Yup. Just like Pepe in Euros.
Argentina NT
- Thread starter Infordin
- Start date
I could care less about Argentina. Hope theyd never made the WC. But this obsession you have with CR7 is sickening. Its not healthy. Just going to block you because this madness disgusts me.
I hope you get the help you need, friend.
I have no problem with people who think/believe Messi is better, it’s the brigade who think of their opinions as ‘facts’ that I have an issue with.
I dont care about Messi also. He can retire for all I care. You fail to understand its not Messi, or any player in the world the problem here, its the fact youre unhealthy obsessed with CR7.
Youre Max Cady from Cape Fear, to put it in perspective for you.
I only respond in kind to the Messi brigade most the time.
I’ve no idea what you’re talking about in the 2nd sentence.
Anyway, do what you got to do.
100% agree. Sampaoli did one thing right in this match for once. He setup Messi as goalscorer instead of his "9", you could see they never tried to setup Benadetto to score rather he is making runs to stretch the defence. That left Messi with more space in the hole and the one who was always making runs to the center of the box.
Wondering that myself. He looks massively out of his depth. The fact Icardi and Dybala are often left on the bench while this guy starts (and generally stinks up the place) is a travesty.
Whilst it's not ideal relying on one player, when it's Messi I think you can make an exception as he's the most consistent player arguably in football. Even when he starts a game poorly or doesn't have an overly great game overall, he always creates something and he always scores goals.
As you say, I think if Argentina can build a team that's compact defensively and difficult to break down and have some midfielders who are solid with decent forward distribution and give Messi even remotely good service, he can create chances for himself or a couple of other team-mates around him. If he does that 3/4 times a game, Argentina probably end up with 2/3 goals.
Spot on.
Mascherano was unreal in the knockouts. I always chuckle when people say Messi took them to 2014 WC final.
Ecactly. Portugal's defence and management made them hard to beat and were the reason they won the tournament. Ronaldo was pretty ordinary in all games except Hungary.
For now they are not a good team. But that can change in 7 months time. That is why I say by virtue of the talent available to them, they will be classed as favorites.
You just described argentina at the 14 WC. Messi progressively disappeared as soon as the quality of the opponent and the stakes were raised. Throughout his career, argentina and messi have been consistently better when Messi was made to adapt to the team, rather than when they adapted the team to Messi
Forget making Messi the heart of the team. Ask him to be either the goalscorer, or the facilitator-in-chief. That's where he has excelled for them.
On the other hand, that team was damn close to winning the thing. With a little more luck and better shot conversion they could have done it. Not sure more could have been expected from that group of players.
They made the final, and only lost in ET to a quality German side...
This was also the point I was trying to make. Stop asking him to keep the side ticking and dominate the game. Instead be strong defensively, have decent distributors in the middle who can get the ball forward to him in the final third (with some wide players who can occupy the full-backs) and he'll probably score goals on his own.
Just because he has scored some goals for Boca Sampaoli thinks he is a great player.
Still a better footballing performance than having your captain being shut down by Adrien Silva and being eliminated in the 117th minute by a Ricardo Quaresma header after hitting the post 20 seconds earlier. I bet it hurt watching the clown lift the cup.To be fair Messi didn't jump on the line like a clown in the final acting like he's the coach. Maybe if he had he would have won the WC.
They remind me of many Brazil squads of the last few decades that everyone always expected to play spectacular football, but that were mostly frustrating to watch, and usually barely scraping when they were actually winning. There's a lot of hubris, insane expectations and anachronistic ideas about the game around these teams. And there's the fact those Brazil squads, however dysfunctional, were generally well balanced and strong on all positions, unlike this Argentina squad. I agree it would be good idea for them to make things more simple and form a more functional unit to support Messi, regardless of names.
The team has no shape at all.I dont think they will progress much farther in the competition.
I can easily see them performing well at the WC, but Sampaoli must play his best players. Same with other national manager. If they are to win/do well, they must play the best individuals they have.
They usually defend well and thats golden in tournament football. In the last 3 tournaments they have been in, this is their record in KO games;
Played 10
Goals Scored 16
Goals Against 2
They got to 2 finals of the Copa on pens and a world cup they narrowly lost to Germany 1-0.
What they need to address is how the hell Dybala,Aguero, Icardi and Higuain dont play well. In qualifying for this world cup, only higuain scored and he only scored 1 goal.
Best individuals shouldn’t play if there national team performances is below par.
Yes we all saw how great Benedetto was. I dont understand how it is a difficult thing to play your best players. France under Deschamps is another example where the manager is thick enough to play his best players. Germany hardly drops its best players , neither I ever saw Spain during their dominance not pick their best players. Icardi and Aguero should get the nod ahead of Benedetto unless Benedetto starts banging goals for his country too.
Like someone mentioned above Higuian has only 1 goal in qualifying and Aguero has routinely underperform for them. Why should they automatically start if they don’t show up.
Benadetto shouldn’t start btw.
That mostly has to do with other teams setting up very cautiously when facing them. And probably getting that extra bit of motivation playing against, what is at least on paper, an attacking dream team. That makes for some very dull games.
