So far how would you grade Riquelme's performance in the World Cup ?

[leoriver]

Ok folks I want to hear your opinions.

Mines is that hes just being an average player and not playing the role that the national team needs.I'm not saying he is playing bad but not enough for what Argentina needs.I know some of you will consider this thread as somewhat hating on him but you all know how I feel about him despite I am really rooting for him to do really well.After its Argentina he is representing.Onl;y time I can say he plays really well is once Argentina is on top the score.

I notcied the difference today once the subs were made and once again Peker waiting a bit too long to make them.We are definitaly up against our toughest game coming june 30 and we need to step it up.

Discuss.

[Pekerman]

I am going to comment about his negative and positive aspects:

Has constantly been marked or closed down by several players. Tend to slow the tempo of the game too much which is not always in our favor. Often guilty of taking one touch too many and of passing the ball back. Some bad passes. Looks tired.

BUT he always give space for other players like Maxi to operate. He is the main reason why we enjoy a lot of possession. Averages one surgical pass per game ( something that no other playmaker has done so far). Has been extremely dangerous from corner kicks. Has yet to play up to his potential ( and if he does then there is no better player in his position).

Alternative:

Aimar: Good touch, does not take many to define, fast and agile. Capable of good passing and vision. But his overall game is not superior to Riquelme.

Other options: Messi or Tevez.

[El Mandrake]

He averaged a few against mex... surgical passes that is... he tries for the olimpic goal from the corners....which out of all the corners he takes.....statisically he will land at least one or two.....he hates to be super marked but hey who doesn't plus believe it or not the rest of the team really shines ........cambiasso, maxi, sorin....the forwards.....tevez does not like the enganche position by the way....neither does lucho...messi does not jump at the oppurtunity to be one so.....aimar perhaps, but continuity is an issue.....but roman you can't say he sucks....or that he is lord of all but ya he is awesome so far.....lets hope he ups the anty

[chipotaple]

he's doing pretty good, but I think he can do more. Lots of marksmen on him though, gotta admit.

[Moishe]

I think many expect the Villarreal Riquelme vice the one we see with the Albiceleste. Plainly put Roman has no need to take the game over like in Spain. I'm sure he could but that pace of a game would expose us too much in the back. His slowing the game down is what allows our Dmids to hold their positions so well. He does a great job of holding the ball and still provides one bit of magic per match.

On the down side I'd say he isn't being selfish enough with the ball. To put it perspective, for what little some seem to think about Romans game, he's making Ronaldinho look like a simpleton.

[mariealus]

I think many expect the Villarreal Riquelme vice the one we see with the Albiceleste. Plainly put Roman has no need to take the game over like in Spain. I'm sure he could but that pace of a game would expose us too much in the back. His slowing the game down is what allows our Dmids to hold their positions so well. He does a great job of holding the ball and still provides one bit of magic per match.

On the down side I'd say he isn't being selfish enough with the ball. To put it perspective, for what little some seem to think about Romans game, he's making Ronaldinho look like a simpleton.


Dude, during the Ghana game, Ronaldinho did not look like the Barca version at all (to me anyhow).

I think he's doing alright so far but I'd like to see him like someone else said, hold the ball a little more, but then isn't that what the team does? Quick passes, circulation of the ball and then striking at what seems the best time to exploit the other team?

Plus I would love to see him score a goal. Just one. Please. :o

[argentine soccer fan]

He's made a difference, he's helped Argentina mark the rhythm of the games, and he's made some key assists that resulted in key goals. But he's also dissapeared at times, and he hasn't been everything he can be for Argentina. I'd give him a passing grade so far, but I expect much more from a player as talented as he is. I hope to see it against Germany, because we're going to need it.

[bsas]

He has played his role of "core" of our team perfectly. Centralising and distributing passes. But I also think he has not yet been up to his potential. I am missing his clinical passes to strikers. I guess the defenses we have faced so far have been too efficient closing spaces.

[EL MONO MARIO]

6 points out of 10.

[athena20]

I think veron or aimar is better than riquelme.

[shaf-argentina]

I think veron or aimar is better than riquelme.

I think u r smoking crack.



I really agree with Riquelme being man-marked this whole tourney. If we remember carefully, when Arsenal man-marked him in the CL semifinals, we were talking about how the rest of the Villareal team wasnt good enuff to capitalise on the situation when Gileberto, Fabregas and at times Senderos went after Romy. This tourney, I think the class of the entire team has shown they can take the initiative when he is man marked, and even draws 2-3 men to him. Maxi has scored 3 goals from midfield :O, Sorin has had acres of space at times, and who has seen Cambiasso score from the edge of the opponents penalty area before?

