Argentina to play against Peru at La Bombonera

1. Portugal was the best team at the 2015 UEFA U21 championship hence the reason why Portugal was able to inject new players to the senior team who then went on to win the 2016 European Championship. I don’t like England but I wouldn’t be surprise if they win the next European championship in 2020 given their recent performance of their youth teams at the FIFA U20,the UEFA U19 and U21 tournaments.

2. Papu Gomez won the youth u20 World Cup in 2007. So I have no problem with him. My argument was that putting the likes of Lanzini and Gomes in the same line up cause confusion and this was against an average Signapore team. Gomes is a solid player, I have no problem with him. As for Correa(Sevilla), he is a good player. The problem is, he had a good game against Liverpool and everyone is saying why Sampaoli never select him. How in the world is Joaquin Correa going play in a 3-4-3 formation as a wingback? Correa is effective in the attacking third and in a 3-4-3 he would be ask to defend a lot. Now if Sampaoli decide to go 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 Correa would be way more effective for Argentina. I said Argentina was better during the U20 tournament, but England had a better team structure and plan. There strategy was simple, get the ball over to the big man Solanke and the other kid who plays for Everton. England was far more prepared and had a more disciplined team than Argentina 2017 youth team.

   • You must watch Liverpool – Sevilla and notice as Correa is tracking back. For this reason I think the best position for him, with his physical conditions, would be box-to-box. Like Lucho Gonzalez once. To play with him as forward is just waste his abilities while forwards have not many touches during a game.
     As for me I was for Correa to be called up yes he was in Sampdoria, so not that after last CL performance.

     “I said Argentina was better during the U20 tournament, but England had a better team structure and plan. There strategy was simple, get the ball over to the big man Solanke and the other kid who plays for Everton. England was far more prepared and had a more disciplined team than Argentina 2017 youth team”.

     Mostly agreed, but I don’t think England have much more disciplied team. Ok, in defence they have, but our midfield and attack were really superior to them. We created opportunities with easy, unlike England. They and Coreans have scored because of our defence blunders and a much of luck.

     And still, when we are agreed that we had more talented players than ENgland on that tournament, that’s premise to follow and soon incorporate at least some youngsters of that team. We don’t need won U-20 World Cup to see and pick just few players that were really noticeable. It’s not that whole U-20 teams are transponed to senior teams. Mascherano, Aguero, Higuain, Messi, Banega, Biglia – they joined senior team in different years, not all together. It’s not that we must incorporate almost whole youth team if them won something, or ignorate whole youth team just because they didn’t won.

   • And I can’t understand one more thing form your posts. Once you’ve said not only Argentina clubs football is in crisis but also whole South American club football. That they are nowhere near to level of Europe.

     But below you are praising the South American NT football in comparison to European while must notice that teams like Peru still mostly based on South American players. And they do well.

3. Sampaoli is trying to see as much players as possible, even while in a critical situation. Therefore, when a player get dropped from the team, it doesnt mean that they are subpar, but much more that Sampaoli wants to see how another player would do in that position.

   That’s the case for Nacho, JLGomez, Papu, and plenty more. Sampaoli seemed to have his core players which imo is Romero, Mercado, Otamendi, Biglia (recently moved out of the list), Banega, Messi, Icardi, ADM, Dybala. These guys will be always be in the squad. At the same time, he’s trying to get youth players like Bustos to get accustomed to the NT environment for future needs (Maybe next year you never know).

   Thats my interpretation of the situation.

4. I meant to say Spain won the 2011 UEFA Championship not 2009. Back to back champions in 2011 and 2013. And yes, I’m a huge proponent of youth development in every field. Alison Felix and Usain Bolt were the best in track and field at youth levels. Usain Bolt even broke the junior records at the youth Championships. Lebron James went straight from high school to the NBA.

5. KidultHood,

   our NT young player, Emiliano RIgoni, just scored against top European club, Vardar 😛 What do you think?

