THE ANNUAL 352.COM.NG FOOTBALL REVIEW - ISSUE #2 - DECEMBER 2016 Tactics Talk Going East Back Threes: The Good, the Can China succeed where the Bad & the Ugly USA has tried and failed? Year of the Underdogs An exclusive look at how Leicester City and Portugal defied the odds in 2016 FOOTBALL NEWS FROM THE HEART OF AFRICA www.352.com.ng 2 ReviewISSUE #2 DECEMBER 2016 Content 04 Editor’s note 22 Cover Story: Year of the underdogs Peter Akinnusi CONTRIBUTORS Editor-in-chief Adegun Shola 07 2017 Predictions 24 Can China succeed where the MLS Team Ayoola Kelechi has tried and failed? Nteoniro Bertram Design/Layout Clinton Mcdubus 10 What next? Preparing for life in a post 27 The defensive midfielder Dapo Oyeowo Messi/Ronaldo world. Zubair Abdulahi Goodness Otemuyiwa Managing Editor 12 Back Threes: The Good, The Bad 30 Road to Russia Jibril Baba and The Ugly Naseer Na’Allah Tomiwa Yussuf 34 2016 in numbers Assistant Editor Victor Okafor The “World Class” debate 16 Yahaya Mohammed 35 Hot Prospects: The official 352 Ibrahim Olalekan Under 21 XI 18 Super Eagles all-time XI Social Media Yorisola Oduwobi Copyright © 2016 by 352.com.ng All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the Social publisher, addressed “Attention: Review Magazine” via email to the address below. @352NG @352NGFOOTBALL Photographs and illustrations appearing in Review Magazine are copyright their respective authors, whether named or not. 3 Photo: Glyn Kirk/Getty Images Woof! 2016. What. A. Year. Apart from killing entire swathes and villages of people, New Year Issue - a product of hilarious debates & dive in and gobble up every single word. We salute our it was the year that taught us all a thing or two about brainstorming sessions to serve you great, community partners who have worked with us to ensure you get the surprises. It also showed that what lot of people never oriented content - nestles safely in your possession. best consistently and we’re excited for the treats we have expect to happen can still occur nonetheless. in store for you. From the sum up of the year’s biggest football stories to The year of the ‘underdog’ it was. I mean, we saw all saluting Nigeria’s greatest ever players, it was important I believe we’re all set for a far better year ahead, so sorts of unlikely events leave us with mouths agape; to make sure it was all about you, our top class readers. please enjoy our gift to you as 2017 serves us many Trump. The Cleveland Cavaliers. FIFA. Leicester City. In this issue we made predictions for the year ahead, more brilliant football moments. Let’s do this again in Portugal. (The jury is still out on what emotion to assign provided tactical insights to help you look and sound hip 12 months shall we? to the Super Eagles missing out on the African Nations when next you hang with the gang, and also served up Cup). some fun trivia for the road. Cheers, Here at 352, we’re a fun group devoted to the fans of the Some of the biggest stories from the site, which you beautiful game. We just had to give you, our amazing should absolutely bookmark by the way, were included Peter readers a great gift to close the year. Hence, this special as part of the package and boy, we can’t wait for you to 4 Let the world share in your knowledge of the beautiful game Join us on Mondays by 8pm on #352ngChat JOIN NOW 5 2017 Predictions by Yahaya Mohammed BIG CLUB DEPARTURES Chelsea FC What a difference one summer can make, from world class talent and key player for both Chelsea and Spain to not being able to get game time for either. Closing in on the big 30, he could be looking to move on and would not lack suitors. The perception that he is a “lazy” player will hardly bother teams who would be honoured to have him don their colours. Alongside the Catalan in the potential “Out” tray at Cobham are John Mikel Obi who has lost his place on the bench and looks unlikely to get a game as well as John Terry who can barely get a look in these days even in Kurt Zouma’s enforced absence. Could the legendary Blue be on his way? He wants to stay but Antonio Conte could have a couple of new faces to keep David Luiz and the gang company at the back. Manchester United The Red Devils have so many demons to expel, a few could be hiding within the playing staff at Old Trafford. Where to start from? Maybe Morgan Schneiderlin? The Frenchman seemed on course for