Cybereagles

I finally rewatched the game after days of mourning.
There were so many things wrong in that last minute that i didn't know where to begin.
Prior to the foul, a clearance attempt was made by our player ( not sure who) but the ball was kicked to an Algerian player. Was the foul necessary? Why was Onyekuru lying on the floor behind the wall? I've never seen such poor attempt at block incoming free kicks. And contrary to the report here on CE, Akpeyi was well positioned but he moved to his left behind the wall before moving back to the right in an attempt to stop the kick.
Such nuances should be noted by our mercenary coach. After watching the lackluster final yesterday, I still can't get over the agony of the defeat.

Lol I don’t know where that idea to lay down came from but see our boys yabbing Onyekuru here (minute 2:40)

[/video]

Onyekuru was on the floor to stop the ball if kicked low.

...if the ball was kicked low and his laying down blocked it una for dey call am brilliant.
Anyway, Mahrez na pro who plays with pros wey big pass anything we have on SE, so he knows a thing or 2 how to beat unsuspecting minnows.
It's hurting, but I immediately accepted the defeat there than going extra 30 mins and/or pk, then lose.

Synopsis wrote:Onyekuru was on the floor to stop the ball if kicked low.

KPOM

Almost felt like the team was playing for a script- a Nigerian player deemed it smart to foul an Algerian player in a dangerous position just in the death of time, and of course who steps up to take the free kick against a badly positioned wall... Mahrez of all people , sounds about convenient.

Ekorian wrote:I finally rewatched the game after days of mourning.
There were so many things wrong in that last minute that i didn't know where to begin.
Prior to the foul, a clearance attempt was made by our player ( not sure who) but the ball was kicked to an Algerian player. Was the foul necessary? Why was Onyekuru lying on the floor behind the wall? I've never seen such poor attempt to block incoming free kicks. And contrary to the report here on CE, Akpeyi was well positioned but he moved to his left behind the wall before moving back to the right in an attempt to stop the kick.
Such nuances should be noted by our mercenary coach. After watching the lackluster final yesterday, I still can't get over the agony of the defeat.

Finally someone else saw it. A video taken from behind the goalposts clearly shows that Akpeyi was well positioned. People simply saw a still photo taken from a poor angle and concluded that Akpeyi was behind the wall.

Nevertheless, and in certain cases, staying behind the wall can also be good. We saw Mbolhi do this yesterday v Senegal and he made a crucial save when the ball went over the wall. It is the distance from where a kick is taken that determines optimal positioning for a kick and not an edict that states NEVER stand behind the wall. Thus, it is wrong to claim that a goalkeeper must ALWAYS stay away from a wall on every free kick! The wall is designed to do the following -- (1) create difficulty for the kicker, no more. The goalie can stand behind it if there is enough distance that the chance of looping a ball over it and into goal but then stand away from it if it a short distance making a looping kick highly unlikely to be successful. So context matters.

Now, why did Akpeyi not make the save in spite of the fact that he was well positioned for it? My thinking is as follows: (1) The split second move to the left was adverse. It meant he could not return to his right on time to save the kick, or (2) I wonder if he had stayed the course whether the kick was even possible to save except if it came directly to him. I state this because a human body's reaction to a powerfully hit ball is never going to be quick enough to reach for a ball outside of the body if the ball is traveling at great speed. This is actually what you see with Ronaldo and Messi's kicks that whizz past a goalie that is just about two feet out. The goalie's reaction can never be quick enough for such balls. What happens is often a late reaction as you also see during penalty kicks taken from just 12 yards out.

if anyone of you has yet to get over the loss then you might have underlying issues besides the football loss

Tobi17 wrote:Almost felt like the team was playing for a script- a Nigerian player deemed it smart to foul an Algerian player in a dangerous position just in the death of time, and of course who steps up to take the free kick against a badly positioned wall... Mahrez of all people , sounds about convenient.

I totally feel the same way how on earth would a seasoned footballer give away a foul in such a place with a minute to go?
Even though Onyekuru thought it was wise to lie on the floor the wall needed an extra body or two as it was most likely Mahrez was going to strike the ball with the inside of his left boot and try to curl it around the wall as the keeper was blind behind the wall and it was visually a great option.I don’t think this was deliberate but it was so amateur it became clear why we struggled to make a difference in that game just like Argentina last summer!

Enugu II wrote:

Ekorian wrote:I finally rewatched the game after days of mourning.
There were so many things wrong in that last minute that i didn't know where to begin.
Prior to the foul, a clearance attempt was made by our player ( not sure who) but the ball was kicked to an Algerian player. Was the foul necessary? Why was Onyekuru lying on the floor behind the wall? I've never seen such poor attempt to block incoming free kicks. And contrary to the report here on CE, Akpeyi was well positioned but he moved to his left behind the wall before moving back to the right in an attempt to stop the kick.
Such nuances should be noted by our mercenary coach. After watching the lackluster final yesterday, I still can't get over the agony of the defeat.

