Argentina NT

[IFC 1905]

According to Clarin, Argentina's biggest newspaper, the relationship between Sampaoli and the players is totally, totally broken. And it's been since they moved to Barcelona.

Some players even asked Claudio Tapia (AFA President) to take Sampaoli out and set Jorge Burruchaga as the manager. But Tapia refused.



They have a lot of connections and I believe this is true. And it explains why some players are playing the way they are.

As Guardiola said once "Messi always plays well, excellent. If he's not doing it well, the reason is that there's something that doesn't make him feel comfortable"

 

[Hernandez - BFA]

According to Clarin, Argentina's biggest newspaper, the relationship between Sampaoli and the players is totally, totally broken. And it's been since they moved to Barcelona.

Some players even asked Claudio Tapia (AFA President) to take Sampaoli out and set Jorge Burruchaga as the manager. But Tapia refused.

If true, what is the actual point keeping Sampaoli. You're in the world cup, given a lifeline, with a manager who doesn't have a clue what to do with the players who have lost their faith in the manager. Just sack him and get someone who can inspire the players a bit.

 

[Bole Top]

it's a shame they wasted him in such way because it actually looked like they finally got a competent manager. he looked clueless yesterday.

 

[Rajma]

What’s the point keeping him then?

 

[Schneckerl]

it's a shame they wasted him in such way because it actually looked like they finally got a competent manager. he looked clueless yesterday.

What’s the point keeping him then?

I've read somewhere that if AFA sacks Sampaoli they have to pay him a huge fee and they don't want to do that, because the federation already has money problems.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

They are going to sneak through, aren't they?

 

[IFC 1905]

I've read somewhere that if AFA sacks Sampaoli they have to pay him a huge fee and they don't want to do that, because the federation already has money problems.

Yeah, 16M USD

 

[George Owen]

Yeah, 16M USD

 

[Rajma]

Yeah, 16M USD

Wow, what is your take on it, in general?

 

[IFC 1905]

Wow, what is your take on it, in general?

He's gonna continue. And we're screwed. And he'll quit after we're out.

 

[Ekeke]

Nice to see you're still around to fly the Ever Banega flag, Ekeke.

I mean its pretty obvious. Just had to watch him against us for Sevilla last season to see he's found his form again

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Looking at the Portugal teams and Argentina team that started the last game. I'd still take an experienced head like Pepe over Otamendi or Mercado, Guerreiro is a better full back than Tagliafico. I'd have Mountinho over Perez & Carvalho over an aging Mascherano (who would be much better suited at centre back). I don't think there is any doubt that Patricio is a better keeper than Caballero. And I would certainly have Bernardo Silva & Guedes over Meza and Acuna.

You do remember those very players were taken to school by a mere Morocco? Only surviving due to Patricio's keeping, a CR7 goal and profligacy of Morocco?

 

[K2K]

Argentina will blow this second chance..


They are awful..

 

[Infordin]

I think that the players are part of the problem for Argentina. They don’t believe in themselves anymore. You could see how nervous and panicky they were against Croatia before the match had even begun.

Unfortunately, this generation of Argentine players are mentally finished after three consecutive finals losses. Everyone from Messi and Mascherano down to Biglia.

 

[Mint]

ESPN pundits discussing Sampaoli's dress sense:

https://www.youtube.comwatch?v=Nh05MUd6Rwg

Are they right? Should he a wear a t-shirt with those tattoo's. He looks like a bartender.

 

[Hojoon]

Sampaoli without Lillo as his assistant looks suspect, and he's a bad fit for Argentina anyway. He's a manager known for his aggressive pressing, and that is impossible with the current version of Messi. You're basically asking him to start over and reinvent his methods.

 

[kouroux]

You do remember those very players were taken to school by a mere Morocco? Only surviving due to Patricio's keeping, a CR7 goal and profligacy of Morocco?

Argentina were taken to school by a mere Iceland too. The 2 teams aren't great

 

[GeorgeRed89]

Argentina were taken to school by a mere Iceland too. The 2 teams aren't great

You watched a different game, Morocco dominated Portugal and had several chances, and a penalty wrongfully denied, while Iceland parked the bus and didn't leave their half for 80 % of the game.

