vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 12:23 am
We just played our last afcon without Osimehn.
This is a player who now has a history of injuries.
We need as solid a deputy as possible.
Also it seems that given the players at our disposal we may need to consider 352 formation.
Exactly, we can't keep relying on Osimhen cause we know his records of injuries or club drama (like we saw in the last AFCON with Napoli not allowing him to attend the tournament)...now are the likes of Moffi, Sadiq and Awoniyi reliable enough deputies in the absence of Osimhen? I wouldn't put my money on the odds just yet.
If we WANT to compete and win the AFCON and go far in the 2026 world cup, we have to find capable deputies for Osimhen, Iwobi and Ndidi (these 3 guys are the anchors of that team). The answer to Osimhen is Folarin, the answer to Iwobi is Eberechi Eze, and the answer to Ndidi are either of Yusuf, Onyedika and Lesley Ugochukwu.
I am even thinking we need to move Iwobi to CM and convert the most cerebral of our forwards/wingers to play #10. (Lookman, Akpom, Ejuke) Eze if he switches.
This way we can utilize our plethora of attacking players
That means we have to play 352 for that idea to work
Very solid and attacking lineup with defensive solidity. Iwobi will be the workhorse in midfield and will initiate attacks, linking up with Lookman, while Ndidi sits back to cover the back 3. Samuel and Aina get up the pitch and whip in crosses. Osimehn and Moffi upfront will batter defences.
We can easily switch to a 433 formation by bringing on Chuks for Moffi.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:05 am
by EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA
vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 2:40 am
Those are the options above
Very solid and attacking lineup with defensive solidity. Iwobi will be the workhorse in midfield and will initiate attacks, linking up with Lookman, while Ndidi sits back to cover the back 3. Samuel and Aina get up the pitch and whip in crosses. Osimehn and Moffi upfront will batter defences.
We can easily switch to a 433 formation by bringing on Chuks for Moffi.
Not enough service for this team to succeed. Where will the crosses and wing penetration come from?’MF is not strong enough on the defensive end. You’ll beat kwe kwe teams but struggle vs tactically disciplined team.
Very solid and attacking lineup with defensive solidity. Iwobi will be the workhorse in midfield and will initiate attacks, linking up with Lookman, while Ndidi sits back to cover the back 3. Samuel and Aina get up the pitch and whip in crosses. Osimehn and Moffi upfront will batter defences.
We can easily switch to a 433 formation by bringing on Chuks for Moffi.
Not enough service for this team to succeed. Where will the crosses and wing penetration come from?’MF is not strong enough on the defensive end. You’ll beat kwe kwe teams but struggle vs tactically disciplined team.
Wing play has never really worked out for us, time to try something different
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:04 pm
by vancity eagle
The Americans are plotting hard to get Balogun.
According to them the likes of Tim Weah and Yunus Musah are speaking to him regularly trying to convince him.
The Americans believe we are satisfied with Osimehn and thus will not pursue him very hard. But they believe he will soon be called to England.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:51 pm
by EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA
vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:04 pm
The Americans are plotting hard to get Balogun.
According to them the likes of Tim Weah and Yunus Musah are speaking to him regularly trying to convince him.
The Americans believe we are satisfied with Osimehn and thus will not pursue him very hard. But they believe he will soon be called to England.
Yup. According to OGN, his agent said he’s all EngLand and maybe USA. Kiss this one goodbye, we should focus on the innits we can get and go get them asap. Eze and Adarabioyomare likely the only 2 we can get.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:23 pm
by Siddonlook11
The boy ( Folarin ) is really good and WILL get better , I do feel he is good enough NOT to be ignored by England and US and like Saka will likely chose England.
vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:04 pm
The Americans are plotting hard to get Balogun.
According to them the likes of Tim Weah and Yunus Musah are speaking to him regularly trying to convince him.
The Americans believe we are satisfied with Osimehn and thus will not pursue him very hard. But they believe he will soon be called to England.
Yup. According to OGN, his agent said he’s all EngLand and maybe USA. Kiss this one goodbye, we should focus on the innits we can get and go get them asap. Eze and Adarabioyomare likely the only 2 we can get.
When we get Eze and Adarabioyo, that's good enough for me. We will always produce top level strikers whether home or abroad so that isn't a position of immediate concern for us. I wish Folarin all the best in whichever country he chooses.
vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:04 pm
The Americans are plotting hard to get Balogun.
According to them the likes of Tim Weah and Yunus Musah are speaking to him regularly trying to convince him.
The Americans believe we are satisfied with Osimehn and thus will not pursue him very hard. But they believe he will soon be called to England.
Yup. According to OGN, his agent said he’s all EngLand and maybe USA. Kiss this one goodbye, we should focus on the innits we can get and go get them asap. Eze and Adarabioyomare likely the only 2 we can get.
When we get Eze and Adarabioyo, that's good enough for me. We will always produce top level strikers whether home or abroad so that isn't a position of immediate concern for us. I wish Folarin all the best in whichever country he chooses.
Not so fast bro!
After Yekini, we never really did.
Aiyegbeni wasn't exactly the most prolific for the SE despite his club form.
We all thought Emenike was the next best thing but never quite was.
Yes, we seem to have one in Osimhen at the moment with a good back-up list but it hasn't always been this good.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 6:02 am
by bret- hart
vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:04 pm
The Americans are plotting hard to get Balogun.
According to them the likes of Tim Weah and Yunus Musah are speaking to him regularly trying to convince him.
The Americans believe we are satisfied with Osimehn and thus will not pursue him very hard. But they believe he will soon be called to England.
