Lollo had a rough night. Uff! Send that guy back to Racing. Sucks we couldn't get 3 points against these scrubs.
Batalla was actually on point today... bien pibe, segui asi I wasn't too impressed by Lollo, but it's understandable since it was his first game in nearly 10 months. Overall though, I thought the pibe Martinez Quarta played much better. Mora was invisible.. Should have been subbed out early in the game. I don't understand how he completed the 90 minutes. Pity is such a frustrating player, specially given the fact that he clearly possesses special technical skills, but what is new? We clearly lack a playmaker, or at least creative outlets in the midfield. A lot of fast runners (Pity, Auzqui, Mayada, etc.), but no central, game-reading brain besides Nacho Fernandez's random inputs here and there. Casco didn't have any major ********-ups today, but he just doesn't add much to the team besides being a running body. It's a shame Vangioni has been rotting away in Italy for nearly a year now. Anyway, now that we got that out of the way we can focus on the real test vs. Independiente de Medellin, who have been tearing up the Colombian league this season (top of the table and on a 4-game winning streak). As seen vs Lanus and Union, we still have a lot of work to do if we can compete for the Libertadores, so Wednesday's game will give us an idea as to where we stand.
Football is back and nothing is changed. River is robbed of the three points when we have a clear goal not given, meanwhile Banfield also got robbed by a clear goal against Boca and then later Fabra basically kicks Cvitanich in the head and no penalty is called. As you were gentleman. Analyzing just River, I don't like the way the team is playing. We didn't create anything in 90 minutes. Its clear we need Alario for the 90 minutes, but even with him out team looks lost. I don't think we should expect any miracles from Rojas, especially with that awful man-bun he's got. Like loco says, we need someone who puts his foot on the ball, thinks and then plays. Obviously Nacho does this, but we need someone else to help him and I don't think Rojas is that guy. Hopefully I'm wrong and the team will show its self with the full line up in colombia on wednesday.
Really sad that our debut in the Copa has to be ruined by the rain and awful pitch condition. It also makes me very nervous for Battalla. Honestly, just getting a point would be a fine result
There we go. The field is more or less playable and River is able to actually make somethings happen. Nacho looking very good, and like I predicted, Alario and Driussi amongst the goals. VAMOS CARAJ
Hmmm. I Don't like taking Nacho out. I know we're up 3-0 and he definitely worked his ass off, but he is the only guy who thinks and plays. Hopefully it won't come back to hurt his because this has been a great performance.
Martinez Quarta's goal was really good finishing for a defender. The kid reminds me of Pezzella in many aspects -- similar physique, regularly scores, plays clean balls I know he used to be a DMF before being converted into a CB in inferiores. With so many CBs (Maidana, Lollo, Mina, Vega, Montiel, etc), added to the very poor level of both Domingo and Arzura, maybe we should try the kid out as Ponzio's back-up. I don't see Gallardo doing it, but it wouldn't be a bad idea at all
The result is ideal. Really couldn't expect any more in a tough atmosphere and tough conditions. Even though the three goals were from dead ball situations, the overall quality of the play was much higher, there were some nice combinations, especially with Nacho making things happen. He was supported more today by Rojas who was good and also by Driussi who was able to drop deeper with Alario there to be the presence in the area. You can really tell that River with Gallardo just has a different mentality playing in the Copa than in the League. There is just a confidence and know how this team has in international cups that we don't have in the local tournament. That being said, I'm not OK with just switching off in the local tournament since its still important, and the top 4 make next year's Libertadores, so we can't just switch and it will be important to start picking up points. But in the mean time, lets just enjoy this as it was by far the most impressive performance I've seen in the Libertadores so far. Flamengo thrashed CASLA, but they were at home, whereas River tonight had the crowd, the field, and the rain against us and still won convincingly
Tonight massive game in Lanus as River plays with real away fans (not just the "neutral fans" we've seen various times) since June 2nd 2013. Absolutely ridiculous to think its been that long, but tonight we will be the home team in the south of greater buenos aires with 11,000 River supporters. I'm very much hoping the away fans get to keep coming, as the next away match is in Mendoza against Godoy Cruz, a city where River is very much the most popular team, and they normally give us half the stadium (about 22,000 away fans) I'm contemplating making the trip out there for and making a weekend of it. As for the game, the line-up is the same as against DIM except for Mayada coming in for Moreira who is with the Paraguay NT. Hopefully, with the game being a week night, and with our fans in the stadium pushing us on, we will have a cup mentality as we all know Gallardo's big weakness is the local league. I thin the biggest issue has been his bad rotation policy and inability to motivate, but hopefully tonight will be different, as lets not forget its also a revenge match for the supercopa argentina If we win, it will put us within 8 points of Boca, with 42 points left in play. Its difficult, but not impossible. More importantly perhaps, is that a win would bring us to within 4 points of Estudiantes for the final Libertadores spot for 2018. Obviously, we want to win this year's edition, but we don't want to rely on that to get into the 2018 tournament. Vamos RIVER
Even when he does well, Pity Martinez still doesn't deliver. Had an amazing play where he knocked it on to himself and needed to either pass to driussi early or go all the way, but held onto the ball too long and screwed it up. Also hit the bar with an outrageous shot. He may still be able to pull something out of his ass because so far he is the only guy doing anything up there. Alario hasn't touched the ball. It was also that resentido Sand was going to score. The way he goes ape shit and kisses the Lanus badge every time he scores against us seems so forced and it just shows how bitter he is that he was a complete failure at River.
