Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni: “We played a perfect game” vs. Mexico

By
Roy Nemer
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43

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni spoke at a press conference following Argentina’s 4-0 win against Mexico.

While striker Lautaro Martinez got all the headlines, coach Scaloni preferred to focus on the collective group. Here’s what he had to say:

“We knew the way that Mexico would play and we came out quickly to generate some chances. We are happy because we played a perfect game. We knew that Mexico would dominate the first minutes and that’s why we were prepared to go out on the counter attack.

“We gave out the feeling that we are a team, that’s the important thing. Everyone played for their lives for their team mate and for wanting to be in the Argentina national team.

Lionel Scaloni also mentioned what they wanted the players and the team to accomplish.

“We knew that if we recovered the ball, we would have to get it quickly to the striker. It’s not good if we just defend well. We analyzed Mexico a lot and we were courageous enough to do what we had to do in this match.

“I keep thinking that the result is secondary. We value that the team feels strong, that he who doesn’t play feels as valued as Lautaro who scored three goals.

“We want an Argentina national team that is competitive, that our opponents respect us. There are a few times where you have to change the position of certain players and they are very well prepared for it.”

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43 Comments

  1. I have written very few times in Mundo. But read news about my favorite Argentina ❤️ almost 6 to 7 times every day. Every time I watched Argentina match with hope that our team will win handsome against every body like last match. But some Mundo writers always try to find negative things about our team. Please ban those writers….

  3. quick thoughts…
    A lot of you Fans see 4-0 and think we played well offensively in a 4-5-1 formation….scaloni out planned Tata…played great offense etc. WRONG!
    -fact is…argentina played horribly offensively; 37% possession with very little build up in midfield.
    -we were well organized defensively with 10 in defense but we took advantage of a poor Mexican defense and HORRIBLE passes out of the back by young Mexican players….that good/experienced players would not make….we would not have scored against a well organized defensive team with 10/11 in defense.
    -we didn’t create much offensively in terms of build up in their half

    A lot is left to be to desired in terms of offensive formation (which I guess is still a 4-3-1-2 with Messi )…we played a 4-5-1 and only had 37% possession against mexico..
    anyone can shut out mexico with 10 in defense and we only had one attacking player on the pitch with Lautaro….

    -BUT IF WE LIVE OFF OF CAPITOLIZING OFF OF OTHERS MISTAKES AND NOT CREATING OUR OWN CHANCES WE WILL NOT SCORE AGAINST A CHILE LIKE DEFENSIVE TEAM THAT SITS BACK WITH 11 IN DEFENSE.

    yet I would rather win ugly than lose pretty like we have been doing! still work to be done but 4-0 one way or another is a great result…salute to the coaching staff…

    • I agreed. But to be honest, we don’t have the personel to play beautiful, attacking football, atleast not right now. We don’t have a De Rossi or Kante, who could anchored the midfield so our more attacking-minded midfielder like Lo Celso to roam freely. Our defence can’t cover everything on its own and more often than not needs help from the midfield. And even if we had a good midfield, our oppostition could easily counter it by crowding the central, in which case we would need great attacking fullback, another thing that we don’t have. This somewhat ugly style of play could atleast balanced our defence and also utilized our quality in the attack.

    • In international football right now, I can’t see a top team “not” struggling to break down the so called “park the bus” tactics. France, Brasil, Spain, Nederland…name who you want ,everyone of them struggles against those who employ that “park the bus tactics”.
      Club football is different but still some top teams struggle to break down those sort of ultra defensive teams.
      It’s not just Argentina’s problem. But still I like to see us improving in those aspect.

  4. Best defense we have had in 4 years. The only player I would change is Messi for McAlister and maybe a way to squeeze Foyth back in when needed. Maybe switch acuna out, but I feel he did his job well and transitioned to defend quickly.
    We don’t need a star dazzling team, we just need a compact and fast squad that knows their position and role and plays comfortable with quick passes like last night.
    Btw, Mexico fielded their best team minus two players. They came out to win, this wasn’t an easy game, or wouldn’t have been an easy game for anyone playing Mexico.

  5. Few fucking moron will never celebrate our victory…
    Never feel proud of the performance of our young generation, rather they will set a new standard

  6. As expected, El TORO was decisive, some might underestimate his goals because the defense was weak, to a degree, yes. but first and second goals were not as easy as they looked, first was shot between 3 defenders, the second was perfect timing to receive the ball. Let us not take credit away from Lautaro, scoring against Ochoa is not as easy as thought.
    Scaloni showed a glimpse of tactical ability to beat Martino. I hope he will improve going forward.

    • ”WE KNEW THE WAY THAT MEXICO WOULD PLAY AND WE CAME OUT QUICKLY TO GENERATE SOME CHANCES.”

      Tata was outplayed by Scaloni, just as he was by both Sampaoli and Pizzi. I’m glad we did not take Tata back as everybody seems to read him as an open book.

      • tata wasn’t outplayed ..the young Mexican defense had two give aways that led to goals and an unlucky penalty and a deflection that went to palacios feet by luck…..
        lets be honest ..Argentinas offense was horrible and if it wasn’t for bad defense/passes et and clinical finishes by lautaro…argentina wouldn’t have scored…..

