He's a good player imo, really talented, can play as a CB and a RB, had a lot of problems with injuries though recently.
Group D (Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria)
- Thread starter roonster09
- Start date
Ffs.
Ah. thanks for the info.
Please take him.
So is Willy going to be starting for them?
I wouldn't like to head into Iceland game needing a win. Think it will be very hard to achieve that.
Tbh, think this group can go either way. We (Croatia) produced like one chance when we played against Iceland away in qualifiers.
He has played in two world cups at least so many more games than plenty of players.
Argentina backline just got weaker, Caballero is average and don't know this Armani guy. Rulli got injured around January time.
Wouldn't want to need a win either in that match. I like that we play Argentina in the first match. Often fine to play against the 1st seeds in the 3rd match because they might be through by then but that's not guaranteed. In the first match they can be negligent but in the 2nd match they'll either need the 2nd win to gaurantee it or bounce back from the first match so out of the 4 teams I think you might have gotten the first "draw" but its not a huge deal any way you look at it.
As for Iceland, Gylfi and Aron Einar probably won't be fit at all the whole WC and if they play they won't be able to give 100% to their abilities and that's just too much of a chunk. We've also got a couple of players that are on their last legs. Scottish League watches might know Kári Árnason who just left Aberdeen. He's done for and has signed with his boyhood club and will join them after the tournament. He's been the starter and might also start although we've got another player if he doesn't (I prefer him not to). Some of the backup is also done and two players are pretty much unknown quanties at club and international level (Samúel Kári at Vålerenga and Albert Guðmunds at PSV) and those picks baffled all the experts and those who know the current international squad well.
If Iceland finish on 0-1 points it won't be a disappointment. We've already made it.
Yeah, it won't be disappointing. My only thought is that I wouldn't want to go against that Iceland team and looking for a win, that is all I'm saying. There is no team with a better spirit than Iceland.
I think anyone can go out of this group if Argentina isn't at its best.
Armani is far better than Romero
Armani surely
Dybala won't be in first 11?
Don't think so since there are tactical issues between him and Messi. I think he's a nice alternative to Messi, making Leo rest.
I think Sampaoli will come out with
-----------------Armani------------------
Mercado--Otamendi--Fazio---Tagliafico
-------------Biglia-----Banega----------
Messi----------Lanzini-----------Di Maria
---------------Aguero---------------------
Against Iceland
He is a fantastic alternative to Messi, I am just wondering if you could fit him somehow in the starting lineup. Being the player many would pay close to 100 million at this point.
Did you ever feel that Messi tactical instruction in some way hinder Argentina? I mean we have Dybala, Higuain/Aguero and Icardi maybe out of first 11.
It's a World Cup though, unless you qualify in the first two group games Messi won't rest. If Dybala and Messi won't play together and Messi won't rest, is Dybala going to play at all?
It depends on how the group goes. Or the games.
For example if we're beating Iceland by a comfortable margin, he should rest. Or if we win both games vs Iceland and Croatia, Messi could stay in the bench vs Nigeria and only play if needed.
It's a key factor and they should know it if they wanna be good phisically, even if Messi has been resting a lot these days.
Yes I do. I do think that we relie on Messi way more than we need, and I trust Sampaoli to change that mentality. Messi needs to be the icing on the cake, not the entire cake. I don't think we have ever had a system, a way of playing other than giving it to Messi. I really liked our 1st half vs Spain, we had clear chances to score and moved the ball quite well without Messi.
But the main problem is we have too many stirkers such as Higuain/Aguero/Icardi/Martinez who could play, too many attacking midfielders such as Messi, Di Maria, Dybala, Meza...you can't play them all.
We lack midfielders, guys who can recover the ball other than Biglia or mascherano who is too old. I thought Sampaoli was going to call Ascacibar or Kranevitter, but I think he'll play Lo Celso in that position.
I'd like to watch a solid team with a 442 formation like Armani; Mercado, Otamendi, Fazio, Tagliafico, Ascacibar/ Kranevitter, Lo Celso/Enzo Perez, Meza, Di Maria, Aguero, Higuain.
