it's getting closer folks, very very close, and still none of us know what the starting line-up will be versus ivory coast nor the formation, perhaps peker doesn't even know, but then again, i suppose our opponents don't know either. this is probably a unique situation amongst all the top teams. is it 3 or 4 at the back? is it 2 or 3 attackers? i would say the certainties to start (barring injury) are: ayala, heinze, sorin, mascherano, roman. i would also say pato, crespo and cuchu are pretty damn certain of starting. this leaves three more places between: colo, burdisso, lucho, maxi, messi, tevez, saviola. i expect that the others are there for cover: franco, ustari, milito, cufre, scaloni, aimar, cruz, palacio. rather than say which team you would like to see, which team do you think peker will play in the first game?
I don't think he will start with Messi for the first game and keep him on the subs bench. As such I think his line up may be as follows:- --------------------Franco---------------------- ------Colo (don't like it but I reckon he will start)-Ayala--Heinze--Sorin --------------------------Mascherano-----------------Cambiasso Maxi------------------------Riquelme --------------------------------------------------------Tevez -----------------------------Crespo
leon, do you really think he will start with franco? i don't see any evidence to support this. also, it looks like burdisso may be challenging colo for a starting spot, which i know will make you happy. i have a feeling burdisso is right-footed even though he plays on the left for inter, can anyone confirm this?
Pato will start... why do you think Maxi will be in there rather than messi??? I agree with everything else.
i think, pato is a sure shot. Maxi in the right will be great, but i have a feeling peker will play lucho in there for Icoast
i am going to keep checking what you guys think and post the team by consensus. so far it is this: pato colo sorin ayala heinze mascherano cuchu roman crespo tevez maxi/messi/lucho i think we can agree this is a damn good side, with colo and pato the obvious worries. however, it is v hard trying to second guess peker, i'm sure he will spring a surprise.
Sohka88, I just think with Messi's lack of first team action he may not want to start with him against the Ivory Coast in what is likely to be a very phsical encounter. If the game goes to plan and Argentina have a comfortable lead with 20 minutes to go he may bring him on.
All the teams in our gorup seem physical (maybe holland the least). He should play, he did well against English teams in CL.
Don't get me wrong Sohka88, Messi is the bloke who, in my opinion, more than any other Argentina player can take us all the way in the world cup. But I just reckon Peker may not start him in the first game. But's it very difficult to second guess Peker.
he was oustanding against chelsea in the first leg, the best individual performance i saw all year, along with roman against inter. i wouldn't be surprised if messi starts the tournament as a sub, coming on regardless if we are winning or losing, either way he is an asset. bearing in mind his physical condition, we might just break him into the tournament gently, because if we are to go all the way, we will need him big-time. he, roman and tevez (possibly aimar) are our main game-breakers. personally, i think he can withstand any physical battle, he is so skilful and fast, altho of course he's not as strong as he will be in a few years.
IDS, The kid is brave as well, gets kicked but just gets up and on with the game. Chelsea tried to intimidate him and Del Horno tried to cut hack his leg off at the knee, all to no avail as he was outstanding.
If it serves of any clue ... last nite Messi NEVER knew he would see any action. Pekerman didn't tell him to avoid him getting anxious to finally kick a ball, moreso in front of the fans. He surprised Messi telling him he was going in. Peker had seen Messi a bit depressed for not playing due to his injury. Can you imagine how Messi feels today? This is Pekerman. Up to last nite, everything pointed at having Maxi start. But Lucho was the most influential player yesterday, along Palacio. Tevez and Messi also had a good show. I still think the team will probably be: Pato Burdisso/Colo - Ayala - Heinze - Sorin Maxi - Masche - Cambiasso Crespo - Tevez One last point to bring up. Burdisso is quite often overlooked by many. His career has been outstanding ... from Boca to YNT to Inter. Lifting cups in every team as a constant. He stopped playing for about 6-8 months because his daughter had a terrible illness that thank God was overcome. Since then, he returned to Inter and played in 38 games this year. The guy is a WINNER ... in every sense. .
