Argentina rumored XI vs. Chile at Copa America, Emiliano Martinez to start

By
Roy Nemer
-
91

The Argentina national team will play Chile on Monday in their Copa America opener in a re-match from last week’s World Cup qualifier.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has nearly everyone available for the match on Monday. Cristian Romero is not fully fit which means he will not play vs. Chile while Franco Armani has tested negative, along with the rest of the squad.

Lionel Scaloni held a training session on Saturday and it was the same based of players which started the last World Cup qualifier vs. Colombia. Per a report by Ole, the eleven in training were the following:

Emiliano Martinez; Montiel, Martinez Quarta, Otamendi, Acuna; De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Gonzalez

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

91 Comments

  1. I saw england play 2 defensive midfielder
    One stay deep and one go and chase the ball.
    One of the with an assist,I’m not sure what to make of the midfield trio we have starting nowadays.

      • Some of you guys would spew any kind of garbage to get people’s attention.
        What’s a 1 dimensional midfielder??
        Mason mount
        Declan rice
        Kalvin Phillips

        • Lol england is nothing special. U say Belgium, brazil, germany, france, spain have better team i will agree bt england, croatia these r mediocre sides England midfield without grealish is nothing special even Netherlands has a better team specially if van dijk and deligt play

  2. Scaloni was so quick to drop dybala and ocampos but can’t get rid of armani, Is he in a relationship with him or what, I hope armani is only a reserved player for while tournament because we are eyeing Qatar wc and we can’t win that with armani.
    And i judt had a doubt why has Sergio Romero gone missing from the team from last 3 years.
    Can’t he be kept as a reserve rather than armani.

    • Not sure why we are accommodating the weak links of this team.
      We have to find a good partner for a man that is 33 years old cause he is a ticking time bomb .
      We have to accommodate someone in the midfield we put an attacking midfielder doing the defensive work for him.

      • Yes I am just thinking about the game vs Chile because we can’t play Romero. Scaloni seems to want Ota-MQ and I am trying to think if Lisandro could pair well with one of them instead. Except both Licha and MQ are too ball carrying to play together I was thinking

        • Hello Olive,
          Otamendi played his best football for Argentina as RCB alongside Funes Mori. So I think Otamendi and Lisandro pair will work.

          Funes Mori is the best defender Riverplate has produced in last few years. He was so good for Argentina when he was playing for River. Everton move did not prove to be best one and injury did the rest for a promising ball playing center back.

  4. As I mentioned earlier..I have a feeling that.. Scaloni will go for 3 man back line any time in this Copa.

    Otamendi-Romero-Lisandro will be the best choice for Copa.

    As Romero not available for the first match, it can be;
    Otamendi-Pazella-Lisandro.

    I don’t trust Acuna or Montiel in defending…and Otamendi will create more dangers in 2 man defense. Penalty or fouls in danger area will be on the way.

  6. Sometimes when you compare where we were with Sampaoli or Bauza and now with Scaloni..nothing changed…Yes..we keep playing for Draw now..

    the expectation was to use younger players..but then we have tried and tested the most players and stick to players who are closer to retirement – we indirectly forced Mascherano to retirement as his legs cannot take anymore..

    Armani is decent keeper – but not sure if he has enough to be world class..He is another Sergei Romero who is decent but not extraordinary..

    Scaloni bias towards River Plate is understandable..but he is not able to convert what Gallordo did..nor the players are able to do what they should do..River success was their strong midfield creating chances for the forwards..but then i do not see Ignaccio, Pity or exception case Pavon (Ex-Boca)..the selection baffles me..

    May be there is something between clubs of Europe and AFA and Local leagues that he needs to choose certain players from each league..i still cannot digest why he would call players who are not fit..

    Aguero, Nico Gonzalez, Alario, Palacios, Lo Celso ?? are they fit?
    O Campos, Taglifico are out of form,
    Armani – was the covid machine not working properly?
    Pezella, Otamendi – Either one can start, but not both..
    Montiel, Lucas Martinez – River Plate – I can understand
    Buendia – Could have been the wild card like maradona selected pastore..
    Our Substitutes do not have the speed either..

    I hope we reach the Semi-Final..as all other teams are physical and athletic..we do not have the legs to match the speed.

    This is where i miss Bielsa who can arm-twist anyone and make things work his way..

