Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

Tata wasn't bad but he took bad decisions in both finals vs Chile. In the first one he was afraid of Chile and played too conservative. In the second one he fielded several players that weren't physically fit, but there was also a lot of bad luck (the incredible injuries of Augusto Fernández and Lavezzi in the semifinal + the stupid red card for Rojo in the final).

Anyway, Tata resigned for non sport reasons (the anarchy in AFA during the failed 2016 olympics call up).

About the current team: we just need a manager that doesn't do stupid shit and plays a normal 4-3-3 with the players in their regular club positions and no argentinian league players if possible (I hope we -as in, both us fans and tv pundits- finally realize the league is dogshit).

 

Well, we all know the no.1 factor why we lost those 3 finals... fatso finishing. Obviously he's not the only factor....ghost of past failures certainly affected every Argentine players mind when playing a final. This is the fact and the hard truth.

Can we consider Chile as a better team in last many years ? having better generation of players? now look at this head to head since 2010

Argentina vs Chile 2014 qualifier home = 4-1
Argentina vs Chile 2014 qualifier away = 2-1
Argentina vs Chile 2018 qualifier home = 1-0
Argentina vs Chile 2018 qualifier away = 2-1
Argentina vs Chile 2015 Copa final = 0-0
Argentina vs Chile 2016 Copa group stage = 2-1
Argentina vs Chile 2016 Copa final = 0-0

They won 2 Copa without scoring goal in 2 finals. If we face other teams in those 2 finals, the outcome most likely would be the same.

 

Tata got it all wrong two times in a final. I know he is a good guy and all but had he had any balls to drop the likes of Biglia and Masche in 2016, who were already passed it. He was loyal to a fault. I've talked about continuity being a key to success but Tata continued to call up shite players and left the likes of Icardi and Dybala at home for the 2016 CAC.

He openly talked about Icardi's issues off the pitch being a problem and said the reason he didn't call up Dybala because he wanted him at the Olympics. He didn't even consult with Juventus to see if they would even allow him to go, and of course, they didn't. But by the Olympics kicked off, Tata was gone, and the Olympics were also a giant mess. To put it mildly, Tata was incompetent.

 

Fatso has retired from the seleccion.

 

4 years too late but thank you for that goal vs Belgium in the WC 2014.

 

Maybe now we finally stop rehashing his misses.

 

Icardi and Dybala could have had lots of experience in NT since 2016 but instead,we keep seeing Higuain till WC 2018 was over. He's a world class striker for short period 2009-2013 and his performance in 2014 qualifier and his goal against Belgium were memorable nonetheless.

 

Messi interview, and his role in Scaloni’s team.

His talk with Scaloni revealing Scaloni wants to build a “hard” team that doesn’t concede chances.

Messi believes there is enough potential on the team, and preaches patience for the young players.

——————————
From goal.com:

Barcelona captain Lionel Messi claims his son Thiago asked him why fans want to "kill" him in Argentina after his latest set back on the international stage.

The 31-year-old returned to the La Albiceleste squad for last week's friendly matches against Venezuela and Morroco, but he was forced to return to the Camp Nou early after sustaining an injury.

Messi played the full 90 minutes of Argentina's 3-1 defeat at home to Venezuela last Friday, but a groin issue meant he had to sit out Tuesday's 1-0 win over Morroco.


During an interview with Argentinian radio show Club Octubre 94.7 FM this week, Messi has revealed that he finds the criticism "hard" and that his son has even picked up on the negative comments swirling in the media.

"It is hard, my son is always looking on YouTube and saw a video," he began. "He asked me why in Argentina they want to kill me!

"But I like to keep going. I still want to win something with the national team. I am going to play all the important games. We already reached a World Cup final [in 2014] and this is not that easy".


He continued by dismissing reports suggesting that he overrules the coaching staff for Argentina, adding: "I don't want to make a reality all the lies they say about me.


"I don't decide on the national team coaches. I am hearing these bad things and it is hard to enjoy in that scenario.

"If we had won the World Cup in Brazil all would be different today. We lost because of small details. After that there were a lot of messes and I think the press should have dealt with it in a different way".

Messi also gave an insight into the role the Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni has asked him to take up in the team as they start looking ahead to this year's edition of the Copa America, though he feels the team needs more experience before they start to win titles again.

"He wants a strong and a solid team which doesn't concede chances, doesn't suffer in defence and that is safe without the ball," said Messi.

