10 observations I made from the Bafana Bafana game

[Ayo Akinfe]

[1] Victor Osimhen has got to be the most unlucky player I have ever known. How many goals is VAR going to deny him?

[2] I am a bit concerned that Calvin Bassey is not quick like say Tosin Adarabioyo. With neither Ekong, Omeruo or Ajayi being pacy either, I do not fancy our defenders have to chase back from the halfway line

[3] Moving forward, we need an injection of pace into the back three. Awaziem and Adarabioyo come to mind

[4] Why was Alhassan Yusuf, so casual with that clearance? These are the kind of silly and needless mistakes we need to cut out of out game

[5] For me, a 2-0 victory would have been ideal. Winning on penalties took the shine off it for me

[6] How do we ensure Stanley Nwabali maintains the form for the next six years or so? In the past we have had good goalkeepers emerge but then fade away. He needs a good club career where he will get regular action in a major league, week-in-week-out to keep improving

[7] Why were Simon Moses and Ademola Lokman so ineffective yesterday. Neither of them really threatened

[8] I am pleased that whatever happens, Peseiro is going. Some of his substitutions yesterday made no sense at all. Maybe if he has kept Frank Onyeka on, we would not have conceded that penalty

[9] I hope we know that come the final, Ivory Coast will come at us at 100 miles per hour. They have been gradually improving and will be ready for a fight to finish. I believe the winner will be determined by spirit more than talent

[10] I think Peseiro needs to revert to 3-5-2 on Sunday. He needs Onyeka, Yusuf and Iwobi all in the middle of the park to avoid being over-run in midfield.

[Penarity]

[1] Victor Osimhen has got to be the most unlucky player I have ever known. How many goals is VAR going to deny him?

[2] I am a bit concerned that Calvin Bassey is not quick like say Tosin Adarabioyo. With neither Ekong, Omeruo or Ajayi being pacy either, I do not fancy our defenders have to chase back from the halfway line

[3] Moving forward, we need an injection of pace into the back three. Awaziem and Adarabioyo come to mind

[4] Why was Alhassan Yusuf, so casual with that clearance? These are the kind of silly and needless mistakes we need to cut out of out game

[5] For me, a 2-0 victory would have been ideal. Winning on penalties took the shine off it for me

[6] How do we ensure Stanley Nwabali maintains the form for the next six years or so? In the past we have had good goalkeepers emerge but then fade away. He needs a good club career where he will get regular action in a major league, week-in-week-out to keep improving

[7] Why were Simon Moses and Ademola Lokman so ineffective yesterday. Neither of them really threatened

[8] I am pleased that whatever happens, Peseiro is going. Some of his substitutions yesterday made no sense at all. Maybe if he has kept Frank Onyeka on, we would not have conceded that penalty

[9] I hope we know that come the final, Ivory Coast will come at us at 100 miles per hour. They have been gradually improving and will be ready for a fight to finish. I believe the winner will be determined by spirit more than talent

[10] I think Peseiro needs to revert to 3-5-2 on Sunday. He needs Onyeka, Yusuf and Iwobi all in the middle of the park to avoid being over-run in midfield.

Chief Akinfer, with the knowledge I have gained interacting with folks on this forum, you are wrong on at least three of your 10 points -- 3, 5 (a win is a win), 7 (did you not see what Lookman did on the way to the nullified goal and others), 8 (you are just so wrong on this).

[Enugu II]

[1] Victor Osimhen has got to be the most unlucky player I have ever known. How many goals is VAR going to deny him?

[2] I am a bit concerned that Calvin Bassey is not quick like say Tosin Adarabioyo. With neither Ekong, Omeruo or Ajayi being pacy either, I do not fancy our defenders have to chase back from the halfway line

[3] Moving forward, we need an injection of pace into the back three. Awaziem and Adarabioyo come to mind

[4] Why was Alhassan Yusuf, so casual with that clearance? These are the kind of silly and needless mistakes we need to cut out of out game

[5] For me, a 2-0 victory would have been ideal. Winning on penalties took the shine off it for me

[6] How do we ensure Stanley Nwabali maintains the form for the next six years or so? In the past we have had good goalkeepers emerge but then fade away. He needs a good club career where he will get regular action in a major league, week-in-week-out to keep improving

[7] Why were Simon Moses and Ademola Lokman so ineffective yesterday. Neither of them really threatened

[8] I am pleased that whatever happens, Peseiro is going. Some of his substitutions yesterday made no sense at all. Maybe if he has kept Frank Onyeka on, we would not have conceded that penalty

[9] I hope we know that come the final, Ivory Coast will come at us at 100 miles per hour. They have been gradually improving and will be ready for a fight to finish. I believe the winner will be determined by spirit more than talent

[10] I think Peseiro needs to revert to 3-5-2 on Sunday. He needs Onyeka, Yusuf and Iwobi all in the middle of the park to avoid being over-run in midfield.

