Segun Oluwaniyi

There was a fight between two drunken Russians in front of me towards the end of the Russia-Egypt match. Other than that madness with the taxi running into pedestrians, there hasn't been anything of note, though.

I'm more bored of them because they did the exact same thing at 2014. There is not any novelty to it anymore, and it is not pleasant to watch at all. I appreciate it because they have so much less talent than a country like mine and compete just as well, if not better, but I was expecting poor games as soon as the groups were drawn in December.

The Iran player wasted about 20 seconds steadying himself and quickly praying before the flip throw, then aborted it and just casually tossed it to the player nearest. What a waste.

At loving the child that you created making you a simp.

Andre was really good for a time, but he has really sharply declined the past few seasons. Jordan is the better one now, but even he is just an average and wildly inconsistent forward. I don't mind if they can get him fairly cheaply to be second choice, because the guy is still superior to Joselu and probably also Gayle. The club needs to buy at least two forwards if Mitrovic is going.

For this cycle, the first choice would have been Ikeme, but he is injured with blood cancer. Enyeama managed to get himself exiled from the national team under the previous manager and then exiled from Lille as well, so he is unavailable. I don't think this keeper was a problem against Croatia, anyway. The older options (who play in Africa for the most part) are not really better at all and Uzoho is definitely the most talented despite being extremely young. I’m talking more about the style of football Baba which you could once identify Nigeria by. I do hope they progress though, unless they stink out the tournament. I’d love to see an African team win it. Fair enough. The style of African sides has changed significantly since 94 with the vast majority of serious players in Europe from a young age, but football as a whole has evolved so much in those 24 years that it is hard to really compare, imo. The bigger issue for Nigeria, in particular, is that it has not produced a world class player in this century despite having a pipeline of talent that rivals any other country in the world. We need to address why.

Germany weren't at their best, but Mexico are the best team I have seen thus far at the tournament, tbh. The other "favourites" have been disappointing. The same level of performance by Germany in the next two matches will see them easily through with six points.

I disagree because a normal European side would not be anywhere near this naive and stupid. The vast majority of the team came to Europe as fairly young teenagers, but the team fails to do things average Euro sides do easily, such as dealing with simple set pieces or maintaining possession. Regardless, 3 of the 5 African sides to qualify this time are Arab, and the Arab style is extremely European. Despite my anger, I don't think Nigeria's World Cup is done, fwiw. If you remember in 2014, their first match against Iran was one of the single most wretched matches in the entire history of this tournament (an embarrassment on the same level as last night) and we still qualified out of the group, improved each match, and ended up giving France a tough match really could have gone our way but for a few referee decisions. For the last three World Cup we have shown up looking wildly under-prepared and subsequently improved. Iceland is beatable and the same exact players ripped Argentina's defence quite well only 7 months ago. Rohr just needs to dump this "sit deep, absorb pressure, and hit long balls to Ighalo" approach. We are not Stoke. It's ok in Africa, but will not work against European teams that are more trained in that style. Just drop Ighalo, play Iheanacho who can actually score goals and play Nigerian football on the front foot, especially against Iceland who have far inferior talent, whatever their other merits.

What? This team is not spirited or likeable. They are just crap. The team is chaotic and feisty, and unlike true turboshit teams like Saudi Arabia there's actual footballing talent on the pitch. That makes it likeable to me. But the whole thing adds up to a big amount of nothing. Yeah, perhaps. I'm just really disappointed, personally. They're forcing some of the older statesmen in the team, but they shouldn't be playing. Iheanacho and Musa have to be in there from the outset. Moses and Obi Mikel shouldn't be. Not in that 4-3-3 setup anyway. Mikel is doing alright. At least he can control a ball to some degree. Moses should never see that pitch for the national team again after the nonsense he has now pulled in two consecutive World Cups.

