Day 17: France-Argentina, Uruguay-Portugal.

P.S. Huge oversight from Argentina not to play a focal point in attack, IMO. They need a centre-forward ASAP to tie up Umtiti and Varane, and also to free up Messi a bit more.
 
I thought Pogba has been his better but still frustrating self.

No idea what Argentina game plan is.
 
Masch already on 3 fouls I guess. Probably will get carded in the 84th minute though.
 
Can't believe how bad Argentina are. Expecting Messi to single handedly win them the world cup is so ridiculous. It's like asking Lewis Hamilton to win Le Mans in a Ford Fiesta.
 
This evening there will be a guy who looks like Sampaoli in every pub in Britain & Ireland.
 
Pogba is just as dangerous as Mbappe this game imho. Argentina doing nothing to try and interrupt that link.

They have 3 in there but Mascherano is too slow, Enzo Perez too average and Banega too lightweight in the physical stakes.

Of course Argentina could put on 2-3 strikers as suggested but they'd need to take off at least one midfielder so more space for France.

It's just a bad match up for Argentina.
 
I think it will be in excused because of his terrible supporting cast.

Plus I doubt any player will perform as well in a single game as he did that day. Tends to stick in the memory.
Safe to say that if Messi goes home, his chances increase tenfold
 
Giroud is the weak link of the France team. He's not in the game yet.
 
I am still bemused how can you not play dybala and a proper center forward in aguero.
 
Argentina look awful. Struggling to see how they win this game.
 
Not for the first time Refs seem to be leinent to Argentina's wild tackles. Seems their players get more chances to avoid bookings than most other teams.
 
On paper Argentina's strength is only with a decent selection of forward players, but they always seem to play conservative line-ups. At least try to set up a clever counter attacking outfit with Aguero and Dybala and Messi as some kind of trident, then you can play lots of the pub players behind them. This is just a clownshoe lineup.
 
P.S. Huge oversight from Argentina not to play a focal point in attack, IMO. They need a centre-forward ASAP to tie up Umtiti and Varane, and also to free up Messi a bit more.

Messi is the one picking the team so joke's on him if he needs somebody to give him more space.
 
Two fairly average sides. One less so than the other. I'd worry for France against better teams.
 
Pogba is doing great, those through balls are working every time.