My 23 man list against Argentina

[Tobi17]

Slow Toad Tobi, if I was trolling for engagement, it won't be with a slow toad.

Same list from the AFCON, including Musa. We need continuity and experience. New fringe players can be invited after the World Cup. The only player I would add is Okoye in place of Ojo. With Nwabali, Uzoho, and Okoye, we have 3 experienced goalkeepers that can step in for each other.

Are you retarded? Include Musa for what? Someone that was not good enough to start any game at the AFCON? Seriously i think you are on drugs. You are too old to be on drugs.

I think he just trolls for engagements and he's so terrible at it, it's irritating at this point.

You're boring, hit the gym and be useful you fat f**k!

[nzeogwu]

Yes to trying out Daga and Eletu. Fundamentally, we need to change to the 3/5/2.

A: The three man center back set up must remain with Igbu, Tosin and Osho being the deputies worth trying.

B: We need a double pivot of Ndidi & Onyeka to protect the back four. We need Folorunsho, Iwobi or Bashiru in front of those holders. If the coach insists on a deep play maker, Nwakali could get the nod.

C: One wide forward must go. I’d drop the one on the right and play with twin, split strikers. Osimhen and Boniface (When healthy). Moffi for now. The alternates would be Orban and Akor.

D: My three goalies would be Bono, Okoye and Uzoho.


The spine is now:

Nwabali
Ekong
Onyeka
Osimhen
Lookman

[nzeogwu]

Bono should be “Bobo”

[1naija]

Slow toad Tobi, why you dey vex? And are you too slow to know what fat means?

Besides, it's evidence of good living..Don't worry, with fasting and praying you sef will be able to afford a good meal one day..

Slow Toad Tobi, if I was troll ing for engagement, it won't be with a slow toad.

Same list from the AFCON, including Musa. We need continuity and experience. New fringe players can be invited after the World Cup. The only player I would add is Okoye in place of Ojo. With Nwabali, Uzoho, and Okoye, we have 3 experienced goalkeepers that can step in for each other.

Are you retarded? Include Musa for what? Someone that was not good enough to start any game at the AFCON? Seriously i think you are on drugs. You are too old to be on drugs.

I think he just trolls for engagements and he's so terrible at it, it's irritating at this point.

You're boring, hit the gym and be useful you fat f**k!

[pindal123]

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

[ohenhen1]

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

You like the midfield? Don't even want to test out new options in a friendly?

[Damunk]

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

Why did you leave out Ekong?
And you would rather try Awoniyi to Umar and Moffi?And you still have faith in Aribo?
Okay o.

[Benedict Iroha]

GK. Nwabili, Obasogie. Osayi
DF. Aina, Ebuehi. Ajayi, Ekong, Omeruo, Bassey, Sanusi
MF. Ndidi, Yusuf, Nwakili, Eletu, Foluronsho Akinsamiro
FW. Osimhen, Umar. Boniface, Iwobi. Moses, Lookman, Orban

You are missing Okoye who is on form right now and also Taiwo Ayoniyi.

[donadoni]

What about Ejuke? For creativity

[pindal123]

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

You like the midfield? Don't even want to test out new options in a friendly?

I’m trying Daga in the midfield. I think it’s too early for Eletu or Akinsanmiro, which have still haven’t shown anything in the senior club team.

Anyway i agree that we should try new options or at least those who didn’t have much play time in the previous games like: Amoo, Tella, Daga, Adeleye, Torunarigha etc.

[Tobi17]

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

You like the midfield? Don't even want to test out new options in a friendly?

I’m trying Daga in the midfield. I think it’s too early for Eletu or Akinsanmiro, which have still haven’t shown anything in the senior club team.

Anyway i agree that we should try new options or at least those who didn’t have much play time in the previous games like: Amoo, Tella, Daga, Adeleye, Torunarigha etc.

This is where I have a problem with submissions like this, who made the rules on the perfect timing for players to prove if they are ready or not? I mean there's ONLY one true way to find out right? invite them, play them in a friendly game or more and see how they strut their game on the green grass.

