WEEKLY Vol 1 Issue 6
FREE | June 02, 2014
BRAZIL BOUND EAGLES START TO TAKE SHAPE 5 THINGS WE LEANRT FROM THE NIGERIA SCOTLAND TIE
WHAT IS DEL BOSQUE THINKING?
KLOSE: CLOSER TO HISTORY
5
THINGS
E W LEARN
T
FROM THE NIGERIA/SCOTLAND GAME
5
KUNLE ODUNLAMI IS NOT SUITED FOR LEFT BACK AND IS A BETTER OPTION AT CENTRAL DEFENCE THAN EGWUEKWE
YOBO IS ON HIS LAST LEGS FOR THE SUPER EAGLES 2
4
3
CHIBUIKE EGWUEKWE IS STILL SOME WAY OFF FROM BEING READY FOR THE
BIGGEST STAGE
2
MICHAEL UCHEBO & MICHAEL BABATUNDE ARE NOT YET SUPER EAGLES MATERIAL
1 OSAZE ODEMWINGIE & UCHE NWOFOR MUST BE IN THE PARTY TO BRAZIL. 3
NIGERIA 2 - 2 SCOTLAND
BRAZIL BOUND EAGLES START TO TAKE SHAPE N
igeria's tie against Scotland was nothing more than a test for the fringe players. A test they didn't really do too well. Excuses can be made that it was a combination of strange bedfellows strung together and thrown into the fray to hold their own. Well, that game gave us an inkling of the players who will be in that plane to Brazil. Kunle Odunlami was like a ďŹ sh out of water at right
4
back position. If Ike Anya was able to run him ragged, can you imagine the likes of Di Maria running at him for 90 minutes? He is better suited for center back position. Even though Joseph Yobo is just returning from injury, I'm yet to be convinced that his great days as a defender are not past him. He certainly doesn't have the legs anymore. He will be on the plane to Brazil though. This should give Nigerians the jittersÍž the Super Eagles do not have adequate cover for Oboabona and Omeruo. It is clear that Keshi still doesn't have the perfect right sided full back. Two other players that did not cover themselves in glory were Michael Babatunde and Michael Uchebo. Babatunde was busy and full of energy but did not have the necessary guile to operate at the
level which would be demanded of him should he make it to Brazil. Uchebo on the other hand just didn't cut the part. For a big and strong man like him he rarely tested the Scot defence and was lucky with his goal. His shooting was erratic and wayward. There is however something to cheer about. I have always been of the opinion that Uche Nwofor is a fantastic striker since I watched him at under 20 for Nigeria. When he came on, he caused the Scots all sorts of problems. His movement was always goal bound. His attempts always kept the goalkeeper and his defenders on their toes and his goal was true poachers' goal. Nwofor, Odemwingie and Igiebor with their performance must ticked all keshi's boxes and booked a place in the ďŹ nal 23.
5
NIGERIA VS GREECE
REAL TEST FOR EAGLES N
igeria is building quite a history with Greece. On the 3rd of June, the Super Eagles will lock horns with the Greece national side. To what effect will this friendly be for the Super Eagles? Considering that the ďŹ nal 23 man list would already be in FIFA's ofďŹ ce by the time this game gets underway. It is safe to conclude that the game against Scotland just helped Keshi in making up his mind about those who will not be in the plane to Brazil.
