Argentina’s Biggest Copa America Obstacle is Their Own Coach

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Argentina’s 2019 Copa America campaign has gotten off to a (nothing short of) disastrous start. La Albiceleste has picked up just one point through two matches, has scored just one goal while giving up three, and could very well need help to even qualify for the knockout rounds if they beat Qatar on Sunday.

Going into the tournament, the biggest concern was the lack of playing time the relatively young team had accumulated together. Most of the group had been part of the post-World Cup cycle under interim manager Lionel SCALONI, but new and old faces were brought in during the March friendlies and a decent amount of young players who made debuts in 2018 with SCALONI were put to the side for the Copa America. In came “historicos” like Angel DI MARIA and Sergio AGUERO, who enjoyed stellar club seasons but have frequently been unable to capitalize on club momentum at the national team level. 

In the pre-tournament friendly against Nicaragua, Argentina won 5-1 in thoroughly unconvincing fashion. The team moved the ball slowly and needed two goals from Leo MESSI to even save face in the first half. The second half was better, but both of Lautaro MARTINEZ’ goals came on rebounds and Roberto PEREYRA’s tally was a point-blank tap-in. We learned nothing from the match about what SCALONI’s idea of play was.

We still don’t know what it is, and his decisions continue to genuinely baffle both casual viewers and football experts. In fact, he seems to be confusing his own self with peculiar tactics and substitutions. 

The Copa America debut against Colombia came and SCALONI opted for a 4-4-2 setup. Gio LO CELSO was put into an isolated position on the right flank and continually had to do a lot of defensive work, rendering him nearly useless on offense. The midfield was deployed as a “doble cinco”, with Guido RODRIGUEZ and Leandro PAREDES next to each other. Both players consistently took up similar positions and didn’t make themselves available for each other and for the center backs to play through higher up the field. With those two dropped back, LO CELSO out on the right, DI MARIA out on the left and MESSI and AGUERO all the way up top, there was a gaping hole where a number 10, an enganche, would normally link everything and connect play.

Here is a visual representation of that faulty scheme.

The tactics were wrong and Argentina couldn’t penetrate Colombia’s pressure from the back, resorting to long balls to a 5’8″ AGUERO, who had to try to win aerial duels against two behemoths – 6’2″ Davinson Sanchez and 6’5″ Yerry Mina. Even with all that was going wrong, Argentina went into halftime tied 0-0 and completely changed its attitude in the first 20 minutes of the second half, moving the ball more quickly and efficiently and generating a couple of scoring chances. 

Just as it seemed that Argentina had a hold on the match, SCALONI took off RODRIGUEZ to put in Guido PIZARRO in the same position in the 67th minute. Four minutes later, Colombia embarks on a lightning-fast counter-attack. Roger Martinez breezes past Renzo SARAVIA and unleashes an unstoppable strike from the top of the box to put Colombia up 1-0. The player who needed to close down Martinez and attempt to block the shot was none other than PIZARRO.

In the 79th minute, down 1-0, SCALONI opts to take out the only striker on the field in AGUERO and put in Matias SUAREZ, who isn’t a number nine and plays normally on the left wing. SUAREZ was unable to contribute anything and in the 86th minute, Colombia goes down Argentina’s right channel again and they find Duvan Zapata in the six-yard box for an easy goal. On that goal, PIZARRO had dropped back to fill in for Nicolas OTAMENDI and fell asleep as the cross came in. It’s tough to blame PIZARRO for both goals, but he certainly didn’t have a hand in avoiding them, while SCALONI’s other substitution failed to make an impact.

Fast forward to Wednesday night and SCALONI makes four changes to the team, including a slight formation switch to a 4-3-3 look. For the first 15 minutes or so, Argentina looks genuinely improved, but the energy falls off after that and Paraguay settles into the match. In the 37th minute, Paraguay strikes first by attacking down Argentina’s right defensive side, just like Colombia did twice. Miguel Almiron scoots by both PAREDES and PEREYRA with right back Milton CASCO having pushed up to pressure the ball. Almiron crosses into the middle of the box, Argentina’s center backs are nowhere to be found and Paraguay’s Sanchez buries his shot. 

SCALONI retaliates in the second half by bringing on AGUERO for PEREYRA. Five minutes in, AGUERO makes an immediate contribution by creating a chance for MARTINEZ that hits the crossbar. VAR awards Argentina a penalty on the play and MESSI slots it home to tie the match. The AGUERO substitution unbalances the middle of the field quite a bit, and every time Argentina lost the ball in possession, Paraguay had clear counter attacks all through the middle of the pitch. 

But Argentina had to attack and the first 20 minutes of the second half with MARTINEZ and AGUERO up top in front of MESSI was the best the team had looked all tournament. Naturally, SCALONI takes off MARTINEZ for DI MARIA in the 67th minute and once again throws the team off its rhythm. DI MARIA comes in to play on the left wing and can’t even control a single pass, doesn’t try to take anyone on and delivers minimal impact. Argentina starts retreating into a more defensive shell and the offensive dominance of the beginning of the second half is completely lost for the rest of the match.

SCALONI has proven incapable of properly reading games, as his substitutions in both matches during this Copa America have arguably crippled the team at its peak moments. Argentina doesn’t need SCALONI to be a genius; they need him to get out of his own way and their way. Argentina doesn’t have elite talent on this squad, but it’s good enough to beat just about any team if they are put in positions to win. Right now, SCALONI is actively turning into a liability with his decision-making and has become Argentina’s most fierce opponent.

413 Comments

  1. Brazil did us a huge favour by beating Peru 5-0 who has 4 pts. Now Argentina just need to win to qualify for the quarterfinals with 4 pts as we will have better goal difference. If Paraguay wins, we will finish third and will have to face the toppers of group A or C (which is scary btw). But if Paraguay does not win, we will finish second and face Venezuela in QF (which is better for us).

    Ofcourse, for all of this to happen Argentina has to beat Qatar.

  2. Guys please just get behind our team and support them even portugal didn’t win any of the group games but still won the EUROS.
    Ahead of France,Germany, Belgium ,Italy and Spain

  3. Stable teams who draw or lose don’t change their lineup for the next game but just try harder to win.

    The reality is, the fact that we change our lineup in every following match after a draw/loss just shows we have still not found our gala XI.
    As frustrating as it is, whether we like it or not, this copa has almost become an experimental tournament to find our best XI.
    The friendlies we play during the international breaks are simply not competitive enough to experiment and find our proper 11.

    Two positive outcomes will come out of this:

    1. We use this copa to find our best 11, crash out in the knockout stages, and build on this chemistry for upcoming tournaments
    2. We find our magical 11 during this tournament, and it clicks so well that we end up winning the whole thing and can build on it for future tournaments and the WC.

    Obviously we all prefer the second outcome.
    I honestly believe this current Argentina side has the ingredients to beat any team in the world (such as France, Brazil, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal) but also has the ingredients to lose to any team in the world (such as Tongo, New Zealand, Qatar).

    I just hope to God we find our best 11 who click well. If we win 2 or 3 games in a row in a convincing manner, we honestly will return to the same heights we once were.
    We are that close to success, but we are that unstable from reaching it.

    • very well summarizes our current situation and 2 valid outcomes, as you said WE all want the second outcome. I am just worried that the first outcome will take long to arrive because AFA is not looking so serious for improvement.

  4. Entire coaching staff lost their mental stability and totally screwed up…they tested different formations and different players and on match day they put another different 11… I don’t know what is going on in the camp…

  5. We need all people interested in Argentina in this forum, please talk about Argentina, not attacking others personally. Asking people to leave the forum, and trashing their comments as you don’t like their opinion is very childish. Please have some respect for KID, he is one of the most enthusiastic/realistic writers in this forum, though he’s a bit over and frustrated some time.

  6. Ebo
    أخي أريد أن تعرف
    نحن نتفق ونختلف ولكن
    لدي احترام كبير لك
    أنا لا أريدك أن تشعر بالضيق
    معي أنا آسف

    • My brother,
      I told you before few times, you are one good person who I like here, but after Paraguay Match, I was really frustrated and disappointed how the team played. my main point of frustration was that Argentina should not go to experiment for COPA in Brazil. you know I like Paredes like you, Tagliafico and Martinez. you remember when I said last november that Meza is good for NT? and everyone was accusing me of hyping Meza including you? 2 days ago we needed some one like Meza, look at the picture above, there is no one Argentina player in the Middle, that’s where Banaga and Meza used to be. and Meza played better than manyu players beforeMaybe it is not the players fault, but Scaloni’s fault. in that case people should not just blame some and cover for some, but some here blame only the front 3 which is not fair. it was tactically wrong how Scaloni used the players. he alwyas use players out of position.

      Anyway, please excuse me for being so upset 2 days ago with you, I was just hoping for a win and I think the team will rebound hard and go on for the 2nd round, I still have hope that we will win this tournament.

      سلام يا صاحبى

      • It’s alright big man I understand
        We all get upset when our team
        is not Performing well. as you said
        Let’s hope we win Sunday and
        move Forward .

  7. We have tried everything.Our last hope is 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-2-1.Our fullbacks are not offemsive so we should not use wingers becuse without offensive support wingers can not shine and till now they did nothing as well. So now we have to create from center with Messi as playmaker then there is chance for us.In this formation our fullbacks will defend properly as their offensive duties are limited and we are vulnerable for counnter attck in this formation as well.Centee forward can be Aguero Martinez Dybla or Suarez.Suarez plays good as CF.
    Quatar team has very fast wingers in their left wing so Juan Foyth should be tried in right back position.A draw would be enough for Quatar to qualify for KO.Now the game depends on effectiveness.Both teams will have fair chance but who comverts it goona count.Armani is just getting confidence i like it.May be because of criticism.

    • “Armani is just getting confidence i like it.May be because of criticism.”

      100% . that is why he put his index finger on his mouth in gesture to silence the critics. at that time, i really felt sorry for the pressure he was under.

  8. Cesar Luis Menotti ” After the Copa America a new project for the National Team begins” Menotti have been appointed as AFA’s technical director for the last 5 months…

    Frankly, I lost my respect to Menotti.. My suggestion to Menotti it will too early to plan after Copa 2019 , better after the WC Qatar 2022 would be the right time…huuuuuuhhhhh

    • Menotti probably will call all those domestic players to ensure us a 10th place finish in qualifier. Menotti at his age should just chillout in his balcony and enjoying his life knowing he already lifted the World cup for his country.

      He’s risking himself his reputation the same way Scolari did in 2014 by leading Brazil to historic disasterous performance.

  9. I have faith that come Sunday our team will finally get it together.

    Our formations lack formation, our play has no cohesion, no purpose, Our players don’t run, our coach sucks, our selection is lacking- especially in midfield ( no one ever mentions ever benega anymore)….
    not only di Maria but majority of our players are out of sync and or out of position…..The list goes on and on.

    We are at a low point
    But I have faith that we will put it back together this Sunday, Lord willing.

    • Yep, I think we will through in same fashion as in last year WC. Hopefully this time we can settle this game early unlike like when we beat Nigeria which took an injury time’s goal. Otherwise , this game would feels like the longest 95 minutes you’d ever experience in your life .

    • We all have faith but this team is lifeless no soul, no greta, no style, for all sake how on earth as manager you make Messi looks so ordinary ??. DMaria really is an enigmatic player. Last game he suddenly forgot how to pass an easy pass or cross an easy cross or just control the ball?? I think really there is something fishy

      • I’m no fan of conspiracy theory such as “Messi decided the squad” thing but there’s something that indeed weird with our players.

        Aguero, Di Maria and Messi cant even trap the ball , cant even hold the ball for more than 2 seconds , that is just ODD.

        Misschances is normal thing but our players cant even control the ball even when there’s no preasure from opponent players.

    • Come this Sunday, we should go on the pitch like monsters, blazing and as our life and reputation depends on it. our boys will revolt and break the shackles and fire us into the next round. I expect 3-0 as Armani in high confidence level after saving our ass last match. el Toro Martinez upfront is a MUST. and a long range cracker from Paredes is coming.

      VAMOS A GANAR, CARAJO

  10. Bolivia has 0 point heading to their last game so if we beat Qatar, both Bolivia & Qatar will both stay behind us.

    Japan has 1 point with -4 GD while Argentina with 1 point aswell but has -2 GD, so if we beat Qatar by 1 goal, Japan would need to win it I think by 2-3 goals, depend on the scoring line.

    I checked wiki yesterday and the tiebreaker will be decided on goal difference first and then by number of goal scored if few teams finish with same points. Japan has 1 more goal than Argentina but they’d still need to win by bigger margin regardless ( if we do win ).

    If we win 1-0, our GD would be -1 and Japan would need to beat Ecuador by 3 goals. If we somehow could beat Qatar by 2 goals, Japan might needs to win by 4 goals which not impossible but very unlikely.

    • Yeah there is quite a few ways to get in, all of them require Argentina to win. Jumping over Venezuela if they won’t win. Beating Japan on goal difference, or even advancing from 2nd place is Colombia wins.
      The Japan scenario seems like the most realistic on goal difference. That’s why Argentina should not park the bus if they happen to be lead in Qatar 1:0.

        • It does seem scarily similar. Somehow I don’t feel like this team could score 3 against France though… as hard as it is to believe, it is even worse than WC ’18

          • Its odd that the penalty early in the game proof to be the only difference in that 2018 QF. In fact we almost equalize in last minute of the game despite France playing better overall.

            We might be defended like shit in 2018 but the firepower was still there. We only failed to score against Croatia but scored in the other game including 6 in last 2 games , all from open play. If Messi didnt miss his penalty in first game, we would have beaten Iceland. So there’s still some moments or brilliance there . Messi, Rojo and Di Maria’s goals were still a great WC moments.

            This current teams only had like 3 good chances in about 190 minutes and there hasnt been a single good moment apart from Messi scoring his penalty under preasure. Its almost like this Copa would still be exactly the same if we doesnt play.

    • Yeah..these should be talking points for Qatar or any other minnows..unfortunately it is argentina..

      Lets discuss on the new coach options..No point talking about Copa as we will not proceed much further to be honest..

  11. I am so sorry to say this but this time and this version of Argentina will go down in history as the worst Argentina team ever. The generation of crespo, veron, Aimar, sorin did not win big trophies but you always feel that it was only luck that let them down not lack of style or talent as they were always superior than other teams. This one well no comment

    • Any team with Players like Messi, Kun, Higuain, Tevez, Di Maria, Dybala, Icardi……………..etc (LISTING CURRENT AND PAST PLAYERS), one would expect scoring to be the last thing to worry about when in fact it was the main issue, WHY? coaching and CORRUPT AFA and vice versa.
      EVEN during the 2014 when they reached the final, scoring was still a major issue, sure Sabella bless his heart did it with solid defense, one has to assume that a proper coach would have brought out the offense but its yet to happen.

        • Messi was still scoring like crazy prior to this tournament… league, CL and Copa del rey. He had 50+ goals so anyone who think Messi has pass his best needs to get a brain scan. Aguero has 30+ goals and won domestic treble with City, he also scored 6 goals in CL so its obvious the blame here is on our manager, not the players form. Even Lo Celso has been a great goalscorer this season despite being midfielder. How’s Icardi being left out from WC squad after becoming serie A top scorer twice?!

          AFA is in big mess, remember when they didnt pay Tata for almost the entire year in 2016? remember when the team securities knocked on Messi hotel room and told him they havent been paid for months?? remember when Messi complained on social media about AFA late flight which cost them then training time prior to Copa final? Messi isnt someone who’ll criticize someone publicly if he isnt totally frustrated. We shouldnt turn a blind eye into these things cause its the roots of Argentina’s mess.

          We wanted the likes of Gallardo, Pochettinho, Simeone and other big names, but do you think AFA can even pay a quarter of these guys salary? there’s a reason why depsite our big football history (2 WC + 14 Copa), the AFA just settle with someone like Scolani.

          • I’d say Armani should have stopped something. The 3rd one was pretty damn basic safe, 4th wasn’t impossible either. Despite disastrous WC, no other team gave France more trouble than Argentina did.

    • i agree
      the 2002 team was a dream, just unlucky

      the 2006-2007 team was heaven too

      now it is just a shambles

      2014 was good but from 2000-2007 was our golden era

    • I mentioned few days ago that Martinez and Aguero should play, some said no , but what Scaloni does, when our team was attacking he takes out Lautaro.

    • in my imagination why not try to line up like this
      armani GK
      saravia RB
      foyth CB
      pezella CB
      tagi LB
      rodrigues DM (classic DM)
      paredes CM (playmaking)
      pizzaro CM (box to box)
      ADM LW
      messi ST
      acuna RW

  12. Japan not losing their game against Uruguay means 4 points doesn’t guarantee advancing to the next stage anymore and we have to relay on other results as well.
    Does anyone know what is the 2nd criteria after points? Is it goal difference? Or goals scored?

      • Not to be a d**k, but seems like you might have been wrong. This is from Copa 2019 Wikipedia page:


        Tiebreakers
        The ranking of teams in the group stage is determined as follows:

        1) Points obtained in all group matches (three points for a win, one for a draw, none for a defeat);
        2) Goal difference in all group matches;
        3) Number of goals scored in all group matches;
        4) Points obtained in the matches played between the teams in question;
        5) Goal difference in the matches played between the teams in question;
        6) Number of goals scored in the matches played between the teams in question;
        7) Fair play points in all group matches (only one deduction could be applied to a player in a single match):
        Yellow card: −1 points;
        Indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
        Direct red card: −4 points;
        Yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
        8) Drawing of lots.

        Now, this is to determinate ranking IN a group. We don’t know if it is the same criteria to determinate best 3rd place BETWEEN the groups, but can only assume they would go by the same rules.