Finally someone else saw it. A video taken from behind the goalposts clearly shows that Akpeyi was well positioned. People simply saw a still photo taken from a poor angle and concluded that Akpeyi was behind the wall.

Nevertheless, and in certain cases, staying behind the wall can also be good. We saw Mbolhi do this yesterday v Senegal and he made a crucial save when the ball went over the wall. It is the distance from where a kick is taken that determines optimal positioning for a kick and not an edict that states NEVER stand behind the wall. Thus, it is wrong to claim that a goalkeeper must ALWAYS stay away from a wall on every free kick! The wall is designed to do the following -- (1) create difficulty for the kicker, no more. The goalie can stand behind it if there is enough distance that the chance of looping a ball over it and into goal but then stand away from it if it a short distance making a looping kick highly unlikely to be successful. So context matters.

Now, why did Akpeyi not make the save in spite of the fact that he was well positioned for it? My thinking is as follows: (1) The split second move to the left was adverse. It meant he could not return to his right on time to save the kick, or (2) I wonder if he had stayed the course whether the kick was even possible to save except if it came directly to him. I state this because a human body's reaction to a powerfully hit ball is never going to be quick enough to reach for a ball outside of the body if the ball is traveling at great speed. This is actually what you see with Ronaldo and Messi's kicks that whizz past a goalie that is just about two feet out. The goalie's reaction can never be quick enough for such balls. What happens is often a late reaction as you also see during penalty kicks taken from just 12 yards out.

EII, I am disappoint with your comparison of Senegal's free kick with Algeria's. Please look at the positions. Look at the walls. The Senegalese player didnt have a direct shot on goal based on the angle. The GK didnt have an open gaping hole that the wall didnt cover.

Eaglezbeak wrote:

Tobi17 wrote:Almost felt like the team was playing for a script- a Nigerian player deemed it smart to foul an Algerian player in a dangerous position just in the death of time, and of course who steps up to take the free kick against a badly positioned wall... Mahrez of all people , sounds about convenient.

I totally feel the same way how on earth would a seasoned footballer give away a foul in such a place with a minute to go?
Even though Onyekuru thought it was wise to lie on the floor the wall needed an extra body or two as it was most likely Mahrez was going to strike the ball with the inside of his left boot and try to curl it around the wall as the keeper was blind behind the wall and it was visually a great option.I don’t think this was deliberate but it was so amateur it became clear why we struggled to make a difference in that game just like Argentina last summer!

Thick and lazy. Strange things happen when people turn up to represent regressive Nations. Give Ndidi the same situation at the King Power stadium, the outcome? Likely a stark contrast...

Chief Ogbunigwe wrote:

Enugu II wrote:

Ekorian wrote:I finally rewatched the game after days of mourning.
There were so many things wrong in that last minute that i didn't know where to begin.
Prior to the foul, a clearance attempt was made by our player ( not sure who) but the ball was kicked to an Algerian player. Was the foul necessary? Why was Onyekuru lying on the floor behind the wall? I've never seen such poor attempt to block incoming free kicks. And contrary to the report here on CE, Akpeyi was well positioned but he moved to his left behind the wall before moving back to the right in an attempt to stop the kick.
Such nuances should be noted by our mercenary coach. After watching the lackluster final yesterday, I still can't get over the agony of the defeat.

Finally someone else saw it. A video taken from behind the goalposts clearly shows that Akpeyi was well positioned. People simply saw a still photo taken from a poor angle and concluded that Akpeyi was behind the wall.

Nevertheless, and in certain cases, staying behind the wall can also be good. We saw Mbolhi do this yesterday v Senegal and he made a crucial save when the ball went over the wall. It is the distance from where a kick is taken that determines optimal positioning for a kick and not an edict that states NEVER stand behind the wall. Thus, it is wrong to claim that a goalkeeper must ALWAYS stay away from a wall on every free kick! The wall is designed to do the following -- (1) create difficulty for the kicker, no more. The goalie can stand behind it if there is enough distance that the chance of looping a ball over it and into goal but then stand away from it if it a short distance making a looping kick highly unlikely to be successful. So context matters.

Now, why did Akpeyi not make the save in spite of the fact that he was well positioned for it? My thinking is as follows: (1) The split second move to the left was adverse. It meant he could not return to his right on time to save the kick, or (2) I wonder if he had stayed the course whether the kick was even possible to save except if it came directly to him. I state this because a human body's reaction to a powerfully hit ball is never going to be quick enough to reach for a ball outside of the body if the ball is traveling at great speed. This is actually what you see with Ronaldo and Messi's kicks that whizz past a goalie that is just about two feet out. The goalie's reaction can never be quick enough for such balls. What happens is often a late reaction as you also see during penalty kicks taken from just 12 yards out.