 

[izec]

They are going to sneak through, aren't they?

No, they are goig to crash out embarrassingly. They wont win against Nigeria, thats for sure. It is burning behind the scenes

 

[izec]

According to Clarin, Argentina's biggest newspaper, the relationship between Sampaoli and the players is totally, totally broken. And it's been since they moved to Barcelona.

Some players even asked Claudio Tapia (AFA President) to take Sampaoli out and set Jorge Burruchaga as the manager. But Tapia refused.



They have a lot of connections and I believe this is true. And it explains why some players are playing the way they are.

As Guardiola said once "Messi always plays well, excellent. If he's not doing it well, the reason is that there's something that doesn't make him feel comfortable"

Do you know what happened specifically?
Their preparation wasnt great, but to turn on the manager, there must be a specific reason it happened at that time

 

[hellohello]

I think they should give Lamela a go in the midfield, at least he offers great work rate and can win the ball back.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

I think they should give Lamela a go in the midfield, at least he offers great work rate and can win the ball back.

He's not in the squad.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Keeper / back 4

Mascherano / Banega

Messi / Dybala / Di Maria

Aguero


If this team can't get out of the group stages then i'd be shocked.

Why they insist on playing a 3-5-2 with crap wing backs and defensive midfielders who offer nothing going forward. Strange.

 

[Adisa]

He's gonna continue. And we're screwed. And he'll quit after we're out.

He's not quiting with thaat kind of pay off.
He's not crazy.

 

[FrantikChicken]

ESPN pundits discussing Sampaoli's dress sense:

https://www.youtube.comwatch?v=Nh05MUd6Rwg

Are they right? Should he a wear a t-shirt with those tattoo's. He looks like a bartender.

He looks like Maradona's drug dealer.

I don't know why it matters how he dresses though

 

[Peyroteo]

Armani

Salvio - Otamendi - Rojo - Tagliafico

Mascherano - Banega

Messi - Dybala - Di Maria

Aguero
​

That's one of the best teams in the tournament.

 

[MetoTTT]

Armani

Salvio - Otamendi - Rojo - Tagliafico

Mascherano - Banega

Messi - Dybala - Di Maria

Aguero
​

That's one of the best teams in the tournament.

The back four is average. Mascherano in a midfield 2 would never work (no legs to do it anymore). No way that's one of the best teams in the tournament.

 

[giorno]

Armani

Salvio - Otamendi - Rojo - Tagliafico

Mascherano - Banega

Messi - Dybala - Di Maria

Aguero
​

That's one of the best teams in the tournament.

The scientist left home Paredes. You can also plug Biglia in Masche's place, Lo Celso in Banega's, or if you want more balance, back 3 with masche or Fazio, Lo Celso and Biglia/Enzo in the middle with Salvio and Di Maria wide and Messi-Dybala in free roles behind Kun

Either way yes, they should be one of the best teams in the torunament. There are better teams around, and they should not be expected to win, but they should be among the contenders. This idea that the trash defence and midfield should hold back the greatest collection of attacking talent in international football is mystifying. They've played Iceland and Croatia, not 1970 Brazil and 1974 Holland FFS

 

[kouroux]

You watched a different game, Morocco dominated Portugal and had several chances, and a penalty wrongfully denied, while Iceland parked the bus and didn't leave their half for 80 % of the game.

i watched the game bro. Forget the pointless stats, Iceland had good counters and were dangerous.

 

[Schneckerl]

Keeper / back 4

Mascherano / Banega

Messi / Dybala / Di Maria

Aguero


If this team can't get out of the group stages then i'd be shocked.

Why they insist on playing a 3-5-2 with crap wing backs and defensive midfielders who offer nothing going forward. Strange.

This

Armani
Mercado - Rojo - Otamendi - Tagliafico

Just play their best players and a non-joke formation and see what happens. Can't get any worse.

That lineup against Croatia and the fact that it was leaked on the day before reminded me of Ancelotti vs PSG. Looked like an attempt to throw the game or something.

 

[Peyroteo]

The back four is average. Mascherano in a midfield 2 would never work (no legs to do it anymore). No way that's one of the best teams in the tournament.

