Lionel MESSI to start against Bolivia

By
Roy Nemer
-
49
Lionel Messi Augusto Fernandez Lucas Biglia
Lionel Messi Augusto Fernandez Lucas Biglia

Reports from journalists close to the National Team are stating that Lionel MESSI will start against Bolivia on Tuesday.

MARTINO is likely to go with a line-up which consists of a mixture between starters and substitutes. Augusto FERNANDEZ, Nicolas GAITAN, Marcos ROJO and Javier MASCHERANO are all on yellow cards and are one card away from missing Argentina’s next match.

There were some suggestions that Sergio AGUERO could start ahead of Gonzalo HIGUAIN.

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49 Comments

  2. I think Tata might use a formation he hasn’t used before, 4-3-1-2.

    Romero

    Roncaglia Otamendi Cuesta Funes Mori

    Lamela Kranevitter Lavezzi

    Banega

    Higuain Aguero

  3. I like very much our current tall defense: Mercado, Otamendi, Funes Mori, Rojo. It was problem before: Argentina had to short defense.

  4. So not only Dybala not having permission to play in Rio but Correa, Batalla too? Funes Mori probably the same.

  6. some fake tough guys in here, no one is fearing Mexico, it’s just that history has shown that after Mexico we always end up losing, I think it has something to do with style.
    what do I mean style?
    The Mexican are a team that runs and runs and has a lot of pace and we are kind of slow smooth team. when we clash the game gets faster, they attack us and we lose a lot of energy which we are not used to so the next game we are tired.

    people need to be reminded that we haven’t won a cup since 23 years, we must win now so we can get over this drought.
    If it means playing bad teams to win it, I take it.
    everybody wants to be the best by beating the best and playing beautiful football.
    to do so we are not capable because we have flaws that make us vulnerable, no matter if we meet Jamaica, Brasil, Germany or my kosovo I would not feel confident we would win the final because of our flaws and tendency to fuck things up as shown in our history.

    every tournament has it’s own rules, the champions league has shown that no team is capable to win 2 titles in a row up to now.

  7. Tonight is the last shooting practice match before the COPA starts for me. I’ve become accustomed to these high score 1st round victories much too often now. I for one don’t get excited by these hammerings of weak opponents anymore. I want to see how the team approaches the more complicated knock out matches. Where the true coaching is required. Taking from the last WCQs vs Chile and Bolivia, I knew that we could sweep the group. I didn’t watch the last 2 games for that reason. But from what I’ve heard so far is that the possession bullshit has been thrown out of the window or minimized. If that Tata has finally realized that he was supposed to study and build on the foundation Sabella left instead of scrapping it all, then I have to give this one to him. It was painful to watch shitty boring football. Directness and counterattacking are the most lethal weapons we have with these players. These tactics didn’t work at the WC in Brazil because we never had our attacking pack at their best of their ailities. That’s why Sabella had to adapt new tactics.
    But what I want to see is Argentina taking the game to the opponents directly and force mistakes consistently. And this is a match were we can experiment with 2 strikers.

    Secondly, this would be a good match to

  8. Martino will start without Messi and once again introduce him in the second half to ignite a spark. I wonder what Pekerman was thinking during the Panama match. “If I had introduced Messi instead of Julio Cruz against Germany in 2006 we would have been in the semi-final…”

    • The most painful thing was that MESSI and AIMAR were ignored in that game. The fresh pair could have had a tired German defense at their mercy.

    • In 2006, Messi was not half the man he is now, he kept dribbling and did not know how to slow down.
      After the Olympic 2008, he had started to know how to control the tempo of his game and he won the treble with Barcelona in that year eventually.

      • 2006 he was a part of Rijkaard’s Barca attack. Like you said he dribbled more, that would have cause more problems for tired German legs. And that’s my point. If you had seen how he played with Aimar in one of the friendlies. You’d wonder what might have been

        • I agree with Sabellista. Decision making always grows with experience. But Messi was not an unproven talent in 2006. He would have possibly rip through the defense. And remember he was always a great goal scorer. His skills and decision making to put the ball in the net was always amazing. His overall game has improved over time.

