WAS OLISEH RIGHT TO DROP MIKEL & UWA?

[Gotti]

If SO keeps winning...
He can drop anyone he likes!

[vancity eagle]

This was a very big call by Oliseh.

I did not see anything in Mikel's performance in Swaziland to warrant it. Moreso if you add Mikel's last two SE games prior to this break, he was the consensus MOM. So yes I am a bit mystified that he dropped him. Uwa, not so much.

But Oliseh won the game, so for that we have to give him credit.

You if you reference the game thread from the 1st leg. There was a moment, when, in my view - light bulb came on , and stayed on when I saw Mikel with the ball. It was very clear to me that Mikel was slowing the transition down. What is funny is...that on this particular play, Mikel still made a good pass but then the Swazs had resettled. I stated during Keshi's time that I could see a SE without Mikel starting. Mikel can be KEY to certain styles of play BUT it became clear to me last week (as I had suspected since Keshi days) that Mikel's downside of a more deliberate / controlled middle form was much less what fit what was around him. What was around Mikel was begging for fast-transition ability. I was not shocked at all when he was subbed. I had always wondered if a coach had the guts do it. This makes me think Oliseh as an idea ....he knows the template he's looking for. Boy, I bet he'll wish that with the skill and technique Mikel has, Mikel can play a part in that quick transitions system BUT he is not conditioned that way. His muscles are not fast-twitch type - can't run fast, can shoot from afar. Mikel is a prime candidate to bring in to protect a lead. Keep things in control, increase close possession and stabilize the middle. To start, in what I see the SE becoming...I doubt. Overall - I think Mikel played well, very well, he played to his Mikel form in the first leg BUT i think SO reckons we need a different type of the midfielder. Mikel will probably start seeing less action not based on his performance the past few games BUT solely based on his style.

You may be correct here, but I saw no difference from Onobi. He just kept passing sideways and backwards, and was not particularly urgent either.

How can Oliseh be all over Mikel, yet not be aware of Musas shortcomings which are a much bigger issue IMO.

[green4life]

I think Mikel has no place in Oliseh's Eagles, but Chima Akas is not better than Uwa from what I saw.

See why it is good to invite players till we get it right! You can either play your way in or out.

I wish it was that straightforward but sadly it's not.

Enyeama did not play himself out. Mikel has been one of his top performers in most games since playing for Oliseh. Musa has been average to poor almost consistently (half the time getting subbed out) but still captain and still starting every game regardless. The most plausible theory that makes sense going by Muyiwa's angle is that SO isn't comfortable with some players on his team - mostly key veterans - and wants to phase them out. Any excuse will be made to justify and when you go looking for excuses, you will surely find them in any player. But one thing I'm almost certain of is its not for footballing reasons.

In all fairness, it wasn't of a gamble taking a risk on Mikel vs Swaziland but one thing to watch subsequently is the man management/ PR aftermath. Let's see how Oliseh handles it.

[vancity eagle]

If SO keeps winning...
He can drop anyone he likes!

He has not kept winning. He has one win and two barren draws.

[vancity eagle]

I think Mikel has no place in Oliseh's Eagles, but Chima Akas is not better than Uwa from what I saw.

See why it is good to invite players till we get it right! You can either play your way in or out.

I wish it was that straightforward but sadly it's not.

Enyeama did not play himself out. Mikel has been one of his top performers in most games since playing for Oliseh. Musa has been average to poor almost consistently (half the time getting subbed out) but still captain and still starting every game regardless. The most plausible theory that makes sense going by Muyiwa's angle is that SO isn't comfortable with some players on his team - mostly key veterans - and wants to phase them out. Any excuse will be made to justify and when you go looking for excuses, you will surely find them in any player. But one thing I'm almost certain of is its not for footballing reasons.

In all fairness, it wasn't of a gamble taking a risk on Mikel vs Swaziland but one thing to watch subsequently is the man management/ PR aftermath. Let's see how Oliseh handles it.

I believe you are right, and I'm starting to think Muyiwalawal is right as well that SO is trying to phase out certain players.