[argentine soccer fan]

I think veron or aimar is better than riquelme.

Riquelme > Aimar > Veron.

Having said that, I still want to see Aimar come in at around the 60th minute. He provides some interesting variations to our attack.

[vipnerd]

I think u r smoking crack.



I really agree with Riquelme being man-marked this whole tourney. If we remember carefully, when Arsenal man-marked him in the CL semifinals, we were talking about how the rest of the Villareal team wasnt good enuff to capitalise on the situation when Gileberto, Fabregas and at times Senderos went after Romy. This tourney, I think the class of the entire team has shown they can take the initiative when he is man marked, and even draws 2-3 men to him. Maxi has scored 3 goals from midfield :O, Sorin has had acres of space at times, and who has seen Cambiasso score from the edge of the opponents penalty area before?


Agree. In my books, he is only missing a goal so far. Can't complain.


.

[in da soup]

I think u r smoking crack.

i think shaf might be right.

[Hustletown]

As a neutral observer, please tell me he was injured, dehydrated, etc to be subbed from the game.

If that was a tactical move, Pekerman should be fired before the team leaves the stadium in my opinion. No excuse for taking out a player who organizes the attack and helps keep possession.

It absolutely baffles me to see teams like Argentina try and bunker. Possession is the most important thing at that point in the game if you are trying to hold a lead, and possibly steal a second to end it outright. Instead, they gave Germany the run of play for most of the final 20-25 minutes. Of course, they end up scoring the equalizer.

I would have thought the subs went Messi for Crespo and Cambiasso for Maxi Rodriguez or another midfielder not named Riquelme or Mascherano.

Confusing tactics from Argentina in the final 20-25 of regulation.

[Stretch Armstrong]

He simply isnt effective enough to have a side like Argentina or Barca built around him.

At Villareal he has just about found his level - good but not quite good enough.

Its a shame Messi didnt play any part today. In Riquelme's position he could have torn a tiring German side to shreds with his direct running

[Ross2006]

Just read this on the FIFA website - Pekerman's comments after the match

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060630/1/8g6i.html

"We didn't expect to have the problems that we did. We had to substitute two players, and that cost us dear. Germany had the advantage of being more adaptable than we were. We were pretty much on top throughout the match, and my players gave their all. I always felt that we were better than Germany, but that's not always enough to get the win. All that I can say is that Argentina played good, attractive football and won the fans over."

This suggests that maybe two Argentinian players were subbed because of injury. Abbondanzieri was one, is it possible that Riquelme was injured too? Has anything been said in the Argentinian media about this?

The media over here are pointing at this substitution as the key moment in the game, and an error in Pekerman's judgement. But if Riquelme was injured maybe it is different (but he should still have probably palyed Aimar instead of cambiasso)

[Moishe]

Just read this on the FIFA website - Pekerman's comments after the match

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/060630/1/8g6i.html

"We didn't expect to have the problems that we did. We had to substitute two players, and that cost us dear. Germany had the advantage of being more adaptable than we were. We were pretty much on top throughout the match, and my players gave their all. I always felt that we were better than Germany, but that's not always enough to get the win. All that I can say is that Argentina played good, attractive football and won the fans over."

This suggests that maybe two Argentinian players were subbed because of injury. Abbondanzieri was one, is it possible that Riquelme was injured too? Has anything been said in the Argentinian media about this?

The media over here are pointing at this substitution as the key moment in the game, and an error in Pekerman's judgement. But if Riquelme was injured maybe it is different (but he should still have probably palyed Aimar instead of cambiasso)


Riquelme and substitution equals lost leads. I haven't heard anything about an injury to Roman. I read qoutes from Pekermans post match press conference and he did mention two forced substitutions. He spoke of El Pato but never elaborated about Roman. All he said was that he looked tired. Hello! Roman always looks tired.

http://albicelestes.com/news/357-Pekerman-bows-out

[soccerocean]

Pekerman wanted to cool the game, and protect the 1-0 lead....the same strategy he used for warm up friendlies against England and Croatia. We also eneded up losing those games l. Maybe he learned his lesson, but no, he did it again with the Ivory Coast, and we sweated bullets for it. But surely, against Germany, we must sit back and protect our lead, lets take off our midfield commander, and keep our great ball handlers on the bench. But wait, Germany actually has the nerve to keep attacking and actually scores on us. Wow, never thought of that scenario.......
Pekerman, you screwed up. The boys played their hearts out, and you lost your attacking nerve. On to the next coach please......

[Viola Star]

He was proven to be just a very good player, instead of a great one,
at this World Cup. Observe Zidane's performance against Brazil for
true greatness.