Fixtures Thursday-Saturday (CET Time)
World Cup Qualifiers | October 2017 | Play off draw on Tuesday
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Fixtures Sunday-Tuesday (CET Time)
No Bale.... 
Squeaky bum time for Argentina. Imagine a WC without Messi.
I'll be at the Suisse vs Hungary match
Group I is going down to the wire.
It's crazy there. Iceland have it easy on the final day against Kosovo at home so as long as they don't lose in Turkey, they should be making playoffs at least. Croatia should beat Finland but could still miss out if they get beaten by Ukraine then.
Kosovo are a good side, it isn't an easy game at all. They are improving loads every game as they gel. Assuming they don't fix, it won't be as easy as everyone thinks.
Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli has 7 confirmed starters: Romero, Mercado, Otamendi, Acuña, Biglia, Di Maria and Messi.
Romero
Mercado - Otamendi - CB
RWB - Biglia - CM - Acuna
Messi - ST - Di Maria
The third defender will probably be Mascherano. The right wingback will likely be Acosta.
The centermid could be one of Enzo Perez, Nacho Fernandez, Paredes, Banega or Gago. Hopefully it's Paredes.
Striker will be either Dybala or Icardi. I want to see Dybala as a false 9.
Romero
Mercado - Otamendi - CB
RWB - Biglia - CM - Acuna
Messi - ST - Di Maria
The third defender will probably be Mascherano. The right wingback will likely be Acosta.
The centermid could be one of Enzo Perez, Nacho Fernandez, Paredes, Banega or Gago. Hopefully it's Paredes.
Striker will be either Dybala or Icardi. I want to see Dybala as a false 9.
Even if Argentina have to go to the playoffs, they face New Zealand and quite frankly we have absolutely zero chance of beating Argentina over two legs. We simply dont have enough quality players or a good enough manager. We have about a 2% chance of getting even a draw at home against Argentina which is our only chance of any sort of result. The gulf in footballing ability is absolutely massive.
Squeaky bum time for Argentina. Imagine a WC without Messi.
Argentina will be at the WC with Messi.
Argentina's biggest problem is that apart from Messi, they literally have no definitive starter. They are constantly shuffling the rest of their XI. They don't even have a clue what their best formation is.
Sampaoli did a phenomenal job to win 2 Copas with Chile, and Argentina has a much deeper and better talent pool that Chile. If he is given enough time, I can see Argentina becoming an absolute force to be reckoned with. However, they simply don't have enough time for the 2018 World Cup. It requires time for a team to build chemistry and have an identity. Sampaoli himself said that 2022 is the longterm goal.
Sampaoli did a phenomenal job to win 2 Copas with Chile, and Argentina has a much deeper and better talent pool that Chile. If he is given enough time, I can see Argentina becoming an absolute force to be reckoned with. However, they simply don't have enough time for the 2018 World Cup. It requires time for a team to build chemistry and have an identity. Sampaoli himself said that 2022 is the longterm goal.
It would take a huge feck up even now for Argentina not to qualify. Chile will play the last match in Brazil and Brazil won't make them any favours so Argentina would probably have to not win both games to miss qualification which is pretty unlikely.
I think they'll be twice the team they are now by the time the World Cup comes too, hopefully Sampaoli doesn't disappoint.
I think they'll be twice the team they are now by the time the World Cup comes too, hopefully Sampaoli doesn't disappoint.
Current form means nothing when the tournament is 9 or 10 months away. Argentina can’t be slept on just because of there current struggles.
Since when the form in qualifiers means anything anyway. If form in qualifiers indicated anything, England would be winning the WC every 4 years.
Pretty sure Argentine will qualify by whatever means and challenge for WC.
Pretty sure Argentine will qualify by whatever means and challenge for WC.
So, is this the final round of qualifiers? There seems to be an international break in November as well. Is that for playoffs?
Friendlies in Europe (Germany for England) unless involved in the playoffs
Proper football's back!
Argentina will make the finals, no danger, as, I expect, will Chile.
They are better than any bottom seed out there but needing a win at home against them in the final game of qualifiers you need to be able to best them.
Thanks. Don't see any point in having friendlies after qualification really. It would be a good idea for the national teams to not pick players from the PL for these friendlies so that this small break can compensate a bit for not having a winter break like other leagues.
Some real nail biters over the next week, I'm actually a little excited! I'm also nervous as anything; Australia have a real chance of not qualifying.
Icardi, Dybala or Higuain upfront?
Icardi is on fire right now, should be him. I'd totally leave Higuain out if I were the Argie coach, he's had enough chances and always fluffs his lines.
Probably. Still rooting for Peru to leverage their momentum and upset either. It's been some time since they made a World Cup and the excitement over there at the way they've changed their fortunes is the sort of thing that makes you love football. Shame Ecuador have gone in the complete opposite direction (early leaders in qualifiers) and have ran out of gas before playing both Chile and Argentina.
Is there anywhere that I can see a list of all the united players called up this week for their national teams?
Thanks, I looked the manutd website and somehow missed it.
Easily done, I just asked AlexaThanks, I looked the manutd website and somehow missed it.
she knows everything, typical woman.Tweet
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Naughty Argies.
Sensible decision
It normal for comnebol teams to take those precautions. It’s not uncommon to find a couple of your players mysteriously getting food poison or the good old drugging of the water.
Yeah, he is a bottler for Argentina.
C'mon Syria tomorrow!
I wish we us norwegians were in for some nervous, cagey games. I hate qualifiers and our national team is the worst ever
You bottled it against Hungary in 2015. That was your best chance in years.I wish we us norwegians were in for some nervous, cagey games. I hate qualifiers and our national team is the worst ever
If the opposite fixture is anything to go by, I think we're in for a nervous, cagey game tomorrow!I wish we us norwegians were in for some nervous, cagey games. I hate qualifiers and our national team is the worst ever
Lol yeah.
We are so rarely involved though and it doesn't matter much because we are so bad. That's why I really dislike these breaks.