[pindal123]

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

Why did you leave out Ekong?
And you would rather try Awoniyi to Umar and Moffi?And you still have faith in Aribo?
Okay o.

Ekong is the player who didn’t miss any match under Peseiro. He did a very good AFCON but not so good wc qualifiers. I want to try other defenders.

Awoniyi is much better than Umar and Moffi. Look at him at Nottingham Forest matches.

Aribo isn’t a great player but we don’t have better choices. I could try Kelechi Nwakali or Dele-Bashiru but probably that wouldn’t change the quality on the pitch.

[1naija]

Haven't you learnt that people just type the first names that come to their minds when they put up these lists?

GK- Nwabali, Adeleye, Uzoho
RB- Aina, Osayi
CD- Bassey, Ajayi, Torunarigha, Awaziem
LB- Sanusi, Onyemachi
MF- Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf, Daga
AM- Iwobi, Aribo
WG-Lookman, Chukwuze, Simon, Tella, Amoo
FW- Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho

Why did you leave out Ekong?
And you would rather try Awoniyi to Umar and Moffi?And you still have faith in Aribo?
Okay o.

[pindal123]

Haven't you learnt that people just type the first names that come to their minds when they put up these lists?

Who would you call up genius?

[kendo]

Okoye - has he now recovered from his ordeal?
If there's any news on him showing he's ready to play for Nigeria again, please share.

I'd love to see Tella in action for SE and Ebuehi one again. I hope Ekong has at least one more tournament in him .
No Boniface till April... Eyaa .

Hopefully, Argentina give Nwabali a good test (but not too much o! Lol). I have a bit of confidence we can win this match. We've beaten Argentina before in recent times in friendlies - hopefully we can do it again.
My real wish is that we best them on a competitive/tournament level.

[Damunk]

Okoye - has he now recovered from his ordeal?
If there's any news on him showing he's ready to play for Nigeria again, please share.

I'd love to see Tella in action for SE and Ebuehi one again. I hope Ekong has at least one more tournament in him .
No Boniface till April... Eyaa .

Hopefully, Argentina give Nwabali a good test (but not too much o! Lol). I have a bit of confidence we can win this match. We've beaten Argentina before in recent times in friendlies - hopefully we can do it again.
My real wish is that we best them on a competitive/tournament level.

In as much as I am happy for, and was impressed by Nwabali, I believe his ceiling is still much higher.
He is humble enough to keep working hard and the love he received from this AFCON will probably motivate him even more.

[Coach]

Re: Fundamentally, we need to change to the 3/5/2. “Need” is perhaps too strong a word in this instance, be that as noun or verb. Such is the clamour in quarters for the 3-5-2, one would assume it were the three digit code for the combination lock that secures the sword in the stone.

In decades past, when it was more than what it is now, it promised more on paper than it would in effect. Today, even the paper looks unflatteringly outdated. The claim to fame of the formation was its affording greater freedom to the wingbacks who could fly forward in the knowledge that the centre’s well served by a triumvirate of centrehalves.

With a Cafu and Roberto Carlos of old, or outlets of the chance creating qualities of Robertson, James, Alexander-Arnold (operative words being “chance creation”), the argument is better served though still bested. Nigeria don’t have wingbacks above average quality, average attacking inclination and aggression. At the first sign of trouble, the 3 will become 5, the supply lines cut and the centre-forwards starved like a medieval war strategy.

For want of context, Argentina employ a 4-4-2/4-3-3 of sorts. Alvarez leads the line, Messi moves into the half-space, quarter-space and parts unknown, Lo Celso or whoever angulates their runs to add to the central overload. The midfield is compact, narrow, workman-like. Industrious more than artistic. Few stepovers, more snappy tackles, no robonas, more robust. All machine, the mercurial reserved for Messi and rightly so.

