The day after

June 17, 2006

I feel like a boy again. A little child who dreams about football like I did when I was 9 and Argentina was the best in the World. Because I remember exactly where I was in each of those Mexico ’86 matches, in which Diego MARADONA gave the planet football, the best individual performance in the history of the World Cup.

Now I feel this team is putting Diego and my self in the same position. He is a fan now. Probably the most passionate around! And seeing him acting the same way I did when I was 9, makes this whole thing a little bit surreal.

Like experiencing the same things I did 20 years ago, when I had the proper age to act like I’m acting now! I’m changing my sleeping hours (and reducing them to a dangerous low!). I’m eating very badly and I’m not seeing friends and family (other than those who join me to watch the matches). I’m a grown up now, but I’m acting like a child and to tell you the truth: I’m loving it. Grown ups don’t enjoy football like we, the little kids of the World, do! Joking aside, I think that’s the best way to explain what is going on with my self lately, and I sincerely hope this could go on for a while.

There are thousands of ways to analyse what happened yesterday. A few concepts could help us to do so:

Argentina left behind the anxiety of the debut match against Ivory Coast and played a little bit more relaxed.

The early goal by Maxi RODRIGUEZ, in a great team effort with a back heel pass by SORIN to SAVIOLA who then made a perfect assist for MAXI, helped Argentina to control the game playing with the Serbs’ desperation.

Serbia & Montenegro suffered from the off-the-pitch problems. You could see there were no generosity amongst their players and they never played as a team. In contrast to that, Argentina had its most powerful weapon in team spirit and collective game.

The passing and more importantly the clinical finishing showed by Argentina were at the highest point. Perhaps Spain was the only other team with an unstoppable knack for scoring so far. But 3 of their 4 goals against Ukraine came from dead ball situations, whereas Argentina scored 6 goals from open play.

Argentina kept going forward and that was the key to kill off the game, making room in the team for the lethal: Carlos TEVEZ and Lionel MESSI. Both of them showing that they are ready to step up at the highest international level.

That sums up pretty much what was the best performance by Argentina in many years. But what really put this showing into perspective are the echoes you can hear from the media in every corner of the World. I want to have a word with those in charge of Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica (Italia); Marca, As and Sport (Spain); Lance, Folha do Sao Paulo, Terra, Gazeta Esportiva (Brazil); BBC, The Guardian and even The Sun (England); L’Equipe (France); A Bola (Portugal) and the bookies all around the World: Are you trying to drive me mad? Don’t you know I’m already fired up? I don’t need your help to make me believe this time we can really go all the way. Thank you very much anyway. It’s a real pleasure to read your lines about Argentina, filled with all kinds of adjectives you only seemed to save for other teams.

Another kind of flattering, is coming for a different source. The purest. The most beautiful. Let me put it this way: the number of passes we saw in our second goal (25. 26 if you count Maxi’s steal with what looks like a pass backwards to HEINZE) is nothing compared to the e-mails I’ve been receiving! I apologise but I was unable to reply to all of them. I hope I’ll have the time to do it, as I enjoyed it very much. In any case, thank you very much for ‘losing your cool’ with me!

As I promised to do after every Argentina match in this World Cup, here are my picks as Man of the Match and other mentions:

First of all, like an old football saying reads in Argentina when a performance like this is witnessed: ‘La figura fue el equipo’ (‘The team was the star’). In a way to recognise a team effort rather than an individual showing. I will agree with that old cliché, there were no weak links yesterday and there is not a single player to be credited for this triumph. However, I’ve got some things to say about a couple of impressive men.

Man of the Match:
Gold:
Javier SAVIOLA. For the second match in a row. He was absolutely brilliant. I can’t believe why Barcelona keeps on neglecting him. Granted he is not a scoring machine like Samuel ETO’O. Granted Ludovic GIULY is playing at a high level. But now that Thierry HENRY snubbed them to stay at Arsenal and now that Henrik LARSSON returned to his native Sweden and Maxi LOPEZ is off to Mallorca, I don’t see why he is not considered at least as a second or third option. In any case, I’m happy for SAVIOLA because without a doubt he will have his reward and will play in a top club in Europe next season once again. Yesterday he had a part in all of our three first half goals and again, he showed great sacrifice to help his team-mates when Argentina was off the ball.