  7. 433 or 4312. Great seeing the mid trio in action again. Hopefully GLC fit for 90. Nico and Martinez displayed energy but not much goal threat. Scaloni should have subbed at half for ADM and Aguero. I hope Scaloni sticks with 433 variants and does not revert back to defensive formations. Even if were up 3-0, i want to see Scaloni ATTACKING.

    —Nico ——- Toro —– Messi
    (Di Maria) – (Aguero) – (Gomez)
    (J Correa) – (Alvarez) – (A Correa)

    Lo Celso — Paredes —- De Paul
    (Palacios) – (Guido) – (Dominguez)

    Acuna – Otamendi — LMQ — Montiel
    (Tag) – (Lisandro) – (Pezz) – (Molina)

    —————– Emi
    ————– (Armani)
    ————- (Marchesin)
    ————– (Musso)

  8. Courtois; Alderweireld, Boyata, Vertonghen; Castagne, Dendoncker, Tieleman, Hazard; Mertenes, Lukaku, Carrassco

    This was Belgium XI last night against Russia and they won 3-0. Look at this XI and tell me if you would like this as Argentina XI.

    I would not.

    We have a great squad but playing like a mid level team. One or two average player like Montiel is OK. Italy won wc with Grosso and co. Spain had Capdevilla as LB. You will never have perfect 100%. But what we have is enough to win a tournament.

    • Good point. But unfortunately we have Scaloni as coach and not Martinez or Lippi or Basque. It will take nearly another 15 years for Scaloni to reach their levels. Honestly how many European clubs will be interested in Scaloni ? Or how many South American countries will be interested in hiring him ? Not disrespecting him but his experience is nil. Martinez handled Everton for a reasonable long time. Lippi Basque have a very long coaching career especially if their profile as players is low. Master is a master. It will take enormous time for a student to turn master. A great footballing nation like ours need a vast experienced master. Always felt we should have tried Mircea Lucescu somewhere. Now he’s too aged but only the day AFA try a foreign coach, we can consider AFA is serious about glory. Even though Carlos Quiroz failed in Colombia but that will never underestimate Colombia’s high intention and ambition and more importantly implementation.

    • I always liked your posts, now I am loving them :), speaking my mind.

      I came here today to talk about the Belgium line up yesterday and how matured they are as a team. How well prepared they look. And I see your post. Does this mean they are going to win everything, NO. But this is well drilled and prepared team with truly world class players. There is a coach who is tactically very solid and plays a lovely game. We were like this in 2013-2016 time. Now neither we are great individuals or a well prepared team.

      I am just accepting facts. If people hate me for this and starts attacking, its fine. Am I going to become a Belgium supporter? No. I support Argentina and that’s how it will remain. However, I am not of the camp who will throw out comments like Foyth is world class, De Paul is the number 1 midfielder in the world, Lo Celso is better than Modric etc. etc. Throwing out such absurd illogical comments doesn’t make you a bigger fan or pundit.

      I agree and I believe we have a chance to win this COPA. Need to keep the nonsense like Armani selection out and prepare the best we can. Little bit of luck here and there and it can happen. Also, given our circumstances, Scaloni is what we can afford and I like to keep him as a coach. He is taking a lot longer than I like, but what can you do? Its OK. Let’s hope for the best. Cheers!!

      • Hello ddr1123,
        You are an old timer. I admire you.

        A true fan criticizes his team because he wants his team to win. Fans must support but it also duty of the team not to throw garbage at the fans. It’s a two way road.

        I believe we have a good squad that does not follow basics of football. That is the fault of coaching staffs. Scaloni’s first assignment was a u-20 tournament which we won. We lost to India u-20 in that tournament and barely won against Uruguay. Go ahead and rewatch the matches, senior side plays more or less the same way. That is Scaloni football if you want a footprint.

  11. Argentina seriously need to find a good dm. Parades defensively not that great and thats why depaul also cant play too much attacking if we play 3 mid thn 2 should be very good offensively as well as defensively still im not much impressed with depaul to be honest he is defensively disciplined bt i haven’t seen any good forward passes through passes fast counters or something substantial in final third from him. Anybody out here thinks we should try other players in place of both depaul and paredes??

    • De Paul + Lo Celso + Paredes is a good 3 Man Midfield I think.

      Just need to have reliable centre back beside Cuti Romero and 2 Good Side Backs.

    • The thing is De Paul and Lo Celso are also willing to help defend and able to. Lo Celso can put in good tackles. Our midfield is not like man city’s in the final

  12. Joquain Correa should play in playing 11 he is very good in 1 vs 1 situation he is fast and good dribbler so he can easily create 1 vs 1 situation for himself. J. Correa and N. Gonzalez are best option for Left Winger role.

