World Cup (2018) - Group D (Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria)

Explains Harmonica's disappearance

Argentina won one qualifying match without Messi. ONE. before Aguero vs. Iceland no one had scored a competitive Argentina goal without his involvement for 600 days. Six. Hundred. Days. https://t.co/ZaiHIesUO9

— Muhammad Butt (@muhammadbutt) June 21, 2018

So? Messi turned them into this by demanding everything has to be about him him him.

They have several world class players and a bunch of top players. They'd be one of the best teams in the world if Messi wouldn't have turned them into this impotent mess.

No we wouldn't lol.

Look at the squad and tell me: how many GKs do we have that would start for a top 20 side? How many midfielders do we have that are in the top 20 for their position? How many FBs do we have that a PL team would even want?

The squad quality is very, very low. We produce great forwards but that's it. If you could play 0-0-10 then we could win, but that's not a viable strategy.

Winter is Coming wrote:

Argentina won one qualifying match without Messi. ONE. before Aguero vs. Iceland no one had scored a competitive Argentina goal without his involvement for 600 days. Six. Hundred. Days. https://t.co/ZaiHIesUO9

— Muhammad Butt (@muhammadbutt) June 21, 2018

We're expected to take a stat from a guy named " butt " seriously? OUT

zigra wrote:So? Messi turned them into this by demanding everything has to be about him him him.

They have several world class players and a bunch of top players. They'd be one of the best teams in the world if Messi wouldn't have turned them into this impotent mess.

They wouldn't be one of the best teams in the world under any circumstances. No team is winning jack when your best midfielder is a 34 year old Mascherano playing in China.

They would be a lot better if Sampaoli wasn't an utter moron, but I don't understand how you can blame Messi for the awful decisions this guy has made. You think Messi asked for the rubbish lineup they played against Croatia?

zigra wrote:So? Messi turned them into this by demanding everything has to be about him him him.

They have several world class players and a bunch of top players. They'd be one of the best teams in the world if Messi wouldn't have turned them into this impotent mess.

None of this makes any sense, they went to 3 straight finals ( Copa America twice and WC) he retired and they were still taking no responsibility and he came back and saved them.

I really don't get this viewpoint tbh, also if they are making all about Messi they are doing damn poor job of it.

If you desperately want everything to run through Messi then you play athletic fullbacks, forwards that will stretch defences and players who can cover him.

Nothing of the sort is happening, they want Messi to be Xavi but don't have the ability to either get him the ball or take advantage of the space afforded to them by Messi being on the pitch.

It's all a complete mess which makes no sense and i'll never agree with the notion they are purposefully making everything about him and neutering the players lol. Because like i said if they are doing it they are doing an absolutely terrible job of it.

Cruijf wrote:

zigra wrote:So? Messi turned them into this by demanding everything has to be about him him him.

They have several world class players and a bunch of top players. They'd be one of the best teams in the world if Messi wouldn't have turned them into this impotent mess.

They wouldn't be one of the best teams in the world under any circumstances. No team is winning jack when your best midfielder is a 34 year old Mascherano playing in China.

They would be a lot better if Sampaoli wasn't an utter moron, but I don't understand how you can blame Messi for the awful decisions this guy has made. You think Messi asked for the rubbish lineup they played against Croatia?

Messi installed him.

BarrileteCosmico wrote:No we wouldn't lol.

Look at the squad and tell me: how many GKs do we have that would start for a top 20 side? How many midfielders do we have that are in the top 20 for their position? How many FBs do we have that a PL team would even want?

The squad quality is very, very low. We produce great forwards but that's it. If you could play 0-0-10 then we could win, but that's not a viable strategy.

You have a talented squad that you simply talk down. Dybala can play as an attacking MF / playmaker and di Maria has excelled playing in midfield. Sure you might have to play ONE average MF but so what. That's hardly dramatic.
Rojo-Otamendi is an amazing CB partnership and Tagliafico is on his way to become a prime Ajax legend and I already know he will be sold for top money while Romero is a very decent goalkeeper. Yeah sure he was injured but we're talking about general quality of that squad.

Sure the squad is not PERFECT but how many national team squads are? If you have top players in most positions you are among the world elite and a good coach managed to work out a system that doesn't expose the few players who are of a lesser quality.

zigra wrote:So? Messi turned them into this by demanding everything has to be about him him him.

They have several world class players and a bunch of top players. They'd be one of the best teams in the world if Messi wouldn't have turned them into this impotent mess.

Who are those World Class players? Mascherano? Di Maria? Higuain? Argentina is stacked with frauds and bottlers, Messi hasn't been up to standard lately but that team would definitely have not qualified without his goals and contribution in general.

Messi makes a team better, that's so obvious and it's pointless to argue otherwise.