Silver:
Maxi RODRIGUEZ. A quiet player. A quiet guy. But he can do whatever it’s needed on the pitch. He can chase his rivals all over the field, he can pass, he can run at defenders and he can surprise opposing defenses while scoring at every chance he has. One goal to open up the match in the 6th minute. Another to finish it off in the 41st. A great show all around.

Bronze:
Juan Roman RIQUELME. One of the e-mails I’ve received asked me about a fantasy football advise. This guy was concerned because he wanted to include a player from Argentina and he didn’t like CRESPO that much. He had RIQUELME and wanted to know whether to keep him or not. So I said: ‘Look, he is the free kick specialist, the corner and penalty kicks taker. He can have an assist with a killer through pass at anytime. I would say keep him’. Well, he scored minus 0.50 and this guy probably wants to kill me. But I think it’s a case of this fantasy rules being rubbish. RIQUELME was the playmaker in a team that destroyed the opposition in a brilliant 6-0 victory and was the guy who had 5 of the 25 (or 26) passes in that unforgettable second goal. He ruled the timing, the pace and the flow of the whole game. Hardly a bad game, isn’t it?

Best of the rest:
Hernan CRESPO. A goal, an assist and a goal ruled out (while he was slightly onside). Great sacrifice, he was fouled inside the box in the second half and his delicious back heel pass for CAMBIASSO in the second goal was superb. Keep it coming Hernan!
Of course, I don’t want to be the public enemy number one, Carlos TEVEZ and Lionel MESSI. They played less time than the players I’ve highlighted and they came in with the game already won. But you cannot leave them unnoticed because of this. It was their World Cup debut and both of them had a goal and an assist and shook off all the pressure that was hanging on their shoulders.

Coming up in this space: What are our real chances? And we’ll see just how important our match against Holland (and finishing top of Group C) is for Argentina.

The Perfect Performance

Roy Nemer

June 16, 2006

Argentina 6 – Serbia & Montenegro 0

How to keep the cool? How can I calm down and stop the hype that is starting to grow everywhere in Argentina and (for what I read around the internet) all over the World?

It’s very hard to do it and honestly, I don’t want to keep the cool!

Because I’ve been keeping it for 8 years now (since Holland knocked us out of France 98) and because for once and forever, the ghosts of Korea-Japan 2002 have been killed, buried and erased! I know if Ivory Coast beats Holland and Serbia and Holland beats us, then there is a chance we’ll be out of the World Cup, but frankly, I don’t see that happening.

We played the best football we played since USA ’94 (before Diego got suspended). We showed a great team spirit and we kept going forward looking for more goals. In that sense, we’ve learned from our mistakes against Ivory Coast and never sit back to defend the early lead.

25 passes!!!!! Almost every player touching the ball, several touching it more than once in the same action and a lovely back-heel pass by CRESPO followed by a great finish by CAMBIASSO. That was a moment of brilliance. The best goal of Germany 2006 by a mile and (I don’t want to lose my cool!!!) one of the best collective efforts in the history of the World Cup.

That was our second goal. Maxi RODRIGUEZ opened the scoring in the sixth minute. A key to win in confidence and to control the game from the start.

SAVIOLA was brilliant. He had a saying in all of the first three goals. An assist in the first one, a great long pass for CAMBIASSO changing the flow of play in the second goal and a shot stopped by the keeper prior to Maxi’s ghostly appearance to send it home. Again SAVIOLA helped out a lot becoming Argentina’s first defender. He was chasing people all over the field and recovering a lot of balls.

I could go on and on hailing individual performances. I might do it tomorrow in a separate article. But I need to say a couple of things about the two players that were the subject of every prayer. The people’s favourites, the most charismatic players in our team and a two of the best players in the World right now: Lionel MESSI and Carlos TEVEZ.