How is the 3-5-2 the antidote? With the double pivot proposed, it’s 3-2-3-2, or more likely 5-2-1-2. A back five to mark a 1-1 centre forward configuration, leaving 3 players to mark space and that’s with 2 on Alvarez, dare one follow Messi into the half-space and reduce the backline to rubble.

And what of the central overload? as the 3 becomes 5, deja vu descends from the cumulonimbus gradually tinting their cotton 50 deeper shades of grey. The storm beckons. Slowly the corners of the once crisp piece of paper dog ear, the immaculate ivory sheet on closer inspection, is more off white, offed by oil stains and the print of grubby fingertips.

Is there the impetus and intensity in the recovery and counter, such that the 3-5-2 be considered a need or necessity against Argentina or anyone for that matter? Horses for courses and sadly there are no wingbacking Desert Orchards to do the needful. Even a stallion would be far fetched. Aina, Osayi-Samuel, Sanusi, serviceable? absolutely, specialists? Absolutely not.

The wingback is a specialist role, such are the limitations of the 3-5-2, it requires or rather “needs” specialists.

vs. Argentina, if one is to need anything, it’s intensity. Play at their slow, 12 rounder pace and they’ll have banked so many rounds on the scorecards the 12th would need more windmills than Deontay Wilder vs Dominic Breazeale in the Devonshire countryside.

Watch Argentina vs Uruguay and listen to the post-match pressers. Speed, aggression, intensity is their antithesis. The slow, monotonous pedestrianism showcased at AfCON would be ogbonno soup with all the ogbonno substituted by various cuts of beef and gallons of Malbec. Perfect for their palate.

[Coach]

If it’s a 23 man squad for Argentina alone. The squad should be a reflection of the intention. Players for a purpose more than players of a position.

[Eaglezbeak]

Yusuf should be excused,in every game he was involved in Nigeria conceded a goal.

[Lolly]

Yusuf should be excused,in every game he was involved in Nigeria conceded a goal.

That’s a bit unfair on the lad.

Yes, he was responsible for the South Africa penalty against us but in the same match he broke up many plays and was decent with the ball. He was the best midfielder against EQ before he went off injured. There is a good player in him. He would improve with more time with the team. But nothing wrong with trying other options.

[packerland]

Yusuf should be excused,in every game he was involved in Nigeria conceded a goal.

That’s a bit unfair on the lad.

Yes, he was responsible for the South Africa penalty against us but in the same match he broke up many plays and was decent with the ball. He was the best midfielder against EQ before he went off injured. There is a good player in him. He would improve with more time with the team. But nothing wrong with trying other options.

I agree with you with the unfair part but I disagree with you saying that he broke up many plays. I may need to rewatch that SA game because I remember him at one point committing back to back to back fouls. He put a lot of foot wrong in that SA match.

[aruako1]

Yusuf should be excused,in every game he was involved in Nigeria conceded a goal.

That’s a bit unfair on the lad.

Yes, he was responsible for the South Africa penalty against us but in the same match he broke up many plays and was decent with the ball. He was the best midfielder against EQ before he went off injured. There is a good player in him. He would improve with more time with the team. But nothing wrong with trying other options.

I'm not sure how some fans want us to refresh the squad if we knock every player that breaks in. For a player that was winning his first few caps, Yusuf did well. These are mistakes he could have made during friendly matches but our coach only decided to call him for a major tournament. He made a few mistakes but he pit himself about. For me he has a place in the team.

[aruako1]

Yusuf should be excused,in every game he was involved in Nigeria conceded a goal.

That’s a bit unfair on the lad.

Yes, he was responsible for the South Africa penalty against us but in the same match he broke up many plays and was decent with the ball. He was the best midfielder against EQ before he went off injured. There is a good player in him. He would improve with more time with the team. But nothing wrong with trying other options.

I'm not sure how some fans want us to refresh the squad if we knock every player that breaks in. For a player that was winning his first few caps, Yusuf did well. These are mistakes he could have made during friendly matches but our coach only decided to call him for a major tournament. He made a few mistakes but he pit himself about. For me he has a place in the team.