Group Friendly Preparation matches (R)

Discussion in 'GROUP B: Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece' started by Maruti, May 25, 2010.

  1. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Nigeria - Saudi Arabia

    Watched two games simultanouesly. Cameroon without the voice and Nigeria as a voice background. But Cameroon was such a dire match that I changed it around. Both were extremely poor matches, but this was slightly more entertaining - unfortunately for Nigeria mainly because Saudi Arabia played some real nice football.

    Saudi Arabia pressed from very high up and Nigeria lost possession way too easily. Very similar game to the Cameroon one, where they had problems with constructing movements, everything was chaotic. Given it was an experimental side I still would have expected some flair of individual talent. Saudi Arabia had more great chances to score than Nigeria (albeit Nigeria had one superb chance).

    No Mikel or Odemwingie in the game, but still subpar performance by the Super Eagles (or Super Chickens as they are called nowadays).

    GK Austin Ejide (6) Look very confident throughout the match and saved Nigeria some blushes. Very solid backup keeper. That said he almost let in a goal from a blunder in the first half.

    DF Danny Shittu (6) Looked confident and quick. Watching him play you would never guess he has been warming a bench all season.

    DF Joseph Yobo (4) The man has lost it. He is slow, gives away possession and puts the keeper under unnecessary pressure.

    LB Uwa Echeijile (4) Look good at times going up, but was poor defensively and easily nutmegged by the Saudi Arabian players.

    RB Peter Suswan (8) If this perfomance is anything to go by Suswan is a shosking dead wringer for the final 23. Made more threats up front from the right wing than Chinedu Obasi and Kanu combined. Defensively sound making fools out of Saudi attackers. Saudi Arabia rarely ventured from the left wing simply because they simply weren't going places. Outstanding performance by the local Nigerian player, which speaks volume about the need to look for talent locally instead of focusing only on Europe. It was a shame he was taken off at half-time.

    MF Ayila Yussuf (4) Poor perfomance. Couldn't control the midfield. Lost the ball too often and hardly ever disrupted the Saudi attack.

    MF Lukman Haruna (2) as a DM, (6) as a AM. This guy can not defend if his life depended on it. His tackles were all over the place and lost the ball easily under pressure. That said he showed some promise up front with some nice through balls, clever flicks and naturally his killer long distance shots. Haruna should stay, but please don't give the guy ANY DEFENSIVE duties.

    MF Kalu Uche (5) Created a couple of half-chances, but was largely anonymous throughout the match.

    MF Kanu (3) I'm sorry pappilo... You are too old. Falling over balls is just too much. Kanu did have one decent strike on goal and one nice through ball, but that's too little. Maybe a supersub?

    FW Victor Anichebe (6) Created most of Nigeria's chances on goal, including their best chance of the match. Looks good despite being injured for a year.

    FW Chinedu Obasi (3) Non-existant. Suswan looked way more competent on the right. Defensively also sucked and gave away some setpieces on the edge of the penalty area.

    ----

    SUBS:
    Sani Kaita (6) Looked way better than Ayila or Haruna as a DM. Helped Nigeria dominate possession in the second half (albeit did nothing to help create chances).

    Ike Uche (5) Looked active up front. His last pass is off, but he is quick and looked dangerous. Looked way better than Kalu Uche despite being injured for the whole year. If he starts supplying balls he could be great.

    Victor Obinna (4) Anonymous up-front.But then again got almost no service.

    Obafemi Martins (4) Look above.

    _________________

    Looking at the game I wish they had taken someone like Wilson Oruma or even youngster Rabiu Ibrahim to build up creativity in the midfield. Looking at how well the Suswan played maybe looking for a midfielder in Nigeria was the best solution...
     
  2. Corporation X

    Corporation X Member+

    Sep 9, 2009
    Suckmydickastan
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    You should look at Greece - North Korea being played right now.
    Greece 2-2 North Korea in the 75'
     
  3. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    Slightly impressed by North Korea and especially by their star player Jong Tae-Se.
    Still strongly unconvinced by Greece. They can't even defend nowadays... They were a class worse than North Korea... that said North Korea has been camping for several months now, whilst Greece have just been camping a week.

    If the World Cup started tomorrow South Korea look set to take second in this group.
     
  4. hihi

    hihi Red Card

    Mar 17, 2006
    Internet
    Club:
    Ulsan Horang I
    Nat'l Team:
    Paraguay
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    I think Dele Adeleye and Ayila Yussuf can be key players for Nigeria. Any comments Maruti?
     
