Friday 6 November 2015

How Oliseh can bring out the best in Ighalo



Nigeria striker, Odion Ighalo, is having an unbelievable debut season in the Barclays Premier League - one that many strikers could have only dreamt about or merely illusionalised.

A season that has seen the 26-year-old notch seven league goals in 11 appearances thus far - a goal return only bettered by Leicester City's Jamie Vardy on 11.

After his exploits in the 2014/15 Championship season where he scored 20-times to help the Hornets gain promotion to the top flight , it was believed that the striker's achievement was a mere fluke.

And the fact that his previous club records hasn't been fantastic didn't actually help his CV - 18 goals in over a century of appearances for both Granda and Udinese.

But Ighalo has so far proven his consistency with top-notch performances - his seventh strike against West Ham on Saturday ensured the striker surpassed Heidar Helguson and Hameur Bouzza as Watford's all-time EPL top scorer.

"It's not just about the scoring, but the work rate of Ighalo is really good for the team," Watford coach, Quique Sanchez Flores, said about the Nigerian.

"He knows his defensive position and I think he always puts in a high performance."

One conundrum in having an in-form player in your team is there's also an equal dilemma in keeping such player happy.

This is the present predicament of Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, who must be relishing the prospect of having Ighalo, who is top scorer in all English leagues but still find himself pondering the best possible system to suit the striker.

Nigeria play two-key 2018 FIFA World qualifying games against Swaziland before locking horns with the Pharoahs of Egypt in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

So what system works for Ighalo at Watford?

Out of the three newly promoted teams, Watford has shown more determination and courage to remain with 4 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses - which takes them to 11th on the log.

Quique has adopted an orthodox 4-4-2 system with Ighalo leading the line, supported by club skipper, Troy Deeney, who drops deeper occasionally to the midfield.

By doing this, Ighalo is given the license to attack at full capacity, pressing forward and making opposing defenders as well as goalkeepers commit elementary errors.

"They are two strikers in form," Crystal Palace coach, Alan Pardew, said about the pair.

"There is chemistry between the two and in the Premier League there is not a lot of that.

"But they have it, which is very fortunate Watford, they handle the division very well.”

Apart from the goals, Ighalo has assisted two others - meaning out of the 10 goals scored by the club this season, the former Lyn striker has a hand in nine of them.

But the Nigerian has also benefited from a wonderful partnership with Deeney, he narrated: “Troy’s assisted me for three of the seven goals I’ve scored this season,” pointed out Ighalo to Watford Official.

“But we didn’t only click now, since last season we played together up-front in the Championship and we were playing well and working hard together then," he added.

In his few games in-charge, Oliseh has used Ighalo as the lone striker with Ahmed Musa, Sylvester Igboun and Moses Simon playing behind.

But the former Borrusia Dortmund midfielder should consider pairing the eX-Granada man with recent Eagles returnee, Obafemi Martins.

Martins boost an incredible record since joining Seattle Sounders in the MLS in 2013. The former Newcastle man has scooped 40 goals and 23 assists, which is an outstanding return for any striker.

just like Deeney and Ighalo at Vicarage Road, Martins could form a dreadful patnership with the Watford man for the Nigerian national team.

Nigeria slump in latest FIFA World Rankings



Nigeria Super Eagles has slipped in the latest FIFA World Rankings released on Thursday for the month of October.

The three-time African champions dropped seven spots to 59th in the world - meaning they move out of the top 10 to 12th on the continent.

Coach Sunday Oliseh's team played two international friendly games last month in Belgium - losing 2-0 against the Democratic Republic of Congo  and thrashing the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon 3-0.

And the team has now paid the ultimate penalty for that defeat to the DR Congo with the Leopards moving five places to 55th in the world and 10th in Africa.

Ivory Coast remains the top football nation on the continent, followed by the Desert Foxes of Algeria, Ghana, Cape Verde and the Terenga Lions of Senegal.

Tunisia, Cameroon, Congo, Guinea and DRC make up the top 10 teams in Africa while the Pharoahs of Egypt are 11th.

Globally, Belgium moved to the top of the FIFA Rankings for the first time in their history after they leapfrogged Argentina who are now third.

Germany retained her second-spot, with Portugal and Chile completing the top five in the world.

Monday 2 November 2015

Watford coach salutes record-breaker Ighalo



Nigeria striker, Odion Ighalo, has received the praises of Watford manager, Quique Sanchez Flores for yet another top-notch performance in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

Ighalo scored twice as the Hornets overcame West Ham 2-0 at Vicarage Road - their second consecutive victory in the League - as well as his six and seventh strikes of the season.

