Argentina vs Portugal - Friendly, 18 November 2014

Messi OUT, Nicolas Gaitán IN.

 

We have not improved an inch since the Brazil game and it seems like their just not buying into Tatas system.

He needs to pick players based on characteristics

 

Higuain OUT, Tevez IN.
di Maria OUT, Lamela IN.

 

Messi came out and the attack has been nothing.

 

Portugal goal in stoppage time. 0-1.

 

If Portugal can look better than you in a game then we definitely have a sh** load of work to do because we looked like a middle school team in the 2nd half and Tata looked clueless with his subs and backup plan

 

For all of Argentina's talent and creative mids like Di Maria, Lamela, Pastore, and Gaitan, and fwds like Tevez, Higuain, and Aguero, we are so reliant on Messi to create anything. We created two chances today, one that Messi created for Di Maria, and the other Messi shot off the post.

Unbelievable.

 

This team and the players aren't going anywhere. Sabella maximized the pure potential of this team and even THEN, many players seemed to give more about their clubs than putting an effort in for the country. Let them collect the millions, another generation of underachievers.

 

Every generation of Argentine players since 1986 seem to remind us how great Diego was for the NT. Doesn't look as if we will experience that again, not in my lifetime anyway.

 

Lets not make a big deal over a friendly and point fingers at the players. This team took us to the finals without our 2nd best player and an injured Aguero. These guys also played the beat defensive system in the world cup and this is all only 4 months ago.

Martino needs to shoulder the blame for playing 6 attacking midfielders at once and not realizing that his system requires a poacher and at least one solid box-to-box midfielder supporting the offense. Instead he selects players based on the media's top 20 Argentines in Europe!

 

Chupa meu cenoura

 

You guys played better, but we did something unPortuguese and that is score from one real chance. You guys have a great team, but it seems you guys have been at a loss on how to maximise your potential for a long time, not too dissimilar to us. Anyway our second win [and only] since 1972, we for once played like a team, due to out new ex Greece coach (3, 1-0 wins away to Denmark, home to Armenia and neutral ground).

Like many of your players, like your style (hope in a short time we can play like you and win).

 

Wow, I'm surprised by the comments. I thought this was the best match we played under Tata. Mainly looking at the 1st half. The 2nd progressively lost momentum as subs came on of course. We didn't play badly in the 2nd half either though.
It sucks to lose by a sucker punch but Portugal basically had one chance when we sort of switched off in the 90th minute of a friendly. They had no counterattacks, only 2 corners. They did have a couple of dangerous free kicks though. We carved out several opportunities against a good defense.

The defense wasn't tested too much but I liked Roncaglia and Ansaldi played alright. Otamendi has plenty of spectacular flips and somersaults alongside some shaky moments. Too bad we didn't see Fazio/Otamendi.

The midfield was great.
Pastore did pretty well everywhere. I like him crashing the box to get in on crosses alongside our striker. Think he deferred too much to ADM and Messi though and a bit too cautious when on the ball going forward. He needs more matches to get comfortable and loosen up.
Mascherano was his usual self.
Biglia was fantastic. Our best player of the match. Perfect positioning, excellent in possession, great tackling and smart interceptions (some of them springing attacks) and fouls, linked up well with our attack. For me there is no doubt that he should start.

Our forwards were mediocre.
Messi's passing was very off but he had some good moments.
Higuain never gained position (portugal has good centrales but still) and did nothing when he got the ball in space a couple of times. Very poor from him.
ADM was better than in the last match but he seems out of form.
Our forwards never were able to break the offside trap.
If Messi will continue to play wide, I'd want to see Aguero start like against Croatia.

Our biggest weakness was when there was a spell in the second part of the first half when Portugal started pressing us and playing a high line. Our back 8 (Guzman+defense+midfield) were too focused on breaking it gradually, which they did pretty well, but we should have tested the high line with more long balls . I think Tata needs to prepare them better for this. The back 8 was too tight and the forwards weren't making the runs.


I liked Gaitan's movement cutting in from the right as well as tracking back. Too bad he didn't finish one of his chances. If we are going to play Messi central, I like him as our right winger.

It's annoying seeing Tevez when we should be testing out a poacher like Icardi.

 

The first 20 minutes is the key in Tata Tactics..If the team cant score 1 or 2 goals with in the first 20 minute then this team will be in trouble for sure..The highline defence will not work agaist counter attacking teams.. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is the definition of insanity

 

Our defense was better than that against brazil or germany match.

Individually ottamendi and Demi done good job , but this high line defense is quite new for our team it will take time to adjust to that but personally i still can digest the high line defense tactic , but we have to live with that.

And about attack , we were too reliant on wings , very less penetration from center , and whenever dimaria trying to make a cross , there will be 1-2 players in PB. i dont think this strategy is working well .

Messi in wing is a kind of back to his early days if he can shine in there and some other can play effectively on center there is nothing to worry.

Morale boosters:
1:Roncalgia , he was superb really impressed
2:Biglia is starter for our NT , tata please dont even think of taking him away.
3ttamendi was very aggressive , can be a good partner for garay in high line defense.
4:Ansaldi was getting better in every match.

The Bad:
1: Tevez is not the solution for our NT .
2: i am still not happy with dimarias wing position in NT. He need last years role where he excelled in RM and NT.
3: Lamelaaaaaaaaa , this guy need a break. better call iturbe or vietto in place of him

Copa is the major check point for tata , better he win that for us.

 

While I agree this was just a friendly, and especially one in November, there has to be concerns about the number of chances created. I counted three good chances, with Di Maria's shot in the 4th minute, Messi's off the post, and Pastore's header.

While we passed well, and there was movement, there was no service to our forwards. Herein lies a major problem ---- is there no one other than Messi who can create open passing lanes for us? I know Di Maria can, but whether he is off-form or lost, he is not creating anything for us.

Higuian huffed and puffed, but we almost only rely on our forwards to create something for themselves, or for Messi to do it.

For all of Pastore's industry yesterday, he did not open the defense up even once --- nor did Lamela or Gaitan.

Finally, more than Vietto or Iturbe, it has been Dybala who has shown.

Additionally, while Mascherano offers so much as a defensive cover, his passing and shots are pretty average. He offers almost nothing going forward. Not his job, I know, but we have to compensate for his lack of passing skills.

The positives, though, were that Roncaglia looked very good, as did Biglia. Both were stupendous. Otamendi as well was very aggressive, other than a few hiccups. The defense looked much, much better than in the previous games, but Portugal did not really offer much of a test.

We really need a good passing midfielder with vision. Not just a good passer, but someone who has good vision to open up defenses. After Riquelme generation, there only has been Messi who can open up defenses with his passes on a consistent basis ----- no one else.

Finally, more than Vietto or Iturbe, it has been Dybala who has shone.

 

I agree with everything u posted but i also think because we were very widely spread out it hurt our chances to disorient their defensive scheme and became more predictable. It was obvious that Fideo still doesnt understand his new role and the likes of Pastore/Lamela are not the answer for our midfield.

I have said this time and time again we need a CM who can offer creativity in midfield not another attacking midfielder like Pastore or Lamela because their pressing and defensive game is flat out pathetic.

The problem is we dont have many options in Europe but a bunch in the Primera. Cartabia is the only guy that comes to mind in Europe. This is Martino's job though, find the right characteristics of players and select them and find alternatives to your stars.

So far he has selected the players the media want to see selected and not guys who can actually play in his system. Heck Ricky Alvarez can do a better job than both Pastore and Lamela in creating plays.