  5. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    Dele Adeleye and Onyekachi Apam made a very good defensive duo in the U23 side. So we'll see...

    Ayila Yussuf had a very poor game. And a defensive midfielder isn't what Nigeria need...
     
  6. hihi

    hihi Red Card

    Mar 17, 2006
    Internet
    Club:
    Ulsan Horang I
    Nat'l Team:
    Paraguay
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    2008 Olympics was indeed when I saw Adeleye. He did very well.

    I know he was criticized heavily after the first game, but I thought Yussuf did a lot of the dirty work behind the scenes for Nigeria during the ANC. He deserved more playing time methinks.

    Are those two likely to make the squad?
     
  7. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    Dunno :) Ask Lagerback... if it was Amodu I would say Ayila would have a chance, but Adeleye no.
     
  8. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    terrible game for Nigeria who were completely outhustled by the Saudi's. Worst game I've seen Nigeria play in a long time. As to your analysis Maruti I dont know what game you were watching or if you confused players because Lukman was Nigerias best player and he broke up many of the Saudi's attacks so I dont know why you say he can't defend at all. and the new rb Suswan who you gave an 8 sucked balls, he was terrible, he was removed at halftime and replaced by a DM who has never played Rb in his life. I will reserve judgement till after the Colombia game but today was terrible and we should have lost.


    Greece v N Korea. I saw the second half and N Korea was slightly better, but both teams supposedly have great defences, and they were both breached rather easily by teams without strong attackers. Greece lacks any imagination in attack and just rely on their height and set pieces.
     
  9. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Re: Group Friendly Preparation matches

    I dunno how we could have seen different games... Suswan looked really solid at the back whenever he had the ball. I did however see Obasi losing the ball all over the field (so maybe you mistook him for Obasi). I know how Lukman looks and the only player that I could have mistaken him with from time to time is maybe Kalu Uche, who sports a similar afro.

    Haruna was mostly running around aimlessly. Even if he retrieved the ball but than miss-passed them and lost concentration under pressure. He was one of the best things in Nigeria's game, but not as a DM. I may have exaggerated with the 2, but he didn't do well in destructive play. I still think Obi Mikel and Haruna could link up and compliment each other nicely though.

    As far as I'm concerned Suswan was removed at half-time, because he proved himself and Lagerback decided to try something else. If Lagerback wanted a proper rightback he had Odiah sitting on the bench.
     
  10. nick_3f

    nick_3f Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 10, 2010
    Thessaloniki
    Club:
    Aris Saloniki
    Nat'l Team:
    Greece
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ65eKjd6ak"]YouTube- greece north korea 2-2. (25-5-10) geuliseu-bughan[/ame]
     
  11. Palacas

    Palacas Member

    Jul 20, 2008
    Club:
    Sevilla FC
    Nigeria 1 Columbia 1

    Nigeria looked a whooole lot better, very fluid play
     
  12. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    Colombia - Nigeria 1:1

    Lukman Haruna scores his first goal for Nigeria. A typical Haruna goal - volley from outside the PK area. We can expect more of those at the world cup. Haruna has most likely won a starting XI place with the team at the World Cup. I stick by not giving him any defensive duties... he is a red card waiting to happen with his temper...

    Apart from that the team is starting to gel and after one or two more games I think they should really start hitting off. Adeleye looks very good in defence. All that remains to be seen is who gets dropped...
     
  13. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Nigeria is indeed looking better than it did before, but that`s due in part to the larger space left by this very young Colombian team. Colombia is rebuilding after their failed campaign, and most of these players are from last year`s sub-23. The defense in particular counted with two new arrivals from Once Caldas: Luis Alberto Núñez and José Iván Vélez.

    Yussuf and Kaita were quite good in midfield, with good distribution, yet when Haruna came in he added more bite to the attack with his long passing. He`s a very promising youngster.
     
  14. Randomized

    Randomized Member

    Feb 18, 2005
    He got involved in some sort of fracas after one of the Colombian players stepped on the knee of one of the Nigerian players and really had to be restrained. Hopefully Lagerback sorts that out. IMO, Haruna has a lot of talent but is unrefined at the moment. He looked dire at times (to be fair, Monaco's 'midfield' can make anyone look dire) with les Monagesques but he did have more moments of quality as the season dragged on and started to assert himself well near the end when given the opportunity.
     
  15. Maruti

    Maruti New Member

    May 14, 2006
    And he scored some wonderful goals for Monaco in the process :) Albeit all of them were almost identical like yesterday's goal :D
     

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