Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players 2013-2014 [R]

You forgot Lucho, scored as well.

Glad to see Pipita going to a club where they will appreciate him more.

 

Crespo was not only better at headers, he would beat that offside trap beautifully. What a fantasy player he was. One of my all-time favorites. I would've liked him to see come back home and played for another year or so a few seasons back but it just didn't happen. He was at a Chelsea game a few weeks ago.

 

yes absolutely , i am getting goosebumps while hearing the chanting for higuain from the ground ....

 

Well, Crespo has a magnetic field where a loose ball always "come to his path", that's what makes him special but Pipita offers something different, he's not exactly a "9"... more like Kempes who dropped deep and also fight for the ball and surge forward with pace on counter.

 

One thing we can say with certainty is that aside from having the best player on the planet, in Aguero and Higuain we have 2 of the best strikers in tbe world and in Di Maria we have a better player than Gareth Bale. Bring on Brazil 2014.

 

Nice
http://www.fcinternews.it/news/sabella-deciso-a-convocare-icardi-c-a-un-retroscena-127449

 

I still believe there has to be some heavy money-laundering involved in that transfer... 100m dollars...

 

There at least 15 players in europe who are better than Bale that I can think off. How he has been elevated into the most expensive footballer is baffling to me.

 

Lets face it, he has some fearsome achievement before joining Real madrid

Premier Academy League title 2005-2006

League cup runner up 2009

Premier league player of the month twice

Wales player of the year twice

FA cup player of round - 5th round

 

Gonzalito !!!!!

 

Hope Martino will give Messi some rest during the season...
http://www.marca.com/2013/09/20/en/football/barcelona/1379706215.html

 

I'm sure Martino would love to do so, but the guy is in a once and a life time situation, a position not only professionally, but could economically save his family for generations, and he needs Messi to win.

I haven't seen that much of Barca this season, but the two games I watched were against Valencia and Sevilla, and Barca was very, very lucky to win in both games and wouldn't have done so without Messi (in fact, against Sevilla the game should have been a draw had the ref not disallowed a valid goal)

If you take Messi out of the line-up, Barca won't win the league, much less the Champions League. And considering he's unknown to the Catalan public, if he doesn't win a major trophy this season, he's out of his job

 

FITNESS TRAINER THINKS THE PLAYERS "SHOULD PROTEST"

Signorini: "It will be a miracle if Messi makes it to the World Cup"

09/20/2013

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According to the Argentina squad's ex-fitness trainer Fernando Signorini, the best thing that Lionel Messi could do is "go on holiday with his wife and little kid", as it will be "a miracle and nothing more" if this year's football calendar allows the player to arrive at the Brazil 2104 event match-fit.

Speaking to 'Xarxa Ràdio", Signorini said that "one has to respect the players, and the authorities should do something about it", as the current football calendar is totally centred around profit and pays no regard for the "raw material" – the players themselves.

"I would advise the world footballing authorities to take the human aspect more into consideration, and not to focus so much on the financial aspects. These demanding football calendars show a lack of respect towards the players and public, who want to see a good show. The FIFA has to change things, there cannot be such a short space of time between the end of the league and the World Cup."

"Leo will want to play to the very end, it's the world footballing leaders that have to make the changes. Or maybe the players should pull up and say, 'ok, enough is enough, we can't play under these conditions'", Signorini reflected.

"We should enjoy Messi without putting this marvellous human football machine in jeopardy", the trainer advised, who also said that the football calendar was "perverse", while slamming the football authorities for "looking more at the business than the best conditions possible for the player."

 

Those Spanish players played so many caps prior to the WC and Euro , they still won the last 3 major tournaments. Iniesta who's considered as their best player in this generation, averaging 48 matches per season in the past 9 seasons.

People never pay so much attention on these things back in the day where players could have 700-1200 caps in their career. Maradona receved 50+ tackles in both 86 and 90 WC and played the 90 WC with 1 good legs while riding those crazy tackles... still reached back to back final.

When people like Zanetti or Maldini played so many caps every single season, people praise their stamina instead of saying that they should rest... why?

 

Rest in terms of sitting out certain CdR games, if the first leg is 5-0 for Barcelona, Messi should rest. If they are playing a bottom of the table La Liga team, rest. If sits out 5-7 games, I think that will be great. Worthless friendless are not needed, no need to have him fly thousands of miles just so that AFA can make money. We will need Messi to be totally fit for the WC.

Our next 2 qualifiers, sit him against Peru(if needed, bring him in), let Lamela play a bit. And then let Messi play against Uruguay.

In 2011, Messi started in 57 games, came on 3 times as a sub. Masche was second with 49 and subbed 3 times. Iniesta that year started 39 times, subbed in 7 times.

2012, Messi started 44 times, subbed in 6. Iniesta that year started 40 and subbed in 8.