6. In my humble opinion, the truth lies somewhere inbetween. I agree with Mafioso that our players sometimes seem that they don’t even know the basics from football but at the same time i agree with Gonzalo as well. I admit that we don’t have the insane amount of talent we used to have like the 90s and 00s where we used to have legends in almost every position but i don’t think that suddenly our players are rubbish either. It ihaves the mentality of the players that it is broken due to the current situation we are in. That is why it is decided to play Peru in la bombonera. But lets get things straight here, our current situation was caused not only because of the afa and our previous coaches but due to the players as well and i am not talking about their performance here. I am talking about the fact that most of our players were unavailable almost every time we had a qualifying game, especially at Tata’s tenure. The amount of players that were unavailable due to injuries as well as the frequency of these injuries were beyond sanity! No other team had so many injuries almost every time were going to start and having also Tata on the helm, what should we expect?

   Personally, i don’t think that Argentina lacks talent in comparison to other teams. They have just hit the bottom at least for a year now and now where finally a proper coach took over, he and to clear all this mess with just four crucial games to go. I feel sorry for Sampaoli.

   Throughout all these years, i have realised that there are four main factors needed for a team to become world champion:

   1. Talented players. As i said before, barring Messi, we may don’t have all time legends as we used to in most of playing positions, but i believe that we still have world class players among with other talented players as well as many talented youngsters to come, therefore i don’t think talent is the case.

   2. Managers. Enough have been said already about this topic and i think that we all agree here that people who were rensponsible on selecting managers for Argentina, were acted like amateurs to say the least!

   3. It is a topic that quite many times kid and many other fellow Albiceleste fans have put here and i am 100% with them on this! Germany has the money to make modern facilities, to upgrade their league and keep most of its player in their league, they even made their own facilities in Brazil for wc 2014 and surely they don’t hire managers such as Tata and Bauza to be in charge for their national team! Argentina on the other hand, used to have managers hired by afa due to low salary and these managers were suitable of taking over 3rd grade teams but they still were in charge in one of the most legendary teams in the history of world football!

   4. Luck. Some may disagree with me on this and they are very welcome to do so, but in my humble opinion we suck on this department! I have seen teams wining not because they were the best but because they had a little bit more luck needed.

   I love this team like everyone here does and what really irritates me to say the least is not so our current state but the fact that a team such as Argentina should have won at least 3 world cups but instead we haven’t won a wc for 31 years and a major trophy for 24 years! This is insane, it is insane that we reached 3 consecutive finals and we lost them all, no other team has managed to do that, it is way to annoying to me to say that Argentina is the biggest paradox in world football!

   Anyway, i apologise for the burst of my emotions, every failure hurts but makes me love this team even more and the same i believe for everyone in here and i hope that we will rise again the soonest possible!

   VAMOS ARGENTINA!!

   • Waveride

     as for me best comments from you. It’s hard thesedays not to go to extemities in diagnosis and find a bit common sense, proportions in all the things as well.

7. off topic, Edgardo Bauza goes to the WC… He was named coach of Saudi Arabia who have already qualified. He replaces Van Marwijk.

   • He will show us one day 😉

     • It would be irony if he would go and Argentina misses out. I surely hope not.
       Let’s hope we make it and draw Saudi Arabia in the group on December 1st.

8. It’s laughable reading comments here saying Argentina doesn’t have world class midfield/good midfielders. Do we have to talk about this non-issue on every single thread whenever Argentina name comes up? It’s easy to look world class in Europe when you play Rock of Gibraltar or Faroe Island etc. In CONMEBOL, qualifiers are usually tougher than the actual world cup itself pre quarterfinal and even some CONMEBOL qualifiers are tougher than world cup semifinal games, i.e. Brazil vs Turkey 2002 world cup. Let’s stop pretending like the teams in Europe are playing high level games in the UEFA qualifiers. 9-0, 7-0, 8-0 etc. score lines? Is this even real competition? If say Germany or Spain played against Rock of Gibraltar or San Marino they can basically call up an academy team and still win comfortably. Germany, Spain, and France would struggle to win away in Bolivia or Ecuador like all other South American teams. Do Argentina have that same luxury as the European big teams in South America given that almost all the CONMEBOL teams have improved over the years? NO. Venezuela showed what having a good youth (U20) tournament can do for the senior team. Venezuela didn’t win the tournament, but given their status in world football at the senior level, being runners up at the 2017 U20 world cup was basically a win for them. What happen next is that Venezuela have a platform to build a team going into future tournaments and qualifiers and you saw little of it against Argentina from the U20 goalkeeper and a few others. This is what Argentina lacks; we have no continuity coming up through the youth ranks. Argentina haven’t had a successful youth team (or even one that was runners up to the actually winners) transitioning into the national team. You can’t blame Argentina national team coaches for sticking with the players they have now because the Argentina youth teams have been a joke in the last ten years. If the AFA doesn’t fix this underlining problem Argentina problem will persist for years to come.

