As a sweeper between two center halves Mascherano should be fine. Its the balance in midfield that needs to be right. Sampaoli should take a leaf from how Billardo set up in 86
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Argentina NT
- Thread starter Infordin
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What? No Papu Gomez?
The attack is really strong even without Dybala. Maybe they should call Lamela. Dont know what happened but he is a better player after his last injury.
Good club player but he struggled against Peru to influence things.
He has been out for a hell of long time so think that's why he hasn't been called as he was a regular before the injury. Looking at the squad probably between him and Diego Perotti for a place.
Why are Dybala and Icardi always excluded?
Argentina should really set up like this above with Messi in the Maradona position. With freedom to strictly play as a striker unlike Maradona who was the creative orchestrator.
I think a line up like this could work:
Romero
Otamendi
Mascherano
Rojo
Parades
Salvio Banega Di maria Acuna
Messi
Icardi
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Isn't Mercado doing pretty well at Sevilla in a back 3? He will be a starter for sure.
The back 3 looked completely vulnerable to pace against Brazil in a friendly and also Nigeria. Ok, it was a friendly but Argentina must pray not to face France in the KO stages. Kingsley and Kylian would run rings.
They would meet in R16 if France finishes 1st and Argentina 2nd. In all other scenarios it would be Final at the earliest.
I'm just saying. They made Iwobi look like Ronaldo Nazario
I know, I agree with you. Not even a given that Argentina wins their group, so we might actually see it.
I hope we will see Javier Pastore at the World Cup who is no longer injured 
Romero, Otamendi, Mercado, Rojo is a solid backline and Paredes, Banega, Lo Celso and Pastore are 4 good midfielders. Then up top they'll take the best set of forwards out of any team.
Fullbacks are the problem but there are no excuses for Sampaoli, the players are good enough and he just needs to make it work.
Fullbacks are the problem but there are no excuses for Sampaoli, the players are good enough and he just needs to make it work.
2 backup keepers in the squad, have they got no decent keepers to pick from?
They are both injured I think.
Goalkeeper is not a position that Argentina puts a lot of thought in. Guys like Armani (River Plate) or Rulli (Real Sociedad) are probably better than Romero, but Argentinian coaches prefer continuity.
Just play Tagliafico, our little streetfighter.
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Pastore always a nearly player in my book.
Would be amazed if he started at the world cup, Banega imo is better.
Would be amazed if he started at the world cup, Banega imo is better.
Dude! How has he been? Did he adapt to your style and the league? I love that little fecker, he'll always be our captain.
Why was Dybala not called? He's not injured and he's incredible.
The issue is Javier Pastore is unlikely to be part of the WC unless he shines against Madrid as an offensive joker.
Think Juve asked sampaoli to rest him as hes nbeen injured for a while.
Either way he wont start because him and Messi play in the same zone and Dybala is nowhere near that level.
If it comes down to a decision between Di Maria and Pastore for that left-centre midfielder I really hope Pastore gets the nod, suits the system a lot better.
Dybala has to play, it would be ridiculous to leave a player as good as him on the bench. Him and Messi play similarly for their clubs but that doesn't mean they can't find a way to play together. They are both good enough to be able to adapt. They just need to work on it, these friendlies would have been a perfect opportunity.
Sampaoli has tried and it was awful . Nothing to do with too good or whatever. He is good but nowhere near Messi's level and is most effective where Messi occupises. If both play the front line os too narrow and noone stretches opposition defence.
Dybala isn't a wide player. Will be surprised if it works out tbh.
Dybala has never performed in a good level with the NT. Not even glimpses.
Yet people use that "argentina has an incredible team" argument...we have good names, but if they don't show up there's nothing you can do.
Yet people use that "argentina has an incredible team" argument...we have good names, but if they don't show up there's nothing you can do.
Di Maria is still very much a key player for them. Played well in the decisive Ecuador game and one of the few who can convincingly link up with Messi in an Argentine shirt.
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Icardi
Messi Dybala
Argentina scored one goal (own goal) in the two games and they were vulnerable to the counter attack with the space between the attack and midfield so it was abandoned.
One of the best journos in South America is Tim Vickery and he explains it better here:
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/blog...re-supporting-lionel-messi-rebuilding-defence
Problem was Sampaoli tried this in his first two games against Uruguay and Venezeula.
Icardi
Messi Dybala
Argentina scored one goal (own goal) in the two games and they were vulnerable to the counter attack with the space between the attack and midfield so it was abandoned.
One of the best journos in South America is Tim Vickery and he explains it better here:
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/blog...re-supporting-lionel-messi-rebuilding-defence
It's not magic though, the players don't suddenly turn bad when they put the Argentina shirt on. If noone gets injured you'll be taking one of the greatest set of forwards in World cup history, just need to find the system to actually make it work.
you keep repeating that as if they're all going to play, let alone click like Cole & Yorke suddenly. it'll be Messi + Aguero or Higuain as always. they can have 30 forwards of their quality, it's wouldn't change a thing.
Think Messi will retire from international duty after the world cup so Dybala's time to shine will be then for the awful Qatar world cup.
Of course it does, with so many different options available surely they can find one that actually works?
Dybala is way too good to not be a key part of this Argentina team so him and Messi will 100% need to find a way to make it work. Even if Dybala doesn't start he'll definitely be coming on from the bench since there's no way the second best argentinian player in the world won't be a key part of the team.
There's a Copa America in 2019 so unless something weird happens I don't think he'll retire unless they win the WC.
You're talking repeating the same thing.
They don't have to 100% do anything.
Aguero is there Pipita is there and Icardi. Then Messi occupies the Am zones.
Who will provide width? Dybala is not effective trhere.
Having a great forward line means nothing if you can't get them the ball in a position to do damage.
Messi has to drop back sometimes into his own half to get a clean pass.
They need Wingers and MF and don't need multiple attackers.
Then they need to change something because there's no way a player like Dybala can stay out of the team. How many NTs in history have managed to have their second best player out of the team in a World Cup?
Italy always played only one of Del Piero and Baggio, then later Del Piero and Totti didn't they? same positional situation as Dybala/Messi
people ask that question all the time, with each passing year and their managers aren't any closer to finding an answer to that question. having quality offensive players is nothing new to Argentina because that's one thing they never lacked in last 15-20 years, but it means little if only three of them are going to be used and one of them is Messi, of course. 5 or 6 attackers on paper are in reality 2 that will start along Messi, so it's nothing that we haven't seen before.
if this was 2002., we would probably be talking about how blessed they are to have both Aimar and Riquelme, but if they never play together, what's the point of drooling? it's not like they're going to play 38 games so depth in one position is going to be crucial. you don't rotate as much in WC/EC and they'll most likely play 5 games unless they upset Spain in knockout stage and that's about it.
20 strikers on Aguero level won't help them against Spain.
Although he might not be the 2nd best Netzer situation with Overath comes to mind
Passarella '86
Gianni Rivera (actually reigning ballon dor winner at that time) and Sandro Mazzola
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Again you keep saying the same thing. They don't need to change anything. It's not a difficult concept. Dybala plays Messi's position and Messi is far superior. What is there not to understand. They can't change something for one player.
Argentina have a lot of attacker but no winger sand passing Mf so their balance is pathetic. Take Messi out of the side and they are subpar. In this day and age attaclk doesn't win you anything, the MF does generally.
Saying they need to play Dybala then what about Kun, Higuan. So Sampaoli should fit all 3 and Messi in the same team.
This isn't football manager...