10 observations I have to make after the Angolan game

[Ayo Akinfe]

[1] Just as well Nwabali recovered. Look at that save he made in the first half

[2] Ola Aina was good again today

[3] Zaidu Sanusi is not good enough for this team

[4] Ekong must always play

[5] Bassey must always play

[6] If we play with a back three, Ajayi must join them

[7] If we want to win this tournament, we need to play with a bit more urgency

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

[9] If Nigeria is to win this cup, Osimhen needs to start scoring

[10] In my opinion, if Nigeria is to lift the trophy, Peseiro needs to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, bringing Alhassan Yusuf into midfield alongside Iwobi and Onyeka

[packerland]

#9 is so true. I have a feeling Osimhen will score the clinching goal if we make it to the finals. I’ll have to disagree with your #10. Good ten pointers.

[Ayo Akinfe]

Surely Peseiro cannot field Zauidu Sanusi again. All our opponents can see that he is the weak link in the team and will target him. Just imagine if he did not have Calvin Bassey coveting up for him whenever they got behind him.

[wanaj0]

#9 is so true. I have a feeling Osimhen will score the clinching goal if we make it to the finals. I’ll have to disagree with your #10. Good ten pointers.

Good IF Osimhen scores BUT more important is us winning. Osimhen is a TEAM player so he is PLAYING for the team instead of going for self glory.

[Flex Swift]

Surely Peseiro cannot field Zauidu Sanusi again. All our opponents can see that he is the weak link in the team and will target him. Just imagine if he did not have Calvin Bassey coveting up for him whenever they got behind him.

Where you like it or not he is the best left back/wing back in the squad. He is also the only defender in the squad still in the champions league.

[wanaj0]

Surely Peseiro cannot field Zauidu Sanusi again. All our opponents can see that he is the weak link in the team and will target him. Just imagine if he did not have Calvin Bassey coveting up for him whenever they got behind him.

This is not the era of Vogts when agents were collecting money to get Vogts to field field players on their payroll.

I am sure the coach is sensible enough not to trust the judgement of

1) Someone that will review a match he did not watch.
2) Someone that is not aware if Osaze is a striker or not

All the story is because of the proverbial handshake

[olu]

Ayo I agree with most of your points. Zaidu is killing off our counter attacks with his final ball. I do think a 3-5-2 will offer us more going forward and help retain possession. With a 3-4-3 we are playing too deep and allowing our opponents too much possession. We win the ball so deep in our half so launching counter attacks becomes more difficult. We will eventually be punished if we continue surrendering so much possession.

[1] Just as well Nwabali recovered. Look at that save he made in the first half

[2] Ola Aina was good again today

[3] Zaidu Sanusi is not good enough for this team

[4] Ekong must always play

[5] Bassey must always play

[6] If we play with a back three, Ajayi must join them

[7] If we want to win this tournament, we need to play with a bit more urgency

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

[9] If Nigeria is to win this cup, Osimhen needs to start scoring

[10] In my opinion, if Nigeria is to lift the trophy, Peseiro needs to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, bringing Alhassan Yusuf into midfield alongside Iwobi and Onyeka

[davidbam14]

[1] Just as well Nwabali recovered. Look at that save he made in the first half

[2] Ola Aina was good again today

[3] Zaidu Sanusi is not good enough for this team

[4] Ekong must always play

[5] Bassey must always play

[6] If we play with a back three, Ajayi must join them

[7] If we want to win this tournament, we need to play with a bit more urgency

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

[9] If Nigeria is to win this cup, Osimhen needs to start scoring

[10] In my opinion, if Nigeria is to lift the trophy, Peseiro needs to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, bringing Alhassan Yusuf into midfield alongside Iwobi and Onyeka

No 8 is so so true, we need to be swift.

[davidbam14]

[1] Just as well Nwabali recovered. Look at that save he made in the first half

[2] Ola Aina was good again today

[3] Zaidu Sanusi is not good enough for this team

[4] Ekong must always play

[5] Bassey must always play

[6] If we play with a back three, Ajayi must join them

[7] If we want to win this tournament, we need to play with a bit more urgency

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

[9] If Nigeria is to win this cup, Osimhen needs to start scoring

[10] In my opinion, if Nigeria is to lift the trophy, Peseiro needs to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, bringing Alhassan Yusuf into midfield alongside Iwobi and Onyeka

No 8 is so so true, we need to be swift.

[theDunamis]

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

No 8 is so so true, we need to be swift.