   People here tend to celebrate a lot when local Primera players move to European clubs like Torino, Genoa, Malaga, Zenit, Sporting etc. This is what Argentina football as come down to, moving from Boca or River to a mediocre European club is seen as a big deal, the only big deal is the money the club receives during the transfer, as for the player, bad deal on his part and career. Not long ago Boca Juniors was highly ranked among the best clubs in world football, Boca was even rank in the top ten when it comes to best club in world football. These days are long gone and other country seems to have pass Argentina by. So yes, sit in your comfort zone and blame the current veteran players and coaches.

   Brazil world class midfield? If anyone here thing Paulinho, Renato Augusto and Fernandinho are world class they’re sadly mistaken. Are they solid players? Yes, and that’s about it. Brazil have a system in which they play unlike Argentina. Brazil can call up the worse player in the Brazil Serie A league and that same player would look like one of the best in the world playing for his country. Why? Because the Brazilian national team play the same as their youth teams and club teams, nothing changes, so as soon as these players are call up to the Brazilian national team they fit right at home. Compare to Argentina, the teams no matter which level of football being play always look scrappy and lack identity on a football pitch. For most people here they think by calling up the next player who had a good club game to the national team will solve the team problems, but how long have Argentina been using this tactic? It doesn’t work and only put the young players under tremendous pressure to perform which often time end their career on the national team before it even started.

   People here like to bring up Brazil, they won the Olympics for PETE SAKE! Why can’t that get into some people head? Success at U23/U21/U20 is always a good bench mark for the senior team. What Brazil did after the 2016 Olympics was continuity on the foundation Tite built at the Rio Olympics with the U23 Brazil soccer team.

   Spain was nothing on the world stage pre 2008, the Spanish team success started one place, La Masia, the golden age of Barcelona. La Masia (Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Puyol etc) was what started the resurgent of the Spanish national team on the world stage. Even when Real Madrid dominated in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, the Spanish national team was never beneficial from Real success because the club best players (the Galaticos) were from other countries. Despite Real Madrid having the likes of Fernando Morientes, Raul, Guti etc. Spain was never a treat on the world stage. The La Masia program was what change Spanish football for the good of their country, since the Golden generation of Barcelona, Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) opted to implement La Masia playing style to all level of Spanish football hence the reason why the youth teams have been so successful. The funny thing is, Spain had a better team on paper at the 2014 world cup than the team they had on paper at the 2010 world cup. The team that Holland had in 2014 which demolish Spain at the world cup was inferior to their 2010 world cup final runners up team, which goes to show that having the best players on paper doesn’t automatically turn into a victory. Spain is able to inject new life into the senior team because they’ve had quality players coming through the youth ranks in the last several years and the overall improvement of La Liga overtime have also had an impact on the Spanish national team. César Azpilicueta, Juan Mata, Thiago Alcantara, Dani Parejo (Can’t even get into the Spanish team), David de Gea, Javi Martínez, and Ander Herrera were all part of Spain 2013 U21 winning team. David de Gea, Asier Illarramendi, Nacho, Iñigo Martínez, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Álvaro Morata, Dani Carvajal, and Isco were all apart of Spain 2013 UEFA U21 Championship winning team. Spain went on to win back to back UEFA U21 championships in 2009 and 2013. So let’s sit here and all pretend these Spanish players came out of nowhere. All Spain prove is that youth success and youth development is and will be the key to success for the national team.