"He wants me to start on the outside before earning superiority on the inside. He especially wants us to build a hard team.

"The national team is living in a changing moment and obviously there's a big respect for that team all around the world. For what it means, what it earned.

"But we must be realistic. If you want to be a challenger you must earn it on the pitch and there's a lot of work to do before we become a challenger.

"A lot of players have only seven or eight games with the team so we must be patient. We can become a force because there's enough potential."

——————

Also, in a separate interview, Barcelona coach Valverde said that Messi has had the groin injury since last December and aggravated it in February.

Groin injuries are one of the worst, because you can’t accelerate.

Hopefully, he’ll be ok for the Copa America.

 

"But I like to keep going. I still want to win something with the national team. I am going to play all the important games. We already reached a World Cup final [in 2014] and this is not that easy".

This shows and proof that he clearly still has the fire to play and win something with NT, which a really good thing.

 

If Messi isn’t fully fit and if our attacking three in the CA are Messi, ADM and Kun we are in a world of trouble. The latter cannot stay fit and we won’t be able to find goals.

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Icardi is apparently healed and will perhaps feature for Inter on the weekend.



But I hope Icardi can keep his focus and stop this nonsense. Inter are rumored to have his drop his price tag to 80ME and there is still hesitancy from teams to make the move, outside of Juve.

Lautaro is injured and won’t feature this weekend.

 

http://mundoalbiceleste.com/2019/03...tiano-ronaldo-sergio-aguero-neymar-much-more/


Excerpts from interview:


“REALISTICALLY, THERE’S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE TO BE A POWER HOUSE. THESE KIDS HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE MATCHES WITH THE ARGENTINA TEAM. YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL BE STRONG.”

About the new players in the Argentina team:

“THE KIDS HAVE TO JUMP UP AND PLAY WITH THE ARGENTINA NATIONAL TEAM, NOT WITH ME. THEY ARE THERE FOR WHAT THEY DO EVERY WEEEKEND.

“I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THEM. I’M THE NEW ONE AND I HAVE TO ADAPT TO THEM.

“WITH ICARDI, I THINK I HAD TWO MATCHES WITH HIM BUT I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED FOR HIM TO SAY THAT THE GROUP WAS BAD BEFORE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE MEANT. I NEVER TREATED ANYONE BADLY.

“I DON’T TALK A LOT. I PLAY AND THAT’S WHAT I LIKE.”

In regards to the best players in the world and Cristiano RONALDO:

“TODAY, NEYMAR, MBAPPE, SUAREZ, AGUERO. TODAY, THEY CAN BE THE BEST IN THE WORLD. CRISTIANO, I TAKE HIM OUT AND PUT HIM WITH ME, A PART, HA. I SWEAR TO YOU, I AM BEING HONEST.

About the support from fans and the media:

“I KNOW THAT THE MAJORITY SUPPORT ME. EVERY TIME I WOULD GO TO ARGENTINA, THEY WOULD SHOW ME A LOT OF SUPPORT. I KNOW THAT IT’S THE MINORITY WHO LOOK FOR CRAP. I KNOW THAT CLEARLY.

“I GENERALLY CHANGE THE TWO SHIRTS I HAVE IN EVERY MATCH.

“LET THEM SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, LET THEM TALK, I HAVE TO PLAY AND THAT’S WHAT I DO.

“THE NUMBER 10 SHIRT DOESN’T WEIGH ON ME.”

On the missed chances in the final:

“DO YOU KNOW THE AMOUNT OF TIMES I’VE REPLAYED THE FINAL AND THE CHANCES WE HAD? IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SO DIFFERENT IF WE WOULD HAVE PUT SOME OF THEM IN.”

About missing Argentina’s match against Morocco:

“IT BECAME CUSTOMARY FOR PEOPLE TO SAY THINGS ABOUT ME, INVENTING… THE TRUTH IS THAT I’VE HAD PAIN IN MY PUBIC AREA FROM BEFORE THE DECEMBER BREAK AND I WOULD TRAIN A LITTLE, NOT PLAY ALL OF THE MATCHES.”

About playing a 5 man back line against Venezuela:

“IT SURPRISED ME BECAUSE THE FIRST FEW DAYS, WE HAD TRAINED IN A DIFFERENT WAY, BUT IT’S THE TIME TO TRY THINGS OUT. HE (THE COACH) REACHED HIS OWN CONCLUSIONS.”

