César Luis MENOTTI: “The team does not have a vision”

1. If you want to see Argentina national football team winning the 2018 Russia World Cup,

   1) Have a logical mind. I see Messi haters are emotional rather than rational.

   2) Send Diego Maradona to a psychiatrist and never allow him to have an interview with anyone until the 2018 FIFA World Cup finishes.

   3) Read in order to grow mentally and reflect on you. Some biased fans have a prideful attitude of themselves to others and never admit they’re wrong.

2. We all know the biggest problem for Argentina is ‘no midfield’. We have top midfielders still cant play as a unit mainly because we use Two static DM in the line up. This doesn’t suit our team. It unbalance and divide our team as two unit.

   We can categorize our Midfielders as below;

   DM: Mascherano-Biglia-Kranevitter-Parades-Yacob etc

   We have Mascherano, hes playing as CB, hes nearing to retirement. Biglia good but slow. Kranevitter and Paredes still not ready. So how can we use 2 DM in the lineup ? We have only 4 players and none of them are suitable for one DM position for Argentina NT. At least we can pick one and one as sub based on who is in form. Yacob is not an option.

   CM:Perez-Agusto-Pizarro etc

   None of them are wold class. They are not bad either. Just OK. If the lineup needs one we can use one of them.

   AM: Pereyra-Perotti-Lanzini-Lamela-Piatti-Gaitan-Dimaria-Ocampos etc.

   This is where we have plenty of talents. We have to utilize that. Almost all got excellent speed as well.

   CAM:Banega–Vazquez-Pastore-Depaul-Lo Ceslso etc

   For me they are not great in defense or offense. But they are good to balance a team. Some are slow, some are defensively weak, some not ready. We can use one of them if needed.

   While going through these, what i think is that, instead of 4-2-3-1, the best suitable formation for Argentina is 4-1-3-2 or 4-3-2-1 depending up on the situation to utilize our strength in the attacking department without compromising on defense. We can do that.

   4-1-3-2

   RB—-Garay—-Otam—–LB-
   ———–DM————–
   Perey—–Lanzi——-Perot
   ——Messi—Dyba/Icar—-

   All 3 AM should be fast and good in defense too. We have enough players in this category. They may not be great defensively but they can do their task and all have good stamina. This lineup is best as it is not depend up on any player. If somebody injured we will have enough players to replace them.

   or

   4-3-2-1

   RB—-Garay—-Otam—–LB-
   Perey——-DM——-Perot
   ——Messi—-Dybala—–
   ———-Icardi———-

   Here Dybala and Messi can drop deep and give balance when need. We have to use this only when Messi and Dybala is inform and fit. If one of Dybala or Messi not available we have to use CAM instead of a forward and shift to 4-3-1-2 as below.

   4-3-1-2

   RB—-Garay—-Otam—–LB-
   Perey——-DM——-Perot
   ———–CAM————
   —Messi/Dyb–Icardi——

   I think this will resolve our midfield issue. Now we need to worry only about LB/RB positions. I think we dont have enough players there to try.

3. Maradona: “I’d like to (return to coaching) but in football there’s a big mafia. The world of coaching is dominated by agents not by merit”.

   It is embarassing to listen to your teenage hero talk stupid like this. Which team in senses would ask him to coach, having seen his single team.

4. I believe Menotti is right but not when he talks about Messi’s friends. winning is achieved based on merit and not friendship. this is what messi has to understand or we will never win.
   the coach is to be blamed for allowing himself to be powerless.
   if you aren’t man enough, don’t take the job to be a puppet.

   From the 60 man list mentioned by Bauza I have read Belluschi mentioned. I can tell Buaza NOW, don’t waste your time like I said about Pratto. They are good guys and all but they will never be NT material and so is Marco Ruben.
   Belluschi is 33 years old.
   the players mentioned being watched are not promising at all.

   • Knowing the personality of Messi, I doubt whether he would have dictated to the coach on the players that need to play for Argentina. Banega who is close to Messi was dropped for 2014 WC. In a press conference in 214 WC Messi mentioned that he was very impressed with Pastore, Sabella did not play Pastore. This big ego issue of Messi is just for me a press speculation. I can’t believe that Messi is demanding and dictates either the team or the formation. Wish he does that because all the coaches from Maradona to Bauza have been playing a 6-4 combination literally without attacking midfielders