The Spaniard expressed his satisfaction with the all-round performance of the 25-year-old who was not just spectacular with his goals but his defending also.  

"It is not just the scoring but the workrate of Ighalo is really good for the team," the 50-year-old former Valencia coach told Sky Sports after the game.

"He knows his defensive position and I think he always puts in a high performance," he added.

Watford moved up to ninth in the League table as a result and are only five points outside of the top four all thanks to Ighalo.

The former Granada striker carved his name in the history books becoming the highest goal-scorer in the club's history in the Premier League surpassing Heidar Helguson and Hameur Bouzza.

And the Nigerian couldn't hide his joy about this feat but attributed his success to teamwork.

"I'm happy about my goals, but I'm most pleased about the team performance. We played very well today and we deserved the win and the three points," Ighalo told Watford Official on Saturday.

"We've been performing great this season, not just today, and we've been working hard together.

"The team have been pushing, we run for each other, we fight for each other, and it's been great.

"I'm happy for the spirit today, we won last week and that gave us a boost to push on."

Sunday 1 November 2015

FIFA U-17 WC: Nigeria demolish Brazil to reach semis 



Nigeria Golden Eaglets edged closer towards winning a record fifth FIFA U-17 world crown with a 3-0 thrashing of the junior Selecao of Brazil at Vina Del Mar, Chile on Sunday. 

The four-time world champions were in destructive mood when they squared-off against the South Americans for the first time ever at this level - tearing apart their opponents in just five first half minutes.  

Tournament top scorer Victor Osimhen scored his eight in five games coupled with strikes from Kingsley Michael and Udochukwu Anumudu ensured the Eaglets cruised to their seventh semi-final. 

Brazil, the second mFIFA U-17 WC: Nigeria demolish Brazil to reach semis 

Nigeria Golden Eaglets edged closer towards winning a record fifth FIFA U-17 world crown with a 3-0 thrashing of the junior Selecao of Brazil at Vina Del Mar, Chile on Sunday. 

The four-time world champions were in destructive mood when they squared-off against the South Americans for the first time ever at this level - tearing apart their opponents in just five first half minutes.  

Tournament top scorer Victor Osimhen scored his eight in five games coupled with strikes from Kingsley Michael and Udochukwu Anumudu ensured the Eaglets cruised to their seventh semi-final. 
 

Brazil, the second most successful nation at this level behind Nigeria looked brighter in the opening stages, either finding Eaglets goalie Akpan Udoh in fine form or missing the target. 

Carlos Amadeu's lads were made to rue those missed opportunities when the lethal Osimhen extended his lead at the top of the goalscoring charts. John Lazarus crossed from the Nigerian right and the Nigerian No9 headed in, via a deflection off Eder Militao.

Moments later, the Eaglets doubled their lead, Osimhen instrumental once more. The forward hooked a bouncing ball back over his shoulder, with Michael following in. The ball bounced up off the turf and past Juliano.

The Brazilian No1 was deceived by another bounce just four minutes later, as Anumudu hit a left-footed drive from distance. The effort skipped off the turf, and past the stopper, who was visibly unhappy at not keeping the shot out.

Unlike the first, the second period saw few clear-cut opportunities, with Funsho Bamgboye and Evander going closest for either side but, in truth, it was a mere procession for the holders to take a step closer to retaining their title. 

Nigeria who has scored sixteen times thus far at the competition will now face either Mexico or Ecuador in the semifinal on Thursday. 

While the Brazilians will have to tarry a little longer in-order to add to their three titlesost successful nation at this level behind Nigeria looked brighter in the opening stages, either finding Eaglets goalie Akpan Udoh in fine form or missing the target. 

Carlos Amadeu's lads were made to rue those missed opportunities when the lethal Osimhen extended his lead at the top of the goalscoring charts. John Lazarus crossed from the Nigerian right and the Nigerian No9 headed in, via a deflection off Eder Militao.

Moments later, the Eaglets doubled their lead, Osimhen instrumental once more. The forward hooked a bouncing ball back over his shoulder, with Michael following in. The ball bounced up off the turf and past Juliano.

The Brazilian No1 was deceived by another bounce just four minutes later, as Anumudu hit a left-footed drive from distance. The effort skipped off the turf, and past the stopper, who was visibly unhappy at not keeping the shot out.

Unlike the first, the second period saw few clear-cut opportunities, with Funsho Bamgboye and Evander going closest for either side but, in truth, it was a mere procession for the holders to take a step closer to retaining their title. 

Nigeria who has scored sixteen times thus far at the competition will now face either Mexico or Ecuador in the semifinal on Thursday. 

While the Brazilians will have to tarry a little longer in-order to add to their three titles