Striker problem

[kawawa]

Striker problem ?

Yet our main winger (who everybody was hyperbolically hyping as the 2nd comming of Messi) did not have ONE SINGLE KEY PASS all game.

In fact Awoniyi would have scored an easy tap in if Simon wasn't so pigheadedly selfish and shot from an impossible angle instead of simply squaring the ball to Taiwo.

Despite all the hype how many actual chances did Simon create ?

We had plenty of attacking opportunities where we could have killed Egypt, but our wingers were mostly selfish or lacked the final ball.

No we dont have a striker problem until our strikers start missing chances. They simply aren't getting any.

Wow. Man you are one unrepentant character. What does your therapist say….let it go. The hating on Simon is becoming as bad as rooting for CIV. It is not so hard to concede you were off the mark. We will not think any less of you than we do already.

[Flex Swift]

The Coach during post match press conference said Umar gave excuses and felt it may have been nerves but would talk to the player later. That tells me the players performance was deemed not good enough.

The two strikers have two games to prove themselves. International football can be very unforgiving ,you are only good as your last game. For everyone notice this was Nacho Afcon debute and he scored so no excuses…..

[maceo4]

I was fine with what I saw from Awoniyi, I don't think we have a striker problem. I do think we have a crossing problem as the whole team (sans Aina) doesn't seem to know how to put in a proper cross, something they should work on...

[ohenhen1]

Maybe it is the first game. Got to be more clinical and M Simon need to cross the ball better.

[Damunk]

I was fine with what I saw from Awoniyi, I don't think we have a striker problem. I do think we have a crossing problem as the whole team (sans Aina) doesn't seem to know how to put in a proper cross, something they should work on...

I really don’t know what excuses a professional footballer and most particularly a winger would have for not being able to make a decent cross.
I mean, it’s a basic skill and nothing more so what exactly is the problem?
Nerves? Excitement?
Surely it can’t be lack of technique especially since they’re successfully doing it consistently at club level.
It’s baffling.
Simon’s crosses were traveling as far as the opposite corner flag!

[Flex Swift]

I was fine with what I saw from Awoniyi, I don't think we have a striker problem. I do think we have a crossing problem as the whole team (sans Aina) doesn't seem to know how to put in a proper cross, something they should work on...

I really don’t know what excuses a professional footballer and most particularly a winger would have for not being able to make a decent cross.
I mean, it’s a basic skill and nothing more so what exactly is the problem?
Nerves? Excitement?
Surely it can’t be lack of technique especially since they’re successfully doing it consistently at club level.
It’s baffling.
Simon’s crosses were traveling as far as the opposite corner flag!

It could have been the ball. I notice the ball was changed several times during the match

[pajimoh]

Ohenhen you don start??

I missed the part where he stopped

[green4life]

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

A bit unfair on Sadiq given he entered the game when we were holding onto our slim lead. Notwithstanding he lacks quickness in the half turn, I noticed some positives in his game. That said, Awoniyi looks like a better fit for this team that loves to get up and down the pitch and he will score in due time based on his ability and work rate.

[Lolly]

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

That is Sadiq for you. I have never rated him. And to make matters worse, he is so laid back. Similar problem Nwakali has.

Let's see what he will do next time he plays.

Guy, you’ve been watching football long enough to know that tall and long-legged footballers all appear to be laid back.
Especially strikers.
It’s their long stride and higher center of gravity. They are also said to be slow but that’s because of their long strides - meaning they cover a fixed distance with less strides.
Sadiq is exceptionally skillful for someone of that height. He just needs to, uhm…

get into his stride.

Onuachu and Simi Nwankwo are two tall and long-legged Nigerian strikers who are both more agile than Sadiq.

Watch Eguavoen shout at him to close down an Egyptian defender in the dying minutes of the game. And watch Sadiq's body language and how slowly he reluctantly moved towards the defender. For someone who had been on the pith for a little over 20 minutes. that was really poor play. Its the same problem Nwakali has when he plays. Laid back and lack of energy.

I know you are a fan but I am not. I have seen enough of him but lets see if he can prove me wrong. I am sure he will have more opportunities to show us what he can do. Same with Nwakali.

[1naija]

Let's not even condiser Osimhen, do you think Awoniyi will get a nod over a healthy Onuachu if he (Awoniyi) doesn't start scoring? I know it seems unfair to him, but that's the nature of his position. BTW, he did get a couple of good scoring chances in the game yesterday.

