Poll: Who should be Argentina’s starting number 9 versus Iceland?

By
Roy Nemer
-
64
Sergio Aguero Argentina
Sergio Agüero scores for Argentina versus Nigeria.

While Argentina are not short on talent, at least in attack, the reality is that the team has struggled to score goals. Gonzalo HIGUAÍN has not scored a goal for Argentina since 2016, Sergio AGÜERO is just coming back from surgery, Paulo DYBALA has yet to open his scoring for his country, DI MARIA is not a regular goal scorer and Cristian PAVÓN is more of a passer.

The goal scoring (as well as playmaking) responsibilities have fallen onto Lionel MESSI’s shoulders. Hopefully all of that changes at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

It was Gonzalo HIGUAÍN who started the 4-0 win against Haiti and it appears that he will be the starting number 9 for Argentina at the World Cup. Who would you pick as the starting forward for Argentina?

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Last week we asked who should be Argentina’s starting goalkeeper for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and you voted for Franco ARMANI as he received 64% of the votes.

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RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

64 Comments

  1. To those people who really wonder why Higuain over others should just look at Madrid where Zidane plays Benzema who hardly scores. It’s perfectly alright to play a player not in goal scoring form for other attributes.

    Sampa may play Higuain coz Aguero is not fit or he can force errors and tire the defense.

    Btw, I am not a fan of Higuain and I too wanted Higuain out of the squad. I am a fan of Messi only, but every Argentine fans are his fan too. But I have full belief in Sampa so I know if he selects Higuain he may have some plan. I am also not a hater of Higuain or any other Arg players, so once our coach selects the team, I support the players wholeheartedly.

    But unfortunately, that’s not the case here with some members. Some of them have been here for long which makes it much more disappointing. Some people even want the team to lose coz their fav player is not selected or the player they hate is selected. This is a terrible thing to do when you consider yourself a fan.

  2. Is football still the beautiful game??
    .
    sergio ramos, pepe, casemiro etc. should all have been banned years ago… but football bodies today are toothless. How many incidents with these stupid idiots. Stop them before they kill somebody on the pitch.
    .
    it is plain and clear how sergio ramos finished the goalkeeper and liverpools star player… he planned and executed it perfectly.
    .
    Sergio Ramos needs to get a taste of his own medicine. Our own Messi was the only one who fought this evil buffalo.

  3. I think Sampaoli will use Higuain as starter. He should know perfectly Higuain’s weakness and so his main task will be just to make the opposite defenders tired. During the 20-30 minutes he will replace him with Aguero to do the job if nothing happens. Aguero is still a bit fragile I guess so he won’t be used for the entire match. This tactics was already used by Aime Jacquet in 98 when Henry and Trezeguet were still green and so he used Guivrach as forward. When the defenders started getting tired, he replaced him by the young players. The history told us that it may work.

    But to me, I definitely prefer to see the team with 2 forwards: Messi and Pavon. Similar to Maradona-Caniggia in 98. Messi should play closer to the box because he has now mobile, technical and hard-working players around him. My favorite 11 will be:

    Caballero
    Fazio-Otamendi
    Salvio-Biglia-Acuna
    Di Maria-Lo Celso-Lanzini
    Messi-Pavon

    kind of 2332

    • Higuain starting ahead of Aguero means he could waste a lot of chances early on and destroy our rhythm . We might not recover from those missed opportunities.We can’t afford that in a world cup knockouts. It would be better if Aguero starts .. Scores and gets subbed around 60 to 70 mins like in man city. Its easier defending a lead than to score with 30 mins left. I don’t see us losing any game in the knockouts if we score first. The opponent team have to attack us if we lead early and them attacking means Messi Aguero will have a lot of space. I hope Sampaoli won’t pull another Pekerman like in 2006 against Germany where he subbed Riquelme and then played another chocker Tevez ahead of Messi. Messi in 2006 was already better finisher than Crespo and Tevez. Just imagine Messi starting ahead of choker no2 Tevez or coming in instead of half season wonder Julio cruz!!.

  4. “…….Speaking on Radio Continental, the journalist Leo Paradizo this week claimed that Barça have made contact with Boca in the wake of glowing references from international team-mate and current Blaugrana star Lionel Messi….”

    This can’t be true. Can it be?

