Cybereagles

vancity eagle wrote:That last goal was pure class by the way and showed that he is high on confidence.

I told people that we do not have a more complete striker than Ighalo. People can also see now how valuable "hold up play" is when you have a creative midfield and wingers who are on the same page.

There is a reason why Didier Drogba is one of the greatest strikers ever, and it is because of his hold up play.

France would not have won the WC without Giroud's excellent hold up play, which allowed them to bypass midfield whenever they felt like it. France were out-possessed by almost all the teams they faced at that WC, but still beat them silly.

BTW Giroud did not score a single goal.

I believe more has to be said about the 4-2-3-1 strategy and how it is deployed in considering Ighalo's efficacy. Where the attacking middle 3 join up with Ighalo, he gives good end result. But where he is left remotely on his own and the rest retreat deep, his day ends miserably. Yesterday, he got good support.

I particularly liked his winning goal. Rather than risk his shot being blocked, he sold the dummy successfully and applied his cool finish.

Happy for him. He has always been a streaky player though

The man was even receiving death threats to himself and his family and contemplated retiring.

So happy for the lad.

Goldleaf wrote:I believe more has to be said about the 4-2-3-1 strategy and how it is deployed in considering Ighalo's efficacy. Where the attacking middle 3 join up with Ighalo, he gives good end result. But where he is left remotely on his own and the rest retreat deep, his day ends miserably. Yesterday, he got good support.

I particularly liked his winning goal. Rather than risk his shot being blocked, he sold the dummy successfully and applied his cool finish.

Some countries would kill to have an Ighalo in their line up, but here we are in two minds and not dancing Azonto. Nigeria has ever higher expectations and so it should be.

I'm not sure I'd ever describe Ighalo as a natural finisher, as he tends to labour hard to finish what others would devour almost with their eyes closed. But he is the best we have for now.
However, there are young guns knocking at the door like I Success for instance, who I believe began his career as a natural poacher. Though I'm not sure they haven't coached those instincts out of him already.

Thierry Henri began life as a winger before Wenger turned him into a deadly striker - the 'fox in the box' - and I believe that is exactly what we need.
For me, I believe Success has the potential to become that fox.

The higher the team's performance level, the higher the demands on every piece that fits into that team. So an Ighalo will be expected to meet the level of performance the likes of Iwobi, Ndidi are beginning to demonstrate, otherwise he will be seen as bringing down the overall quality of play. That's what draws the mindless abuse and only works to undermine a player's confidence.

So in a way it is good that we expect more from him - "or else".
If we had no potential replacements on the horizon, endlessly lashing him would be totally pointless. No point lamenting that Etebo doesn't play like Iniesta, or that Nigeria "doesn't play like Brazil", when you know we're nowhere near that level yet.

You can only give and expect what you have.

I'm glad for Ighalo. As one of those who have criticized him, I'm impressed with his mental strength to bounce back after a long string of less-than-average performances. Even moreso, he did it after death threats to him and his family following the rather woeful World cup outing. Now, we have to put a couple of things in perspective. His performance improved because stubborn and conservative Rohr finally used a creative midfielder in Iwobi that could provide intelligent passes, and also balanced it with the trickery and pace of Kalu and Musa from the wings which essentially opened up the defence. But then, this is just Libya-the poorest of the North African teams(surely well below Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria). A great performance against South Africa next month will signal the full rebirth of Ighalo.

pajimoh wrote:3 goals in 25 and now 6 goals in 3 games. Looks like he should have been criticised a long time ago. Criticism works

the difference having confidence does to a player. Scoring gingered him...

pajimoh wrote:

Damunk wrote:I am happy for him (and us) and give him all due credit. He has virtually single-handedly qualified us for AFCON 2019.

But I have to be honest, I am not really convinced that he is "the real deal" we seek.
I pray to be wrong, but this might turn out to be a "purple patch" as oyibo man dey talk am.

Purple patches are well recognised in football

purple patch
phrase
If someone, especially a sports player or team, goes through a purple patch, they are very successful or lucky for a period.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dicti ... rple-patch

What I don't get is people like Robby, Wale et al who are acting like it was wrong to criticise him because he's now scored 6 goals in 3 games? If you can praise him for doing such then why can't you criticise him for zero goals in 7 games and 3 in 25?