Onobi was simply a very poor mans Mikel today. Nothing he did was better or even equal to what we get from Mikel. As you and I have pointed out, he is giving Musa a pass, Musa has been piss poor. Instead of dealing with Musa, he is all over Mikel.

Does not make sense, I don't like it one bit. I don't feel these are football related reasons in regards to Mikel.

[nim]

If SO keeps winning...
He can drop anyone he likes!

He has not kept winning. He has one win and two barren draws.

Nope, he's got 5 wins, 4 draws and one loss. 7 goals and like 4 clean sheet or thereabouts.

If that's not the mark of a great coach for a first-timer then I dunno what else can satisfy you.

[Gotti]

If SO keeps winning...
He can drop anyone he likes!

He has not kept winning. He has one win and two barren draws.

Dude, you need to say your verbiage for your teachers...
Because basic English language cannot possibly be this hard to understand.

He dropped them for TODAY's game and WON today's game...
Hence, as long as he KEEPS winning, he can drop whomever he likes. Kapisch!

[Odas]

against Swaziland, abegiii, bring on the likes of ghana away or CIV etc....

Then why were you menstruating all over the place earlier?

[wale1974]

If SO keeps winning...
He can drop anyone he likes!

He has not kept winning. He has one win and two barren draws.

Dude, you need to say your verbiage for your teachers...
Because basic English language cannot possibly be this hard to understand.

He dropped them for TODAY's game and WON today's game...
Hence, as long as he KEEPS winning, he can drop whomever he likes. Kapisch!

[vancity eagle]

If SO keeps winning...
He can drop anyone he likes!

He has not kept winning. He has one win and two barren draws.

Dude, you need to say your verbiage for your teachers...
Because basic English language cannot possibly be this hard to understand.

He dropped them for TODAY's game and WON today's game...
Hence, as long as he KEEPS winning, he can drop whomever he likes. Kapisch!

So beating Swaziland at home is now the benchmark. OK oh.

[Robbynice]

The truth is against okporoko teams from Swaziland, a team of home based boys who know how to treat minnows and put them in their place should be used. When you go against fellow big teams who boast of fellow ajebutter rich foreign pros..then rely on our own too. Why we took so many foreign pro to Swaziland in the first place baffled me..we should have faced them with the CHAN team.

KPOM KWEM!

[Otitokoro]

Mikel's style of play would be hard to fit into an up tempo team structure. Nothing wrong with Mikel, he is just not cut out like that. Like you rightly pointed out, he's best attributes come to fore when you are protecting a lead.

The difference in the pace of the midfield, especially during transition, was quite obvious today. Much quicker. I would say 90% of the 1st half was played in the Swazi half. Had Nigeria had someone other than Misses Ighalo upfront, the scoreline might have been quite different.

The uncomfortable truth is that Mikel may not be suited for a starting role in Oliseh's team. We just have to live with that, at least, while Oliseh is in charge.

You if you reference the game thread from the 1st leg. There was a moment, when, in my view - light bulb came on , and stayed on when I saw Mikel with the ball. It was very clear to me that Mikel was slowing the transition down. What is funny is...that on this particular play, Mikel still made a good pass but then the Swazs had resettled. I stated during Keshi's time that I could see a SE without Mikel starting. Mikel can be KEY to certain styles of play BUT it became clear to me last week (as I had suspected since Keshi days) that Mikel's downside of a more deliberate / controlled middle form was much less what fit what was around him. What was around Mikel was begging for fast-transition ability. I was not shocked at all when he was subbed. I had always wondered if a coach had the guts do it. This makes me think Oliseh as an idea ....he knows the template he's looking for. Boy, I bet he'll wish that with the skill and technique Mikel has, Mikel can play a part in that quick transitions system BUT he is not conditioned that way. His muscles are not fast-twitch type - can't run fast, can shoot from afar. Mikel is a prime candidate to bring in to protect a lead. Keep things in control, increase close possession and stabilize the middle. To start, in what I see the SE becoming...I doubt. Overall - I think Mikel played well, very well, he played to his Mikel form in the first leg BUT i think SO reckons we need a different type of the midfielder. Mikel will probably start seeing less action not based on his performance the past few games BUT solely based on his style.

