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

Dybala icardi alone sounds exciting tbh

As far as midfield goes we have no good CMs. Even the ones who were supposed to be good (like Kranevitter and Lo Celso) have flopped in Europe.

Lanzini and Lamela together in midfield would be kamikaze. Paredes will be our la pared in DM position but we need some players who have good ball retention capabilities in midfield and Lanzini and Lamela aren't that type at all.

I wish Banega was younger, he was one of our best players this world cup, still wondering why he never played for a top club. I will miss you Tanguito

Defence as BC said is shambles. Don't even wanna think about it. Copa next year in Brazil will certainly be a new team with fresh faces and we can get to have a proper look at the future.

Is Messi definitely going to retire, he's young enough to still be at the next WC tbh.

But in any case the best thing for Argentina now is develop younger players, outside the obvious quality issues this team was too old imo.

Messi will retire but come back for the next World Cup. Book it

He said he would decide after the WC. He might retire, but the Copa next year is a good chance for him. Maybe the last.

Even if he does retire and comes back later, I think it would be good for us to be forced to learn how to play without him.

Dany Banega might be going to Arsenal. Not sure if it meets your requirements for "top clubs".

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Is Messi definitely going to retire, he's young enough to still be at the next WC tbh.

But in any case the best thing for Argentina now is develop younger players, outside the obvious quality issues this team was too old imo.

Messi at 35 will be awful. All the same laziness but none of the dribbling ability or acceleration

It might work if you have a world class midfield and a CF that he can feed but he'll probably be a hindrance tbh

Hard to say, 4 years is a long time. We don't really know how he'll age.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

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

Lanzini isn't that special.
Lamela is already 26, this World Cup should've been his prime, but he wasn't even in the squad.
Dybala and Icardi might do well, the three other guys I don't know enough of.

@barrilette when a player retires it's best to have him stay retired. If they grow without him it makes no sense him coming back, the locker room might not welcome that.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:Dany Banega might be going to Arsenal. Not sure if it meets your requirements for "top clubs".

I meant not a club that is in contention with Burnley for Europa League spot and is 40 points behind the leaders

As for Messi, he should retire and not come back. As already mentioned, he is already on decline physically and he will be like Maradona in '94 completely unfit and fat. And hey, look at Sweden, they told Zlatan to stuff himself and it worked for them.

Messi needs to go for Argentina to move forward. There is no place for him unless impact sub

Argentina isn't going anywhere but backwards until they develop a midfield tbh

BarrileteCosmico wrote:He said he would decide after the WC. He might retire, but the Copa next year is a good chance for him. Maybe the last.

Even if he does retire and comes back later, I think it would be good for us to be forced to learn how to play without him.

Dany Banega might be going to Arsenal. Not sure if it meets your requirements for "top clubs".

I had the same thought. Messi could give the Copa next year one last shot but after that he really should retire and be free of what has been too much of a burden for him. Even if he plays for the Copa for once a coach should attempt to build an Argentina in which Messi is just one of eleven players rather than the centerpiece of the team. Messi should also pass on the arm band to someone else. This is by no means an attack on Messi. I just think its a needless burden for him to bear all this.

Art Morte wrote:

BarrileteCosmico wrote:

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

Lanzini isn't that special.
Lamela is already 26, this World Cup should've been his prime, but he wasn't even in the squad.
Dybala and Icardi might do well, the three other guys I don't know enough of.

By the time of next world cup, this squad (even if they are considered that talented) would pretty aged.

Cruijf wrote:

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Is Messi definitely going to retire, he's young enough to still be at the next WC tbh.

But in any case the best thing for Argentina now is develop younger players, outside the obvious quality issues this team was too old imo.

Messi at 35 will be awful. All the same laziness but none of the dribbling ability or acceleration

It might work if you have a world class midfield and a CF that he can feed but he'll probably be a hindrance tbh

his fitness is surprisingly awful. literally zero stamina which hurts his already poor off the ball movement. @alexjanosik had it right tbh, messi plays as an old school 10 and doesn't do any type of running

Samp either getting sacked or is about to quit (obviously forced) is making the rounds.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Is Messi definitely going to retire, he's young enough to still be at the next WC tbh.

But in any case the best thing for Argentina now is develop younger players, outside the obvious quality issues this team was too old imo.

I have a friend who has a grandchild that needs human growth hormone therapy to achieve a normal height. The parents were advised that one of the effects of human growth hormone therapy is that the patient becomes an adult physically in the teens and will age faster than a normal person that hasn't received the therapy. Messi is probably a 40 year old physically.

http://ecuagol.com/ecuagol/?n=125810

https://www.mcfcwatch.com/2018/07/04/the-afa-to-offer-pep-guardiola-bumper-12m-year-deal-to-leave-man-city-and-take-job-report/

The AFA to offer Pep Guardiola bumper $12M to take job.

@BC

Is it possible to do both?

lol pure smoke, we are broke

Any word on Messi future with Argentina? Now that the old guard has finally retired, hopefully he will spearhead the new crop. If Messi retires I don't see Argentina recovering in time to WC22. Messi at 35 is probably still going to be the best player in the World.

Clarin: Messi has an unprecedented amount of sway on the national team. He told Sampaoli to drop Federico Fazio and Giovani Lo Celso during the 2018 World Cup because he believed they were under-performing & didn't impress him.

So I tracked down the source:

https://www.clarin.com/deportes/mundial-2018/historia-secreta-ruptura-jorge-sampaoli-sebastian-beccacece-jugadores-seleccion-pleno-mundial_0_SJkxX4H7X.html

No quotes, no anything, just hearsay. Meh.

Lo Celso benched by Messi because he easily beat him at football-tenis and nutmegged him in training

who hired Beccacece?

Clarin has always been a reliable source!