Julián Álvarez to start for Argentina vs. Switzerland at World Cup

1. England’s first goal gets a little help from the “Hand of God.”

2. Assuming Argentina goes through, England would be a better matchup than Norway. Outside of Kane and Bellingham, England’s midfield and defense look very disorganized.

   • Disagree. England have speed, especially from the wings – which has been Argentina’s bane this tournament.

     • P.s. with Nusa and Oscar Bob, Norway also seem like a threat from the wing.

   • England’s good quality on the bench is their another strength. We saw how that made difference against Mexico and today against Norway. But, Switzerland first!!!

3. Scaloni should answer why he worry about nico paz injury on como? For siting on the bench?

   • He was teasing the media like look at me I’m including the youth and don’t say I’m sticking with just old players.

4. The new fan song that the team sang in the locker room the other day is pretty cool and has meaningful and symbolic lyrics:

   Soy hincha de la Selección
   La aliento con el corazón
   Ganamos la tercera con Lionel
   Queremos ser campeones otra vez
   Y 32 años después
   La Scaloneta va a vengar
   La copa que le robaron al diez
   La que no nos dejaron levantar
   Quiero ver la cuarta estrella
   Brillar en la camiseta
   Soy argentino de la cuna
   Hasta el cajón
   Por Malvinas
   Por el Diego
   Por la última de Leo
   Argentina, quiero verte bicampeón

   In English:

   I’m a die-hard fan of the national team
   I cheer for them with everything I’ve got
   We won the third with Lionel
   We want to be champions again
   And 32 years later
   La Scaloneta will avenge
   The cup they stole from the number ten (from Diego in 94)
   The one they didn’t let us lift
   I want to see the fourth star
   Shining on the jersey
   I’m Argentine from the cradle
   To the grave
   For the Malvinas
   For Diego
   For Leo’s final chapter
   Argentina, I want to see you back-to-back champions

   • It’s amazing such a good song and so dramatic over the top funny

5. What the hell us up with Norway?! No interest in playing football it seems. Now I even more desperately want them in the semi LOL. Even an out-of-form Argentina will have an easy time against this,

   • Yess! Go Norway! Complete fluke goal, but we’ll take it.

6. Why is this news? If he actually observed, analyzed the last game and made proper changes, that would have been news.

7. The previous thread had a conversation about the three-man defense and I wanted to respond to that. I would not be surprised if Scaloni went for 5-3-2 today because, particularly for Switzerland, this solves a few problems:

   1) Switzerland is specifically dangerous in the aerial threat, which can be offset by the inclusion of Otamendi.
   2) To kill the counterattack and quick transition, an additional defender will help.
   3) The right back position – since both RBs are out of form, and Simeone can play as a RWB in a 5-3-2 system, and he is a world class player for that role.
   4) When Licha plays as LCB, his passing ability will not make the system defensive. He can play almost as a LCM for most of the time.
   5) Shifting gear is easy with this system. Bringing in Barco in place of Tagliafico later in the game can make it an attacking one.

   However, it is also true that it is a difficult system to play, and Argentina has played this formation before, in the last World Cup and also in qualifiers, but has not played its best football in it. For this particular game only, though, it will make sense for Scaloni to field this formation.

8. His pressing is good. However, he needs to take more responsibility in creating and converting chances. His miss against Austria (which eventually was converted by Messi) looked awful.

Comments are closed.