Great come from behind win for River against what is a pretty good team. Pity Martinez actually had a really good game, yet it his goal still took a massive deflection, so finishing his plays is still a massive issue. That being said, he was the only player for much of the game willing to shoot on goal, and this is massive. When you take a shot, many things can happen, and one of them is a massive deflection that leaves the goalie on the wrong foot, just as happened last night. I thought Rojas and Ponzio were both immense. Rojas is positionally and tactically smart as ever, but he seems to be more creative, more interested in moving forward, and goal aside, was getting into dangerous positions from open play, and I'm liking what I'm seeing, as I was a bit skeptical of his return. The other new signings, Carlos Auzqui, got his first goal for the club, thanks to a nice assist from Alario. One thing I am interested in is that this is now the second match in a row Gallardo has not used Mora, even as a sub, as he chose Auzqui over him. Even at the end when he made a "garbage time" sub just to waste time, he chose Alonso. Could this be the beginning of the end of Morita's time at River?
We've seen Mora go on cold steaks and then become clutch when we needed that goal to draw or win. I wouldn't count him out just yet when we need to compete in 2 tournaments.
It's a shame that we gave away so many easy points throughout the first part of the tournament, but 8 points may not be that huge of a difference considering how much is left to play. Of course it's still a generous lead for Boca at the moment, but they're far from being a great team..... they have scrubs like Benedetto and freaking Junior Benitez starting for them, for crying out loud. With Tevez it was a different story... Even though he didnt shine as expected, he would still singlehandedly win them 3 points on numerous ocassions, such as the 4-2 in the monumental. The Libertadores is no doubt the priority, but with it being so stretched out with the new scheduling maybe we can dive back into the torneo as well. I'm really liking this new team and the work Gallardo has been putting in. There is more work to do, but two wins within the same week --scoring 3 goals on both the best Colombian team and one of the best in Argentina-- is a good sign going forward
Excellent post loco. Agree 100% with everything you say. We really blew it against the likes of Defensa y Justicia, San Martin de San Juan, Arsenal... In each of these game we blew the lead late on. It would give us 6 more points and with in 2 of the bosteros and very much amongst the top 4. And lets not forget the 0-0 against Union with the phantom goal not given. As for the bosteros, yes I agree this is not a very good boca team at all. The biggest issue with making up points is that boca has already played their most difficult matches when they still had Tevez: at el Monumental, at CASLA, and at home to Racing. As you said, the mercenary didn't dominate the league like many predicted, but he at least struck fear into the opponents knowing he was capable of anything, no team fears this boca, as Talleres showed this past weekend. They can still drop points, in fact I'd bet on them to draw or lose this weekend in San Juan, but it won't be easy. That being said, if they do lose to San Martin and we beat Belgrano, then it will be 5 and anything can happen, but we need to take focus on the task at hand and not think too much about them.
I don't remember Tevez being all that fundamental in their super clasico win. All I remember is Batalla's 2 fvck ups.
Well like I said, Tevez didnt exactly live up to expectations -specially when he had to in the Libertadores-, but he was a gamechanger nonetheless. Batalla gifted him one goal, but the other one was an absolute golazo. Another forward might have given a challenging shot, but they simply wouldnt have finished with as much quality as Tevez did in that third goal. Things like that are what set him apart, as he can be asleep for 99% of the match and then flip a whole game in just one play. Then there's the psychological aspect, as RiverGaucho mentioned... The players/coaches feared Tevez, so there was a much more conservative approach when facing el apache's Boca as opposed to the 2017 version. Rather than teams playing their game, their main approach focused on controlling Tevez, allowing Boca to play a more possesive game at their own pace. Last year they also had Lodeiro, another excellent player. Nowadays their best player by far is Bou, who while an interesting goalscorer just isn't of the same quality.