6
This tie should be for ne tuning strategies are dangerous customers. Konstantinos Mitroglou is the first Greek player to complete a hattrick in the Champions League. Even though he didn't quite settle in Fulham, but Oboabona and Omeruo will do to keep a close eye on him. This tie should be for fine tuning strategies and we should see a more recognizable team. The Greeks are the closest to the kind of opposition Bosnia and Herzegovina would pose. Keshi has to use this game to finalize what his starting eleven would look like. At this stage his team is still undefined, but we should have a clearer picture of the final components of this side heading to the world cup. One thing is for sure, the Eagles must not lose and they must also play well, if for nothing else but to assure Nigerians that going to the world The Greeks are a very compact side and technically sound. They are hard to break down and know how to punish the opposition for errors. Nigeria know a bit about this team. In Giorgos Karagounis they have an experienced and wily customer who would pull the strings in the middle for Greece. He was there in 2010 when they beat Nigeria at the World Cup. Greece are not known for scoring plenty goals, but they still boast some potency upfront. Giorgios Samaras (Celtic) and Konstantinos Mitroglou (Fulham) will form their arrowhead and both
7
MIROSLAV
KLOSE: CLOSER TO HISTORY G
ermany striker Miroslav Klose could become the record scorer in World Cup finals history after being selected for the tournament in Brazil. Klose is set to go to his fourth finals after being included in Germany's provisional 27-man squad. The 35-year-old needs two more goals to beat the record total of 15 held by former Brazilian forward Ronaldo. "Miro always hits top form at tournaments. It will almost certainly be his last," said Coach Joachim Low. Klose scored five times in the 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals and four in the 2010 tournament in South Africa, when Germany were beaten semi-finalists, Klose is just one short of Brazil legend Ronaldo's record. The Lazio striker shares second place in the list of all-time World Cup finals scorers with compatriot Gerd Muller. The pair are also joint top scorers for Germany with 68 goals each. He has said he wants to break Ronaldo's record of 15 World Cup goals before stepping down from international duty after Brazil 2014. "I can't say that doesn't interest me, I'm too ambitious for that, but the team always comes first," Klose, who is set to make
8
KLOSE FACTFILE Date and Place of Birth Born Opole, Poland, 1978 Clubs SG Blaubach-Diedelkopf FC Homburg II, FC Homburg Kaiserslauten Reserves, Kaiserslauten Werder Bremen Bayern Munich Lazio World Cup Golden Boot winner in 2006 Germany National Team 131 Germany caps, 68 goals
his 131st appearance for Germany in Wednesday's friendly with Chile, told Munichbased daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung. The ex-Bayern Munich star has struggled with injuries this season after a foot operation in September, then a shoulder problem in November, and he says Euro 2016 will probably be beyond him. "I think that the World Cup in Brazil is to be my last tournament," said the 35-yearold. "The way my ďŹ tness is, I ďŹ nd it hard to assume I could play for two more years at the highest level." Germany kick-off their World Cup campaign in Group G against Portugal in Salvador on June 16 before taking on Ghana and the Jurgen Klinsmann-coached United States. Klose's contract expires in June and while Lazio are reported to want to offer him a year's extension on a reduced salary, the striker is considering offers from the United States and United Arab Emirates.
9
WHAT IS DEL BOSQUE THINKING? S
pain have released their 23 man squad for the world cup and of course there are notable absentees. Vicente Del Bosque may have earned himself the right of selecting any player for the national side without being questioned. After all, he has won the European cup and the world cup. His latest team list begs for answers though. What is Del Bosque thinking? He is prepared to gamble on the fitness of Diego Costa including him in his 23-man squad for Brazil despite lingering worries over a leg injury to the striker and having not played in a while. The axing of Fernando Llorente and Negredo who by far had better seasons than David Villa and Fernando Torres begs for answers. Del Bosque seems to be sticking with the players who have been in the side. He has chosen to keep faith with his tried and tested players with the bulk of the team coming from Barcelona despite their shabby season. Del Bosque seems to have elected that the only way to play is tiki taka and Barca players who are more adept at it have all been included in the squad. The
10
old wily manager seems to be forgetting that things can change and an alternate plan may be needed, this where Llorente and Negredo fit the bill. This lack of an alternate plan was Bara's eventual undoing this season. Sixteen of the 23 squad players who lifted the World Cup four years ago return for Spain. Del Bosque said after Spain's 2-0 friendly win over Bolivia that he has faith in Torres, who scored just five Premier League goals this season. Cesar Azpilicueta's strong performance against Bolivia seemed to cement his place in the team despite Dani Carvajal over the stretch of the season proving he is a better right back than Azpilicueta. Del Bosque seemed to have chosen players like Mata and Torres on favor rather than obvious merit heading into Brazil. Spain's inability to score more than a goal in most of their games should count for something and should have given Del Bosque something to mull over, he rather stubbornly refuses to change. Good things they say have a funny way of coming to an end and when they do, they usually do so spectacularly.
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Napoli), David de Gea (Manchester United) Defenders: Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid) MidďŹ elders: Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Juan Mata (Manchester United) Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Fernando Torres (Chelsea), David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Diego Costa (Atletico)
11