Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro says the Super Eagles must show good organisation and keep to their style of play against hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
Peseiro’s side will face the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in their second game at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
The encounter is slated for the Alassanne Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan.
The Portuguese emphasized the need for the team to put up a strong showing against the Elephants.
“We are expecting a great match, full stadium, fantastic atmosphere as well. We need to play with good organisation, be compact in our approach and express ourselves as well,”Peseiro told a press conference on Wednesday.
Read Also:AFCON 2023: Cote d’Ivoire Not Under Pressure, We Will Beat Super Eagles — Gradel
“We also have to improve from the first match. It’s important for us to maintain our style and enjoy the game. We must also defend well and convert our chances.”
Peseiro also reflected on his side’s previous game against Equatorial Guinea and also said they must keep working hard.
“We created so many chances against Equatorial Guinea, but we must improve our finishing,”he added.
“Also, we need to take good decision, do well with final ball and be more composed in front of goal.
“They must take good decision inside and around the box. Most importantly we must manage the ball well and defend well too.”
By Adeboye Amosu in Abidjan
25 Comments
Mr Peseiro You shot yourself in the foot by taking 25 players even more so shot yourself in the foot by not taking Nigeria’s most creative player now Kelechi Nwakali to direct that Midfield you then Shot yourself in the Foot by firstly sending Umar Sadiq home in a haste and then Replacing him with Onuachu instead of powerful Akor Adams. If that is not bad enough you are still parading that finished Fraud Ahmed Musa as your captain yet you are scared to call upon him? so in essence you wasted 3 valuable Positions in that team. Lol
I mean watching this Tournament now firstly we can see how football has changed and Musa generation played a different game to now Musa was good in 2013 football has changed immensly from then as Obi Mikel even said on CNN. So tell me this Joke NFF is saying Musa is a cheerleader My Question is Who needs a Cheerleader when these boys are supposed to be men.
Which Nwakali. That one should not even be qualified to play for Enyimba fc.
Nwakali is a school-boy player. Even Bendel Insurance will not even play him. He is as useless and worthless a player.
My guy..u spoke the truth. The coach didn’t shoot himself in the foot he literally blew it off! It’s like no one paid attention to Nwakali in the last AFCON to spot his accuracy in passing and even the clubs he plays for. Yes he might b moving from.club to club but he is the best passer we have. As per Musa.. the coach should have picked an Attacking midfielder from.the Nigerian league, Musa has nothing to offer the team…he is NOT even a super sub. The coach played himself, 27 players would have been best with the inclusion of Nwakali and Bashiru , the team would have a chance in this tournament.
Final Score
CIV 0 – 1 NGR
Nig 1: 1 Civ
If Nig fails to top the group, they should aim to be 3rd with 5 points to avoid Senegal in the second round, else they will be knocked out of the competition.
So they actually need a win against CIV to top the group with 7 points.
This is their final before the final.
We need sturdy and stoic players against CIV. It’s not going to be a fest of pretty football….we need players who know that fact… if we play Iwobi and Aribo same time, we shall get hinged with a dead midfield and lose.
Awaziem is a marker, and Frank Onyeka is lethargic donkey who brings nothing extra, with Alhassan out…
Play Awaziem and Frank/Onyedika in a double pivot, then play Iwobi in front of those two. Pair Ekong and Umeruo who has experience of such high profile games.
Musa must play tomorrow… he has to show what he has and I am sure we can get better crosses from him as against Moses Simon on the right.
My lineup…
Nwabali
Aina Ekong Umeruo Bruno
Awaziem Onyeka
Iwobi
Iheanacho Lookman
Osimhen
I will encourage Peseiro to stick with his 4-3-3 formation. I expect him to instruct his players to be selfless and feed each other. I will like quick wingers, experienced international midfielders, a robust defensive midfielder and 1 centre back who scores goals aerially.
My ideal line up is.
Nwabili
Aina – Ekong – Ajayi – Bassey
Awaziem
Iwobi – Aribo
Chukwueze – Osimhen – Lookman
Iheanacho for Chukwueze
Simon for Lookman
Onyeka for Awaziem
Onuachu for Osimhen
With Awaziem operating just ahead of the center backs, and the wing backs pushing up, we could actually have a 3-4-3 going on here.