  13. I just relized there’s no De Paul in the line up. Probably our only good player in the tournament if such one is there at all. Hard to accept for me.

  14. I am afraid the proposed lineup because theres is no width unless fullbacks press up which is how we get countered and scored on. And when teams crowd the middle of the pitch and park the bus there’s nothing we can do. Qatar needs a win so the pitch will open up hopefully as they search a goal but if they score and park the bus we are likely doomed with this lineup. We can’t play 2/3 midfielders are not mobile and cant get out wide

  15. Ok.. I hate scaloni but he just did what I said to do… Messi at enganche with two forward, aguero and Martinez up top…
    a 4-3-1-2!!
    At least he is trying and I’ll tell you this … we just need to find that lucky little chemistry … not sure if this is it but just a little tweek and it will make all the difference ….
    Casco Otamendi pezella tagliafico
    Locelso Rodriguez parcedes
    Messi
    Aguero Martinez
    “Hasta la victoria siempre!”

  16. Rumored team against Qatar…! As we discussed….probably a 4312……!
    Armani
    Casco-Otamendi-Pazella-Tagliagico
    LoaCelso-Rodriguez-Paredes
    Messi
    Dybala Aguero

    • Well, it’s forward configuration Scaloni still has not tried yet whatever optimistic or pesimistic you can find in the fact itself.

    • I have doubt over that lineup. Who is going to provide width. I don’t see any of the full backs maintaining the width for the past two games. Dybala as a centre forward may or may not work. But this lineup enables Messi to play his natural game. This might work against Qatar but a strong team will kill Argentina as they will be vulnerable during counter attacks with this formation. None of those front three presses hard. It’s not easy for young players like lo celso and paredes to cover these three’s lack of defensive contribution. I expect a good win for argentina against Qatar.

      • “This might work against Qatar but a strong team will kill Argentina as they will be vulnerable during counter attacks with this formation”

        ATM we have to face our specific WC final against Qatar hence tomorrow beyond the game does not exist. LOL

      • We needs to attack more from center. Our players has to be more compact and closer to each other so they can play short passing game in final third. These 100 x crosses from the wing will never ever work.

        Everytime Messi gets the ball in the center, he has nobody to play one-two with so he ended up passing the ball the wing again who barely able to put any decent cross.

  17. I am lost…. i don’t know who is who and who is pretending to be what.

    I think we have more than enough drama with the team (REAL LIFE) instead of fighting and name calling like fucking kids!

    KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY!

    • fully agree. The cite is turning in to a joke as ego maniac peoples want to over take the place of the NT and players. Do they really ever ask their worth in real life? get a life and leave the forum free for comments about the team only. fun’s sprite and loyality for the team will continue irrespective of the results.

      If you want to actually impact and be part of the team sucess take meaning ful actions to resolve the current generations challenge but with out shitting here. our comments @ their best may support in sharing our exciment & hard feelings of the team’s performance. These of u have unresolved personality issues, u better face them in your real life not in Mundo cite.

  18. Argentina are a lot like my country Scotland, we have not qualified for a tournament since 1998, we just had shit coach after shit coach. Scottish players were always good enough to qualify but somewhere the system got fucked up by the people in FA or ones at the club who lack vision. The best example of good board vision comes from Barca who when the club was in the deep shit started to be smart in 2003, they chose coaches for their style, rijkaard then guardiola, by vision of all football people.

    There is no doubt if that board did not arrive at Barca Spain would have not won any major competition.

  19. i enter here today and the comedy show continue still from yesterday as i see.

    we have the second episode with title Ebo is Kidhood and opposite.
    the new film Gonzalo is Godin and opposite.

    and who am i? i wonder.
    i count as my friends Ebo ,Choripan and Godin.

    so i am the third brother of the twins Ebo and Choripan and i am Godin friend so i am and Gonzalo relative?
    GO FIGURE.

    in same time that kidhood guy that return again some months before I LOST EVERY RESPECT about him because he said that all the Argentinians we are RACISTS !!! why ?
    because some Colombian friends he have they told him that all the Argentinians we are racists !!!

    GO FIGURE what kind of brain that guy have.

    so i am friend of Ebo and i have the worst opinion about Kidhood.
    but if those 2 are same person SO I AM TOTALY CRAZY PERSON.

    yes true i am crazy sure because nobody logic person could be part of this crazy mundo house !!!

    • Cox4 we are friends
      I will never use different accounts
      And I will never give up Argentina nt
      No matter what football without Argentina Is not same
      Please give us Gallardo for 6 years
      Than we will return to you when
      He made Argentina very solid
      Unite and world champion.

      • i believe you my friend. no reason to explain anything to me.
        i believe you.
        i am long enough here to be able to understand you and that is why i have big respect about you.

        as about Gallardo i will answer you honestly my friend by knowing that this will not like the majority inside here.
        i am one of those River plate fans (we are majority) that we don t want to give Gallardo to the national team.

        the reason is that i don t see why to sacrifice the golden era of River plate and go back to dark age again for this “team” that Tapia and Angelici did our beloved national team.

        many bad things Tapia and his dog Angelici did to River plate the last period from before Copa Libertadores final and after till today.
        it is not use to speak long about that.
        it is River plate subject and no interest Mundo people.

        so no my friend.
        Angelici should give Boca coach if he wants.
        anyway that arrogant attitute that Boca have that they are superior than us so they should give or find one coach of them for the national team.

        their hands down from River plate.

        anyway. this is one story that nobody interest in this forum.

        • “many bad things Tapia and his dog Angelici did to River plate the last period from before Copa Libertadores final and after till today.
          it is not use to speak long about that.
          it is River plate subject and no interest Mundo people”

          I totally understand you my friend
          It’s true Gallardo made River the best
          South American team and I believe
          River will win cops Libertadores this
          Year again my opinion Gallardo is the
          Best Argentinean tactician better than
          Simeone and pochettino

      • I don’t know about other accounts or trolls(get a life)
        but i can vauch that godin & gonzalo are two different people. Godin is from my country( wa ku salamay walaal, meesha ciyaal waalan qabsaday.
        Vamos argentina.

        • Guled walaakay dhiika salaan sare
          Sxb ma uga ciyaalkaan 1999
          Shineemo bariyoow xamar
          in aan uu adaa jirnay
          Aniga iyo ciyaalka xaafada
          Argentina vs Colombia
          0-3 Martin Palermo sedex rigooro
          Cunay marka maanta ayeey
          Di Maria iyo messi kun aguero
          Ayeey Argentina ku taageeraan
          Anigu intaa jeer oo beer xanuun
          Arg nagu riday ma uga sxb rabibaa
          Dad deen islaam haysta naga dhigay
          Hadii kale beer xanuunka nagu
          Badan lahaa alhamdulillah walaalkay
          I’m so happy to have you here
          Hindaadaa u badan meeshaan

          • Godin. Walaal anigaba ilaa waqtigi maradona taageero argentina ahay lkn hada wa la duqoobay sidi hore ciyaaraha horyaalada uma daawado comments badan bixiyo. Xilliga argentina ciyaareyso tartamada sida world cup ama copa lee daawada.

        • You are right 100% as I know Godin11 is from Somalia,too
          Nice to know you are from Somalia too brother. When I lived in UAE looong time ago I had 2 close friends in high school from Somalia, I kept contact with them for years after I left.

          • Ebo: i have been here since 2013 and i know kidulthood writing style it is clear you are not kidulthood.
            People will have different opinions and that should be respected as every one here wants to see argentina win.

          • Ebo. I went to uae for vacation in 2012 what a beautiful country I had good time there.
            I enjoyed the food also especially the mandi rice.
            i couldn’t find mandi restuarant here in minneapolis but i heard there are some in chicago, new york etc.

          • guled, bro
            Yes in bigger cities Like Chicago and NYC there are many, I am in NJ about 20 min. from NYC. anytime bro if you are planning to come here, will take you to try best mandi rice. UAE IS VERY MODERN AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE

    • cox4

      it’s Ebo himself who step into the KidultHood shoes. His post I was referring to is spitting image of him. Full of absurdal glorifications of well-known generation and total despise of whatever young in Argentina.

      “now you can see why Messi’s club was, will always be the best Argentina generation ever produced”

      one guy has always talent to such statements. He just forgot add that they will always be best even in whole universe and afterlife no matter they didn’t won any tournament for us while other generations 2 WCs and 14 Copas. Name this as you want, KidultHood or kidulthoodism, the associations are clear.

      • ok i respect your opinion and i understand your point of view.
        just as about my part as i said i count Ebo as my friend and Kidhood somebody i don t have any kind of respect because he offend my country and me very bad.

        in same time as he said he support Colombia and as i read new today
        anymore he has no love or hate for ARGENTINA. he just like and support Messi, Aguero and Di maria.

        well i am ARGENTINA so i don t have anything to speak with somebody like him.

      • @gonzalo-pity-martinez

        “it’s Ebo himself who step into the KidultHood shoes. His post I was referring to is spitting image of him. Full of absurdal glorifications of well-known generation and total despise of whatever young in Argentina.

        “now you can see why Messi’s club was, will always be the best Argentina generation ever produced”

        millions and miilions think this way, they all must be kidadulthood.

        to call that a trademark of kidadulthood and accuse me of being him based on that sentence or other sentence or this opinion or that, is total lunacy that only reflects your extremely poor judgment and the non existence of counter arguments.

        AS I told you, it is non of your fucking business, what players I like, and do not go around painting me hating this player or that, like you projected many times on players that do not fall in your agenda. YOU ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ENEMIES OF THE NT. YOU ARE EVEN WORSE THAN MARTIN LIBERMAN. IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE TRYING TOO HARD TO BRING THIS TEAM DOWN and CHASE FANS AWAY FROM THIS FORUM.

        It seems to me that you are intentionally keep talking about this shit as you just want to limit this forum to reflect your views, you still bring some shit relation to views I share with other members to prejudge me, and my thoughts and true intentions towards the players, you have completely turned this shit into a personal matter as you had no way on confronting my statements, so you chose to go personal and invent that kidadulthood story as you did before to many mebers who came here and left. you are trying too hard to chase people away from here who do not ‘fall in line’ with your definitions, you try to nullify and void other people opinion as rare, but your opinion is the more acceptable, otherwise people are stepping in someone else’s shoes,

        As I told you Leave me the fuck alone and stop with your personal reference to anything, talk football
        it still seems that you have no valid response to many of the points I raised for the last year, and you seem to look around for any thing to misdirect the original subject,

        Talk football or shut up, with that hullicination of yours. after this story you invented, I am 100% sure that all your views are hallucination.
        it is obvious that you spend around 12 hours a day here and try too hard to create a cult within this forum to reflect only your views, you mentioned many times that at tournament times this forum is full of new comers who disappear after the tournament is over, you even think that you have the right to criticize when people log on and off this forum, you are in need of attention, you are really in need of a psychiatrist. which concludes you have no life, get your self a life and get off the back of others who simply disagree with you, leave this forum as open as possible and stop trying to chase everyone who disagrees with your fucked up ideas away from here. stop inventing personal stories and accusations because they have proven that you are full of shit when it comes to football.
        Again I am telling you leave that subject alone, stop your personal reference to me. this site is about football, so talk football or just simply shut the fuck.

        • Ebo/KidultHood

          your “coming out” was very evident, you hid your real views and opinions for long time trying to play moderate one. What is interesting you are the last one who defend Meza which is really good blind to create a diversion of the fact you are only the generation lover.

          What we say in anger is sometimes good indicator of self. You can’t explain yourself from the long post we talk about.

          “YOU ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ENEMIES OF THE NT. YOU ARE EVEN WORSE THAN MARTIN LIBERMAN. IT SEEMS THAT YOU ARE TRYING TOO HARD TO BRING THIS TEAM DOWN and CHASE FANS AWAY FROM THIS FORUM”.

          Ennemies? So far it’s your post sounded like delivered by enemy of NT, hyping the past and firing the players that currently are taking the NT.

          (Don’t forget KidultHood likes very much block letters 🙂 )

          • I do not want to waste any more time reading your personal attacks , and the time of the members. I will hold silent out of respect for this forum. But I will not let you chase me out of here as you have done with others. enjoy

          • I’m not going to chase you out. Simply If someone is here for some time he should take resposibility for what he is doing. You looked like moderate on opinions almostl all the time, even favourable to reform we started.

            And suddenly this stroke of radicalism that touches absurdity and sounds like emergence of real self with that bipolar white-black clear division comes to mind only KidultHood.

        • “now you can see why Messi’s club was, will always be the best Argentina generation ever produced”

          “millions and miilions think this way, they all must be kidadulthood”. -not really. Don’t try to make common such absurdal statements.

      • Gonazalo,

        This sounds all self reflective, very paranoid and insecure.

        > Full of absurdal glorifications of well-known generation

        You’re full of absurdal criticism of well know / *golden generation.

        > total despise of whatever young in Argentina.

        Goodness, you may have a reading comprehension issue if you think Ebo hates younger generation. Such an asinine claim dude. Lol.

        • “*golden generation”

          it’s symbolical some people quietly started to call them “golden” which is best evidence how they lost moderation on reall assess of them.

          Do you even know all our titles fall right before the SILVER generation?

          “Goodness, you may have a reading comprehension issue if you think Ebo hates younger generation”

          His comment I’m referring to is consisted of bipolar motivation: praise of silver generation and total despise to that comes after.

          • you skipped the part where you’re coming off as neurotic, paranoid and insecure. Your comments are self reflective and delusional.

            > ’s symbolical some people quietly started to call them “golden”

            There nothing “quite” about the word calling them golden. Only insecure irrational haters like you say otherwise. You’re in the minority. Get over it.

            Also, labeling teams as golden, silver, bronze is not a reflection of actual fucking silverware. Get that through your thick skull. There are many golden gens teams across the globe that didn’t win anything yet they are still called golden because of the caliber of players and expectation. We haven’t reached anything in decades so this group of players did better. Look at Belgium, they had goden and they didnt win. Even if Chile didnt win copa america, they would still be called golden gen.

            > In sport, a golden generation or golden team is an exceptionally gifted group of players of similar age, whose achievements reach or are expected to reach a level of success beyond that which their team had previously achieved.

          • > Chorpian: “Goodness, you may have a reading comprehension issue if you think Ebo hates younger generation”

            > Gonzalo aka HATER: His comment I’m referring to is consisted of bipolar motivation: praise of silver generation and total despise to that comes after.

            You’re a straight 2 faced liar.

            Like i said, you have reading comprehension issues if you think he despises younger gen. Go back and read the history of Ebos posts and tell me hates younger gen. You liar. Spreading bullshit lies in public forum, you should be ashamed of your self.

  20. Gonzalo and Godin please stop creating fake accounts to support yourselves, you guys are not argentina NT fan and you people dont even care about NT you guys will be happy as long as oldies gets discarded and some useless young players or even old players getting called from superliga gets called. It doesnt matter they are nowhere near our old generation.
    Anyway our midfield looks orphan after great Maschareno.

    • I thought you re smarter than that
      I’m too proud to hide or use different
      Accounts. by allah I will never do that
      I’m have confidence in myself
      That is not my principal I been
      Suffering for supporting Argentina
      More than you do you just have
      Too much love for weak players like di maria. I have to be real with you
      this end of them
      Weather you like it or not
      Argentina will continue and probably
      Will be better without them .

      • Di maria ? i dont think anybody here support dimaria after his display against Colombia ,But you guys so arrogant you guys keep supporting Paredes beside his lack of movement, Lautaro missing clear open headers, Pezella doing nothing, our fullbacks giving nothing in attack, Suarez is most useless player on the pitch. Scaloni clueless but as long as he calls new players its ok.

        • Paredes taglafiaco and pezzella
          They play better bro you have to be
          Real Argentina has been shocking
          But there are players whom show
          They have balls likes those three
          I mentione above a long with
          The general otamendi even Armani
          Show that

        • Bro, you know how much I respect your ideas, but Paredes is the closest we have to Banega, WE do not have Banega so We need Paredes. he is the best ball passer after Messi in the NT. One pass could be a chance to score, I know that pass did not come yet this tournament, but this guy need to be part of the team as he has that talent for magic passes. and he is the most who take chances for shots outside the box after Messi.
          Lautaro is good, he is very mobile. If you want to depend on Aguero, then there is no one better than Lautaro to back him up. both of them played the main part in getting us the penalty against Paraguay.
          and WE have to use his mobility together with Aguero upfront.

    • “Gonzalo and Godin please stop creating fake accounts to support yourselves, you guys are not argentina NT fan and you people dont even care about NT ”

      And that comes from someone who is here barely year or so. Previously under other account I suppose. You are funny man. I bet within a year on Mundo will not be any Mrinal.

    • Shame is that Bocal will not release Alexis MacAllister for the Panamerican Games as this is not official FIFA tournament.

        • Clubs never care for any NT. Their had their own interests. Boca needs the official FIFA term to do that. The other clubs will probably release their players, even if they are crucial like Vargas for Velez.

          On the other hand you don’t care about our NT as well, being happy if there’s no local players even if some of them deserves that. So no need to pose for advocate of our NT. You should be happy some local player from Boca will not be there.