Di Maria didn't play and so far hasn't played in midfield and Dybala played like 15 minutes lol, why the hell are you mentioning players who are not on the pitch.

It's absolutely meaningless.

Googled "coconut eater" and found no results indicating that it's racist or derogatory against Nigerians.

Agree with RG. Distasteful given the intent, but not racist.

Tread lightly @danyjr. This is an official warning.

why hasnt the wife stealer been playing for the argies or has he.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:Di Maria didn't play and so far hasn't played in midfield and Dybala played like 15 minutes lol, why the hell are you mentioning players who are not on the pitch.

It's absolutely meaningless.

What are you talking about? He asked me about the squad and I replied to that. It doesn't matter who they actually played when we're talking about what a different coach could have done if he wasn't forced to play Messis best friends.

Myesyats wrote:

zigra wrote:So? Messi turned them into this by demanding everything has to be about him him him.

They have several world class players and a bunch of top players. They'd be one of the best teams in the world if Messi wouldn't have turned them into this impotent mess.

Who are those World Class players? Mascherano? Di Maria? Higuain? Argentina is stacked with frauds and bottlers, Messi hasn't been up to standard lately but that team would definitely have not qualified without his goals and contribution in general.

Messi makes a team better, that's so obvious and it's pointless to argue otherwise.

Di Maria, Icard, Agüero, United legend Rojo, Dymbo etc

Messi makes every team in the world better. In theory. If his very presence keeps half the top talent out of the teams that's not the case anymore.

messi kicked him out

I doubt the likes of Meza are Messi's best friends tbh

I doubt messi knows who meza is lmao


*Meza turns up in training*
Messi: "remember i drink pepsi and not coke"

Can't tell if zigra is serious or just taking his trolling to a more professional level

Will you guys put some respect on 7.30 rated Meza FFS

Without Messi they wouldn't have qualified this time around anyways so I wouldn't blame him for everything. The only point is that a so called all time great should at least show his mark on the game either as goal scorer or an influencer from midfield.
If I were to throw there R9 fresh after injury with 70% of his speed he would still do something to upset the whole other team. I chose him because Maradona was still playing in the old format (more fouls, kicking but less intense/tactics). Same here with Zidane, no way you wouldn't notice his presence in any way even if his team was shit and lost.

Now to Argentina itself, they should grow some balls and blast Nigeria out of the window. There are no excuses left. Nigeria isn't a top class side with superb defence and they don't park the bus.

confirmed that zigra works for whoscored imo.

Players like Fat Ronaldo, Zidane, Maradona, Pele and Cristiano are far far ahead of messi in international level though. They have all achieved something and proven themselves.

RealGunner wrote:Players like Fat Ronaldo, Zidane, Maradona, Pele and Cristiano are far far ahead of messi in international level though. They have all achieved something and proven themselves.

Aye that Cristiano with his amazing 3 World Cup goals in 13 appearances before this WC.

Unreal resume tbh, i didn't know scoring a hat trick against Spain in the group stage was better than reaching a final tbh.

Thanks for teaching me Brother RG the error of my ways.

Don't try to sneak to Cristiano in there

The rest yeah have had better careers but what on earth does Cristiano have over Messi?

Both scored a hatrick to bring their countries to the WC
Both had one flop group stage and one amazing one that carried their team

And that's about it. If anything Messi has the advantage because he took Arg to 3 finals while CR only did one. And you can't give him credit for winning the one he did take Portugal to because he didn't even play.

Great Leader Sprucenuce wrote:

RealGunner wrote:Players like Fat Ronaldo, Zidane, Maradona, Pele and Cristiano are far far ahead of messi in international level though. They have all achieved something and proven themselves.

Aye that Cristiano with his amazing 3 World Cup goals in 13 appearances before this WC.

Unreal resume tbh, i didn't know scoring a hat trick against Spain in the group stage was better than reaching a final tbh.

Thanks for teaching me Brother RG the error of my ways.

Won the Euros.

And that's about it. If anything Messi has the advantage because he took Arg to 3 finals while CR only did one. And you can't give him credit for winning the one he did take Portugal to because he didn't even play.

Right. This is your argument

Messi has the advantage because he took Argentina to 3 finals (But won none of them). However you can't give Ronaldo the credit because not only his goals actually took Portugal to all the way to the final but they actually won it as well.

Seems legit

Without playing in the final like I said. Sure he took them to the final but Messi did that three times, and once in a WC which Ronaldo has never done.

Cruijf wrote:Without playing in the final like I said. Sure he took them to the final but Messi did that three times, and once in a WC which Ronaldo has never done.

He played in the final and Messi scored zero goals in the ko games in the WC yet "took them to the final".