Argentina XI for Copa America semi final, Guido Rodríguez starts

By
Roy Nemer
-
223

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni has made two changes from the team that started the 3-0 quarter final win.

Lionel Scaloni has decided to go with Nicolas Tagliafico instead of Marcos Acuña as left back. There have been reports that Acuña is tired and Scaloni has instead opted with Tagliafico.

Cristian Romero is still not fit as Germán Pezzella partners Nicolas Otamendi in the back line as Molina keeps his spot at right back. The other change is in midfield as Guido Rodríguez starts in place of Leandro Paredes. He will play alongside Rodrigo De Paul and Gio Lo Celso.

Up front, it’s Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and Nicolás González. Here is the starting XI:

Emi Martínez; Molina, Pezzella, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Guido, Lo Celso; Messi, Lautaro and Nicolás González

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223 Comments

  1. I haven’t commented after a long time but seeing Scaloni’s decisions, I can tell that he is a mediocre coach, far from class of Sabella. He needs to understand that:

    – Di Maria is world class and Nico is not
    – 1 goal is not enough or even two, how many times he needs to learn this after a string of similar results
    – Montiel is not good for left back
    – E. Martinez is introduced as the first keeper only because of Covid from Armani, otherwise we would have been eliminated today, or even got into Brazil’s path earlier and got out. Also I think Armani is not even deserved to be the third keeper.

    Hope it’s not too late for him to learn the lessons. But I am also not surprise if he makes another odd selection/decision for the final after seeing a bunch of odd decisions from our coaches.

  5. Scaloni needs to change some players in the final
    1)Di maria and Romero is must
    2)Should play paredes and guido both in midfield
    3)And please no more Montiel and Pezzella

  7. Big Congrats to evreyone! We played well but couldn’t capitalize on our chances as we did against Ecuador.

    BTW, I saw someone asking for Lo celso’s head. I had some work during second half but I noticed Lo celso was pretty good in first half. What happened? If those comments were trolls and nothing to wory about, then please ignore.

    • lo celso the second best player after messi….i really like lo celso playing with guido and de paul…even parades is good coming on as a sub…but i really don’t like pezella….he has 0 ball skills…he keeps passing the ball to otamendi or to emi Martinez inviting pressure…and montiel is not as good as molina…acuna should play ahead of taglifico…and I really like nico Dominguez….he is helping out our Left backs a lot with his work rate..same goes for lautaro

  8. now the final…

    now deploy your best employee in frontline..

    messi,dimaria,gomes,a.correa,locelso

    in defence
    romero,lisandro,otamendi
    this players must be used

  9. Emi playing at epl.. Switching arsenal for Aston villa looking for playing time.. How good a decision that was from emi.. We need big hearted players like him.. Look at Romero who sticked at Manchester for no reason.. Love you emi.. Now in the final its all about mental strength than skills and coaching ability..vamos Argentina

  10. Thank you, God….

    Well done, Boys… Congratulation…. We reach the final…. We will face Brazil… Hopefully, the best team will win… Hopefully, we will win this Copa America…

    By the way, Colombia is a tougher opponent than the previous opponents, right?

    Anyway…. #NoMatterWhat Be The Winner! Be The Champion! Go Tango! Vamos Argentina!!!

    • Thanks to the GOD. Cant thank him enough, the god may bless us for one last time in the competition. VAMOS ARGENTINA, cant hold my tears.
      EMI MARTINEZ…that’s it…never seen a GK as good like him.

  11. Anyway this is all I will comment today I will go celebrate with my family but THANK YOU MARTINEZ THANK YOU MESSI FOR FIGHTING LIKE A WARRIOR THANK YOU EVERY PLAYER THAT FOUGHT TODAY
    PLEASE GUYS GOOD VIBES WE CAN TALK ABOUT PEZZELLA MONTIEL MOLINA OTAMENDI (forget the areas of complaint they still FOUGHT) AND WHATEVER LATER NOW WE ARE GOING INTO THE FINAL WITH BRAZIL!!!!!!!!
    About our playing style IT CAN ONLY IMPROVE AGAINST BRAZIL TRUST ME
    Anyways, see you all tomorrow

    • Well said Olive. In that sequence of play where Lautaro/ Dimaria missed a sitter , Otamendi penalty not being given looked by VAR , Messi hitting post after a glorious threaded pass by DiMaria – i feared the worst & that our age hold curse of bad luck & not seizing the moment was coming back. But Emi Martinez proved it all wrong . What a performance in shootout & confidence & the mind games are just too good. For cricketing fans – this is similar to Aussie sledging & it works 9 out of 10 times. Goycochea will be proud of what Emi did in penalties today.

    • Thank you Olive!
      Very well put.
      Now is not the time to lament guys. It is time to celebrate and reflect.