What a way to debut in a World Cup for the two of them. TEVEZ was the first to jump into the field. I don’t know if it was a known fact, but Carlos TEVEZ was sick yesterday and had to skip a training session. He was vomiting and feeling horrible but he was ready for his moment to come. When he replaced SAVIOLA he showed a lot of eagerness to show what he is capable of, but his first couple of actions were way behind his standards. He started to get frustrated and he needed to get something going and when he received the ball from RIQUELME in the 84th minute with the score 4-0, he started his run towards the goal and nutmegged a defender and kept going, was dispossessed by another defender TEVEZ tackled him slightly with the outside of this right boot and he created his own chance. He had only the keeper to beat and like if he was a 40-year veteran he kept the cool (I don’t want to keep the cool!) and he perfectly fooled the keeper, scoring what I hope is the first of many World Cup goals for Carlitos!

MESSI had to wait 75 minutes before taking Maxi RODRIGUEZ’s place. He looked nervous when he was sitting in the bench. He was chewing something, a piece of plastic, or something. He couldn’t wait for his moment to come. But then, when he had to go out there and perform, he did it! He went for it in every ball he touched. He played 15 minutes and ended the match with a goal and an assist! He outran everybody through the left hand side of the attack and then he sent a cross for Hernan CRESPO who came from behind and was faster than Dejan STANKOVIC to touch it and score our fourth goal.

Then RIQUELME and TEVEZ linked up very well and Carlitos was bright enough to see MESSI running through the right. TEVEZ sent a perfect through pass for MESSI and the Barcelona star scored with his right foot (not his favourite) to finish the scoring.

6-0. Our biggest World Cup win since that controversial 6-0 win against Peru in Argentina 1978. This one had nothing controversial about it. This one was flawless. This one was special. This one was bigger and heavier than the ghosts who were behind us since Korea-Japan. This one showed the best talents of this generation having their World Cup debut and coping with pressure in an amazing fashion. This one keeps us alive in the Group of Death and let us in the driving seat. This one is killing me, because from now on, I have no chance of keeping the cool!

Waiting to see our MESSIah

Roy Nemer

June 14, 2006

Three points in the bag. Watching every team in the World Cup play (including our mighty neighbours, the Brazilians), I’ve got say in our day, we can beat anyone.

There are, however, a lot of perils and hidden enemies in every corner. With the same scenario (a narrow win against an African team in our debut and playing in the ‘Group of Death’) we faced England four years ago and we lost 1-0 (Beckham from the penalty spot) and then we crashed dramatically with a draw against Sweden in the third match.

Now there are people looking very confident with our team and to some extent they are underestimating Serbia & Montenegro. I’m not one of them. I do feel confident and I like our team, but for no reason in this world, I’ll count the three points against Serbia & Montenegro before the final whistle.

If we do that, then we will have to look no further than to ourselves to look for our most dangerous enemy. I think in a way, José PEKERMAN did it against Ivory Coast. With a lot of water still running in the second half, he made a couple of conservative substitutions and we ended up risking a result we worked very hard to get in the first half.

The latest news in our preparation for this Friday’s crucial second group match are the probable inclusion of Luis ‘Lucho’ GONZALEZ in the starting line-up. He’ll replace Esteban CAMBIASSO in an attempt to improve what was our weakest link against Ivory Coast: midfield.

Lucho GONZALEZ will leave more room for MASCHERANO in the centre of the field for him to do what he does best: run around stopping opposing midfielders and stealing a lot of balls.

Skipper Juan Pablo SORIN will help out also in midfield so Lucho GONZALEZ and Maxi RODRIGUEZ will have a little more liberty trying to run forward and help RIQUELME-SAVIOLA and CRESPO. This trio is confirmed and they will play again from the start.

I expect Serbia & Montenegro to feel the need to do what they didn’t against Holland: attack from the start.

The Serbs’ main strength during their qualifying campaign was their defense (only 1 goal conceded –against Spain in Spain!-) and based on that solid back line, they punished with thunderous counter attacks, finished often by Mateja KEZMAN and Savo MILOSEVIC.

Without Nemanja VIDIC (Manchester United), injured for the rest of the World Cup and with some controversies between the manager and his players, they could find in Argentina, a very good incentive to ‘galvanise’ and play without any fear. Those are the most dangerous opponents A draw won’t be a good result for any of the two teams, but it would definitely harm the Serbs’ chances a little bit more than ours. Will they risk to attack Argentina from the start and free their midfielders to send them forward leaving their backs uncovered? Will they wait and see what Argentina proposes? I think no matter what, Argentina has to respect history this time and attack from the very first second. We have to control the ball and the pace of the game and victory will be ours.