          • “On the other hand you don’t care about our NT as well, being happy if there’s no local players even if some of them deserves that. So no need to pose for advocate of our NT. You should be happy some local player from Boca will not be there.”
            Man I don’t need to prove my love for my team to an arrogant local league fan like you (you don’t care about nt )
            I have always said that any player who is best in his position for nt is always welcomed

    • Simple things that Scaloni doesn’t understand,
      – You need width to stretch the defense, to create gaps for your midfielders to expose.
      – You need a striker to occupy both center backs in order to have a “free man”

      In order for this Argentina to work,
      – We need guys like Banega back to bring creativity in the midfield, which we desperately lack right now.
      – We need a RB that can cover for Messi when he drifts into the pockets of space in the midfield.
      – As he had with Alves, and now with Roberto, I believe that Montiel can be that guy to be a machine going up and down the right flank. Saravia had acres of space and not once he ever took advantage of it.
      – We need someone keeping width on the left so that Tagliafico can stay back defending, just as with Man City, where Bernardo keeps the width so Kyle Walker stays back, only pushing up when Bernardo drops deep.
      – We need an Attack minded midfielder who is quick and will expose those gaps in the defense, caused by the winger (J. Correa) and either Messi or the fullback (Montiel), in this case Lanzini.
      – We need always at least 4 staying back to defend possible counter, in this case the CB’s, LB, DM, and maybe one CM (Lo Celso)
      -With a winger and a fullback keeping width, Messi and Lanzini can expose the gaps between the fullback and center back.

      It’s as simple as 1-2-3

      sharemytactics.com/130063/

  21. team news is out for Qatar game !! (Armani ) (scaloni ayala samuel acuna) (the physio aimar paredes maradona) (messi menotti ) ..we’ll show them all !!!!

    • If scaloni wanted to play 442 as his base formation then why didn’t he take angel correa who plays week and week out for athletico Madrid. His energy,pace,skills could have been worth more than dimaria. Even pavon could have been useful. No speedy players during transition 😡. Nothing against suarez and dimaria but both the correas would have been more useful for counter attacking football. Scaloni can only do press conferences and speaks way to much. 😡

  22. The worst thing that can happen to our team is that we beat Qatar and then another weak team like Japan U20 in quarter finals by luck. We qualify for semi-finals before elimination, AFA tells Scaloni he did such a great job and continue with him, then we are fucked for another 2 years. Not only we waste our time but also may cause us elimination.

    So I really prefer taking a pain now and have an early exit to wake up AFA and take it more seriously. Not winning the Copa is not humiliating but not qualified for the World cup, yes.

  23. Before this copa, I said in one of my previous post, at the best we may only make a draw against Colombia and we need a lot of luck beat Paraguay. The reason is they both play very compact with very disciplined players, which cut our NT into 2. It makes even very difficult to play against them because we don’t have any box to box player. Paredes and Guido like to stay in their zone. Lo Celso is more a 10, Pereyra doesn’t recover yet. Uruguay, Chile and Peru play the same way, so I really don’t see how we can beat any of them.

  24. What Scaloni’s paln with Aguero ,he is known for his sharp strikes but he is not even trying to shoot everytime he get gets the he tries to give it back to Messi.

  25. What I don’t understand is how a country the size of Argentina, with the passion it has for the beautiful game, cannot produce enough good players to produce a quality National team. To think there are concerns about being able to beat a team from a country the size of Qatar is a travesty.

    A player like Messi is one in a billion or more. I get that. But they need to find quality replacements for aging players like DiMaria, Higuain and Aguero who don’t seem as able to complete on the national team as in many years past. Like the article indicated, there have been so many coaches all with similar disappointing results. Perhaps the issue has been talent of the selections. Right now, the former 2nd level Argentine league player who is now in MLS in Houston would be an improvement (and that is so sad).

    I’m guessing that the dysfunction in the AFA is the cause, just like the best players in the USA aren’t invited to play on the USMNT because of their federation’s long standing racial and other prejudices.

  26. Casco or saravia both didn’t help to the attack and they can’t defend well..so we should start Foyth atleast he can defend well..all goals came from right flank both sarvai and Casco couldn’t defend it.. and We should start Guido.. at least he can hold midfield and winning back ball more than paredes.. so I think perfect line up against Qatar is

    Foyth Pezzella Otamendi Tagliafico

    ——————-Guido———————-
    ——-Celso De paul/Paredes
    ——————-Messi———————-
    ———Aguero Martinez———

    Sub – Dybala to Martinez or Aguero

    • I agree with that formation 100%, I would argue Casco should start over foyth as foyth is not a natural rb and he is young so the pressure on him for this game might be overwhelming, perhaps in quarters (if we get through) when we have nothing to lose he should start, Paredes should definitely start over de Paul as de Paul not a natural mid and also not as good helping out in defence, very good point about Rodriguez and I think he showed us in Colombia game that he’s our best defensive mid in the squad.

  27. This is not the time of critism they should find a solution, AFA should ask the help from some other manager inside the closed door , its clear Scaloni is not able to carry this he doesnt have any knowledge of coaching .
    He had done lots of mistakes in the selection he didnt select a single fast and pacy winger ,Dimaria nomore a winger in psg he drifts into midfield. Pezella is doing almost nothing on the field that is putting extra pressure on Otamendi and Tagliafico Funes mori should be paired with Otamendi. As i said earlier pareyera is a useless player he is in horrible form this year. Our wing backs are not helping in attack and too many midfielders which makes our attack narrow easily defendable. Still i dont understad Scaloni’s love towards Suarez.

    • I beg to differ. Pezella, who is still not fully fit , has been our best defender in both matches so far. His positioning is extraordinary and plays with minimum risks that is why others around him seem more active. You remove him and pair up someone else with impulsive Otamendi and our defense will resemble Sampaoli’s vulnerable back-line. I wish Sampaoli had picked him in the last World Cup!!

      • Well said mate pezzella is very
        Calm and good defender .him
        And taglafiaco has been good
        In the back yes that was one of
        The mistakes sampoali made
        He should gone to world cup

      • “has been our best defender in both matches so far. His positioning is extraordinary and plays with minimum risks” In both the matches he just collects the ball from Armani and give it back to Otamendi he never runs, never tries to bock the players, everytime he is out of the position.

  28. Look how far we’ve fallen!

    There is a chance that Qatar could prevent us from going through to the QF.
    A middle eastern country 11,968 km away could knockout a two time World Cup winning team from a competition in our own backyard.

    La C**** d tu madrre Scaloni!

    • LOL – my Spanish isn’t much (and I want to learn much more) but this much I understand. I agree wholeheartedly!

      Nonetheless, I am all in for Los Albicelestes, all of the time – win, lose or draw.

    • yeah that was in la acuda tournament and argentina u 20 won that tournament under scaloni by beating teams like vevenzuela,uruguay and russia u20 teams and match against india u20 was in final group stage with argentina u 20 having already topped the group and they used manily substitute players in that match against india u20 (still it was nice to see India win).i am not defending Scaloni he has no senior team level experience nor was an exemptional player but managing youth team and senior level teams is different and if argentina u20 gets beaten by qatar or fails to reach semis in copa 2019 then he must br replaced by a good manager with international matches experience even if hes is a foreigner and scaloni should be made u20 coach and replace fernando batista whose selection of players in u 20 wc was quiet weird if afa are unable to hire ecuador u20 team coach who is also an argentine and took ecuador u20 team to semis of 2019 u20 fifa wc then scaloni might be ideal choice for argentina u 20 team and regarding senior team manager i have doubts regarding gallardo he won 2 copa libertadoes same as bauza and never coached in europe but since diego simeone has praised him then he could be a decent manager for NT and if we cant get him then go for some good international manager like allegri if afa has enough money now and last but not least regarding menotti (who put argentina on map in football) if rumours are true regarding his attitude against europe based players then he must be replaced by a good director of football like pekerman or even sabella who has it seems recovered an healthy

  29. im liking this squad posted by some mundoers.

    Not sure Foyth works over Saravia but it could add defensive stability to the porous right. Turns into 352 during attack with Tagliafico pushing up the right. I like Paredes but he aint making vertical passes or long balls right now. If he’s not exploiting his talents, might as well have Guido for added defense.

    —————===Armani
    Foyth | Pezzella | Otamendi | Tagliafico
    ——————Rodriguez
    ——-Lo Celso | Messi | De Paul
    ————Aguero | Lautaro

  30. This is the darkest day as Argentina fan that we are tense against a match against a team called Qatar. It’s the worst nightmare, as an Albiceleste fan, I could have… 🙁

  31. Qatar will be a very difficult game because they are physically very strong and our team looks like boys just learning basic football with exception of Messi and few players. I am afraid the pressure is to much and I never ever taught the Day Argentina will be scared of a team like Qatar in my 30 years supporting the team but my night mare is complete please wake up, I guess there is a saying that Fire always end up like dust ( we used to be fire but this team is nothing but dust running by an armature coach with no winning or proving record). Why why as we did not suffer enough humiliation in the last world cup, same mistakes even worse. I guess we never learn

    • Yes, deffinetly a true nightmare ! Who would have even belived that Argentina might be suffering against Qatar ! I’m truly scared as i saw Little part of them playing against colombians and that game could have been drawn though colombians missed some clear chanches or at least one by zapata should have been a deffinetly a goal, but he missed it, but also Qatar had at least one really great chance which could have easily been a goal so as far as i’m considered colombians suffered more against very physical Qatar team than against Argentina NT and this make’s shit scared…?
      Very surprised see Uruguay draw against Japan because chilenos hammered japanese 4-0 in the first game, but i quess this only show’s that inna tournament like this nothing is granted for sure ?

  32. I guess some our friends may get
    Bit confused about scaloni.
    Scaloni is not Argentina manager
    Afa never appointed as permanent
    Manager afa wanted tata martino &
    Marcelo Gallardo neither of them
    Was want the job so afa decided
    To take thier time since they rushed
    To appointed sampoali the afa didn’t
    Give this copa priority that is why
    they allowed
    Scaloni to be a caretaker manager so
    Scaloni is not Argentina manager
    He is caretaker manager
    Afa want to make correct appointment
    This time around whoever they choose
    Will be long time so chill out
    Let’s wait and see .

  33. C’mon guyz don’t loose hope ……we still HV one match…….
    Against Colombia in the starting half we played some of the best football of the tournament and against Paraguay we also look comfortable in glimpses……

    I think we still can win the whole thing……those glimpses has given me hope.

    I think we don’t HV to overthink here…….if we can play good football in glimpses than believe me my friends it’s just a matter of time we will start to click for the whole game.

  34. Prasu June 21, 2019 at 8:25 am
    I think it is better to exclude a slow player like paredes from starting lineup .And include foyth in def mid roll and acuna in left mid .roll locelso in AMD roll

    I think Prasu has got a point in his comment, maybe it could actually work, who know’s, but nothing to loose so why not to try ?

    Armani/ though i prefer Musso, but might be too riski to change and he saved us with that penalty at least for so far ?

    Saravia/Casco Pezzella Ota”the super Hotta”/Tagliafigo acuna

    Foyth

    Dybala Lo celso De Paul

    Messi

    Vamos ! Albiceleste !

  35. This is the biggest question now, can Argentina Beat qatar? Forget about second round. this will their big test and not easy one. Qatar team, looks solid, they have strong players and they do not have nothing to lose. If they tie or lose the game it will not matter to them, but for Argentina its must win atleast by 2 goals. Qatar players are much physically stronger compare to Argentina players. They came from 2 goals behind and drew the game against Paraguay and lost against Columbia by only 1 goal.Scaloni boys they did not win against any big team since he became coach. They played some friendly matches and in every games he played with 16 players. His poor selection process and amature technical calls messing up the play and are not producing any result. He is surround with former argentine national players but they never been involved with any club team as coach . Its easy to get some players and put them on the field. it works for friendly matches but for an International Big Tournament they should select players whom can compete and play against big teams. This is not acceptable.
    Well, let’s keep all this on the side for now and just focus on the next big game against Qatar.
    They should keep the faith in them and give their best on the field. Scaloni should stop making wrong calls for replacement. Argentina should play slow and steady and score first. Qatar is very fast with counter attack and if they score early, it will be hard to come back and win against them.
    This is the line up they should have.
    Armani
    Casco — Ottamendi — Pezzela — Tagliafico
    Rodrigues
    Lo Celso — Parades — De Paul
    Messi —- L. Martinez

  36. Out of all the coaches we had for last 10 years I think the any one apart from Maradona and Scaloni will defenitly learn from their mistakes. Why? Because they r coaches.

    The NT is the pinnacle of any Coaches career. It’s not a place to train an intern.

    Hell even Bauza and Sampaoli would have done good if given time, I think it could have been better had if Tata Martino continued. I remember we all were asking for his head. But looking back now had he continued our NT would have been in a better position. Because at least he knows what he is doing. He had a system. I regret that.

    As per me Sabella was the best we had in last 10 years. Tata comes second. Bauza and Sampaoli looks like a tie. Rest all are not capable of guiding a project.

    I don’t know, what happened is happened hopefully Scaloni can pull off a miracle. Just Hope.Hope… Because we r still in between a Freaking Copa America tournament. Damnnn.. I for one had belief in Scaloni. He started impressively. Sighs..

  37. I think San Isidro know’s a thing or few specially when it come’s to AFA propably because i belive that he is an True Argie and what he said about in his post has been the case for god knows how long and propably in this (Trump, Erdogan, Putin etc…not to mention the Venezuelan Jefe at charge and all the other ones all over the world) time of corruption is getting worst every day like what he said about AFA:

    San Isidro’s wisdom of AFA :

    And things never get done other than fat cats in AFA getting rich. One year has already passed.

    And unfortunatly i quess anotherone will follow…

    Huge Respect, but not to AFA ! Hopefully u will see those great old glorydays of our NT like all of us as well ! Stay well and all the best for your country, might come for a visit one day and travel a bit in your country and maybe in Uruguay as well ? Has allways been my dream and it was also my fathers dream but unfortunatly we never get further than Spain before he passed away. He actually gave me my nickname or called me since a kid as Ricky and that is why i use it as my username, hopefully real Ricky won’t mention… btw do u know if he is Still alive ?

  38. I think it is better to exclude a slow player like paredes from starting lineup .And include foyth in def mid roll and acuna in left mid .roll locelso in AMD roll

  39. Within a few months we will likely choose another coach. He will be our 8th within last 10 years!!! Incredible and crazy. Only Joachim Loew is with Germany much longer (since 2004 including assistant role aside Klinsamnn). Tabarez since 2006.

    This circus must end. We have not respect to ourselves like some African country of constant military coups. We need a coach for at least 5 years even if he will lost next Copa.

    • scaloni don’t have any knowledge about coaching who isn’t even coach a low table club in farmer league how could you think to give historical Argentina NT job in long term yes Sampaoli should be given more time instead of appointing scaloni, Argentina will do much better under sampaoli.

  40. What come’s to faith i personally think messi or any other player who step’s up on the pitch should allways have faith in them and belive in themself to gain selfconfidence as much as possible !
    And for that u need time to play together as team under one same coach for as long as possible !
    Well, offcourse it won’t allways work out and every team has their up and down’s like people themself too ! But personally i belive that most of the time the team’s will ultimatly succeed if they have been proper time together under same coach as for example cholo, pochettino, guardiola, klopp etc… there’s is so many names to write on that list like zidane and tabarez is very good example or maybe of the best example because now we are Still talking about NT not club football manageri who are loaded with money and have get gought in that huge moneyweb and it iis allmost impossible to get them out from there to come to manage NT with hardly any salary, but personally i think it will happen one day, maybe, and why ? Well because love for their country and NT as x NT players, but this will TaKe time…, who know’s for how long ? That is why i think it is best to get somebody for NT who can have continueity as long as possible, but offcourse somebody else will decides about this as usual… !

  41. Also it is obvious that longterm project should have started or kept going after Pekerman left !
    But Still it hasn’t happenned and i doubt it will though i wish it would have started or kept going after Pekerman, but most propably there was no money available and i quess the situtation is Still the same and will remain like that, hopefully not, but it doesn’t look good at all what is going around behind the scenes… !

  42. Yes, it has been obvious for decades that the coaches just get signed and as soon as everything goes wrong with NT they get kicked out and most of the blame with the players ! And also it should be obvious too to everyone who follows Argentine NT that who are the people behind this or who run the things … ! Why ? Well propably because of money, i quess ?

  43. Messi said he had faith on this team. I don’t doubt him because He will show up during pressure situations most of the time. It’s not the time to make mockery out of our players and coaches. Even though we don’t have enough fire power to win this copa, we can at least give all our best until the final result. That would make me happy. This team is talented but you can’t expect inexperienced players to turn into god mode during competitive games. They need time to gel with the team. The only problem in this team is Scaloni. His tactics costs us badly in this copa and I believe he should leave after this tournament. Argentina needs to hire a good attacking coach who could deliver success with young players. They also need to give enough time for the coach to set up his team.

  44. People can’t understand the thing we need most is long term project and long term coach. Uruguay and Germany are examples to follow. We naively keep faith that taking another coach will change everything. The problem is that we cannot to give the chance to our coaches they can learn themselves something about Argentina NT DNA. Every coach has only less than one year period (between September to June of next year) to win something.

    If something goes wrong dark crowd want have his scapegoat and want quickly blood sacrifice. Some heads must fall. AFA is fearing such situation – that may brings questions about people at the head of all federation. So they quickly suggest one scapegoat and head to be cut off. This is convenient for them because naive people believe with this everything will change.

