Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

Also, it seems it is a given that Aguero will not be 100% at the World Cup, per the Argentina team doctor.

https://us.soccerway.com/news/2018/...nt-for-world-cup---argentina-doctor/n1048967/

Can’t take him.....no way.

 

If Aguero cant make it and Icardi doesnt get a call up, then they cant pretend anymore.. obviously they (or Messi) have issue with Icardi.

 

The NT doctor already said that Aguero cant be 100 % by the time of WC after such injury & surgery.

 

I caught parts of Juventus match today v Crotone. Dybala was pretty poor, he lost possession multiple times and couldn't do nothing going forward. Sure, much of that had to do with the team that had started but he needs to do better. Fatso, well, Fatso had a wonderful chance to win the match and he struck it straight to the Crotone GK. Since January, he's managed six league goals and three of those came v Sassuolo in a 7-0 trashing. Not exactly in form, to say the least. But, they do have Napoli coming to town, I would expect him to get a goal or two but in a perfect world, he will continue this drought.
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As for Kun, don't get your hopes up that he'll miss the tournament. He'll be there with his crutches and PS4 in hand. Messi cannot have his BFF there.

 

Dybala would have a bad game here and there but you still cant ignore the fact that he has plenty of great games season. The fact that he's 3rd top scorer in the league with 20+ goals proof he deserve to be in NT. Higuain is Juve's #9 and Dybala is ahead of him by more than 5 goals lol.

Icardi is ahead of Higuain in the serie A by 10 goals despite playing in sinking ship , so the only explaination him being ignored would be something to do with personal problem within him and AFA/Messi/Sampa.

Icardi should take Aguero's place but as Supermario said, its almost impossible .

 

Sampaoli will meet Icardi tomorrow in Milan. There are rumors that he already told him over the phone that he’s part of the 35-man list.

 

Another good news...Athletico Madrid lost today, so all Barcelona has to do is win against Deportivo next week, and the title is theirs.

So Messi really needs to play 2 more meaningful games, the cup final and the game against Deportivo.

Then he can take 4 remaining games of Liga off.

So from April 29 to July 15, he can just prepare for us.

Also, rumors are that Icardi will be included.

 

Messi will probably play the Clasico against Real too. But yea he doesn't have to exert himself anymore after this weekend.

 

Atlético*

Prepare between April 29 to July 15 you say?

Oh, I’m hoping Messi will not play in the remaining games. Something tells me he’ll want to go undefeated in the league. If he does, then you know where his priorities are.

Yes, Sampaoli is apprently going to visit Icardi. I guess you can say that is a good thing. But I’m still not optimistic he’ll be included into the final 23. I’m guessing Sampaoli is getting second thoughts with the forwards, either being out of form or out being injured.

Lautaro scored today v Vasco. In the same match Licha Lopez nearly pulled a Palermo.

 

I dont think Barca remain unbeaten would be his no1 priority but the fact that he could still be league & european top scorer most likely will get in his mind... that's quite worrying if he burn himself out just for that. El classico (CR factor) & CDR technically would be the only important games remaining.

Messi should at least miss the last 2 games, 3 would be better for sure.

Aguero injury certainly a smack to Sampa's face since he'd be forced to pick Icardi. Now he has zero reason not to pick him , otherwise its certainly something that has nothing to do with his form & ability.

 

I actually wrote Atletico....but auto-correct corrected it to Athletic....I added the “o” but didn’t check for the extra “h”.

Messi actually has no reason to play the Classico, @Rattlehead.

The title can be won against Deportivo.

I really don’t think that going undefeated is on Messi’s mind. The Golden Boot could be.

He still needs to train, though....so he might just train with Barca.

In an ideal world, 10-15 of our players can skip the meaningless games and just work under Sampaoli for a month and a half.

Ruggeri came out and said tha the 86 winners spent 65 days preparing for the World Cup.

Obviously, those days didn’t have that many matches, but fate has worked out that we really can have a lot of players start preparing for an extended period this time round.