Please lets not make this into a Teve$ discussion, but as loco said he won them that clasico, and now without him, they are much weaker, but most of all, there is no one to fear on that team. If they were in the Libertadores, they probably wouldn't make it out of the group. The only reason to discuss boca is because we need them to drop points, and personally i think this weekend is a perfect time for that to happen. They have a bad record in San Juan (6-1 ) and I just have a feeling they're going to get a draw at the best. However, it won't matter if we don't beat Belgrano at home. They beat Racing last week and have brought Lucas Melano back after a time with Lanus and the MLS. They are currently 29th in the league, but if after their win over racing its clear that after a 4 month lay-off the standings really don't matter as so much has changed in that absurd lay-off.
el hijo de remil putas de BAUZA nos saca a Alario faltando dos dias para el partido... Si lo queres, convocalo dos semanas antes como haces con los demás burro de mierda. Este tipo me sigue cagando la vida. #ANDATEBAUZA LA CONCHA DE TU MADRE Ojala que el Muñeco lo mandara a la concha de su madre a este inútil de bauza. Realmente no lo puedo creer. Una cosa es convocarlo dos semanas antes y ponerlo como titular, otro es sacarlo dos días antes de un partido clave para que coma banco en bolivia.
Mina wasn't even included in the list for Sunday's match against Godoy Cruz. Very strange. I know the Ecuadorian was with his NT, but so were Alario and Moreira and they've both been included. I wonder if anything happened behind the scenes we don't know about. Sure, he wasn't that good after a great start, but surely he merits a spot on the bench? Its especially strange because he started getting frozen out after the Boca match when he scored... I agree Martinez Quarta is better, but the very next match he was at fault for two of the goals, yet Mina never even got close to reappearing in the team, not even in friendlies. I obviously keep faith in el Muñeco I just find it curious.
Well not only has Mina been horrible for us for months, but he also committed a huge mistake in the Paraguay-Ecuador game, giving away an easy lead to the paraguas early in the match A few days later, in the Colombia-Ecuador game, he made another major mistake... horrible positioning and lack of anticipation , losing his man completely and leading to Colombia's second goal The guy's got height, strength, and courage, which are very important attributes for a defender on paper, but he always seems lost on the pitch. Unfortunately, we kind of got screwed over on this end of the deal. I'm pretty sure the dirigentes have the unanimous intention of selling him in the next transfer window, but the question is if there are any interested parties. We paid nearly $3,000,000 for only 60% of his transfer, so it'll be hard recuperating that money (look how much we got for more proven defenders like Pezzella or Balanta, for instance).
Mina's arrival at the club was strange. One day he was eliminating boca and saying that you feel more pressure in el monumental than in the bostanera then the next day he was a River player... And we beat the likes of Atletico Mineiro to his signature. He did start well, but no doubt Martinez Quarta has earned his spot it just shows you how fall he's fallen in just 2 months from starter and scorer in the superclasico in january to not even going to the bench in march. Our best bet is to cut our losses and ship him back to Ecuador or who knows maybe a brazilian or mexican club could be fooled into signing him. On the match Sunday, remember that it was this match in 2014 we played one of the best matches in the gallardo era. Including a GOLAZO from Carlitos Sanchez inside 2 minutes. What a match that was.
Larrondo got hurt before the reserva's match against Godoy Cruz. There is still no official word on how serious, but this is getting ridiculous. We should just rescind his contract and cut our losses. He's also not necessary. We have Alario, Driussi, Alonso, and Mora. Even if he miraculously recovers, he'd be fifth on the depth chart. And lets not forget, he actually did play a few matches, and to say his performances were woeful is an understatement. I remember the match against Independiente in particular where he was pathetic and had an unmarked header from inside the small area and some how put it wide
It has been a strange match, but very entertaining for the neutrals and at times for us. We started off imprecisely especially our defenders passing the ball, but we improve dramatically and took the lead with a sublime finish from Alario after a beautiful through ball from Pity. We let Godoy Cruz back in, but Battalla really should have made the save. He's having one of those nights. Martinez Quarta has been poor and already got a card and is coming out way to far. He may not stay on the pitch. Overall River was really good, especially Nacho and Pity, and the front 2 of course. At times, we looked like the team from the video I posted above with Sanchez and Teo in such fine form, but we gifted them a goal. I have confidence that if we play like that in this half, we'll score 3 or 4, but with the defense looking bad and Battalla having a bad night, we need to be careful. VAMOS RIVER CARAJO