EII, I am disappoint with your comparison of Senegal's free kick with Algeria's. Please look at the positions. Look at the walls. The Senegalese player didnt have a direct shot on goal based on the angle. The GK didn't have an open gaping hole that the wall didnt cover.

The comparison is clearly to identify the difference between the two and why it was correct for Mbolhi to stand behind the wall because of the distance. In Akpeyi's case, it was correct to stand away from the wall just as Akpeyi ACTUALLY did (although many are using a still photo taken from a poor angle to claim inaccurately that he was directly behind the wall). That is the comparison to point out that goalkeepers can be behind the wall (e.g. Mbolhi) based on the context of the kick. I hope that is clear. You probably misread the above.

Enugu II wrote:

Ekorian wrote:I finally rewatched the game after days of mourning.
There were so many things wrong in that last minute that i didn't know where to begin.
Prior to the foul, a clearance attempt was made by our player ( not sure who) but the ball was kicked to an Algerian player. Was the foul necessary? Why was Onyekuru lying on the floor behind the wall? I've never seen such poor attempt to block incoming free kicks. And contrary to the report here on CE, Akpeyi was well positioned but he moved to his left behind the wall before moving back to the right in an attempt to stop the kick.
Such nuances should be noted by our mercenary coach. After watching the lackluster final yesterday, I still can't get over the agony of the defeat.

Finally someone else saw it. A video taken from behind the goalposts clearly shows that Akpeyi was well positioned. People simply saw a still photo taken from a poor angle and concluded that Akpeyi was behind the wall.

Nevertheless, and in certain cases, staying behind the wall can also be good. We saw Mbolhi do this yesterday v Senegal and he made a crucial save when the ball went over the wall. It is the distance from where a kick is taken that determines optimal positioning for a kick and not an edict that states NEVER stand behind the wall. Thus, it is wrong to claim that a goalkeeper must ALWAYS stay away from a wall on every free kick! The wall is designed to do the following -- (1) create difficulty for the kicker, no more. The goalie can stand behind it if there is enough distance that the chance of looping a ball over it and into goal but then stand away from it if it a short distance making a looping kick highly unlikely to be successful. So context matters.

Now, why did Akpeyi not make the save in spite of the fact that he was well positioned for it? My thinking is as follows: (1) The split second move to the left was adverse. It meant he could not return to his right on time to save the kick, or (2) I wonder if he had stayed the course whether the kick was even possible to save except if it came directly to him. I state this because a human body's reaction to a powerfully hit ball is never going to be quick enough to reach for a ball outside of the body if the ball is traveling at great speed. This is actually what you see with Ronaldo and Messi's kicks that whizz past a goalie that is just about two feet out. The goalie's reaction can never be quick enough for such balls. What happens is often a late reaction as you also see during penalty kicks taken from just 12 yards out.

Forget all these sugar coating. Akpeyi took a step to his left anticipating that Mahrez wld go over the wall, wrong gamble. As a keeper, you need to protect your side first and let Mahrez do the hard job of lifting the ball over the wall, especially the close proximity to the post makes the lifting of the ball harder cos the ball has to be high enough to go over the wall and dip at the right moment. Akpeyi failed to cover his side, hence the fault is on him. He made same mistake against Argentina.

Enugu II wrote:

Chief Ogbunigwe wrote:

Enugu II wrote:

Ekorian wrote:I finally rewatched the game after days of mourning.
There were so many things wrong in that last minute that i didn't know where to begin.
Prior to the foul, a clearance attempt was made by our player ( not sure who) but the ball was kicked to an Algerian player. Was the foul necessary? Why was Onyekuru lying on the floor behind the wall? I've never seen such poor attempt to block incoming free kicks. And contrary to the report here on CE, Akpeyi was well positioned but he moved to his left behind the wall before moving back to the right in an attempt to stop the kick.
Such nuances should be noted by our mercenary coach. After watching the lackluster final yesterday, I still can't get over the agony of the defeat.

Finally someone else saw it. A video taken from behind the goalposts clearly shows that Akpeyi was well positioned. People simply saw a still photo taken from a poor angle and concluded that Akpeyi was behind the wall.

Nevertheless, and in certain cases, staying behind the wall can also be good. We saw Mbolhi do this yesterday v Senegal and he made a crucial save when the ball went over the wall. It is the distance from where a kick is taken that determines optimal positioning for a kick and not an edict that states NEVER stand behind the wall. Thus, it is wrong to claim that a goalkeeper must ALWAYS stay away from a wall on every free kick! The wall is designed to do the following -- (1) create difficulty for the kicker, no more. The goalie can stand behind it if there is enough distance that the chance of looping a ball over it and into goal but then stand away from it if it a short distance making a looping kick highly unlikely to be successful. So context matters.

