ARE OUR ATTACKING OPTIONS REALLY THAT GOOD

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:56 pm

In the absence of Martins

We have

Kanu--------good experience..still has something to offer but clearly past his prime and doesn't bang in goals

Aiyegbeni-----hard worker but not a prolific scorer

Agali---------one word "PREMADDONA" ok maybe two words "WASTE PIPE"...ok ok maybe three words .."TWO LEFT LEGS" whatever the number of words..I wont be holding my breath if Agali starts

JAG------ The only credible striker but his form of late is questionable..

Utaka-----Unproven commodity in the striker position

I just read the "Kanute opts for mali thread" and it dawned on me ...with all the shakara about strikers we have...Kanoute will walk into the eagles and probably grab a starting shirt on merit......

this is a French u-21 whos never been capped for the senior french team

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:57 pm

Please recall Ijeh to camp at once.........

I also won't mind dropping agali for a local champion

Talk IT · Post by **Talk IT** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:58 pm

Without Martins and JAG its just as urgly as you

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 4:59 pm

Talk IT wrote:Without Martins and JAG its just as urgly as you

exactly my point...if JAG gets injured ..panic will spread and we will finally realise we have depth but the quality of the depth is questionable

geminikoat · Post by **geminikoat** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:00 pm

We got one less option without Martins; I am sure SA and Morocco are happy about that. We got enough options still.

Sir V · Post by **Sir V** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:03 pm

Shame dey catch me say naija no fit gather a squad before now.

All this process of inviting a thousand players to camp will definately open the way for serious bribery for the inclusion of players to make the final list.

Jiggerman21 · Post by **Jiggerman21** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:04 pm

If Nigeria prepares properly, we have no problems in the absence of both JAG and Martins.

If we can sort out Goalkeeping, defence and midfield, the rest is to score and a well prepared attack including the likes of Kanu, Utaka, Agali, Yakubu etc. can bang in at least 2 goals per game (which is all you need in ANC).

But preparation is not Nigeria's forte. Shame

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:06 pm

what about the reserved spot for Akwuegbu ...this means one less credible striker to tunis

Ebyboy · Post by **Ebyboy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:23 pm

Good point Ugly!!!! But I still think we can make do without Martins and even Aghaghowa. They will be missed but we can manage with "good coaching"

which is why we need all the fire power we can get.

Eagle Winged · Post by **Eagle Winged** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:28 pm

Agali has no business anywhere near Tunisia come January. He's Akinbiyi and Heskey rolled into one, like some sort of super wastepipe.

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:55 pm

Eagle Winged wrote:Agali has no business anywhere near Tunisia come January. He's Akinbiyi and Heskey rolled into one, like some sort of super wastepipe.

Post by **Cellular** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 6:04 pm

Don't you know that Agali is a good header of the ball?

Mind ya sef!

Cally · Post by **Cally** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 6:06 pm

Agali offers another dimension to our attacking options. Arguably, he's the best header of the ball among all our strikers though his output has been adversely affected by confidence problems recently.

Let's not quickly forget how he helped us qualify for the last nations cup, he hasn't become a terrible player overnight.

Pemba · Post by **Pemba** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 6:08 pm

Nigeria has many different types of strikers but only one proven finisher - Aghahowa. This is typical of the SE. Yekini was the main striker in the 80s and 90s accounting for 1/2 of the goals - same thing with Amokachi in the years before he got injured. So just like the format that the SE followed, they need to surround the finisher with players that can grab a goal here and there. Looking at it this way, Utaka, Aiyegbeni and Agali all have roles to play in the attack.

KANU is the only player I would drop entirely for 2 reasons. He is slow and his reputation outweighs his actual performance on the field and this skews the Nigerian attack pretty badly.

Kali.

ugly boy · Post by **ugly boy** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 6:55 pm

KANU IS BETTER THAN AGALI EVEN TODAY

Elexus · Post by **Elexus** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 6:56 pm

It is highly desirable that Martins be in Tunisia. It is because of his speed, precision, and vision that distinguish him. He is like Yekini at his prime. We have to be able to convert our chances. In Mali, SE were just scoring only one goal except for the 2:1 win against Algeria. That is not acceptable for an offensive-oriented team. Agali cannot score even with a gaping goal mouth with no goalkeeper unless it is a header!! If Aghahowa is marked out, we will be hamstrung.

PaJimoh · Post by **PaJimoh** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 7:03 pm

Our Striking option is like the Dwarf in Lord of the rings says

"Little chance of success, great chance of being killed: What are we waiting for?"

Lowen Brau · Post by **Lowen Brau** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 7:20 pm

Elexus wrote:It is highly desirable that Martins be in Tunisia. It is because of his speed, precision, and vision that distinguish him. He is like Yekini at his prime. We have to be able to convert our chances. In Mali, SE were just scoring only one goal except for the 2:1 win against Algeria. That is not acceptable for an offensive-oriented team. Agali cannot score even with a gaping goal mouth with no goalkeeper unless it is a header!! If Aghahowa is marked out, we will be hamstrung.

Everybody feels Martins is doing the right thing by keeping his options open re:playing for Italy. But he is not. How many black people have ever played in the Italian 1st eleven? Martin will do well to honour the invitation and play for his country Nigeria. He is first amongst equals when it comes to who should be our out-and-out striker.

Post by **Cellular** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 7:25 pm

Kali, I think Agali would make a good goalkeeper... his skill is more suited for the EPL... where pipul celebrate good headers of the ball and blokes that run about well...

Gotti · Post by **Gotti** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:53 pm

KALI:
Thanks for the succint contribution.

As for those deriding Agali and Aiyebeni, suffice it note that each has averaged about a goal every other game for the Eagles (and Olympic team) -- regardless of whatever they might have done at their various foreign clubs!