Paulo Dybala, Lautaro MartΓ­nez start in Argentina XI training

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Paulo Dybala and Lautaro MartΓ­nez were the two up front for Argentina in the training on Tuesday.

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni held a training on Tuesday and with no Lionel Messi in the team, all eyes on who will be in the starting eleven in place of the Ballon d’Or winner. Lionel Messi isn’t the only big name absentee as Cristian Romero of Tottenham Hotspur was also rested for the two World Cup qualifiers due to injury.

Lionel Scaloni went with Lisandro MartΓ­nez in place of Romero and decided to play Paulo Dybala with Inter’s Lautaro. According to TNT Sports, here was the eleven in training:

Emiliano Dibu MartΓ­nez; Molina, Otamendi, Lisandro MartΓ­nez, AcuΓ±a; Di MarΓ­a, De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Dybala and Lautaro.

Dybala started the 1-0 win vs. Uruguay in November when Lionel Messi started that match on the bench and it could be that Scaloni decides to start him once more. Argentina play Chile on Thursday in their first of two World Cup qualifying matches with a match against Colombia on February 1 at home.

52 Comments

  1. I don’t understand why we are going to the rounds of qualifiers with only Paredes? Guido is out, the only player with a profile of defensive midfielder is Lisandro Martinez. With Quarta and pezzella out Lisandro will for sure play in the back. If something happens to Paredes we won’t have a defensive midfielder…..

  2. seems to be a 442, I think Scaloni wants someone on the left who can play between the lines, kind of inner midfielder and let the fullback attack. I understand many people not convinced by Lo Celso, that’s why papu, ocampos and nico are other options. I am not sure if nico and ocampos can play as midfielder, there is difference between left winger and left midfielder, which is much more complex. Papu is a top player, he can carry the ball and make the difference but not young, has problem in high intensity game. it’s really not easy. maybe Buendia can be tested. It’s a shame that lanzini wasn’t selected, in my humble opinion he is the number 1 in this role. He was 1 of the missing parts of the squad wc 2018. Besides, his powerful shot may unlock the situation if the team cannot attack well.

    • I think Nico Gonzalez can play anywhere on the left, heck he even filled in as a LB for us once, but he would not be a like for like replacement for Lo Celso who would tend to gravitate towards the centre of the pitch even if he’s left footed and starts nominally on the left.

  3. I don’t know why we are playing dybala….In my point of view we need pace and only Nicolas Gonzalez can provide it, yes Gonzalez needs to work on his finishing but still we need pace in attack. Dybala is talented, however, I think we don’t need him ATM, he can’t play with Messi, he doesn’t work hard, he is a liability no matter which way u look it…..yes we desperately need some quality in the final third but dybala is not the answer on the contrary he will make us weaker. If he scores hatrick against chile then also he won’t play much role for us since he and Messi can’t play together without destroying the balance of the team.
    So it’s better to give chances to Gonzalez and we should try 4-3-3. And if we are really playing 4-4-2 then there is no point of playing lo celso at wide, the class player like lo celso works better centrally.

  4. Chile might throw a kitchen sink at us, they desperately need a win. I think we should exploit opportunities for counter attacks. De Paul, Lo Celso or Paredes long pass to Di Maria, Lautaro or Dybala and boom!

    • I like the counter attacks initiated by di maria, his long pass without control is so dangerous, many goals like that with mbappe at the finish were scored during the past few years.

  5. Man a couple of weeks ago, based on the latest rumors, I was worried that Scaloni might start: Armani; Molina, Perez, LM Quarta, Medina; Enzo Fernandez, MacAllister, Buendia; Meza, Simeone, Lanzini.

    Glad now all the starters but Messi and Cuti Romero are pretty much back.

  6. Lucas Boye should be no 9 of Argentina after disappointment in G. Simione he looks best for the role.
    Lucas Boye is more technical and stronger than Lautaro Martinez and he will not be got bullied by big defender.He is best and should be called unless it gets too late. No. 9 position is worry for Argentina. J. Alvarez is too raw for the role.

    • Boye scored 15 goals in 105 matches in TOP 5 leagues, hardly a real CF. Only a good run, but cant find scoring opportunities overall, 0,19 xG per 90 is horrible from a finisher, even Simeone produced 0,40 so far in his european career, which is still average, Alario 0,55, Lautaro 0,64, Messi since 14/15 0,83 xG per 90.

    • Were you aware that Lucas Boye is #1 in the top five leagues for “number of times a player failed when attempting to gain control of a ball”? Lautaro has an incredible number of .82 XG per 90 this season (4th in Europe) while Boye has .29. If you want to talk about how many goals Boye has scored and also compare him to Lautaro lets be consistent, Lautaro has more goals scored and a higher frequency than Boye. I’m not against Boye being given a chance but to say he’s better than Lautaro is delusional.

  7. Its looks odds that Argentine starting 11 player lo celso doesn’t get enough minutes at mediocre club spurs. So its simple that some peoples wants to remove GIO from starting 11.
    But who? Who take lo celso’s spot? No one..yes no one can replace him,even some great players have backups yet lo celso not.We saw many matches when gio not played how suffer our mid, in simple word no creativity… Lo celso is undisputed starter of national team..For upcoming world cup players like Messi,C Romero,E Martinez, De paul And Gio lo celso all are irreplaceable..They are scolanis team backbone.

  8. I think Scaloni going to try this line up
    Emi Martinez
    Mollina. Otamendi. Lisandro. Acuna
    Di Maria. De Paul. Paredes. Lo celso
    Dybla. Lautaro

    Alaverez. For Lautaro
    Angel Correa for Dybla
    Buendia for Lo celso
    Di Maria for Papu

  9. It will great to watch Dybala playing and get more minute; time to show off what can he contribute to N/T. Expecting Papu and Angel Correa will get the same chance also

  10. Let’s hope we win enough points to keep our spot in the FIFA standings to be sure we are seeded at the WC draw.

  11. Lucas Boye to replace Suarez at Atletico in the summer.
    valentin Castellanos has completed his talks with Forentina. He is only their second choice behind Arthur Cabral. If Fiorentina doesn’t sign Castellanos, he could join River.

  12. Papu, Nico Gonzales, Angel Correa, and Julian Alvarez will definitely take part in the game in the second half. Those 4 are the main back ups.

    Then Tagliafico/Montiel in case we need a change in wing backs.

    I like the inclusion or Lo Celso. The guy will surely play with a chip on his shoulder. He will show the Spurs that they are wrong to freeze him. Also he needs to advertise himself to go somewhere. This is the ONLY match for him to do that.

    The second match against Colombia will take place after the transfer window is over.

    • Slim pickings for GLC backup. Who does well in a position as deep as GLC? RDP closest but he’s obviously starting.

      Midfielders:
      Nicolas Gonzalez (Fiorentina)
      Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
      Leandro Paredes (PSG)
      Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis)
      Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
      Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham Hotspur)
      Alejandro Gomez (Sevilla)
      Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)
      Emiliano Buendia (Aston Villa)

      • True Choripan, I would still start Lo Celso. Mac Allister played deep for Brighton in his last game there but he’s still a bit of a wild card for me. Papu can also play deep but for me he’s much better higher up the pitch drifting from the left to the centre, operating from the left half-space.

  13. Emiliano Dibu MartΓ­nez; Molina, Otamendi, Lisandro MartΓ­nez, AcuΓ±a; Di MarΓ­a, De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Dybala and Lautaro

    I also think it will be the playing XI but would have love to see guido if he was fit to start.

    I want alverez montiel a.correa papu as sub give them some time…also maybe nico

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