  5. I see lot of members here still want Messi to play as No-10. Messi is the best finisher in the world second to none. Even Ronaldo is far far behind. Just imagine if Barca had the wingers and midfield players like Madrid and Messi instead of dropping deep to collect the ball plays upfront all the time he could easily score 60+ goals every season. During Guardiola days his best season was 91 goals. Maradona made Messi play as no-10 . We all know how our strikers did then. Sabella made Messi play no-10 we also know how we were struggling to score. Our strikers especially Higuain didn’t have good chemistry with Messi like Suarez have. Aguero could never stay fit and Higuain wasn’t good enough to convert the chances created by Messi in the midfield.
    Higuain has performed very poor against Haiti, miserably against Spain and against Italy where we were controlling the game he still managed to miss couple of chances. If Messi was one to one with Neuer the ball would have ripped through the net. The offside goal would have been a legit goal. I salute Sampaoli for playing Locelso and Lanzini in the midfield and When Pavon replaces Dimaria that will be the exact midfield Messi needs to score goals. Sampaoli clearly wants Messi to plan as a False 9. Higuain has performed very poor against Haiti, miserably against Spain and against Italy where we were controlling the game he still managed to miss couple of chances.

    • Messi need beside him quality players to support him. the problem was that most of times he didn t have players with good chemistry beside him. not because he play 10. i believe this time we have players to support him better than 2010. as about 2014 he scored in all group matches. in knock out stage we played with brain in defense that is why he didn t score. he was alone in front.

    • 1 year ago, I would say impossible for him to play other than 10 because Pastore was always injured, Guitan/Banega very inconsistent. The fullbacks Mercado and Rojo are both very defensive players and never provide enough attacking solution. There is no other way than using Messi as 10.

      But now, we have bunch of creative players. Starting with the pair Lo Celso-Lanzini. Apart from Di Maria, new players like Meza and Pavon very exciting. Sampaoli also used successfully Salvio and Acuna as fullbacks. Plus Dybala, really there are lot of support for Messi. I totally agree that it makes more sense for him to play as false 9.

  6. Have neither! 1s made of glass and the other soil’s himself when he sees the goal.
    Let’s just allow the number 9 position and get Messi to reprise his fake no.9 role again. Surely it will be more effective:
    4-6-0. 😬

    • we can t waste messi to play 9. we need him as 10 to organize our offense too. plus if he play 9 our game will be very predictable for our opponents.

  8. i vote for Aguero. just if Aguero is not fit 100% it is better Higuain play to not risk injury. the other games is more important.

  10. It’s funny how new mundo members want to build their World Cup dreams upon Higuain as our No.9. I know that very well at least since 2014 WC. No, Higuain have not been good recently except lack of goals. He is fat, slow and gave not more movement than our other strikers. He had even ball control problem and generally looked as worst striker on the world.

    I see the older mundo members has blockade to give him any trust. The fact is Higuain is past his best while even at his best was not player for Argentina WC dreams. He may score a goal at some phase but that will not boost his confidence just like goal against Belgium did not.

    Whenever I see people bringing here statistics to show Higuain is best for us because he scored most goals behind Messi I think the people have not contact with reality. How can you make such idiot of yourself and talk about his rates as he didn’t scored so long time. Either you are keeping the lights on and and estimate current form or you are bookeeper and musty, frusty antiquary who brings ancient history because for lack of valid support for his statements.

    Ok, let him play on soon stages of WC to be soon kicked out.

    • Spot ON..
      Higuain had his chance and blundered it with the dreams of Millions of fans around the World. He should have been dropped after 2014

    • the truth is that we lost one world cup and 2 copa america because him. just we like it or not Leo wants to play with him because they have good chemistry together. i hope things go well to world cup. we can t do something else than support our team. (to be fair the world cup we lost it because Higuain AND Palacio too).

      • I doubt Messi wants to play with him. He understands that Higuain is disfunctional.
        I believe Messi expectate someone other around to rebuild his own faith in final success while Higuain emodies himself all old demons of past disappontments.

        • maybe you have right. i don t know. just it is very difficault to me to believe that Sampaoli take Higuain without Messi want him. it is very hard to believe it.

  11. I voted for Higuain because:
    #1 Aguero is after injury
    #2 Higuain is taller, stronger a and better in the air than Aguero, which is very important againist Iceland.

    Many people here may dont see a difference between starting #9 only againist Iceland and starting #9 in all matches in world cup, where I prefer Sergio Aguero.

      • I’ve been there: we must to choice between choker or recently injured player. I see though everything is under control as Samapoli did not want to have other alternatives in team (Icardi, Martinez, Pratto).