But of course Messi can solve anything in anytime since he's the best ever.
Well, if anything I think it goes in your favour that you're outside favourites. It could finally put your team in a different state since I always thought that Argentina after Diego has a mental problem also.
I actually liked your friendly against Spain. Most people will point at the result but it was clear that Sampaoli tried to find more attacking options.
Armani will. The best goalkeeper in South America.
I think too many people on here are underestimating Nigeria, mainly because we are an African team and no one really knows about us or our players. In due time those who don't know will know when we make it out of this group.
Can't see us (Nigeria) going through.
I have confidence and you should have confidence as well that we can do something in this tournament. We are the biggest underdogs in this group. Bigger than Iceland and expect us to relish in that. We hit the key game Croatia with a win and Iceland loses to Argentina, we can get this. The sad thing is no one values African teams, not even Africans which is not good.Can't see us (Nigeria) going through.
Leave them to their ignorance.
We shall surprise them like we did in 94.
@Son Of Sam @Twingatz @Adisa
How does Leon Balogun perform for Nigeria and is he a starter?
As someone, who watches a lot of Bundesliga, i never really understood why he gets called-up by your national team, as to me he seems to be a very average player...don't understand why Brighton signed him either, but maybe i'm missing something?
How does Leon Balogun perform for Nigeria and is he a starter?
As someone, who watches a lot of Bundesliga, i never really understood why he gets called-up by your national team, as to me he seems to be a very average player...don't understand why Brighton signed him either, but maybe i'm missing something?
Messi doesn't need to rest. He runs less than 10km per game and doesn't play defense so he's rarely tired. It's only if he's got injuries bothering him that he needs a rest but otherwise make him start every game. You want the momentum in a tournament like this.
I'm not. I'm not talking about them but that's because I don't know much about them. Can't really comment on their chances but I expect them to be good and have the same chance as Iceland of qualifying.
Thankfully our coaches know more, they've been scouting them (you'd be surprised how poor scouting is at many NTs, even big nations) and we're going to play a friendly against Ghana soon in preparation specifically for this match.
From looking at the recent call ups it's a young squad with a strong midfield and attack and generally quick and physically strong players. Thankfully Iceland likes the physical battles but I can see players like Moses and Musa cause problems for our back 4 with their pace but Iceland usually plays deep and doesn't allow fast breaks except after corners where we are most vulnerable to concede on a counter.
Better than Allison and Ederson? Wow. Will keep an eye out.
He means he's the best playing in South America for his club. Not the best south american goalkeeper.
If you'll get a result against us in the 1st game everything is possible.Can't see us (Nigeria) going through.
Dont know much about Nigeria, mind you.
I reckon he'll retire from international football after this World cup. He's already quit once before of course and I remember before the Ecuador away game he had his head bowed during the anthem which I'd never seen him do before (possibly feeling the anthem one last time as he could've quit if Argentina hadn't made it).
Would give Dybala the prominent number 10 role for next cycle of games heading to 2022.
Not at all, I think Morroco will knock out Portugal and there's a decent chance Senegal can make it to last 16 as they're in an open group.
Nigeria of course qualifed from group last time and then gave France a good game in last 16 so can certainly see you guys giving Argentina and Croatia difficult games.
Only issue to me is the team is underwhelming compared to the golden generation of America 94 and France 98, Kanu, Findi George, Taribo West, Sunday Oliesh, Amokachi etc.
Fantastic team that should've gone further in that tournament and Nigeria haven't had as good a team since. Similar to Cameroon who had much better teams in the 90s aswell.
@roonster09 maybe add this to OP?