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

A bit unfair on Sadiq given he entered the game when we were holding onto our slim lead. Notwithstanding he lacks quickness in the half turn, I noticed so positives in his game. That said, Awoniyi looks like a better fit for this team that loves to get up and down the pitch and he will score in due time based on his ability and work rate.

[green4life]

Let's not even condiser Osimhen, do you think Awoniyi will get a nod over a healthy Onuachu if he (Awoniyi) doesn't start scoring? I know it seems unfair to him, but that's the nature of his position. BTW, he did get a couple of good scoring chances in the game yesterday.

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

A bit unfair on Sadiq given he entered the game when we were holding onto our slim lead. Notwithstanding he lacks quickness in the half turn, I noticed so positives in his game. That said, Awoniyi looks like a better fit for this team that loves to get up and down the pitch and he will score in due time based on his ability and work rate.

He's barely played compared to Onuachu but sometimes it boils down to the coach's preference as which striker better fits his philosophy of football.

[Sunset]

Well that's something we will find out after the tournament as neither of those two options are available at the moment, personally I'm not very confident in Awoniyi as a finisher yet but his all-around play really impressed me, he generally made the right decisions on the ball and has the physical presence to worry any defence he comes up against, reminds me a lot of Ideye in that aspect as he helped create a lot of space for Iheanacho in the final third. While Sadiq didn't have much time to make an impression but just seemed to try too hard when he could have played it more simple, but making your internationa debut in a competitive match isn't easy.

Let's not even condiser Osimhen, do you think Awoniyi will get a nod over a healthy Onuachu if he (Awoniyi) doesn't start scoring? I know it seems unfair to him, but that's the nature of his position. BTW, he did get a couple of good scoring chances in the game yesterday.

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

A bit unfair on Sadiq given he entered the game when we were holding onto our slim lead. Notwithstanding he lacks quickness in the half turn, I noticed so positives in his game. That said, Awoniyi looks like a better fit for this team that loves to get up and down the pitch and he will score in due time based on his ability and work rate.

[1naija]

Onuachu plays because he scores! He scored on his debut.

Let's not even condiser Osimhen, do you think Awoniyi will get a nod over a healthy Onuachu if he (Awoniyi) doesn't start scoring? I know it seems unfair to him, but that's the nature of his position. BTW, he did get a couple of good scoring chances in the game yesterday.

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

A bit unfair on Sadiq given he entered the game when we were holding onto our slim lead. Notwithstanding he lacks quickness in the half turn, I noticed so positives in his game. That said, Awoniyi looks like a better fit for this team that loves to get up and down the pitch and he will score in due time based on his ability and work rate.

He's barely played compared to Onuachu but sometimes it boils down to the coach's preference as which striker better fits his philosophy of football.

[maceo4]

Onuachu plays because he scores! He scored on his debut.

Let's not even condiser Osimhen, do you think Awoniyi will get a nod over a healthy Onuachu if he (Awoniyi) doesn't start scoring? I know it seems unfair to him, but that's the nature of his position. BTW, he did get a couple of good scoring chances in the game yesterday.

Sadiq, particularly, was out of sorts. He needs to be better. Although, he may claim that he had little service during the period that he was on.

A bit unfair on Sadiq given he entered the game when we were holding onto our slim lead. Notwithstanding he lacks quickness in the half turn, I noticed so positives in his game. That said, Awoniyi looks like a better fit for this team that loves to get up and down the pitch and he will score in due time based on his ability and work rate.

He's barely played compared to Onuachu but sometimes it boils down to the coach's preference as which striker better fits his philosophy of football.

But he's saying there is more to the role than just scoring. Onuachu scored in a friendly, then how long did it take him to get another goal, talk less of a goal in a competitive match? But during that dry spell he also wasn't doing the positive things that Awoniyi was doing yesterday in holding the ball up and working hard to press from the top and making himself an outlet when we counter. And the person that says Onuachu is more mobile than Sadiq is clearly a joker, we must not be talking about the same Basketballer...

[1naija]

Not to belabor the point, but you can't get better chance than the one Awoniyi got in the 1.17 min mark.

I think he will eventually score, but he has got to bury such chance.

[maceo4]

Lol Onku that is a half chance, the header that keeper saved onto the bar is the chance he should have buried.

[1naija]

So he had 2 chances? I thought you guys said he had none.

Lol Onku that is a half chance, the header that keeper saved onto the bar is the chance he should have buried.

[Damunk]

Not to belabor the point, but you can't get better chance than the one Awoniyi got in the 1.17 min mark.

I think he will eventually score, but he has got to bury such chance.

Alhaji, no way was that an easy chance.
By what yardstick?