    • #2 point taller stronger better in the air… i have never seen won a long ball from a goal keeper…. even aguero manged against arsenal… higuain is a infinity joker…………….

      one thing i found out from this poll

      higuain lovers in this forum: 111

      aguero haters :258 + 111

    • how many times did u see Higuain score goals with his head ??
      that man can not even jump and most of his headers either above the bar or too weak to hit the net.
      i still can not understand how come a Team like argentina prefers a forward that did not score one goal in international matches since 2016 !

  13. Higuain has been at pressure from latest finals.
    It should be great though if he come as replacement, scored in the final that won argentina.
    He could’ve probably die due to being too happy.

  14. I voted for Higuain.

    1. I found his recent performance for Argentina have been good enough, except finishing, which is of course very important & is his duty.

    2. Though he fails scoring, he never found seen as disconnected from the rest of the team, which have happen often for teams, and that almost makes a team look like a 10 men one instead of 11, in my memory that never happened for Argentina with Higuain.. ( was the case when we tried Beneditto & Icardi)

    3. Higuain is clever with ball, keeps possess, he doesn’t frustrate by stupid runs like Di Maria ( who is the only player in the squad i hate to see starting)…

    4. And he doesn’t frustrate the team with poor passes, he’s a quite good passer of ball.. & he’s very good in breaking offside traps..
    ( Barcelona fans will understand how frustrating is to watch match with a No 9 who gives the worst passes most of the time & who is the worst in offsides..

    5. So my point is Higuain has team qualities, though he failed to score recently. Aguero has the same quality & scores well fortunately. But we need Higuain to click as well. We need him to gain confidence by scoring against Iceland..

    6. Also i like the idea of Preserving Kun, for bigger & important matches which is on the way..
    If Pipita do okey, Let Him plays 60-65 mins in all Group matches..

    7. I hope Higuain do well. I will never forget his goal, which lead Argentina to Semi Final for the first time in my life. I am expecting more moments from his. I hope he will gain confidence n shuts all his critics. I really hope.

    • If you truly believe Higuain deserves a chance ahead of others, you wouldn’t have listed these many points in the first place; These are all just to convince yourself ;

      • I didn’t say, higuain deserves ahead of Kun. I said it for the match against Iceland, since that was the talking point. You missed something while reading it, obviously

        • For the match against Iceland, you voted for Higuain & listed the reasons; As per you reasons or the voting done, Higuain shall start ahead of Kun; What is missed there?

  15. Look, I know Higuain hasn’t scored for a pretty long time. But we need to play him so he can gain confidence and could at least be of some help during the world cup. I want Aguero to come in as a super sub or a starter against big teams, so he can rest and stay fit. I also want Dybala to play cam instead of Messi because of not only tension because of the Palestine-Israel tension, but really get used to the position. Pavon and Meza on the wings and lo Celso and Biglia in midfield. Then Tagliafico, Ansaldi, Rojo, Otamendi, and Armani.

    ——————-Armani—————
    Ansaldi—Otamendi—Rojo—Tagliafico——–
    ———–Biglia——–Lo Celso——
    Meza———–Dybala———-Pavon
    —————–Higuain—————–

    SUBS: Acuna, Lanzini, Mercado, Salvio, Banega, Aguero, Di Maria, Messi, Caballero, Fazio, Mascherano,Guzman, etc

    What do you guys think?

  17. No doubt about that aguero is best no 9 we have right now. Since he is a coming from injury so sampoli don’t like to take risk with him, that s why heiguine might start against Iceland.

  18. Do a poll now asking if Sane should go to the world? Maybe we can also poll the moon landing.

    • Hey Kiddo, you voted for Higuain didn’t you?

      Is Higuain the best striker ever man? Would you give an essay on that? I would like to read it.

    • I think Dybala would only work if Argentina played a 4-4-2, and it would look something like this, of course at the expense of Aguero and Higuain:
      Armani
      Tagliafico-Fazio-Otamendi-Mercado
      Lanzini-Lo Celso-Mascherano-Pavon
      Messi-Dybala
      Personally, I’d prefer a 4-2-3-1 as follows:
      Armani
      Tagliafico-Fazio-Otamendi-Mercado
      Lo Celso-Mascherano
      Lanzini/Meza-Messi-Pavon/Salvio
      Aguero
      Seems the best with what is at hand imo

  24. If Aguero not able to be at 100% then no need to rush back early, He will be at his best from knockout stage

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