deficit goes to +3 at best, which means we have to score no fewer than 4 goals. 4-1 would be fine, that ties the GD and means we would have scored more goals than Croatia.

The only realistic scoreline (based on each team's odds) in both matches that sees Nigeria top the group IMO is Iceland to win 2-0 and Nigeria to win 4-1.

You mean 4-0?

4-0 and 4-1 are fine. Both bridge the GD, both see us score more than Croatia...so no H2H

Either are +4, +3 respectively. Croatia would be on+3. The first option 4-0 sees us top the group due to sheer GD, the second sees us tie the GD and go ahead due to goals scored.

The tie breaker is

1) Points
2) GD
3) Goals Scored
4) H2H
5) Can't remember off the top of my head, but believe infractions.

[marko]

This sounds like a wet dream but anything is possible if we score early

[pajimoh]

Topping the group is difficult but not an impossibility. We could finish anywhere from 1st to 4th. My prayer is we qualify from this group

[Ayo Akinfe]

but Iceland do not have more than 2 goals in them.

Which means Croatia's deficit goes to +3 at best, which means we have to score no fewer than 4 goals. 4-1 would be fine, that ties the GD and means we would have scored more goals than Croatia.

The only realistic scoreline (based on each team's odds) in both matches that sees Nigeria top the group IMO is Iceland to win 2-0 and Nigeria to win 4-1.

You mean 4-0?

4-0 and 4-1 are fine. Both bridge the GD, both see us score more than Croatia...so no H2H

Either are +4, +3 respectively. Croatia would be on+3. The first option 4-0 sees us top the group due to sheer GD, the second sees us tie the GD and go ahead due to goals scored.

The tie breaker is

1) Points
2) GD
3) Goals Scored
4) H2H
5) Can't remember off the top of my head, but believe infractions.

I do not think Iceland can score than two goals in a match. they are not set up to score, so we will have to do most of the bridging ourselves.

[Eaglezbeak]

Yes,you are the only one
Naija is at the end of the road.

Why are you still here?

[tfco]

YES


5 games sweet o
DNA no good o

[anikulapo]

[Kabalega]

[1] Maybe I am in a minority of one here but that is me. Everything points to Nigeria being highly favoured to top the group from what I can gather

[2] Argentina have to go for broke, so will pour forward in search of goals, leaving themselves very vulnerable on the counter attack

[3] Argentina's midfield and defence is similar to that of Brazil in 2014, so I see nothing preventing us from putting four or five past them if we want to

[4] Croatia has already said they will rest players against Iceland, so I can see the Vikings winning that match

[5] If Iceland beat Croatia and we beat Argentina, both us and the Croats will end up with six points

[6] Now, we have a goal difference of 0 and Croatia have a goal difference of +5. This means that if we beat Argentina 5-0 and Croatia lose 0-1, we top the group on goals difference

[7] Can someone please tell me why this is not feasible? I see Argentina crumbling after the first goal goes in. They will have to then attack like crazy, leaving themselves open to long balls from Kenenth Omeruo and Mikel Obi

[8] Nobody has also explained how the Argentines will deal with the pace of Ebuehi, Moses, Musa and Iwobi

[9] With their porous midfield, I am also scratching my head trying to figure out how Argentina will cope with the Mikel-Ndidi-Etebo combionation

[10] It looks like an early goal will decide our fate in this group. If we score early, I can see us going four up by half time