Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has opted for a 3-5-2 formation in today’s 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Lone Star of Liberia, Completesports.com reports.
Rohr opted to stick with the same formation that gave his side a 2-0 victory against Central African Republic in their last game in the qualifiers.
Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka and skipper Ahmed Musa are the two players dropped from the starting line-up from the previous game.
Watford new boy Maduka Okoye kept his place in goal, while Chidozie Awaziem, William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun will operate as centre-backs.
Read Also: ‘Ighalo Is Good, But Osimhen Is Exceptional Striker Who Can Get Better’ –Oliseh
Moses Simon and Jamilu Collins kept their place as the two wing-backs.
The trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Joe Aribo and Alex Iwobi will operate in midfield.
The attack will be spearheaded by Kelechi Iheanacho and Vcitor Osimhen
Super Eagles Line-Up Vs Liberia
Okoye
Awaziem, Troost-Ekong, Balogun
Simon, Ndidi, Aribo, Iwobi, Collins
Iheanacho, Osimhen
By Adeboye Amosu
114 Comments
CSN forgot Moses Simon is dropped. Means Rohr is playing a strong defensive midfield with options of fast linkage with the strikers through Aribo and Iwobi
CSN Moses Simon is starting not Aina
Zaidu will make a better wing back than Collins…… Collins offers nothing going forward……I also prefer Akpoguma as the third center back than Awaziem…….. Apart from that the starting eleven is perfect.
Where can I watch liberia vs nigeria match by 5pm?
Hesgoal.com
Super eagles should do the needful to quality for the finals
Nff TV, FIFA tv
Zaidu would have started dropping Porto player for a division 2 player
Wazobia max channel 259 on dstv
Great Line up, Liberia in trouble. I forsee, Nigeria winning with at least a 2 goal margin. While Capeverd will draw CAR. And guess what Nigeria goes with the usual game to spare. This is how we roll. Congrats to Super Egles. God bless our boys, and God bless the real fans and God bless Genet Rohr.
Yea right, you said congrats to Rohr.
We have to beg a 32yr old man to come out of retirement. So what happened to all d team building Rohr has been doing for yrs?
You go to d world cup and get knocked out in d 1st round as usual. One step forward, three steps backward. Same old story.
For me if super eagles can not defeat Liberia later today there’s no reason for them going to the afcon.
Boring line up coache get luck say na average team we dey play. Just been honest here nothing personal…..
Chima just shut ur mouth ok . If u fit kick ball then talk ok soccer no be for mouth any more Liberia is good when it come to soccer . I be half Nigerian and Liberian and I played soccer with a lot of then in the United States .
The match hasn’t even started and you are saying it’s a ‘boring line up’. Why not judge them after the match
Would have loved to witness a Chukwueze and Ejuke at both wings playing to the strength of the Super eagles. This will be the weakest team we will be facing in the next one year so it’s an opportunity to unleash the attacking arsenal but coach is scared I think.
Don’t you think they’ll be too much dribbling on the pitch. When you combine the force of ejuke and chukwueze.
Brazil will not have a problem playing Raphinha and Neymar at the wings against Colombia how much more Nigeria against Liberia.
Same thing I thought as well
Yes o Baba according to training reports those two were almost unplayable at the wings, so I was wondering why the panic not to unleash them. Maybe the gaffer will do it second half.
I’m convinced Coach Rohr is a timid coach. Despite the plethora of talent, fast dynamic players at his disposal he still plays his boring system. I don’t see no aggression and just total attacking domination in this line up. I mean if we can’t confidently outplay, dominate and absolutely decimate a team like Liberia then this team won’t win anything of note in Africa or the world. Almost Every successful club/country in this modern era say last 5-8 years has been one with guts, play their system/philosophy regardless of opposition, play high intensity very mobile quick football and absolutely go for the jugular to dominate and decimate opponents (Liverpool, Bayern, Man City, Dortmund, PSG, Italy, France, This new Germany under Flick) I mean take your pick club or country similar but different in their own way playing styles but the underlying Philosophy is similar . The slow, laborious build up play is in the past. High and fast pressing teams won’t give you time do that nonsense in today’s football.
