Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

What did he respond?

 

He seems to be irritated for Icardi kind of criticising the last situation. Said he didn’t agree with Icardi and that he should have embraced the opportunity of playing with Messi and Aguero!

 

De Paul with another today.

 

Trying to move away from the madness back home, some brief European news.

Lautaro with a goal and assist. Probably should've had at least a couple of goals. But regardless, it was good to see. Icardi came on with 15 minutes to replace him.

Escalante scored for Eibar in their 3-0 v Real.

 

And we wonder why our players can't wait to leave the country even if it's to MLS, China, etc.

 

Gonzalo Escalante dominated Real Madrid today, ran circles around Modric and Kroos. He could be another option if we need a DM/CM hybrid who runs tirelessly and is also good on the ball.

Potential midfield options for Copa 2019:

Ascacibar, Paredes, Palacios, Lo Celso, Caseres, Lanzini, Escalante, Zaracho, Banega, Vazquez

Unpopular opinion, but I wouldn’t mind Banega back. Him and Vazquez are having a great season with Sevilla.

 

I thought Real Madrid has the best player in the world, how come they struggle to be in top 5....

 

If you're talking about Ronaldo they don't have him any more.

 

Just a deep, deep stain on Argentine football today. Really sad for everyone involved.

 

Balon winner is Modric.

 

It was one of those days where I was glued to my television and I was watching for updates.

It is indeed a stain. People know how passionate we are but passion and violence should not be intertwined. We are not animals, a few have to go out and ruin this for everybody and leave this dark cloud over our name.

Then you have the Fat Cats who are trying to push the match forward only a short time after the incident. I can’t imagine any of the sports commissioners here in the US try to push a sporting event to go through after such a debacle because they have obligations.

I just hope more violence does not erupt before or after the match is played.

 

Regarding Eibar you have to think there is something seriously wrong inside the circus at Madrid. Escalante played well and was on the fringes last season but he needs to take another step up with a bigger challenge at a bigger club at this stage in his career.

And de Paul superb again with the assist from Pussetto who I recommended to my club in the summer.

About this incident for the Libertadores final. It is sad and regrettable. It reflects badly on Argentina as a whole because many people looking in wanting to watch the match (I myself have been whipping up interest among my club's fans) don't understand the social and economic situation in the country.

It's entirely predictable and it comes down to a lack of leadership from the very top for many years of refusing to tackle the barra bravas who have ruined football for many. It is one thing to display passion for your team another to resort to out and out violence leading to serious injuries and even death. That is not passion it is criminality and thuggery and Tevez a person with a very small brain should be ashamed of himself.

The longer term implications are also troubling should there be another all Argentine Libertadores final. What will be CONMEBOL's stance ? Play it outside of Argentina ? And what of the 2030 WC bid ? Uruguay and Paraguay won't be pleased by yesterdays events. Granted people were sceptical about security for Brazil 2014 and nothing happened but it nonetheless leaves a shadow in the minds of decision makers.

We all know Infantino Blatter mark two loves money so any idea that sentimentality regarding the centenary edition of the World Cup would be further undermined by what happened yesterday and providing ammunition to other 2030 bidding nations.

As for the games against Mexico. De Paul was excellent and great to see Dybala and Icardi get off the mark. It will give them great confidence going forward. Lo Celso sparkled again Santi less so but Mexico came on stronger when he departed.

If Messi is to be integrated then I can see him taking the shadow striker role and forming links with Saravia marauding forward. Tagliafico could probably anchor the backline and it swing across slightly to compensate when on the break or attack.

Foyth played reasonably well last night. Solid aerially but his positioning still needs work. Drops off a yard too much or presses too early at times but this is something more games will solve. Other than that as usual so comfortable on bringing the ball out or accurate out passes from deep. Useful for someone like Messi on a counter.