I’ve been receiving a lot of messages (muchas gracias! Messages from Indonesia, Somalia, USA, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Australia, people from India, Colombia and Trinidad & Tobago –come on Soca Warriors!- living in the States! Thank you very much for your e-mails) and in most of them there is one question that still has no answer: will Lionel MESSI play in this World Cup?

Carlos Tevez Lionel Messi Argentina — Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez training with Argentina during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

This afternoon (June 14th) he had to leave the training session with a knock in his left foot but apparently it is not serious and he will be able to play against Serbia & Montenegro if PEKERMAN wants it. I feel the time has come. I feel he will jump to the field at some point during the second half, no matter the result or the circumstances. If we are winning comfortably, to make his debut and gain a precious experience. If we can’t break their defense, to try and do it through his amazing pace and mercurial talent. And if we are losing, because he is the best talent in our team and people will want to have a word or two with PEKERMAN if MESSI is nowhere to be seen in the field.

Will you watch the game? Will you skip a day at the office to follow Argentina? Are you superstitious? Do you have your rituals?

I’ll be watching it. Waking up very early in the morning (kick-off is at 10 AM but I want to see all the previous shows starting probably at 7 AM!). We’ll be four people in front of the TV and I expect a thousand screams (hope they are all for the good reasons!) and a lot less food for breakfast (can you eat before the match????).

I can’t wait for Friday! Bring it on!

VAMOS ARGENTINA!

Living in the Group of Death

Roy Nemer

June 10, 2006

Argentina 2 – Ivory Coast 1
Ever since we knew Ivory Coast was in our group and we had to play our first game against them, we thought the worst things you can imagine. After beating them in Hamburg today I can say that WE WERE RIGHT TO DO SO!

That makes this win even sweeter. I hate to hear people in Buenos Aires saying that Ivory Coast was not a real test and that they didn’t have a good side at all. That’s a tendency we have in Argentina. If we win, the rival was weak. If we lose, we are rubbish. I hate that. And I’m starting to see it once again.

I have to say, however, that Argentina was superior during the first half and we went up 2-0 deservingly.
After a shaky start and some very tense legs (specially in our midfielders), we started taking control of the game. RIQUELME was clinical in the way he led our offense and we had Ivory Coast on their back foot.

I met up with my friends from college (10 years after and for our 3rd World Cup in a row!) and we all jumped with our hands to the air when AYALA headed the ball towards the goal and TIZIE (in my opinion) stopped it behind the line. That would have been 1-0 to Argentina and a little bit of calm would have followed. The referee and his linesman didn’t see it, so it was play on.

A few minutes after that controversial play, RIQUELME sent the ball to the box and after a lucky rebound, Hernan CRESPO sent our country into delirium! That’s the essence of the strikers: being in the right place at the right time.

We saw our best football after that and it was clear our team was leaving behind the anxiety. SAVIOLA was one of PEKERMAN’s bets and he paid out big time for our manager in a moment of brilliance by RIQUELME. When Javier ran towards the goal, Roman sent a perfect pass behind the defense and the former Sevilla striker sent it home with a lovely first touch.

2-0 and we were ready to party. But the substitutions PEKERMAN made in the second half were our biggest mistake.

With ten minutes into the second half I said to my friends: ‘Despite the result, Ivory Coast is playing a great game!’ That means they needed no help. They logically started to throw attackers to the field (DINDANE, KONE) and we took them out! PALACIO in for CRESPO had little to discuss. One striker out, one speedy forward in. Maybe to open up some spaces and take advantage of PALACIO’s pace on the flanks. But to take SAVIOLA out and replace him with Luis GONZALEZ was a bad move. I guess PEKERMAN tried to add somebody who could win a couple of battles in midfield and help RIQUELME in keeping possession of the ball. But in reality, the result was awful. We never played the way we could and we let Ivory Coast to believe and to try and go for a fantastic comeback. To make matters worst, everybody in the stadium (apart from the big mass of Argentines –with Diego MARADONA leading the lot!-) started to support the Africans and to boo our players.

That led to DROGBA’s equaliser and almost 10 minutes of the same old fear we felt ever since the World Cup draw took place. We were horrible during those last minutes and we could have ended up the day in tears and crying for blowing up a 2-goal lead.