    I wouldn’t be stayed with Scaloni but I’m sure even Scaloni can learn something if given more time. We never want give the opportunity to our coaches to let them learn upon their own mistakes. The last, absolutely last thing I believe is that every of Batista, Martino, Bauza, Sampaoli, Scaloni was total idiot who is the only responsible for every disappointments that we faced.
    Think for a minute: this coaches, just like Gallardo were not people from nowhere. Bauza won 2 times Copa Libertadores (just like Gallardo), even did that with Ecuador club, Batista won Olimpic Games, Samapaoli Copa America, Martino won league with Newell’s and lead them to CL semifinal. “As a result, Martino won further plaudits as a coach, having transformed Newell’s from a team facing relegation on his arrival to a title-winning side, in addition to the arguably more impressive feat of reaching the 2013 Copa Libertadores semi-final, the pinnacle club competition organized by CONMEBOL. It was this startling turnaround that further increased Martino’s stock as a coach, and his achievements at Newell’s soon caught the attention of various clubs in Europe, including FC Barcelona”. He had the Barcelona experience winning La Liga with them.

    I bet we would ask for one of the coaches today for NT (if not the experience of what they did heading albicelestes in fact).

    Just think rather why our NT is making total fools of these class coaches. Do you think Gallardo achievements are that really different to those of Bauza for example?

    • If they are any older members here at all I hardly see they are throwing gladly names of possible new coaches. Those who do that here are mostly ephemerids of unknown names among Mundo society. Ephemerids that are volatile and passing as the tournaments itself.

      Why? Because the old members learned something about easy appointing again and again new coaches as best recipe for our problems. They (including me) learned something even upon their own propositions. The very few old members that are here don’t want compromise themselves by giving another easy recipes. We all were with body and soul for Sampaoli -what was the result we know…

      Now only those who are not going to stay here longer are enough inexperienced to throw names and easy counsels for NT renovation. It’s easy to push forward brave ideas and throw names if you know very within a while I will leave this site or switch to other account. With no of such long term resposibility everything is easy.

      • I don’t want to say Scaloni should stay. Just that wait some time with these preselection and before it even starts think twice what are the deepest reasons of Argentina NT crisis and what we actually expect from new coach. If the expectations is to deliver and win Copa 2020 with 9 months period of preparation you would be again at the same point within a year from now on.

        Don’t follow these ephemerid members insanity that overflood us once again becsuse tournament is here.

        • Gonzalo
          Nothing wrong with a long project but 10 years is ridiculous. Think of it this way, you are basically saying everybody that is 20 years old or older will not be important by the time this project is complete because they are 30 and their best years are behind them. Also, how do you know if you are any good after 10 years? If you are from Argentina, then you should know this is long version of Argentine saying “mañana”. When mañana comes, they say again, mañana. And things never get done other than fat cats in AFA getting rich. One year has already passed. Have you seen any improvement? I hope you see my point.
          We have good players. We have a bad manager in charge. Messi for as great as he is, is cursed because these teammates look at him as their own personal Jesus Christ. In every situation, even an empty net, the player would rather pass to Messi than score. This is not football my friend. This is hero worship. Without Messi they are not talented to win anything and with him they are too busy worshipping him rather than playing.
          You need a strong manager, that says if you do this bad play and constantly look for Messi you are gone from the team. A manager with a system. Then we need patience, and we need to pay him. We lost Martino because we had not paid him for nearly 2 years.

          • San Isidro

            Scaloni is in charge only since Spetember, that is not even one year. His beginnings were good. We liked what we saw against Colombia and Brazil with new playerseven if they ddidn’t scored we had at least solid defence. But with the new year the initial good work mostly has ceased. Since beginnings of the year all the questions were about Messi come back and which of his old teammates will back with him. At this moment the atmosphere is changing. We heard in iterviews the expentacy of BIG ONE come back.

            “Messi for as great as he is, is cursed because these teammates look at him as their own personal Jesus Christ. In every situation, even an empty net, the player would rather pass to Messi than score. This is not football my friend. This is hero worship” (these are my thoughts)

            To that the first team of Scaloni from September was decimated by injuries (and Copa Libertadores games) and the started searching of new names and then again injuries and searching for new names…Still I think the beginnings were good.

            I don’t want to say we should stay with Scaloni. Just hope another coach will stay at least 5 years.

          • > We liked what we saw against Colombia and Brazil with new playerseven if they ddidn’t scored we had at least solid defence.

            nope not all of us like what we saw, especially the defense. we looked like crap and the scoreline against brazil was flattering. we were lucky to not lose by more. The game was more about Brazils failure in attack than Arg defense.

          • San Isidro
            You say that “In every situation, even an empty net, the player would rather pass to Messi than score.”? I don’t think so.

          • Choripan,

            totall bullshit

            watch the game against Brazil one more time and the comments from Mundo during the game. Our defence was really good despite very little minutes before together and that Saravia defensive surprising feat against Neymar is one of evidences.

          • I like your perspective on this. But I saw a Messi-less Argentina totally obliterate a team when he was injured. There was strong talent at EVERY position.

            Unfortunately that talent, such as AGUERO and DIMARIA are much older and slower. MASCHERANO retired. The players that replaced them are of nowhere near the same caliber. Other Argentines are refusing to be part of the nonsense due to having to pay their own way and worse due to the way too corrupt and disfuntional AFA.

            Other players like Dybala can’t play effectively in a system centered on MESSI only, and then when that cannot happen, the team basically freezes.

            The team has changed coaches so many times and little has changed in terms of outcomes. The MESSI only approach will not work and if anything, it constrains any sort of player creativity on offense and probably, desire. Just ask DYBALA, HIGUAIN, AGUERO, …

    • I partly agree with you. But, Scaloni is a different situation. Chance is given to those who are committed to and capable of showing progress, improvement, and refinement and positive signs tactically. Scaloni did not do that. and I’m sick of that. Right after this Copa, it is a must for AFA to sign a real coach, not an intern or first year coaching staff graduate.

      As for this Copa, I am afraid our poor performance so far would develop discontent among the team’s members. As a result, the outbreak of mutiny would be unstoppable.

  45. All i can say is that is it is very sad thing to see how things have been changhing with Argentina’s team for decades allready ! And now this site is changing too to an uggly battlefield with waste of time comment’s etc. i remember when i really liked reading people’s posting’s on this site first times around at our own copa when we were at under Batista and lost to Uruguay with penalties, i quess it was carlito’s kick that did not went in and we were out etc. And Batista neither get sacked or quit propably quiet soon after that, and offcourse got most of people’s shit on his shoulder’s, maybe fair or maybe not, who care’s ? My point is now he was with our youngsters in he world cup and also got eliminated by penalties, but i saw from some highlights from utube Argentina played quite nice and good football under him and even beat south korea who went all the way to final against Ukraina, and actually i don’t know or care which one won because i only support Argentina so i don’t care !
    But if i remember right at least we played much better football under Batista at our own Copa and if Tevez did’nt could not score, then all i know that was deffinetly Batista’s fault like now it is so obvious that our current coach is clueless and don’t know much about tactics or basicly anything, maybe only good thing he has done is that he has finally start bringing youth’s to our team which should at least been done allready since Pekerman left ! If all our coache’s after Pekerman would have have brought at least 2-3 new promising talented youth’s to our team then at least they could have got some vital experience specially during friendlie’s etc. Offcourse every coach is entitled to select the team he want’s to major tournament, but if u never try different players before and bring up youth’s around senior team then it is very difficult for them to take the so called next step and offcourse all them won’t and that is why is even more important to give chanches to them be able to play first for their very own development and offcourse for the coach at helm to see if they could be usefull maybe soon in the future or some might be quite ready to perform at senior level even more quicker than we thought and some maybe not, but after given more time, yes eventually they will be ready if they are properly brought up to right tactics used by proper coach at helm and that offcourse that they are good enough in the end ! But none of the coache’s after Pekerman did this not even mighty Sabella or the rest of them ! I don’t know if they all were good or bad coache’s tactically, but i quess most of them exept Sabella were ? But at least they could have looked in tontteja future rather than stick to same ! I don’t mean that they should have all change the whole entire group of our players but systematicly bring youth’s more and more youth’s around the senior team at least in that way the would have got some or gained some vital experience ! Scaloni is absolute crap coach with his tactics but at least he has had ball’s to bring up more youth’s to senior team than any other coach since Pekerman, who also in the end offcourse allmost picked the best of available instead of Zanetti, but that was then and now is now. The point is that eventually u have to bring up the youth’s at some point even Messi said that and everybody who knows a thing about football knows this ! Look at Pochettino at Spurs for example or Cholo at Atletico even he will have them roasted first before eventually properly bring them to the startin eleven and some might go on loan’s for several year’s, but in the end when the tike is right he will bring them back etc. !
    Is very frustrating for all us who really support Argentina to see us Suffer after year’s go by and looks like things are getting even more difficult than ever because at mean time other teams are somehow devolopping very fast and we are not either because we stick allways to same and never bring up the youth’s when needeed the most like way before we do or either all our coaches fail with their selection’s and tactic’s and like Richard mentioned in his post about that some article eritoten of a european journalist that seems like Argentina is Still playing 20th century football rather than other’s are playing 21st century football, well i don’t know about this, but what i do know AFA is responsible as much as the coach because they are the one who eventually select the coach and so far they have’nt got it right for quiet long time, maybe exept Sabella, but i know they are broke and all the corruption with AFA is as real that is with FiFA or rest of the world as well !
    Match fixing scandals all over the place’s etc. U name it ! This is the sad era ofcthisbtime of full corruption all over the place and sadat only monen speaks for itself and for everything else as well so i quess either we have to hit the jackpot with some european lottery’s around or to be able to get that monet from somewhere else ? If not råthen we can all just pray for miracle to hapen to get a proper coach, i mean really proper coach to come as voluntearly to coach our team, which i personally highly doubt it, so there is no point anymore arguing or posting nonsense bullshit comments about this that or who is or the oldies are better than the youth’s or allkind of bullshit commen’s around this site because it just brings chaos around and nothing relevantti at all, including my own comment’s as well ! I really miss those god old proper post’s from long time ago when this site was Still intresting to follow and read Like for example pablo.d’ s comment’s and others who know what they are talking about ! but now everyone is just fighting with eachother and writing nonsense who we were better than others and etc. All i know and this purely based on what i have seen from Di Maria and Pizarro too that they should never play again, but hey there we go again starting to talk about selection and players etc. It is very hard to avoid it when the spider’s web have grownnso big that u will certainly get gought in it allmost everytime ! But i think most of us knew allready inside which might be the outcome of this copa(if pray to good that miracle will happen!), but offcourse i understand that Scaloni let us all down by his tactics or nontactics and by his nonsense substitutions as well ! And even i had no clue honestly what kind of manager hecwill be in the end specially when he is arounded by at least great x players like Samuel and aimar !
    But i have to admit that i’m very disapointed so far what i have seen from our team ! And the fault belongs deffinetly mostly to AFA who pointed Scaloni as coach for this copa ! It is clear that somehow our players can’t or won’t perform under him even Colombia might have a good team Still they are just cafetero’s and i don’t think they are the best team around at all ! They might be beaten by venezuelan’s, peruvian’s or chilenos and most certainly by Uruguay and it hin by Brazil too !
    Well if we don’t make it i wish for charro’s to win at least they have got a great coach for long time and their playing good football at the moment ! I hope we could reach that same level, maybe one day in future, let see what will happen and wish best for all real supporters of Argentina ! Vamos Argentina forver !

  46. If argentina losses against qatar or even fails to make semis of copa 2019 then scaloni has to be replaced by gallardo or some foreign coach like allegri and in case of scaloni he can be made coach of argentina u20(he won la acuda tournament with them and called inform players and had good startegy that time but managing u20 team and senior teams is quiet different and scaloni dosent have experience in senior level)unlike fernando batista whose selection of players is quiet confusing in case if afa cant hire ecuador u20 team coach who is also an argentine and took ecuador u 20 team to semis of u 20 wc 2019 as replacement of fernando batista then it is better to replace batista with scaloni and finally afa has to concentrate on youth football and menotti (with all due respect who put ARGENTINA on map in world football)either leave or change his attitude towards europe based players and if he cant change his thinking regarding europe based players then better hire a good director of football like pekerman

    • I don’t understand you guys who are calling for coaches like Allegri, Mourinho, Pochettini, Simeone. You know that those are expensive and why we ended up with Scaloni in the first place? Our only chance to get a decent one is to get someone crazy enough to discard monetary incentives, like Sampaoli did. Did Tata finally get his money from AFA by the way? No wonder he chose Mexico, and I suspect he didn’t do that because he likes eating tacos.

  47. I have told this before.. Argentina defense will be worse when Paredes plays as single DM in 433. I like Paredes…he’s trying his best in this Copa. But still..he has to play only in 4231 or 442… unfortunately both won’t work for this Argentina. Banega a lot better player than Paredes.. didn’t work. That’s why we ended up in Mascherano-Biglia pair.
    When Paredes sits out and we use a proper DM who can win the ball back..we will be a better side. This is not because hes a bad player. He’s a great passer and good in long range shots. But as a DM he’s poor in ball recovery and dirty/destroy job. Also he lacks speed. Battaglia was okay. Ascacibar would have done better than any of these current DM. At present, I prefer Rodriguez as DM in 3 man midfield as he’s the only one available currently.
    Hope Scaloni and co understand this.

  48. Argentina played far better football under sampoli..
    at least we created many Chances and had a definite style of play..
    This team doesn’t have anything..
    No build up from the midfield..
    In the whole 2nd half, i didn’t see aguero or messi receiving a single ball from the midfield..
    And not to mention about defense..
    Even we qualify, Brazil or Uruguay will create havoc against this team.

  49. One moment of inspiration can change everything. I don’t believe Scaloni is that much of an idiot. It’s disappointing the way Argentina started but there’s still hope if something can click vs Qatar. Main reason I say this is because 1.messi decided to return to the team and 2. Messi is still talking positive about the team. I believe is Scaloni was truly an idiot. Then why would messi fight again with an idiot? Why Argentina continually make crazy or always change or don’t know the system we’ll never know but as long as everybody turns up there is still a slight, slight chance that Argentina could finally click into gear.

  50. With regard to a new coach.
    We have a friendly scheduled against Germany in October. Germany recently won a EC qualifier with 8-0.
    The opponent was weak, but meeting Germany so early in your career as new coach is not a great prospect.

  51. No matter who coaches this team, they will not succeed as long as they have Menotti and tapia. After this Copa, Argentina needs to stop calling players from Argentina leagues because they are simply no good enough to play for NT. Enough of meza, Suarez….etc. We wouldn’t have midfield crises if they called players like ever benega, Lanzini, Santiago ascebar from top European leagues.

    • “After this Copa, Argentina needs to stop calling players from Argentina leagues because they are simply no good enough to play for NT”

      They are guilty even if there’s no of them. Total idiot. How many local league players against Paraguay? As many as 2 defense and goalkeep players. And one of them even saved penalty. While the Europeans scored one penalty (questionable) goal during 2 games? Do you want to deny that?

      “they are simply no good enough”

      The locals of Argentina are not good enough but the locals of Paraguay, Colombia and Venezuela are good enough to beat Argentina. That’s interesting. Please explain why the teams are winning against us and Sanchez (Paraguayan Olimpia Asuncion), Roger Martinez MOTM of the Colombia game against us (Mexican Club America) or Josef Martinez (Venezuela) from Atlanta United who was MOTM of that game all were scoring against us.

      This is not attempt to prove players from South and North America clubs are better than Europeans (mostly opposite) just that best of them deserves to be in NT and problem is not about wheter we call up European or locals.

      • ” but the locals of Paraguay, Colombia and Venezuela are good enough to beat Argentina.” A WC and even a Copa America final is only a dream for these local players, so whats your point?

        • Copa America final is not a dream thesedays for teams like Colombia or even Venezuela.

          “whats your point?”

          point is clear. If someone suggest to have few local players in squad or even starting eleven is obstacle to win this is easily refutable if the team which won against us used such players from SOuth and North America clubs. Moreover the players were the scoring ones.

          This is the more absurdal when he did that after game against Paraguay where was only Armani (who even saved us from one more goal conceeded) and Casco. Where we struggle most were attacking zone, where we had not any local player. We can afford to lost one goal or so but if our big European forwards can’t score one goal (the only one after questionable penalty) within 2 games you should look for guilty everywhere but not among local players. Of course some still will say Suarez who got few minutes at both the games is the guilty.

          • we don’t need more meza or suarez in NT who are benching superstar player on Europe despite performing poor due to sexual relationship with head coach.

  52. I just finished watching Uruguay-Japan and was thinking what if. What if Argentina had the same structure and long-term commitment from AFA as Uruguay with a coach like Tabarez who has had the opportunity to implement continuity of his football philosophy, then Argentina with a much larger talent pool would indeed be the superpower of football. I noticed that Tabarez returned as NT coach after 16 years if absence. In 2020, it will be 16 years since Bielsa left NT, and his age would allow him to remain in charge for at least 10 years.

    But the main issue with AFA, I believe, is the weak finance, meaning that they are chasing short-term money (i.e. milking Messi) instead of doing the right thing and truly implement the 10 year strategy as they have said to be doing (which I think is BS).

    I’m feeling sad when I think about the deteriorisation of the Argentina NT, and I believe the sooner we realise that it no longer is a real football superpower, then a re-construction of AFA and Argentinean football can begin. We have seen that nations like Holland and Italy can come back after a period of slump, but that has been possible due to a solid organisation of their respective football associations. Where is AFA standing, as a comparison?

    Now, in this Copa, we have left to face Qatar, but I’m not iverly confident that we can beat them to advance to QF, not if we continue to play as in the two first matches. My prediction is that Argentina is out after the Qatar match, AFA looking for a new coach, Aimar stepping up as new head coach, and Messi retiring from NT. And Argentina not qualifying for WC2022. With that mindset, I can only see upside going forward.

