Argentina NT

Not really impressed from them yesterday. They beat a low-quality Italy and could have even lost if Insigne had shoot better.
 
If Lanzini has a good World Cup, West Ham can kiss him goodbye.

He’s way too good for that lot anyway.
 
Mascherano was brilliant against the Dutch I forgot, if it wasn't for that last ditch tackle on Robben you wouldn't have even played the final.

I think he should've got the golden ball ahead of Messi but of course Fifa wouldn't give it to a defensive midfielder.

Masherano's WC was great but rarely this kind of prizes go to a defensive player.

I agree, tbh, that Robben or Muller deserve a little more the Ballon D'Or of the WC that Messi.

Yeah just like in 2010, when Argentina won 0-4 against Germany with DiMaria. :lol:

Di Maria in 2010 was a good Benfica's players who sign for Madrid and was good to be his first year in an elite club. In 2014 was one of the most important players of Real Madrid to win La Décima. See the difference?

My perception is that only Di Maria con join Messi in the attack regullary and be a trouble for Germany fullbacks. Heck, even Lavezzi was a really torture until Sabella get Aguero on for him. That change was decisive...
 
Dybala will be on the plane, don't you worry. Out of curiosity though, where would you fit him in? Dybala is effectively Messi's heir with the NT, and trying to fit them into the same XI has so far caused more headaches than solutions.

back up :) it's a long competition, you'll never know what could happen, you can always made some changes, adjustments.
 
People are forgetting this is a international tournament where players from different setup join and being asked to play a different game than how they have been playing.

No team will be as convincing as we think. Team who defends the best has the most probability to win the tournament.

Collective defending and a messi magic is what Argentina is probably expecting . On paper, team that started against Italy was very uninspiring .
 
People are forgetting this is a international tournament where players from different setup join and being asked to play a different game than how they have been playing.
Reason why I think Germany or Spain have some advantage over other teams because their core players are at Bayern, Real or Barcelona.
 
Reason why I think Germany or Spain have some advantage over other teams because their core players are at Bayern, Real or Barcelona.

yep, they quite clearly also play the best coherent and fluid football. Other teams are much more reliant on individual brilliance, while Germany and Spain have more or less the same setup and players for years.
 
yep, they quite clearly also play the best coherent and fluid football. Other teams are much more reliant on individual brilliance, while Germany and Spain have more or less the same setup and players for years.
The only team who can try to break that is Brazil because unlike other Brazilian managers Tite has organised them to play as a team instead relying only in moments of individual inspiration, Sampaoli is running against time, he will need those weeks before the tournament to give them a coerent football identity. And Messi.

England, France, Uruguay can create trouble, but in the long run can't see them winning, everytime I see France the individual quality doesn't translate with a good team structure, Deschamps seems to be struggling with them.
 
I do fear Icardi is staying at home. Sampaoli clearly doesn't like him. Dybala also run the risk of staying at home, as Argentina prefers to replace Messi with a winger like Gomez.
 
Papu Gomez either will go to the WC. Sampaoli only tested him a couple of times, but is not being called anymore.

Icardi is not fit to the style of play that Sampaoli wants (and the dressing room can's stand him)... But he is indeed a notable striker that no need good previous play from partners to make a lot of goals.

Dybala is a matter of compatibility because he is in the same zone of Messi...
 
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Argentinian people and journalists are way more demanding than the brazilian ones from what I've seen, we do live football as a matter of death and life. I've met a lot of guys from Brazil who doesn't like football at all, or doesn't like Brazil as their team. That isn't common here to be honest.


So the pressure these kids are carrying with them is so high that a guy like Messi who's able to score from half way line to a little training goal, could miss a penalty in a final.

IIRC Argentina were received like heros after the 2nd place finish in Brazil. So there's also that.
 
I do fear Icardi is staying at home. Sampaoli clearly doesn't like him. Dybala also run the risk of staying at home, as Argentina prefers to replace Messi with a winger like Gomez.

On the contary Icardi was ignored for years because of his off the field past (Messi dosen't like him) yet as soon as Sampaoli was installed he was called up for his first squad. Higuain was left out for a bit although now he's back I dunno if it will be a choice between them as they're similar strikers.