  15. Villarreal CF have taken up the purchase option on Juan Foyth, who played for the Yellows on loan during the 2020/21 season. The Argentine player will be a ‘groguet’ for the next five campaigns (until June 2026).

    • Good move for Foyth. I hope he will develop his career more and use his brain like a real defender. I think he now understands the magnitude of the two errors he made in the last two WCQs.

  16. Love the line up, well done scaloni just gotta watch the subs he makes they only hurt argentina. If scaloni can get the the players coming in off the bench right argentina will be able to hold on to winning.

    • Every game you guys want to see a different line up. That does not help argentina. Pick 11 & stick to the same players starting always.

      • Except Otamendi. I do agree changing too much would do more harm than good. Pep line up in CL final is good example. He tweaked too much and backfired.

        • Yes exactly, so please Mr. Scaloni i hope u read this as well that there is no need to do or try any Pep storynow specially after what happened in Colombia game by substitutions made by Scaloni which cost us 2 points instead getting 3!
          I would only bring Lisandro in to starting eleven and replace LMQ.

    • Thts the main problem… In last qualifer he subs selection was bad… In place of Nico he should gone for attacker.. and if you want to defensive sub. Bring guido… He will play DM and will break the opposition

    • Create atleast some chances for him…he will score. He’s very important to the team.
      If he joins an attacking team…you will know how good he is. He’s new Saurez.

      • Even if he becomes one fourth of the player Suarez was coach should start him every match . In last 2 qualifiers he missed many chances one was very chance against colombia messi’s pass. Even he had chances to pass the ball he shoots selfishly and ruins the attack.

        • Many chances….?
          None of those was easy…please don’t expect every chance will be a goal. Produce atleast 6-8 chances per game..we will score 2-3 goals minimum.

    • Messi only scored 4 in last 16 games and all penalties. In comparison, Lautaro has won 7 penalties for Argentina, all taken by Messi & Paredes.

      No great passes from midfield means the frontlines will struggles regardless who’s playing.

        • Messi scored 5 or 6 penalties which all won by Lautaro . As long he could earn those fouls in dangerous area, even when he’s not scoring, he’d still useful.

          Dybala, Higuain and Aguero hardly ever win a foul inside the box for Argentina. Dybala has played same number of games as Lautaro , except he only scored 2 goals.

          The problem is with Lautaro is that he couldnt play at high level for 90 minutes. He always looked more dangerous in first half and then faded in second half. This was evident in Copa 2019 aswell, he scored early goals twice, won penalty against Paraguay but in second half, he disappeared.

          • Yes let’s have Lautaro to first run his ass off and hope that he will either get an early goal or at least get involded in an early goal for us! Then i think we could change him as one our first substitutions if there ain’t no more injuries to our team, hopefully not! And by that substitution i mean to change Lautaro for more fresher legs up front so that we could keep on pressuring and offcourse if he is having a great game then no need to change him only if he get’s too much tired and this same goes with any of our players specially for the middfielders who mostly have to run more than others so obviously they get more tired way quicker than others might so i wouldnt change our way of play or gameplan if we are playing as great like in the last Colombia game and i would only replace the most tired players with the ones who can contribute to same gameplan or our way of play and i do think we have got those players on the bench maybe some was sadly left behind like buendia and Ocampos but that was scalonis wrong decission like same what he did in last Colombia game by replacing Emi with Marchesin instead of musso and taking lo Celso out and changing our winning formula to atotally deffensive minded way of play which cost us 2 points offcourse the last error came from foyth but i think Marchesin should have also stopped that ball going in so even i think it was good decisdion maybe to leave foyth out this time it was not clever at all from Scaloni only blaming him and saying that until the 94th minute we totally controlled the game! No this not true at all and Scaloni knows this too as do our players and that make’s me a bit concern about if the players will Still trust Scaloni ? And even foyth error was a bad so was Marchesin as well so whybon earth Scaloni puts all the blame on foyth ? Come on at least be honest TaKe the blame of your own actions mr. Scaloni and dont put all the blame only on Still very young player even older players do fuck up in the end to clear the ball when there is too much pressure towards end of game by this u will only ruin his career even more and maybe for a long time ! Everyone knows that he could not clear the ball but nobody hardly talk about Marchesin’s error which was for me personally even more bigger one and all theese things happened because of scaloni’s wrong substitutions and also very wrongly timed as well!