Now, why did Akpeyi not make the save in spite of the fact that he was well positioned for it? My thinking is as follows: (1) The split second move to the left was adverse. It meant he could not return to his right on time to save the kick, or (2) I wonder if he had stayed the course whether the kick was even possible to save except if it came directly to him. I state this because a human body's reaction to a powerfully hit ball is never going to be quick enough to reach for a ball outside of the body if the ball is traveling at great speed. This is actually what you see with Ronaldo and Messi's kicks that whizz past a goalie that is just about two feet out. The goalie's reaction can never be quick enough for such balls. What happens is often a late reaction as you also see during penalty kicks taken from just 12 yards out.

EII, I am disappoint with your comparison of Senegal's free kick with Algeria's. Please look at the positions. Look at the walls. The Senegalese player didnt have a direct shot on goal based on the angle. The GK didn't have an open gaping hole that the wall didnt cover.

The comparison is clearly to identify the difference between the two and why it was correct for Mbolhi to stand behind the wall because of the distance. In Akpeyi's case, it was correct to stand away from the wall just as Akpeyi ACTUALLY did (although many are using a still photo taken from a poor angle to claim inaccurately that he was directly behind the wall). That is the comparison to point out that goalkeepers can be behind the wall (e.g. Mbolhi) based on the context of the kick. I hope that is clear. You probably misread the above.

my apologies

Two basic rules.
1. Position yourself in a way that you can see the ball
2. Do not move until the player kicks the ball.
Akpeyi did exactly the opposite!

Coach wrote:

Eaglezbeak wrote:

Tobi17 wrote:Almost felt like the team was playing for a script- a Nigerian player deemed it smart to foul an Algerian player in a dangerous position just in the death of time, and of course who steps up to take the free kick against a badly positioned wall... Mahrez of all people , sounds about convenient.

I totally feel the same way how on earth would a seasoned footballer give away a foul in such a place with a minute to go?
Even though Onyekuru thought it was wise to lie on the floor the wall needed an extra body or two as it was most likely Mahrez was going to strike the ball with the inside of his left boot and try to curl it around the wall as the keeper was blind behind the wall and it was visually a great option.I don’t think this was deliberate but it was so amateur it became clear why we struggled to make a difference in that game just like Argentina last summer!

Thick and lazy. Strange things happen when people turn up to represent regressive Nations. Give Ndidi the same situation at the King Power stadium, the outcome? Likely a stark contrast...

If those that claim to be in charge do things half hearted the likelihood of those on the field being the same is high!

Nigerians always find it difficult to give credit where credit is due. There's no need blaming akpeyi, coach etc for that goal just accept that it was a World class goal that even the best of the world wouldn't save.

john12 wrote:Nigerians always find it difficult to give credit where credit is due. There's no need blaming akpeyi, coach etc for that goal just accept that it was a World class goal that even the best of the world wouldn't save.

That wasn't a world class goal. More like a penalty kick from outside the box. The wall was thin, Mahrez couldn't believe the Manna in front of him. We wouldn't be complaining if we did everything right and the ball still went in. Please rewatch the match. My U10 and U 13 teams wouldn't have made such blunder. We can sweep the error under the grass and applaud the so called " world class" free kick or discern what happened so such wouldn't occur again....

Ekorian wrote:

john12 wrote:Nigerians always find it difficult to give credit where credit is due. There's no need blaming akpeyi, coach etc for that goal just accept that it was a World class goal that even the best of the world wouldn't save.

That wasn't a world class goal. More like a penalty kick from outside the box. The wall was thin, Mahrez couldn't believe the Manna in front of him. We wouldn't be complaining if we did everything right and the ball still went in. Please rewatch the match. My U10 and U 13 teams wouldn't have made such blunder. We can sweep the error under the grass and applaud the so called " world class" free kick or discern what happened so such wouldn't occur again....

Exactly, there’s a reason why Mahrez doesn’t score free kicks left right and centre in the Premier League and European Champions League and that’s exactly why he isn’t one of Manchester City’s main designated free kick takers.

Folks will keep making excuses for this AVERAGE GK until he retires...

Not caping for the useless Akpeyi but keepers do get beaten on the side they are protecting, happened in the game yesterday.

[/video]

The goal was voted as the goal of the tournament hatf seeing buffon saving

I personally would never blame the keeper that’s what children do, the wall was basically saying “look there’s a gap to curl the ball at” and Onyekuru could’ve at least added to the length of the wall instead of thinking Mahrez was going to try to pass the ball into the bass of the wall,Algeria where going to be ultra aggressive considering they where not too interested in playing another game of extra time!