   Germany successful team right now and the injection of new players have come down to their investment in the country Youth football. Germany won the 2009 UEFA U21 tournament (for the first time in it’s history) with player’s like Manuel Neuer, Benedikt Höwedes, Jérôme Boateng, Sami Khedira, Mesut Özil, Mats Hummels who then went on to become regulars in the German national team. Germany also won the 2017 UEFA U21 Championship and I can assure you that players like Serge Gnabry, Mitchell Weiser, Davie Selke, Niklas Stark, Maximilian Arnold, Max Meyer, Davie Selke, and Marc-Oliver Kempf will be a part of a future German national team. Moreover, Davie Selke, Max Meyer and, Gnabry three players who were a part of the successful 2017, U21 German team took part at the 2016 Rio games for Germany. Also, Niklas Süle (already starting for Bayern Munich), Leon Goretzka, and the Bender brothers were also a member of Germany runners up team against Brazil at the Rio 2016 Olympics who then later went on to help Germany win the 2017 Confederation Cup. So as you can see, Joachim Löw just don’t go around Germany selecting random players from the local clubs to represent the German national team, they all came through Germany youth ranks, they have been tried and tested at youth tournaments playing for their country. The German players have built up an understanding with each other playing in the same system at youth levels. A lot of people never even heard or knew about Leon Goretzka until Germany won the Confederation Cup, but he was the captain for Germany at the 2016 Rio Olympics. So no, Leon Goretzka was not some random player select by Joachim Löw from the German Bundes Liga.

   Football is about order, development and good management. Argentina seems to have lost this. Argentina was like what both Spain and Germany football programs are today. It’s sad to see how low the AFA has come. Never know this day would come when a team like Venezuela (that defeated Germany U20 team) can make it to an U20 world cup final and in that same tournament Argentina was eliminated in the group stage. The youth teams in Argentina have no chemistry playing together and at the same time, the youth teams lack a playing philosophy. People here expect the national team coaches to select players who were mediocre at the last several U20 tournament (including the recent Olympics) and expect them to be elite players at the senior level, and while their might be a few exceptional players (Foyth and Lamela) in these failing Argentina youth teams over the years, this is not the way to go about making transition from the youth teams to the senior team, these players already have losing mentality at youth level, what makes you think guys who couldn’t even make it out of the U20 group stage are going to benefit the national team in the long run? And no, Nahco Fernandez is not as good as this guy on Mundo would like you to believe, at the end of the day, Nacho, Gomez, Tagliafico etc. are just average players who shouldn’t be anywhere Argentina national team. The Argentina Primera has become a boring average league that only develop strikers who are then sell overseas in order for the clubs to make a buck. I fell asleep every time I try to watch the Primera in its current state. I was watching River Plate the other night during a Copa Lib game against some Uruguayan club and the sad thing is, I barely see any consistent good passes, River couldn’t even put five sequence of passes together before the ball was turn over to the other side and a lot of unforced errors were made throughout the game. There is no quality level of football coming out of the Primera which could make up for Argentina abysmal showing at youth tournament hence the reason why Argentina football is where it is at today.

   We can talk about tactics all we want, and which midfielders are either slow or fast until the sun rises and set yet nothing will ever change for the good of Argentina football. The players should be learning certain football basics at 15 years old, not at the national team level. Even against Singapore, the only reason those new players look good was because of the quality of the opponent and even during the game you could see a lot of Argentina faults, it’s just that Singapore was so bad they couldn’t take advantage of Argentina mishap on the pitch. Gomes and Lanzini were constantly in each other way, Acuna was horrible in that game given the level of competition. Even against Singapore Dybala was miss controlling and over dribbling yet people expect the national team coach is going to teach senior players how to do basic things like dribbling and passing on the football pitch. I have said before that after Messi generation Argentina will struggle to compete on the national stage, and seeing how poor the youth teams have been over the past 10 years, I hope you’ll see where I’m coming from when I say Argentina will struggle post Messi/ Masche era. People mentality here is this; a player scoring 50 goals in Ukraine league, well bring him to the national team, a player makes some decent passes in midfield playing in the Portuguese league, bring him to the national team. Players doing semi good with mid-level teams like Malaga, Zenit, Eibar, Torino, Genoa, Watford etc with no top level players on their respective teams who they can learn from and improve their game, bring them all to the national team and everything will be all jolly and good as long as they’re young and have a new face.