I like the lineup picked by Deo. You are right Pompeii. It’s a very flexible lineup that can lend itself to fluidity, transitioning from 4-3-3 on defense to 3-4-3 on offense. I wish the coach could see this and adopt it.
JimmyBall, you actually selected Ekong to start?
Wonders shall never end! Hehehe!
I like the idea of trying Awaziem in the DM role. He can just sit in front of the back 4, and clean up behind Iwobi and whoever else is selected in the midfield.
I would prefer Lookman and Iheanacho behind Osimhen. And if Osimhen finds his scoring boots, we always have a chance. Let’s see how it goes tomorrow.
@Pompei… you know. I look at form and improvement, I think I have nothing to criticize Ekong for from last match. I just hope he can show that firmness and no-nonsenseness also against CIV. I wouldn’t start Aribo and Iwobi in midfield as both of them without disciplined marking abilities will be a liability to our team… we need screeners and markers tomorrow in front of our defence… @deo, good lineup but stacking Iwobi and Aribo in our midfield is self-immolation waiting to happen…
JimmyBall, I join you in wishing Ekong and the rest of the squad a good game against a tough opponent in CIV.
If we play well and convert our chances, CIV might be in for a surprise.
Wow! JimmyBall put Ekong in his line up?? Leemaooo!!! Lord have mercy. Hope say no be hacked account?? Lemaooo!!!! Anyway let’s wish the team all the best.
Good line up @Deo i believe Awaziem will do a great job in defensive midfield, Onyeka has failed in that department. I remembered in afcon 2013 we won, bringing Onazi in defensive midfield was the game changer for us and we never looked back until we won the cup. I see us beating ivory coast 2-1. Let the game begin
4,3,3,formation is good idea.. If they are good in defense, midfield and attacking.., Nigeria will win the game
The game against EQ was a distraction and not to reveal all. Paseiro is going to use a different line up and tactics to play the Ivorians. My prediction will is…
IVORY COAST 2 VS NIGERIA 3.
Talking about Sanusi, who has been targeted for heavy criticism for his display against EG.
In my opinion, what Sanusi did wrong was missing those chances that came his way. The first open net, and the second one that he perhaps should have squared to Iwobi, who had made a lung bursting run and was wide open.
However, we should also look at how well Sanusi did in GETTING INTO those positions.
The open net that he missed, most left backs would not even be there, BUT HE WAS. And the second chance, he ran all the way from the left back position, then wasted all that effort by missing a one on one chance with the EG goalie.
That guy’s overlapping is very impressive. Top notch.
If he had scored those chances he had, he would be regarded in a different light today.
What Sanusi needs to work on now:
1) Improve his deliveries into the box. The quality of his crosses needs to be better.
2) Be better at converting chances. Yes, he’s not a striker, but in modern football, all players are required to know how to put the ball in the net. Scoring is not the sole responsibility of the strikers. Even goalkeepers score nowadays.
Thanks Pompei. Bassey would have performed well in left fullback.
WHO CAN LEAVE BASSEY OUT OF THIER SQUAD!.. UNA NO SABI BALL OOOOO! BASSEY IS BY FAR THE BEST DEFENDER NIGERIA HAVE NOW. DID YOU PEOPLE SEE HOW STRONG THAT BOY IS?…. WATCH HIM TODAY. HE WILL BE KEY TO US SECURING POINTS IN THIS ONE
@Ugo Iwunze… We have seen Bassey several times against African opposition and normally he struggles… AFCON is different from whiteman European football… I wont even play Calvin Bassey at left back because he is robotic… I don’t think Bassey plays with the finesse that left backs are expected to have… he is too rigid and very robot-like to me.
I saw Bassey Cameo against EQ on Sunday and Let me tell you he was like a rock strength and Power jumping clearing. before AFCON he started to peek and he will show you what I mean Today.
You are mentioning a cameo appearance and still sounding this excited in same sentences … cameos are just only for q short period. We want him to show 90minutes work. Bassey can really be clumpsy with his tackles.
Bassey is versatile. He can play left or centre back.