a world class career after an enigmatic rise at Southampton but it’s all gone downhill. After another season playing second fiddle, surely he’s had enough. On the way out with him should be the Ronald Koeman “Save a fellow Dutchman” target, Memphis Depay. The ex-PSV winger has simply failed to justify the expectations of the United faithful and is sorely in need of a fresh start. He is still young but the same can’t be said of Bastian Schweinsteiger whose travails under Jose Mourinho have led to Bayern Chief, Uli Hesse sharing his revenge plans against the Manchester club with the public. For the German midfielder, interest from the MLS as well as Brazil should give a clue as to his next destination. However, his slow reintegration into first team affairs could muddle his exit plan up. Watch this space. Transfers 6 Arsenal FC Transfers Arsenal: It may be extremely painful talk to consider for the Gunners but Alexis Sanchez has a good chance of leaving the Emirates, especially after contract talks have stalled in the past few weeks. The Chilean has less than 18 months remaining on his current deal. It actually comes as a surprise that the North London side only gave the former Udinese forward a 4-year contract considering his huge transfer fee in 2014. Perhaps, he never intended to stay this long and is holding on for a bigger slice of pie, or the club is biding its time. Either way it is a cause of concern. Additionally, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may leave to find better prospects for first team football just like Jack Wilshere at Bournemouth. Liverpool, Spurs There seems to be little to expect in terms of big names departing from both Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. Perhaps, Sturridge might want to leave for a starting berth, but with his only competition being Firmino and Coutinho out for the beginning of the year, it seems his chances might improve. Mammadou Sakho’s days as a red are surely numbered. Jurgen Klopp is not one for messing about and the culmination of the feud between the two could see Tony Pulis and West Brom reaping one ripe French defender. In London, Moussa Sissoko’s record transfer to the club has not stopped Mauricio Pochettino from criticising his work ethic. If there are no positive changes soon we could see the Frenchman leaving White Hart Lane in less than glorious circumstances. He ought to ask the likes of Bentaleb for counsel on this. SMALLER CLUB DEPARTURES Southampton, Leicester, Everton Romelu Lukaku is expected to leave Everton in 2017, although figuring out a definite buyer is a tall order especially if you consider the bales of cash being pumped into the Premiership these days. More teams are less susceptible to seeing their squads plundered by the bigger teams. That does not mean a Southampton Exodus is not to be expected. The annual tradition of the Saints squad being ripped apart is set to continue as they unsurprisingly continue buying/producing very good talent. It would be stunning if Dutch Man Mountain, Virgil van Dijk remains at St. Mary’s with his stellar performances. The Saints always find a way to cope anyway. Riyad Mahrez has to decide if his talent is worthy of bigger stages or if the King Power Stadium is his upper limit. Despite a new contract he signed off on, Leicester City’s frail attempt to defend the title could do the trick, convincing him his immediate future lies elsewhere. 7 TACTICAL TRENDS Three at the back The latest tactical itch seems to come from the three at the back bug which Louis van Gaal likes to think he first infected England with. More teams are catching this age old fever with the likes of Chelsea sold on its merits completely. “Whenever unfamiliar Whenever unfamiliar tactical plans are introduced tactical plans are and prove to be successful, other teams tend to hop introduced and prove on the bandwagon hoping to produce similar results. to be successful, other Spurs used three at the back to nullify Arsenal during the North London derby with arguable levels of teams tend to hop on the success, Pep “I do not coach tackles” Guardiola, not bandwagon hoping to fully confident in his backline is shopping for a new defender but has deployed a back three several times produce similar results.” and even Slaven Bilic has turned to the same tactic for help with West Ham’s underwhelming season too.