Personally I would have gone with this stating XI and then maybe switched to this boring defense 3-5-2 after all the goals are scored or team still proving difficult to breakdown ( checked Germany lineup yesterday in their qualifiers Flick played a midfielder at right back lol that’s how much the guy wants to attack and dominate) when you dominate your opponents you deny them any chance to express themselves or gain confidence.
Anyway my preferred line up from outside looking in
Okoye (4-3-3)
Aina Ekong Balogun Zaidu
Ndidi
Aribo. Iwobi
Chuckwueze. Oshimen. Ejuke
OR
Okoye (4-2-3-1)
Aina Ekong. Balogun. Zaidu
Aribo. Ndidi
Chuckwueze Iwobi. Ejuke
Oshimen
change to 3-5-2 in 2nd half and bring on Iheanacho, Simon and all the others to slow the game down and bring more defensive solidity. First lineup with right tactics, high intensity with fast play between the lines and could be up 3,4,5 – zero by halftime. See how the top teams in Europe and Africa decimated their lower ranked opponents this round of qualifiers
Good Luck to SE today. However I weep for Nigerian football after the actions taken by Rohr and Pinnick out if mere desperation and laziness to work.
A well renowned Journalist Solace Chukwu paints the picture perfectly about the implications of the decision taken by Rohr and Pinnick the last few weeks
Honestly, I was expecting a stronger lineup than this with more attacking players. I was actually thinking he would stick with a 424 formation with
Okoye
Aina Ekong Balogun Saidu
Ndidi Aribo
Chukwueze Nacho Osimen Ejuke
We will be on the front foot but am not the coach and not paid the big bucks to make such decisions. The coach knows his players better than I do. Wishing the team good fortune. My thoughts tho. Like AY always say vamos ariba SE
I do prefer Iwobi on the right to Chukwueze.Iwobi offers a lot he helps in the midfield as well function in the flanks.
Chukwueze is more of a winger who rarely crosses,would rather cut in through the right flank and does little in terms of midfield play.
The line up by the gaffer is good is the best the team can offer.
Collins has bossed the left side defence with consistent excellent displays so deserves to play ahead of Zaidu.As long as he maintains his current form,the coaches would keep his place in the first team.His German club Paderborn is having a good season a form Collins has taken to his national team.
Common Awaziem is a rock.I do not rate Balogun and Ekong better than this solid and versatile defender.
Right now the coach has picked the best players possible for this game and I hope all his efforts be crowned with success.
Greentree i see your point and I agree with the rating of Awaziem however Ekong and Balogun have played together for sometime and they are GR’s tested and trusted lieutenants and seeing this is a crucial qualifier not to be toyed with (hence igalo’s callup lol) that was why I stuck with them. However to me I don’t think Iwobi offers more in tge attack compared to Chukwueze, I know people will say he delivers in 9ja colors which is a fair argument however personally I think he plays better thru the middle than from d wings. I would even have him pair Ndidi rather than Aribo, as I he (iwobi) and Ndidi combo in the middle would be like Ndidi-Tielleman combo in Leicester city but I know most won’t agree. As regards Collins, I think saidu is alot faster and can track back better and offers more going forward, but I may be wrong. Again am not paid enough to make these calls. In GR we trust lol, he has proved he can deliver the goods based on his results even tho personally don’t like the style of football he plays sometimes. Good luck SE anyway. I see us winning and cape verde tying dia game again CAR and us qualifying with a game to spare as Drey loves to say lol
Sorry Greenturf
No gainsaying, it is a winner formation any day. Though the Eagles is expected to beat the Lone Star with any formation, 5-3-2 offers a perfect control of the MD allowing for more creativity which would keep the Lone Star busy in their half while preventing them from upfront surge. It provides attacking options for the mid fielders as well who could score goals. In all, Okoye is virtually going to be on holidays. Good luck guys! God bless Nigeria!!
Correction…3-5-2
It is actually 532 in all honesty and I will prefer Zaidu to Collins anyday anytime except for loss of form or injury.
Even if i try to like this coach he will always make things hard for me, what kind of formation is this?
