Argentina

[R.Palacio8]

Who is your starting goalie. Romero is a sub at Monaco.

According to Sabella, the starting goalie is "butter-fingers" Romero. Then, in case he cannot play, is Andújar. Finally, as the 3rd goalie, comes Orión...

It is very likely that this will be our starting line-up for most of the matches...



I look at our defense, and makes me want to throw up

 

[Pajo]

Dat defense + Gago :trollol:

That attack tho... :notbad:

 

[Pimpin]

Higuan Aguero Messi ..

damn

 

[Pajo]

Higuan Aguero Messi ..

damn

Palacio too, even Lavezzi. Di Maria able to play there as well.

 

[Dylan]

Does the team play as dis-jointed as I imagine it would in real life? It looks like two completely different units.

 

[crzdcolombian]

Does the team play as dis-jointed as I imagine it would in real life? It looks like two completely different units.

No one in South America has the balls to attack Argentina. You attack them and they suck. Romero is laughable. It's just do you want to be Countered by Di Maria, Messi and having Higuian & Aguero up front waiting to ASS fuck you in front of every one?

Defensively they are laughable. Still mind blown that Romero is even on this team.

 

[Cal]

Gago is actually not bad at all if you ever watch Boca

 

[R.Palacio8]

Gago is actually not bad at all if you ever watch Boca

Actually, in the last three or four matches he didn't seem himself... I hope he raises his performance today against Vélez. IMO the problem is not him, is Boca in general... he tries to perform a one-two, and his teammates are just not at his level of teamplay...

However, when at NT, he is Messi's best associate...

 

[Cal]

Actually, I havent watched any Argentinian football for a few months tbh, but saw quite a few of the Apertura games.

 

[Black&Blue]

Sabella's new call-up for 5th March against Romania...

Goalkeepers:
Andújar, Mariano - Catania (Italia)
Romero, Sergio - Mónaco (Francia)
Agustín Orión – Boca (Argentina)

Defenders:
López, Lisandro - Getafe (España)
Campagnaro, Hugo - Inter (Italia)
Fernández, Federico - Nápoli (Italia)
Peruzzi, Gino - Catania (Italia)
Zabaleta, Pablo - Manchester City (Inglaterra)
Garay, Ezequiel - Benfica (Portugal)
Basanta, José - Monterrey (México)
Otamendi, Nicolás - Atlético Mineiro (Brasil)
Rojo, Marcos - Sporting Portugal (Portugal)

Midfielders:
Mascherano, Javier - Barcelona (España)
Sosa, José - C. Atlético de Madrid (España)
Di María, Ángel - Real Madrid (España)
Fernández, Augusto - Celta de Vigo (España)
Álvarez, Ricardo - Inter (Italia)
Biglia, Lucas - Lazio (Italia)
Fernando Gago – Boca (Argentina)
Maximiliano Rodríguez – Newell´s (Argentina)
Ever Banega – Newell´s (Argentina)

Forwards:
Messi, Lionel - Barcelona (España)
Palacio, Rodrigo - Inter (Italia)
Higuaín, Gonzalo - SSC Nápoli (Italia)
Agüero, Sergio - Manchester City (Inglaterra)
Lavezzi, Ezequiel - París Saint Germain (Francia)


The same three players from Inter were called: Campagnaro, Ricky and Palacio... And in this call up, there were 8 players from Serie A... more than any other league.

I just notice the lack of quality in the midfield and defence compared to the past. Argentina used to have way more better squads in the last 20 years even though they didn't win anything.
Anyway Sabella could have made a better list for sure, I don't know what happened with Tevèz but there's no reason to not call him: Messi,Higuain,Aguero,Tevèz and Palacio are the best argentinian forwards around nowdays.
Gonzalo Rodriguez and Musacchio deserve a call more than Campagnaro and Federico Fernandez too, while personally I think that Pastore,Ocampos and Lamela (even though Erik is having a difficult season at adapting in english football and not playing with spurs) would have been better calls than Augusto Fernandez,Maxi Rodriguez and Josè Sosa.

 

[Fitzy]

Messi is just unbelievable.

 

[R.Palacio8]

I just notice the lack of quality in the midfield and defence compared to the past. Argentina used to have way more better squads in the last 20 years even though they didn't win anything.
Anyway Sabella could have made a better list for sure, I don't know what happened with Tevèz but there's no reason to not call him: Messi,Higuain,Aguero,Tevèz and Palacio are the best argentinian forwards around nowdays.
Gonzalo Rodriguez and Musacchio deserve a call more than Campagnaro and Federico Fernandez too, while personally I think that Pastore,Ocampos and Lamela (even though Erik is having a difficult season at adapting in english football and not playing with spurs) would have been better calls than Augusto Fernandez,Maxi Rodriguez and Josè Sosa.

Some rumours say that Tévez does not get on well with Messi... Other rumours say he does not get on well with the whole group, that he would not stand being in the bench... I don't know, since he missed that penalty on the 2011 Copa América, he was not called anymore... I would love to see him in the NT, but there are more important issues to be worried about, like the defense and the goalkeeper.

