Paulo DYBALA, Mauro ICARDI in Argentina training eleven

By
Roy Nemer
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42

Paulo DYBALA and Mauro ICARDI were both in Lionel SCALONI’s eleven from training.

Following the team’s 3-0 win against Guatemala, they flew out to New Jersey for the match on Tuesday versus Colombia. Coach Lionel SCALONI tried out an eleven in training with a team which consisted of Paulo DYBALA and Mauro ICARDI. Here’s the team from training:

ARMANI; BUSTOS, PEZZELLA, FUNES MORI, ACUNA; BATTAGLIA, PAREDES; MEZA, DYBALA, CERVI; ICARDI

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42 Comments

  2. I guess the Columbians may not be at their best level but still a good test. Deschamps recently said that their friendly against Columbia in March played a crucial role in their victory because Pekerman gave him a true tactical lesson: intensive pressing, fast counter attack in few touch. That’s also why France switched from 4231 to 4312 before the WC with Griezmann and Giroud defend much more than before. We will see if our players can resist. Even though Pekerman is gone, I don’t think they will change that style.

  3. When I look at this 4231 lineup, 3 main problems:

    1) Meza: He is not a bad player but too much technical weakness and too slow in decision making. Yes he can run for KM but not sure about his tactical sense so most of the time he ran for nothing. I would have put Palaccios as right midfielder in order to keep the balance as Cervi is a pure winger and Dybala is a 9-half. Some of us here like to put Angel Correa but to me, it may be too offensive to put 2 wingers + Dybala + Icardi. It will be either Angel Correa or Cervi or someone else in the future.

    2) Acuna: I don’t see him as a fullback even though he played this role long time ago. Actually not even a winger because he is not creative enough. I see him as a box to box midfielder and I think he is much much better in this role. Many successful examples in converting an average winger into world-class box to box player: Perrotta, Schweinsteiger, Milner, Matuidi. I regret so much that he wasn’t used in this way. But learnt that recently he plays this role with his club. Never too late.

    3) double pivot with a regista: A regista like Paredes is usually more comfortable in a 3-men midfield. 4231 will give him less freedom and more dedicated to defend low. That’s why I said with the players that we have, better to play a 3-men midfield so that talents like Lo Celso, Palaccios and Paredes will not be wasted. But it’s important for Scaloni to test different systems. And everyone has at least some playing time.

    In the previous game, Lo Celso-Paredes-Palaccios worked but against stronger team, we need a pure defensive player next to Paredes. Ascacibar or Batta are the natural candidates but will need to play in a slightly more advanced position than usually in order to press high and “block” the opponents.

  4. Unfortunately for Icardi and Dybala, If they fail get ready to face the slack(Icardi is still not 100 percent) we r gonna play against a team which is ranked 14th a team which is carrying a same system of play developed by our own Weapon Pekerman. Every player will face challenge against Columbia unlike Guatemala. Hopefully all will be patient with the selected players.

  5. I think it’s imperative to retain the positions of Rulli, Tagliafico, Pezella, Lo celso and (arguably) my personal favourite Palacios. Both Lo Celso and Palacios worked as our box to box midfielders and did a lot of the damage to Guatemala from the centre . There’s no need to completely try out a new set of players unless the ones who played are too fatigued.

    • I think it’s very important to experiment a new set of players in order to know the best one of every position. The coach can’t know that through training and that’s what makes him put new faces on the pitch. After 2-3 matches the coach can have a direction and a clearer picture of his future starting line-up. And then building the chemistry is the next stage.

      I’m plaesed with I’ve seen so far from the coaching staff.

    • I would like to see Palacios as well. He is great talent. Having such players we may easy forget about Biglias, Banegas and the likes. Lo Celso, Ascaicbar and Pity are as well already in the team.

      So the rest deserves chance

  7. Comment:yes our team naw clise to be very sharp but coach u av to select locelso always in to ur eleven and remove acuna cox he is 32 naw and also he not fit with aur new generation naw.

  8. I think battalgia is better than asciabar……very good agility plus height …………he is already wanted by many clubs too…….asciabar is a kid in making……

    • Battaglia vision and passing leave a lot to be desired. He’s also not great at dribbling. We can also use a destroyer but he really lacks technically. I’d give the nod to Ascacibar.

  9. Feels like after long time we have Logical thinking Coach, See what is the purpose of the Friendly Matches? Whats the purpose of selecting all new players if they r not being played for a specific time at least 45 minutes? Training is one thing and playing a Match is altogether different. I like what Scaloni is doing. Even if our midfield structure is lost because of the above selected players (I think Lo Celso, Paredes and either Ascacibar/Palacios is a good balanced midfield along with A.Correa/Pavon,Dybala,Icardi at top)But still he is giving chances to all selected players,even the GK also. Which none of the before selected Coaches did consistently(May be apart from Sampaoli before the WC, In WC he messed it up).

