Edgardo BAUZA comments on ICARDI, starting line-up, more

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Edgardo BAUZA spoke to the media about Mauro ICARDI, the starting line-up and much more.

BAUZA stated that they are following 60 Argentinian players, hinted at his attack and also about the goalkeeping position, MASCHERANO and more. Here’s what he had to say:

“From the start, I think MESSI, AGUERO, PRATTO and DI MARIA… Those four. It could be those four, why not? That’s the idea… that’s the idea.”

BAUZA also hinted that against Uruguay he could use a 4-2-3-1 (which would likely be his main formation) but also a 4-4-2 and that at the top (of the 4-2-3-1) it could be PRATTO. Part of the starting line-up against Uruguay could look like this:

ROMERO; MAS (ROJO is suspended for the first game due to Copa final red card), FUNES MORI, OTAMENDI, MERCADO; MASCHERANO, FERNANDEZ or BIGLIA or BANEGA.

If SABELLA and MARTINO’s teams were balanced:
“Of course, they reached finals. I hear the word failure (about the team not winning). How is it a failure? They reached finals! After that, of course, they lost. Argentinians wants to kill them all. But it’s all in the fine details.”

BAUZA has also spoken to MARTINO on the phone and he’s working on a list of 60 players which he is following. BUFFARINI, FAZIO and LAVEZZI are among that list of 60. Other names included in the 60 are:

ICARDI, RULLI, MARCHESIN, Nacho PIATTI, CALLERI, OCAMPOS, CERVI, ALARIO, MAS, Jose Luis GOMEZ, ASCACIBAR, PAVON, Seba BLANCO, RUBEN, TEVEZ and GAGO.

“We’re keeping track of them all but we’re also thinking about the future of the National Team and there’s great players which we don’t know if they will make it to Russia in the same form they’re in today.”

About ICARDI:
“ICARDI, just like any other Argentinian player, I’m going to follow. He’s among the 60 players. And if he has to be called-up, he’ll be called-up. I have no problems with any player. I start at 0 with everyone.”

About DEMICHELIS being included:
“I want him to transmit his experiences to the young players. Maybe I’ve called great players who don’t play and young players like ALARIO that don’t play often but I’m looking for them to start experiencing the National Team.”

About what he looks for in a goalkeepers:
“Stability. And that’s what he (Sergio ROMERO) has always brought to the National Team. Before him, we would change goalkeepers all the time but ROMERO has cemented himself as the starting goalkeeper.”

If MASCHERANO could play as a defender:
“I wouldn’t discard it. But OTAMENDI and FUNES MORI are playing really well and it’s for that reason I think of MASCHERANO as a midfielder, for now.”

44 Comments

  1. Sabella’s fab4 had no structuring,it was just combo of 3 central forward+an LAM.Messi was playing centrally not on right wing.And the approach was fast counters.It would not work against 10 man defence,as there is no option for counters.Moreover,Higuain and Aguero was not fit,Gago and Messi just came from injury.

    Four attacking player has been used by many leading managers since a long time.Big example is Farguson’s 4-2-2-2.CR7 +Nani/Giggs on the flank ,Rooney+Barbetov/Tevez as CFs.It is the approach and formation that is important.

    • I think most of 4 attacking players formations has no structuring. It’s just 4 most offensive players. And then people create such fab4 in their minds especially if it’s full of famous names. It’s to frighten rivals and to titilate fans.

  2. Just I can’t wait for Messi and Aguero playing together again. What a fantastic duo that was. LOL. And Di Maria of course – another fabulous player, fabulous4.

    The last thing we need is to revive pipe dream about Fabulous4. To divide team for 4 attackers and the rest again. We need balance and it’s not a balance.

    • Unfortunately for you, Bauza has already decided on what you think is a pipe dream. With Pratto replacing Higuain. You can disagree with like I disagreed with Tata’s obsession with wingers, but Bauza’s mind is already set on it. We’ll have to wait and see how it works.

        • And how do know we won’t pass it? Your speculations are not the absolute truth. We don’t even know who is going to the WC, Just because other coaches lost it does not say anything about the new coach. Germany had to lose 82 and 86 finals before they won in 90. Maybe fate has Argentina suffer more before a taste of sweet victory.

          • Sabellista,
            I still can’t believe someone bring the idea Fab4 again. I thought it’s compromised construct. Especially with – mostly – the same players.

            I just want to say: I will not be as naive to judge Aguero, Di Maria, Higuain or Banega after few good qualifiers matches. I know they will perform good – with goals and assists – and a lot of people will impressed and conquered again. But not me. I will just wait for WC. What is enough good for qualifiers unnecesarilly will be enough good for WC.

  3. Fantastic 4?!!! I can’t belevieve still people are thinking here about that ridiculous myth. We may create childish construct like that but it’s good for teams like Bolivia and only in qualifiers. In tournement it will never work. Not the same level.