Dybala is just unlucky really. Look at the way him and Higuain have been combining for Juventus recently so logically you'd play the same way for the national team but Messi is in the way. You also have Aguero in the mix.
 
On the contary Icardi was ignored for years because of his off the field past (Messi dosen't like him) yet as soon as Sampaoli was installed he was called up for his first squad. Higuain was left out for a bit although now he's back I dunno if it will be a choice between them as they're similar strikers.

Dybala is just unlucky really. Look at the way him and Higuain have been combining for Juventus recently so logically you'd play the same way for the national team but Messi is in the way. You also have Aguero in the mix.
It's Sampaoli who said Dybala doesn't suit their style of play. If i were Argentina manager, i'd surely call Dybala up. No question about that.
 
As they should
Unless they win in Russia, this is their legacy (x2!!!):

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Red: countries that lost a final to Chile
 
That’s a damn good lineup although I’m not crazy about Romero
 
I do fear Icardi is staying at home. Sampaoli clearly doesn't like him. Dybala also run the risk of staying at home, as Argentina prefers to replace Messi with a winger like Gomez.
Hasn't Icardi been great this season? Given Higuain always let's Argentina down in the big moments they should have capable replacement.
 
Hasn't Icardi been great this season? Given Higuain always let's Argentina down in the big moments they should have capable replacement.
He started well, then he missed 2 months due to an injury and now he is back to his best with 4 goals against Sampdoria. The problem is that Messi doesn't get along well with him.
 
He started well, then he missed 2 months due to an injury and now he is back to his best with 4 goals against Sampdoria. The problem is that Messi doesn't get along well with him.

Been lurking for a while in this thread and seen this a couple of times. Messi is not the only player not wanting Icardi on the team. Many of the regular players dislike Icardi for what he has done. It all has to do with Icardi betraying his best friend Lopez. He invited im in his life, his home, given him food, took him on vacation etc. When Maxi's wife started sending messages to Icardi, he should have been the better man and tolk Maxi straight what was going on; what she was trying to do. But no: he kept quiet, went around his back and betrayed his friend. No wonder the presence of Icardi disrupts the moral of team. He is a snake. Many players in the NT dont want him anywhere near the squad for moral reasons. Being a good team is a bit more then just dumping a bunch of good players on the pitch. It is about chemistry as well. If the players dont like Icardi he can only thank himself for that.
 
Biglia is playing instead. :lol:

At this point is Biglia-Mascherano a worse DM combination than Henderson-Dier?
 
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The team without Messi would be this one

Surely a better option would be a front 4 of Icardi or Higuain up top, Dybala as the 10, Di Maria on one wing and one of those wingers opposite him, or even playing 2 strikers up top (presumably Aguero and a bigger 9 like Icardi or Higuain) with Dybala and Di Maria as the creative midfielders/winger, just to get the sheer quality out there.
 
Not even Messi at his best will save them imo, ok Cristiano even worse, but he has the excuse of having crap around him.
 
"Messi should do much better with Agüero, Higuaín, Dybala etc. around him"

Biglia-Mascherano-Banega has to be the worst CM trio of all time. And Marcos Rojo is a disaster every time he puts on a Argentina shirt.
 
See the problem tonight is combinations.

Biglia is average everyone knows that. Not sure why he's a favourite of Sampaoli aswell. Mascherano is well past it. Banega is a lovely player but his strengths aren't running back and all that. He needs a destructive force like he has with N'zonzi in his club team.

So as a midfield trio it's not great.

Someone on the match thread said this was not Argentina's full strength team....all 3 above were regulars in qualification so not sure who else will play there. Paredes was poor by all accounts on Friday.

Then we come to their back 4....

Argentina is still in too much confusion to challenge for world cup imo.
 
Every part of the squad except for Messi and the strikers (at least on paper) are very, very ordinary.
Argentina would be watching the World Cup at home if not for Messi.
 
Spain 3 - Argentina 1.

Despite the result, i like the game of Argentina. Made a couples of errors who Spain's players get to the net... But the hand of Sampaoli is notable. Pressing, well build up since GK and CB.

No Di Maria, Messi, Mercado or Aguero. Meza was very good to be his firts match at NT.

Bustos, good with the ball but for the rest... Mercado should be the starter for sure.

Spains has world class players.
 
6-1

The way I feel everytime I watch Argentina without Messi and Di Maria

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