      • You’re right on Tata, Bodhi86. He’s not special as some portray him to be. In big games were it mattered the most, his team was always underwhelming. He failed to inspire his team, and like you said got outplayed by Sampaoli and Pizzi with inferior teams. He and his team looked clueless back then. He’s definitely not the one to get you over the line.

  7. @mrinal1235 nobody makes mistakes in Big Tournaments… Then what was Kroos’s pass to Higuain in World Cup Final and Medel’s pass to Higuain in Copa Final in 2015. and guess what Your fav Higuain wasn’t able to score any of those two….

  8. Argentina will win many trophies under Scaloni insha-allah. Scaloni installed team sprit which arg lacked many years, also blessed with many talents.Though haters will tell different.
    Vamos Argentina.

    • I also see it. Many are seeing him as weak and yet he uses it as his strength. This Lad has a bright future ahead, he’s toying with those that are experienced in the trade, and all we say is “its because of our quality players” which is true, but we should not diminish his efforts.

  11. First of all i still don’t know the reason why some players are still in national team. Example : Acuna, Guido. These players are pretty average . Especially Acuna. Every match he played till now is very average. Don’t we have better player in those position.

  12. Perfect game lol, 3 goals came from Mexico’s error . Mexico was playing like they were they had nothing to fight for the match still they dominate the position. Our defence still gets panic when opposition has the ball , mexico dot have decent striker. Anyway Lautaro is big thing for argentina.

    • What possessions means for Mexico
      Didn’t have single clear chance
      First shoot on target was long distance
      After 70 minute.. Argentina completely
      Control the game side way passes mean
      Nothing … what will you say after
      Germany game ?

    • Csabalala and Mrinal are confusing 2 different things: they are calling “domination” mere ball posession. To have more on ball posession does not mean you are dominating.

        • In big tournaments, nobody the mistakes the way mexico did in big tournaments, some school boys error. I already said Argentina is king of friendlies but when it comes to real tournament you can see what happened in copa 2019.

          • You re just arrogant plus you re
            Lack of knowledge about football.
            Argentina are not only king of friendlies
            But king of football… every tournament
            They go they entertain proper one
            Way or another even when they are
            Weak and they won everything
            World cup copa confederation cup
            Gold medals of Olympics. dominated
            Under 20s .. also Argentina produced
            The world finest players from di Stefano
            Maradona messi .. below from that level.
            Bastistuta Juan veron. Juan riquelme most
            Under rated player on his generation
            Pablo aimar Redondo list goes on .

          • @Godin11 seroius question to you , how old are you? , a 12 old kid can argue better than your argument are always as kiddish as hell. Any have minimum amount of sense can understand i am not talking about in 19th century , i am talking about recent argentine situation in last 2-3 years . You come with your fucking fairy tales Batistuta , Redondo….. and so on . Dont tell me history of argentine football my whole family supporting argentina since decades.
            I dont comment on anybody football knowledge but i can see who had lack of football knowledge by reading your comments.

          • Listen everyone who criticized this argentina team I believe if they play this we all have a better to win a trophy with the argentine nation they playing great football against brasil moroco without Messi while Messi was on the team and loosing against Venezuela If we keep playing this way we can be any team you were talking about the old team now is a new generation don’t blame them Mexique loosing is not because they not good in attack but this argentina team is good in defense. Although players like Higuaín cannot score against my country Haiti if we lautoro icardi argentina could win the World Cup French was not better than argentina either is the stopped that loss us against France

    • Mexico Dont have decent striker….
      Raul Jimenez is more than a decent Striker….lol…
      The way Argentina pressed errors was tend to happen….this is how a counter attacking teams play like…. And guess what possession doesn’t decide who is the winner…. Argentina had more possession against France and Brazil. But at the end the team who scores more is the winner…. Last world cup spain dominated in position guess what nothing happened…. France had more possession than Portugal in Euro final guess what France lost… Argentina dominated in possession against Chile in both Copa Finals guess wat Argentina lost both the match..today brazil had more possession than peru guess what brazil lost.. No one cares about this Crap Possession…..
      We want goals…. Passing the ball side ways and backward wont give you any goals…..

      • “Raul Jimenez is more than a decent Striker….lol…” In which world are you living ,i can understand the level of football you watch this guy took 18 matches to score his first goal in Athletico madrid and could not score after that , what a striker. Not a single error was due to pressing watch the game again.

        • Raul Jimenez scored 8 goals in 10 matches this season for wolves. He Scored 13 goals and assisted 8 in EPL last season for wolves…. More than what Lautaro Martinez did For inter Last season.
          And this is not 2015 cause that is the time when he played for Atletico Madrid…..
          Lol cant believe you would bring 4 or 5 year old stat to demean someone… And completely ignore his current stats….
          I have watched the match…. 2 and 3 goals error was because of pressing from Lautaro…..i think you haven’t and if you have and saw nothing but Mexico’s domination on possession by side passing and backward passing…. You should see a Eye doctor or change if you already have one….

    • Lol now these friendlies matter more than copa america final , grow up man UCL players doesnt play at full commitment in these friendlies to avoid injuries, they only come pull out the audience and sponsers demand.

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