    Scaloni has nothing to loose that’s the main reason he is experimenting while others didn’t had that luxury, Scaloni is only an Interim which he himself know. The others were not, that’s a fact too. Make no mistake about it the Argentina NT Coach is a Prestigious post. The Men’s NT is the main attraction of AFA around the World and the main source of income.(Imagine if Messi Is playing in Saudi the AFA will get triple time Money, Which in his absence they wont Get. It happens in every Organization even WWE is preparing the Undertaker vs Shawn Michaels(Who may come back after retirement) just for a Freaking Saudi Show, Damn that’s weird. What all money can do) So the AFA will choose a proven coach ASAP. Scaloni’s tactical nuances will be tested in the upcoming Friendlies, If he is fixed he wont have the luxury of experimenting a lot i guess.

  10. irrespective of the result, id like to see the kind of confidence and pace in the team,as was on display through the first half of the prev game.
    Hope to see Angel Correa in action too..he’s a balanced player apt for modern day football.Any news about colombia ?will they be fielding a full strength team?

  11. With the exception of Meza I like this lineup, although I would’ve preferred if Scaloni would’ve kept the same lineup from the previous match to build more chemistry within a brand new team that did quite well.
    However if Scaloni were to go with this lineup I would like to see the following:

    ———————————————–Armani———————————————————

    —–Bustos——————Mori/Kanneman——–Pezzella——————–Tagliafico————

    ——————————–paredes—————–Battaglia——————————————-

    ——————A.Correa——————-Dybala———————-Cervi—————————–

    ————————————————-Icardi———————————————————–

    This line up could easily switch to a tight 4-4-2 if need be since Cervi and Correa can and have played as RM and LM respectively.

  12. Our options for No 9, which was never a headache :
    1. Aguero 2. Icardi 3.Simeone 4. Lautaro

    Left Wing :
    1.Cervi 2.Pavon 3.Pity Martinez

    Right Wing :
    1. Messi 2.Dybala 3.A Correa

    Midfield :
    1. Lo celso 2.Meza 3.Peredes 4. Palacios 5.Ascacibar 6.Baggaglia 7. Acuna 8.Pereyria

    Defenders :
    1. Tagliafico 2.Pezella 3.Saravia 4.Bustos
    One more proper starting CB & backups who starts every weekends for their clubs.

    GK
    Rulli,Romero & 3rd back up.

    I think we are now slowly looking like a solid team with decent squad depth (which we always were, but unfortunately AFA frauds were too blind)..

    I want these team with 2 or 3 exceptions (like Messi, Lamela et al. ) to play for long. I hope that Copa America or the manager change won’t affect this group. They look like the best group, we have heen looking for a long time. Hopefully the pack survives..

  13. I wonder why Acuna is there in the squad. He is 32 and will be 36 in 2022. How can he fit into the project? Moreover we are using him out of position. He is nor a LB..would be better to use another LB lime Angileri ( not in squad now). Scaloni should correct this anomaly. Also no more Salvio please. Pereyra will be a better choice

    • Acuna is 26 and will be 30 when 2022 roles around so he won’t be too old. As for why he is there, well IMO Acuna in an excellent, technically gifted, athletic, versatile and defensively disciplined player, he may not be world class but he’s the type of player that you’d want to have on your team, so needless to say I personally have no qualms with him being there.
      He’s played as a LB, LW and currently as a DM (Benfica) throughout his career but he’s best as a LM and I think he’d be quite useful if Argentina were to shift to a tight 4-4-2 to protect a lead or when playing against teams like Brazil. Belguim and France who have speed demons like Mbappé, Hazard and D.Costa playing on the wings.

      • Yeah mate this right time to play double pivot. I don’t want lose this game because all the haters loaded up wait us to lose I mean some mundo followers….

        • I don’t think a true Argentina fan wishes for the team to lose, maybe just out of frustration towards the AFA and the media. But still, even if the NT loses on Tuesday, I will not be upset as long as they play well. Let’s remember that this group just started, I Think it would be a great match as all the kids are willing to play with heart and they will win. there is a possibility of a victory If they play good and Scaloni plays his cards right. Even with the absence of star players, We still have potent players in the NT.

      • BIglia is gone. Masche is gone.

        I believe we have the youthful energy now to go with a double pivot.

        And Scaloni looks far more pragmatic and far more cautious than the bald Mad Hatter.

  18. Want to see angel correa in action from starting against Colombia…..we hv good option at RW……Nd don’t criticise pavon for last match…pavon has some serious pace and ball control plus good skills to dribble pass defenders…..his final third skills will surely improve with time…..I thought he can be our mbappe but he is more like raheem sterling

  20. I have big question mark for Acuna inclusion as a LB? He plays for club as a double pivot and in NT as a LB! Mind blogging. We should leave that fantasy and try out proper LB. I don’t agree with the inclusion of Meza when Dybala is there. He won’t track back. I think Scaloni trying different options. Tagliafico is already in the team so is Lo Celso. Maybe he is just seeing the different option. Cervi is very good with defensive work. He should have played Acuna against Guatemala as a LB.

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