Even if we win The gamę The formation is very boring and sucks. I am sorry i dont like moses simon, he is just a boring Player to watch, no class no level he is The worst winger I have ever seen being regular with eagles, There is no expectation i Wonder wat rohr sees in him, forget club glory that guy A player met for guinea or gabon not eagles class, i prefer even old musa to simon, beside why 352, cant we play 433 again where ejuke and chuks can flank osihmen in attack, iwobi aribo ndidi in the middle aino ekong and balogun saidu in deffense, if we can draw brasil and Ukraina with 433, what is liberia, moses Simon is so boring, no clean dribbling, no Good crosses, corner kick belike javelin. Rohr should know is starting 11 on Time before afcon.
@Osedion, I like your comment. Anyway, playing with three defender means they have to cover more space and to do so they most communicate well with each other and not run around without a plan, are you sure our boys can keep such pace?
Another thing, they should take initiative engaging with the opposition’s who would do everything possible to breach the mid field, it’s like you didn’t take note of that too. The 3-man defence must not just wait for the Star to get closer to the box, usually the defensive midfielder and the three defenders work in tandems to retrieve the ball otherwise Okoye must be on alert all through the match and would have to do some great passes to help the SE maintain possession.
First half is over my brother, it is already 1 nil in our favour. Game still full of suspense. Would relate with you after the game. Cheers!
Good lineup..sanusi is far far better than Collins.
I might be wrong but I sincerely believe that Ola Aina is our best right back, and Sanusi is our best left-back, just saying as a layman, after all, I am not a football coach. Let him that collects his pay as a coach do his job. You know, we football enthusiasts are better coaches on paper. All we are looking forward to, is a resounding victory, end of the story.
Ejuke and chuks surpose to start this game they are the wings of eagles kalu and lookman also Perfect, for moses simon and musa, They should pls join The spectators abeg jare their game dey spoil eyes, musa is even managable but for Simon all we keep hearing us he can track back he can do bla bla, i dont kno if na we dont have deffenders any more so na winger go come deffend, buhari is far better than rohr.
Simon is a very good player the problem is the coach not Simon.
@ Collins id thank you o my brother. That Coach is a mediocre with his clueless formation and selection of players. SE is playing Liberia and not France or Belgium o. So why are you defending ? Why can’t you use deadly attackers to overwhelm the Liberia in the first half and then round the game up in the 2nd half. Osimhen, Ejuke nd Chukwueze should have make up front 3. Then Iwobi, Ndidi and Aribo or Onyeka in the midfield. Sanusi and Ola Aina as 2 and 3 then Ekong with Awaziem for me not Balogun. If the coach invite Ebuehi, I would prefer he play 2 while Aina play 3 bcos he is doing well playing from 3 at Torino. Moses simon is not adding anything to the attack. Collins sef no good playing as wing back bcos he is not an attack minded defender
Both Chukweze and Ejuke are not clinical upfront.
So far I have seen Ejuke play, he holds on to the ball too long. So, he can come in later in the game rather start.
I think am d only one notice that zeidu is betta than Collins and y benching aina that guy is joy to watch then the coach should stop calling sheu,musa they didn’t av anything to offer they just occupie space
Roar is just an agent of his corrupt employer. He lacks the confidence and the technical capability to get the best out of SE. Questionable and compromised players invitation, wrong mentality and attitude to matches, poor player selection and tactics.
A team with reliable, trustworthy and transparent coach will select the best players, apply the best tactic and instill winning mentality.
Teams with strong mentality don’t really care about home/ away. In most cases and crucial matches, they devour teams ranked lower.
Rwanda. 0 3 Mali
Tanzania 0. 3 Congo DR
Djibouti 0. 4 Algeria
Sudan. 0. 3 Morrocco
Malawi. 0. 4 Cameroon.
LIBERIA 0.0–NIGERIA 0.49
Guy do anybody here watch the just concluded Malawi vs Cameroon match? Permit me to say that Malawi pitch is one of the best have seen in Africa if not the best, just wow, you will think you watching from epl soccer pitch men, ordinary Malawi again ? Our NFF should just cover there face with shame.