And I couldn't agree more with you, I don't know Musacchio since I did not watch him very much, but Gonzalo Rodriguez could be called, and Coloccini could be in the line-up. And personally I would prefer Gaitán instead of Jose Sosa (one of Sabella's favourites when he was in Estudiantes 5 yrs ago, just like Rojo, Andujar, Basanta, etc etc) and Pastore instead of Augusto Fernandez. Maxi Rodriguez is doing well at Newell's, I think he is a very good alternative in Di María's position

 

[Black&Blue]

Some rumours say that Tévez does not get on well with Messi... Other rumours say he does not get on well with the whole group, that he would not stand being in the bench... I don't know, since he missed that penalty on the 2011 Copa América, he was not called anymore... I would love to see him in the NT, but there are more important issues to be worried about, like the defense and the goalkeeper.

And I couldn't agree more with you, I don't know Musacchio since I did not watch him very much, but Gonzalo Rodriguez could be called, and Coloccini could be in the line-up. And personally I would prefer Gaitán instead of Jose Sosa (one of Sabella's favourites when he was in Estudiantes 5 yrs ago, just like Rojo, Andujar, Basanta, etc etc) and Pastore instead of Augusto Fernandez. Maxi Rodriguez is doing well at Newell's, I think he is a very good alternative in Di María's position

I do agree with you about Argentina issues, I would add the lack of a top playmaker like Veròn/Redondo style... Banega and Gago are good but not great at what they do, while Pastore could be adapted in that role as he did at PSG recently but he hasn't the same vision and class of them ofc.

Yeah Gaitàn is another player that should get a spot as vice-Di Maria for the World Cup (better than Maxi Rodriguez,with all due respect for him and his performances at Newell's but Argentina got younger players better than him nowdays) ,especially since Lamela is not playing in England I think that the Benfica player should get that place.

 

[monster09]

Messi is just unbelievable.

That's NEWS

 

[pencilpal]

Watching the Argentina Romania friendly, and there's a genuine lack of fluidity from the defence to the attack. Not to mention they're quite poor in defence, and it's nonsensical to play Di Maria as a CM imo.

 

[Wings]

^Nah, I think Di Maria does well as CM. And Banega-Mascherano-Biglia doesn't really fix the broken problem either.

 

[Pajo]

Biglia is shit.

The defense can't really choose because most are mediocre as hell.

 

[pencilpal]

^Nah, I think Di Maria does well as CM. And Banega-Mascherano-Biglia doesn't really fix the broken problem either.

Tbh I don't think Di Maria is suited to a CM role.

Personally, I'd like to see Argentina line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but Sabella will definitely not abstain from a 4-3-3 type tactic.

Higuain
Aguero - Messi - Di Maria
Biglia - Mascherano
Coloccini - Garay - Gonzalo - Zabaleta
Caballero​

In Higuain you have a well rounded number 9. Aguero is more of a goalscoring winger (with Coloccini covering him at the back), and Messi is the number 10. Di Maria has more defensive responsibilities, which gives greater freedom for Zabaleta to overlap forward.

In the doble pivot, Biglia is the DLP/regista and Mascherano is the destroyer. I find that Gago drifts in and out of games far too often, and he lacks consistency.

Considering the aforementioned tactical details, a defensive form of the formation would be similar to Sabella's regular 4-3-3 (with Di Maria as a CM alongside Biglia and Mascherano).

Gonzalo Rodriguez and Ezequiel Garay are also two very good CBs; both of whom are very dynamic, in being capable in playing a ball playing and a destroyer role. Caballero has yet to receive a call up to the national setup, but his omission is COMPLETELY unjustified (especially when both Argentina's number 1 and 2 goalkeepers are backups at their respective clubs). Speroni should also be chosen over Andujar imo (as the number 3 GK).

Shame that Argentina didn't call up Paletta before Prandelli gave him his first call up though, since he would've REALLY improved their defensive line.

- - - Updated - - -

Biglia is shit.

I don't agree.

He was shit in the beginning of the season, but since then he's gotten a LOT better. Gave a great performance against Juventus in particular; not to mention he's a definite improvement over Gago (or Banega for that matter).

 

[Fapuccino]

Biglia has been play well lately with Lazio from the few games I've seen.

Messi as AM is a disaster waiting to happen again. He played that under Maradona didn't score a single goal. I think he should just play as CF, and use Aguero as AM/SS.

Di Maria and Palacio on the wings.

-------Messi
ADM - Aguero - Palacio
Biglia - Mascherano

Higuain could come in as a sub. He chokes in big games and tournaments, I don't think he should start. Messi behind Higuain last time in World Cup didn't turn out well.

 

[pencilpal]

I think that Messi has developed a lot since 2010 though. He's naturally an AM, and such a position would enable him to be the focal point in Argentina's attack (and facilitate the inclusion of Higuain, Aguero and Di Maria into the starting XI).

However, I don't think Palacio should be starting tbh. He should be on the bench (as an impact sub or a defensive winger ala Pandev) alongside Tevez (who can offer depth to the CF position).