[Bigpokey24]

i am happy we won and i could care less, however iftosay we no win come go play penal, Oliseh for hear am, FACT no feelings, We play Egypt back to back and Egypt are on fire at home.. 4 points is all i ask for,

[Gotti]

So beating Swaziland at home is now the benchmark. OK oh.

WINNING is the benchmark!

[kajifu]

Guys e don do sha.

[lekanlij]

VE - finally the penny appears to be dropping for you. I've been saying it since that SO is bad news. Has little or nothing to offer SE - son you would come to understand just how good Keshi is.

Even Enyeama acknowledged it in his post as muyiwalawal some worth....Keshi qualified a rag tag Togo team for world cup and won an ANC title for unfancied Nigeria but ppl don't want to give him credit like these are easy feats.

Hopefully the penny would drop on the other areas soon VE...

[papilo]

If we beat the likes of Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast and Ghana with the 11 we had today then we can judge. To be honest any naija team could have won today. The Swaziland team sucked big time.

[Otitokoro]

Yawnnn!
Spare us the history lesson, please. Even a dead clock will tell the time correctly twice a day!
Keshi had nothing more to offer at the time he was rightly relieved of the job.
Sunday Oliseh is in charge now and its time for you folks to move forward.

VE - finally the penny appears to be dropping for you. I've been saying it since that SO is bad news. Has little or nothing to offer SE - son you would come to understand just how good Keshi is.

Even Enyeama acknowledged it in his post as muyiwalawal some worth....Keshi qualified a rag tag Togo team for world cup and won an ANC title for unfancied Nigeria but ppl don't want to give him credit like these are easy feats.

Hopefully the penny would drop on the other areas soon VE...

[Siddonlook11]

I think we all watch with different agenda's..

What I saw was Onobi playing like Mikel BUT was more disciplined ( when we were not doing well to STAY ) back and keep on point.....remember someone saying something about Mikel not playing to instructions...clue..

Second clue... Onobi played like a slightly faster Mikel ..clue Like Mikel but faster..

3rd clue ..Onobi stayed back and allowed a faster Onazi..clue faster Onazi ..join Igboun ( faster because when we were not is possession he could return quicker to help Onobi )..

Check the first game whenever Mikel did well going forward and we lost possession it took him a prety while to get back...

But wetin I sabi ...?

I agree with Oloye also that some games are better played with a higher mix of no big name downright no nonsense players while some other games would fare well with the big boys..they key is understanding yourself and your opponents.

[vancity eagle]

I think we all watch with different agenda's..

What I saw was Onobi playing like Mikel BUT was more disciplined ( when we were not doing well to STAY ) back and keep on point.....remember someone saying something about Mikel not playing to instructions...clue..

Second clue... Onobi played like a slightly faster Mikel ..clue Like Mikel but faster..

3rd clue ..Onobi stayed back and allowed a faster Onazi..clue faster Onazi ..join Igboun ( faster because when we were not is possession he could return quicker to help Onobi )..

Check the first game whenever Mikel did well going forward and we lost possession it took him a prety while to get back...

But wetin I sabi ...?

I agree with Oloye also that some games are better played with a higher mix of no big name downright no nonsense players while some other games would fare well with the big boys..they key is understanding yourself and your opponents.

I hope u understand that in the final round of WCQ, there will not be many moi moi Swaziland teams that u wish to deploy our CHAN team against.

The teams we will face will be a higher standard, many of them are not gra gra.

Teams like Swaziland we should handle easily at home, yet it was not so.


The likes of Mali, guinea, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Congo, DR CONGO, have many FB players and certainly are not gra gra teams.

We will need our best 23 players to have any chance of qualification.

Anything else na tales by moonlight.

[balo]

It's been a while we enjoyed the SE actually win a competitive match. Let's enjoy this W. And if it gets us to qualify for some competition, even sweeter.

[Robbynice]

So beating Swaziland at home is now the benchmark. OK oh.

WINNING is the benchmark!

KPOM KWEM! Anything else na tales by moonlight!

[Lori]

Every football site I visited rated Onobi very highly, dude was solid and disciplined in his performance, only VE has a different opinion..