      • Right on again if there is no proper middfield we will suffer with or without messi is regardless and also that is why we should stick to most of the players who started greatly against Colombia from after such a long time i saw finally Albiceleste playing a great game until Scaloni screw it up by his substitutions !

    • Lautaro is the best option we have right now enjoy he is not yet world class bt in 1 yr time he can be lethal. Problem is we r lacking in creativity area plus our play is quite slow that makes opponent defense regroup and jamm the area making no space atall 1st we need to make our midfield tick. Paredes and depaul is average their passing and forward movement is quite slow only 1 out of paredes and depaul should play if im scaloni i would have picked palacios locelso depaul midfield or buendia locelso depaul midfield

  19. If we take out C.Romero, the defense looks very weak. It doesn’t give a confidence. Where as the Midfield and Attack looks fine. Emiliano starting will be a huge boost. Anyway lets see.

  20. Mollina as Right Back is the best scenario for Argentina. Lionel Scaloni should try him.Montiel is defensively poor against quality he is on no use. Montiel neither has height nor speed,can not tackle,going to get easily bullied.

  21. Good article on De Paul…he thinks his role is like a spare tyre in the team (in a positive way)
    Good read….hope.he performs well in this Copa…

    _https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/football/2021/jun/11/argentinas-rodrigo-de-paul-messi-surprised-me-he-enjoys-a-song-cards

  22. After watching Lizandro Martinez performance for Ajax @YouTube. I am so much impressed by his defensive skills, consistency , ball playing ability like a midfielder. Wonder why he is excluded from fist eleven. Height disadvantage cannot be an explanation, when tall guys like Foyth was disastrous.

    • otamendi ? realyy !! pls no he has been a great servant for albiceleste but nowadays he is just too rash and has a mistake in him..His experience is of course very valuable but his decision making has been realy bad in his last few games for arg..he has conceded like 3 penalties these past few games..we cant go into this copa with him as a sure starter..Romero and martinez quarta or lisandro should be great..even pezzela as a late sub if needed ..

      • Montiel, Otamendi,Pezzella all are shit these days. They are playing in NT only because of Scaloni. Dont know why scaloni don’t want to try Senesi, molina, palomino etc. Only scaloni knows the reason

        • Scaloni see these players everyday training and from very close. Its same line up as colombia game. Aegentina started the game great if it wasnt for foyth argentina would have won last 2 games. Otamendi should play hes an amazing player

  25. why the hell lisandro not playing. LMQ is the worst defender for the nt, doesn’t make any sense to start him. lisandro had a great 45 min against chile

  27. Off Topic
    Latauro is back on Barca Radar. Inter is eyeing barca new signing Emerson as a Hakimi replacement. Barca is trying for a Latauro-Emerson Swap. Its still a far cry but can you imagine Aguero-Latauro-Messi in the same attack week in and week out?

    On Topic.
    I hope Emi Starts over Armani 🙏.
    And Romero is back in the second game.

  29. So Argentina has Eredivisie’s most talented CBs hands down in Senesi and Lisandro. But lo! Senesi not selected for a player who is a meme even in Portugal and Lisandro dropped for an average Fiorentina defender. Leave Messi,even Maradona wouldnt be able to win anything with such an ass coach

  31. I think Armani will never start, take a chill pill guys. Otamendi is good player he will perform good.I do not understand Montiel selection he does not mess up things but he also provides nothing,Mollina would have been much better, Mollina’s fast accurate passing would be the key from right side.Mollina has speed he can track back too. Acuna will be best choice in left back.
    I want to see Mollina and Acuna as Fullbacks for Argentina. Do not start Quarta Martinez how many chances Scaloni wants to give him he is not for National Team. Start Pezella and Otamendi that would be best.
    4 man back line
    Mollina. Pezella. Otamendi. Acuna

    • otamendi and pazell cb pair is the world best CB right Kevin????
      How could u say that otamendi was good??
      And Pazella is trash in modern football….
      R8 now I think C. Romero. Licha, Senesi, Medina should be fit for CB…….and need more time in NT…..

      • C. Romero has muscle strain and Lisandro Martinez has small height what Lisandro would do if player like Mina stands in front of him for crosses and corners.Senesi and Medina are not in squad for Copa.

        • Just see Lizandro Martinez’s performance for Ajax @ youtube . His skill,consistency and ability to play the ball will more than compensate for his height disadvantage. In my opinion, after Romero, hes the best option for defense.

Comments are closed.