Gabriel MERCADO, Hernan BARCOS and more score

1. Does anyone follow the Chilean media? For Chile the next match is just as crucial for WC qualification as it is for us. How is the mood in Santiago? What are the expectations?

2. when will he announce the squad… i know he makes same mistake… but im addicted to argentina national team… i want to say somthing to mr rojo fan.. fano alves won more titles then any right back.. from sevilla to barca to brazil.. confederation cup and copa america… we won nothing… spain won with good attacking full back same to portugal… rafeal gurrerrio now he is playing with lw with borrusia dortmand… germany won with philp lahm … best and inteligent right back… we have ass kicker rojo… he and some others ruinning messi international career that for sure..

   • Dude, I like how you skip 2014, which team again conceded 7 goals in one game at that World Cup? Better yet,which team conceded 10 goals in the span of five days at the 2014 World Cup? Oh wait, Brazil! When Alves won the Copa in 2007, Argentina had Zanetti, Ayala, Riquelme, Messi etc starting in the final yet they lost by three goals to zero.

     Only Brazil takes the Confederation Cup seriously because no other nation seems to take it as serious as Brazil.

     As I said, Germany won the World Cup with Howedes playing at LB. Zabaleta was as good as any RB at the 2014 World Cup, he was also coming off the back of City EPL title win in 2014. Well, Rojo plays for United, a bigger club than Dortmund. Rafael Guerrero being in or out of the Portugal team would make no difference on their negative defensive football. Portugal had way better wingbacks than Rafael in past competition yet they never won. Portugal won the Euro because of Eder, it’s that simple!!

     Don’t be consumed by hatred, it’s not good for you. Next time try and be more inform before replying back to my comment. 😉

3. It’s crazy how bloggers here constantly go on about the LB and right back position. All you need are capable top level players in that position who are good/great technically with the ball at their feet to win FIFA international tournament. You don’t always need Roberto Carlos and Cafu to win a world cup. Italy, Spain, and Germany won the world cup using makeshift players at the LB and RB position.

   Too often bloggers here are trying to compare European club football to the international game. Hmm, did Dani Alves and Marcelo win a world cup for Brazil? Did Ashley Cole and Neville won the world cup with England?

   Argentina was whisker away from winning the 2014 world cup, the team losing had nothing to do with our LB or RB position, same for the Copa America’s. If our attackers show up at tournament like they’re supposed to then nobody would be mentioning our defenders on these forums.

   You can talk about Monaco or any other club team players here all you want, the question is, how are they doing for their international teams?

4. Now it’s rather hard to belive that just 16 years old Maradona made his debut for Argentina in 1977. Just few months after his debut in 1 league.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRF0Qbj9sYM

   • 2 years before he won U-20 World Cup. Regardless dabatable question how good talents we have currently we need to introduce talented players earlier.

5. Mercado has been terrific since joining Sevilla, but sadly he too is being deployed as a center-half. At this point we have many talented CBs and wide midfielders but not many fullbacks or central midfielders. If we had a half decent coach i have no doubt that we would be playing with a back 3.

   Nevermind!

   • Istiaque, to your point:

     “DF Marcos Rojo, 4 — Was played out of position, given his fine form at centre-back this season, and it showed. Was too often caught out on the flanks, beaten for both speed and muscle, and it was no surprise the first goal came down his flank”.

     What else is new?

     http://www.espnfc.com/club/manchester-united/360/blog/post/3069670/zlatan-ibrahimovic-drags-manchester-united-to-efl-cup-glory-with-10-10-display

     • Fazio too is in form of his life and deployed as leader of a back 3.

       • At the moment I feel like we seriously need a deepline with 3 CBs. Mercado, Rojo, Fazio, Mascherano, Otamendi all could play in such system without making mistakes.

         We also have players like Lanzini, Lamela, Pereyra, Gaitan, Di Maria who are all capable of providing width and necessary defense on the midfield as wide midfielders. While we don’t have many central midfielders with creativity, players like augusto fernandez and Enzo perez can provide the ball retention and circulation traits. we need to create a system where the ball is moved to our forwards as quickly as possible and as close to the opposition area as possible.

         Anyway, these are just empty talks. When your manager is thinking interms of Masche-Biglia midfield is some kinda holy grail, not much improvement can come in your way.

     • Typical EnganChe spreading the English/ESPN media propaganda. I can see your distaste for Rojo is at an all-time high!!

       ”Was too often caught out on the flanks, beaten for both speed and muscle, and it was no surprise the first goal came down his flank”.

       That is pure nonsense, Rojo was not beaten for speed and out muscle which led to Southampton first goal. Martial was caught ball watching instead of running back to help out Rojo on the flank. Yet the same article failed to recognize Rojo assist on Jesse Lingard goal.

       • Kid, you are absolutely right on how harish and sheet English Media are against Argie players,especially when they play for Man utd-always the scape goats.

         Rojo is not doing bad,infact he won’t be a liablity if he started over any left flank candidate in the next two qualification matches.

         I was happy when he was dropped in the last matches against Brazil ‘n Columbia; but he recovered well, and the credit goes to his impressive performances of the last consequtive playing hours he recieved. He was terrefic at 2014 WC while regularly playing as CB for sporting Lisbon;same exact situation only this time with bigger club.

         I won’t mind seeing Mercado ‘n Rojo at the flanks. considering the strain of talents that the NT is facing in these fields; and taking in to account their height( joke of the year next to Bauza’s puke on Tagliafico’s omission.)

       • Kid, I’m just giving you the taste of your own medicine. I can also say that your distaste for Rulli(among other players) is at all time high, despite the evidence for his high level performances.

