Edgardo BAUZA: “PRATTO has a good chance of being my 9”

By
Roy Nemer
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44
Edgardo Bauza Barcelona
Edgardo Bauza Barcelona

Edgardo BAUZA spoke about the number 9 position, MESSI, MASCHERANO and more.

Speaking to a radio station in Argentina, new National Team coach Edgardo BAUZA revealed who could be his starting number 9 in the team. Here’s what he had to say:

“We’ll see who will start alongside MASCHERANO; maybe BANEGA can play a bit further up. And up front, PRATTO has a good chance (of being the number 9) but it’s between him, AGUERO and ALARIO.”

“MESSI’s important and will wear the captain’s armband. But there’s six, seven players who are also symbols (of the team), who share the same idea. In this team, it’s not just one captain.”

“In the National Team, one plays with his best players against the best players. That means you can’t do anything wrong, that mistakes cost you a lot. At the international level, everyone has to attack and everyone has to defend. The other day I saw MESSI running to win back the ball in a friendly match. Why can’t he do it? There’s no use having two defensive midfielders if the others don’t help out.”

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44 Comments

  1. My List 4-2-3-1

    Sergio Romero

    Mercado Mascherano Funes Mori Alexis Soto

    Mauricio Martinez Ivan Rossi

    Messi
    Oscar Benitez Dybala

    Erik Lamela

    Erik lamela , Dybala ,Oscar benitez can be central forward

  2. I said before the Olympics that Calleri is at Luciano Figueroa level a good player but not someone who leads you to titles.
    Pratto is a waste of time, but we have time to waste it seems.
    Alario got some talent that he must unlock, good call.

      • Gonzalo,
        No and yes!
        was at the beach with only my phone for over a week, I hate to typing on phones and now have some personal things to sort out, so no time to say something.
        I feel that I am saying the same things over and over again, I have become redundant.

  3. man oh man oh man….lucas pratto is 28, same with higuain.
    whilst we have icardi who is only 23, and vietto now 22 to be any days of number 9 for argentina.
    but no, the coach brought in lucas pratto.

    • That’s exactly what I felt Leandro of all the times I watched him. He seems to have some physical traits and this general feeling of “being a constant pest to the defenders” which is quite useful.

      If I had to pick a similar player, someone like Diego Costa (minus being an a-hole 🙂 ) . Someone who the defense just hates playing completely because they never seem to go away and are hell bent on making life miserable for you!

      • I think we need a poacher. Thumbs up. Hell, I think Higuain as a second striker would even work with Pratto for the wualifiers (assuming Napoli form), Higuians natural position, and where his best goals come is outside the box… but.. I rather he be on the bench a while. He probably will be both at Juve and NT a lot rhis year.

  7. According to football-italia,Inter is going to activate Alario’s 15 million release clause.Weird considering Icardi,Jovetic already there.Inter is not a team that can spend 15 million at once for a bench player.Either Icardi may leave,or they want 2 striker system,nothing sure!

    • There is no common yardstick here. Every team is growing gradually as go forward. Brazil first two games are best example. They were in similar or worse situation before the third game as we were. You need also a bit luck in tournament.

      • We were regularly shit in all 6 matches (no development), Brazil dominated all the tournament against everyone with good posession football, and with a lot of chances created, they were the boss in every games they’ve played, and their defense is great too. Only the luck missed before.
        Vamos Nigeria from now!

        • Csabalala, if you didn’t saw any developement so you didn’t saw a much. We are talking about 3 matches and not 6. Brazil had more friendlies and far more time together before tournament than we had and they still struggle to quarter final. “Only the luck missed before”. What about our luck and missed chances against Algeria and a lot of against Honduras? Only Calleri had 10-15 chances in all tournament. But it is true: defence rather was not in progress.

          • I hate Brazil, but they definitely deserve this shit, the only team who takes 100% seriously this Olympics. (best squad, and his superstar too ). Gabriel Barbosa, Gabriel Jesus, Neymar trio like Dybala, Icardi, Messi.

          • At one end of scale is Brazil with his long term and professional preparations to Olimpic Games – at the other end is Argentina as wild country with their Sodom and Gomorrah and absolute improvisation.

            Ancient history

  10. I kind of like the Pratto call. I saw a few of his games in the past on web streaming (call me desperate)and I have been impressed every time.He seemed to have a few traits that we have lacked in the past.

    1. Big target man- physical presence and is an total nuisance to play against
    2. Good header, average-to-decent dribbler.
    3. Good shot on goal with his strong foot – good power
    4. Tireless runner
    5. Doesn’t give up

    Now , take it with a large grain of salt since he still has not shone at the highest level. But nevertheless, I will be interested to see if he gets a fair run of 3-4 games before passing judgement.

    I don’t get the man-crush on Icardi here quite honestly. We only hear about him on the games he scores a goal. There are many games that he is completely anonymous in, and even a lot of Inter fans are a bit frustrated with him.

    Maybe it’s because Higuain $ucks massive balls in the critical moments that many folks are desperately hoping that Icardi is the answer?

    Just isolate the 2 subjects for a moment and just consider Icardi individually. Do you all really think he is THAT good? Or is it just that we are so desperate for a #9 and we want him to get a chance?

    • Icardi is good enough,no doubt about that.He is a predator inside the box,almost all of his goal is from inside the box.He hardly misses any chances,you can count on him to finish off chances that Higuian missed but he does not offer much in build up play.If there is a build up play to goal,his first touch will be the last of total play to goal,in most cases. He can loose his markers with movements,but does not possess the special skills to get better of them.Icardi can score with head if ball reach his head,but he is no aerially imposing striker.

      Icardi has his plus and minuses.He will be a fantastic striker for a midfield oriented team like Arsenal.But not for a possession and skill based team like Barcelona,that’s why he left Barcelona.Barcelona has their no 9,but Suarez is totally something else.