About playing with Newell’s Old Boys:

“I’D LIKE TO PLAY AT NEWELL’S BUT IT’S NOT EASY GOING BACK TO ARGENTINA. I HAVE TO THINK OF MY FAMILY AND THE KIDS. IT DEPENDS ON THEM TOO.

“I’M FROM RIVER? THERE,S NOTHING TO SEE. I’M FROM NEWELL’S EVER SINCE I WAS A KID. I DON’T KNOW WHY THEY SAY THAT.”

On playing like Barcelona:

“BARCELONA’S PHILOSOPHY IS THEIR WHOLE HISTORY. THE ARGENTINA NATIONAL TEAM DOES NOT HAVE THE PLAYERS TO PLAY THAT WAY NOR THE TIME TO TRAIN.”

About the 2018 FIFA World Cup:

“IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT THE WORLD CUP. THERE WERE MANY THINGS THAT WENT WRONG FROM THE BEGINNING. NOT BEING ABLE TO WIN THE FIRST MATCH, MISSING THE PENALTY. THE SECOND MATCH STARTED OUT VERY EVEN BUT AFTER THE FIRST GOAL, THINGS WENT SOUTH. WE GOT DISORGANIZED. WE QUALIFIED IN THE LAST MATCH AND THEN IN THE FRANCE MATCH, IT WAS 2-2 AND THEY SCORED AND WE WEREN’T ABLE TO GET IT BACK TOGETHER AND THEN WE HAD TO START FROM BEHIND. THE WORLD CUP STARTED OUT BADLY. QUALIFIERS WERE DIFFICULT. IT WAS ALL DIFFICULT.

“AFTER THE WORLD CUP, I DIDN’T FEEL LIKE TALKING. I WANTED TO BE LOCKED UP AND SUFFER ON MY OWN WITH MY FAMILY. I WANTED TO GET AWAY FROM EVERYTHING. GET AWAY FROM THE NATIONAL TEAM AND LOOK AT THINGS COLDLY. WE’VE BEEN MISTREATED FOR OVER A DECADE DESPITE OUR ACHIEVEMENTS. THIS IS DESPITE NOT WINNING ANY TROPHIES. WE PLAYED THREE FINALS AND TO END THIS CYCLE THIS WAY.

“THIS GENERATION HAD TO DEAL WITH THINGS THAT NO OTHER ARGENTINA TEAM HAD TO DEAL WITH. SO FOR PEOPLE TO SAY SUCH CRAZY THINGS AND SO MANY LIES WITH A STRAIGHT FACE, TO BE HONEST, I NEVER SAW THAT BEFORE. THIS GROUP GOT TO DO GREAT THINGS. WE PLAYED IN A WORLD CUP FINAL… WE PLAYED IN TWO COPA AMERICA FINALS. IT’S NOT EASY TO GET TO THAT POINT. THE MEDIA IS A MESS. THAT’S WHY WE BRUSHED THEM ASIDE AND DIDN’T WANT TO SPEAK TO THEM BECAUSE IF WE DIDN’T TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND STRENGTHEN ONE ANOTHER, THEY’D KEEP ATTACKING US.”

In regards to the friends club:

“THE CLUB OF FRIENDS IS SOMETHING THAT I’VE HEARD FOR YEARS. I WAS SUPPOSEDLY THE ONE THAT MADE UP THE LINEUPS, BROUGHT IN THE COACHES AND I VIRTUALLY RAN AFA. THE CLUB OF FRIENDS HAPPENED TO BE THE BEST AT THEIR CLUBS. IT GETS ME UPSET TO HEAR IT.

“WE DID GET TOGETHER WITH SAMPAOLI BECAUSE THERE WERE DESPERATE TIMES. IF WE DID NOT AND WERE ELIMINATED IN THE FIRST ROUND, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST FAILURES EVER. WE GOT TOGETHER WITH JORGE SAMPAOLI LIKE GREAT TEAMS DO. THAT WAS IT. IT WAS NORMAL.

“THEY ALSO SAID MY FATHER HAD POWER WITHIN AFA. IT’S JUST CRAZY. MY FAMILY SUFFERS. I HAVE FRIENDS, FAMILY IN ARGENTINA THAT SUFFER BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS THAT THE MEDIA SAY. ANYONE SAYS ANYTHING AND PEOPLE DON’T QUESTION IT. THEY ACTUALLY BELIEVE IT.

