La Selección Argentina V.2

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.

I think each team names a few reserves they can call up in case of injury pre-WC

Enzo Perez is the chosen one. Meh, coming off a bad season for him. Would have rather had Paredes or Ladmela.

Paredes is inexperienced with the NT, he has his future but it's not his time yet. Enzo Perez didn't play good recently at River Plate but he has experience with the NT, when he came in 2014 for injured Di Maria he didn't put a foot wrong against Germany and Netherlands, so I expect him to be reliable if he's called upon, he will be a substitute anyway. Meza will replace Lanzini in the starting 11.

I would start Armani instead of Caballero. Armani is possibly the best GK in south american football atm. But I don't know if he will start since Caballero started the last friendly.

Should Argentina have arranged a quick friendly with a Russian club side?

I don't think these friendlies are worth a damn to the team tbf. At least not against such small sides.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:I don't think these friendlies are worth a damn to the team tbf. At least not against such small sides.

Playing a friendly in Israel of all places just before the world cup starts was a zany idea to begin with. Thankfully it did not happen.

it's because we played against them in 1986 before the WC and then went on to win it. We repeated the strategy in 90 and 94 without success lol.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:it's because we played against them in 1986 before the WC and then went on to win it. We repeated the strategy in 90 and 94 without success lol.

I'm expecting Meza and Tagliafico to become the Enzo Perez and Rojo of WC 2014. Pavon should be a good sub too, it's just a shame that Centurion was injured as well and wasn't able to fill in for Lanzini. I'm also really gutted for Lanzini, he clicked so well in the NT and earned his place in the starting 11 while playing for a dysfunctional West Ham side, really bad luck for him and he misses the opportunity of a life time.

Can someone pls explain why Biglia is ever present in the Argentina team? For years now hes the starting regular....but he doesnt offer much? Dont Argentina have another better one in midfield? Macherano is just basically a deep sitting pure DM, and then Biglia and Messi.... it really is just non existent midfield and wont have any chance for the WC

@BC, please help me out here. It's my first (and last), time supporting Argentina

1. Why does Dybala and Higuain not start (or at least one of the two)?
2. Why does Lo Celso not start?
3. Are Mascherano and Bielsa truly the best midfield pairing that Argentina can offer?
4. Mascherano in 2018?
5. Who is Pavon? What is he doing there?
6. Di Maria in 2018?
7. You need a goal and you bring in Pavon and Banega? Higuain in the 84th minute

help me understand

Luca wrote:@BC, please help me out here. It's my first (and last), time supporting Argentina

1. Why does Dybala and Higuain not start (or at least one of the two)?
2. Why does Lo Celso not start?
3. Are Mascherano and Bielsa truly the best midfield pairing that Argentina can offer?
4. Mascherano in 2018?
5. Who is Pavon? What is he doing there?
6. Di Maria in 2018?
7. You need a goal and you bring in Pavon and Banega? Higuain in the 84th minute

help me understand

1. Because Samp judges Messi and Aguero to be better, and they are the competition. Can't play 0-0-11

2. Who knows

3. No, the only other DM Argentina can provide of NT quality is Paredes and he wasn't called up. For CM my preference is for Lanzini and he got injured in training a week ago.

4. Did alright tbf, better than Biglia

5. 22 year old Boca winger. Better than Di Maria so the question is what is ADM still doing starting?

6. See above

7. Right calls imo. ADM was shit and needed replacement, also needed to replace one of the 2 DMs with a CM that can bring the ball forward, so in came Banega. Bringing in Higuain wouldn't have solved our issues, Aguero wasn't missing balls, he just wasn't getting them. To me the real question is why we starting with a double DM system against a park the bus team.

Thanks for the reply, I missed about half hour of the game due to some real life commitments

The midfield is really lacking something though. I would love to see Lo Celso in there, I've always found him quite good for PSG and in the couple games for Argentina I've seen him play. Just to get some young legs/speed in the middle

Sampaoli put this out for thursday’s game
3-3-1-3
Caballero

Mercado
Otamendi
Tagliafico

Enzo
Masche
Acuña

Messi

Salvio
Kun
Pavón

Going from one extreme to the other

Needs an awesome Messi performance

I wonder if Croatia will persist with a midfield duo of Modric-Rakitic

With Pavon and Salvio that's just a 3-5-2. Better than the first line up imo. Still weird.

Argentina are now out as expected. Lots of changes will be made now I believe, Sampaoli will be replaced and lots of aging players might be pushed out.

Right now in my opinion, the biggest problems with Argentina are:

1) What is the future of Messi in the national team? This question might be answered soon enough

2) If Messi decides to continue, can you find a coach whose tactics are not over-reliant on Messi? Messi will also be 34-35 in next World Cup, should the team still be built around Messi?

3) The player choices and politics behind them: Sampaoli can't be that retarded that he truly believes that 26 year old Meza with 3 goals in Argentinian league is better super-sub than Dybala? Are the player choices & tactics too influenced by national media, Messi or has Sampaoli completely lost it?

4) Four years is a long time, but right now Argentina lack quality fullbacks and quality wingers, which are quite essential in today's football. Are there any promising wingers or offensive fullbacks? I am not that familiar with Argentina's talent but the most hyped are probably L.Martinez (ST), Lo Celso (CM) and Paredes (CM). Wingers or at least quality attacking fullbacks are needed to provide width. Is Argentina still going to be stacked in the middle and woeful in the back/on the wings?

Possible/needed retirements right now include Mascherano, Higuain, Aguero, Biglia. You would think that Dybala and Icardi would get their chance now... with or without Messi.

What are your thoughts? How would you line-up Argentina in let's say, next Copa America (e.g. who would you push out/who would you include from players we are familiar right now)?

Their Silver Generation is coming to an end and based on this World Cup's showing their future isn't looking exactly golden, either.

This is the worst Argentine team since 1990. That team had little quality but had hunger and a leader. This team

Art Morte wrote:Their Silver Generation is coming to an end and based on this World Cup's showing their future isn't looking exactly golden, either.

Next generation looks worth something everywhere but in defense

Rulli
???? ???? ???? ????
Lamela - Paredes - Lanzini
Dybala - Icardi - Pavon/Lautaro

Why is lamela in a 3 man midfield

That is the most ridiculous line up I've ever seen

This is real football not FUT

Replace with Pastore if you want, but he has everything to play there.

And ffs it's not meant to be a realistic eleven for a game, just pointing out that the next generation is not shit