Hmm, 60 seconds is an eternity on the field and I would hardly define that as swift. Likely more "taylor".

[waka-man]

60 seconds???!!

The rule of thumb is 12 seconds on a fast break, with the ball doing much of the movement itself.

[Mr Shows]

60 seconds???!!

The rule of thumb is 12 seconds on a fast break, with the ball doing much of the movement itself.

The gaffers tactic has been to concede possession and allow the opposition to have the ball in areas where they pose no real threat and play compact and on the break.

Allowing VO to press from the front has taken it's toll on him. We need to try and close the next game out early and give VO a break. If we draw South Africa, Kelechi may get some airtime..

[donadoni]

Maybe the strategy is to start as we have been but then if we go 1-0 up switch to a more attacking formation to get the second goal and kill the game. But there is something to be said for not conceding in 4 straight games. If you don’t concede and have Vic, Lookman etc upfront you always have a chance to win which is all we need

[onovo]

[1] Just as well Nwabali recovered. Look at that save he made in the first half

[2] Ola Aina was good again today

[3] Zaidu Sanusi is not good enough for this team

[4] Ekong must always play

[5] Bassey must always play

[6] If we play with a back three, Ajayi must join them

[7] If we want to win this tournament, we need to play with a bit more urgency

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

[9] If Nigeria is to win this cup, Osimhen needs to start scoring

[10] In my opinion, if Nigeria is to lift the trophy, Peseiro needs to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, bringing Alhassan Yusuf into midfield alongside Iwobi and Onyeka

My question to you is that, whom would you bench in our current starting line-up in order to bring Yusuf into the starting line-up ?

[Coach]

What is the fascination with the 3-5-2? The defensive shape changes quite considerably one the wings are clipped to accommodate a second central striker. The onus on the wingbacks to provide width defensively and offensively is no small feat.

The 5-4-1 has worked well and presents no reason for change. In-play perhaps but not prior.

[Ayo Akinfe]

Our main problem is in central midfield if you ask me. Onyeka and Iwobi get overwhelmed at times, so they really need Yusuf as a third man in there to guarantee possession.

It is why I would drop one of the front three in favour of a central midfielder. Once we do that, our only other headache is Zaudi Sanusi.

[truetalk]

What is the fascination with the 3-5-2? The defensive shape changes quite considerably one the wings are clipped to accommodate a second central striker. The onus on the wingbacks to provide width defensively and offensively is no small feat.

The 5-4-1 has worked well and presents no reason for change. In-play perhaps but not prior.

The formations are actually not that different, depending on Lookman's (and sometimes Moses') positioning.

It is practically the same at the back, with 3 central defenders. Zaidu and Aina are wingbacks, so that is your 5 in the 5-4-1 with the wingbacks being part of your midfield in the 3-5-2.

Onyeka and Iwobi are in the middle with both formations. Moses is advanced most times, but he tracks back a lot.

If you asumme Moses is behind Lukman, you can call it a 3-5-2. Coach thinks it is a 5-4-1.

I think we're more like a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 (since Victor is more advanced).

The strength of the players you choose to start should determine your formation. Given our talent pool, we should have 6 wingbacks in a 27 man squad, and stretch teams out.

[davidbam14]

[8] Championship-winning teams get the ball from one penalty box to the other under 60 seconds. We need to learn how to do this

No 8 is so so true, we need to be swift.

Hmm, 60 seconds is an eternity on the field and I would hardly define that as swift. Likely more "taylor".

[Odas]

#9 is so true. I have a feeling Osimhen will score the clinching goal if we make it to the finals. I’ll have to disagree with your #10. Good ten pointers.

Good IF Osimhen scores BUT more important is us winning. Osimhen is a TEAM player so he is PLAYING for the team instead of going for self glory.

GBAM!

[Odas]

this
[10] In my opinion, if Nigeria is to lift the trophy, Peseiro needs to revert to a 3-5-2 formation, bringing Alhassan Yusuf into midfield alongside Iwobi and Onyeka

... but why did we change from the 3-5-2 formation which seems to be working very well for us? Is coach Peseiro trying to deceive his competitors, or what?

[naijaguy]

I actually think Zaidu is starting every game just to maintain quota system. He has been piss poor.
But then if starting him will guarantee us winning as we've done so far, may it continue.

[ANC]

I actually think Zaidu is starting every game just to maintain quota system. He has been piss poor.
But then if starting him will guarantee us winning as we've done so far, may it continue.

is this for real?