Riquelme quits the national team

I've watched the game over several times. I watched it several times only because I wanted to see why Maradona said that "a francia lo hicimos pasar el ridiculo" at times.

I thought that he was being funny but after repeated watchings, I can say that Maradona was right. At during the whole game but at moments, like he said, Argentina did the business to France.

As far as possession, with Bielsa we OWNED THE BALL but failed to learn how to play WITHOUT the ball. Which, in my opinion is just as important as playing with the ball.

Either way, on the 28th, when we play Venezuela we will have a definite glimpse of how Argentina will play when it really matters. That's when we can debate ad nauseum how La Seleccion is coming to together without Riquelme.

 

considering our recent form in the qualifiers im just asking for a win...the team is suspect with or without jrr

 

A convincing win by 3 or 4 goals would be very nice indeed, failing that I would take a 1-0 win via dodgy penalty in the 90th minute.

 

We are allowed to give our opinions right?


Theres nothing to argue about or comebacks like you said,no matter what is said about Riquelme not in his favor most of you boca fans fine an excuse to make him be the inoccent one.But to each their own. It is not like we are trying to diss him but to discuss the reason why he left for a second time, atleast thats what I was trying to have a discussion about. I for one never liked Riquelme on the NT but if he is on the team one has to live with it and root for Argentina. And this has nothing to to do with that I am a River fan because I love Carlitos Teves and like Gago. Just not too thrilled about Riquelme thats all.

 

That's the issue, I dont think this team suffers without Riquelme, on the contrary, his style is more of a crutch to the team as I've stated before. Also, it seems like you are focusing on set-pieces as if it were the end all be all. Yes, set-pieces are important but it's not like the team can't win without one.

 

Really? So this is what 16 pages of ? A simple observation from Maradona was blown out of proportion turned into a fiasco. Maybe it couldve have been dealt with in another way but nothing to cry about. If what Maradona said or whatever the reason was MOTIVATES him to play better in boca then what he said also shouldve motivated him to prove that he belongs on the NT. Thats all, surely if this had happen to be some other player I am sure everyone will tearing that player a new one.

 

Solid and threatening, Sir. When your are closer to scoring again than being scored against, when you look so dominant that even the local supporters turn to admiration, when you maintain a high tempo smothering and suffocating the opposition then you look solid and threatening in my books. And we did all that against one of the top European nations, not against Bolivia, Peru or the insanely overrated Mexico. We can only get better in my opinion.

 

I suppose most of you are familiar with Antonio Serpa's weekly column, infamously know as El Contra. I think it's one of the highlights of OLE --not that it has many that loathsome paper. This time, it's Riquelme against Maradona (btw, browsing other football forums I came across this Freezelme variation and I though it was great!). Oh, please, don't take this as an attack on Riquelme. It's just too good not to post it.

Full article: http://www.ole.clarin.com/notas/2009/03/16/varios/01878221.html

 

WRONG!!! Though the team was clearly better than France, at no point were they dominant. Or if you want to say dominant, it would only be in a loose sense of the word. A convincing performance, it was not but it was just good enough to get the job done. Don't get me wrong. That in itself deserves credit but how exactly is that different than before? Must I bring up the fact that they did beat France only months earlier...and that they looked better in that performance? Were there more chances being created than usual? Geez, you would think that this team hasn't enjoyed any measure of success at all in recent years.

As far as the supporters of France turning on them, it's all too obvious. They recognized that their team played horribly and that it was only the continuation of a string of bad performances. Hence, their frustrations. I visit some french forums and understand where they're coming from. So their cynical cheers for the Argentina players were not a result of acknowledging brilliance. Rather, it was a way to express their disgust with their team...much like the last qualifier the team played in Brazil.

Still, since it was Diego's 2nd match, no right thinking person could be very critical of the team's performance. We will not get a clear picture of what the team will be like going forward for another few matches.

 

El Contra is a pancake, just look at his comments on the keepers...

 

It was in the locker-room not on the bus right after the match apparently there wasn't anyone from the coaching staff. But still the super-intelligent journalists reported about it just now because they didn't think it was a big deal... Go away, that doesn't even sound realistic at all. After all it wouldn't be the first made up thing on this story.

 

If form is what we're going for then a lot of the players he called up didn't deserve to be there. Di Maria, Carrizo, Demichelis, Veron, Jonas, and especially Heinze are all currently playing like crap or close to crap. And as much as I love Tevez his play this season has been terribly inconsistent.

While Roman hasn't lit it up this season (the last game was an exception) we still saw last season his ability to change a game with just one play. I'd say it's good to have a player like that on your team even if his form the last month or so hasn't been good.

 

I heard just about everything that has been going on. I hear you, and honestly I think the problem has been even from when Basile was the DT. I have said before, just like many on this topic, Riquelme put himself in this position and im not just saying from what Maradona said in public where it could be the case that that was the icing on the cake, sorta speak.

He didnt get called to the friendly vs France, and? Maradona made it loud and clear that he had Roman in his plans and was saving the #10 for him aswell.

As for the chants, werent they something about Messi, ya llego Messi something like that? If thats the case maybe el Diego saw that the players were happy and really dont like Riquelme. Por algo sera....Didnt you say during or before the world cup that Scaloni was called to the NT because of the carisma he has with the players and that could be a positive thing in the group regardless he plays or not? Well Riquelme is the total opposite and Maradona sees that could be a problem in "his" seleccion. Lets not forget that Maradona was in that position before WC 86 leaving out Passarella,making everyone believe he had some kind sickness that prevented him from playing. I dont forget that Maradona es terrible HDP and nothing would suprize me.

Maybe he did use JRR poor performances and poor conditions to make an excuse not to take him.Maybe not.He did say he had him in his plans, maybe he wasnt going to start and Riquelme didnt want to be there knowing the "kids" were going to be starting and couldnt just handle it.

I do see where you are coming from but you have to understand that your lover boy JRR has a bad reputation from previous fiascos and it will be very hard for me to take his side or believe him. Dont hate on us, he put himself in this situation. I'm not the blind one.

No player is bigger then the NT, nobody and in boca's game this past sunday like you said they gave their verdict.



PS. Doing anything for conference?

 

im jst saying this didnt demichelis say in that interview that the song didnt mean anything and that he had sung at a friiendly game before and he wasnt even -part of the next call up or something like that...i dont think we should put so much focus on a song sung after a victory, emotions are high, everyone is happy...its not like they were singing it and meaning verypart of what they said....its a victory chant that has been sung alot of other times in the past...i dont know ive grown tired of this and its only begun becasue depending on how the NT plays with out jrr a debate will insue on good riddence or god do we need him back


FRom OLE

 

Is "strange" the right word?

Isnt it the other way around ? Sacate la camistea vieja.

blah

 

VIP, I think you do a great job of laying out the key issues here but at this point, isn't it a bit like banging your head into a wall? This must be the 5th time you've gone through this in detail. I think it's clear that people form their opinions and disregard whatever fact doesn't align with their point of view. But hey, keep on fighting the good fight!

 

This is what I noticed. People here are bitching at Riquelme for quiting yet most of them didn't want him in the team either way .