   Until Argentina and the AFA tackle the root of the problem nothing will ever change for the long term of Argentina football. You guys can lambast the likes of Higuain, Di Maria, Masche, Biglia, Banega, Pastore all day long, but Argentina will never see players like this in a very long time after they call it a day. One more thing, Riquelme is no better than Banega or Pastore. The likes of Veron is no better than Biglia, and he is sure not close to Mascherano level, same for Cambiasso he is not better than Biglia in no way shape or form. Lucho Gonzalez is no better than either Pizarro or Augusto Fernandez. Zanetti effort for the national team was never better than Zabaleta. So let’s stop pretending as if the likes of Veron, Cambiasso, Riquelme, and Zanetti ever won the world cup or even made it to a world cup semifinal with Argentina. The players we have now are superior to what Argentina had in the mid 2000’s, the only difference with now and then is that Argentina at least had a functional AFA program in place during the 1990’s and early 2000’s.

   • Now I will not defend 2006 generation despite the comparisons above are crazy for me. It’s another extreme. Let someone other defend them this time.

     As always, youth teams topic:

     What makes always your statements so unreasonable at last is manipulations and . I don’t like manipulations and overkill.

     You are the one who, in different situation and context, have said: no way this U-20 World Cup Champion England was better team than Argentina. But in that moment you were trying to prove quite different question and in that moment it was convenient and consistent with your argumentation in context. And yes, probably you also watched Argentina U-20 against England, South Correa. Most of the game they were better team. In a moments even much better, playing attractive football. Here were comments like: finally our youth team is playing football that makes watching them a real joy. But they hadn’t a luck. All the conceeded goals were so puzzling as if they were fight against fate. That was good team without a luck. And we still left most of best players in home.

     But youth teams it’s not all. You can’t to say senior NT is straight transposition, introduction of player U20 team. What about talents from behind the youth teams.

     “People here tend to celebrate a lot when local Primera players move to European clubs like Torino, Genoa, Malaga, Zenit, Sporting etc. This is what Argentina football as come down to, moving from Boca or River to a mediocre European club is seen as a big deal…”

     What’s wrong they are going to medium clubs. That is better for start than go to big club and to be benchwarmers We know a lot of this kind. Take Joaquin Correa. He had a time. First Sampdoria which is abuse for you. Step by step and he is scoring in CL against Liverpool. Lanzini was before Persian Gulf player. Was that any barrier for him to be now appreciated in Premier League? Papu Gomez was long in Catania and n Ukraine. Was that any barrier for him to be now one of 3 best players in Serie A?

     Yes, we had many transfers from Argentina to Europe before season. Unlike you were predicted when talking about no transfer rumours…

     And what about Boca. I noticed long time ago that people that know little about Argentina leauge are always talking only about Boca or River. But who is following the leauge he knows it’s much more. Boca is not winning Copa Libertadores in last years (still Independiente won the cup more times) but maybe you haven’t noticed that Estudiantes, San Lorenzo and River have do that. Boca Juniors currently is getting better and better. Let’s wait for next edition of Copa Libertadores.

     “Even against Singapore, the only reason those new players look good was because of the quality of the opponent and even during the game you could see a lot of Argentina faults, it’s just that Singapore was so bad they couldn’t take advantage of Argentina mishap on the pitch. Gomes and Lanzini were constantly in each other way, Acuna was horrible in that game given the level of competition. Even against Singapore Dybala was miss controlling and over dribbling”.

     What for to back to Singapur game to say Acuna was horrible while he was good and had assist in last match, much more important one. That is manipulation.

     “Nahco Fernandez is not as good as this guy on Mundo would like you to believe, at the end of the day, Nacho, Gomez, Tagliafico etc. are just average players who shouldn’t be anywhere Argentina national team” – You just know that befer they were really tested. As always ‘a priori’ judging makes you ridiculous.

     • To say that barrier for new, young players in NT is justifiable because of poor results of youth teams is deflecting attention while we have the likes Joaquin Correa od Papu Gomez under the nose and still they didn’t get more minutes. So youth teams crisis is excuse for status quo lovers.

9. Papu Gomez is much more of a Left Forward than a winger. I find it hard for him to replace Di Maria unless Sampaoli change the system. And as a winger, I dont know if his performance would be the same.

   • so Gomez in for Dybala instead.

     • Should gets a chance. Even instead Dybala

   • Atalanta – Everton 3:0.

     I didn’t watched the match but after Whoscored he was playing today as RF.