well leon, i don't want to take this thread off-topic (but i will for this post ) but i thought del horno (or del oh-no as he is dubbed by chelsea fans) was v unlucky to get sent off against barca, and this was the single incident which most determined the outcome of the tie. it was a rash chllenge, maybe a yellow, but del horno pulled out of the tackle and there is no doubt messi made a meal of it. i know the prior tackle you are referring to and it was indeed a bad one, deserving of a yellow, but i just think del horno was having a bad night and messi was tormenting him with his skill and pace. i didn't see it as intimidation tactics, i just think messi surprised everyone that night, it was an incredible performance, in probably the biggest and most hyped match in europe, for one so young. it's incredible that uefa allowed the same guy to referee the final, considering they had already reduced del horno's ban to the minimum they were allowed under the rules (they couldn't take away the ban completely because there had been contact between del horno and messi), and in so doing admitting the guy made a serious mistake in a high pressure. for me, this should have precluded him from the final, where again he made another disastrous mistake. IMO guily's goal against arsenal should have stood and lehmann yellow carded, this would have been common sense refeering.
great post, and i hear what you're saying about peker, that is great management indeed and v clever treatment of messi. can you confirm, did burdisso or colo start? and was it maxi or lucho who started?
IDS, I've seen Del Horno a few times and I don't rate him, what he lacks in ability he tries to make up for in thuggery and his first tackle on Messi deserved a red. The funniest thing about his sending off was the fact that Del Horno started rolling round on the floor, Messi saw this and also started rolling round, but funnily enough Moanio only seemed to get upset by Messi rolling round.
pato colo-ayala-gabby-sorin mascherano lucho --roman---messi tevez--crespo lucho needs to start. he's fantastic and a guy that will be wanted after this world cup. arguably the best player in potrugal and does not deserve to sit the bench. he's become worldclass and needs to be on the field ahead of maxi. i do feel maxi will be the first one off the bench. i heard pekerman praise him in a interview, saying he can basically play anywhere on the feild and do well but imo, should not start over lucho or any of the 11 i would put on the field. tbh, i like this lineup and i feel this is the team we can really play beatiful futbol with.
well juve, it's a great team indeed, but i can't see it happening, it's way too offensive and i think you need a bit more balance. there are doubts over pato in goal, colo and sorin also, these three are v likely to play but you need more than just mascherano as protection IMO. if you have guys like crespo, messi, tevez, roman all starting, then i'm sure cuchu will play instead of lucho.
Lucho played to the left of Masche last nite, in Cambiasso's place. Not in his right side of midfield position. He was the most influential player yesterday. Great vision. I would like him to start either for Maxi or Cuchu ... Lucho is a great player. But ... in Peker's eyes it seems that Lucho will start as a sub. As to Sorin ... there is no question about him. For a reason he is the captain. He will be a starter unless he is unjured/suspended. Btw ... Ayala was the cap when Sorin was subbed in the 2nd half yesterday. Also ... it was great to see Pato, Ayala and Masche organizing the team ... talking and giving instructions. The team work starts to appear, as Heinze and Ayala mentioned in the post game interviews. This will raise Pato's game. I have no doubts. .
ids, my main point was lucho has earned his spot on this team as a starter and a valuable player to this team and needs to be on the field. other than tevez and riquelme, he has had the best season out of all of our players. i personally wouldn't want to see him come off the bench. the squad i put down looks nice, maybe a little too offensive but maybe take out sorin and stick burdisso, cufre or maybe milito in there and imo i think we would be fine.
personally, i think lucho is a better player than cuchu, but this thread is about second-guessing peker and i agree with vipnerd that he will start the tournament on the bench.
I like lucho but I cannot see him in this position. crespo roman tevez and messi will play very little defence, we have to put someone a bit more defensive.
so far, the team peker will pick by big soccer consensus is: pato colo sorin ayala gabby masche cuchu roman crespo carlitos messi but burdisso, lucho and maxi also have votes. damn fine team folks, despite a few defensive concerns.