Saravia himself ought to practice his crossing. Set up targets in and around the box and practice one time crosses. Cutting back on the right foot and delivering with the left. Such drills and practice will elevate his game. All the great players don't just rest on their laurels. He's been pretty decent but that would help him, Racing and Argentina.

Kannemann is also being linked to Sampdoria. Solid as a rock a good number six to have. Personally Messi , Aguero and Otamendi are the only players I would recall now for the Copa.

My provisional 23 is this at present. Three spots free. Need to find a rightback and leftback as a priority.

GK: Armani, Marchesin, Gazzaniga
DF: Saravia, Pezzella, Foyth, Otamendi, Kannemann, Tagliafico
MF: Lo Celso, Asascibar, de Paul, Palacios, Lamela, Caseres
FW: Messi, Aguero, Icardi, Martinez, Dybala

 

Well Libertadores is already moving to a single neutral site final, so this scenario should already be a little less likely.

I have to think the 2030 bid is doomed now unless the government displays a concrete crackdown before it goes to a vote.

 

Yeah, things were running nice and smoothly in Argentina back in 78...

 

You have a point there. Of course nowadays there's far more money to chase, and that bid probably pales in comparison to say China.

 

Damn, what a goal.

1066769049399504897 is not a valid tweet id

Driussi with a goal and an assist.

 

I have lived in 5 different countries, and 7 different states in the U.S.

When I lived in Ft. Lauderdale, I must have met more than 100 Argentine families, and they are a great, great bunch of people — so open, so welcoming into their homes — despite me not being Latin.

Same thing with the Brazilians — great people.

I met both sets on my team and other teams in our local league.

My brother and I went to see Argentina v Brazil June 2012 in NJ, where Messi scored a hattrick and we won 4-3.

Random Argentine fans were inviting us into their groups to sing and dance and eat.

Just great, great fans — really sad to see that the actions of some will get the attention.

Met a lot of other South Americans — one of my best friends now is Peruvian.

Have to say that a lot of South Americans not from Argentina felt that Argentines in general were very arrogant.

I didn’t get that feeling at all — but the perception (misconception?) was there.

 

The Argentines you're more likely to run into abroad are of a different class, and I agree they are very warm and welcoming and good people. Same goes for all my relatives back home.

The barra bravas and the like are an entirely different breed. I'd say they don't represent the country as a whole but considering the government refuses to do anything about them and practically encourages it as a result, it's getting harder to argue.

As for the arrogant reputation, it's definitely well earned in certain ways. Argentina likes to think of itself as more European and civilized than the rest of South America (the whole thing of referring to others as "negro" for instance), even if the evidence of that is shrinking.

 

I don’t think it is arrogance, we are just blunt and have great hair.

 

Diego Maradona with one of the greatest post-match interviews ever. pic.twitter.com/jIJuF2Ppyv

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) November 26, 2018

I mean... He's not wrong.

 

By the way, just take a look at this....unreal:

Messi’s Dribble On Filipe Luis Was UNREAL.😳#messi #fcblive #ForçaBarça #AtletiFcb @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/YxJcG4My33

— 🇲🇦انفلونزا البارسا 🏆 🏆 (@khalilbaadri) November 26, 2018

High ball one touch control, Cruyff turn, and a nutmeg all rolled into one movement.

 

What were the final scores against Mexico?

Scaloni's tenure so far reminds me of how well Batista did with the youth sides, sadly it all went belly up when he took over the senior side. Scaloni to his credit is playing a very young senior team and getting results. With him in charge it's almost certain that no one over 26, except Armani, makes the squad for the Copa America.

 

Argentina would be local in China, they love the Albiceleste over there.

 

Aguero scored against Lyon with his Super saiyan hair to sent City to KO stage.

 

24 year old Argentine goalkeeper Juan Musso has been low-key very good for Udinese since he became a starter a month ago. His games against Milan and Roma in particular were excellent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYSWD_hQ8i8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAetvJWx_yM