Stop trying to understand Robby. He hasn't had anything new to say since 2003!

Obong wrote:I'm glad for Ighalo. As one of those who have criticized him, I'm impressed with his mental strength to bounce back after a long string of less-than-average performances. Even moreso, he did it after death threats to him and his family following the rather woeful World cup outing. Now, we have to put a couple of things in perspective. His performance improved because stubborn and conservative Rohr finally used a creative midfielder in Iwobi that could provide intelligent passes, and also balanced it with the trickery and pace of Kalu and Musa from the wings which essentially opened up the defence. But then, this is just Libya-the poorest of the North African teams(surely well below Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria). A great performance against South Africa next month will signal the full rebirth of Ighalo.

Remember what we said about a year ago about Mikel: he had essentially bullied his way into claiming the no 10 role. In so doing he was probably fulfilling his career-long yearning for a more advanced, creative role he started off with as a young player.
Problem was, he no longer had the legs, or the lungs. Plus he'd been in the defensive or holding role for far too long, thanks to Mourinho.

So no-one really had the liver to take that role away from him, not Iwobi, not even Rohr. Na big boy.
Many even argued he was doing a great job, but I for one was never really convinced.

Now Iwobi seems to have come of age, Mikel should just sit further back. He is guaranteed quality and we still need him in that midfield. But he should please leave the creativity to Iwobi abeg.

vancity eagle wrote:

Babalawo wrote:He sucked phat balls at the W.C so he has a lot of apologizing to do with goals.

He did not "suck" at the WC and he has never "sucked"

Our team actually sucks at creating chances. That was until something changed against Seychelles now we look a completely different side.

I put it to you that it is Iwobi at the AM position that is the only difference in Ighalo's fortune. I said over a year ago that Iwobi is our AM, and people were talking about Kelechi Nwakali that cannot even play in any first division.

He got his chances vs Argentina and failed miserably. He sucked. I'm liking his current form though.

The jury is still out on misses Ighalo. But kudos to him for dealing with the Ghadaffi boys.
Nevertheless, before I render an apology, I will like to see him score against a formidable opponent. Scoring freely against Libya is like PaJ doing a freestyle rap in Ijebu. Too easy.....

Synopsis wrote:

vancity eagle wrote:

Babalawo wrote:He sucked phat balls at the W.C so he has a lot of apologizing to do with goals.

He did not "suck" at the WC and he has never "sucked"

Our team actually sucks at creating chances. That was until something changed against Seychelles now we look a completely different side.

I put it to you that it is Iwobi at the AM position that is the only difference in Ighalo's fortune. I said over a year ago that Iwobi is our AM, and people were talking about Kelechi Nwakali that cannot even play in any first division.

He got his chances vs Argentina and failed miserably. He sucked. I'm liking his current form though.

He got one chance against Argentina. In fact that was the only good chance he had all worldcup that he was guilty of missing.

If your lead striker gets one good chance in 3 matches, and that chance WASN'T EVEN DIRECTLY CREATED BY YOUR ATTACKERS. Then your team has serious problems that really cannot simply be blamed on Ighalo.

The coach, the wingers, the strikers, and the midfield are all to blame for the serious lack of created chances. Not just Ighalo.

Ekorian wrote:The jury is still out on misses Ighalo. But kudos to him for dealing with the Ghadaffi boys.
Nevertheless, before I render an apology, I will like to see him score against a formidable opponent. Scoring freely against Libya is like PaJ doing a freestyle rap in Ijebu. Too easy.....

and who was scoring freely when we played the likes of

Tanzania
Chad
Swaziland
Sudan
fake Congo
Kenya
Malawi
Namibia

Nigeria has played plenty of "small teams" over the years and still had a serious problem scoring goals.


When was the last time any Nigerian player scored a hattrick and then followed it up with a brace in the next match.

Please tell me When ?

The truth is that Nigeria has never been this free scoring and never have we had such a good record in Africa. You would likely have to go back to the 94 days to see anything similar.

Damunk wrote:I am happy for him (and us) and give him all due credit. He has virtually single-handedly qualified us for AFCON 2019.