3 points are in the Bank now and that’s a very good thing in the Group of Death. Goal difference could have been better, but at least we won.

MESSI, TEVEZ, AIMAR are still to play and to have them fresh and willing to show the World what they are capable of makes me feel positive too.

Now I can’t wait for next Friday (and Serbia & Montenegro) to come!

To finish this wrap up of the game, I’m going to pick my man of the match and I’ll give a few extra mentions:

Man of the match:
Gold:

Javier SAVIOLA. Fast on and off the ball. Fantastic finish to put Argentina 2-0 and very handy to help RIQUELME in the creative aspects of the game.

Silver:
Roberto AYALA. Rock solid to control DROGBA. Had a goal not seen by the referee and made no mistakes during the whole game.

Bronze:
Roberto ABBONDANZIERI. With a thousand critics breathing in his neck and waiting for him to drop the ball or concede an easy goal, he came out with his best performance in our National Team, made a great save and started a couple of counter attacks with some impressive long passes.

Best of the rest:
CRESPO scored and that’s all you ask from your strikers. RIQUELME had a assist and that could prove vital and even win you a game in tournaments like the World Cup.

Time to Tango!

Seba

June 10, 2006

Argentina is set to face Ivory Coast to start the action in Group C. The line-up has been confirmed and people will have to wait if they want to see Carlos TEVEZ and Lionel MESSI in action.

ABBONDANZIERI will be between the three posts and this is his great chance to prove his critics wrong and start gaining some confidence.

A back line formed by BURDISSO, AYALA and HEINZE trying to control Didier DROGBA and either KALOU or DINDANE (whoever Henri MICHEL decides to pick to help the Chelsea hitman upfront).

Juan Pablo SORIN will start as a left back but will join the midfielders and eventually will end up helping the striking force. In other words, he will be his usual self and will run all over the pitch, depending on the result and the nature of the game.

CAMBIASSO and MASCHERANO will have defensive duties in midfield, covering Maxi RODRIGUEZ and RIQUELME’s backs. These two will be more involved on offense. Specially, star playmaker RIQUELME. I think if he manages to find his rhythm and put the ball under his right foot, Argentina will have reasons to smile after the match.

Javier SAVIOLA will be Hernan CRESPO’s partner up front and will try and win the battle against a tough Ivorian back line through speed and first touches. In case he can’t do it, PEKERMAN can use TEVEZ and/or MESSI to help out.

CRESPO will have a special ingredient to his first start in a World Cup match (this is his 3rd World Cup but he was a substitute of legendary Gabriel BATISTUTA in France 98 and Korea-Japan 2002), this will be a head-to-head fight between Chelsea strikers: DROGBA vs. CRESPO. They started to share the field a little bit more in the last few months of the Premiership last season and this could be the first time they’ll be on the pitch for the entire match. Only this time they’ll be wearing different colours and they won’t be smiling at each other after the kick-off.

Plenty of things to look forward to.

I remember Italy ‘90 and Argentina being defeated by an impressive Cameroon side. In USA ‘94 we defeated Nigeria 2-1 but it was the second group match. The Super Eagles got their revenge when they beat us 3-2 in the Gold Medal Match at Atlanta ‘96. Then in France ‘98 we didn’t have African opposition and it was Nigeria again in 2002. That was another World Cup debut for us and BATISTUTA gave us the winner to start what we though was going to be a great campaign and instead…ended up in tears. Let’s hope for a similar result today, but a different outcome for our stay in Germany. May it be long and pleasant!

I’m not one to forecast results. There is a little bit of superstition in me so forgive me if I’m not brave enough to give you my prediction.

Before I finish, I would like to thank each and every one of you who have been in touch with me by e-mail. Your views have been great and we share a lot of concepts regarding our players, our tactics and our chances in this World Cup.
Thanks to you, this time I will think of those hundreds and hundreds of Argentina fans living in every corner of the World and supporting the ‘Albiceleste’ with real determination and unrivalled passion!

You have put my National Team on a new perspective in my eyes and again, thank you for that!

I want to have your thoughts on Argentina’s performance once the match is over and how and where did you watch the match wherever you are in the World!

VAMOS ARGENTINA!

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