SE Result against Mali - a case of the lineup?

[sarkin doya]

The SE result against Mali is sure to bring about lots of discussion. Nigeria also lost 2-0 in a friendly before Afcon so friendlies may not necessarily be the best way to judge the team.

One thing to note - if i got it right from memory, the starting lineup against Mali today has only 3 of the players from the initial 1-0 win over Cote D'ivoire at Afcon - Nwabali, Ajayi, Iwobi.

I know that because of injuries, there were big changes in the team composition compared to Afcon. However, it is difficult to compare evolution of the team when more than half the team was not the same.

Hopefully there will be greater continuity from Afcon in starting lineup for the next set of WC qualification games in June

[Bigpokey24]

I am not too concerned with such results, but we need games like these to test players who are supposed to pick up from our regular starters, players like Awaziem, needs to be phased out. The 0-2 loss to SA during the AFCOn qualifiers in Uyo, the own goal vs Lesotho during the WCA/AFCON qualifiers, and then today . He is a player you cannot rely on to cover for the regulars .

KEle also needs to be phased out until he sits up , Colins is not good enough and i think he is behind Bruno as 3rd choice, Our regular strikers weren't available and i think all the players fasting didn't play today . On to the next and i hope the NFF picks the right man for the job.

SA is going to be a huge problem and Benin is a park the bus team. We have some very difficult and tricky fixtures ahead

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

No it's not!

It's Mali! They beat us fair, square and straight. I don't know why people think our opponents just show up to clap for Nigeria.

The better team won.

[Tobi17]

On the sheer evidence of that display today, I'm focking quivering right now at the thought of facing a really solid South African team and a tricky Benin republic team coached by a man who desperately wants one over us...the retards who picked this team for this friendly games failed ONCE AGAIN to test our depth! There are at least 6-7 new players on our depth chart that should have played this friendly's, especially in midfield and defence.

We don't have any friendly games before the WCQ starts, we can only hope the main guys like Ekong, Bassey, Boniface, Osimhen, and Awoniyi really stand up to be identified in those crazy fixtures.

[packerland]

No it's not!

It's Mali! They beat us fair, square and straight. I don't know why people think our opponents just show up to clap for Nigeria.

The better team won.

Thank you! People here find it hard to give our opponents credit. Every friendly we lose they claim that we didn't care about the game. Then why even show up? It's not like we tested a lot of new players. Even our so called starters at AFCON were averaging barely 1 goal per game until we met a team that put 2 against us and we couldn't respond.

[packerland]

No it's not!

It's Mali! They beat us fair, square and straight. I don't know why people think our opponents just show up to clap for Nigeria.

The better team won.

Thank you! People here find it hard to give our opponents credit. Every friendly we lose they claim that we didn't care about the game. Then why even show up? It's not like we tested a lot of new players. Even our so called starters at AFCON were averaging barely 1 goal per game until we met a team that put 2 against us and we couldn't respond.

[Igugu]

No it's not!

It's Mali! They beat us fair, square and straight. I don't know why people think our opponents just show up to clap for Nigeria.

The better team won.

You are right Sir. But they beat us because we came to play with a lot of sub-standard materials. We shouldn't be doing that. We have better players from all over, but we fail to make them a part of the Squad. Let NFF go scouting and constitute a formidable team.

[ANC]

I am not too concerned with such results, but we need games like these to test players who are supposed to pick up from our regular starters, players like Awaziem, needs to be phased out. The 0-2 loss to SA during the AFCOn qualifiers in Uyo, the own goal vs Lesotho during the WCA/AFCON qualifiers, and then today . He is a player you cannot rely on to cover for the regulars .

KEle also needs to be phased out until he sits up , Colins is not good enough and i think he is behind Bruno as 3rd choice, Our regular strikers weren't available and i think all the players fasting didn't play today . On to the next and i hope the NFF picks the right man for the job.

SA is going to be a huge problem and Benin is a park the bus team. We have some very difficult and tricky fixtures ahead

You are not one to easily discard players.
Awaziem, Kelechi and Colins must have sucked.
Kelechi Iheanacho: I am, not a fan. He is not what we all thought, same goes for Chukwueze.

