La Selección Argentina V.2

Ya'll think I'm just going to sit here while you disrespect the Thickness himself?

-The back-to-back J MVP
-The back-to-back Scudetto campeone
-The back-to-back Coppa Italia winner?
-The 'I scored a brace away to Monaco in the semi finals of the Champions League 2017'?
-The 'I Toyed with Tottenham in Torino by scoring two and missing at least two more, only to sink them in the return leg with a goal and an assist'?
-The 'I scored a brace away to the most overpriced hunk of shit in the modern era (Milan)
-The 'Doesn't score headers but scores a header and the winning goal away to Inter in the derby della no cartellino rosso per Pjanic'?

You're god damn right, I'm going to sit back and let this piggy roast

He's still better than Icardi though

Looks like we went with this formation in training:

Caballero-Ansaldi-Rojo-Otamendi-Tagliafico; Lanzini, Biglia, Lo Celso, Pavon; Messi, Aguero

Honestly, not too bad considering the players we have. I'm not too sold on the defensive stability of the midfield but certainly Sampaoli seems to be emphasizing wing play; Ansaldi and Nico are attacking fullbacks. I suspect Fazio will replace Rojo once he has fully linked up with the group. Expecting a lot of goals for and against Argentina.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Honestly if you want to pick Icardi, Aguero should be the one to go not Higuain.

Aguero approximates a lot of things that Messi and Dybala does so isn't massively necessary but none of them do anything Higuain provides.

In the interest of squad balance I think Aguero makes the least sense despite him being better than Higuain and Icardi.

Mole you could've just quoted me and saved yourself 15 seconds

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I would put Icardi over Agüero, not higgy. What's the point of taking agüero, Dybala and Messi if only 1 can play at a time and take no backup for the CF?

shinigami99 wrote:Looks like we went with this formation in training:

Caballero-Ansaldi-Rojo-Otamendi-Tagliafico; Lanzini, Biglia, Lo Celso, Pavon; Messi, Aguero

Honestly, not too bad considering the players we have. I'm not too sold on the defensive stability of the midfield but certainly Sampaoli seems to be emphasizing wing play; Ansaldi and Nico are attacking fullbacks. I suspect Fazio will replace Rojo once he has fully linked up with the group. Expecting a lot of goals for and against Argentina.

Messi and Aguero have never linked up well at the NT. I'm highly skeptical of this.

Also I love Willy but Armani has been playing great according to everyone, and he actually has experience twice a week rather than just at the FA cup.

Inter fans what do you make of Ansaldi? I gather he couldn't have been successful if he was sold to Torino shortly after, but I also gather he's been playing well there.

Will never forget how he shut Messi off for 2 legs for Rubin Kazan

For all the hate Higuain gets and for all the choking he has shown, I cannot deny that he is probably our best striker in build-up play and link-up with Messi. He has contributed a lot more than Aguero in this regard and is probably why coaches have favoured him in the past. Maybe Sampaoli will try Higuain in their next round of training so we'll see.

Interestingly, Dybala was subbed in for Aguero in this particular training session. This would mean that Dybala was playing as an out and out striker. Not sure if this suits him but if it works, I welcome it.

For all the Higgy hate he at least got to goalscoring positions in important matches. If he keeps it up the law of averages states that he will eventually score a decisive goal.

Aguero was in all those matches and contributed nothing. He didn't even get to miss a goal, so he misses some of the criticisim, but to me he is way worse for the NT.

Anyways he's Messi's best friend in the squad so it is what it is.

I agree, and you have to remember that, were it not for his goal against Belgium, we may have well gone out in the Quarters last WC. I think he has been unlucky with some bad misses but if he's the best we've got, then so be it. I honestly think he may suit our style of play (or proposed style of play) better than Icardi would.

I think the bigger problems lie in our midfield. Lo Celso with a slow Biglia holding it down in CM really makes me scared lol. I'm surprised Sampaoli didn't try some better DMs during his short time. He gave Paredes one match, but there are others like Battaglia who also probably deserved a shot. Maybe he'll groom them for next WC/Copa.

[SELECCIN MAYOR] A continuación, los once titulares de @Argentina  para enfrentar a Haití. pic.twitter.com/Gn3GF9eozs

— Selección Argentina (@Argentina) May 29, 2018

Still starting Masche and Di Maria. We are winning nothing. Quarters and I will be happy.

They are Messi's friends, the way Sampaoli is subjecting himself to Messi is embarassing, they are not winning anything

Who would you prefer BC?

Paredes, Pavon/Lamela and Icardi probably.

Of course of those only Pavon was called up (and played well, hopefully he can earn the starting place).

Yeah that's what I thought, of those in the squad the alternatives don't seem great.

Lo Celso and Talgiafico were both really good.