10. It’s not like suddenly none of our midfielders can even controll the ball (as @eun have said) or is completely blind to see player in good position as Mafioso wrote “If one player is in good position, no one notices”.

    “I don’t blame the manager. Biglia is not Veron. Pizarro is not Cambiasso. Banega is neither Lucho nor Requeleme”.

    We are pursuing from one extreme to other. Many people were fascinated just 3 matches ago (after friendly with Brazil) how is Biglia doing under Sampaoli… I remember admiration for Banega form in Inter and people saying he is really our most creative midfielder with great vision and acute passing. Now they are just rubbish? Cannot even control the ball and lost completely vision?

    It’s not like that. Now we are talking as if the 2006 team reach final. While it’s Biglia, Banega and Mascherano were in final. The current players had much to offer. Once they were quite smart in NT and they still with good coaching can do better than recently

    But

    they are mostly burn-out, empty in NT. Not the eager and passion of old years. They never more will able to give us what they gave in past. With them maybe also a philosophy of Argentina winning style last years is ran out. Out of glow (just like once Spanish tiki-taka had stopped to work). We must think the team completely afresh. New names, new philosophy, new tactic.

    • Banega still our most creative midfielder from what we have. It is a blatant truth if you agree or not

11. Papu Gomez just scored a stunner against everton..

12. There is rumour that papu gomez will be back in argentina squad and also new face either c.pavon or gonzalo martinez. I prefer pavon he is quick.

    • Papu Gomez is an excellent choice due to his leadership skills and character he shows in the pitch. Watching Atalanta game vs Everton gomez is excellent in passing and positioning and works hard. We need hard working players who will play their heart out

      • Just now he scored a superb goal

    • Hope this will happen

13. I felt bad knowing that many footballers in Argentina NT can’t trap a ball. When they don’t trap the ball, how will they receive a pass and kick the ball forward? They have to practice their first touch too.

    Mundo people said that Di Maria plays like a headless chicken. I agree with them. But is Di Maria only? Many players in Argentina NT don’t have football intelligence and the worst is that they are not faster than opponent either.

    In the beginning I thought Argentina NT would be competitive in competition if a tactician takes over the team. Now, I think Jorge Sampaoli must spend time teaching his players football techniques and this makes me sigh.

14. IMO Sampaoli already had 3 midfielders to try to do something new in midfield. Nacho, Paredes, Lanzini. I may be much sceptical to Paredes but we should just try new things. If Pareds strong point is passing, Nacho strong point is connect with forwards, running and one touch pass, Lanzini is really carefull on passing but enough versatile to give something in attack and defence – why not to try with the 3 as central midfielders:

    ……………………………..Romero

    ………………..Mercado..Mascherano..Otamendi

    Bustos/Salvio …Nacho….Paredes…Lanzini……..Acuna

    ………………………..Messi……Icardi/Dybala

    but Sampaoli is not going to use any of the 3

    • If not Nacho Fernandez maybe Pablo Perez.

    • Of course Sampaoli will change the whole midfield before the most important match. Dont play playstation! Romero-Mercado-Otamendi-Mascherano—Salvio-Biglia-Banega-Di Maria—Messi-Higuain or Aguero-maybe Dybala The Conf Cup would be the perfect place to experiment with an Argentina B team like Germans did

      • Yes, all we need is come back of Higuain and Aguero. As you want Higuain, Aguero with Biglia, Banega, Mascherano, Di Maria, Romero and we are in home again. Also for people like you (status quo lovers) we are where we are: now we must keep the same players with only 2 games left indeed. But what is most ridiculous – the players, the generation were failed all qualifiers. Some people were always against new ones because of “not the time, not now, it’s too risky”. Finally never was the time and we stuck on loosers. As we will qualify we will hear again: it’s too late for changes, that would be lethal for our ‘marvellous’team.

      • People defend still the old generation as if they were guarantee of decent results and playing while introducing of new faces would entail huge amount of risk. Heven’t they noticed that Romero, Mascherano, BIglia, Banega, Di maria, Aguero, Higuain are not the guarantee of results long time. Our team is so clueless in a moments that I don’t think so play with whole new midfield would bring us more risk.