Messi still plays the most for FCB, missing games will help him. As RiverGuacho said, they rely a ton on Messi, and without him, I believe Atletico Madrid would finish above Barcelona. Barcelona need to either let him sit, or Messi needs to understand that he does not need to play every single game.

 

I'm not saying fitness issue is not real, what I'm trying to say is, many people certainly afraid of not seeing Messi in the WC or not seeing Messi at his best shape during the WC. Back in the day, players is having so much caps and those great players still shine at the WC.

He certainly should rest in some games especially Copa del rey and pointless friendly. If Barca afraid to lose without him at knockout stage then just rest him in CDR group stage. That could make Messi playing 10-12 matches.

They have Neymar now, so I'd hope Tata will use his authority to rest Messi and started Neymar in CDR group stage. In fact that would benifit both players. I'd hope Neymar can just start in all Copa del rey games so Messi can just focus in 2 tournaments, that would also makes him more deadly in Champions league. I remember last year where Messi played the entire match against Saudi Arabia (like 40 degree Celsius), and he played 3 days before and 4 days after. That was ridiculous.

The most likely scenario in remaining pointless qualifier games would be Messi play and we thrash Peru and please the home crowd (last time was lackluster draw against Colombia). Maybe we can try to put Lamela to play Messi's role as free roaming forward, Uruguay probably get a narrow win or a draw but the result still dont mean shit for us since we hardly play for points, and we can experiment with second strings player.

Remember if Messi play and we get the lead , things can get ugly and you can expect some rough challange from Uruguay because they will do anything to secure the chances.

 

They could be freaks of nature. There is no doubt the continual global season is affecting players when they arrive at major tournaments. It's not just a case of physical tiredness it is also mental fatigue.

You should know. Bilbao and Barcelona started brightly enough last season but faded badly.

Barcelona owe Messi a great deal. Without him they are nothing above other sides yet they continue to play him into the ground. Martino should preserve him for the important games considering how La Liga is a joke in terms of competitiveness.

And had the president any sense instead of going for Neymar they might have had the sense to invest in some centrebacks. Messi is carrying that team but his priority should be the World Cup.

It was foolhardy and desperate of Barcelona to play him in the CL when he was carrying an injury that has affected him since. Pep would not have done it as he had enough respect for the player.

Modern football is even more exhausting than ever before yet clubs like Barcelona still feel the need to traipse around the world selling themselves ignoring the needs of players.

Some of our team have not had a proper long term rest for several seasons. We suffered in 2002 when the system Bielsa demanded required peak physical priming. I do not want to see this happen again.

Spain may have won those titles. But they hardly excelled in many games and this last tournament they were showing the effects of continual football year after year.

 

He is not a bad player. But his close control and inventiveness is not a match for di Maria. But no need to sneer that he is now a Madridista. Football transfer values today bear little resemblance to ability and he is not really worth that sum but that is what Tottenham wanted.

He will win titles now that is for certain. And for a footballer he is very grounded.

 

Two words Leon. David Levy.

He is a shrewd operator. He knows Perez is a clown and is desperate to one up Barcelona in their petty two team competition in La Liga.

Who is fashionable ? Neymar has disappeared. Suarez is not going anywhere.....I know Bale. Infact Levy with the money has made Tottenham a genuine title contender. Lamela looks to be settling in nicely.

We know football transfers have gone mad. He isn't worth all that money but he still has time to develop.

I hope Sabella brings in Lamela to play a full game next time around with Messi to see how they play together and let Lamela replace Messi in that attacking role in another.

Icardi is unlikely to make Brazil but he is one for the future and capping him would rule any chance of Italy getting him. It would be a great experience for him too.

Also Mateo Musacchio. Please call him up. Solid assured displays for Villareal this season. The kid should be part of the future backline. His reading of the game is excellent.

 

Bale is only a year younger than Di Maria, but if you look at Di Maria achievement with Benfica & Real madrid (Won league and domestic cup with both clubs) and then with Argentina youth team (u21 and u23). Bale technically worth like half of him, or maybe less.

In national team, the only player that occasionally outshine Messi is Di Maria

 

For example, it seems that Iniesta did not start today and Messi did(again). FCB are deep in the AMF, it's either Cesc who gets to rest, or Xavi or Iniesta. So, Messi will always has to play.

 

Facundo Ferreyra's first Goal in Ukraine. Hope Sabella will chose between him and Icardi Higuain's back up in Brazil
http://livetv.ru/showvideo/153185_shakhtar_dn_vorskla/

 

Obviously it's not Bale's fault that this laughable valuation has been placed on him. Although knowing Perez, if it goes pear shaped that's what he'll claim.

 

It takes ball to replace Messi when he's clearly still wanted to play and scores... was quite evidence yesterday. I'll predict Messi will be subbed or rested on CDR group stage matches or when Barcelona manage to extend their lead over Real madrid and Atletico madrid.

Anyway, 3 Argentines scored for Inter 7-0 victory today. None of them I'd like to see in National team though.