But I have to be honest, I am not really convinced that he is "the real deal" we seek.
I pray to be wrong, but this might turn out to be a "purple patch" as oyibo man dey talk am.

Purple patches are well recognised in football

purple patch
phrase
If someone, especially a sports player or team, goes through a purple patch, they are very successful or lucky for a period.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dicti ... rple-patch

Ighalo and Musa are the most maligned SE players and to be honest they've failed enough to have been kicked to the kerb by now IF we had better replacements. These guys are only still around because the new young players are not delivering. If the likes of Nacho, Iwobi, Simon Moses, and all the other new "prospects" that were looked at in the last 2 years were scoring goals and winning games for us, Ighalo and Musa would be long gone. If you try a new player and he performs worse than the player you had before, you’re forced to go back. So, it's all nice and good to criticize them but we should also ask, do we have better replacements who are actually delivering with goals?

Ighalo aint no real deal. Don't deceive yourselves. He's average at best

Orion wrote:

Damunk wrote:I am happy for him (and us) and give him all due credit. He has virtually single-handedly qualified us for AFCON 2019.

But I have to be honest, I am not really convinced that he is "the real deal" we seek.
I pray to be wrong, but this might turn out to be a "purple patch" as oyibo man dey talk am.

Purple patches are well recognised in football

purple patch
phrase
If someone, especially a sports player or team, goes through a purple patch, they are very successful or lucky for a period.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dicti ... rple-patch

Ighalo and Musa are the most maligned SE players and to be honest they've failed enough to have been kicked to the kerb by now IF we had better replacements. These guys are only still around because the new young players are not delivering. If the likes of Nacho, Iwobi, Simon Moses, and all the other new "prospects" that were looked at in the last 2 years were scoring goals and winning games for us, Ighalo and Musa would be long gone. If you try a new player and he performs worse than the player you had before, you’re forced to go back. So, it's all nice and good to criticize them but we should also ask, do we have better replacements who are actually delivering with goals?

Simple answer: No.

Damunk wrote:

Orion wrote:

Damunk wrote:I am happy for him (and us) and give him all due credit. He has virtually single-handedly qualified us for AFCON 2019.

But I have to be honest, I am not really convinced that he is "the real deal" we seek.
I pray to be wrong, but this might turn out to be a "purple patch" as oyibo man dey talk am.

Purple patches are well recognised in football

purple patch
phrase
If someone, especially a sports player or team, goes through a purple patch, they are very successful or lucky for a period.
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dicti ... rple-patch

Ighalo and Musa are the most maligned SE players and to be honest they've failed enough to have been kicked to the kerb by now IF we had better replacements. These guys are only still around because the new young players are not delivering. If the likes of Nacho, Iwobi, Simon Moses, and all the other new "prospects" that were looked at in the last 2 years were scoring goals and winning games for us, Ighalo and Musa would be long gone. If you try a new player and he performs worse than the player you had before, you’re forced to go back. So, it's all nice and good to criticize them but we should also ask, do we have better replacements who are actually delivering with goals?

Simple answer: No.

Tho is not fact. Better than Ighalo might B someone who doesn't even have Ighalo's profile but would be a better fit for the team. The fact of the matter is we've settled for Ighalo in our minds and waiting for a prolific Nigerian striker in Europe to show up. We've not taken Tim to give other people a decent try.
We keep telling ourselves Ighalo is the best right now

PahJ,

Who is better than Ighalo? No one is even close in my book.

Musa long gone? You must be a fool forking tribalistic angel*

airwolex wrote:PahJ,

Who is better than Ighalo? No one is even close in my book.

we dey wait for the answer, all the top leagues in Europe, still not a single better option , but dem still dey yap and yap away

de, still dey wait to look for better options in Europe, whereas the two players scoring like say tomorrow no dey, dem they play for Asia. one for China and the other for SAudi the joke is the clueless SE fans shouting ..

fishward6 wrote:Please join me in apologizing to Ighalo he has shown today he is the real deal. Head never dropped the concentration was there for 93 mins and if his teammates had passed to him more we would have had another hat trick if not more!!!

I never did or said anything that warrants an apology towards the young man to start with,in the game of football just as in life you may have bad very days and miss chances to be great but that doesn’t mean it’s over as long as you’re breathing you can keep going even if you end up playing for South End Utd!