Argentina national team back in Bilbao without Emiliano Dibu Martínez, Leandro Paredes

By
Roy Nemer
-
38

The Argentina national team are back in Bilbao and are without Emiliano Dibu Martínez and Leandro Paredes.

Argentina are back in their training camp in Bilbao after winning the Finalissima on Wednesday. The team won 3-0 to lift their second trophy, having won the first it the Maracana and the second at Wembley.

National team coach Lionel Scaloni released two players from the team. Per Gastón Edul, both Emiliano Dibu Martínez and Leandro Paredes are not with the team as both are unfit.

Scaloni is thinking of making changes for the match against Estonia on Sunday as the team will train three more times.

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38 Comments

    • Neymoney should seriously change football to whatever kind of show business as it is clearly evident that he was born for that instead of playing foitball !

  2. What a solid performance by our team. One of the best. And Italy at Wembley is not an easy opponent. Some of the key takeaways of the game for me

    1. The team is gelling well. I saw calculated and organized pressing as a team. Often you will see, one presses and no else does and the opponent gets an outlet easily. Also, to understand when to press. If you see some vidoes of Sampaoli for example, there are n number of circumstances when you press and why. The reason I talk about Sampaoli, because Scaloni was his assistant. I saw organized pressing with perfect timing many times yesterday. The first goal resulted from that. But there were many instances that after recovering the ball from pressing we are immediately in a threatning position to score a goal. This is what happened at best yesterday. Hence, I say the team is gelling. They are playing from memory.

    2. It is a different Messi for Argentina. He is going to go for it. He needs to score goals though. Just missing the goal scoring form. I like his position and pair up with Di Maria. Di Maria is like fine wine, getting better with age. Towards the end we saw glimpses of headless Di maria a bit.

    3. Emi Martinez must be in top shape and play every minute. His presence and position is strong, else we could concede. There is huge gap between 1 and 2.

    4. De Paul didn’t have a great game. Made many mistakes for his standard. Lo Celso was good, as usually with NT. But he completely bottled when he got his two gilt edge chances, which emphasizes what I have said before – he is good, but not “great”. Palacios is another decent player, nothing great, even though there is a lot of fan following here.

    5. Defense is pretty good. Looks like Pezella is ahead of Licha too. I would love to see Licha get in. Otamendi will cost us some day. He went in with his elbow early in the game once, just couldn’t reach the player. With VAR he can get a red anytime.

    I don’t like Scaloni subbing players so late. There is nothing to validate other than giving the players some mins.

    Overall, we are looking good. Very satisfied with the performance.

    • “Otamendi will cost us some day. He went in with his elbow early in the game once, just couldn’t reach the player. With VAR he can get a red anytime”

      That is my worry about otamendi, he did same thing vs Brazil in last time we played against them.
      He elbowed Raphinha that was clear red card luckily didn’t go var. I will never trust otamendi no matter what.
      He is look good now because of cuti Romero and emi martinez. Licha should partner cuti even perfer pezzella and cuti over otamendi cuz pezzella is calme head and leader.

      “Palacios is another decent player, nothing great, even though there is a lot of fan following here”

      To me palacios is good player I followed him closely end of his club season campaign, he improved a lot of his game finally look like is settling in European game plus still 23 years old. As example Please tell me what is so impressive about toni kroos, isn’t he drop deep spread passes and score odd goals here and there and few assistants from set pecies, if say palacios does same thing will you say? I overhype him in fact palacios add his game more dribbling, hold the ball bit better than before, please don’t get me wrong I’m not saying palacios is same level As toni kroos rather it just example how Europe media overhype the player they want yes I got it real Madrid has been winning champions league lately with huge of lucky.

      • On the Palacios topic..
        I do agree with you. I can see the analogy. If I have to compare..

        Kroos is similar. Nothing outstanding. Like a number 8. Control the pace, distribution, 5-15 yard passes, lot of covering etc. Now, I would also say, he is the engine of the top club who has won 4/5 CLs in last whatever years. Palacios does not play at that level. Also, Kroos is better at set pieces etc. And off course long and consistent performance over the year.