    • Our 93-94 CB generation is a total loss, Magallan, Figal and Conti the 3 best, all of them with huge defects, Magallan football IQ, Conti physicality, Figal defending skills…95-96 more talented, but slowly improving, and cant step up on higher level, Mammana, Alan Franco a rough, but talented defender, but still in Independiente except of european roumors, Martinez Quarta his long passing is his best weapon not the defending, Barboza technical but seems very slow, Komar, Cardona good in PD…but they wont step up imo, 97-98 seems the best Foyth, Romero still struggling to be world class defenders but potential is there, in Lisando Martinez too, maybe in Senesi too, in 99+generation a lot of hyped CB’s but to early to diagnose, Balerdi will not play, Nehuen Perez neither…so ARG still searching his world class defender since peak Garay, peak Otamendi, maybe even peak Demichelis (except his idiot mistakes) not the absolute elite on paper but they could perform like that, the last true world class defender was Walter Samuel.

  53. Pep Guardiola will never coach Argentina. We can just forget that dream. Why would a Spanish coach Argentina? He himself said that too. Moreover AFA would never be able to pay his asking price.
    .
    It would be good if Pekerman and Tocalli come out of their exile and offer to coach Argentine youth teams together for free. AFA would definitely accept this proposal as they don’t have to pay anything and moreover it was the most successful youth project in Argentine Soccer history which has reaped rewards.
    .
    Sabella as coach would be the need of the hour but Menotti will stand in between as Sabella is a defensive coach.
    .
    Bielsa will not accept AFA at the moment.
    .
    Gallardo is the only option but Menotti has the say.
    .
    Heinze and Coudat stand a chance too.

    • He is not Spanish he is Catalan.in his interview pep said they(AFA) didn’t even met him once and they say he is expensive.

    • If asked bielsa will come as he is a patriot .but he needs authority and long time project which I am afraid won’t get from AFA

  54. Argentina reaches agreement and Marcelo Gallardo will be new coach of the team, says radio….. Hopefully hopefully. ….

  55. It’s dream to have Jose Mourinho as Argentina coach, such a wining mentality coach with good tactical knowledge needed, scaloni who isn’t even manage a low table club is the coach of Historic Argentina NT is the biggest joke who have zero tactical knowledge realistically i will be happy with Gareca or Gallardo as a coach

  56. Ebo/KidultHood

    once again your post. Everyone who know the KidultHood angry, arbitrary, glorificative (to old guard) and despising to youngster style can admit this post is full of him. It looks like some man was really hiding his real personality and set of belifs for long time and this is emergence of the deep beliefs:

    “Yeah, some will still come now and say, Messi’s presence is toxic. Mascherano was bullshit dictator who prevented young players from playing. ROJO is a bench warmer,Romero is useless, Mercado inconsistent, BAnega, so so, DiMAria headless Chicken, I bet Meza is better than most of these fucking player who can not even pass or receive the fucking ball. I bet they are better than these losers we have for a year now. and playing like shit. yeah once in a blue moon they play good, but inconsistent, worse than the inconsistency of DiMaria or Biglia or Mascherano. why, because they are young, they supposed to be good,
    those players who are described till today as ‘old guard’, ‘Messi’s package’, ‘club de amigos’ , ‘pecho frio’ ‘hijos de puta’ players that were disrespected, humiliated and discarded as if they never served their country, were monsters at the ages of the current ‘younger’ ‘better’ ‘ ‘future’ ‘more dependable’ players

    Some say, this guy or that guy should never be close to the NT, he is inconsistent, takes headless runs, has very few moments of magic, they are not playing for the shirt, they come in a package, I don;t Messi because of his friends, I don’t want Aguero because he wants to win for Messi, he does not care about Argentina, they don’t play for the shirt, they are chockers, losers, reached 4 finals in 9 tyears, but did not win any, and becasue of that bullshit the were calling for eliminating the best and take the worst just because they are part of ‘Messi’s club’ , those too are partners of the fucking Media that kept thrashing that golden generation, part of the corrupt AFA, and the part of the reason Argentina is in this situation right now. For fuck sake, since when the mighty Argentina had to depend on winning against nation like qatar to qualify for COPA AMERICA second round ans waiting other results to go in it’s advantage, and hell maybe qualify as one of 2 teams in best third out of three ?
    .
    now you can see why Messi’s club was, will always be the best Argentina generation ever produced. But WE chose to discard them like discarding garbage. humiliate them and spit on them when they are close to the end of their careers. So youo guys better stop with that fucking broken record as it is CLEAR AS A WHISTLE, THERE WERE NO BETTER PLAYERS TO TAKE THEIR PLACE.

    the ‘old guards’ who every one was/is blaming to hijack the team after 2014 and did not give chances for other players to play, put 6 past a stronger Paraguay last COPA, WE as FANS are left with this Argentina team to support, and we had no choice.

    some said It is Ok we are rebuilding for WC2022, Bullshit, using a major FIFA tournament as training ground, yeah it is very smart let us drop our best players , because they are old, reached 3 finals in a row but did not win, they are friends club, they are dicators, they are this and that, to give younger players more ‘international’ experience’ for WC2022. now you can see all that is Bullshit, they were there because there was not any better, and they were the best. even when they lost they still played 100 times better than this bunch of amateurs. What hey played today was street football, hell even worse. players have no quality at all, the coach will not teach you how to pass the ball and receive tha ball.

    let us give the younger ‘promising players’ experience in big tournaments. forgetting that we just humiliated the shirt of Argentina with players like this. Fuck this. I am out of this TOXIC fucking place till MAYBE, WC2022 because I WANT TO WITNESS, the likes of Locelso, Paredes, Depaul, Suarez, Dybala, and the rest of the overhyped gang winning the World cup and succeed where Messi and his package failed. I just hope that it will not be branded as ‘international Experience’ for WC2026”.

    • Keep living in your ‘la la land’. You have very week attention to details.
      misdirection is the weapon of the weak. he talked bad about Tagik and Saravia where I always supported, how can’t you ignore toooooooooo many signs.
      his english is waaaaaaaaaaay better than mine, I never really read his comments before, but I tried to read his long ass article and I was amazed ans shocked at how you came to such conclusion.
      since you still convinces that me and kid are the same person, You proved that you know shit about things you talk about, and that goes to al laspects of things , not just football.
      without looking and content, look at the time zone difference of my and his comments,

      • I just know KidultHood had no more existence in here under the account “KidultHood” after his open declaration of Colombia support, on the other hand he is addicted to the site and no doubt switched to other username.

        So far no one “cooked” his style as good as you. I even noticed you used on some post few weeks ago this characteristic arbitary “PERIOD” to impose once own opinion which was his identification digit.

    • “now you can see why Messi’s club was, will always be the best Argentina generation ever produced”

      my favourite statement. Sounds like credo of some sect.

      “fuck this. I am out of this TOXIC fucking place till MAYBE, WC2022 because I WANT TO WITNESS, the likes of Locelso, Paredes, Depaul, Suarez, Dybala, and the rest of the overhyped gang winning the World cup and succeed where Messi and his package failed”

      The exit also in KidultHood style

    • “once again your post. Everyone who know the KidultHood angry, arbitrary, glorificative (to old guard) and despising to youngster style can admit this post is full of him. It looks like some man was really hiding his real personality and set of belifs for long time and this is emergence of the deep beliefs”

      I laughed so hard at this that my saliva spit all the screen 🙂

      if that what made you come to this conclusion, then keep hitting your head on the wall and say :
      EBO is KIdadulthood
      KIdadulthood is Ebo
      EBO is KIdadulthood
      KIdadulthood is Ebo
      EBO is KIdadulthood
      KIdadulthood is Ebo

      I am really sorry for sometimes standing and supporting some players that you hyped to sky as I thought you might have a better judgment than me towards some players I did not know. I will just hit the ignore button now on your comments as they are just a waste of time to read. and just makes the disappointment/frustration level higher and higher.

    • If you are not KidultHood just tell me one thing: what for you were hiding all the time your real deep point of views on the matters described in your main post? This really sounds like kinda “coming out”. This post is display you felt discomfort having to keep all the time the pose of member of moderate views.

      • I told you nicely that I will hit the ignore button, so you should have understood to leave me alone. But it seems that you really in need of a psychiatrist, I don’t have to tell you shit, or prove shit, if I have moderate views or not, I like Messi or not, younger players or older players, people can understand that by my posts if they have a little brain, not like you

        as I told you before
        keep hitting your head on the wall and say that

        EBO is KIdadulthood
        KIdadulthood is Ebo
        EBO is KIdadulthood
        KIdadulthood is Ebo
        EBO is KIdadulthood
        KIdadulthood is Ebo

        The same way you hit your head on the wall and say
        Messi is toxic
        AGuero is old fart
        DiMAria is headless chicken
        Banega is useless

        Messi club
        club de amigos
        pecho frio
        historicals
        oldies
        seniors loosers

        just keep doing that
        and stay the fuck away from me.

  57. With regard to the Messi Ronaldo debate I came across a quote which hits the nail on the head:

    Ronaldo makes a good team better.
    A good team makes Messi better.

    Not my words, but I couldn’t have said it better.

    • It does make a whole team to make the greatest greater… Messi the man that dribbles like Maradona, passes like Zidane and scores like Pelé!! All in One

    • @Richard We saw how this coward Cristina hides himself in big stages , Portugal won euro this garbage was on the bench , Portugal won nations cup he was no where near the ball,Real won la desima de Maria scored and Ramos saved his ass in the final twice .Corrupt Anglelcici and AFA are letting Argentina down everytime ,had they paid Tata his salary and at least provided some authority to bring the necessary players from the club’s we would’ve been in a much better condition then now.

  58. @ Kidulthood, thanks for your posts. We need a bit of realism, rationality and analysis here.

    @ Roy, it is clear Scaloni lacks experience and vision for this job. He will be fired by AFA next week or resign after we crash out. Next to him are three well respected players who served under great coaches like Cuper (Aimar and Ayala), Mourinho (Samuel) and Bielsa (all three). They must have learned something during all those years at Valencia, Inter and during their time in the NT. What’s keeping them from sharing those insights?

    I guess next week we’re discussing who should be our next coach. The fifth coach in five years…

    • @Richard – There is no one better than Bielsa with the current situation..

      Everytime, Argentina are under pressure..they end up crashing out..i am not saying Argentina will lose to Qatar..i do not see any progression further beyond..

      So you are correct – it is time to discuss on new coaches..and hopefully Tapia accepts to Bielsa’s ideology..atleast this time..

  59. Some wants Bielsa, some wants Pekerman..some wants Sabellla back…some even think Sampaoli could have done better….!

    For me…Gallardo is the best option now…even he will not be interested to join NT now.
    Wait until Copa finish…then we will discuss about coaches. I don’t think there will be much change in players whoever come as coach.

    • Gallardo is doing well at River, but has no experience outside Argentina. With the WC qualification coming up shouldn’t we opt for a coach with more international experience?

      With regard to the players. I won’t be surprised if Di Maria, Aguero, Otamendi and Messi will retire from the NT after this copa.

  60. With MENOTTI at helm we should try for Guardiola also as menotti has good relation with him Tapia took time because of this I think that’s why appointed Menotti. Guardiola’s presence is necessary to develop the structure of our youth system, He done so with Barcelona,Bayern now with man City.

  61. “Gio LO CELSO was put into an isolated position on the right flank and continually had to do a lot of defensive work, rendering him nearly useless on offense. The midfield was deployed as a “doble cinco”, with Guido RODRIGUEZ and Leandro PAREDES next to each other. Both players consistently took up similar positions and didn’t make themselves available for each other and for the center backs to play through higher up the field. With those two dropped back, LO CELSO out on the right, DI MARIA out on the left and MESSI and AGUERO all the way up top, there was a gaping hole where a number 10, an enganche, would normally link everything and connect play.

    The tactics were wrong and Argentina couldn’t penetrate Colombia’s pressure from the back, resorting to long balls to a 5’8″ AGUERO, who had to try to win aerial duels against two behemoths – 6’2″ Davinson Sanchez and 6’5″ Yerry Mina. ”
    look at the picture above
    This is exactly what I , and many mentioned few days ago where certain members here who are ‘hung up ‘ on blaming the front three just because they are ‘oldies’ have tried very hard to ,again, put the blame on them and accuse the ones who see the truth as trying to find any reason to forgive the ‘historicals’

    I conclude that this article must have been written by Kidadulthood 🙂

    Sarcasm pays sometimes

  62. If argentina losses against qatar or even fails to make semis of copa 2019 then scaloni has to be replaced by gallardo or some foreign coach like allegri and in case of scaloni he can be made coach of argentina u20(he won la acuda tournament with them and called inform players and had good startegy that time but u20 team and senior teams managing is quiet different and scaloni dosent have experience in senior level)unlike fernando batista who selection of players is quiet confusing in case if afa cant hire ecuador u20 team coach who is also an argentine took ecuador u 20 team to semis of u 20 wc 2019 then it is better to replace batista with scaloni and finally afa has to concentrate on youth football and menotti (with all due respect who put ARGENTINA on map in wolrd football)either leave or change your attitude towards europe based players and if he cant change his thinking regarding europe based players then better hire a good director of football like pekerman

  63. 🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🕺🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️🙆‍♂️

  64. We can no longer play open attacking game as our defense is very weak.

    Argentina must stop playing the way they think they should play. The mentality must change from here on for this tournament because it is a fact that we have difficulty beating a fellow South American team. So, at least try not to LOSE!!!

    Win Qatar some how and for knockout stage play defensive (5-2-3);

    Saravia – Otamendi Foyth Pezzella – Tagliafico
    Lo celso Paredes/Guido
    Messi Aguero De Paul

    Saravia & Tagliafico must be instructed to support the attack but focus on defending mostly.
    Our attack is talented enough to create something from some midfield support. In the course of the game (with defensive stability) our midfield and forwards can read the game and probably find something to crack.

    Losing on penalties is better than loosing 0-1 or 0-2 to Brazil, Uruguay, Chile or again Colombia.
    Lets hope, I don’t care how, we beat Qatar and reach another final.

  65. Tapia, Menotti and Scaloni
    are screwing the AFA team and Reputation. They all should be fire.They do not deserve to lead the national team.

  66. All blame should go to Tapia. He is the head of AFA football. He appointed Menotti 70 years old, who still think like old days and does not get into modern football. He appointed Scaloni, who never even coached a club team.What a shame.A team like this with amature coach. All other nations are waiting to eat them up.
    Scaloni, he was an average player, so what we can expect from him? He did not bring some experience players like Romero, Marcedo, Roho, Banega, Correa. His defence is sucks, midfield does not know what to do, no clear attacking plan. If AFA still want to keep him as coach, then this team will not even qualify for the next world cup.Scaloni, made this team average as he is and they can not beat any good and strong team. They are only good to beat weak teams. Menotti and Scaloni has to go. AFA need very good Team Manager and experienced coach.

  67. Nice article Matias Wodner.
    .
    btw where is Julian the moderator and also John?
    .
    Roy Nemer, thanks for your efforts to keep this blog going.
    .
    As San Isdro said, Messi did call for Di Maria to be brought on as part of his goal celebration with a heart symbol depicting Di Maria’s usual goal celebration. Well, Di Maria was brought on and as usual destroyed even the minute chance we had.
    .
    Now bloggers here will start writing about me, write what you may but you must know who is throwing the team off balance with his preferences.

    • I’m sorry, I almost fell off the couch reading THAT, you think Messi called on Di Maria to be brought into the game when he made that heart sign????? He made that sign for HIS KIDS followed by the blown kiss, or maybe that was for Angel too LMAO.

      C’MON MAN

      • I agree with you chalz, this was a great post by Roy.
        I also agree with you Dfox. U guys can’t be serious about Messi having di Maria subbed in thru his celebration.
        It may be di marias signature celebration but it’s also used by half the other players in the world. Who knows if it was for his kids or for the Argentina fans or for who.
        But “secret coded sign language” ? He could have just covered his mouth and advised to send in di Maria.
        One of the reasons Messi is having problems is because of our fans. It is not easy to play for argentina, trust me.. whether u r the greatest of all time or you are casco who has to to back home to Argentina after the tournament. He better play well for his sake lol.
        Why are we villainising our own players. they are playing for us
        ….Like for real tho… if Messi did ask for the sub, then so what??? He is Lionel messi. He is our leader.

        • Sorin&Crespo, Di Maria is not clicking at all… It’s no use bringing him on and wasting a spot in the 11’s. Moreover with a dumb coach as Scaloni who has no tactics it makes it even more difficult for Argentina to win.
          .
          Captain must demand a player who is performing well but somehow not in the 11’s but not a tried, tested and failed a number of times friend.
          .
          Captain CANNOT and SHOULDNOT put a friend above ARGENTINA.
          .
          Argentina matters more for me. Just being honest

          • “Argentina matters more for me. Just being honest”

            it is these kind of comments that shows one dimensional thoughts. as If you are saying that whoever thinks otherwise, Argentina does not matter to them. and only if people agree with you, then they are true supporters of the NT. otherwise they are ‘Messi fan boys’. the same old shitty story of ‘implying’ that the hundreds of millions of Argentina supporters around the world who like or love Messi and support him when he plays for Argentina are not really supporting Argentina, but Messi himself. go figure the mentality of some fans who are trying very hard just to ‘go with the flow’

        • Global warming<<<MESSI'S FAULT
          Coke doesn't taste like it used to<<<<MESSI'S FAULT
          The grass is not as green like it once was<<<<<MESSI'S FAULT
          You do the laundry and realize one sock is missing <<<<<<MESSI'S FAULT

          • Meza,pavon instead of banega and DiMaria against Croatia Messi’s call because Meza and pavon better friends.

