Argentina NT

The issue will for ever remain attempting to use Messi as the sole outlet for creativity. It simply makes team triple and quadruple team him easily blunting the team. Yet he still has to also be on the ends of moves. It makes no sense to make him do both roles. Its time for them to do a Portugal and place him on the finishing end of things. Not the starting end
Good shout, Chief. Either that, or deploy him wide right again, and add another body to midfield to midfield to try and gain some measure of control.
 
Horrific aren't they? Said it in match thread but they remind me so much of England in 2010, team with star names but broken from back to front.

Thing is I've watched them regularly last two years and not shocked how bad they are particularly at the back. The posters who just watch these players play in England, Italy and Spain obviously will be but they are a bog standard international team I'm afraid.
 
They arent a great side, but Sampaoli makes them even worse. I dont get him, his selection and methods at all.
 
They arent a great side, but Sampaoli makes them even worse.

Loved watching his Chile team.

From day 1 it's been apparent his style of play/formation just dosen't suit this Argentine players for whatever reason.
 
They arent a great side, but Sampaoli makes them even worse. I dont get him, his selection and methods at all.
He was really good with Chile though, even won Copa America and send Brazil to penalties in the last world Cup.

The problem is much bigger than a coach.
 
He was really good with Chile though, even won Copa America and send Brazil to penalties in the last world Cup.

The problem is much bigger than a coach.

Sevilla were great to watch last season aswell.

They are just a broken team.
 
Horrific aren't they? Said it in match thread but they remind me so much of England in 2010, team with star names but broken from back to front.

Thing is I've watched them regularly last two years and not shocked how bad they are particularly at the back. The posters who just watch these players play in England, Italy and Spain obviously will be but they are a bog standard international team I'm afraid.
They were awful in the South American qualify. They have a lot of talent in attacking positions but have weakness in defense and midfield.

I confess that i was expecting that they would be competitive in the wc because i thought Sampaoli would do like Scollari did with Brazil in 2002: to line up a defensive team to free the front three. But Sampoli want to play like Spain.
 
He was really good with Chile though, even won Copa America and send Brazil to penalties in the last world Cup.

The problem is much bigger than a coach.

Chile had 11 terriers. Even their star players Vidal and Sanchez are terriers. It doesnt work with Argentina. He has no clue what his best team, tactic or formation is. He is still experimenting out there. Not saying it is an easy job, but ge isnt the answer
 
no doubt some will still insist they're world class team. they aren't even a team, let alone world class one. and what's even worse, they're full of thugs and divers. feck them.
 
Always good for a meltdown is Argentina

2002 - meltdown
2006 - good
2010 - meltdown (harsh but they got destroyed by Germany, after an underwhelming before)
2014 - good
2018 - meltdown
 
How can a team with so much attacking talent be so shite?
Well most of them are on the bench tbf. But also when the entire midfield, defence and goalkeeper are trash and with a manager who doesnt know how to put them together.... this happens.
 
no doubt some will still insist they're world class team. they aren't even a team, let alone world class one. and what's even worse, they're full of thugs and divers. feck them.
They are a side, a poor side.
There's going to be a lot of comparisons to Portugal but swap Messi for Ronaldo and it would kill Portugal. Their midfield would fall apart and be forced to start Silva up top.
They need a base to basically be work horses and allow their attackers to do work.
 
Looks like they might achieve their objective of not getting knocked out by Germany this time out.
 
No midfield mate. It’s shocking. Surely there are players out there

One thing I don't understand from Sampaoli is why he's suddenly ignoring Lo Celso and Banega. Neither are worldbeaters but both can pick a pass and keep the play flowing.

Bad tactics to put bog standard DMs like Perez and Biglia next to Mascherano.
 
They seem to have a bunch of journeymen from defence to midfield, should have still been enough to beat Iceland though so really they have got what they deserved
 
Ugh! And I thought Sampaoli would finally be the coach to turn things around for Argentina. Their defense is so shit. I don't even know what contribution Mascherano had in the game. It was just so poor.
 
Those Messi's generation players need to step aside for good after this WC. Its just not working and wont at all. Lets try new generation with Dybala and whoever they have from younger generation. Icardi deserved his chances despite his issue.
 
I just think it’s a shame that a team with an attack built around messi has to have a defence built around otamendi and caballero
 
Also, maybe its time to get Simeone on board. He demand respect from his players and his tactic maybe not pleasing at all but its work.
 
One thing I don't understand from Sampaoli is why he's suddenly ignoring Lo Celso and Banega. Neither are worldbeaters but both can pick a pass and keep the play flowing.

Bad tactics to put bog standard DMs like Perez and Biglia next to Mascherano.

You couldn’t have picked a worse midfield pairing if you were Match fixing.

Mascherano needs to concentrate on his role and not have to make so many covering runs as a result of terrible positioning and passing By the other CM players which leave large gaps that even average midfielders can exploit.

They really miss Romero in goal too. Absolutely shocking clangers from that idiot today.
 
If Iceland beat Nigeria, are Argentina basically out?
 
On the positive side, in 4 years time there will be no Willy, Mascherano, Biglia, Higuain, Di maria and Messi. Time for them to build a proper team.

Dybala, Icardi, Martinez, Pavon, Ascacibar and Lo Celso will be promising. They need to find some defenders and a decent Gk though
 
what's surprised me more than anything was how poor they are in technical sense. take Aguero and Messi out and they're reduced on bunch of headless chickens. zero creativity and dribbling, none of those unpredictable moves that leaves you unprepared to defend them. take Messi and Aguero out from first 11 and they're basically Poland.