Aguero should definitely be starting ahead of the choking fatso.

Pavon gets himself in good 1v1 positions against the fullback, but he looks quite slow to me.

Lo Celso is a real gem. That Busquets-like pass between the lines to Messi for Aguero's goal   . He's young and has a lot to learn but already he is a critical piece to Argentina's midfield. Liked Tagliafico as well. Salvio was decent today but I would probably prefer Ansaldi against a stronger team. I'm actually surprised we didn't see Ansaldi today.

No question Aguero needs to start before Higuain. El Pipa was slow and wasteful today. Honestly, I would probably start Lanzini on the left in his natural position and just remove Di Maria altogether. Meza was decent when he came on; probably put him on the right instead.

Pavon has talent but I think he is a bit green and looked slightly nervous today. One thing I liked was his fighting spirit and pressing when he came on. Would suit Sampaoli's style nicely.

Messi, Lanzini, Lo Celso, Di Maria and Pavon, Higuain and Aguero all combining to give Argentina a triumphant 4:0 win over Haiti

Looks like Sampaoli's tactics worked well.

What tactics would have worked even better though, possibly, would have been dropping a load of drinking water, blankets and antibiotics near a corner flag and just pass the ball into goal for 90 minutes.

Only 4 goals scored against Haiti??? They are definitely not getting out of their group

Mr Nick09 wrote:They are Messi's friends, the way Sampaoli is subjecting himself to Messi is embarassing, they are not winning anything

Messi: "I have a found a partner on the pitch. His name is Cristian Pavón; he's quick and unique."

I think this means he'd rather have Pavon than Di Maria beside him, actually

However, Mascherano definitely starts only on merit of being Messi's friend, that's true

Meh don't believe this Messi friend nonsense, or any of this X player wants X player and told board to get them crap.

I really feel Icardi should have been given a chance. You can't say that he did not fit in after observing him for two games. Higuain has a long and checkered history of flopping for Argentina, especially when he was needed the most. Truth be told he has improved a little as a big match performer ever since he joined Juventus. Even then he should never have been chosen at the expense of Icardi. Either choose both or choose only Icardi. After all one has been given too many opportunities and the other pretty much nothing at all.

In the starting lineup I suppose and hope that Aguero will be fit enough to start consigning Higuain to the bench. Not that Aguero has a history of delivering for Argentina but at least he has some valid fitness excuses unlike Higuain.

Then there is the midfield. Saw a starting lineup with Mascherano and Biglia. Does that make sense? I think at least one of Banega and Lo Celso have to start.

Seeing an old Willy Caballero who hasn't played much all season in goal is not very comforting.

All this and the team's recent results don't give us much cause for hope, does it?

So we'll do what we have been doing for too long. Put all eggs in the one basket of demi god Messi.

Recently I heard a very interesting comment. Now we all have heard a million times about how Maradona carried Argentina on his shoulders with virtually no support. So listen to this. Of all people Claudio Caniggia, who used to be one of Maradona's best buddies in the national team, has said that Messi has less support from other players around him than Maradona had. So what do we make of that?

There's no way both Mascherano and Biglia start. I think it's Lo Celso+ one of those two. In the match against Haiti, I believe Biglia was still not completely fit which was why Mascherano started.

To be honest, Argentina does not have the luxury of great goalkeepers to choose from. Rulli, who everyone is saying should have been called up, had a terrible season (and he played a decent amount). Romero, and Caballero are decent but did not get much playing time this season. Not exactly sure about Guzman since I don't follow him. That leaves the seemingly in-form goalkeeper Armani, who was great for River Plate this season. It remains to be seen whether he gets into the starting 11.

I think Icardi should have been called up as well. Not necessarily to start, but just to get the world cup experience. This is in addition to the fact that, at the very least, he would have been a great striker to bring on if things aren't working up front.

I will say this: I have faith in Sampaoli. I respect the brand of football he's trying to bring to the NT and things don't happen overnight. This world cup may have come 1 year too early to really stamp in the finesse that he needs. I hope he stays on no matter what happens.

Well said. I largely agree with all this.

For what it's worth Icardi was given a chance. He played a few qualifying games and made the shortlist. I have little doubt that had he scored in qualifying (as opposed to merely almost scoring a few times) he would have gone.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:For what it's worth Icardi was given a chance. He played a few qualifying games and made the shortlist. I have little doubt that had he scored in qualifying (as opposed to merely almost scoring a few times) he would have gone.

Maybe but can you compare the number of chances he got to the number of chances some of the others have been given?

Lanzini injured in practice. Argentina to call up someone else now.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Lanzini injured in practice. Argentina to call up someone else now.

They can do that?

Yeah as long as it happens prior to the WC I think.

I don't know if we are limited to the list of 35 players provided pre-WC.