Ayo

That #8 is not accurate. Onteka was still on the field when Nigeria conceded the pk. The manager took him off immediately after he was booked in extra time. On the contrary, Peseiro made good substitutions for that game except that some of the timing could be debatable.

[Ayo Akinfe]

You have to give to these Melody Sundown boys. They refused to be intimidated by English Premier League and Serie A stars:

[Penarity]

It is posts like this that make me doubt the sincerity of folks on this forum. Who cares where they play. Chief Akinfe, you do think if these Memelody Sundown boys had English Premier League invitations, they would decline?

We just don't seem to appreciate anything that is ours. Charity begins at home, Chief Ayo.

[Odas]

Make una leave dis tin alone. We done win finish. The only tin wey dey dia be how we go fit win CIV. For me, I say make we use dat awa 3-5-2 formation put Pepper for CIV eyes, dat's all

[oscar52]

Yusuf made the error mistake Ndidi used to make. Lack of concentration fir 90 min is an issue with both players.

[waka-man]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

[ANC]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

He was highly praised after his debut.
Unfortunately, I did not watch that match.
He does not have enough presence to play that position.

[packerland]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

I rewatched that game and I couldn’t believe how much foul Yusuf committed in a short time. He even fouled as SA player right before the penalty foul. The guy was running around like a rat on coke.

[Ayo Akinfe]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

I am still a big fan of Yusuf and believe he has a lot of potential. He will have learnt a lot from this tournament and will cut out those he errors, hopefully, before the next World Cup.

If you ask me, Nigeria should play a 3-5-2 formation with a midfield trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf and Michael Olise. If we start working on them now, by 2026, they would have come good as a unit

[Ayo Akinfe]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

He was highly praised after his debut.
Unfortunately, I did not watch that match.
He does not have enough presence to play that position.

Let us put everything into perspective now. Yusuf playing just ahead of Ndidi or Onyeka is a match made in heaven!

[packerland]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

I am still a big fan of Yusuf and believe he has a lot of potential. He will have learnt a lot from this tournament and will cut out those he errors, hopefully, before the next World Cup.

If you ask me, Nigeria should play a 3-5-2 formation with a midfield trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf and Michael Olise. If we start working on them now, by 2026, they would have come good as a unit

Why do you always demand for players and coaches that we have no shot of getting? We had a better shot of getting Eze than Olise. The other day you were calling for your broke NFF to hire Zidane or Mourinho. You mean the same Zidane has turned down all the biggest clubs in Europe to take a break will agree to work in our high stress environment.

[Ayo Akinfe]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

I do not believe in the word impossible!

Why do you always demand for players and coaches that we have no shot of getting? We had a better shot of getting Eze than Olise. The other day you were calling for your broke NFF to hire Zidane or Mourinho. You mean the same Zidane has turned down all the biggest clubs in Europe to take a break will agree to work in our high stress environment.

I am still a big fan of Yusuf and believe he has a lot of potential. He will have learnt a lot from this tournament and will cut out those he errors, hopefully, before the next World Cup.

If you ask me, Nigeria should play a 3-5-2 formation with a midfield trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf and Michael Olise. If we start working on them now, by 2026, they would have come good as a unit

[Agbako]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

I rewatched that game and I couldn’t believe how much foul Yusuf committed in a short time. He even fouled as SA player right before the penalty foul. The guy was running around like a rat on coke.

Daaaaannnnggg bro....

[iworo]

But Ayo you demanded Yusuf. We saw the drop in quality when he came on. Puts himself about but is a disaster waiting to happen. Almost cost us our place in the finals. Not yet ready for the big time.

I am still a big fan of Yusuf and believe he has a lot of potential. He will have learnt a lot from this tournament and will cut out those he errors, hopefully, before the next World Cup.

If you ask me, Nigeria should play a 3-5-2 formation with a midfield trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Alhassan Yusuf and Michael Olise. If we start working on them now, by 2026, they would have come good as a unit

Why do you always demand for players and coaches that we have no shot of getting? We had a better shot of getting Eze than Olise. The other day you were calling for your broke NFF to hire Zidane or Mourinho. You mean the same Zidane has turned down all the biggest clubs in Europe to take a break will agree to work in our high stress environment.

Someone who dreams cannot be forced to stop—there are no limitations to dreams, because we do not own dreams, dreams are from God. Ayo Akinfe has always been a dreamer at heart .

[Ayo Akinfe]

Ndidi-Yusuf-Olise will be our winning formula in 2026!