            Aguero on the bench against France, Messi’s call because Aguero is not his friend.
            taking out ROJO and put FAZIO in , messi’s call because FAZIO is Messi’s friend

            it is a double edge sward, that just negates the shitty claims of Messi ‘putting in his friends’

            I am defending Messi, yes of course, but by defending him, I am defending the NT as a whole, you can twist and bend the way you want.

            Come on, people enough of that club de amigos shit.

          • I agree that Di Maria has not clicked but
            1. The whole team hasn’t clicked

            2. I disagree, the captain should have a role especially if he is Messi. And for your information my friend, the the captain used to have a larger role
            and more responsibility on field distinguish ing him from all other players in the past. More modern football culture has changed that
            3. Point number 2 should be considered as two points

      • “I almost fell off the couch reading THAT”

        I laughed so hard while drinking coffee
        it spelled all over my keyboard 🙂

  68. Hi, have been reading the site for many years and finally decided to join as I have reached my limit on keeping quiet in hope,
    I think since we are in the middle of the tournament we can’t start pointing out criticisms, as mentioned above, rather we have to make do with what we have,
    That being said the team I would play having watched all the combinations tried in the last 2 games and Scaloni era is based on a 4-3-1-2 formation:
    Armani
    Casco- Otamendi- Pezzella- Tagliafico
    Guido Rodríguez
    Lo Celso Paredes
    Messi
    Aguero Lautaro

    Armani- brimming with confidence having finally replicated his river plate form (which I am familiar with and often frustrated by being a boca fan) in saving penalty and solid overall (maybe only 2nd half against Paraguay) performance of which I haven’t seen any of our keepers do since Romero golden days in 2014-15

    Casco- better right back performance than Saravia, not scared of a challenge but stays on his feet too, arguably at fault for Paraguay goal (out of position) but if u remember it was because he made a clever run in Behind which was badly picked out

    Otamendi- has not lost a header all copa, only 1 rash moment and our most solid defender by far

    Pezzella- correct performances so far, slightly lethargic but good partner to nico, improved in 2nd game and also foyth too young still for that pressure

    Tagliafico- solid at the back and clever going forward, shows hints of being the new Zanetti at times

    Rodriguez- made good effort against Colombia winning ball back, only works if sat in front of back 4 and acts as a sweeper, allows for more attacking options

    Paredes- best performances I’ve seen him in Argentina shirt, not helped by bad positioning that coach gives him, long shot is great threat as we saw against Colombia and that along with inability to play as deep lying midfielder is why he should be further forward, can drop back to help Rodriguez

    Lo Celso- arguably our best player at copa so far, constantly looking to go forward unsettling defenders with dribbling, not helped by positioning and lack of options when looking to link play, will be helped when Messi si more central

    Messi- consistently attempts to carry us, of course not much to say except that he mostly excels in middle (as we all know) innefective on wing (where he has been most of the time) and playing up front Noh an option as doesn’t press enough and very disjointed from play (has to drop deep)

    Aguero- I feel we need to trust in him more, has come off 35 goal season and as we saw (briefly) excelled when Lautaro partnered him in attack (won penalty) will do well if Lautaro keeps centre backs occupied and so he can move around more

    Martínez- great energy as young so can press, has nothing to lose And as we saw is motivated (got angry when taken off) has been Scaloni best striker in era and I feel has a lot more to offer

    All in all I feel this is our best hope for a formation atm due to necessity to win, understand it can be fragile in midfield but hopefully the front 3 positioning along with lo Celso and paredes help will allow us to attack the oposition with the so called pure dynamite we possess, I think defence can’t do much better than it has and we concede because we lose momentum as we take too long to score so become disillusioned and unfocused,
    Bare in mind when criticising it is only my first time writing,
    Hope u guys enjoy

  69. Although I feel that we are not supposed to be in that predicament, I have to remind you guys that in 2011 on our own soil, with a young team with players like Messi, Tevez, Aguero, Gago, Mascherano, Zanetti, Biglia we failed to beat the weakest teams in the competition. Our only victory came on Costa Rica that sent a B team to the competition. After the competition Batista was out and Sabella came. With him we also loss against Venezuela at home in the qualifiers. We have potential in this group, we just need the right coach with gut to make decisions. This Copa is over for us, Its time now to analyze the few take away that we have a move on. LETS GET SCALONI OUT AND VOTE FOR GALLARDO……
    LETS ALL SIGN A PETITION AND ASK GALLARDO TO TAKE OVER…..

    • I’m hearing afa thinking about two names heinze And Eduardo Coudet
      I love gaby heinze he is through
      Through Argentina he had 72 caps
      For the nt he also plays nice attacking Football

    • 1st: Copa America 2011 was before ARG and these core players tasted victory in the qualifiers and then reaching the final when they should have won and AGAIN in 2015 Copa and AGAIN 2016 Copa.
      Batista was another idiot who refused to play Kun and Tevez and ONLY finally called them up for the Copa Squad, of course Tevez was the only one who missed the PK, nm coming into the competition looking like a friggin balloon. Look back at the game against Uruguay and you’ll see how many passes Messi made for Kun, Higuain and Di Maria and El Pocho if I remember correctly and were wasted…….the team as crappy as they looked back then is still a 100times what it is now.

      2nd: NEWS FLASH>>>>>>>what goes around here, whatever is said or going to be said will never have any bearing over what happens in the real world.

    • Yea we only win 1 game in group stage but we held Uruguay 1-1 and they only beat us through a shootout.. and they’re eventual champ. Why didnt you point out how lucky Uruguay is when they cant even beat weak Argentina team, yet they still won the thropy?

      You brought on the 2011 performamce, what about the 1993 team ? 1 win at group stage, won by shootout in round 16 & QF, then beat Mexico in final to.win the whole thing. Its similar run that Portugal had in 2016 Euro.

  70. Follow me, our problem is positioning between players must ensure connectivity. We must work hard to counter the division of our opponents.The role of coach is not simply to setup a formation

  71. This is Argentina coach mindset let’s call dybala a quality player and let leave him on then bench for the whole tournament smh he is the only one that could at least that could make Messi job more easier

  72. I said-

    Armani

    Saravia/Otamendi Foyth Pezzella Tagliafico

    Lo-Celso Paredes Di-Maria/Acuna

    Messi Aguero/Lautauro Dybala

    But honestly, players like Paredes are too slow. We need faster players.
    And definitely try out Dybala. If he doesn’t gel well with Messi then may be try something else .

    But at least give the Dybala and Messi together 60 minutes at least and see how it is working. Don’t just presuppose that it will not work.

  73. With all seriousness, what were we expecting?
    ARG played in ONE GAME with all the core players making up the final squad 8days before the actual competition started!!!! A miracle, unfortunately that happens to other teams and not ARG.

    I saw the discussion about Sampoali and how he would have done better if he was given more time? MORE TIME? as in staying on after the WC?! He should have been hired the second he left Shitty-Chile instead the AFA fucked around wasting a whole year with that other imbecile before they went BEGGING for Sam to be their coach and the man responded.

    Kid, you a Messi, Kun, Di Maria ……….fan?? what were you doing here all this time, coming then leaving and then coming back?! That action is weirder than you pretending to be an ARGENTINA FAN.

  74. The more I think about it, if Sampaoli had more time. Would we have done better? Or was his plan all along to play high press with no real offensive tactics. If he was with us for earlier qualifiers maybe he could’ve experimented more… and found the right players for his tactics.
    But with less than 8 months till the tournament, he did what anyone else in his situation would do and picked the players that already had chemistry, already had the skill, and already knew what it was like to play on the World Cup stage.

  75. I like the title “Our Biggest obstacles is the coach” It has happened since long time, since Pekerman 2006 weird subs against Germany; although it can happened to well known world class coach but there is the difference between the great coach and experimental coach. Arg are blessed with talented players but the curse came from the appointed coach…. Sampaoli win the Copa with Chile and totally failed when he took charge on his own homeland team… Maybe AFA should considered to appoint a foreign coach.

    • In fairness sampa never had adequate time. He failed bcos of that & he tried his system on a set of players who couldn’t play high press. With time he wld have fine tuned system or found the players. Jus a question of bad timing

      • agree Amit bhai; however the problem is the coach insisted implementing his style without taking the right player or adjust with the available player, problematic and dilemmatic without solution. we pray that once we find a good coach everything will be solved. When ? Only God knows…

  76. Godin, I haven’t wrote on this blog since today. No need to use a different username..Moreover, I’m glad that I no longer have the burden of supporting Argentina on my shoulder. I’m a relief person right now. I’m a fan of football and a fan of Messi and is generation.

    • I’m proud to support Argentina
      In good and the bad times
      Please I don’t want to read
      Your long articles no disrespect
      Well thanks for your honest
      That admitting you re fan of
      Messi and his generation but
      Your forget one thing messi is
      Argentinean and arg will always
      Produce top world class players
      Football without Argentina won’t
      Make no sense

        • I tried to read Kid’s long ass article but I could not, let alone write it 🙂 , I don’t know what that guy was smoking when he determined that I am this guy. too long with so many subjects that clearly shows he is more informed than me. he talked about players and coaches that I hardly know, and clearly if some would think that me and the writer of that article is the same person, then they have no credibility at all as they have extremely poor investigative judgment. and that reflects on their ‘football talent judgment’ also. but as you mentioned, misdirection is their only way out of the discussion. If the criteria Gonzalo used to confirm that I am Kid then I must say there are approximately 2 hundred million Kid ‘versions’ around the world who share my view.

    • lol how fucked up is Scalonis reign that we actually think this now? Hell, me too. I’d be lying if i didn’t think Sampaoli would be doing better right now.

    • All he needed was more time.He has Been successful with long term coaching.Only if he selected a reliable squad players who fit in the roles not like plauing Meza,Salvio who Didnt fit back then that’s all

  77. once again running ability ,running ability is very important.we need fast player to pass the ball ASAP then Run run run for space.

    Pls don’t receive then ball then look around ,dribble and pass back to GK At the same times every teammate is standing and looking

    The following players lack of speed and running ability because of weak body
    Paredes,pereyra ,Tagliafico, casco ,dybala, Lautaro Martinez, Suarez, Guido pizzaro, acuna

    The following players lack of speed but with strong body
    Guido Rodriguez ,otamendi ,De Paul

    The following players always dribble but nothing special

    Acuna,De Paul ,Dybala ,di maria ,lo celso ,paredes

    Pls don’t dribble, on the contrary pass the ball ASAP and Run Run Run

  78. Watching Uruguay and Japan, 1-1, do you know how I feel? I feel like a kid at the park watching other kids play and have fun while I just sit there wishing I could be like them.

      • Great game. I think the best in the tournament. Japan has always impressed with their organized football. Remember Belgium- Japan knockout game. Though its 2-2 for now, Uruguay is so well oiled. A perfect example of player selection consistency. Even an average keeper like muslera is always a starter. Something AFA & coaches should start doing here.

    • Result is not good for Argentina. Winning against Qatar may also keep Argentina out now. If Japan defeat Ecuador they will also have 4 points.. better GD will decide.

      • If we beat Qatar & Colombia beats Paraguay we are 2nd in group & qualify. Issue is Colombia will definitely rest key players & if they get beaten by Paraguay, then we will get into number math. Even if Paraguay only manages draw & we beat Qatar we are 2nd & thru

      • If Japan beat Ecuador and we are able to beat Qatar, its a bit unlikely Japan will top us since their goal difference is -4 while Argentina is -2.

        If Argentina win 1-0 or 2-1 , Japan might need to win 3-0 or 4-1 to top Argentina.

  79. Scaloni oh Scaloni.. You are such a lucky guy to be given the opportunity of managing and coaching a bunch of quality player. Do realize that there are many more quality managers available out there. But it is you who gets the nod of becoming the coach of argentina. Use this god damn opportunity well. We have so much suffered all these years. Don’t make our despair become worse and worse. Use your logic and don’t use such weird tactics.

  80. Now I know for sure this kidulthood
    Was here all the time using
    Different name you re coward
    Your posts sounds similar to
    Some other name huh
    I won’t answer to you cos
    You re not man enough

    • Godin
      This Kid guy is trash. He is not Argentina hater he says but he is not supporter either.
      I wish Roy would actually do something and get this guy off this site. It seems anyone can write anything here and there is no moderation. How sad things have become.

  81. A win against Qatar may still keep Argentina out….!
    A draw against Qatar may still give you a QF birth…!

    All depends upon other matches.

  82. 18-year-old Pedro De la Vega signing for Genoa. Price tag: 10 million euros and five percent of a future sale for his current club.
    Hope He gets playing time and improve like Cristian Romero there..!

  83. ————– Armani ————–
    Foyth – Pezzella – Otamendi – Tagliafico
    ————– Paredes —————
    —– Lo Celso ——- De Paul ———
    Messi ———————— Acuña
    ————– Aguero —————–

    Acuña gives width, he’s used to high pressing/defensive sides in Portugal, can play in small spaces and gives width to the attack. He’s energetic, have the balls we need, plus he has technique and first touch. Would be my try (Matias Suarez and Di Maria are a waste). De Paul should play on midfield where he has been more effective, getting the ball confidently, make some runs, he seems one of the most confident players atm, he should be in the middle. Messi should be a wildcard as he is in Barça, let the man play his game, make sure the ball gets to him, Aguero/Martinez should be energetic and make some runs to open spaces + width from Acuña’s left flank. Midfield should have the technique and mobility to retain possession with quality first touch, vision, and simple processes. Defense should be safer with Foyth as Right Back, not so much width on the Right flank, hope for some compensation from Lo Celso or even De Paul (changing to Right CM). Argentina should go with 0 fear. Trust the technique and the genius of their stars, be calm and structured in defense and midfield, give the freedom to the attackers. This is in my eyes the way to have a balanced and simple way to beat Qatar. Don’t overcrowd the midfield, don’t panic when you lose the ball, let them have their time with it and make use of that to create some spaces. That would be my plan.

    PS: Argentina is in a bad situation i don’t deny it, but we have quality players. Our hope should be on them. VAMOS ALBICELESTE

  84. The crazies are out!

    I am hoping their game gets better after playing 2 in a span of less than a week.

    The look on Armani’s face right before the PK said it all and his reaction afterwards was the cherry on top:
    “I don’t stop this PK and not will they only hang and shoot me as they have done already (well-deserved), they’ll chop my body to pieces and feed it to the pigs”

      • The thought of losing to Qatar is unimaginable ………notice what Messi said, “ARGENTINA not making it to the knockout stage is CRAZY”, exactly what he said in the WC……I hope, pray and beg that somehow they just snap out of it and start attacking and playing like the ARG we know and love and that would lift the 100 story building sitting on Armani’s shoulders.

        • “I hope, pray and beg that somehow they just snap out of it and start attacking and playing like the ARG we know and love”

          hopefully, That will give us a push for KO stages and find ourselves ahead

  85. This Goodin guy, the only take away he got from the game against Paraguay was that the Di Maria substitution was the reason Argentina lost, mind you Paraguay scored in the first half when Di Maria was on the bench.. ”Everything good with Argentina and Di Maria bad.” These guys live in a bubble.SMH If Di Maria, Messi and Aquero wasn’t on the pitch together Paraguay would’ve easily won by 3 or 4 goals. Martinez is an average player who can’t even run pass a defender, all he did was rolled around on the pitch for the entire time he was on the field. De Paul a major FLOP in La Liga, now playing for a mid-table team in Italy was going to make Argentina team better? Why do you guys keep on doing this to yourselves? Now I can relax and go watch USMNT, Jamaica, Haiti and Mexico at this year Gold Cup..

    • De paul grows in Italy and yet to reach his peck that’s why performing good than la liga

  86. For me the below are the issues with Argentina. It’s not just coach, juniors or seniors.

    1:Coach- Sure we need a good coach. Scaloni didn’t show still he is capable. Most of his players selection were okay. But he can’t make a balance between offense and defense. Gallardo or some other good coach could resolve this..? May be..not sure.
    2: Players – Players have to show up in ground. A bad tactics can make world class players look local. But still I didn’t see any individual brilliance in this Copa.They are not playing with passion or winner mentality.
    3:Team Chemistry – Sure, team chemistry is one of the most important things in football field. Without chemistry you cannot make many successful pass easily. It will be cut easily. We need to be clear for the future and use almost same players continuously. Let them have a chemistry.
    4: Lack of talents – We clearly miss talents in some areas. SB position and CM with good attack and defense is some. We have to create world class players in these areas. At least class players who can do their job.
    5: Pressure – I don’t understand why only Argentina playing with this much pressure. With somuch pressure you can’t play naturally.
    6: Physical – Today football is too much physical strength and speed. May be you are good technically but still a physical and pacy team can trouble you. Argentina players were like 🐈 on the field but Colombia and Paraguay looked like 🦁.

  87. Noone wanted to take over argentina before worldcup because everyone knew it’s a suicide mission and afa is broke. Sampaoli gave up a great job in Europe and took over the team. He couldn’t bring any positive aspects to our game plan but he had guts and honor. They had a long term project and his condition for accepting the job was that noone judge his work after the world cup only. Bielsa, Simeone and other coaches refused to accept the job and their reasons are not important to me but even right now it’s hard for afa to hire a decent coach. It was a huge mistake to keep scaloni after the world cup they had to find a coach with experience. Pekerman, Bielsa and if I remember right gareca were available but they decide to go with scaloni. Scaloni has no plan at all and can’t improve the offensive way how our team plays. Messi has 4 defenders on him but noone can take any advantage of the situation. There is no movement without ball. They need to hire a decent coach after the copa someone who has at least an A plan.

