Nigeria vs South Africa (1-1) FT

[Tobi17]

When you think about it, we actually don't have GOOD strikers...after Osimhen (who is questionable himself) the quality level just looks piss-poor. Onuachu, Moffi, Sadiq, Iheanacho are utterly $#% players.

We should be all over players like Chuba Akpom and Solanke at this point.

[olu]

What game were you watching when you say SA outplayed Nigeria? SA was lucky to.escape with a draw. We created more chances and had greater possession.

The group is wide open. Every team mathematically still has a chance to qualify.

It is not all Finidi fault. Players not coming to camp early. You hired him in the middle of world cup qualifications. Long list of injuries. We were lucky to escape with a point today. SA outplayed Nigeria. The good news is we played better in the 2nd half. The team got to fix the errors before the next game against Benin Republic.

[mutiman]

we need to be honest with ourselves, we are not that good, we have players who play for fairly big clubs in europe and thats it. Piss poor performance.

We have enough good players both in Europe and in Nigeria to have a much better team/ squad than we had today. One of our problems is the tendency to keep inviting players who are no longer fit for purpose, or indeed who have never been Eagles material That means we always have six to seven places taken up by 'fillers' instead of more deserving prospects or in-form players.

[Showboy]

You guys need to pipe down with this person must play blabla.

Do you see them in training? Moffi came on and ..?

Onyedika came on and did you see the ball from him that almost cost us?

Abeg di coach dey dia and he will live or die by his selection.

It might have been Chief Celly that said - we need to show we can win games without Osimhen - end of!

[Shadams]

Lookman was too selfish today. And not his usual quick self. Coming in to camp late did not help.

He created at least 4 chances that should have been put away, and other opportunities that were killed by others.

Yes he did, indeed. But still selfish at crucial times, much to Osayi's frustration.

[COOKING SPOON]

WHERE WAS BONIFACE?

[truetalk]

Will take the point.

We are still in 5th place

But still a victory within the leaders.

No margin for error going forward.

Finidi's showing today can be excused as it was his first competitive game.

No excuse for starting Onuachu or Iheanacho in the next game.

Iwobi should drop to the bench if Dele-Bashiru is fit. Ndidi, Onyedika and Dele-Bashiru can handle the middle.

[truetalk]

When you think about it, we actually don't have GOOD strikers...after Osimhen (who is questionable himself) the quality level just looks piss-poor. Onuachu, Moffi, Sadiq, Iheanacho are utterly $#% players.

We should be all over players like Chuba Akpom and Solanke at this point.

Moffi is a good support striker. He chose to go round, rather than chip. As a rule, you chip if keeper has gone to ground (or is going to ground), and go round if keeper is on his feet and not mobile. You also need timing and composure from the striker.

Poor choice in the moment, but I won't rule him out based on that.

Osihmen, Boniface and Lookman are top quality.

Awoniyi and Moffi are not bad.

The others are not National team quality.

[icee]

Will take the point.

We are still in 5th place

But still a victory within the leaders.

No margin for error going forward.

Finidi's showing today can be excused as it was his first competitive game.

No excuse for starting Onuachu or Iheanacho in the next game.

Iwobi should drop to the bench if Dele-Bashiru is fit. Ndidi, Onyedika and Dele-Bashiru can handle the middle.

Finidi's showing can be excused? Didn't you watch Ghana and Mali? Three games is enough to know if a coach has and can deploy a robust plan. Finidi has not demostrated that. Like I said before, at the Afcon, teams barely had any passing lanes against us and few shots on goals. You see now how teams are just driving through us? everything is wide open

[Cellular]

I actually feared the worse when I saw the starting line up. So I am a bit relieved that we didn’t lose.

+1

[olu]

Next game I would go with this lineup based on availability:

4-3-3

Nwabali (Gk)
Bassey (LB)
Osayi-Samuel (RB)
Tanimu (CD)
Ajayi (CD)

Ndidi (CM)
Dele-Bashiru (CM)
Iwobi (CM)

Boniface (LW)
Moffi (CF)
Lookman (RW)

[green4life]

What game were you watching when you say SA outplayed Nigeria? SA was lucky to.escape with a draw. We created more chances and had greater possession.

The group is wide open. Every team mathematically still has a chance to qualify.

It is not all Finidi fault. Players not coming to camp early. You hired him in the middle of world cup qualifications. Long list of injuries. We were lucky to escape with a point today. SA outplayed Nigeria. The good news is we played better in the 2nd half. The team got to fix the errors before the next game against Benin Republic.

Luckily for us their finishers are worse than ours otherwise this game would've been over at halftime.

My concern is we lack positional organization especially compared to SA. Overall, they were more in control of this game but it ended 1-1 largely because they are even less composed than we are in the last third. We gave them so much space throughout that they should have won this game even though we could have won (because they kept us in the game).

[Cellular]

Alhassan Yusuf was very good today, when he came in.

Yes he was.
I have always liked him.
If we are to make Iwobi the fulcrum of our team, then Alhassan should start so that Iwobi can drift into whatever space is unoccupied.

I would have started Alhassan over Iheanacho and ahead of Onyedika.

[green4life]

Will take the point.

We are still in 5th place

But still a victory within the leaders.

No margin for error going forward.

Finidi's showing today can be excused as it was his first competitive game.

No excuse for starting Onuachu or Iheanacho in the next game.

Iwobi should drop to the bench if Dele-Bashiru is fit. Ndidi, Onyedika and Dele-Bashiru can handle the middle.