Argentina:
Croatia (24-man squad):
Iceland:
Nigeria (Still 30):
GK: Nahuel Guzmán, Willy Caballero, Franco Armani
DEF: Gabriel Mercado, Nicolás Otamendi, Javier Mascherano, Federico Fazio, Marcos Rojo, Nicolás Tagliafico, Marcos Acuña, Cristian Ansaldi
MID: Manuel Lanzini, Eduardo Salvio, Maximiliano Meza, Lucas Biglia, Éver Banega, Giovani Lo Celso, Ángel Di María, Cristian Pavón
FOR: Paulo Dybala, Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín
DEF: Gabriel Mercado, Nicolás Otamendi, Javier Mascherano, Federico Fazio, Marcos Rojo, Nicolás Tagliafico, Marcos Acuña, Cristian Ansaldi
MID: Manuel Lanzini, Eduardo Salvio, Maximiliano Meza, Lucas Biglia, Éver Banega, Giovani Lo Celso, Ángel Di María, Cristian Pavón
FOR: Paulo Dybala, Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín
Croatia (24-man squad):
GK: Danijel Subašić, Lovre Kalinić, Dominik Livakovi
DEF: Vedran Ćorluka, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinić, Dejan Lovren, Šime Vrsaljko, Tin Jedvaj, Matej Mitrović, Duje Ćaleta-Car
MID: Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, Mateo Kovačić, Milan Badelj, Marcelo Brozović, Filip Bradarić
FOR: Mario Mandžukić, Ivan Peršić, Nikola Kalinić, Andrej Kramarić, Marko Pjaca, Ante Rebić
DEF: Vedran Ćorluka, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinić, Dejan Lovren, Šime Vrsaljko, Tin Jedvaj, Matej Mitrović, Duje Ćaleta-Car
MID: Luka Modrić, Ivan Rakitić, Mateo Kovačić, Milan Badelj, Marcelo Brozović, Filip Bradarić
FOR: Mario Mandžukić, Ivan Peršić, Nikola Kalinić, Andrej Kramarić, Marko Pjaca, Ante Rebić
Iceland:
GK: Hannes Þór Halldórsson, Frederik Schram, Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson
DEF: Birkir Már Sævarsson, Ragnar Sigurðsson, Kári Árnason, Sverrir Ingi Ingason, Hörður Björgvin Magnússon, Samúel Kári Friðjónsson, Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson, Ari Freyr Skúlason
MID: Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson, Aron Einar Gunnarsson, Birkir Bjarnason, Emil Hallfreðsson, Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, Rúrik Gíslason, Arnór Ingvi Traustason
FOR: Alfreð Finnbogason, Albert Guðmundsson, Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson, Jón Daði Böðvarsson
DEF: Birkir Már Sævarsson, Ragnar Sigurðsson, Kári Árnason, Sverrir Ingi Ingason, Hörður Björgvin Magnússon, Samúel Kári Friðjónsson, Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson, Ari Freyr Skúlason
MID: Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson, Gylfi Þór Sigurðsson, Aron Einar Gunnarsson, Birkir Bjarnason, Emil Hallfreðsson, Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, Rúrik Gíslason, Arnór Ingvi Traustason
FOR: Alfreð Finnbogason, Albert Guðmundsson, Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson, Jón Daði Böðvarsson
Nigeria (Still 30):
The best goalkeeper currently playing in the Americas.
Done.
That look like no MF, What about Mascherano in the MF along with Biglia and Banega.
Mascherano struggles to run and past it more than 5 yards these days I'm afraid.
Marcelo Grohe?The best goalkeeper currently playing in the Americas.
Funny thing is I'm in Iceland now for the weekend.
I think the lack of knowledge about us is our strength. Also assuming that we are similar to a Ghana side that has been in a rebuilding phase since 2014 and hasn't played well since.
This isn't our most talented Nigeria side but it is our most cohesive in a long time and I would venture and say its more cohesive then our 94 and 98 squads and better in all positions (except goalkeeper) than our 2014 squad.
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He’s not bad at all. He gives 7/10 for the national team. I dunno if it’s the brilliance Ndidi(Leicester) protecting the heart of the defence or the athleticism of the entire of the defence line. Leon did well against Dybala & Aguero when Argentina got spanked last November. He’s a starter debarring any injury.