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@IFC 1905 or someone else, last two games fans were singing some song for 90% of the time, anyone knows a name of that song?
That was uncalled for cause I was responding to Cal and his obsession with Ronaldo and with belittling Messi.
If you want I will go into how you 'shut us down' exactly but there's no need, agree?
Dunno which songs you're talking about but i'll take a guess "argentina es un sentimiento no puedo parar"
I'd actually love to hear it as it would bring some good memories back but you're right. There's no need.
They should get Pochetino as their manager. Don't think he'd like international football but he'd be good. He'd be perfect for United.
feck, not sure
seemed like a slow abd "peaceful" song on the tv, this is more like a chant.I'm not sure he'd work for international football, his success seems very much built on both being able to ingrain a system in to his players and being able to improve their abilities. Club football is conducive to both those things because he gets to work with those players day-in, day-out. I'm not sure he'd have the time with them at international level to really achieve either of those things.
People posting about Argentina team selection probably is missing one point. First time, they have a manager who goes for the players that fits the team rather than shoe horning all the available talents.
Exactly. Pochettino wouldn't have time with Argentina.
A great offensive strategy require good wingers or/and offensive full-back. Di Maria, Pastore, Dybala... aren't pure wingers and won't run the show on the flanks.
The issue is Argentina doesn't seem to have great lateral defenders nowadays. Think about Dani Alves who was a part-time winger who release space for Messi & enable opportunities. Think about City last season who was extremely disappointing despite spending so much: how was it possible to offer great football with Sagna (34 years) & Clichy (32 years)?
To get the most out of Messi, you need mobility about him. With Dybala, something great could be done but I haven't the feeling that Sampaoli has the right vision. Also, his choices are sometimes odd and lack consistency.
The issue is Argentina doesn't seem to have great lateral defenders nowadays. Think about Dani Alves who was a part-time winger who release space for Messi & enable opportunities. Think about City last season who was extremely disappointing despite spending so much: how was it possible to offer great football with Sagna (34 years) & Clichy (32 years)?
To get the most out of Messi, you need mobility about him. With Dybala, something great could be done but I haven't the feeling that Sampaoli has the right vision. Also, his choices are sometimes odd and lack consistency.
Sampaoli's style of play is a bit weird. Doesn't he use a 3-3-1-3?
Argentina named their latest squad ahead of two final warm ups against Italy and Spain before final 23 has to be named.
Goalkeepers
Romero (Man. United)
Guzman (UNAL)
Caballero (Chelsea)
Defenders
Fazio (Roma)
Fuenes Mori (Everton)
Mercardo (Sevilla)
Tagliafico (Ajax)
Mascherano (Hebei China)
Marcos Rojo (Man. United)
Otamendi (Man. City)
Midfielders
Paredes (Zenit)
Biglia (AC Milan)
Perotti (Roma)
Di Maria (PSG)
Acuna (Sporting)
Lo Celso (PSG)
Ever Banega (Sevilla)
Lanzini (West Ham)
Salvio (Benfica)
Strikers
Messi
Aguero (Man. City)
Higuain (Juventus)
Some interesting selections there. Dybala and Icardi are injured so Higuain is back and will surely stay for the World Cup. There are 22 names in that squad so I do wonder if there's space for Argentina to actually take the 5 strikers otherwise you're a bit understocked in other areas.
Only 7 defenders named with Argentina playing a back 3 now. Think that's going to be the problem area. Mascherano has declined badly last 18 months, Fuenes Mori hasn't even made his comeback yet for Everton yet is already called up, Fazio is too slow for the counter attack and Rojo seems injured again.
Goalkeepers
Romero (Man. United)
Guzman (UNAL)
Caballero (Chelsea)
Defenders
Fazio (Roma)
Fuenes Mori (Everton)
Mercardo (Sevilla)
Tagliafico (Ajax)
Mascherano (Hebei China)
Marcos Rojo (Man. United)
Otamendi (Man. City)
Midfielders
Paredes (Zenit)
Biglia (AC Milan)
Perotti (Roma)
Di Maria (PSG)
Acuna (Sporting)
Lo Celso (PSG)
Ever Banega (Sevilla)
Lanzini (West Ham)
Salvio (Benfica)
Strikers
Messi
Aguero (Man. City)
Higuain (Juventus)
Some interesting selections there. Dybala and Icardi are injured so Higuain is back and will surely stay for the World Cup. There are 22 names in that squad so I do wonder if there's space for Argentina to actually take the 5 strikers otherwise you're a bit understocked in other areas.
Only 7 defenders named with Argentina playing a back 3 now. Think that's going to be the problem area. Mascherano has declined badly last 18 months, Fuenes Mori hasn't even made his comeback yet for Everton yet is already called up, Fazio is too slow for the counter attack and Rojo seems injured again.
Their squad is bang average if you take the strikers out
Would like to see Paredes get a run although guess his move to Russia has harmed his chances.
He did well at Roma and his box to box with Banega's more cultured game is probably the best Argentine combination for central midfield
He did well at Roma and his box to box with Banega's more cultured game is probably the best Argentine combination for central midfield