  9. Venezuela won’t be easy as some are predicting. They are doing good hopefully the boys will be careful with them.
    In unrelated news former fifa president gave interview to argentine paper(la nacion) and said that cl draws are fixed he said he himself was there in one occasion where the fix happened.real madrid draws especially last season came to my mind.corruption in football is much deeper then people think.

  10. Lets not use the reserve term, it is more on rotation of player as Albiceleste have a bundle of talents players on the beach. Kranevitter, Roncaglia, Biglia, Maidana, Cuesta and Aquero need a more playing time. It will be great if Higuain can be subs in second half and make a goal to boost his confidence as a lethal striker. The first half of the match likewise Panama will be more physical; we need a fresh and fit players with free yellow cards from previous game. With Messi we can be the champion. Only Tata need to be more focus and not doing any unnecessary things

  11. I was just worried about facing Mexico because of my Mexican relatives. They always get upset when Argentina knocks Mexico out of the WC. I’m glad we are avoiding them. I hope we don’t have to face the US either.

    • It’s funny listening to you guys. Let’s hope we don’t have to face Germany or Spain either.

      • I might have a serious problem if Argentina beat the US. My wife will be really upset at me for favoring Argentina over my home country. But I started following futbol because of living Argentina, they are my team forever and always. She just doesn’t feel that way about it.

  12. Listen, if ARGENTINA to be CHAMPS then they’ll take on whomever and wipe the floor with ’em, plain and simple and it doesn’t matter who it is.

  14. My problem with mexico is they are kind of unlucky for us in knock outs , yes we will win against them but the next match we will be our too.
    2010 wc, 2006wc and 2005 conf.

  16. If Mexico finish second they will travel to the East coast to play against Argentina in Boston. If Mexico finish first they stay on the West coast (Texas/California),this is where majority of their fan base are.

  18. You guys are funny, this Mexican team is average at best. Why should we avoid Mexico? Right now Venezuela is playing like a formidable team, it’s best to avoid an inform Venezuela. Argentina has nothing to fear about this Mexican team. Why not just try and avoid every team at the competition and just have the organizer hand the cup to us?

    • Exactly not trying to vaunt about the strength of our team here bt we shouldn’t fear anyone hereafter considering the players that we have in disposal..vamos argentina!

    • Kid,i think it was you who laughed at my comment few days back i was suggesting Venezuela looking tough for us! Again don’t write off any team since we weren’t that great in my opinion son far? Yes we have potential and ability but our management and players still blind about it.

  20. Mexico is losing so we could meet them next!
    I don’t want to play against them. My concern lies with this:
    – Germany has beaten us 90, 06, 10, 14 –> 4 times straight.
    – we lost the finals 90, 04, 07, 14, 15.
    – and it seems every time we play Mexico we beat them: 06, 07, 10 and then lose the next match.
    I want to overcome these jinxes so badly.

    • Add 2005 Confederation Cup final too. So, we already lose in 6 straight finals! Wish atleast half of them we won. 🙁

      Btw, facing Mexico in final will be interesting. Though don’t want a shocking result like last year’s final.

  21. Why our players can’t shot from a distance? They always want to move in the goal with a ball. I see player like Lanzini as answer.
    Too little movement. I see Lanzini as answer too. With his positive, joyfull running football without hang up and deffensive agression ideal player for our midfield.

    • Sure they can…but strategy policy dont allow it…in this case manager policy..banega at sevilla siesta do it..biglia and lamela..we saw it at cun

      • Add Pastore to the list of players who can shot too. Banega is also a decent free kicks taker on top of his long shot skill. If the players stay healthy Tata seems is on the way to find out the right strategy. Flexblity, reducing the number of defensive mids in order to let messi shine are some of the noviations Tata come with in this tournament so far.

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