      For Argentina,If we analyze Bauza’s two new striker,Alario and Pratto,both have good finishing and heading,but also offer something with their feet.Alario can beat one or two player with ease,Pratto contributes a lot in build up play and he can hold the ball really well.Both of them excellent with header,which is missing in case of Higuain,Aguero and Icardi.So perhaps Bauza wants skilled strikers rather than a specialist finisher.

      • personally id like an icardi in the team as we need a clinical finisher and that he certainly is , their is to much obsession with having players to be jack of all trades and that is fine but in finals when chances are few and far between do we want a striker to hold up the ball and run around a lot (as we have had the last 10 years) or a striker who just goes for goal.
        in the last season he has one of the best shot to goal rates in Europe and you have to remember mancini’s rubbish and super defensive tactics isolated icardi game a lot, we now see manchini is fired.

        we need and out and out “fox in the box” as they say and icardi look to me to be the closest and best we currently have to being one.

        • Hmm, thanks Pablo and Mafioso. Going to respect what you guys feel about Icardi. Somehow I just don’t see it with him though and I am sure it’s not a popular view on here these days .

          I hope if and when he does get a chance, he makes me eat crow.

        • Pablo another thing! I am really impressed with Lamela these days. Guy is such a thorn to play against.

          Wont happen I know, but I ponder what will happen if Poch plays him as a false 9. Lamela’s movement, workrate and constant harrassing would make it hellish for central defenders, drag them out of position and open up wide spaces for others to exploit.

          • thevickerman: I’m the same on lamela-really impressed with his progress, he really works hard, never gives up and has added a very hard streak to his game becoming an enforcer as well-I’m impressed with him as i never thought he would be like that.
            he has become a massive favourite with the spurs fans as well.

            I just want Icardi to be given a fair chance and if he cant do it then so be it but he really does deserve that chance to see what he is made of and we have nothing to lose at all by trying him.
            one thing I will say is he certainly does not lack any confidence.

    • Icardi is not that good like everyone thinks. What really impact does he have in Inter Milan?? 1 goal every two or three games. Some games he is quiet. He is all hype. Dybala is the best among the two by miles. Does Icardi have impact like Diego Milito did? No. Btw Pratto reminds me of Diego Milito – whoever said he is like Batistuta needs to be slapped without remorse. Pratto is also no Klose, he is more of a Mario Mandžukić. Since Pratto reminds me of Diego Milito, then he is not a good fit for Argentina as Diego Milito could never have the same impact with Argentina as he did in Inter. And here’s the moment of sad truth – Higuain is Argentina best choice for striker (when fit) period. Don’t blame him for misses when he only has one chance in a game to score as no one creates chances for him in Argentina – Even CR7, Zlatan, Kane, Suarez get to miss 4-6 chances before they score in a game. In all finals Higuain was the only fighter ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD CUP… NO ONE FOUGHT FOR THE SHIRT, HE EVEN TOOK A HIT FROM NUER OUTSIDE PENALTY BOX.. Watch the final again, Argentina was doomed when they brought in scary looking Aguero for Hiquain in the WC Final. Before then Argentina was still a threat to win game Because of Higuain. World Cup 2010 Higuain was leading scorer.. 2016 Qualifier, Higuain was tied leading scorer – The team need to play for the striker and supply the striker with the ball period!

  11. Pratto on his inclusion:
    n addition, he explained why this call was given previously, and their expectations in the selection. “The truth is that it was difficult to think of a call with the previous coach (Martino), since it had a base that was going well. Makes me happy to share training and roster with players of that level. I want to show you the Paton bauzá that I can play with the Argentina shirt,” told Pratto in Continental Closs.

    “Already training myself with the team excites me,” closed.

  12. The first think Bauza could do is not playing 4 CB with 2 holding midfielders and I will be a huge fan!

    – Mercado is not a B
    – Rojo is not a LB
    – Mascherano and Biglia should never ever play together

    So far he has been saying interesting things. But lets see if he starts making changes in the system or not. Its good that he is not seeing Dybala as a number 9 like Tata.

  13. No good wing backs are there yet.so defense will be like back 4 for sure.atleast try to find some good ball playing lb/rb who can pass and cross the ball effectively.the target man no. 9 pratto,icardi,alario or who ever must have a good header of the ball and finishing.dont know who suits best to that position with our current players.
    In the midfield there will be mache as a destroyer.paredas/augusto/perrarya/lanzini/banega all suits to make a 4-3 or 4-2-1or 4-1-2.with messi and dybala upfront.
    Romero/rulli
    ?-otamendi/mori-musachio/garay-?
    Macherano. Paredas/augusto/perrarya lanzini/banega/
    Dybala. Dimaria/lamela/gaitan
    Messi

    Or bring in icardi/pratto and use
    Dybala messi
    Pratto/icardi upfront

    • Dybala is not a winger. He never played on the wings. He is either a right Forward or a second striker. You could also play him on central forward position.

  14. “The other day I saw MESSI running to win back the ball in a friendly match. Why can’t he do it? There’s no use having two defensive midfielders if the others don’t help out”.

    A groundbreaking words finally. Someone dare to talk about Messi with more critical words at all. As far as Bauza will not handle with some famous players as it was always before there’s a chance for something really revolutionary.

  15. good dicision.I think pratto is more effective than kun or higuen.but million dollar question is will he(p)become good finisher like luise suarez???

  17. That is interesting, Tata wanted dybala to play as a 9… Bauza said the #9 is between alario, Prato and aguero. That means dybala on the front wing.. Maybe dimaria sub which is great because even when dimaria comes out messi has someone to run with. And finally two attacking midfielders if “banega plays more forward!”

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