     • There is no point in arguing with those who blame Messi even if he plays or not. The same crowd would be shouting at the coach, if he didnt have picked Kun, saying how can you ignore one of the best goal scorers of EPL.
       It is such a pity of the modern internet world that, someone repeats something twice and every one keeps repeating it without checking for any reason. Some stupid journalist – now my doubts are ever increasing that this kind of rumours are always hand work of the Maradona camp, listening to repeated comments, unbelievable ones, of Maradona, – can say something without any proof whatsoever, and people blindly repeat it. It is funny that there was news that it was Masche who objects picking Icardi, but no one repeats it, but anything about Messi gains momentum right away.
       I like to believe that if Messi was the kind to insist on the presence of Aguero, then with his love for the NT, he would have more insisted for a better coach. He is not that type.
       Not a single colleague of his or coach or staff member has ever said anything negative about this guy. Even Zlatan, who said Messi liked to be in the centre and I didnt play there anymore, havent even once spoken of Messi without respect and love.
       What a pity state of affairs it is when a player has to single handedly take the blame, when all he has done is sugar coating his super stars around with his efforts on the field and has to take the blame for a loss, even if he is not in the squad.
       This team, now I will say, played 3 consecutive finals, thanks to this man.

   • We were playing better and balanced in first half of WC 2014 final. Suddenly one of our great player of the day Lavezzi subbed off and Aguero came in. Team was unbalanced after(Mourinho mentioned this once). He was not fit enough also. This was the biggest mistake we have done that day. (May be Aguero used Messi to get playing time in final.This is my thinking.)

     • yes of course Aguero gets playing time using his ties with Messi, it’s no brainer….the entire world knows that.

5. I blame Pekerman for:
   – leaving Zanetti at home
   showed cowardice, could have solved it by talking.
   – always trying to protect the lead.
   showed cowardice, backfired against Croatia, England, almost against Ivory coast and finally against Germany.
   – Not trusting Messi
   showed cowardice, he should have put messi in the game.
   – playing Riquelme against the Netherlands
   showed cowardice, Riquelme insisted on playing but he should have stood up to him and said no.
   Simply put he was a little bit a coward and it cost us.
   Other than that, he is the best coach we had because his 2006 team had a clear vision, he was a visionary.
   simply put it was a team with clear ideas and playing style that was later copied by many.
   he could play all kind of formations. In every game he played a different formation, changed it during the game and could adapt.
   he made Germany toothless in Germany until his cowardice got a grip of him.

6. If Icardi played istade of Aguero/Higuain against paraguye argentina also lost the match. Dimaria lost his old touch and whole MF sucks messi control the who MF playing xavi/inesta role plus his role, messi can’t win every match single handly, Aguero is succesful in city due to silva KVB, Messi has xavi/inesta/raketic but who is the playmaker in argentina squad. Aguero is 100times better than Icardi, higuain is also better than icardi but choker so i will pick Icardi over higuain anytime, it was not maradona/pele era where one can make difference it is man mark era and team game

7. For me Buuza is better than simeone/potechino because they are choker unlike ancelotoci who isn’t great in leauge game but knows to win champion leauge turnement. Bauza won two CL which is as much difficult as UCL but underated.

8. Argentina is struggling in worldcup quallifing 2018 (despite no1 in Fifa & big names) just like Brazil struggled in worldcup quallifier 2002(no1 in Fifa that time n big names) rest is history. Winning the leauge and winning a turnement are different Bilesa topped argentina in 2002 WCQ with record 43points what happen there after, same goes to sabela both choks in crucial time. Bauza won two CL with different teams he know how to win a turnement and perform at knockout stage reason AFA chose him, lossing competive game is better than final because a team week link shows when team isn’t performing unlike Tata era, now every argentina match is like knockout we don’t need to top on the group need to make strong squad like germany 2014 or brazil 2002 sometime not winning the match benifit team portugal won 2016 euro is the best example

   • hahaha, what a stupid logic…..Argentina is underwater now after all those loses….catch me if you can what other teams are screaming.

