2022 World Cup Qatar: Round of 16 - Argentina vs. Australia

Lautauro has been truly shocking. SMH! Scaloni should sit him for the rest of the tournament. He is a liability!

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Di Maria is awesome. Our 2nd best player over the last 15 years easy. A great teammate and fighter.

 

After 4 games in this WC, I think 3-5-2 is the best formation for us due to the players we have. We not only defend and attack better, but also control games better.

We also should limit number of older players in the starting 11 going forward. Messi doesn’t track and chase ball, and if we have another older/slower player in the team at the same time, it affects our pressing game and also tire our players more unnecessarily.

Let’s play with 2 wingbacks, 3 defenders, 3 midfielders and 2 strikers please.

 

The sad thing for me is Messi not scoring on that run. A few years ago he'd have easily been clear of the defence. Even so that would have been a goal of the tournament contender. The brain and IQ is there. The body less so.

 

I think 2022 Messi is better than 2014 Messi in all aspect, even physically.

 

Julian pressing has been great

 

Sabella's team was great defensively always. In the qualifiers we played mainly counterattack. Sabella threw "Tango Football" in the garbage and played a hard defense + attack. They were ready for the WC. The Swiss match was a reversion to their true identity.

Agree totally that this squad is better in midfield. Overall, 2014 was more talented but less balanced.

 

Lautaro shocker aside the bigger concern of that last 20 minutes is the backline. It’s been a longggg time since I’ve been worried about that backline but that was very shaky until the end. I think up until now they have not given up a single quality look

 

Tango on the pitch

https://t.co/u0xAo7IXzu

— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) December 3, 2022

 

Agree

 

First half we actually sat back for long stretches we were anything but in control until Messi's goal. Back 3 is a system change that Scaloni been using for a while in the second and its very defensive but with Acuna and Montiel allowed more freedom it does help us on the counter. Until Scaloni took them off for their much inferior counterparts Montiel and Taglafico. I really do think our best midfield is with Paredes and more advanced enzo.

 

This time we have 5 days. Less match should be less pressure even though it's quarters since we play #3 in the world and we are in quarters. I think the pressure is bigger when people are requiring a win. I want to see a patient match like we saw here.

Overall we played great. Only dropoff was when we got too frenetic, not patient enough.

 

Strange how Argentina doesn't use Dybala. The only creative player on the team is Messi. Waste of talent.

There is a question about the Messi-Dybala chemistry and how slow the team can be. But at least you should try. Without Di Maria, Messi was the only player capable of creating chances.

Now, with Di Maria's return, he shouldn't do any experiments: messi, di maria and alvarez. But, if necessary in the 2nd half, will Scaloni use an alternative that has never been tested? Correa is another player who should be given chances in this tournament. Strange that two of Argentina's attacking options were untested.

 

Scaloni should have noticed by now that we ALWAYS conceided when opponent run from left and cuts to the right and shoot. We shouldnt allow opponents to shoot like that. Its how we conceided throughout Copa 2019 and now that shit has returned...

 

Rio Ferdinand on Lionel Messi: "Messi has just put on the best individual display we have seen at this World Cup... by a mile." pic.twitter.com/p0zEk4zXDO

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 3, 2022

 

From around 19' to 25' Australia tried to bait us by passing it around harmlessly. But we stayed patient. Only Julian pressed which was ineffective. Need at least 2 players to press and Papu wasn't going to do it. But I thought we dominated the 2nd half even though we only had 2 shots. We were continually probing.

The bad stretch was after the 2-0 when we switched to a 3-5-2 and got too frenetic. After Australia goal, we settled down and got several good chances. Very good reaction from the squad.

 

I think he needs a kick in the ass. WC comes every 4 years and a player might not get another chance to play again, so there should not be any excuses from anyone to not give their 110%. Finishing might not be there but he should atleast pressure the opponent and work as hard as he used to do. He is not even doing this part well enough.

 

I remember that 2014 team was bleeding opportunities in the first 4 games. Remember aside from masche that team had a turtle in Martin demichellis as one of the CB

through the past few years I said many times on here about how refreshing it is to see a killer striker in Lautaro after suffering through the choker years of higuain and the carousel of goofs sampaoli called upon. Wow lautaro really made me eat shit today. I think fatso would have buried all those chances since it wasn’t a final

 

I still can’t get over that fluke of a goal. The odds on that are out of this world.

 

RDP indirectly assisted the second/winning goal. He definetely has improved as tournament progressed , just like in Copa 2021.

 

It's over. You arrive at the cup in form or not. There is no time. Lautaro has done great for us but this isn't his cup. That's how it is. Don't force it.

WC must be seen as a snapshot of our best performers during the last 3 months assembled into a team that best utilizes their abilities.

 

I hope this is the last time we get unlucky

 

Didnt Papu won the foul in dangerous area which led to the first goal? He did maintain the possession well this time and glided pass his markers few times when the rest of his teammates still in sleepwalking mode.

 

Problem is now do you take off Mac alister to make room for paredes? If I were scaloni I’m not sure if I take that risk and hope paredes is back to form because Mac alister has been very reliable