Alexis Mac Allister of Brighton is in the preliminary list of players for the Argentina national team.
Mac Allister could be back in the Argentina national team. According to TyC Sports, the Argentine has a real chance of being included for the January and February World Cup qualifying matches.
Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni is expected to announce his team for the January and February World Cup qualifying matches by Tuesday. Scaloni will reportedly rest several players and call up players who are not regularly in the team.
I keep hearing on Mundo, “I don’t like this Argentina B team idea.. Keep the same player from Copa”.
This is nonsense. Do we really believe that the team that won Copa will win WC?? Do you really think all the same players will be in form or injury-free come WC 2022? In the past, we hated coaches for sticking with the same players no matter what. Scaloni has said he will only use players in form (sounds like finally, we have a coach that gets it, but let’s see if it’s all talk. He has shown to be honest though with Ocampos, Martinez, Cuti, DiMaria re-instated at right time).
Let’s review players since COPA:
DiMaria form has dropped again and no one is even talking about that.
LoCelso is the same scared player he was since PSG (how long can he be a hopeful youth prospect?). His best years were at Real Betis, but that team didn’t miss anything because they still perform just as well, so this proves he didn’t actually make them better.
Nico Gonzalez’s form has dropped (but I’m not too concerned with him.
Cuti picked the wrong career move (not too concerned except we all feared Tottenham injury curse).
Messi’s form has dropped significantly (he can’t be relied on the same way as in Copa dropping deep). His speed is gone, he gets tried quicker now so that when he is dribbling two defenders, the third one just needs to push him and he falls. This is sign of tired legs and aging.
Paredes is the same player at Zenit except no longer trying long-range shots of long-range passing.
Martinez – no more clean sheets (not worried as long as he perform well with us. But I see concentration not the same). Honestly, I feel we all anointed him for 1 & half good season whereas Benitez has been performing well for several years – with no call up. This is due to our human nature and the fact our goalkeeping has been a weak point for years, so it’s understandable.
So yes, if Lanzini (who is playing great in CM now) can stay healthy, then Lanzini is a good call-up (even though I fear another Gago-type incident). MacAllister is playing consistently on his crap team and my eyes don’t see him different from LoCelso’s play except for the fact MacAllister wants to be involved more and take risks.
Ocampos needs to be reinstated again too. I’m not convinced DiMaria should be a starter at this point or after a year from now. Age is catching up. Do we all remember what happened when Mash overstayed welcome? How about when Xavi & Xavi Alonso (2014) and Iniesta overstayed welcome (what happened to Spain?) Busquests/Pique in Barca last 4 years.
I could be wrong, but it doesn’t hurt to try other players to see what they could bring should something happen in a year’s time. You always have to prepare for the worst and have backup plan in everything in life. Don’t expect yesterday’s recipe for success to be the same tomorrow. The NT is not a right, it’s a privilege, and players in to consistently earn their place in it.
A good reading. Thank you!
Sorry I completely disagree with you. Every coach should have a project. During the World Cup the final project should be presented. All the WC champions in the past were the result of excellent project. They became the champion not because they were together for 1 year or less but 4 years or even more.
If you suggest that Scaloni needs to change a lot of key players just because they do not perform that good in a club level, well I completely disagree. If you are that happy that the likes of Lanzini or MacAllister is being called up, let’s wait and see. I almost can guarantee you that they won’t be called up anymore.
If “your eyes” believes that much in MacAllister talent, well sorry I prefer to believe in Scaloni’s eyes than yours. In Scaloni eyes, he (MacAllister) was not good enough to even make it to the pre Copa America list. And I see by my own who MacAllister is. I dub him as the worst number 10 to ever wear number 10 shirt in Argentina history. The guy is short and super slow, can’t dribble, average in: passing, shooting, and team work and his best ability: set pieces, he is average in that too.
Remember that our Olympic “B” team did super shitty in the Olympic (may I remind you that was a below 23 of age competition) and MacAllister was the key player.
Don’t get too excited when they do well in a couple of games. Every mediocre athlete in the world can have their good night once in a while. The same thing as all top athletes in the world can have an off night.
We have to learn from the past. Meza, Benedetto, Pratto, Pity Martinez did have a good game for us one time. And people here got delusional about them as if they are the next big thing. Where are they now? Remember form is temporary, class is permanent.
I read also an article that most of the regular players do not want to be rested. They really love the seleccion, but the fact that the leader Messi won’t be called might change something.
I personally do not like the idea calling up these Argentina B players that many. It is completely useless. Our team is solid and we are probably the only country in the world that do not need any new additions. The team chemistry of the first team along with the subs are great. They perform great and the results themselves are great. Plus none of the regulars need to be removed.
Some don’t like Pezzella but he has been performing above average for the seleccion. Who else needs to be removed?
So what is the purpose of calling up Argentina B team? Back then in Batista era, he also had his Argentina B team but at the time it was very necessary as he did not find out his best strategies yet.
I mean seriously, the chance of those who are already confirmed to be included in the FINAL squad of the World Cup is close to non existent. I am talking about MacAllister, Simeone, Perez, Medina, Meza, Foyth, Andrada, Soule.
These players have close to 0 chance to make it to the final squad of the World Cup. Let’s try to be realistic come on. Among them ONLY Dybala and Molina have the chance to make it. So why waste time? I really hope to have as many regular players as possible, even though we have already qualified.
Medina can make final cut. He can replace likes of pezella and Martinez quarta
The competition for this creative midfielder role is really fierce: Lo Celso, Papu, Buendia, Mac Allister and Lanzini. At their prime, Lanzini and Papu seem the most talented but as of now, I don’t see any player obviously better. Few years ago, Di Maria would have been fit for this role but he doesn’t seem to be able to make same defensive efforts as before.
I do believe despite the comment that I made on Buendia in the other post he is closer to the NT than Macalister…. if there’s one spot for Buendia and Macalister, I would choose Buendia….
Realistically there is virtually 0 spot for the “new comers” of the list UNLESS the World Cup squad will be 28-30 players.
Let alone them, even the likes of Dybala or Julian Alvarez (the real back ups) or even J or A Correa still not 100% have a chance to make it.
I don’t think FIFA will allow that many though. My best prediction is similar to Euro. 26 players squad.
Buendia is much better had has improved of late; especially that match against Manchester United was his best performance in Aston villa shirt.
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