      We are in the finals. We almost lost but our gallant boys fought like the lions they are.

      I am Kenyan and I’ve seen lions in the hunt in the Amboseli, Tsavo and Masai Mara.
      They don’t play!
      Our boys came to do the job and they did it.

  12. Respect and thanks to Emi.

    Scaloni should not listen to a portion of lunatic fans and media.
    He should use the players he thinks are the best.
    He crumbled and left Foyth at home, who even with his mistakes is miles better than all the right backs we have. Molina is good but needs still time.

    A lot of improvement is needed for the final. Let’s hope we win.

  13. Hope romero, molina and acuna plays the final…we need to find subs for acuna and molina…montiel and taglifico are not good enough

    I still think nico Gonzalez would improve in the finals…give him some time

  14. Who the hell changes Mollina for Montiel,why this obsession with N. Gonzalez when we have Papu Gomez and A. Correa.If selection goes like this can not hope much against Brazil. C
    Romero is needed like hell in defence line. Emi Martinez is legend I knew he will be crucial in penalty shoot out.
    Can not believe Scaloni choose De Paul for 2nd penalty. Scaloni looks like idiot kind of coach, he is learning at snail pace.Papu,A.Correa should play instead of N. Gonzalez.Acuna would have been much better than Tagliafico. As pressure is coming Scaloni is taking worst decision. He is best coach for Friendlies matches nothing more.

    • you read my mind…..exactly the points i mentioned my friend….why the hell u take out molina….why play a player who is not even used by a 15th placed team in serie a (pezella) and why put a starter lisandro on the bench…why take nico Dominguez and leave out emi Buendia and Dybala…why play tagglifico when acuna was on fire vs ecuador….whyyy

      • pezella play bcs there is no one there to stop air attack… colombia most of the play depends on air dominance.. lisandro height was the problem.. there was no options other than pezella

  15. We lack quality players at the back. Hence Our defense is fragile and thus we can’t fault Scaloni playing defensively. He’s just trying to be safe. In big tournaments, safety first should be the strategy.

    Truth is we still had great chances to win the game. Messi was terribly unlucky to hit the post. Lautaro missed the rebound and DePaul couldn’t hit it right. Earlier, Lautaro terribly hit the defender covering the goal post and DiMaria hit the rebound up and away.

    As for Scaloni’s tactics, it made sense. He replaced Paredes with Guido in the lineup to strengthen our defense, but it still didn’t work. Here the so called fans were saying Paredes is Scaloni’s sweetheart, what those fucktards know anyway? Played Nico and Tagliafico on the right to tackle the right side attack and it did work. Most of the attack through the right were cut down by Tagli & co.

    Colombia actually attacked through the right side and at will. Scaloni played Molina at RB rightly, but he was murdered. Scaloni replaced him with Montiel, he too was killed. Worried about our right side of the defense against Neymar & Co in the final.

    He brought Paredes in because we were not able to keep the ball.

    Otamendi played well today. Kudos!

    I really hope Romero plays in the final, it will improve our defense a lot.

    We also have to start with A Gomez on the left side of the attack. Nico is not bringing enough.

    I think we can still win this Copa. Brazil is not playing that great either. I hope Scaloni gets his lineup correct. The 11 on the field have to play their heart out. Viva Argentina.

  17. It is unbelievable this EMI never looked any test by our previous coaches. well-done scaloni. All the credit goes to scaloni for picking right talent. Scaloni need to find one very talented RB and CB..

      • Romero is injured. Licha doesn’t have height. Senesi is not tested yet at NT level. Hope Scaloni find a couple of excellent central defenders and full backs too.

        Gurusevilla, Armani was our #1 even before Scaloni was the coach. He brought Emi to the squad replacing those second rated goalies.

        Scaloni had lots of things done, but idiots here want Argentina play like Spain with some of the players that won’t play for Spain’s B side.

    • Thanks to Covid. Armani got Covid that forced Scaloni to use Emiliano in his absence. But he took that permanently now. After Copa no more Armani.

    • dude, Emi was hardly even a bench player until 18 months ago. In a decade, he hardly ever played either. of course coaches will not consider a no name so cannot blame them.

  18. Knew Emi Martinez was Argentina’s best GK find after long long long time and he delivered when it matter the most … Vamos Argentina !!!

  19. Scaloni now should understand Emi is the best goalkeepers.

    He is a slow learner……..

    BUT he has to know that Montiel, Pezella, Paredes and Nico are pure garbage.. We should leave them in hotel before the final.