  88. What Parades gives, Paredes takes:

    Please paste image link in browser as I cannot post pure links here.
    imgur.com/a/71mmvZS

    In first image we see the worst qualities of Paredes. The inability to keep up in a foot race resulting in the opponent goal. This is against a pure speedster like Almiron on the wing. He should not be in this position. The reason he was here is because Pezella released Casco deep on the wing with a long ball. Why is this not Casco fault as well? Because this is Sampaoli era tactic – a hangover from Sevilla days. A big element of Sampaoli play in Sevilla was the tactic to bypass midfield by hitting a winger or fullback in a direct ball down the wing. Unfortunately when it fails you get hit on the wide areas. Scaloni carries ideas like this from his ex-boss.

    The second image shows the best qualities of Paredes. A true line breaking pass that creates our goal. Paraguay is in a 5-3-2 defensive block and LoCelso and Messi are immobile and blocked out. Opponent forward and mid lines are pressed and ready to eat the ball from any easy pass, but Paredes find the angle to search out DePaul in the weak area between the lines. Rodrigo does the rest in putting in the lofted ball that results in the penalty that Aguero’s cutback creates.

    What Paredes gives, Paredes takes.

    • Pereyra had 50 meters to stop Almiron, the fault is something like Paredes 15%? Casco 15%? Pereyra 70% minimum, Paredes had one chance to stop Almiron, Pereyra at least 5…before the goal De Paul pass was the much harder one, but yes Paredes breaking the line passes are unique… quick, sharp, precise, Veron or Xabi Alonso-like

      • This point of this post is to just highlights Paredes in both the goals.

        In any case, in the first goal, Pereyra has what is called goal-side responsibility. To stay on the inside and cut the ball to the inside man as I marked in the image. The first interception responsibility and tracking Almiron was Paredes responsibility. If you go back half a second from the point I clicked the image you will clearly see. But I don’t really blame him. Sideline to sideline coverage is not his strength. This is a tactical failure. It’s ok to have a plan to hit Casco long. But its not clearly thought out as to what to do if it fails.

        DePaul pass is not necessarily the harder one. Once the defense is caught retreating and the midfield on the back foot after the lines are broken, which Paredes pass creates, Rodrigo has more options to explore.

  89. Outlaw is the ”embodiment” of the FLOP U20 generation from 2011-2019. Outlaw, it’s time to accept reality, most of (if not all) the local Primera players and mid table players in Europe are mediocre. People are laughing at this Argentina team on forums like YouTube. These guys need to go back to basic and learn how to pass and control a football. Even Haiti and Jamaica would look like world beaters against this Argentina side. Remember Diego Tardelli the Brazilian striker who scored 2 goals against Argentina during the 2014 friendly game, where is this guy now? The Argentina team tend to make every single player who comes up against them look like a giant among men.

    Enough of Dybala, people saying what about Dybala, yea a guy who already played 20 games for Argentina and only scored one goal. Did Dybala do anything against Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela under Scaloni?

    Argentina after these two Copas will be Ranked at around 27th on the FIFA Rankings (Another record feat by Scaloni)..And you’re possible looking at not qualifying for the world cup in Qatar.

  90. The real problem is midfielder and defence. We reach 3 final because we don’t gives away goals. But now every team scores again us. And I am confident Qatar also score again us. And in case reach KO. We gonna lose again any team we play. And we can’t qualify for wc… We need correa instead of saurez. Banega is must. Le colso is over rated so parades

  91. I think we should not make drastic change although i am very much critical about last game. but too much change will be negative. Argentina played best when Messi, Martinez and Aguero played together and against Qatar we have to be very attacking. Lo Celso, Paredes and De Paul was okay. Casco was not comfortable with right foot as he is naturally not right back and we cannot take Saravia as he is not strong in defence. So lets have a 4-3-1-2 formation with:
    Armani(GK)
    Foyth(RB), Pezella, Otamendi, Tagliafico (LB)
    Paredes (DM),Celso(right midfielder), De Paul(Left Midfileder)
    Messi(Attacking Midfielder)
    Lautaro Martinez, S Aguero

  92. And for the person who said Messi made a heart gesture after he scored so that Scaloni would sub on Di Maria was pure bullocks. Messi clearly made his heart gesture to the camera behind the goal in a way of showing love to his wife and children for their unconditional support.

    • That would be me troll. I made that comment. You are so weak dude. Another keyboard warrior passive aggressive that can’t make it in the real world.

      • San Isidro, you crack me up sometimes and i enjoy reading your posts but that comment was too far fetched. I’d expect that in some Arg tabloid and then one of the usual haters in this blog (you know who you are) would post article as evidence on mundo and say ” YOU SEE MESSI DICTATOR. I BLAME MESSI”.

        Btw, I recall reading on reddit that it was for Mateo Messi. Could be BS but sounds the most likely.

    • Did people really say that? WTF they smoke?

      I’m pretty sure DiMaria was nowhere near to his mind when he scored that crucial penalty.

  93. With all due respect to all the posters here, I think it is insane to say this should be our lineup or that should be our lineup.
    Let’s be logical and real right now. Some of these players will be called and some will not. What we need at this moment is a manager that is strong, unquestioned, has experience, has won something and that has big presence.
    You can certainly make the argument that Scaloni is none of these things and the worst manager in South America.
    Somebody like Bielsa or Gallardo. Either one is fine but Bielsa is crazy enough and brilliant enough to do the job. Argentina and the AFA is highly political and you need presence that will not bow down to guys like Angelici or D”Onoftrio.
    Why do I bring this up? Does anybody wonder why Armani or Milton Freaking Casco or Paredes are called up? Are these really our best options? If the answer is yes we are in bigger trouble than we think. If the answer is no than it’s political. But start with a coach. A competent one.

  94. I don’t think Messi is 100% fit for copa. He has been carrying an injury since december. He had some issues with his pubis. He is not running like the way he does and his dribbles are so predictive for the last two games. I don’t even see his pin point accurate final third passes. I think he is sacrificing his injurry issues for Argentina. Messi needs to take care of his body now.

  95. I see here a lot of expert opinions about the faults in the team and how Scaloni fails to deliver as a coach…probably, i admit as well, he was never the best option and team lacks qualities of Mascherano /Banega on the midfield… but , lets remind ourselves that Argentina is still in the competition , courtesy that spot kick from Messi last night and more importantly Armani’s save..we would have an entire year to discuss, criticize , justify how bad or good they were … for now, Argentina can actually move to the KO round of Copa 2019 if they beat Qatar on Sunday, as runners up from the group…I don’t see Paraguay having enough fire power for beating Columbia…Lets support our team Argentina till they are in the competition…we have to go ahead with all that we have …and I believe , there are plenty of potential in this side in the form of Aguero, Messi, Lo Celso…Major thing that irks me is that Dybala not playing and no coach ever trying to solve this problem…its more of a mental problem rather than technical which should have been fixed by now, after WC 2018…ITS CLEARLY WASTING SERIOUS TALENT…but lets hope for some magic to happen, and somehow LM10 can come on his own … nothing is impossible, when you have a Lionel Messi in your side

  96. The FACT is, when all of Messi, Aguero and Di Maria is present on the pitch for Argentina the team didn’t concede any goals against Colombia and Paraguay. With all three players on the pitch Argentina garner more respect from their rivals. Paraguay and Colombia SPENT more time in their own half when all of Messi, Aguero and Di Maria were on the pitch together. This is call respect! Outside of these three players, the other teams in the competition see this Argentina team as a JOKE and below their own team..

    • Yeah I just heard in previous thread: the old generation was best in Argentina history

      Every tournament we hear things like that from you, idealizing whatever associated with this famous generation but then when at the end of the day they reach barely 1/8 you will say: it’s not worth to be Argentina fan thesedays so Vamos Colombia and so on. I have good info for you: Colombia has really strong team and chances to win all that.

      • against France 3 goals were quasi Tagliaficos mistakes, where was that man? minimal attacking impact and still not defend his man Mbappe unbelievable, against Columbia Saravia was exposed, 2 goals from his side…i said this again…one good match in a friendly will cost us a lot…Meza…Saravia…Suarez never ending story…and Gonzalo the midfield with Ascacibar was seen in Olympics and on U20…its was not better rather much worse..he would have been red carded yet

          • “Paredes can circulate the ball”

            hardly in the tournament. Circulate without really creative passes so far. You must admit. While player like Ascacibar or Battaglia (not soft Guido) is must against stronger teams.

        • I know it’s about weekend but you rave out of point. Ascacibar? Look at one of the France goals (if I remember correctly the third). Where was Otamendi. He is regularly leaving his post, going ahead and exposing our defence. He is not solid defender since some time. Mistake prone. Kannemann easily better.

          Saravia can stop Neymar face to face, so he can stop most of worldbeaters. The other factors were decisive. I doubt he is fully fit after this sped up recovery from injury.

        • What about Paredes: we all expected something much more from his passes. He is there only for the alleged creative passing as the other of his features are inferior to others. So far he is not creative though.

          • Paredes and taglafiaco
            Are better players arg have
            This tournament I could imagine
            If had proper manager what he
            Could do his forward passes
            Are second to non.

    • (in 2009-10 he won the ball back through tackles and interceptions 2.1 times per game in the league; last season it was 0.5)

      How many free kicks did he score in 2009-10? How many assists did he provide in 2009-10? So, he has actually massively improved on that front…
      Its imperative that with age, all footballers will withdraw themselves from rough challenges and concentrate on finishing … you have to provide that comfort zone to the best player in your side who is slowly ageing ..So, you see, Jonathan Wilson not hitting the mark

  97. I don’t hate Scaloni but he has no idea what he is doing. I thought being a former player would bring some valuable experience as a coach but no. His tactics are so defensive and scream “as long as we don’t lose”. Well, even that isn’t working. Lo Celso has been forced to cover up for sloppy defense and isn’t able to play half as good as he does for Betis this entire tournament. Not to mention the golden opportunities we missed to call in Benitez and another player to make up for the injuries of Andrada and Palacios. I wish Scaloni would just search himself up and fi d this website to see what the people want.

    Our next lineup SHOULD BE:

    Musso/Armani

    Saravia
    Foyth
    Pezzella
    Tagli

    Guido
    Lo Celso
    Paredes

    Dybala

    Lautauro
    Messi

    Subs:
    Aguero(he is better than Suarez)
    Funes Mori
    Musso/Armani(whichever doesn’t play)

    I think we should use 4-3-1-2 attacking with a CAM as this lets Dybala have a chance and the ENTIRE TEAM is connected. Unlike ParaGAY’s game, we have both attacking and defensive support. The last two matches were either SUPER attack, or SUPER defensive. Biggest changes should be Pereyra and Ottamendi. Otta is too risky to play(after what happened yesterday) and Pereyra is too sluggish to be honest.

    • U think or predict that we should sub out goalkeeper mid game?
      I agree with your lineup although I am weary that scaloni will never start dybala this tournament.

    • Totally agree with your line up… For me it’s a footrace between Lautaro and Aguero… And I wouldn’t change Armani although I‘m not a fan.

  98. By the way

    Even our last 4 “experienced” coaches all made stupid substitutions errors that sometimes cost us the entire match and even in knock out stages.

    It’s crazy because when I watch other heavy weight teams I usually agree with their lineups and selections minus one or two players maybe….

    but when it comes to argentina I usually disagree with 5-7 players in the selection and 1-2 players in the starting lineup from that selection.

    Have you guys noticed that we are always speaking about “why the f did he start him” and “why the f did he not bring him to this tournament” …
    Yet it seems that the fans of other teams have the luxury of speaking of other matters.

    • What about the situation from beginnings of the game when he almost scored own goal trying to kick out the ball bravely with volley. What about his positioning on second goal for Colombia? Similar like against France on one of their goals. His blunders always similar and cost us a lot. Now he is more like Otamendi 2010 version.

  99. If AFA don’t have money to hire a world class coach who prioritises young players, then they have to look for good local coaches. Is there any coach in Argentinian league who is excellent in tactics and loves to play attacking football? Can someone please tell me about the qualities of the coaches in local league.

  100. With all do respect to our beloved country and NT, I’m actually kinda glad this is happening, its not that i want them to fail, but maybe this is a good thing and finally a wake up call to AFA. This is probably the opportunity to start from scratch from ground up especially for the qualifying rounds coming up soon, if we don’t fix this now, for sure ARG isn’t going to the next WC and us Messi fans will possibly not see Messi play his last WC, because I’m still a firm believer he will make it with no problems to the next WC!
    Start by hiring a REAL coach.
    If simeone or pochetino( not my choice) don’t want the job, maybe it’s time to offer it to Gallardo!!
    If it were up to me, I would call bielsa back again.
    It’s unfortunate that we have the greatest ball player on earth yet he has no one to play with on the field..
    Enough with Di Maria, he took out Lautaro for Di Maria?!?!?
    That made absolute no sense!!
    This team is lost, they have no identity on the pitch, and it’s really embarrassing, taking Dybala again and not giving him any minutes on the field??
    Same situation as our last WC..
    maybe Dybala doesn’t do well on the NT because the coaching staff sucks!!!
    We might not have numerous WC titles, but we have always been a power house and Argentina is known around the world, It’s said that our futbol is deteriorating.
    We need a major project now!!!

  101. Argentine Football Association is to blame for this disaster. To be sure, Scaloni is clueless but it’s not his fault that this is the best AFA can come up with.

    • You don’t need money to make a formation. I can literally make one at home. Although AFA is to blame, this one is on Scaloni!😂

  102. Ebo my friend.

    before the last night game it was the last time i enter Mundo.
    after the game because my huge sadness angryness and disappointment i didn t want to enter because more or less i knew what to expect inside here.
    that is why i avoid it.

    today i enter without mood to speak about yesterday match.
    i will not do that because my blood is still boiling after what i saw yesterday and if i open my mouth i will use very bad and hard words about all those humiliate my country and my beloved national team.

    so i enter without intend to write anything till i calm myself.
    but when i read the personal attack you had from people here i need to write to you.

    Ebo my friend from May of 2018 that i start be here you are one of the people here that i have huge respect and apreciate. to speak with you and some other people here almost every day and not only in tournament periods it is something that make me happy and big pleasure.

    so please don t stop to be here for those that are speaking against you. a lot of times in past i was thinking to stop be here but people like you (and others) make me change my mind because i enjoy to read and speak with you and those guys.
    so if people like you leave this place then my reasons to be here are going too.
    stay here and speak with me only if you want. no problem.

    you attacked from some new names i saw here. those i don t count them and please don t give attention to them too. after Copa they will go and we will be the usual guys here.

    what disturb me is the attack from some regular guys we speak every day here.
    specific from Gonzalo. but anyway it is not reason to be sad too. it can happened.
    everybody is not necessary to agree each other. it is very normal.

    so please calm yourself and take your time to calm.
    after i expect you to be here to speak all together again as usual.

    ARGENTINA IN GOOD.
    ARGENTINA IN BAD.
    ARGENTINA FOREVER.

    VAMOS ARGENTINA !!!

    • You are absolutely right mate.

      I wish this was AFA’s official website so they can take direct feedback from us. That way there is a meaning to this. Because no matter how hard we scream, we have no impact on the AFA’s decision. It is the sad truth but we just have to pray to the gods that Argentina win. 🇦🇷

    • I hope to join your group maybe some time, I’ve always seen u guys comment here after me just finding out about Mundo in early 2019. Today I just made an account

    • @cox4
      Amigo, Sabes que, tengo mucho respeto a ti y muchos aqui que deverdad aman y gustan que Argentina estaba mas arriba por todos los tiempos, pero ayer yo senti mucho mal por que miro como juega la seleccion, y algunos aqui piensan que todos que aman argentina tienen que dejar su mejores jugadores por mierda. no tienen respeto por los jugadores que dan sus mejor tiempo en la vida para sus nacion.

      My friend, I still come here and read, and will post when I see some one says bullshit, those can not even sweep my balls, let alone make me stay away for good, it was just the frustration of seeing Argntina playing so bad, but they can not say and discuss the points that me and many others but start inventing some bullshit about me being some one else, and think they are true supporters and others are not.
      than it is just better to stay away from them so I don’t get more angry and start cursing shit at them, I don’t know how stupid people are to think that I am someone else.
      as for gonzalo, I am not sure if he know what he isw tralking about, I used to support him sometimes in some players, and sometimes I used tgo say maybe this guy has good judgment top see the difference in players selection, but after when he thought I am kidadulthood then he is clearly has no idea what he is talking about. because it is very obvious that we are not the same person.

      But I will be around, my friend, you know I like reading your posts and my ‘twin brother’
      Choripan as Gonzalo called him, plus a lot more members here who I respect and they know themselves very well.

  103. We are best off playing at RB and telling him never push too high up the pitch (it is not like him to do that anyways) Tagliafico can continue doing what he does, the left usually always looks solid. If we play saravia or casco then need to sit deep as well. Then we can keep the midfield of paredes lo celso and de paul with messi Agüero and lautaro up front.

  104. Before Scaloni was appointed until Copa, there were some online polls. I think I saw one on tycsports and one here. I was stunned to find out that people voted for Scaloni ahead of Gallardo. Gallardo won Copa Libertadores by then. But the majority still chose Scaloni. Some stated here on Mundo that they dont want Gallardo because he intends to rely on experience. Hence, if Gallardo is appointed then the old guard would be back. The “project” that Scaloni started wouldn’t run full cycle. So, instead they chose Scaloni.

    Now I haven’t really seen many games from Gallardo. But if I am asked to choose between a completely inexperienced coach and a Copa Libertadores winner, I wouldn’t go for Scaloni. It’s been a while that AFA is trying to calm mass people instead of using proper future planning. Dybala’s inclusion both in the wc and Copa is a good example. Appointing Scaloni was probably another people-pleasing decision from AFA. What led to so much support for him is still a mystery to me.

