Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread [R]

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I agree. Bottom line, playing for gd isn't a sound strategy at all. At this point, everyone in this group is counting on getting 3 points from Greece, and Nigeria is counting on Argentina beating Korea, which isn't a given. Say Korea comes away with the point that you could have pushed for in this game? Now you're in a situation where you have to beat Korea to go through and gd is meaningless. Who knows, but you should should always play for points if you can get them.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

You are so right!!!!

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

3 points in the bank, job done!

Super Eagles should've been buried. The match highlighted the importance of getting the two goal cushion.

Decent performance overall. Leo did everything but score. Only worry is Jonas who clearly isn't a defender. Further down the line he'll be targeted.

Argentina & S. Korea to qualify.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I love how everyone is just trashing on Nigeria. We went up against the best offence in this WC by far and lost 1-0 while missing many chances of our own. This team ripped apart the best defence in europe last WC 6-0. I am not worried about our opponents at all, Korea just looked good because Greece is just so damn terrible, probably the worst team in the whole tournament.
Our boys were nervous at first but actually were composed at the back and defended well against Messi and co. and it was clear they did not want to foul or give away any cheap PK's. Not to mention Argentina's goal should not have counted because Samuel pulled a basketball pick and shoved a defender away, even the CBC commentators repeated this fact over and over again. Either way Argentina deserved to win so I am not really upset.
Enyeama had a great game and with a little more composure we easily could have tied this game. We will see how good Greece and Korea do against ARgentina. Do us a favor and score a boatload vs Korea. I still believe since we only let one in vs Argentina we are in good shape, I'm certain going into the final game with Korea we will both have 3 points and we will have the better goal difference. I believe Korea could have scored more vs Greece today and may end up regretting it.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Korea are not Argentina.

Korea beat a terrible Greece team. I can easily see Nigeria beating Korea if
they sort out their finishing.

Nigeria are so strong I doubt Korea can cope with them from set pieces in any shape or form. They will be shitting themselves every cross.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Exactly. This IS a average Nigerian team but Korea will not be able to handle the size and stength of Nigeria and will be crushed physically. Greece are a joke.

Nigeria will beat them if Martins and Yakubo play from the start.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I saw a Veron good game, i dont ask him to defend, i saw him like the only player that played for Messi, and he was sharp with long balls. There is no way imagine Cambiasso and Zanetti playing the Veron role.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I wonder if this Argentina side can make it to the final. But even they can't do it, they still have 4 more years to find a decent playmaker.

A great and so damn young frontline, just one more playmaker.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

They had one, Riquelme, just Maradona doesn't like him.
Aguero is young and can be that playmaker

Playmakers are not what Argentina need, they need a defence.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Hardly. The Nigerian defense got torn apart and stretched pitch wide every time Argentina got the ball, and every time it ended with Argentina missing or saved by the keeper.
And don't forget they gave up two fk from dangerous positions.
The only successful element of the Nigerian defense was the keeper. Ethulu was invisible. Kaita shown up more on offense than defense.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I am surprised by the comments I am reading, as the game I saw would not warrant the dismissive attitude about Nigeria nor the alarmist views on Argentina. Argentina clearly showed, to me at least, as one of the top 3 sides in this tournament. And Nigeria were not rubbish at all, merely playing it safe against a side they know can thrash an opponent that is foolish to play them reckless.

IMO, Argentina will easily beat S.Korea. By 2 or more goals. While Greece are rubbish, they are a physical side that can still bunker and try to frustrate an opponent. Hence, even though I still expect Nigeria to beat Greece, I wouldn't be shocked by a draw in that game. On the other hand, I believe Nigeria will be able to handle S.Korea, which IMO struggle against sides that are both physical and skillful. In other words, I believe the game between Nigeria and Greece will do more to decide whether Nigeria or S.Korea advance to the next round than the last game between Nigeria and S.Korea.

And, yes, I see Argentina moving to the next round with 3 comfortable wins.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

what then when Roman gets shut down. Like in Copa final,

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

100% correct. Nigeria vs. Greece is shaping up as perhaps the worst game of the tournament.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

worst of group for sure

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Burdisso for jonas, any1 for higuain

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

is gutierrez slow, from what I have seen he is pretty athletic...
in general this thread is nuts, imho, since when will people learn not to judge a whole tournament on the first match, just look at france/argentina '06, italy '82 and '94 and many other examples of teams that looked great after one match and flopped and/or sucked in the group stages and gained momentum and had a great tourney. bottom line, argentina even with poor finishing got 3 points. job well done for them

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

thats not true at all. its more the other way around. riquelme is a great player, but he is thin skinned. twice hes retired from the NT under different coaches. in argentina it is a sin to turn down a call from the National Team, not like in england where players do it all the time

argentina will be fine. we hadn't played in a while and needed to shake off our rust. we kept a clean sheet too, that is all that matters. we will player more defensively later in the tournament, today we went all out on the attack. when we play a team at our level, you will see a different line up and strategy

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

and let Veron play with Maxi if Di Maria is unproductive.
Milito obviously can play the SS position much better than Higuain. This is good though, let Higuain run for at least the first 60 minutes, making Milito much more effective when he comes on. And el pipa can score if enough chances were given to him. He did fairly well on some of the touches, and he definite can get there.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I see Koreans are sorely underestimating Nigeria and Argentina. Boy will they get a rude awakening/reality check in the next two games!

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

nigeria is a good team. we always struggle against them. olympics, world cups, U20 world cups, it is always tight. they are big and physical and athletic. it was a really good game to win

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

THANK YOU
Some comments I'm seeing are just plain retarded. Argentina will easily beat Korea, just watch.

Greece cannot afford to bunker, the game will also be played at altitude which will make them look even worse than they were today. If we are on our game, we will tear them apart.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Nigeria and Argentina will expose that sorry Korean defense easily.

Greece is finished.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

That is the problem of fielding Riquelme, as he needs a team to be constructed solely around him in order to utilize his talents. However, when the opposing side effectively neutralizes him or when he has an off-color day, then there is no plan B, as Brazil and Germany cruelly exposed in Copa America and WC2006 respectively.

And for those who cry out for Cambiasso to replace Veron, I want to try out some of the stuff all of you are smoking. Cambiasso is effectively a DM, not a playmaker. If Maradona fields both Mascherano and Cambiasso together, how will Argentina's midfield feed Messi or the frontline? Both Mascherano and Cambiasso are effective at shielding their respective back-4s and playing short passes to their midfielders. As someone pointed out earlier, it seems that Veron was the only midfielder playing for Messi.

As for Zanetti, he certainly would have been an improvement over the joke of a RB Maradona fielded today. Maradona could rue the decision on not taking him along.

It seems that Milito, in his limited cameo, displayed much better linkup play between himself and Messi and Tevez. Also, you could damn well be sure that he would've buried those chances that Higuen spurned. Against another footballing superpower, Argentina could very well suffer from such profligacy.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

For the record, I wouldn't trash Nigeria, they played a very smart game that just didn't go their way. Much respect to the Nigerian goalie, he shot down Messi and had some unbelieable saves! Definitely a 9.5 if not a 10.