  20. Sorry Armani this is why we need Emiliano….what a GK…after a long long years…!
    To win a tournament we need a GK like this. Now this is the turn.
    Just a concentration lapse…we were forced into shootout. But yeah…we have Emiliano..that was our confidence. I knew he’s going to block at least 2. But I was worried…can we all score..! Luckily only RDP squandered it. Rest all good penalties.

    • Did you see what Neymar miss..? Tapin it happens..under pressure….but at least he scored…in consecutive 3rd matches. You can’t ask him to score in every shot he has. Nobody can.

      • Yes, it was almost the same shot that Lautaro made in the previous match on the 2nd goal. This one was easier cause the GK was gone and he had more time. Maybe that extra time made him hesitate and shoot poorly.
        Pretty idiotic to want to switch your striker after a miss lol. Best strikers only convert 1/3 of good chances.
        Nico seems to have been mostly unlucky. He’s has lots of close shots. Pretty amazing how good is he at winning headers.

      • Spot on Insider. These are also human beings. Lautaro did score 3 in last 3. And what a Penalty Shot by Lautaro. Sublime #9 shot. If he shot like that on the DiMaria assist we would have been 2-1. But things happen for the good. Now Argentina knows Emi is there in the penalties. This would do amazing for the confidence. I ll never be nervous in PK shootouts again as long as we have Emi.

    • We need to find proper defenders specially rb and a cb partner for Romero. For rb foyth should be preferred he is quite good in defence noway he would have struggled like Molina or Molina struggled imagine what Neymar would do to Molina

      • we need Molina and foyth. Molina provides an attacking outlet and foyth is strong defensively. montiel does not provide anything

  24. i would say otamendi had a great match today in defence.. today as coach scanloni hadn’t any clue.. argentina after the first goal they shifted in defensive posture which is too bad bcs defence is your weakness.. tactically there was no dominance .. also referee was the twelve player

    • I wouldn’t say that. I think Colombia had a good game plan that almost worked. Di Maria should have come on earlier or even started. Montiel really lost his man which led to Colombia’s goal. But I’ll take the win and hope for the best on Saturday.

      • I thought Di Maria should have come on at 50′ when Colombia kept pressuring recklessly and we were unable to play it out of the back. We needed to lob it up to a streaking Di Maria and Lautaro and Messi to keep them honest. Once Colombia got the 2nd they got a lot more conservative which was weird cause pressuring was working well for them and they still has many fresh players. But Di Maria still performed excellently against the more closed defense and created those 2 great chances (Lautaro and Messi).

        He’s always been our 2nd best player during the past 15 years and the only one who ever once in awhile outshines Messi. Never understood the criticism. Wish we has preserved him during previous tournaments a little more like we have in this one and he might not have suffered the tournament injuries.

  27. WE WON!!! VAMOS Argentina.. Gracias Emi..

    All those SOB fans who said we rather lose this game can fuck off and not come back here for the final.

    Worse fans of a team are seen here. Disgusting

  32. We were out fought and out coached
    A great coach would of change something when the team were suffering for 20-25 minutes into the Second Half

    I said Emi Martínez is the best Goal Keeper we have in last 10-15 years
    I pray he’ll be The Hero

    Vamos Argentina!!!!

  33. How the f*** did Lautaro miss that open chance. He had so much time to pick his spot. Its criminal from him.

    Now penalties.

  37. How is pezella and otamendi on the team…when lisandro and romero are there and man why to take out molina for montiel…montiel was run ragged bu the diaz guy

    • Get manmanw . You sound like a complete loser
      Sorry Roy I had to get it out my chest
      VAMOS🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷

  40. Let’s lose this game, otherwise a humiliation by Brazil is waiting for us. Neymar will kill this clueless monkey Montiel.

  43. The only thing that I feel bad about this team is that Messi is playing with these bad and stupid players and a jackass coach. Other than that the team doesn’t deserve to win any games without Messi.

  49. This is the worst coach Argentine will ever have. He is stupid, idiot and big loser. He has absolutely no brain or soccer tactics and talent. Look at the coach of Columbia, he turns the the team from nothing and below average players into a great team and possibly they will win the cup. As for Argentine they have to wait another 200 years.

  58. lautaro what the hell he did.. this is why lautaro should be started he should be started when team needs energy workrate.. he should be sub

  69. why do you play pezella when even 15th placed fiorentina is not playing him…and you have lisandro Martinez waiting…this fkin coach…and you take nico Dominguez whi is not even starting for lower table team bologna and leave out norwich’s star player buendia

  71. Messi is injured

    We’ve lost our head

    I can’t believe I’ll say that but I want it to go on penalty

    Colombia Are more likely to score a Goal than us

    I am suffering a lot.

  82. Messi vs Colombia. Argentina learnt nothing from the WCQ game against Colombia. Colombia was always going to go for a goal, bring on attacking players at the interval.

