This is the worst 90 mins I have ever seen Nigeria play

green4life · Post by **green4life** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:36 pm

I'm wondering what game some folks watched. We played a tactical game today once it was evident that we'd have a tough time controling the midfield... in the 2nd half, C3 had guys behind the ball and rely on counters to catch tunisia... with all of Tunisia's possession, at the end of the day, the eagles had 8 shots on goal while Tunisia had 2... also, how many saves did Enyeama need to make in 120mins of action??? hardly any... compare that to Tunisia's goalie who saved 2 utaka shots + Osaze's break way... possession don't mean jack if you no direct shots at goal... Good tactics by C3... even steven wonder would have seen that C3 changed the game plan at halftime to protect Okoronkwo & the overall defending... who gets the kudos for that?? westerhoff?

AreaDaddy · Post by **AreaDaddy** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 9:47 pm

Worse game you must be joking ke...

Unless you just started watching Nigeria at this ANC. We've played games a lot worse than this, although this was bad...

Schillachi · Post by **Schillachi** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:05 pm

Mke, You were right the first time, we played horrible. Okocha was woeful. Osaze na short one. Osaze is simply woeful when it comes to aerial balls. I can't count how many times the aerial balls hit his oblong head, with is back turned to the ball.

A 75% fit Aghahowa would have been way better than Osaze today. I was crying for Chukwu to sub him with Aghahowa in hte extra time, but numbskull Chukwu no gree. Chukwu na real nincompoop. I can't believe his stupid #$% sent Agali and Yak home.

bigshawn30 · Post by **bigshawn30** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:20 pm

NO BE ONLY 90MINS BRO NA 120MINS OF OVER-TIME, HARD LABOUR

HAWKEYE · Post by **HAWKEYE** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 10:27 pm

mke1010 -
Most on this forum are very subjective when analysing a match. It is sacreligious to mention some players as having a bad game and they go for the jugular.

Most annoying part of today's game is that the Tunisian team aren't it, but they had a good tactician. On the contrary, we had the big names and players but a weak tactician.

This 90 mins must be the most harrowing of all our matches. Non Nigerian friends who watched with me couldn't believe this was the same team that beat Cameroon. Some wondered why Okocha must caress the ball and try to dribble every time he has the ball when it was obvious the Tunisians job was to stop him by all means - pull, tug , hook etc.

I was personally disappointed he could not change the game and play 1-2, the way he does at Bolton. I expected CCC to tell him this at HT, but.........

THIS SURELY MUST BE THE END OF AN ERA THAT STARTED SINCE 1996.

eru.bugzy · Post by **eru.bugzy** » Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:13 pm

Guys may body still dey too weak to dey judge, but it was a very tough game. Tunisia played like more of a team with good control of possesion. while we held back and tried to play long balls to the strikers. Our game was a bit predictable, as Osaze was the only real target man, as Kanu does not have the pace to get behind the defenders. Those guys also knew that the only real creative outlet was Okocha, so they never allowed him to settle on the ball.Tunisia's main attack was initially thru hitting long balls to Dos Santos, once they understood that they could not dribble past our defenders. That Brazillian, we must admit, is a good player! Our defensive game was generally okay, apart from some basic errors by Okoronkwo early on. We gave possession away too many times from those predictable long passes, but the few times we were able to get on the end of those balls, or behind their defenders, we had chances. Osaze and Utaka had chances to win the game in extra-time, but we were not fortunate....after the 90 mins were up, I think Tunisia were ready to settle on PKs. However, I was disappointed with Enyeama during the shoot-out.....for 120 mins he did a great job, but did not have a clue or look in any shape of form capable of stopping their PKs....2 were hit within 2-3 yards of him, but he moved the other way. Bad form for someone we know is a good shot stopper! Osaze's PK was good and well-struck...the keeper guessed right and made a good save, like he almost did with Okocha's initial PK that gave us the lead. It's a painful way to lose a game of this magnitude, but the better team unfortunately won today. Maroc will be tough for Tunisia....I just hope dey blood no go shed for inside and outside that Tunis Rades stadium come Saturday. As for eagles, we need to build and develop a team, like the 1994 group....we need other play-makers in midfield who can also work hard and tackle. We should take the positives from this ANC. Yobo had a solid game and I hope he will lead the new generation ( after Okocha) to greater heights....my heart bleeds and green blood full ground. We go siddon wait for the next battle come ANC/WC qualifiers 2006.....NFA must insist that the team play all these qualifier matches so that they can gel and become a formidable force, instead of fielding home-based guys that will not feature in the main tournament

.

Metho scorpion · Post by **Metho scorpion** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 12:40 am

mke1010...you sure have eye for the game......do not put up defence on this thread bcos people will come out from different angle to defend CCC or player of favor......
Indeed it was a poor outing......
Can we blame players? Not really....I guess that was there best......Can we blame CCC and crew.....? do not think so.....that is all they probably could offer........
Indeed it was a bad outing....no zeal....apperaed tired....may be Lion celebration was draining....could be have been poison(that one is a joke).....
Naija.........we will never learn......something not clear went wrong....

mke1010 · Post by **mke1010** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 2:16 am

As the day has gone by this loss is inflicting more pain on me. WE should have won this match. I feel like talent wise Tunisia was subordinate. We just didn't have the fire that we had against Cameroun and we looked a bit lethargic for most of the game. Why beat Cameroun and squander a great chance to lift our third cup. I know it is game and sometimes luck doesn't shine but we have been on too many sides of penalties going against us. That Cameroun match took a lot out of us and anyone who does not agree is simply in denial. I just watched that match again this evening and it is even clearer-this is the worst Nigeria has played in any meaningful tournament. It wasn't becos they were selfish or didn't care or had no heart, it was just a poor performance.
Odemigwe is good but one final observation is that guy really needs to hit the weight room and gain more size and strength. He doesn't draw fouls like Kanu and he needs to work on his aeiral ability. Come to 2006 he should be hitting his prime and will be less over-whelmed.