 

The CdR Final is in a couple days, after that, it should be smooth sailing after that. Sampa has to submit his list of players by May 14th. As for El Clásico, I do not believe neither will care a great deal, unless you're Pique or somebody like that. Real could be in a CL Final, and I doubt they will field a strong team in a game that will do nothing in the league tie other than pride. They won't risk injuries. So, both teams will likely field their benches unless Munich knocks them out and Real will want to spoil FCB perfect season(If they are still perfect by then).

So, I say, after the CdR Final, or right when Sampaoli submits his list, Messi can request to leave the team a bit early. The two trophy ceremonies will be done by then. FCB should grant him that, so it will give Sampa time to work with him earlier than normal. The rest of the group can gradually meet.

 

If what Messi said that he would trade his personal achievements to win a trophy with Argentina is true, then I hope that he would forget this unbeaten run or golden boot obsession (although I do wish that he did win both those things), and focus on the bigger picture which is the World Cup. In an ideal world, Barca beats Deportivo and wins the title and Messi and the others who won their titles work immediately with Sampa after as there is still too much work that needs to be done and there isn't much time.

 

Per Brunati, Mussachio will be included in Sampaoli’s 35-man list. Lamela and Ansaldi are both out and Gago’s fitness will determine whether he’s included or not by May 14th.

 

Well, apparently Sampa will be meeting or will be on the list of 35.

In Spain(6)
Messi
Kun(I believe he is doing his rehab there or something)
Angel Correa
Tucu Correa
Mercado
Banega

France(2)
ADM
Lo Celso

Netherlands(1)
Nico

England(5)
Lanzini
Willy
RFM
Rojo
Romero

Italy(7)
Icardi
Dybala
Fatso
Fazio
Perotti
Mussachio
Biglia

Portugal(2)
Toto
Acuña

Domestic Players(7)- Already met.
Armani
Lautaro
Pavon
Enzo
Pablo Perez
Bustos
Meza


Others include(4)(Won't meet but will be included)
Paredes
Masche
Krane
Guzman

This is 34. One name remains, maybe it is Gago... So, which 11 get cut?

 

Now if he can make sure Biglia and Higuain out from the 23, I'd consider us as 5th favorite. Otherwise, we would be 25th. At this point, you can pick random player to replace those two, we would have a better team.

Aguero will enter the WC in similar fashion as in 2014 (carrying injury), probably will get injured again in middle of tournament even if he's fit to play when the tournament begin. Too bad Messi will need him at hotel room to play FIFA .

I can understand Masche being included as long he does not start. When we're leading the scoreline, maybe his experience can still be usefull as a late sub. If he starts, he'd be left for dead in every counter attack. In 2014 Demichellis was really slow but his experience proof to be usefull in last few games when we play defensively. Although the defence was solid as a unit during 2012-2016.

 

After Messi scored 73 goals in a season, 91 goals in 2012, there's no more way to go as far as reaching a higher number. He's pretty much has nothing to proof after that when it comes to goalscoring stats. CR at his very best never come close to those numbers. It will probably take at least 50-100 years for that record to be broken, if ever.

 

Yes but, per Brunatti there is no Pavon. I Also hope, That Garay will make the list

 

I think Garay doesn’t want to play with this group. He did state that he hasn’t retired but that doesn’t exclude his refusal to play with these guys during the qualifiers. In other words, I’m not retired but I dont want to play with these guys so maybe i’ll play in the future.

 

Biglia injured ??? Please say so

 

if it's true, then it's music to my ears (although i don't want to wish injuries to anyone)

 

Biglia's injury didn't appear to be serious. I believe it was his lower back.

As for Messi, no shocker there, he completely dominated that match v Sevilla. As for our players on the Sevilla side, they were awful. Granted, FCB probably played their best match of the season but Banega, Tucu(Subbed at HT), Mudo and Mercado were all from mediocre to really bad. Mercado had a horrendous match. Banega was nowhere to be seen, Tucu had a golden opportunity to score in the first half and he whiffed on the ball and Mudo didn't do anything.