        But I do agree again, Kroos and Palacios are squad players. Kroos, Casemeiro and Modric is a great team. Like our De Paul, Lo Celso and Paredes. Individually Kroos is nothing great. I have seen many better.

        I ask the same question, if I look at Kroos do I think, OMG I must have him in my team? NO. Same for Palacios (a general team, where one can have midfielders from all over the world).

  3. I will tell you this now to all the protagonists….
    There is only one team that I worry about beating us in the World Cup… and that team is Argentina !!!!
    Yes, we are the only team that can beat us… not Brazil not France not Germany or Spain..
    This includes two major issues…
    A) injuries
    B) red cards or multiple yellows
    If we have an injury and lose a dimaria in the final like in 2014 or god forbid a Messi, romero or depaul go down it would be catastrophic!
    Then there is the “Otamendi factor”
    Or also known as a “boludo” moment when we throw an elbow or out of argentinean anger show studs… receive a RED and go a man down…our World Cup may come to an end early.
    Or even a key player being suspended for a game for multiple yellows in a round… (even though I believe in 5/6 of our bench players jumping in with little lost)
    Other than this … I truly believe this is the best argentinean team I have seen and I have watched them since 1990. Hence forth, this is our best chance to win the World Cup in my lifetime.
    Argentina only fears GOD ..
    Hasta la Victoria Siempre

      • Agreed as i been so lucky to see Arg LIFTING the WC first at 1978 and second at 1986 and got close at 1990 and should have won as 2014 only something very strange and chokers did not let Arg to win as i Still can’t belive it…,, but past past and now is now so for me this team winning 2 major trophys in less than year is something special and if they do win the WC it will be deffenetly the best Argentine team in the history ! Why ? Because they won allready 2 major trophys in less than year and if they win WC as well then it is 3 major trophies in 1 and half year ! A d as much i love every Arg Nt team since i been lucky to see them play now for 42 year’s and+ the 1978 team with Menotti failed completly at 1982 with EL DIEGO on board at first time as Menotti should have picked him allready at 1978, but 4 year’s later EL DIEGO won with Bilardo and rest of team when everyone was considering them underdogs and at 1990 BILARDO and EL DIEGO, CANI and rest of team would have won easily if there would not have been so many injuries to the team as they alkready started before the tournament etc.,.and if Pekerman would have won German’s at 2006, maybe he would have won with his Arg Nt team, but he lost so that is about that and 2014 was just something strange occured and the chokers and loss of DI MARIA and very weak bench picked by Sabella Still after all this horror scenes Arg should have clearly won, but they did not so that is about that too…etc

        So like Tony Montana said very well in his post Arg has only one team that can beat Arg and that is Arg itself, but inna way this applies also to others who are there for fighting for WC and trying to win it as it applies in everyday general life too as one has to clearly to at least try to be a better Person every day after another, offcourse it does not work like this alkways or it is not that simple or black or white, but that should be the aim and listening to the interviews from the team this seems to be their kind of Mind set too and that make’s so proud of current Arg Nt as there is very special kind unififed unique in this team and many options available, offcourse naturally the coach picks the one he thinks it is best for whatever scenario it will be, but Yes i agree about ” boludo” and too many carded players as if too many injuries, well that will truly Suck ! But, Still i think they key in this team is their unified unique togetherness as which make’s them such a good team that anyone can truly be super proud of even if they will not win the WC !

    • Most of these things can happen to any team, and in any particular game a red card might happen.

      I am more afraid of something like a bunch of players getting COVID, or a bunch arriving out of form. In hindsight I think there might have been discipline issues with Sabela, but I doubt that will happen this time, this team and coaching staff are more determined.

      In 2014, a few of our key players arrived out of form, Higuain and Aguero in particular, Di Maria too, I know people have a short memory but Di Maria was horrible in the games he played. Going to the World Cup we had the best attack in the world, during the World Cup our attack was so bad we completely abandoned it and played defense, scoring two goals in the 4 knockout games.