I believe that match was played in Johannesburg SA and not in Malawi.
The match was played in South Africa, Johannesburg
Now I get, because that pitch Na world class. Thanks guys.
Both Chukweze and Ejuke are not clinical upfront.
So far I have seen Ejuke play, he holds on to the ball too long. So, he can come in later in the game rather start.
Lol…see everyone talking about the formation without considering the style of play of the opposition. I don’t think Rohr is that dumb, everyone would love to see Chucks and Ejuke dribbling in through the flanks. I’m sure there’s a concrete reason why those guys ain’t starting. Just like common sense demands, and since I didn’t understudy Liberia, I will comment on the formation after this game.
Nice line up. Tried and trusted line up. You don’t change a winning team until they completely falters or some of them falters. Let’s go Eagles!!!!!
Pls someone should drop d link to watch d game
No link to watch the match. Na wa oooooo
YouTube and type in liberia vs Nigeria u should see it there
http://www.hesgoal.com/news/91384/Liberia_vs_Nigeria.html
Hesgoal.com
Goal for 9ja. Osimen scores after the Liberian goalie brought nacho down in the box. Also CAR beating cape verde by 1;0. We might qualify with a game to spare b4 the day is done
baba copy that limo here jor..I have moving from one sites to another ..even the NNFTv no even dey work again
https://youtu.be/07N5bmVh6nA
I can’t fathom how Collins goal was adjudged to be offside. That call is mind-boggling to me. 9ja deserves to be 2 up
Osimen just missed a glorious chance to double our lead and ballooned it over the bar with only the keeper to beat
Don’t know why CAF can not use VAR when every other continent have been using it. The referee have made like2 calls today which were not offside
channel 259 on DSTV even they show the match…
I really hope 9ja don’t end up regretting these missed opportunities. We have to take our chances when they come and put this game to bed. Iwobi and Simon have been poor. Final touch has not been good enough in my view.
https://apps.stream2watch.sx/video/liberia-vs-nigeria-2021-11-13-16-00-00
https://www.pawastreams.live/liberia-vs-nigeria/4424/
What pattern are we playing for God sake? Just round around and ding dong…
At least if there is no VAR, there should be a screen in the stadium that they can watch replay before making their decision if they are not sure. That was a clear onside there.
It’s so glaring that many dont understand the the tactics of the coach. …whiles many are looking at the way other countries play..our coach simply takes the game one after the others. When we face the likes of Egypt , cameroun or Senegal etc he will deploy the necessary tactics to play against them.
I support the removal of Iwobi but what I dont like is the bringing in of Musa, it’s an error.
Nacho has also been very poor.
Nope….he’s actually surprising me today.
Jamilu Collins na real Agbaya… God! Gernot Rohr is killing our football… the man has expired period!
What’s a boring match? GR which way now, this team getting worst and worst.
These same set of players have been prosecuting our games for the last five years and still playing like pregnant lots… football is now crisp, nifty and quick passes… this crab movement they are displaying will not save us in the next round… what has Iwobi, a perpertual bench warmer at club come in to do today? Iheanacho heavy and not mobile… Osimhen displaying childish impatience and lack of calculation… we need to look at other players who have hardly been given chances… man if I were coach I will chase a lot of these avegare players will broom… walahi!
i be wan give you thumbs up, why CSN comot am. This game makes me want to sleep i swear, Watched Malawi vs Cameroon, wey better than what am watching now. This looks like an under 23 game for me
Andrenaline needs to be pumped into Collins to make him agile and fast…..he slows everything down…..he kills every attack coming from the wings……he doesn’t react quickly by moving into space…..he throws the ball in very slowly and reluctantly……he looks scared and cautious…… Always passing backwards…….he is not adventurous…… Collins should not be played at wing back……it’s like pouring water into a basket and expecting it to get filled up.
CAR vs Cape verde still 1:0 in favour of CAR. CAR are doing the SE a favor big time. Cape verde has had loads of opportunities but the keeper and the CAR defense are doing an amazing job defending dia 1 goal lead. Its half time so far.