We should send Iwobi, Moffi, JJ, kanu etc to talk to him. I see no reason why we cant get him.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:28 am
by Dammy
His agent has started doing yanga with us! Imagine we had not cap-tied Lookman? We would have been in a similar situation.
We need to move early on these players.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:35 am
by The YeyeMan
Dammy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:28 am
His agent has started doing yanga with us! Imagine we had not cap-tied Lookman? We would have been in a similar situation.
We need to move early on these players.
Totally agree. Need to invite / cap them if they have potential and when other nationalities are looking the other way. Need to be forward thinking rather than wasting countless invitations on the likes of Musa, etc.
Dammy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:28 am
His agent has started doing yanga with us! Imagine we had not cap-tied Lookman? We would have been in a similar situation.
We need to move early on these players.
Totally agree. Need to invite / cap them if they have potential and when other nationalities are looking the other way. Need to be forward thinking rather than wasting countless invitations on the likes of Musa, etc.
Absolutely.
But there is a significant body of opinion that somehow believes that casting your net far and wide for the best talent globally equates to neglecting home-based talent.
Dammy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:28 am
His agent has started doing yanga with us! Imagine we had not cap-tied Lookman? We would have been in a similar situation.
We need to move early on these players.
Totally agree. Need to invite / cap them if they have potential and when other nationalities are looking the other way. Need to be forward thinking rather than wasting countless invitations on the likes of Musa, etc.
Absolutely.
But there is a significant body of opinion that somehow believes that casting your net far and wide for the best talent globally equates to neglecting home-based talent.
Who cares what bigpokey thinks?
It's possible to walk and chew gum at the same time. Casting our net far and wide includes casting it over home-based talent too.
Dammy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:28 am
His agent has started doing yanga with us! Imagine we had not cap-tied Lookman? We would have been in a similar situation.
We need to move early on these players.
Totally agree. Need to invite / cap them if they have potential and when other nationalities are looking the other way. Need to be forward thinking rather than wasting countless invitations on the likes of Musa, etc.
Absolutely.
But there is a significant body of opinion that somehow believes that casting your net far and wide for the best talent globally equates to neglecting home-based talent.
Both should not be mutually exclusive. However, under Pinnick local talent development was deprioritised.
Dammy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 9:28 am
His agent has started doing yanga with us! Imagine we had not cap-tied Lookman? We would have been in a similar situation.
We need to move early on these players.
Totally agree. Need to invite / cap them if they have potential and when other nationalities are looking the other way. Need to be forward thinking rather than wasting countless invitations on the likes of Musa, etc.
Exactly, we only wait till this dual kids are in red hot form before we start showing interest, by then the better football nations that they are eligible for will also be paying attention, reach out to them that they have a chance in their national teams, and then the outcome ends up being the same cause the country with the better football pedigree always wins the bid...that's how we lost out on the likes of Saka, Musiala, Noah Okafor etc...God knows even I with no football administrative experience will do a far better job than the clowns we have in the NFF.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:10 pm
by olu
The U.S really needs a quality striker. They have a number of wide forwards but do not have that many quality forwards that can play centrally.
I hope we get more intentional with pursuing Balogun. Always better to have more rather than fewer options. He may not be better than Osimhen, but will at least compete with the likes of Moffi, Sadiq, Awoniyi, etc.
vancity eagle wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:04 pm
The Americans are plotting hard to get Balogun.
According to them the likes of Tim Weah and Yunus Musah are speaking to him regularly trying to convince him.
The Americans believe we are satisfied with Osimehn and thus will not pursue him very hard. But they believe he will soon be called to England.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:33 pm
by vancity eagle
[
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:37 pm
by Tobi17
If we don't get him, I'll rather the USMNT do and not England...I just can't stand English fans.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:47 pm
by vancity eagle
Tobi17 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:37 pm
If we don't get him, I'll rather the USMNT do and not England...I just can't stand English fans.
I'd rather the English get him.
He has literally no ties to the US, other than being born there.
US are just too opportunistic. Same way they took Musah who also literally has no ties to the US.
It would be hard for me to stomach him chosing the US over SE.
Tobi17 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:37 pm
If we don't get him, I'll rather the USMNT do and not England...I just can't stand English fans.
I'd rather the English get him.
He has literally no ties to the US, other than being born there.
US are just too opportunistic. Same way they took Musah who also literally has no ties to the US.
It would be hard for me to stomach him chosing the US over SE.
Musah is Nigerian? thought he was Ghanaian.
Tbh I see your point and there's a chance Folarin will most likely choose England for obvious reasons, I just can't stand English fans, or maybe it's the American bias in me.
Re: Folarin Balogun
Posted: Fri Feb 03, 2023 8:02 pm
by bret- hart
Tobi17 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:37 pm
If we don't get him, I'll rather the USMNT do and not England...I just can't stand English fans.
No effing way. If we can't have him then let him play for England. US have no ties to him aside from him being an anchor baby. These guys are just as opportunistic as Algeria who hijacked Olise from Naija back then. Worse still they act so entitled to have him just because he was born there. Nonsense .
Tobi17 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:37 pm
If we don't get him, I'll rather the USMNT do and not England...I just can't stand English fans.
I'd rather the English get him.
He has literally no ties to the US, other than being born there.
US are just too opportunistic. Same way they took Musah who also literally has no ties to the US.
It would be hard for me to stomach him chosing the US over SE.
Musah is Nigerian? thought he was Ghanaian.
Tbh I see your point and there's a chance Folarin will most likely choose England for obvious reasons, I just can't stand English fans, or maybe it's the American bias in me.
Musa is Ghanaian. How Ghana missed out still baffles me.