         As for Rojo, the guy is a decent centre-back but as a left-back he is a stopgap solution at best. I think Zabaleta who is past his prime and even Mercado can do a far better job on the opposite flank. As for his assist to Lingard’s goal, it was a really simple pass to an available player, hardly a world class cross to the area but whatever he and you can claim it as an assist cause it technically is. For the first Southhampton goal Rojo’s positioning was too narrow (which is an understandable tendency for a centre-back) and he failed to shut down a cross from a the flank he was responsible for.

         Here’s more English “propaganda” for you:

         “Roasted by Cedric in the build up to Southampton’s early disallowed goal and was at fault for Gabbiadini’s goal before half-time after he was dragged inside”

         http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-united-ratings-ibrahimovic-gea-12659583

         “Rojo: Had a really tough time. Was rinsed for the opening (disallowed) goal and never really looked settled”

         http://www.teamtalk.com/news/man-utd-v-southampton-ratings-pogba-stage-fright-ibra-decisive

         “Heavily involved in the intricate build-up to Lingard’s goal. Defensively awful. A weak link.

         http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4261892/Manchester-United-3-2-Southampton-PLAYER-RATINGS.html#ixzz4ZubvYzWa

         “Marcos Rojo –: Had some good impact going forwards but was caught out defensively a couple of times.”

         http://outside90.com/player-ratings-manchester-united-3-southampton-2-ibrahimovic-guides-united-to-efl-cup-glory/

         And the last one, probably my favourite:

         “Marcos Rojo – Another display that reminded everybody of the fact that, no, the Argentine is definitely not a left back.” OUCH!

         http://thepeoplesperson.com/2017/02/26/manchester-united-3-2-southampton-player-ratings-174799/

         Feel free to disregard and blame it all on the English “propaganda”.

     • Not really a surprise, as he has been playing bad as a LB since forever. For him to succeed as a LB you need two very dedicated defensive midfielders who does nothing but defend. Who the hell is going to do that except Bozo?

6. “I do what the Coach asks of me. I do well because I have a team working with me. Without the team, I am nobody.”

   AS Roma’s Radja Nainggolan after his brace against Inter last night, where Icardi and Perotti also scored.

   I’m wondering do Bauza ask our players to do anything? After the Brazil match i have lost all my faith in Bauza. That was a painful game to watch. Our play style reminded me about the game we lose 2-0 against Ecuador at Monumental. Surprisingly Bauza still opening his big mouth and saying he can make Argentina 2018 world cup champions. How? Becaus he has Messi!!

7. Why is our youth team’s performance in such an abysmal state?…At all levels ( U23,U20 and U17) we’re generally producing poor prospects. Oh by the way, we just lost to paraguay U17 by 1 goal to nil. If AFA doesn’t address this issue quickly, we will NEVER be able to see players like messi, aguero, mascherano, or even lavezzi and di maria being produced in future. What the hell happened to our prestigious local world renowned youth footballing schools such as Boca, river and even the recently spoken about rosario central school?? They used to churn out great talents almost every now and then. I wonder what went wrong suddenly? 🙁

   • vimaldass,

     It’s not suddenly for sure. The process of neglecting youth teams last long. Now we have what we deserved for. Problem is after all this U-20 WC triumphs AFA and enviroment belived we don’t need to do much because talent it’s enough to winning. Sins of pride and ignorance.

     • Hearing this from you is really damn sad. What happened to the talents from these famous youth footballing schools then? They are still fairly well managed right? As in boca, river and all
       Having said that, i remember the kind of players the great Ajax ( was ranked world number 1 if i faintly remember) footballing schools used to produce such as bergkamp, kluivert, overmars, de boer brothers, edgar davids and van der sar. The talents coming from there are now dearth to non existent nowadays. Fair to say that this may be a case of a ” golden era ” which has passed.

       Similarly, can we consider messi’s era which is already passing akin to theirs ? 🙁

       • We don’t even need as talented generation as the 2007 to winning. Assuming we have not such generation they still should win in most of matches. On Suadamericano U-20 this year I saw 2 different teams. Most of that tournament the one looking as if they were just lacking of enough talent. But then the game against Venezuela and you see managing and coaching is crucial things on this level because suddenly they were playing as Argentina with galore of chances.

         Talent is there but if you have not people to manage them since their youthness even Ezequiel Barco may look astray and nothing special. To be honest Barco on Sudamericano was running, throwing to and there but it was so chaotic and doomed to failure just because lack of proper role and managing.

         • Talents are there in Argentina clubs. We are still winning Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana. But too many players is neglected, left on their owns. And too many talented players of less popular clubs never unnoticed. How many is Boca players on this U-17 Sudamericano? I think too many. Monopoly of Boca or River is not good at all.

         • It’s hard to say what is the main reason finally but the most obvious is AFA problem since even coaches of youth teams are talking very openly about this as reason of collapse. We must only change the things and then will see wheter good talents we really have.

8. Again Suarez wasted what would have been a nice Messi assist, Suarez always need five miss chances before converting one or two. Messi assist count would be in high double figures only if Neymar and Suarez accuracy were consistent.

   Messi is way too content with his ambitious passes from 35 yards out. As I said earlier, as long as Messi play in and around the opponent 18 yard box he will always get the opportunity to score or be a threat on goal.

   I’m just hoping Argentina doesn’t use Messi like how Barcelona is currently using him.

   Sabella was the only coach that didn’t bring Barcelona style of play to the Argentina national team.

9. La Pulga time ‘n again, continue to save Barca’s ass.

   Glad to see Mercado scoring. From the 3 new defense faces only him that never betrayed the NT unlike Mas ‘n Mori.

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