Guv007 · Post by **Guv007** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 2:29 am

Riche007 wrote:...Apparently, u didnt watch the game.

Don't think he did, as l stopped reading when he wrote Udeze had an ordinary match.............

Pemba · Post by **Pemba** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 3:10 am

Nonsense.

The eagles played better in this game than in the game against Cameroon. You could tell tactically, the SE studied Tunisia because whatever plans they had for hitting the Eagles on the counter fizzled because on defence we quickly got back and covered them. The back 4 played an outstanding game. Even Okoronkwo who was out of sorts held his spot down.

The weak link was in the DM. Olofinjana clearly was way over his head and he could not halt the Tunisians nor could he play the ball forward well. Lawal also did not play to the level he played against Cameroon. Udeze saved him on that wing countless times and I could see why CCC subbed him for Ekwueme eventually.

Upfront we were not stellar but more potent than the game against Cameroon. I think CCC was going for the win late in the second half by moving Utaka into the central attack, subbing out Kanu and putting Ikedia on the wing. I think he realized that we needed more speed and attacking up front and that Osaze alone could not do it. We had many more chances at goal with this formation with Utaka and Osaze making that goalie stretch.

Of course the problem was that we took strength from the midfield and this combined with the weakness of Olofinjana and the subbing of Kanu out meant that we sacrificed midfield possession in order to score. The stats tell the tale because in the first half the teams were evenly matched in possession (Nigeria 49% Tunisia 51%) but in the second half Tunisia overran a midfield that had only Okocha manoevering and Udeze and Abbey ocassionally reinforcing it. This is why we resorted to long balls and the counter.

In a sense CCC made a smart move. He wanted to win the game outright and if it was Utaka one on one on the Tunisian goalie instead of Osaze we would be celebrating now. If Utaka's shot had gone in we would be dancing. Or if Ikedia had gotten to the rebound of the ball when the goalie was out of position we would be singing CCC's praise.

I know some cybereagles may argue that having Aiyegbeni and Agali on the bench would have given us options but after seeing Aiyegbeni against Morocco, I seriously doubt it. I think the player that was truly missed was Aghahowa because his speed and effectiveness up front would have been needed to get past the Tunisian defenders. As it was despite Osaze's enthusiasm his inexperience weighed on us heavily.

But it was a great match and personally if there is anyone who was outcoached it was Lemerre who was playing on home ground with a FULL team that had been together for a while yet the closest his team got to shoot at goal was the ridiculous penalty call and of course the penalties at the end that they won.

The SE played well and kudos to Christian Chukwu. I had little faith in him before now I think he is one hell of a coach.

Kali.

Ezesportsworld · Post by **Ezesportsworld** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 3:58 am

Kali you said it all

mke1010 · Post by **mke1010** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:17 am

We can all agree to diagree. Many people feel like we had a poor outing others see it differently. You keep on talking about tactical approach, answer my question, how many times did Enyeama kick the ball out of bounds? How many times did Finjana hold on to the ball too long and lose possesion or kill foward progression? How many times did we pass directly to Tunisia? How many times did we pass the ball to an open space with no one in Particular? What was our overall possession in the match? Some of you get so involved with tactical and technical posturing that you forget to read a game based on simple criteria. I watched the game at Kenny's cafe in Houston with close to or over 100 people. Almost everyone Ic ame in contact with felt we played poorly. So, I respect your views. You can also have respect for mine.

nakson · Post by **nakson** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:25 am

Abeg i am tired of all these fair weather fans, they were the same folks jumping when we defeated cameroon but today they are now calling the team useless. Today's loss is not really hurting bcos i am 100% sure that we gave our best. To see a 30 yr old Jay Jay running during overtime was simply inspirational.

mke1010 · Post by **mke1010** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 4:36 am

Nakson I don't think anyone posting thus far on this thread is a fair weather fan. I was with SE afer Denmark, after ANC2000 as well as other defeats in theearly 80s. I am proud of how our boys played with courage and inspiration this tournament. I have been and remain a supporter of CCC. My saying the boys had a poor outing is not being a fair weather rather it is being objective. I can see how the bravery of Osaze, the passion of Udeze, the inspirational display of Okocha and the dramatics of overtime and penalties would cloud one's view to the fact that the overall team play was poor.

Molue Conductor · Post by **Molue Conductor** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:39 am

Mke definitely was asleep when we played denmark in 98

mke1010 · Post by **mke1010** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:44 am

Scourge-it seems you have just woken up. If you haven't heard Nigeria played and lost today. And yes, they played poorly.

Molue Conductor · Post by **Molue Conductor** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:47 am

i watched the game, and nigeria had problems, but their performance was still better than the one aganist denmark

PhineBoy · Post by **PhineBoy** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 5:55 am

still crying..........

:x

theYemster · Post by **theYemster** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:12 am

Chief Ogbunigwe wrote:I agree with mke1010 here. It was painful to watch

To say the least. Understatement of the year if you ask me.

living · Post by **living** » Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:58 am

this wasoneofthe mostuncoordinated match the SE have played,imagine seyijust forgetting what to do with the ball or Osaze( who tried) butr should havebeedn subbed.CCC just made 2 changes and Aghahowa was there,Iamsure if he had subbed Agha forOsaze all those misses would have not been happening