Finidi's showing can be excused? Didn't you watch Ghana and Mali? Three games is enough to know if a coach has and can deploy a robust plan. Finidi has not demostrated that. Like I said before, at the Afcon, teams barely had any passing lanes against us and few shots on goals. You see now how teams are just driving through us? everything is wide open

Unfortunately, our fans too like flashy football. After 1 game this feels like a step back when we could have built on the formula from the ANC.

[Lolly]

Next game I would go with this lineup based on availability:

4-3-3

Nwabali (Gk)
Bassey (LB)
Osayi-Samuel (RB)
Tanimu (CD)
Ajayi (CD)

Ndidi (CM)
Dele-Bashiru (CM)
Iwobi (CM)

Boniface (LW)
Moffi (CF)
Lookman (RW)

That Ndidi, Iwobi. Bashiru midfield is too open.

And I wouldn’t play Tanimu in the centre. Let’s stick to Ajayi and Bassey.

[green4life]

Alhassan Yusuf was very good today, when he came in.

Yes he was.
I have always liked him.
If we are to make Iwobi the fulcrum of our team, then Alhassan should start so that Iwobi can drift into whatever space is unoccupied.

I would have started Alhassan over Iheanacho and ahead of Onyedika.

See the kind of functional players Finidi parked on the bench against an organized unit. I tire.

[Bigpokey24]

Next game I would go with this lineup based on availability:

4-3-3

Nwabali (Gk)
Bassey (LB)
Osayi-Samuel (RB)
Tanimu (CD)
Ajayi (CD)

Ndidi (CM)
Dele-Bashiru (CM)
Iwobi (CM)

Boniface (LW)
Moffi (CF)
Lookman (RW)

stop all these useless and pathetic formations yall punish CE with. As if the opposition would just sit there and choose not to react

[Cellular]

Will take the point.

We are still in 5th place

But still a victory within the leaders.

No margin for error going forward.

Finidi's showing today can be excused as it was his first competitive game.

No excuse for starting Onuachu or Iheanacho in the next game.

Iwobi should drop to the bench if Dele-Bashiru is fit. Ndidi, Onyedika and Dele-Bashiru can handle the middle.

Finidi's showing can be excused? Didn't you watch Ghana and Mali? Three games is enough to know if a coach has and can deploy a robust plan. Finidi has not demostrated that. Like I said before, at the Afcon, teams barely had any passing lanes against us and few shots on goals. You see now how teams are just driving through us? everything is wide open

Did you watch Ghana vs Mali?
Mali missed their chances. I don't know how that correlates.

[sabb]

Alhassan Yusuf was very good today, when he came in.

My kind of player, not afraid to receive the ball and always shows up to keep it moving, same as Onyedika. These are the kind of players the SE need. Glad Bashiru is now in the mix, with a bit of time they will start to sync.

[olumide]

Even when we played well, the team was unbalanced. South Africa had chance after chance to attack and walked through the midfield ALL MATCH. This would have been a loss if their forwards could stay onside and take their chances. Even for the goal, Taminu has no idea where the attacker is. How many times, did Bafana put them in dangerous positions with one simple ball?
he only difference in the second half was that the team played harder and eventually had players in their proper positions when they came on.

Onuachu is a good player; starting him is always a mistake. He does not fit the style of this team at all. He can't press and we don't pass that well through midfield and don't cross from the wings. Bench option only.

Iheanacho is not a wide player, and if he is to play there, it has to be for a team that will dominate possession. In this match, he was either getting the ball wide (where he can't create from) or playing centrally leaving the wing vacant for Taminu who made little use of it. No quick forward to play through balls to, either. He is not on good form, anyway, so why are you shoehorning him into the team, specifically in a role where won't succeed even at full powers. Again, bench option until he restores his club form at least.

Lookman is hard to judge because objectively, he created many chances, but it seemed like he should have been much more dangerous. It is incredible that he only tested Williams once, given the kind of space SA granted him.

Osayi was on the wrong side and it showed, btw. He had no interest in crossing with his left despite getting himself in great positions. Again, for most of the match, they played with a striker who is known for scoring crosses and the fullbacks were a central defender that cannot cross and a right footed player on the left. What sense does this makes?

[Cellular]

You guys need to pipe down with this person must play blabla.

Do you see them in training? Moffi came on and ..?

Onyedika came on and did you see the ball from him that almost cost us?

Abeg di coach dey dia and he will live or die by his selection.

It might have been Chief Celly that said - we need to show we can win games without Osimhen - end of!

Na me o.
We have yet to show we are capable of winning a competitive game without him.
All dem pipu way dey jealous am.
E no dey field.
Oya, show us why you deserve to be in the same conversation.
NOTHING!

[mapet]

What game were you watching when you say SA outplayed Nigeria? SA was lucky to.escape with a draw. We created more chances and had greater possession.

The group is wide open. Every team mathematically still has a chance to qualify.

It is not all Finidi fault. Players not coming to camp early. You hired him in the middle of world cup qualifications. Long list of injuries. We were lucky to escape with a point today. SA outplayed Nigeria. The good news is we played better in the 2nd half. The team got to fix the errors before the next game against Benin Republic.

Google stats gives us 58% possession...
We also wasted many chances in Osayi and Moffi....

[Kabalega]

I missed the second half because the outcome was obvious.

From what I saw .... Nigeria's back line needed more help and cover. While the front had a lot of miscommunication and a tad of selfishness. The team South Africans had more desire and a sense of urgency while some 9ja players were just going through the motions.