Sports

Russia 2018: S’ Eagles Can Still Soar, But …

Published

8 years ago

June 20, 2018

Nigeria’s opening World Cup defeat by Croatia definitely was not what the Super Eagles were expecting or hoping for as they began their campaign in Russia.
Having had so much fanfare accompany the Super Eagles to the World Cup, one would be forgiven to have expected that excitement and oomph to automatically translate into good performances on the pitch.
If Nigerians had already been getting carried away by the pre-World Cup hype, then the 2-0 defeat to Croatia has definitely brought them back to reality. Losing in any sport is always hard to take, make no mistake, but there is a way to lose and a way not to lose.
It wasn’t really the defeat that hurt fans of the three-time African champions, but the manner in which they surrendered to Zlatko Dalic’s side. It was listless, tame and dreary.
Having seen a well-organized Iceland team hold Argentina to a 1-1 draw earlier, it would not have been out of place to expect the Super Eagles to come out bursting at the seams knowing full well they needed to win, or at least not lose, following the aforementioned draw. However, they did not get the memo.
There were a couple of surprising inclusions in Gernot Rohr’s lineup too, notably Leon Balogun and Oghenekaro Etebo. The former was an injury doubt only 24 hours earlier, while the latter was preferred to the out of sorts Ogenyi Onazi whose performances in recent games had prompted calls for his omission from the side. Rohr obliged and his selection would certainly have been met with several nods of approval.
In the events that ensued, you definitely feel the Nigeria manager and players would be pulling their hair out at how meekly they let the Blazers walk all over them. Even more frustrating for the fans of the Nigerian team is the fact that Croatia’s win came not after an emphatic display, but an error-ridden performance on their part.
The prevalent defensive frailties – most especially from set-plays, are not showing any signs of diminishing, and it was not so much of a surprise the European nation’s goals originated from situations that have unnerved the side recently.
The drafted-in Etebo was the unlucky player to inadvertently put Croatia ahead. Although, it should be noted that the initial error was made by Odion Ighalo who was beaten to the first ball by Ante Rebic, before Leon Balogun who, in trying to anticipate where Luka Modric’s corner would drop, left his position on the edge of the six-yard box unguarded.
Mario Mandzukic duly flew in with a diving header that went in off Etebo.
The second came after William Troost-Ekong was duly punished by referee Sandro Ricci for wrestling Mandzukic to the ground and Modric converted the resulting spot-kick with ease.
The Super Eagles then lost their shape totally after the Croats doubled their lead, and were saved by their opponents choosing to see out the game rather than go for the kill.
Lessons have to be learned in the aftermath of the defeat and the side has to get better.
Those improvements will be provoked by hard choices made by Rohr in his selection.
In-form players need to feature and enough of square pegs in round holes.
At right-back, the out of sorts Abdullahi Shehu might have to make way for the young Tyronne Ebuehi, who has impressed whenever he deputized in that role. Mikel John Obi needs to play deeper, irrespective of the fact that he thrived in the hole in qualifying, he plays better in a defensive-midfield role that allows him dictate the tempo of the game.
That, in turn, frees up Nigeria’s most creative player in Alex Iwobi who is somewhat wasted out wide when he can do so much more damage centrally.
However, following the magnificent Etebo and Wilfred Ndidi playing well as a pair in the pivot against Croatia, should the out-of-form Mikel then be dropped from the side?
Up front, the under-fire Ighalo might have to make way for another forward, be it Kelechi Iheanacho or the untested Simy Nwankwo.
Admittedly, the forward was often isolated in the Croatia defeat, and the dreadful transitions of the team made his job a lot more difficult.
Nevertheless, it should be on the record that the Changchun Yatai forward has not scored for the Super Eagles since the 4-0 defeat of Cameroon in September last year.
Iheanacho has not been firing on all cylinders either, but he has not been given as many opportunities anyway, so his poor return is fairly expected. The untried Simy gives the team a target-man figure in the side and he’s someone the players can play off, as he’d offer better hold-up play than the aforementioned duo.
Another worrying trend is the tendency of the team to start slowly and then grow into the game.
Playing well consistently over the course of games rather than in fits and starts would definitely have a better effect on the side as they wouldn’t have to play catch-up every time by falling behind. Things certainly need to get better, and Nigeria’s head coach will need to get the best out of his players in the next two games if they’re to stay in the competition.
You still get the feeling that four points from games against Iceland and Argentina might do the trick and secure qualification from what is shaping up to be a tightly contested group.
However, the former are dogged and committed, while the latter have a godlike figure in their ranks… it will be difficult, but definitely not impossible if Rohr takes heed from the lessons learned against Croatia!
-Omidiora writes for Goal.com

Seye Omidiora

Sports

Arsenal must win trophies to leave legacy – Arteta

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the Premier League leaders must win trophies if they were to be remembered like the “Invincibles” side that last won the title for the Gunners in 2004.

Arsene Wenger’s side romped to the title 22 years ago without losing a single league game.