9. Really sad to see another pathetic display from the Argentina team. The issue from 90’s has always been a coaching one. Never have the right players been picked nor the right tactics adopted. And we have the soccer illiterate folks blaming Messi either on the ground of passion or on the ground of getting his friends on the team. Even if Messi is not involved with the matches the losses are attributed to him. I am a fan of Argentine football for the last 30 plus years. I like Messi the same way as I used to adore Maradona, Batistuta, Aimar, Zanetti..
   The fundamental issue is not all about players only, it is also about the tactics of the coaches. To begin with in terms of team selection even if Guardiolo/Simeone/Pochettino coach Argentina today they will pick Higuain, Mascherano and Aguero. You look at all the successful coaches they pick players that are in form first and who will fit into their way of playing. For me today everyone seems to be focussing on strikers. Even if Icardi would have played the result would have been the same. Please watch the matches in Europa League on what Icardi has done. He is surely a talented forward and for sure needs to be in the team. But when there is no link between defense and strikers, the result is what we see. Pekerman was the only coach who had the right tactics but with the wrong set of players playing. He built the team around midfielders which is essential for consistent result. Right from Sabella to Martino to Bauza the issues are two fold
   Player selections:
   Not picking in form players who are confident
   Sticking to players they have worked in past
   Scared of fielding young blood
   Non regulars at club level
   Incompetent tactics:
   Not playing to strength
   Ignoring midfield and focusing only on defense
   Lack of clarity of fullbacks who seldom contribute in attack/defense
   Players used out of position
   Not adopting and making changes in a game
   Change tactics when the team is in the finals
   If any coach sits and analyze the above points he will understand the issues with the current team. With Messi around many of this have not impacted the result. But again Messi is human. I am sure the likes of Guardiola will be sitting on the above points to look at opportunities to improve. Another common issue that surfaces from interview of many players is the pressure they are under playing for Argentina. Could be due to AFA, Press, Fans etc. This is another aspect where the coach also plays a key role. I hate the philosophy and tactics of Sabella. But I think he managed the players well in terms of taking pressure off them. If the pressure on the player is high needless on what the coaches go through. I guess this is where the coaches are scared to touch a combination that has been working well.
   For me Bauza is here to stay. Based on the games he has been incharge, he is no different from any of the previous coaches. Infact he has been sub par even compared to Martino. Hope I am wrong. If he needs to get Argentina back on track, he needs to fix the midfield and the full back positions. Once that is done we will surely qualify for the world cup. Otherwise we can keep expecting Messi to do some magic and leave rest to the unknown.
   I would go with the following team
   Icardi
   Dybala – Messi
   Lanzini – Vasquez – Mascherano
   Tagliafico-Garay-Otamendi-Peruzzi
   Rulli
   My backups
   Higuain,Agureo, Correa, Pereyra, Kranwitter,Banega, Pastore, Funes Mori, Mussachio, Zabaleta, Mercado, Willy Cabellero
   While preparing the list the point that stands out is talent in midfield and defense is very limited. I want Mascherano in the team because he is one of the few footballers in the game who organizes and directs a team in the game. Everyone makes mistake but without Mascherano we would have conceeded much more than what the mistakes have resulted in. DiMaria, Rojo and Romero need to go. DiMaria is playing the worst football in his career and surely needs to sort his game at club level. Regarding the youngsters not one player stood out in Olympics. Anyway even with the above team the tactics of Bauza will come into play. Unfortunately I am seeing an end to another generation of Argentine football with no wins and the future looking bleak. Qualification and Success in WC18 will again hinge on Messi. Fact is Messi made this average set of players into World no 1 team without winning any tournament. Whatever that stands for. Messi haters are hoping to build a team without Messi and hope lady luck will help us qualify for WC. You can keep cribbing that Messi picks the team, he decides the tactics and everyone needs to play the ball to him. Absolutely unsubstantiated and speculative is all i can tell. Banega Messi’s buddy was left out of the WC 14 squad.

   • http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/lionel-messi-wasnt-appreciated-took-9033141
     A good article by Graham Hunter in dailyrecord

   • Excellent write up! Agreed with almost everything. And feel the pain of yours. 30 years….that says it all! 🙁

10. Spot on, mister Menotti.
    Our current and previous coach do not have a vision, they do share a common credo: never change a losing team.

    Maybe they can start a comic duo Tata & Bozo.

11. Every clown can now suck it if he still believes Leo and Sabella are not the reason the team broke so many jinx. With out them the team would ve been the worst version of the 2002 prey.

    Currently the team is vissionless, of course. With out any plant to integrate youth for 2018 WC. Bauza is the worst vissionless coach even worse than the worst Argentian coach ever. How can he take the bunch of over 30 players,less motivated to Rusia,though he knows they are struggling in their late 20s for qualification matches.

    Next moves shall interalia include;

    1. Biglia/Augusto/Perez shall take over Mascherano-He is done.

    2. Get rid off all of the full backs,except Mercado.

    3. Integrate young mid and avoid wings at all. Rotate players like Peryera,Ascacibar,Pizarro,Banega,Vasquez,Perez/Augusto. Two energitic players and one additional composed player with a good ball passing skill,preferably Banega/Vasquez,if he is legible to represent Argentina.

    4. The above mid combo is only effective if the team has 3 lunged full backs-preferably from local leage.From what i read Soto,Tagliafico and Gomez are the legit candidates to fill the gap. Please not Zaba,Rojo or Rocanglia.

    5. Center back pairs shall always be Otanendi and Garay and then keep Funes Mori,Parejo and Muscchio as back ups.

    6. Three up front players shall always be; Messi, Dybala, and one more mentally strong player like Icardi/Alario.

    Then implementing right formation that link and involve all of the players starting from Rulli-yes him not Romero any more,would make every player to work hard.

    Read the game and over capitlize on Midfields and Full backs not on the millions of forwards that Argentina has currently that apparently the whole world including dumb asses like Maradina can even see it.

    Midfield+Midfield+Midfield is the only solution.

12. I love his comment about Bauza learning. I hope he can turn this around when he has had some more time working with the team.

    (Where have all our good midfielders gone, anyway?)

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