Which team other than France, Spain, Brazil and Germany has a better starting 11 than that? Mascherano can still play and he doesn't have to play for 90 minutes given they have Lo Celso on the bench. That defense is more than good enough. Salvio is a weak link but Brazil started Fagner, France started Pavard, Germany started Plattenhardt... nobody's asking them to win the tournament, but actually playing decently shouldn't be hard. It's been catastrophic so far and they're playing several levels below of what they should be playing with the amount of talent in the squad.

Now it's probably too late anyway, they should beat Nigeria but then they're going to play against France in the next round.

 

[duffer]

Good lord!

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[MetoTTT]

Which team other than France, Spain, Brazil and Germany has a better starting 11 than that? Mascherano can still play and he doesn't have to play for 90 minutes given they have Lo Celso on the bench. That defense is more than good enough. Salvio is a weak link but Brazil started Fagner, France started Pavard, Germany started Plattenhardt... nobody's asking them to win the tournament, but actually playing decently shouldn't be hard. It's been catastrophic so far and they're playing several levels below of what they should be playing with the amount of talent in the squad.

Now it's probably too late anyway, they should beat Nigeria but then they're going to play against France in the next round.

Belgium too are better "on paper". Argentina were lucky enough to go to the WC. They're not playing like a team with a lot of overrated/past it players. Their "pass the ball to Messi and wait" thing couldn't work at this stage.
I could see the sneaky qualification and play vs France in the 1/8.

 

[Charles Miller]

Messi - Dybala - Di Maria
Aguero?​

Who is going to defend?

 

[Aboutreika18]

Football is not played on paper and anyway, it's almost always the most defensively solid teams that reach the latter stages.

At least Sabella constructed a good back five with an understanding between them, as well as having Mascherano in the form of his life during that tournament, that the team could fall back on if the attack wasn't firing.

 

[Bole Top]

the thing is, there are about 6 teams you can call "one of the best teams in the tournament". difference between Argies and those teams is that those teams are actually functional, while Argentina looks good only on paper yet in reality they have crisis pretty much everywhere. if it was only defence or attack that sucked, they'd be fine. but at the moment they can't score, can't create, can't defend and the guy who's supposed to solve all that already lost the dressing room and is getting sacked. there's just too many of that shit for them to handle at this point of tournament.

I was actually stunned with how many people was disappointed with them and surprised with us (Croatia), because it's not something from yesterday. you're bound to play good with our midfield and you're bound to struggle with spent players like Mascherano and Perez in midfield two. one hasn't been playing in midfield since his Liverpool days and the other one is just nothing.

now, our commentators are bad so I'm not sure if this is true, but one of them said during their match vs Iceland that Banega was returning from injury, so that's why he isn't being rushed. you can't really blame Sampa for that.

 

[hellohello]

He's not in the squad.

Ah, well that's too bad. Either way, they need a midfield base for the forwards imo with some work rate.

 

[VBI]

If they drop the old man goalkeeper, get as many proper creative footballers on the pitch as they can, and organise an actual midfield, they have a chance of winning games. Sampaoli's entire promise was "I'll try to end the culture of give the ball to Messi and just pray something happens", yet that's exactly what is happening. Croatia had 2 and sometimes 3 guys around Messi, shutting off all avenues, and there was no-one else to feed the ball to. Croatia bossed midfield and got their just rewards for it.

Play Armani in goals ffs, he plays for River Plate and he's won plenty of trophies. Caballero is a professional bench warmer. Get Messi, Dybala and Aguero on the pitch at the same time, figure out how to make it work.

 

[giorno]

Messi - Dybala - Di Maria
Aguero?​

Who is going to defend?

Dybala and Di Maria have no problem doing it at club level, why should they have a problem with Argentina? Aguero too. Even Messi could put that little extra effort. And there's 6 guys behind them who are there to defend and support those 4. 6 average players, like the ones they have, should be able to do a decent job of it behind those 4

 

[MrMarcello]

He's gonna continue. And we're screwed. And he'll quit after we're out.

Why quit if you can get fired and collect a big pay off?