Nigeria's national team typifies Nigeria as a country. A failed state that is barely holding together at the seams and provides nothing but embarrassment and shame for its people on a daily basis. The primary objective of 99 percent of Nigerians is to get the hell out that God-forsaken country as fast as possible, and I cannot say that I am any different. We have brilliant academics, medics, etc. succeeding all throughout the world, but the country itself fails in all of these areas. No different than how we have hundreds of players making themselves rich from football in Europe and over the world but the country itself fails repeatedly. Countries like Iran have nothing in terms of player talent, but makes themselves competitive just through graft and organisation. It is not that difficult, ffs. I guess I am the fool for coming out here to watch them. The performance was typical. Corners against Naija are like penalties against any other team and it has been this way for years. Every World Cup they concede multiple times from set pieces. Croatia didn't even have to bother creating any real chances for themselves for the Eagles to spread their legs. The attack was of course stilted, hesitant play in first gear despite being being one of the quicker teams in the tournament. I'll never understand it. Rubbish.

hehehehehehe So are you dead yet? Big talk considering Y'all gonna get beat later. Saving it for the Nigeria game. I think you need to leave the forum for today, Mike. Your husband, Trinidad, has been calling for you

According to the reporters in the camp, the starting XI for Nigeria will be something like this: Uzoho Shehu Omeruo Troost-Ekong Idowu Mikel Ndidi Iwobi Etebo Moses Ighalo Balogun has a late fitness test and if he is available he will replace Omerruo. Mikel is pushed back to his Chelsea position rather than the #10 he plays for us in Africa. I don't believe he has the lungs to play that position in the way Rohr will prefer against a side like Croatia. This tells me that there will be a straight forward counter-attacking approach. Ndidi breaking up, and Mikel spraying the ball forward to quick attackers in Etebo, Moses, and Iwobi playing behind a target man in Ighalo. I would expect Iheanacho, Musa, and Onazi to be the primary substitutes depending on the situation in the match. Of course, these are Nigerian journalists, so this may be 100% lies.

Not going to Kaliningrad, too much of a trek. Volgograd for Iceland is possible. St. Petersburg for Argentina is a definite. Wow. Always wanted to go to Russia, but didn't feel like I'd be welcome based on stories from people I know who've gone. Are you white? Unless you a different colour, I don't see why you would feel unwelcome. I get a good number of odd or interested stares here as a quite large Black person, but nothing I would worry about. Fwiw, I'm quite experienced in Russia. I have been here many times for business and taken my wife and child here a few times. In terms of friendliness and openness, it is not America or UK and this is just something you have to understand. The country is pretty insular (especially in the smaller cities), but most people are decent, as it the case everywhere. I've never had any real problems. It is not the sort of place I would recommend taking a vacation or something like this, but you can make money and enjoy yourself here. Anyway, the charm offensive is clearly on for the World Cup. Random people in the street are yelling "Welcome to Russia" every five minutes, asking for photos, wanting to discuss Ahmed Musa or John Obi Mikel with me in broken English, or asking questions about Nigeria/America There is no way the powers that be would let this go badly.

I thought he was fairly poor, tbh, by his ridiculous standard. It does not help that 90 percent of his teammates seems to be staring at him waiting for something to happen the majority of the match. What happened with the obvious penalty for Argentina that did not even get checked by VAR? I do not understand this thing at all? Does the referee ask for it or is it called for by the VAR referees? It seems bizarre.

Pogba has been rubbish in this match, and it is not anything to do with the formation or where he is playing.

Was that deflected?

Not going to Kaliningrad, too much of a trek. Volgograd for Iceland is possible. St. Petersburg for Argentina is a definite.

Umtiti, man.

Well, I am happy the girl is alive because she is fairly pretty. Anyway, France have been total rubbish. Man for man this is the best team in the tournament, imo. Deschamps needs to change something.

