After watching yesterday's Argentina i think they probably are improving in the defense.....

To be fair, had the German goalkeeper not been sent off it would have been different. We were on the back foot before they were reduced to 10 men. Nevertheless we've definitely improved under Sabella.

danyjr wrote:To be fair, had the German goalkeeper not been sent off it would have been different. We were on the back foot before they were reduced to 10 men. Nevertheless we've definitely improved under Sabella.

ya, i actually made the comment based on that 25-28 mins where Argentina was totally dominated. In that part of the game, Germany pressed very high, argentine midfield was quite invisible. and because the defense could survive that time i think they are improving. i dloaded the game and i think the positioning of the defenders were a lot better. And i am quite sure the score was level upto the red card not because the german striker missed rather argentine defenders defended more sensibly.
i also think rojo played quite well to link up in attack on the left...and i have started liking the keeper. He looks quite comfortable and confident.

True, our defence didn't do too bad during that time period (I recall Özil had a couple of chances though). I certainly think Argentina not only have been organised better by Pachorra but also play with higher intensity (not in the Germany game though, it was a friendly after all).

Midfield looks quite good as well. Personally can't wait for Banega to stop having car crashes because he can be instrumental in this team even though he is not a very direct player and can slow the tempo sometimes.

Regarding Romero, the goalkeeper, I'd say plenty of Argentines will disagree with you. He's not bad, but can't count him as world class either. In fact we haven't had a top goalkeeper since Goycochea (and Carlos Roa was shit too imo)

What was up with Messi and the German goalkeeper?

The goalie had a bit of a smile so maybe he was taunting Messi, and messi pointed to his ear, probably meaning he doesn't hear him.

does anyone know?

danyjr wrote:
Regarding Romero, the goalkeeper, I'd say plenty of Argentines will disagree with you. He's not bad, but can't count him as world class either. In fact we haven't had a top goalkeeper since Goycochea (and Carlos Roa was shit too imo)

ya, i know. He is even worse than many WC teams third choice keeper. i am actually trying to be happy with him as there is no other options, haha. I can remember Goycochea even though i was kid back then. Its really a shame that Argentina never had a good keeper after him.

Germany Argentina football rivalry Soon it will be as big as any other rivalry out there (I hope, but it does have potential)

I think more than anything else, the attack is really "gelling" together. It certainly took a while. While I understand the consequences of starting with higuain, aguero, di maria and messi against top teams, if they are really playing as a unit then Sabella can consider building a defence capable of doing a good job even when those players are on the field.

There would probably be no room for Pastore, Lamela, Gaitan, Ocampos etc. unless they're subs.

Should have tried to dribble that into the goal, would have been the best goal ever.

neuro11 wrote:

danyjr wrote:
Regarding Romero, the goalkeeper, I'd say plenty of Argentines will disagree with you. He's not bad, but can't count him as world class either. In fact we haven't had a top goalkeeper since Goycochea (and Carlos Roa was shit too imo)

ya, i know. He is even worse than many WC teams third choice keeper. i am actually trying to be happy with him as there is no other options, haha. I can remember Goycochea even though i was kid back then. Its really a shame that Argentina never had a good keeper after him.

People include the WC90 still as the "Maradona-era", but I still remember it from Goycochea heroics more than anything:

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

OT but Germany as well as Löw are in danger of seeing their best opportunities to win some tournaments with this crop of talents fade away...2008, 2010, 2012 and in 2014 there's no reason to believe their chances will be better in Brasil when the South American sides will be well positioned to play the spoiler there...Germany is terrific but their hype has yet to be reflected in trophies

FCBarça wrote:OT but Germany as well as Löw are in danger of seeing their best opportunities to win some tournaments with this crop of talents fade away...2008, 2010, 2012 and in 2014 there's no reason to believe their chances will be better in Brasil when the South American sides will be well positioned to play the spoiler there...Germany is terrific but their hype has yet to be reflected in trophies

I had been thinking the same. they had a talented team since 2006 world cup. And they reached almost all semifinals in last 6 years. they just can not finish it well. And after yesterday's game(not because Argentina with shaky defense won 3-1) i was thinking may be they are on a decline. Who knows what happens in 2014 but it seems a south american WC is a difficult choice for them when they wasted other better chances.

The best ever :O

He is getting better and better with the national team, unlucky he didn't get a hattrick to be honest.

No thread for Sociedad game ?

For what RG? They know Vela is gonna merk them. Why even bother?

2 goals and a

Donuts wrote:He is getting better and better with the national team, unlucky he didn't get a hattrick to be honest.

should we be worried about his penalty taking??? it will be difficult for me to watch any of his next penalties.

Messi compilation vs Sociedad:



Alternate Feeds:

Spoiler:

http://rutube.ru/video/9b190ec86e3c6f117fc131ae5d5749a3/

messi 2008-09 season
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtV8EJlZG20&feature=related

Is Messi South American or European in his way of playing football?
I started thinking after reading some of the Maradona fanboys comments on the Clean Debate section.He said that Messi doesnt do rabona passes, backheel passesknee passes like Maradona used to do.It also got me thinking about other criticisms raised against Messi compared to someone like Ronaldinho or Maradona or even recently Neymar.
That he doesnt use tricks.
Could the fact that he shifted to Barcelona at 12-13 and has a European football upbringing have played a part in that?Would he have used more tricks in his game if he had stayed in Argentina a bit longer?
In other words is his football European or South American?
I think its more European than South American.
Barring some exceptions the South American greats have all been more tricky and flashy compared to their European counterparts.
Think of the likes of Pele,Garrincha,Rivelino,Socrates,Zico,Maradona, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho etc against Puskas,Eusebio,Beckebauer,Best,Cruyff, Muller,Platini,Van Basten,Dalglish,Laudrup etc.Obviously I have left out many names but the general pattern is clear to me.
The South Americans have been more tricky and flashy and flambuoyant.
Thats not to say Europeans were any less technically gifted.They were just as good.Just that they were less tricky and flashy and put substance over style.Its also clear to me in which group Messi falls.He doesnt do the tricky stuff,doesnt do flashy.His game is all substance and product.In that way its clear to me that he is more European than South American.
More Cruyff than Maradona.

Doing tricks and such doesn't mean your south American it's just a style of playing a younger CR7 is an example of that, or Nani etc.
Messi doesn't do tricks simply because he doesn't need to, his agility and dribbling is greater then a simple trick.

I disagree. Argentines have never been known for their trickery or flamboyancy. Even Maradona who was one of our best dribblers never did that many tricks. For me that is a very Brazilian thing and even in Brazil it is not as common as before because trickery is sometimes synonym to trying to humiliate/disrespect your opponent.

Messi compilation vs Osasuna:



Alternate version: http://rutube.ru/video/cdc3c6ed6e79a661baa4c7f1f4d886ca/#

dat clutchness

I don't care if people say he had a bad game, he was clinical.