      • Agreed completly! The best attack of tournament was Re-arranged by Sabella to the best defense of the tournament as it was a must as u said HIGUAIN AND specially AGUERO were seriously injured also DI MARIA was carrying an injury even before he got injured in tournament and even Messsi was carrying an injury too so SABELLA had to make complete U-TURN and he did it very well in a very short of time, but as u said also there was somekind discipline issues or let say something was not right and SABELLA found out about this maybe a bit too Late as the bench was so weak also Glass leg Gago as truly great he once was, well at 2014 it was just a matter of time when he would be injured again and we all saw what happened to him and after that there was no back up’s and even HIGUAIN came back, well it did not help as he choked in the final and Palacio should have never ever even been there as Ricky Alvarez and co. Etc…also BANEGA was dropped by Sabella and i think this was not taken lightly by the team and by his close friends etc…so far away Arg is now from that as it is evident that team have not been that happy since second last Copa at 1993 and before that at 1986 and 1978 so full credit about this goes first to coaching team and rest of the staff as i mean every single Person involded in it and secondly for the players to follow this path that they have taken together with the coaching team and this makes this current Arg so unified and super unique team !

  6. Luis Enrique ( Spain Coach) to ESPN :

    “Argentina and Brazil are candidates for the World Cup, but let’s not go crazy about it because Argentina beat Italy last night. “

  7. photos for our players celebrating the Finallisima, The one attract me most is when I saw following players
    Are in one picture together.
    Cuti, senesi, foyth, molina, montiel, licha , Perez MacAllister, speedy gonzalez, Palacios and Lautaro and Julian Alvarez
    I said woow arg nt future is bright.

  8. SPAIN PORTUGAL both do not look good. WE should be able to beat them with fit and firing squad.

  9. Musso having poor for Atalanta last season, Rulli has great season despite errors. Armani is always scaloni favourite and no matter what he’ll start next match, if Armani wasn’t injured then Emi Martinez might not get opportunity to start for Argentina in copa. Armani always excels on training sessions.

      • I agree with you. But bring Dybala for Messi at the half time.

        —————-Rulli—————-
        Foyth-Pezella-Lisandro-Tagli
        ————-—Guido————-
        ——-RDP—————GLC—-
        Messi—————————Nico
        ————-—Alvarez————-

        Subs-
        Senesi for Pezella
        Dybala for Messi
        Papu for Locelso
        Palacios for Guido.

        After Half time-

        —————-Rulli—————-
        Foyth-Senesi-Lisandro-Tagli
        —-—DePaul—-Palacios——
        Dybala——Papu———Nico
        —————Alvarez————-

        • I think Estonia is so weak we need to pretty much play out B team

          —————-Musso—————-
          Montiel-Foyth-Senesi-Tagliafico
          ————-—Guido————-
          ——-Palacios—————Papu—-
          Messi—————————Nico
          ————-—Alvarez————-

  11. If Dibu is not there who would be the keeper. Rulli has not been in form in recent times. Armani is nowhere close to the two goalkeepers who played yesterday and showed the world what keeping is. Brilliant saves from both Dibu and Donarumma. Alvarez and Nico should get more time on pitch if they are considered for WC. Lautaro can be rested. Di Maria can be rested too giving some opportunity to Angel Correa. Lo Celso should play. He needs to get his scoring accuracy right. He was brilliant yesterday, but he missed two jolly good chances which could have made it 5-0 for us. De Paul should be in playing 11 too. He was not in his usual self of brilliance. He was hard-working as usual but his finesse was missing because of his lack of play time with Atletico.

  12. Considering the trophies, Argentina’s golden era was 1978-1993. 6 major trophies in 15 years.
    2 World Cup.
    2 Copa
    1 Confederation
    1 Inter Continental

    This is surely another golden era started for Argentina after the so many years of final curse(28 years of drought.7 finals lost).

    Now, Two trophies in less than a year. Hopefully all the bad luck gone. Waiting for the WC trophy…😍

  14. So….now time for Armani, huh??!! Hahahaha!
    Yesterday Musso wasn’t even in substitutes list, Lord Armani & Eror King Rulli were there!!
    I’m just afraid of one thing that If Emi injured or suspended in any match in wc, Scaloni hasn’t really a proper & confident backup gk, right?? May be then he will start with Armani who has “Previous WC Experience”!! Hahahaha..& all our dreams wiil end within some minutes! Its one of the weakest point in team selection I think.
    I wish, if I will be surely wrong!

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