Signing Kenedy, Townsend (I am aware that signing two established Premier League players with Ashley as owner is likely a fever dream), and any forward that can resemble a competent Premier League player would improve this side immeasurably. From what Rafa has managed to build thus far, NUFC isn't far from being well-above the relegation-level fodder and solidly top-half side imo. The path is right there, but it requires Ashley to spend 15+ million pounds to chase the decent players every other team in the league may want, so this could be out of the question, tbf. At the moment, there are not really any dynamic attacking players at the club. There are grafters, players with good attacking qualities, and dribblers, but no one who is explosive or a real match-winner.

Na wa for my people, man. I do not see why our chickens have been banned when Morocco and Iran are poisoning the world's ears with non-stop horns that have no harmony at all. Chickens will not hurt anyone. Abeg, I am just hoping they will allow us the customary drums and trumpets into the stadiums because they were trying to ban them from entry in Brazil. We need to create a real Naija atmosphere It has been a poor tournament for Africa, so we will have to carry the flag now. The group is tough, but we have quality and a good group of players, so I am not worried. The main question I have with this team is really the same question I had four years ago. Namely, who is going to score goals for this side? Iheanacho and Musa are the two most prolific players in our ranks (especially with Moses Simon injured), but it appears they will be the first options off the bench rather than starters. Kelechi's situation reminds me of the Odemwingie conundrum from 2014 because in terms of quality in the final third, he is the best option, but we struggle to find a role for him to start because he is not a target man and has just been OK as #10 without someone like Vardy running in behind. Moses and Iwobi are very dangerous when they are on form and direct, but neither is really prolific. Ighalo, like Emenike last time, is really being picked to start because of his ability to hold up play when we are defending rather than his lethal goalscoring touch. The keeper is another question. Uzoho will be the best keeper in Africa one day, imo, but today may not be that day. He's only 19, and while he has great natural reflexes and a huge frame to dominate the box, he has indecisive and panicky moments where you can tell the boy is very green. I'm quite confident our defense and midfield are up to the task and they will need to protect young Uzoho.

My wife and I were running late to the Morocco-Iran match yesterday, so we just called a taxi to drop us off at the "football stadium". Unfortunately, this guy managed to take us to the Petrovsky stadium (The previous Zenit stadium, which is currently decrepit and has no tenant, rather than the billion-dollar structure hosting a World Cup match within the hour). In my idiocy, I decided we should just walk to Krestovsky, but this was a 3-4 mile distance, so I ended up missing the first 55 minutes or so and bringing home a seriously vexed girl that took the only bed in this flat for herself last night. The match was enjoyable, though. Any basic analysis of the match would lead you to think that Iran would sit deep and Morocco would struggle to break them down on the front foot, and this is exactly what transpired, though I was disappointed in how poorly Renard's side played. Still, it was a very fun atmosphere (seemingly better than came across on television) other than the old man constantly blowing his horn directly in my ear for 50 minutes and the Iranians were going completely mental from the time of the Bouhaddouz own goal until early in the morning. We had fun with them. For all the problems in construction and rubles wasted, St. Petersburg stadium is a beautful place for a football match. Every seat is a good view and it holds sound well. Generally, Russians seem very excited for Cup, tbh. Everyone seems far nicer than when I am usually in the country and many people are stopping to welcome us to Russia or even asking for thoroughly unwanted photos. It wouldn't stun me at all if Queiroz and co. can steal a 0-0 against Portugal or Spain, btw. They are such a well-drilled team and there will be nowhere near as much space on the pitch as those sides had last night. I can see Portugal struggling to break them down if Ronaldo has to drop deeper to get the ball. That may be all they need to get through, now as well. The group is still wide open.

He is still doing quite well at Barcelona...if a little lower than his heights of a couple years ago. Both Egypt and Morocco are going to be extremely cagey and likely dull sides outside of a few creative players. This is how they got to the tournament, and I doubt they will change their ways now. With all that I invested in getting people to Russia and procuring tickets, it will seriously vex me if most matches are half-full like this one is. It is easy to notice that the majority of the unfilled seats are in the areas likely reserved for sponsors and Yekaterinburg is very out of the way, tbf.