“THEN I BECOME THE ************************ WHILE MY DAD RUNS AFA. IT’S JUST CRAZY.

“WE GOT TO A POINT WERE JUST STOPPED CARING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SAID. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE COME OUT SOONER. BUT IF WE DID, WE’D BE COMING OUT EVERY DAY TO CLARIFY. EVERY DAY SOMETHING NEW CAME OUT. EVERY DAY PEOPLE LIED. MAYBE WE WERE WRONG IN NOT COMING OUT.”

 

Not sure why our players seems to fragile....

Good to see Icardi will finally play again. There's still more than enough game remaining for him to rediscover his form. He actually started this season with a bang but when Inter's out from CL, he also started to lose his away aswell.

Kun has been outstanding since having that knee surgery and he's actually fit and played well throughout WC 2018. I think the only attacking players that has secured their place are Messi , ADM and I think Lautaro. The other spots are still up for grab. I'd still take Lamela even though he's not featured in recent friendlies.

He did a good job replacing Di Maria in 2016 and actually should have started in that final... but somehow Di Maria appeared in starting line up despite barely recovering from his injury. But yea, I could see ADM getting another hamstring injury in this Copa, not wishing but seems inevitable.

 

Aguero injured

 

Pep said he felt something and asked to be subbed as precaution for himself.

 

He also scored again before going out.

 

Dybala also injured during warm-up’s.

 

Meanwhile , Messi who suffered injury after Venezuela match scored twice.

He had to run 40 yard to scored the second goal, I wonder how legit his injury is ..

He also pulled Maradona famous close range freekick.

 

I watched the entire game vs Morocco. There isn't much to comment. The wind was crazy (moving the ball from spot kicks) and the first half was not even a real football game due to all the fouls. The players on both teams could not control the ball or make an accurate pass because of the wind.

A few notes I do have:

I don't like Gonzalo Montiel. He seems to always be on the wrong side of the opponent defensively, and offers very little going forward. He is a liability on defense and will cost us goals at Copa if he starts. Where has Saravia been? I need to see more of him, difficult to make judgement but he did have a good match vs Brazil.

Acuna is pretty horrible too. We are in trouble with our LB/RB situation. Acuna gets beat everytime by an attacking player and he just throws a shoulder into them. He is a yellow card/red card/penalty waiting to happen.

I like Rodrigo De Paul. He should have a spot in the Copa in the LM position. He can track back and help recover the ball as well as send in wicked crosses from the left. I envision some of those crosses connecting with Icardi's big head at Copa.

I like Guido Rodriguez. He is solid defensively and plugs the gaps from Paredes' lackluster play. Paredes can focus more on linking the attack with a guy like Rodriguez (or Ascacibar or Battaglia) next to him.

Dybala looked completely lost as he has for Juventus most of this season. What is going on with this guy? I think he needs to play as a striker a la Saviola. Either he is in the wrong position or he got a big payday at Juventus and doesn't train hard anymore/lost motivation.

I really wish Palacios was healthy to get a look at him with the NT to see what all the hype is about.

 

You can perhaps start by watching the league he plays in.

 

As many of us stated, there was no injury. Pathetic that goes back and doesn’t miss a beat.

 

Good Morning / Good Afternoon / Good Evening

I love the Argentine football team

and I want to learn English through this forum by reading and participating here

Regards​

 

I wish the following plan in cuba 2019

andrada

saravia ---- pezzella ---- otamendi ---- tagliafico

guido --------- zaracho

lo celso
messi ------------------------ pereyra
aguero

----------------------------------------------------------

In fact I do not want saravia & tagliafico

But they certainly will play​

 

I always wonder why he's still able to cover so much distance when playing for Barca but seems to contain roaming in midfield, playing at walking pace in NT . The game against Iceland and Croatia were notable for this. When that happened, people will say he couldnt run as he used these days, but then he'd still beating defenders inside out at Barca (like he did against Lyon)

I'm not completely sold on that storynews that claimed he could have surgery if he keeps playing. No way his medical team and Messi would himself to play full minutes if that's the case. But he never miss a beat once he return to Barca as you said

 

The U17s needed to win 3-0 against Brazil to advance to the next round of the Sudamericano and... They did it!