    • Sampaoli left the team in shambles , our defense specifically looked liked pure garbage under him. When Scaloni took over his defensive tactics made our team looked defensively better. Everyone thought Scaloni will improve our offensive aspect gradually. But the more matches we played under him it started to become clearer that this man has no knowledge when it comes to attacking and creating a balanced team. Tapia wasted one whole year putting this man incharge of the team. I never thought we would have a coach worst than Sampaoli but Scaloni has managed to leave everyone far far faaaar behind!!

      • Hey faggot, don’t talk shit about Sampaoli. He was a good coach but we sacked him before he got time to work with the team. He was hired like 2 months before the WC. All coaches need time. Sampaoli gave up a perfectly good job at Sevilla to come serve his country. IF WE gave him time, he would have done great. Here Scaloni has time and what does he do? HE CREATED THE OCTAGONAL FORMATION.

        • Sampaoli is the biggest piece of shit…as big as it can possibly be..he could have failed great teams like 2002 brazil on his own…scaloni, we all knew, has no prior experience, and you cannot expect great performances straightway

          Sampaoli with all his experience played a 3 men defence against a team like croatia who had the best midfield in europe…then in the most important game against France, kept Aguero on bench and played Meza..did not have any idea about Mbappe’s pace with the ball and allowed him play without marker…i would prefer to die instead of seeing Sampaoli coach Argentina again after the world cup…for me,Sabella was the man whom AFA should have requested to continue

        • Your mother is a whore and you are not your father’s son. It is him who is a sissy faggot

      • I still believe Sampaoli is a good coach. He was the wrong guy for the wrong project. We hired a long term coach Sampaoli with a very short timespan.

        Having said that, what Sampaoli did in the wc was completely inexplicable. He was trying to force his ideas on a squad that was thoroughly incapable of executing those. Most importantly, he lost respect from his players. He had to go after that.

        • he got 6 months with the team , where the team was playing the WC qualification matches…that’s enough time for preparation in today’s international football…He did not have the basic football senses, that’s why made Caballero the first team GK , even after Argentina lost 6-1 to Spain in a friendly before WC, and 5 of them were scored with Caballero as the GK..Shows how poor his game reading was

  105. to tell u all the guys the truth argentina need a european coach to take charge argentina needs a more european style football right now a proper defensive and european setup and the rest is left to those guys up front and trust me we will get it done just take a book out of colombia page europrean coach

  106. How AFA appointed this scaloni guy?he has no coaching experience in his whole life and AFA give the coaching spot of world’s heaviest team… I request all the mundo member to write a letter and mail to AFA regarding sack scaloni after the copa and ASAP appointed an experienced coach to buildup the team… I prefer gallardo because he has a psychological analyst in his coaching team it is better for every one to strengthen the mental power because Argentina now mentally broken..

    • How does AFA do anything? they ‘read clouds’ – clouds have hidden messages in them and answers to all questions – especially related to managing a highly talented football team.

  107. If Argentina is going to fix the current problem the AFA need serious reform, no way an organization this chaotic and miss manage will have success in the near term and the long term. Argentina have had four coaches since the conclusion of the 2014 World Cup, and this just show us an organization without a short term or a long term plan. Sorry, but this current AFA deserve no sort of international football success. In modern football, you have to spend BIG money in order to win trophies these days, and by spending I mean hiring a competent smart coach and investing in the youth structure so that Argentina can develop better technical players especially in the midfield. International football today is no different from club football, if you spend on the right coaches and player development you’re almost guarantee success or grow as a team over the long haul. Argentina just can’t assume by having talent is enough and all the team need to do is just put a bunch of ‘’talented’ guys on the pitch with whatever coach and this will bring success. Nothing is going right in Argentinean football even the U20 teams have been underwhelming post 2007. In past cycles usually when the senior national team had its fair share of short cummings on the international stage you could bet on the U20 team to at least give hope for the future of Argentina football, but this is not the same today.

    Today both the senior team and the U20 teams are failing miserable. When was the last time this happen in Argentina football? Argentina had the easiest route (and I mean the EASIEST route) to a FIFA U20 World Cup final in 2019 than in any other previous tournament yet the team fail to even make it to the semifinal. You now have Ecuador 2019 U20 semifinalist and Venezuela 2017 U20 World Cup finalist doing better than Argentina at U20 World Cup in the last two editions and yet all is well with the most ‘’talented’’ football nation on the planet? The U20 team in 2019 should have at least make the finals. The 2019 team should have been Argentina new GOLDEN generation for future international tournaments. Now we’re seeing all these players who have been underwhelming at U20 world cup like Pezzella, Tagliafico, Martinez, Foyth etc. being integrated into the Argentina senior team.

    People need to take off the blinders man, Argentina football has been going backwards since Pekerman left the senior team and the youth teams. Argentina is still stuck in the past while the other South American nations are passing them by. Menotti (with all due respect) approach is already a failure as seen with the 2019 U20 world cup team and this year Copa America. It’s clear Menotti block certain U20 European base players from making the roster with Garre and Balerdi being the two obvious omissions, and even if these guys weren’t starting for their respective clubs they’re still playing in European B leagues while training with their senior world class team mates, this should be enough to make an U20 world cup given they’re just kids, it’s not like they are being ask to represent the senior side. Menotti is taking a backward approach when the team should be evolving and adopting to the changing game of the 21st century. Menotti belief is that with local Primera and Mexican base players the Argentina national team will go back to the glory days of the 1978 world cup. This approach is a losing strategy and will not reap any benefits if Menotti, Scaloni and Tapia continues to lead Argentina football management. With all due respect to local football lovers, football outside of Europe top five leagues is currently night and day; be it South America, Asia, CONCACAF, CAN etc. These continent/countries in terms of football development and structure is way behind Europe at this current moment in time.

    What I have notice is that the technical aspect of the Argentina national team players nowadays is really poor, this was obvious at the recent U20 World Cup and during the game against Colombia and Paraguay at this year Copa America. The Guido bros, Saravia, Tagliafico, Pereyra, Lo Celso, Casco, De Paul etc. are perfect example of players with bad technical ability. As a starting midfielder for a top team you need great technical ability on the ball, this is the first step in being a great midfielder. If the players on the pitch especially in midfield have poor technique on the ball, then the team in buildup play is more than likely to struggle throughout the game. One or two solid/top midfielders on the pitch can make everyone else life easier, this includes the defense, wingbacks and attack. And this is what Argentina is lacking today. Say what you want about Masche, Biglia, Banega and Gago but all four of these guys had great football technical ability. People can say this and that about Biglia, but I’ll say his today, he is ten times better than Paredes and the Guido Bros (well I guess they’re not brothers) combined. Another thing, say what you will about these guys but they got Argentina to three straight senior finals, FIFA ranked top 3 team for 4-5 years straight, won the Olympics and the U20’s. With the current situation of the Argentina U20 teams and the AFA mismanagement, it’s likely you won’t see another strong Argentina national team assemble together on a football pitch for a very long time.

    Going to a final of any tournament is never easy, now people will see that Tata and Sabella team had a strategy hence the reason why their respective teams made it to previous tournament finals. Tata and Sabella accomplished this feat with no help from the AFA, but having some of the best Argentina national team players in their prime also help a lot. Today, we can all say in terms of national team football that Messi, Aguero and Di Maria best days are behind them. Messi should have won a world cup or two titles and a Copa America or two titles during the 2006 world cup through to 2014 world cup when Argentina had great players and formidable teams. With the current Argentina roster, the team is average and the coach is average, you’re not going to win with this team let alone make it to a final, it’s not going to happen. You’re asking Messi to score and make solo plays in every single game possible, this also is not going to happen, even if you had Maradona alongside Messi on this current team they would still fail miserable.

    Weak minded Pezzella said Argentina was not a contender in his first interview and people expect any better from these guys? And Saravia is supposed to be better than Rojo? Miss me with that! Saravia is an average player! So because Saravia marked Neymar for an entire game this made him the next big thing for some fans, not every team has a Neymar who loves to ball hog and then fall over on the pitch. Oh, what about poor man’s Orban aka Tagliafico? This guy, all he does is pass the ball backwards to the defenders, he can’t make a run or pass forward and is defending is weak at best. Mercardo, a guy who always dedicated himself to the Argentina national team and always put in strong performance against South America teams was omitted because the great Scaloni had to find a scapegoat for his 3-1 humiliated defeat against Venezuela in Madrid.

    Too many average mid table European league and local Primera players are on the Argentina roster, as Maradona said: I’m paraphrasing, ‘’you lost all prestige with these level of players representing the Argentina senior national team.’’ River Plate losing to Al-Ain at the 2018 FIFA club World Cup was clear sign of a weak local league and Copa Libertadores. There was a big Copa Libertadores super Classico final between River and Boca at the Bernabeu and yet no players from two of Argentina biggest clubs were snatch up by top European clubs. You know why? Because from a technical aspect during the match between the two teams the game was poorly executed.

    For the Argentina vs Colombia match, this was one of the worse game I have ever watched, both teams were horrible especially during the first half. The game was average and Colombia end up being the better of the two average performances with two decisive goal scoring opportunity. It’s not that Colombia was great, it’s just that Argentina as a football team have regress. This is basically the same Colombia team Buaza-Argentina defeated 3-0 during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers and it’s not like Buaza did anything special. The same can be said about Paraguay, this was a below par Paraguay national team, a game Argentina should have comfortably won and manage throughout 90 minutes. Everything was chaotic in both game from start to finish. Poor passing, poor ball control, poor movement, poor strategy, poor coaching, poor management and poor youth development have left one of world football most iconic national team on the brink of a group stage exit humiliation. And if Argentina do squeak through against Qatar to the quarterfinal (which is highly unlikely) they’re setting up themselves for a humiliating defeat against Uruguay or Chile or Brazil. So Basically Argentina have found themselves in the same situation as the 2018 world cup team. Scaloni is doing a Samapoli strategy remix on steroid…lol

    The excuses so many people make over and over for Lionel Scaloni because he called up some of their favorite mid-table and local base players is just mind boggling. Lionel Scaloni is a mediocre coach and should never be coaching a team like Argentina, PERIOD! This guy is way in over his head. I don’t know who is more incompetent as a coach, David Moyes or Lionel Scaloni? Scaloni like Moyes for United will break every losing record as coach of the Argentina national team.

    The responsibility of a coach is to improve the way how the team performs on a football pitch which Scaloni haven’t done despite notching up victories against great teams like Guatemala, Iraq and Nicaragua. Argentina wasted an entire cycle with Lionel Scaloni and now the national team is being embarrass at the 2019 Copa America. Argentina should have at least kept Sampoli until Copa America if the game plan was the hire Scaloni as his successor. I’m not trying to say Sampaoli would have done a better job at this year Copa America, but at least with Sampaoli, Argentina would have had some form of continuity and stability.

    As for Everyone favorite player Lo Celso, I knew this guy was going to flop, once he is up against a physical team Lo Celso becomes anonymous. This guy would never make it in the EPL, I think the Spurs board will reconsider signing this guy. In Spain the game is not physical so it suits Lo Celso style of play. Even in France Lo Celso struggle against the more physical teams. Now you see why PSG sold Lo Celso! Lo Celso standout performances under Scaloni were against great national teams like Guatemala and Nicaragua, this is all you need to know. He struggled against Brazil, Venezuela, Morocco, Colombia twice, and even Iraq, the games that were more physical and where the opponent tend to press a lot. I just don’t see the hype about this Lo Celso guy, he sure got talent but nothing special imo.

    This Copa team is not a serious one, if it was then the likes of Banega, Sergio Romero Garay, Lamela, Mecardo, Lanzini, Rojo, Alejandro Gomez and Joaquin Correa would be on the current Copa America roster. This current team is not what you call rebuilding so might as well just select the strongest team as possible to win the MAIN EVENT, Copa America 2019! Then consider experimenting with the water down version of Copa America in 2020. It’s like the AFA is purposefully doing things backwards. The tournament shouldn’t be about this player age or that player age and that the team is building for the world cup in Qatar, all you need to do is select the strongest squad PERIOD. You can’t use the senior team to build for future tournaments, this was the job of the U20 teams who have been failing for over a decade now.

    Brazil have on their current roster Dani Alves, Filipe Luis, Miranda, Thiago Silva, Fernandinho, Fagner, William and Cassio players who are all 30 years old and older, this is eight (8) Brazilian players 30 years and older. Moreover, most of these older players are in the defensive end of the pitch. So why is it in the current Argentina setup players are being dismiss because of age and experience?

    AS long as Argentina doesn’t have an emergence of newer generation playing in several of the biggest clubs in Europe the team will continue to trend into the 2nd/3rd tier category on the international stage. You can’t have a national team loaded with mid-table players from Europe and local base players from Argentina and Mexico that nobody knows are recognize and expect anyone especially the MSM to take this team seriously going forward. Argentina failure to win one or two U20 World Cup (or even putting on strong performances) between 2011 through to 2019 have seriously hurt the national team and affected the transfer of several young player’s ambition to sign for top three clubs across Europe big leagues. The ‘’winning” 2019 Argentina U20 world cup team would have been the cycle that eventually make up a bulk of the Argentina 2022 World Cup roster in Qatar. Talking about 2022, if Argentina doesn’t improve as a team I doubt they will even qualify for the 2022 world cup. I mean, how is this team going to get results away from home in CONMEBOL especially given Messi will retire sooner rather than later? Argentina is likely to be in Holland shoes come 2022, I doubt this team will qualify unless something change in the AFA.

    Qatar is the Asian champion and seeing how they conduct themselves playing against Brazil during a friendly, Paraguay and Colombia at Copa America should be a sign of concern for Argentina going into the third group game. Qatar is another physical team and Lo Celso will struggle once again. Qatar without the fear factor of playing against Scaloni Argentina will have the belief they can win the game after watching Argentina against Colombia and Paraguay. If Argentina is to progress from this group, it will come down to Messi mood and individual brilliance on the pitch. The water down Copa America is where you bring in players like the Meza’s and Suarez of this world along with several U23 players, not the biggest international tournament for Argentina after the World Cup. The AFA drop the ball and they’re paying for it. The AFA keep on thinking they can win international tournament on the cheap.

    People here like to bring up Ronaldo success with Portugal, but guess what, they have a top coach with continuity, a solid and professionally run football federation that is not bankrupt and also strong players in important positions on the football pitch that allows Ronaldo to succeed with his team. Ronaldo contribution during the Nation League tournament was minimal given he only came back to play against Switzerland and Holland. So it was Ronaldo team mates who handed him another opportunity to win a made up UEFA international tournament. Same for the Euro finals in 2016, Portugal won without Ronaldo. Portugal have a great coach in Fernando Santos and this is what people keep on overlooking!

      • Miss me with that! Haha, this guy..Come back to me with facts and reality not sarcasm..ROJO WAS VOTED IN THE 2014 WORLD CUP TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT. Let me know when any of these mediocre players can achieve such a feat..WORSE Argentina team ever, and possibly the WORST team in South America at the moment. This team wouldn’t defeat Bolivia or Ecuador on it’s best day..I only watch the Argentina game because of Messi, Aguero and Di Maria, as for the other guys, they’re not football players..lol

          • EL Masche: I wrote this comment for guys like Richard. I don’t care if you didn’t read it. But I know guys like Richard, El principe and MIK will read it because they don’t live in a BUBBLE like Outlaw and his followers. Keep on pretending Argentina is going to win this year Copa, the next Copa and the next world cup with your mediocre players in fantasy lineups.

        • Outlaw the guy with many accounts who brainwashed people here with his local league fantasy. Outlaw you pretend to be an expert at something you know nothing about. The Outlaw Generation is the FLOP generation from 2011-2019. lol

          • I never used 2 different accounts. Only Outlaw till 2014 and Gonzalo after 2014. You are one of those which were proved by admin of using other accounts (remember Fat Tata?). I just found your embodiment.

    • Whoever this ‘kidulthood’ man roots for, whatever he said is undeniable. We don’t have the players with physicality and they are not brilliant technically either. Therefore, we struggle. Argentina now playing 19th century football.

      But I support them in these dark days. AFA should act now.

  108. From when we beat a Guatemala that had been banned from football for 2 years only 3-0 at home, and drew against a very weak Colombia 0-0, I knew Scaloni had to go.

    But people called him a saviour because he called up Palacios and Pity Martinez, and gave playing time to Lo Celso.
    Well look were he has taken us now.
    To being a laughing stock to the whole world.
    Nobody takes us seriuosly.

    We went from Sampaoli, to his assistant Scaloni. What’s next? Sampaoli’s brother?

  109. Does anybody know how much the AFA is paying this imbecile?
    The money is the biggest question mark? DO THEY HAVE ANY? IF not then its going to be more or less the same results regardless of who they hire.

    • Here you go again ,its not about di maria only its about our game play ,these guys can’t even make three passes together and you are blaming one man ? Even messi and maradona together will flop for this team because of poor clueless coach

    • This Goodin guy, the only take away he got from the game is the Di Maria substitution. ”Everything good with Argentina and Di maria bad.” These guys live in a bubble.

      • Pathetic. Man you need shut the fuck up, saying shit about how Argentina are hopeless, and how we can’t win? That’s the LADT thing we need. How can you call yourself a fan if you can’t even support us? I mean, even if it has to come to this again, we still have a chance to get through to the knockouts. But no, you here trying to be the predictor of things saying we won’t make it. Well you know what? I don’t give a shit. You are just shattering hopes of people who just want to have Argentina win. Its true that we suck, but we have a chance and you can’t see that.

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