SE need to wake up as this 1 goal lead isn’t enough. Teams today have won by 4 goals against minnows and we are struggling (cameroon 4 Malawi 0, Zambia 4 Mauritania 0). We need to kill dis game b4 it comes back to haunt us.
This is not good o! Lone star dominated the first 45mins, I don’t want to believe the Eagles are studying them but let’s see the next 45mins. Iwobi, Osimhen and Moses need to give way. Rohr needs to bring Odion, Ejuke and Chukwueze on.
This performance sucks to say the least, laickadasical play, no fluidity, no chemistry, no link up play and all plus certain players seems to believe the SE shirt is theirs and don’t give half of what they give week in week out at their clubs and finally, I cannot seem to see any kind of coaching input in this team at the moment.
A well coached and tactical team would have punished us in this first half i swear.
Shioorrrrr
Nonsense! What arant nonsense!! These are 2nd eleven abegi. Liberia were on the pitch lecturing Chicken eagles on how to tap soccer. In fact they should be partying on the streets of morovia.
Ndidi is struggling as well only Aribo is playing today.
Ndidi just came back from injury and has played 2 matches for Leicester city. By right he should have been on the bench but I understand if he doesn’t play and the result goes wrong people will still blame Rohr for not starting him
Guys if una get chance, watch Ethiopia play, u will see crisp football. The games against Ghana and SA will attest to their play. If u see movement on and off the ball next to none. I have watched lots of the afcon and wc qualifiers and only Morocco comes close in terms of good football. Ethiopia if they have the talent we have and are able to play their kind of game, they will rule Africa. They play good possession football. Play from d back too with no fear. People will say they don’t win enough games but their style of play if maintained will bear fruit soon. Just my thought
The Black Stars simply refused to click.That wasn’t the true test at all. Ethiopians had a lucky day against, that’s all.
Abeg watch dia games biko, not just against Ghana. They just don’t have a good goalie and finisher. Once they can get dat side of the team team, they would be a very solid team. Again dats just my view
Why you they respond to another parrot. Don’t know what game he was watching. Those Ethopians were just unfortunate not to have won the game. Ghana doesn’t have much stars like back in the days
After 5 and a half years in charge with the full compliment of your stars I think Rohr should be giving us a better pattern of play than this. I can’t lie if we meet a better team playing like this, we might be in for a shocker. No excuse of bad pitch and CAR is doing us a favor right now.
Nacho don tire i swear. Chai see eyesore. The team looks disjointed. Iwobi, Simon, iheanacho, just giving possession away cheaply. But the most important thing is the 3 points sha
Operation change Iwobi, he’s completely out of the match.
Did you see it he took of Iwobi. God what type of coach is this HABA!!!!!
Instead of Moses simon, Iwobi came alive and Rohr takes him off nawa o. He was looking really dangerous
We are so so struggling with Liberia, O ga oooo
Our game as really nosedive. We struggle to impose our game in matches. We have gone back to days of heart attack football.
@Mercy… your energy to praise Rohr don finish? Make God help us jam Egypt, Mali, Cote d’voire next round!
Cape verde 2 CAR 1
Please, what time is the match coming up today. Thanks in anticipation of your quick response.
GR bring in chukwueze na, wetin dey do u na. 9ja playing negative football. Back passes all d time. We are more afraid of losing than playing our game and imposing our will.
This referee too no try. Osimen was just brought down close to the box or in d box and d referee waived play on
No it is you he will take off. They way some of you use to talk here shows you did not know anything about the game. He is having a good game? Is any of them playing spectacularly? Instead of blaming planing all the players for not showing urgency and seriousness you are here blaming the coach. See how they are running like 40 years old. If we tell you Nigeria doesn’t have players you start shouting up and down
Michaels, Rohr has dropped him to the bench. The match plan is ok as SE are only being cautious.
Very bad officiation. An infrigement on Victor Osimhen in the 12yards box but referee didn’t blow. The eagles have done so well so far.