[trae_z]

Nigeria 0 - 2 Mali
International friendly; 27th March 2024

1) Sad game. Awaziem gifted Mali a goal with a careless pass across the defense.
2) We made too many backward passes and not enough attacking plays.
3) Finidi showed poor man management and made very late changes. (You can be sure some players would be glad to see the last of him).
4) In his defense, though, he had no assistance aside from a goalkeeping coach.
5) And as soon as Lookman came on for Onyedika and we switched from 5 at the back to 4, we became porous and eventually conceded a second goal.
6) Naija, being WOWO (We Only Want Oyibo), Finidi has now given them an excuse to hire a journeyman white coach.
7) Who will enjoy a fat salary yet certainly won't qualify Nigeria for the World Cup (2 points out of 6 so far, & no preparations expected before qualifiers resume).

[Goalgetter]

Nigeria 0 - 2 Mali
International friendly; 27th March 2024

1) Sad game. Awaziem gifted Mali a goal with a careless pass across the defense.
2) We made too many backward passes and not enough attacking plays.
3) Finidi showed poor man management and made very late changes. (You can be sure some players would be glad to see the last of him).
4) In his defense, though, he had no assistance aside from a goalkeeping coach.
5) And as soon as Lookman came on for Onyedika and we switched from 5 at the back to 4, we became porous and eventually conceded a second goal.
6) Naija, being WOWO (We Only Want Oyibo), Finidi has now given them an excuse to hire a journeyman white coach.
7) Who will enjoy a fat salary yet certainly won't qualify Nigeria for the World Cup (2 points out of 6 so far, & no preparations expected before qualifiers resume).

I don’t think the NFF understand the mess this team is in regarding WC qualification. By not having a substantive coach in place before these two friendly matches to allow the coach, if they fail to move forward with Finidi then we are out of the WC in June. Right now we are pretty much out with a slim chance left. People keep ignoring this.

[Damunk]

I don’t think the NFF understand the mess this team is in regarding WC qualification.

Why wouldn’t they? Are they high school history teachers brought in to manage our national football affairs?

By not having a substantive coach in place before these two friendly matches to allow the coach, if they fail to move forward with Finidi then we are out of the WC in June.

We don’t know for sure, but maybe Finidi is the plan and this was some kind of audition. Why are you ranting in the absence of credible information to the contrary? It’s not as if they brought in a ‘journeyman’ already.

Right now we are pretty much out with a slim chance left. People keep ignoring this.

Which people?
No one is ignoring it. I’m not sure what your earth-shaking solution is. They haven’t done much wrong at this point:

Again, we are reacting as if their actions are any different from what the fans have been demanding.
“Comot Musa!”. Dropped.
“Sack Peseiro!”. Gone.
“Bring local!”. Oya, take Finidi.
“Organise friendlies!”. Okay, manage Ghana and Mali.

Of course, we can always shift the goal posts, or just bring up legitimate issues which have no immediate bearing on what is happening now:
Salaries.
“Grass roots”.
NPFL
Foreign-borns.
Foreign-based.

I’ve said it here, Finidi should stay. But you can sense the frustration of losing to Mali and how, already, the pressure is on him.
So don’t just blame the NFF.
I will blame them if they fail to stand by Finidi.

Anything else right now na panic reaction and that helps nobody.

[Lolly]

Nigeria 0 - 2 Mali
International friendly; 27th March 2024

1) Sad game. Awaziem gifted Mali a goal with a careless pass across the defense.
2) We made too many backward passes and not enough attacking plays.
3) Finidi showed poor man management and made very late changes. (You can be sure some players would be glad to see the last of him).
4) In his defense, though, he had no assistance aside from a goalkeeping coach.
5) And as soon as Lookman came on for Onyedika and we switched from 5 at the back to 4, we became porous and eventually conceded a second goal.
6) Naija, being WOWO (We Only Want Oyibo), Finidi has now given them an excuse to hire a journeyman white coach.
7) Who will enjoy a fat salary yet certainly won't qualify Nigeria for the World Cup (2 points out of 6 so far, & no preparations expected before qualifiers resume).

I don’t think the NFF understand the mess this team is in regarding WC qualification. By not having a substantive coach in place before these two friendly matches to allow the coach, if they fail to move forward with Finidi then we are out of the WC in June. Right now we are pretty much out with a slim chance left. People keep ignoring this.

But the NFF gave Finidi the opportunity to shine and force their hand to appoint him. But he flunked it. And I am really pissed. He did not do well at all. Kai!