    • Maybe you’re too consumed with the Argentina Primera. Just in case you haven’t noticed top clubs nowadays in Europe attack with quartets. Most team in UCL, where top Argentine players ply their trade use 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formations, where the attacking is mostly done by 4 players with the help of fullbacks or midfielders it differs with each team. Perhaps you haven’t noticed that.

      • Sabellista, but which names you want to see in Fab4?
        Really no need to create abstract formations. We need to attack more than 4 players and to defence as well. No need to consider 4 players as superstars till they will not deserve for that. Especially if the names inlcuding any of AGuero, Higuain, DI Maria. I have enough.

        • Barca: Messi, Suarez, Neymar & Iniesta/D.Suarez.
          Real: Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema and Isco/James/Jese.
          Atletico: Griezman, Torres, Koke & saul Niguez
          Bayern: D.Costa, Muller, Robben & Lewandoski.

          • Sabellista,

            “Come serious time people will park the bus against us and make this kind of formation useless like in the world cup”.

            I think the words of Ghostdeini telling the truth.

          • Sabellista agree and disagree.
            yes we should attack with 4 players mainly, on the conditions of not neglecting the full backs, midfielders, and at least try to play everybody in his position, but we must also demand from the 4 players to do defensive work or else OUT!

  4. how did the fantastic four formation work at the world cup?
    2 units:
    – defensive unit consisting of 6 players.
    – offensive unit consisting of 4 players.
    both are separated American football style.
    It is based on counterattacking where the defensive unit wins the ball and gives it to the offensive unit and watch them counter the opponent with quick running, dribbling and passes.
    Come serious time people will park the bus against us and make this kind of formation useless like in the world cup.
    Repeat! Deja vu! Sabella 2.0!

    • The Fab4 played only a little bit more,than 90 minutes together in WC.
      “how did the fantastic four formation work at the world cup?” We’ll never know it.

    • @Ghost, Perhaps you forgot that we didn’t arrive at WC with fit attackers (Sabella’s fault) bar Messi and Di Maria who got injured later. The question is would park the bus strategy have worked against the Fab4 if they were fully fit? We don’t know. But personally, I think park the bus would not have stopped a fully fit Fab4. Italy tried that in one friendly but they couldn’t stop the Messi-less Fab4 from opening up the Italian defense.

      • I give credit to Sabella for the romero-zabaleta-demichelis-Rojo-Mascherano-biglia-perez-lavezzi-messi-higuain formation.
        4-4-2 with side midfielders, defensively very good, offensively lacking, Sabella made a mistake subbing out Lavezzi and not having alternatives on the bench in offense that were fit or good enough.
        That was a team that had a plan, but when it failed we didn’t have alternatives because they were either injured or not good enough.

  5. Bauza is going back to fantastic 4, with 2 strikers. Sounds exciting IMO. Sometimes back I said Tata was not supposed to tamper but improve Sabella’s foundation. Instead he costs Argentina 2 finals by not learning from his mistakes. Bauza is experienced enough to understand the fact that Argentina played the best football in recent years under Sabella and that Messi needs 3 supporting attackers to run with him or to stay close to him every time he tries to open up the opponents defensive shapes. That is what makes it’s difficult for any defense in the world to remain in balance the whole match if Messi is well supported. Argentina has the capacity to create 10 chances every game if the team plays to the players’ strengths instead of trying to play beautiful.

  6. well we asked for every stone to be turned over and it seems he is doing that.
    as we have said before dybala and messi play the same type of game and its going to be hard to play them both at once, my self I don’t believe in playing a player out of position just to play them.

    • I think messi and dybala can play together,leo already plays deeper for barca and argentina.dybala is smart player n his off the ball movement is the best of all our players.

  7. are ansaldi and tagliafico (or at least one of them) there in the list of 60 players?

    has rojo also “cemented” his place in the NT?

    he has played four major trounaments: 2011 copa america, 2014 world cup, 2015 copa america, and 2016 copa america centenario!

  8. I like 2 forward attack.I saw some sao paolo match,Bauza likes to crowd opponent’s D-box with numbers which will be something different for us.For last several years we have been massively isolated in that area,specially in big games.

    • such true words. And when games get locked and scrappy (finals) a big box poacher like Bati, Palermo, Pratto? reach their peaks of value for the team. Same thing for corners and set pieces, we need strong aerial centerbacks.. Rojo, Garay, Otam, Funes, Demichelles are all good.. having them there was Sabellas best change up.. Burdisso and co where lacking.

  9. “We’re keeping track of them all but we’re also thinking about the future of the National Team and there’s great players which we don’t know if they will make it to Russia in the same form they’re in today.”

    It’s what I mean. Who know if 34 years old Masche will be enough good in 2018.

  10. To be honest, icardi hasnt done anything yet this season to warrant a call up although it is partially due to the poor service he receives from his teammates..i’m relished about the prospect of us starting with 2 strikers in the nxt qualifiers as it may change aguero’s gameplay significantly..

    Also pratto’s gonna be a handful for any defender who marks him albeit he seems to be more of a stooge used to free messi and aguero on the flanks

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