Musa oooo lol. What can one say? So no be pitch problem ooo as this pitch no be teslim balogun or ogbe stadium and the team dey dis shambolic. God help us
lol…no be only ogbe stadium….na igbore
i be wan give you thumbs up, why CSN comot am. This game makes me want to sleep i swear, Watched Malawi vs Cameroon, wey better than what am watching now. This looks like an under 23 game for me
Musa puts d game to bed with a penalty kick to make it 2:0. The result flatters 9ja but in reality we were abysmal. With Cape verde winning 2:1 against CAR, the final game is a do or die affair. Cape verde will definitely feel after watching dis game they could take 3 points from 9ja. Based on display today, its not far-fetched
My final verdict is that we are not a top team in Africa not to talk of the world… If we continue like this… we will be humiliated in the next and final round!
I watched Italy vs Switzerland and Uruguay vs Argentina yesterday… Rohr is out of wits and has come to his useful limits with Nigeria.
You have said it all Jimmy, we were just fortunate to have won this game. All that noise about not having iwobi in the game has playmaker, please tell me what did he do, jamiu collins was just calamity. All those saying musa still has a lot to offer, just look at the 3 mins he played, our game is nose diving seriously. What a boring game
That’not true. That was the game plan of coach Rohr. We need the points or you wanted the boys to break their legs? Time to plan for the next match.
This is just poor, poor and poor. This team I just watched really has no class, no quality, no passion, no movements off and on the ball. I am afraid Cape Verde may just do the unthinkable in Lagos.
My take:
I have always said it that our players are overhyped and they are all just bunch of average players with no hunger whatsoever coupled with a coach whom I think we have seen his best already
Wonderful game, great goals. Let’s put this behind us and prepare for capeVerde. Good luck Rohr and his charges.
A well executed game plan. Up Nigeria.
@Dr.Drey… is he on leave or what? Lol… strange the chief himself has not commented so far? Is like Bob is not satisfied and convinced with the outinmg today… Lol.
The last game against Cape Verde will be nervy… those guys are unpredicatable!
We were lucky to have won in cape verde due to some blunders. Trust me they know whats at stake and they will come out hungry. Hope to see a different display on tuesday, because todays game was crap
Osimehen messed up today. I think the praises is getting into his head. The parormance generally was shambolic. I hope Cape Verde don’t make us cry.
We are just overhyping Osimhen… dude is good but has a poor footwork. He is not skillful, has no tricery… no footwork. Osimhen is just your traditional run and shoot attacker… it is clear he is becoming very complacent in the Super Eagles feeling like a landlord… I honestly do not think Osimhen is better than Sadiq or Awoniyi… and what about an Iheanacho that a team cant and should never depend on… Alex Iwobi should not be getting invite until he improves his game to be seen and evident from involvement in his club games… Iwobi does not at this present time deserve a callup… how many goals has he scored or assited this season at Everton… yet we have the likes of Dennis and Dessers completely frozen out of the team… Gernot Rohr is a trader… a merchant in disguise with the team… he is just a businessman cum politician wearing the toga of a coach… I challenge anyone to tell me the pattern we played against CAR and today?
Gernot Rohr has arrived at his useful limits and wits end with tinkering the Super Eagles ny further… Imagine players like Olayinka (hustler), Awoniyi(attacker per excellence), Sadiq(finese), Amoo(Typhoon), Nwakaeme(Bulldozer) just wasting and looking forlon, helpless… cant invite themselves… cant do anything aboutcoming to bail out a rudderless team… what a waste of talent… Nigeria!
Gernot Rohr has arrived at his useful limits, and wits end with tinkering the Super Eagles any further… Imagine players like Olayinka (hustler), Awoniyi(attacker per excellence), Sadiq(finese), Amoo(Typhoon), Nwakaeme(Bulldozer) just wasting and looking forlon, helpless… cant invite themselves… cant do anything about coming to bail out a rudderless team… what a waste of talent… Nigeria!
Eagles only allowed Lone star to run around the pitch without seeing the 18yards box. What a match plan. Rohr bringing something new to the table. He should start these players against Cape. Ride on there.
A good match by any standard. Eagles were cautious and that paid off with 2 goals. The only thing the coach to do is to start Ejuke in the next match.
Too many Nigerian internet coaches spoil the fun. Every Nigerian is a coach if you listen to their comments. The only players good enough for these internet coach are the players the real National coach never brought in.