The first two I’ll grant you, the time zone whine is precious, and the last is nonsense. By all accounts the ‘94 tournament was wildly successful and the game’s only grown since then. This will easily be the most attended and lucrative tournament yet. And you’re discounting Canada as a first-time host and Mexico, a country with an unquestionable footballing culture. All of it's a whine but it doesn't really make it any less relevant as a post on the football section of a Newcastle forum like. You can say what you want about how successful '94 was etc, but the context of that popularity is still that there are far more fitting countries, with vastly more prominent football cultures and infrastructures than the U.S and Mexico, especially considering they've had it in '86 and '94. It's pretty ridiculous that England hasn't had it since 1966 considering it invented the sport, like. The likes of Spain and Italy have got just as much to complain about too considering their own history, culture, infrastructures, and the last time they hosted the World Cup. It's a joke yet again tbh, South Africa, Russia, Qatar, and the U.S/Mexico/Canada make up 4 of the last 5 hosts and out of those Russia is probably the least undeserving. North America having the tournament 3 times in 40 years seems fine to me. Europe has had the tournament three times in the past 20, including two bordering countries hosting within an 8 year period. You will really have to explain to me what makes the Western European high-income countries that already have world class football every week more deserving than any other part of the world. With the exception of Qatar (which is nonsensical on many levels) and Canada, all the countries you listed have large football loving populations and the infrastructure/the willingness to build the infrastructure necessary for a World Cup, which is what should matter. I am confident in saying that Mexico and the USA both have more total football fans than any European country. Regional parity is paramount now that we are in an era where six continents can feasibly host the competition, imo. / Sure. All of North America probably does have more fans than a single European country. Completely irrelevant, but accurate? Aye, probably. I meant each country as a single entity (which is a fair comparison, imo, as the tournament is hosted by countries, not continents). My point is that there are plenty of fans to support the tournament and facilitate a good atmosphere around the country, which is what will happen. Baltimore is a relatively small US city, maybe the 20th biggest or so, and I was there in 2010 or 2011 for one of European club friendlies which could have sold out M & T Bank stadium twice over despite oppressive heat. The fans are there and the matches will sell out faster than any World Cup with the money in the US.

The first two I’ll grant you, the time zone whine is precious, and the last is nonsense. By all accounts the ‘94 tournament was wildly successful and the game’s only grown since then. This will easily be the most attended and lucrative tournament yet. And you’re discounting Canada as a first-time host and Mexico, a country with an unquestionable footballing culture. All of it's a whine but it doesn't really make it any less relevant as a post on the football section of a Newcastle forum like. You can say what you want about how successful '94 was etc, but the context of that popularity is still that there are far more fitting countries, with vastly more prominent football cultures and infrastructures than the U.S and Mexico, especially considering they've had it in '86 and '94. It's pretty ridiculous that England hasn't had it since 1966 considering it invented the sport, like. The likes of Spain and Italy have got just as much to complain about too considering their own history, culture, infrastructures, and the last time they hosted the World Cup. It's a joke yet again tbh, South Africa, Russia, Qatar, and the U.S/Mexico/Canada make up 4 of the last 5 hosts and out of those Russia is probably the least undeserving. North America having the tournament 3 times in 40 years seems fine to me. Europe has had the tournament three times in the past 20, including two bordering countries hosting within an 8 year period. You will really have to explain to me what makes the Western European high-income countries that already have world class football every week more deserving than any other part of the world. With the exception of Qatar (which is nonsensical on many levels) and Canada, all the countries you listed have large football loving populations and the infrastructure/the willingness to build the infrastructure necessary for a World Cup, which is what should matter. I am confident in saying that Mexico and the USA both have more total football fans than any European country. Regional parity is paramount now that we are in an era where six continents can feasibly host the competition, imo.