Arsenal headede into last night’s clash at home to reigning champions Liverpool with a five-point lead at the top of the table after Manchester City and Aston Villa dropped points against Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace, respectively on Wednesday.

Arteta’s men, runners-up for the past three seasons, have two more points and four more goals than Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ managed after 20 games.

But the Spaniard said those stats matter little unless Arsenal go on to win the league.

“No, because ‘the Invincibles’ won a lot,” Arteta told his pre-match press conference on whether his side can be considered better than Arsenal’s last title winners.

“They won consistently, and they created a history and a legacy, and we have to do that.”

The lone major piece of silverware won by Arsenal in six years under Arteta remains the 2020 FA Cup

“There are a lot of stats, but in the last two or three years we have managed more points and more goals than ever before. But at the end, we have to translate that to major trophies,” he added.

“Probably doing what we are doing now would have been enough (in 2004), but now it’s not, and we have to make the margins even bigger.”

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield back in August in what was billed as an early showdown between title rivals.

The defending champions headed to the Emirates 14 points off the top after a difficult second season for Arne Slot, but Arteta insisted the Reds remain a superb side.

The Gunners were without sidelined defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera but were“monitoring the load” on Kai Havertz as the Germany forward intensified his training while continuing to recover from a long-term leg injury.

Sports

AFCON: Osimhen, Lookman Threaten Algeria’s Record

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Nigeria sharpshooters Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will provide a stern test to the flawless record of Algeria goalkeeper Luca Zidane, a son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, in the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Morocco.

Zidane is the only first-choice goalkeeper amongst the eight quarter-finalists to have kept a clean sheet in all of his tournament matches so far, but the task facing him in Marrakesh tomorrow will not be easy.

Former African player of the year award-winners Osimhen and Lookman have tormented defences during the tournament, scoring three goals each.

Zidane, 27, kept clean sheets in group matches against Sudan and Burkina Faso before being rested against Equatorial Guinea.

He was recalled for a last-16 clash with the Democratic Republic of Congo and once again was unbeaten during a dramatic extra-time victory.

Former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, his Spanish wife and another son have been among the crowds in each match Luca played for the Desert Foxes.

“It is special when your family come to watch,” said Luca Zidane, who began his career with Real Madrid B in 2016 and now plays for Spanish second-tier side Granada.

Born in France, Zidane represented his country of birth at five age-limit levels. Under FIFA rules he could also play for Spain or Algeria, where his grandparents were born.

Zidane chose Algeria, debuting in a 2026 World Cup qualifying victory over Uganda last November and, when an injury ruled first choice Alexis Guendoez out of the AFCON, he was promoted.

“I am proud to represent Algeria and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. It is a great experience,” he told reporters.

“I try to be myself, to build my career on my terms, step by step,” he said.

Algeria have been an AFCON bogey team for Nigeria, winning four and drawing two of nine meetings, including a 5-1 drubbing of the Super Eagles en route to winning the 1990 tournament at home. But the current Super Eagles appear to be in the mood to get this one over the Algerians.

The Desert Foxes have put successive group-stage exits behind them under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic and substitute Adil Boulbina unleashed a thunderbolt to eliminate DR Congo.

Nigeria are the 12-goal leading scorers in Morocco with Osimhen, Lookman and Akor Adams forming a potent frontline.

But coach Eric Chelle will be concerned that the three-time champions have conceded four, the most among the eight title hopefuls.

Sports

Palace ready To Sell Guehi For Right Price

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has said that the club would sell captain Marc Guehi this month if his asking price is met.

The England defender is out of contract in the summer and Manchester City have emerged as contenders to sign him during the January transfer window.

Palace blocked a proposed £35m move to Liverpool last summer but risk losing the 25-year-old for nothing at the end of the season.

City’s interest in Guehi has progressed following injuries to defenders Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias during Sunday’s draw against Chelsea.

“I’m not naive,” said Glasner, as reported by Tidesports source. “If a massive offer comes from City and Marc wants to do it, it will happen.”

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are among the European clubs to have shown an interest in signing Guehi on a free transfer, and he can sign a pre-contract agreement with an overseas club from this month.

“If you’re just valuing sports, everyone in the club will say Marc has to stay,” Glasner added. “The chairman will tell you the same. But it’s not one-dimensional. If you see the financial situation, it’s very important.

“If somebody comes, there will be a moment when the club says ‘now the financial issue is more important than the sports issue’.

“There will be a threshold where the club has to say it will happen, as long as Marc says ‘I want to leave’, because the final decision is always with the player.”

Guehi helped Palace finish 12th last season and win the FA Cup to qualify for Europe for the first time in the club’s history.

The Eagles then won the Community Shield in August, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties, and are 14th in the table and through to the knockout phase play-offs in the Uefa Conference League.

“The chairman rejected many offers in the summer because we want to play a successful season and wanted to win the Community Shield,” Glasner added. “Therefore, Marc is important, and then he rejected the offer.

“The threshold at that time, the money we got offered was not above it. Maybe it was close, but it was not above.”