Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread [R]

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Not really, you saw that Spain-Korea game?

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Korea is more Dutch than the dutch themselves, they'll do well in the early stages, but the best teams usually start off slowly and improve late in the tourney so I'm not too bullish on them.

 

Um, that's what they said about the Greece game (most online bookies had Greece as faves to win), but in the game, the Koreans were able to turn many Greek corners into dangerous counter-attacks.

And which team scored from a set piece? Korea. not Greece.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Every comment has been the other way around. Korea gets more slack on here than any other board I've seen. The teams themselves won't be taking anybody lightly. Regardless of who wins between Argentina and Korea, it will be a tight, hard-fought game.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

this is spot on. the problem with jonas is that he is an unquestioned starter for maradona. he is not good enough defensively or creative enough offensively to merit a place in the starting 11, but it seems likely he will continue to play. the best way for us to go forward is for burdisso to come in at righback and for maxi to play in right midfield, but i doubt this will happen. we are going to be stuck with jonas in line up some where

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Burdisso yes. But if we put Maxi in, Veron would probably need to come off, and Veron's position is important.
Can also have Maxi instead of Di Maria though, but y9ou never know, Maxi might not perform either...

Either way, I don't really see Korea as a threat. We'll get a set play goal, and maybe another 1 or 2 from attackers, they are not going to out score us.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

i would put maxi on the right and keep veron and masch in the middle. keep di maria in he deserves another chance. he should improve next game

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

but then you have one more man. or you'll need to drop one of the fronts.
I think the front setup is working fine. It doesn't matter pipa isn't getting the ball in, he gets there, and he got to the ball again and again. Sooner or later he's going to score.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

The fact we can go into the next match looking for a draw means the players are going to be more losen up, and that isn't going for S.Korea.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

yea you are right about pipita. the guy didn't have his shooting boots today, but he always finds himself in good scoring situations. even at madrid when he misses, i don't think i've ever seen a a game where higuain didn't atleast give himself a few good looks. his movement is good. i think it is also good that he can alternate with messi and tevez so well. i am not sure if milito offers the same, although it might be worth giving him a run out

 

I guess the problems to get the ball in the back of the net may have had affected the morale at some point, but there were some goods and bads regardless of that. Against South Korea i think it'll be likely that we see Burdisso taking the right back position and move Jonas to midfield, supposing Verón is unavailable for next match, i think that ultimately this caused Demichellis suckitude today, but other than that there's not that much to change. A problem i noticed is that Nigeria constantly tried to attack on the right were most of the match took place, Argentina's right flank of both defense and attack, which means little action from Di Maria, though he showed his class he got the ball two times in the whole match and it ended in two goal chances for us. And i don't get either what was Nigeria defending on the 80th minute being down 1-0, nobody was on the box but the nigerian defenders...

 

They were defending GOAL DIFFERENCE.

 

No offense, but that's little team thinking...

 

If it wasn't for the Nigerian keeper today, the scoreline would be very high. Sometimes these things happen, like a goalie having an amazing day. Nothing wrong with Argetina's attack. Their defense I'm not sure, but physically I like it. The mids did their job.

 

The header by Argentina to go up 1-0 was a beauty. Nigerian goalkeeper had 2 spectacular saves, score could easily have been 3-0. I hope Ghana Cameroon, Ivory Coast can do better than Nigeria to give Africans something to cheer about. I was expecting to see a good strong battle but was disappointed. Argentina goalkeeper could have stayed home and took a nap. He did not have to even a single dive to save a shot.

 

It might be a better idea to substitute Pastore for Veron when he gets tired rather than Maxi...

 

Before Verón got injured i was thinking of bringing Bolatti for Di Maria. Or instead of bringing Milito for Higuaín take him off for Bolatti. Probably Burdisso should've came in earlier, but it's okay i guess.

 

Well, after sleeping on it for a while I will take this win and say it is somewhat positive. Missed chances after missed chances, glad it did not bite in the ass. If the team plays any better they will be just fine. I have an issue with Jonas in the back, he was getting taken to the cleaners .Nigeria should thank their lucky stars that their GK saved them today.

 

That's why Nigeria has never beaten Argentina in the world cup.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

Good points here.

Also my understanding is Zanetti is bad for dressing room atmosphere, and Cambiasso is a DM they don't need plus he doesn't get along with Messi. These things are very important. Diego puts together a team that get along, and play as single unit.

 

Think Bolatti has the creativity to take the role? I thought he was more of DM...

 

Yes, but i think he's closer to Verón than to Mascherano comparing creativity and holding.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

The captain for the 3 times scudetto winner and Champions league winner is bad for dressing room atmosphere? I suppose it is possible. From where do you get this information?

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I rue the lack of Banega more than the lack of Cambiasso. He could have linked with Messi, and having either Sosa or Pastore up in front of him it'd have been lethal.

And even though Zanetti is not there, there were better options than Garcé to cover the RB spot in case someone more attacking than Otamendi was needed.

Angeleri would have been an excellent choice to take and use in this game, IMO.

Anyway, nothing can be done about it. The big issues right now are: a) lack of an attacking RB option who can also defend well (Jonas cannot defend well enough IMO); b) lack of a playmaker to sub in for Veron in case he's too tired to run; c) lack of a DM to take Masche's role were he to get injured or suspended.

 

Re: Argentina vs. Nigeria Post Match Thread

I thought Jonas was good. He never stopped running and did better defensively than what most people are saying.

Higuain and Tevez sucked. Higuain didn't make many good passes or take any chances. Tevez got dispossessed more than any Argentine. Milito should start in the next game and I'd rather see Aguero start than Tevez in the next match.

Di Maria was quiet on the left. Didn't do anything outstanding.

Messi was the best player on the field but against tougher opposition, he would have scored. He didn't have the same determination to score like he does for Barca. What he did seemed to be more for artistry.

After Heinze's goal, Argentina looked more than happy to kick the ball around and they didn't create many great chances. It didn't look like there was a desire or necessity to score more. It was great to see them keep possession like that but only Messi seemed like the one to create clear chances. In the later games, he needs to show more will to put them away though.