  87. Fuck this team!!! No creativity…no plan…no skill…just kicking the ball here and there!!! Feel bad for Messi!!!…who the fuck is that number 4???!!!

  92. Defence is so vulnerable. Otamendi and pezzella pair is a garbage. We can not win anything with this defence. Because of them whole team starts defending. Even messi is defending. Pathetic to watch. Players like Senesi should get a chance instead of pezzella.
    How Scaloni will win anything with players like Pezzella,Montiel and Otamendi? One bad game ocampos is out but nico playing whole tournament with out scoring goal!
    Scaloni gave so much responsibility to Romero now he is out.
    What kind of defence it it? Throw pazzella out of the squad

  98. Emi Martínez best Goalkeeper we had in years.

    Gosh Colombia are more Physical than Brazil it’s like we are playing 11 UFC Fighters

    We are not playing well at the Moment

    Vamos Argentina!!!

  104. colombia play depends on strength, pace,power shoot searching space for air .. technically they are not like brazil or argentina .. i wonder if they are technically good like brazil, how dangerous they could be..
    argentina play was not good today.. they should dominate more but they seems to be tired… they needs more salmon, fruit juices someone give them more juice

  107. For those thinking we were supposed to walk over Colombia I hope you are enjoying reality. Colombia should be respected. Let’s remember they are fighting for the same thing as us — a ticket to the final. They want it as well. Scaloni will have to make some strong changes for the second half. Both fullbacks are not looking very good (Molina making mistakes) but I think only an Acuna change makes sense. We need to regroup and chase the game from here. Another goal will be important. Di Maria would also be good to see.

    • Good part is we kept true to our recent trend & stuck fast. Also at end of first half we are still leading . Bad part is that i felt we are not at all building from back . Its an Emi long shot which invariably lands with Colombia & they are swarming back at our final third. For sure DiMaria needs to come & going by previous games , LoCelso wont last beyond 60+minutes .

  109. Tagliafico is worst and N. Gonzalez do not how to run with the ball
    Tagliafico can not pass or press he is useless. Acuna is needed. Acuna and Papu Gomez are needed.

  110. Argentina is like always : Trash

    Cant succeed 2 pass
    Gonzalez is useless
    Lo Celso and De Paul cant connect
    Tagliafico and Molina are so weak.

    Only Messi and Martinez can be save

  111. Fucking corrupt Brazil !!! I hate that motherfucking whore-land !!! How VAR know that it was not a handball???!!!! we want more clear video!!!

  112. scaloni should start giving chances to lisandro martinez and romero or even senesi to get them adapted soon to the national team….pezella and otamendi are on the way out….also buendia could help this team a lot instead of nico Dominguez

  113. Tense half. Colombia had more of the ball and had the better run of play for a good part of the half. We need some adjustments to hold onto possession a little more. Tagliafico has looked good. Molina hasn’t gotten up into the attack at all. The midfield needs to step up.

  118. why umpire isn’t talking anythink when argentina in dangerous to attack colombian player pulling down attacking player. and how that locelso card is yellow

    • Not really, I think he should have been played at a wing.

      He is dropping deep and since everyone is marking him we are stuck in crowded positions. When he plays striker or winger is when he is best.

  128. I can’t keep my tears…this guy Messi…game after game…tournament after tournament just keep going!!! aguante Argentina!!!! But Otamendi giving me a heart attack!!

    • I don’t think there are many Lautaro and LoCelso haters…. Haters here are very reasonable and they go after Tagliafico, Paredes and Otamendi.

  135. Worried about Nico and Pezella

    Worst choices at those spots

    Romero was fit I was the training, and Papu should start over Nico.

  138. Guido is playing it’s great
    But
    Tagliafico ??

    Cuadrado vs Tagliafico

    Hope he Proves me wrong

    Left back Position it’s where we are so weak we desperately need a proper left Back

  139. defence weak … Romero played only few games

    ..
    Nico Gonzalez and Lautaro are both starting.. hope they will prove haters wrong..

    only Relief is Guido starting ahead of Paredes

  140. I am Happy with this team. Its Tactical.
    – Thank God Guido over Paredes.
    To all those who thinks Paredes is Scaloni’s fav atleast I can say when it comes to Tactical Decision Scaloni got this right.
    – Nico over Papu is also Tactical because of Quadrado. ADM is not a LW. He is our super sub on RW.
    – Pezella no choice. If Romero were fit Scaloni would have chose him. Zapata is tall so Pezella is no brainer plus he have experience in Serie A, where he faced both Zapata and Muriel.
    – Tagliafico will give good defensive stabiilty since most attack will come from Quadrado side. And Acuna looked tired at the end of the last game. He need some rest.
    Overall I am happy. Lets get them.
    Vamos.

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