15. Watch this, you will understand what’s wrong with Argentina.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2tiTuIKUQg

    • Here are the all possible kinds of mistakes and I don’t think we may get any general conclusions after that. Sampaoli and all players are doing some things wrong but this picked situations has not any general idea apart we are not playing as team, players are not running, passing in right moment and so on.

      Find central midfielder that will always eager and prone to quick pass and run ahead without the ball. Pass and run. Pass and run. I’m nt the one who will say you we have such player no doubt. But as much as I know him from club level, I suppose Nacho Fernandez is such player. With him the space between midfield and attack could have look different. Possibly. No guarantees till we check him. Mascherano, Biglia or Pizarro apparently are afraid to be close opponent box.

      Another thing is fullbacks. I don’t think 3:4:3, without classic fullbacks, is working. Even Rojo as LB could bring here something.

      • Our midfielders can’t even do basic moves.They just stand and watch when other players have the ball.

        No basic combination play at the wings.

        If one player is in good position, no one notices.

        I don’t blame the manager. Biglia is not Veron. Pizarro is not Cambiasso. Banega is neither Lucho nor Requeleme.We don’t really have any quality fullbacks. I mean come on, there is no one who is half of Alex Sandro, Marcelo, Kurzawa, Mendy.

        Dybala and Messi have no connection. They played together a few matches, I have only seen 2/3 times they were playing good passes between themselves.

        We will be very lucky if qualify for the world cup and we have no chance winning it. We can’t play basic football.

16. I predict Brazil, France, Spain and Germany will compete for the 2018 FIFA World Cup trophy.

    Football fans in the World have said that Argentina doesn’t have good midfielders and defenders since summer 2015.

    But Argentina football fans in Mundo wasted time on posting nonsense:
    (1) Argentina has skillful players in all position. Messi is not a team player.
    (2) Argentina has plenty of young talent. Problem is “mafia-Messi” and the man prevents promising young local players from being called up for his old fossils.

    When Argentina wasted time uselessly, Brazil changed to strong competitor for France, Spain and Germany.

    I don’t think Neymar Jr. is a better player and team leader than Lionel Messi. Difference is that Brazil NT has fast skillful world-class players in all position unlike Argentina NT and Brazilians knew their problem immediately after the 2014 World Cup when Argentinians wasted time on blaming Messi.

    “It is not easy for us to see ourselves as others see us.”

    Good Luck to Argentina.

    • What do you know about Agrentina players all over the world? Argentina doesn’t have good defenders since summer 2015? What a bullshit. Since few years we have still more and more world class or talented defenders. Sometimes I think too many to pick all. About midfielders it’s debatable point but what typical fans of football know about Agentina midfielders beyond the names that our coaches are calling up stubbornly since years. They know Di maria, Banega, Biglia, Mascherano, Pastore – and they know nothing about Argentina sources, backstage till some player is not NT starter.

      People may repeat still the same diagnosis about our deficit class midfielders. I heard once about Joaquin Correa (when he was Sampdoria player) he is not ready, he is only mediocree player of weak club. But now he is scoring in Champions League and people still will saying we have not alternatives. Players like Papu Gomez or Nacho Fernandez are dropped after one game without a reason. And now still we don’t know nothing about their possible usefulness.

      Even most of Argentina fans here know nothing about our alternatives till they are not called up. New names are so unfamiliar. But even if some is called up and gets some minutes he is likely to be first to blame if only his debut performance is not outstanding. People only waiting for one blunder. But it’s just proves that most of them is so childish, apparently following football not so long. They need immediate gratification.

      “When Argentina wasted time uselessly, Brazil changed to strong competitor for France, Spain and Germany”.

      Yes, Brazil has changed. So SUDDENLY. But before this sudden change I’ve heard many times that Brazil sources is dried, they have not new talents. Now we have the same situation with our team.

      And what is this your “Argentina wasted time uselessly”? Seems like you are self contradicting because your recipe is keep up depending on Messi. But here you are suggesting Argentina wasted time. So they should have had some things different to current state (new players?). Yes, they should have. They wasted time playing still the same generation of players Copas and qualifiers. So if you think some things should have changed yet before I must to say the only thing that could have been changed were either

      1. to find new players to play with Messi instead Marias and Biglias or

      2. do something with Messi dependency

      these are the only possible answers because coaches were chnging few time of late.

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