Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

Our tough qualifiers with all the tackling and hostile crowds make us mentally strong. Strong mentality shouldnt be underestimated in futbol. This team has a super strong mentality, a winning mentality, a champion mentality. And thats hard to beat. Of course you have to have quality too (and we have it, as much as other top sides do), but the mentality is not always there, even on sides stronger than us on paper.

 

European and Americans that want no international break because it ruins their precious club football will never understand this kind of passion https://t.co/6N4LHqmPEN

— NickusEX (@NickusEx) May 25, 2022

Speaking of mentality…

 

6 goals for Julian Alvarez tonight in Libertadores against Alianza Lima.

 

All 6 goals by Julián Álvarez for River Plate! Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have got a real star! pic.twitter.com/hafxbeVg6b

— Mundo Albiceleste ⭐🌟⭐🇦🇷 (@MundoAlbicelest) May 26, 2022

 

We all know if Julian is Varzillian or English he'd be rated $200 m, or more.

 

Julian does reminds me of Messi when he was at that age, he could scores tap in , solo run, long range , rounding or chipping the goalkeeper etc. Most amazing part is that Julian 6 goals were all differents and 2 of them were from tight angle.

Lautaro probably started to sweat.

 

Omg River 8-1 with 6 goals by Julián!!
Im watching the highlights now! Impressive!

Can he be a goalscorer for NT too? He is awesome

 

According to latest report, City chief said they will not loan Julian to another club , saying he'll be part of their first team squad.

Well, he did in our latest game

 

Yep! I love his style

What i like about this guy is that he pressures non stop, he goes and search for that goal (like when he took the ball out of alianza's gk feet), he is such a hard working striker

 

He reminds me of another Gallina, El Conejo. I think Conejo perhaps had more tricks in his bag but Julian might be physically stronger. Both knew/know how to finish.

But I do agree with you, if he was playing for Flamengo or was connected to the French national team(Which there is DMF that I had never heard of might be going to Real Madrid for 80ME), his price tag would’ve been for what River got for him.


But good for Julian, those goals were pretty much all quality. And I hope he manages to get games under his belt. He’s maxed out at River.

 

Im going ahead of myself and say I've never been as confident as now leading up to the WC 2006 was spectacular team but we havent win thropy for almost 15 years even at the time , so there's always that mental block in the back of my head, especially after 2002 disaster & 2004 final. Yes Im still fuming at Pekerhead for benching Messi, Saviola, Aimar , Roman, Crespo all at once. That was throwing the game away almost at being bribed level.

Whatever happen in this year WC, our future looks bright with the likes of Enzo, Julian and Garnacho. Even the likes of Cuti, Lautaro, Licha are still young.

 

Yes the young Saviola , especially in his River days & early Barca days, but as you said sometimes he's physically not strong enough since he's small but not stocky like Tevez, Kun or Messi. Although he certainly more technical than Julian and he's very good at playing short passing one-two.

Saviola is really good at sneaking between defence and heading the ball despite of his height, but as he aged and lose to his youth quickness, he quickly declined. Overall I just think Saviola is lacking power/strength to stay at top level.

 

Put some respect on Saviola. His rise was truly meteoric and the hype got out of control. Remember when Pele and FIFA announced the greatest 100 Players? Saviola was only 22 but he made the list (I know, if they were making the list today he wouldn't place in the top 1,000) - but I digress, Saviola's start to his career was magical.

Julian doesn't have that type of hype. Its been a steady increasing attention/hype that he is getting, but hasn't had a breakout performance in a global stage yet. I have no doubt that if Julian had had an U-20 WC like Saviola did, he would've been sold for a much higher price - but that's because footballer's markets is a volatile as the crypto market.

All that said, I think that Julian's ceiling is higher than Saviola's ever was. At ManCity, Julian has a chance to claim a stake in the world's best forwards conversation. He will get plenty of games in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup (or EFL cup, or whatever the fuc# they call the second cup in England) but that's where Julian will have to first prove himself. I don't think Julian plays many minutes initially in Prem games, but if he starts to score goals in the cup games. . . lookout for the Halaand-Alvarez pairing!

 

Argentina will play Estonia on June 5 in San Sebastián, Spain. This via @HernanSCastillo. pic.twitter.com/M8HYHnnmdJ

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) May 26, 2022

 

I always like Saviola and I think he's without a doubt one of best footballer circa 2000-2007.

I'd say he's also unfortunate that within few years after he burst into the scene, there's emergence of great forwards like Tevez, Lavezzi, Messi , Aguero, Di Maria. Also, Messi happened to be a Barca youth player that started to get integrated to the first team around 2004. Not long after, Saviola was deemed as surplus by Rijkaard.

In 2002, he could have been included on the squad, but Bielsa opted for broken ankle Batigol and old Caniggia.

Speaking of neverending bad luck, I remember him started CA 2004 with a hat-trick and then gets injured for the rest of the tournament. Another big "What if" in his career. We still scored twice in the final despite his absence.

 

I loved Saviola. I’ve mentioned it before but that 2001 Sub20 team was my all-time favorite, which I was fortunate enough to attend a couple of their matches.


Yes, Saviola was dubbed as the second coming. I know, Ortega had similar comparisons and whatnot but Saviola was going to be it. So, yes, the hype was unbelievable.

I was just comparing their footballing abilities. Not their hype. When was the last time we had a youngster that had that hype about him heading to Europe? Gago, Pipita, Kun? I know JRR had similar hype.

There has not been that explosion of hyping some youngster in a long long time. I don’t mean from our end. We call any kid with some talent, La Joya. I am referring to the European market. Europeans know our economy is in the gutter and they can take advantage of the clubs. So, clubs(Top clubs) and the European media are in bed together. Do not hype our players and get them for a bargain.


And yes, I 100% agree with you that Alvarez ceiling is higher. We’ve already seen Saviola’s career pan out. And he’s had a stellar career. I think Alvarez could be more so, if he makes the right choices. He’ll have days where he’ll have disappointing moments in Europe but he’s good enough to break down those walls. He seems ready for it.

 

A bit of info of the preparation schedule from our WC opponents

Saudi Arabia:
-Playing Colombia and Venezuela in June
-Playing Ecuador in September
-Agreed to a friendly vs Croatia on 11/16 right before the WC starts

Mexico
-Playing Nigeria, Uruguay and Ecuador in June
-Playing Paraguay in the end of August

Poland
-UEFA Nations League occupies most of their schedule for this year.

It would be great if AFA can schedule a friendly right before the WC starts like Saudi Arabia did. My preference would be Egypt.
-Egypt has a great NT and has a similar playstyle to Saudi Arabia.
-As they are not in the WC, it shouldn't be hard to schedule a friendly.

 

Italy's squad for the Finalissima: (I gotta tell ya', I don't ********ing fear this squad - but I can see them playing Catenaccio and trying to get lucky)

Goalkeepers: Alessio Cragno (Cagliari), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Alex Meret (Napoli), Salvatore Sirigu (Genoa)

Defenders: Francesco Acerbi (Lazio), Alessandro Bastoni (Inter Milan), Cristiano Biraghi (Fiorentina), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Davide Calabria (AC Milan), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter Milan), Emerson Palmieri (Lyon/FRA), Alessandro Florenzi (AC Milan), Manuel Lazzari (Lazio), Luiz Felipe (Lazio), Gianluca Mancini (Roma), Leonardo Spinazzola (Roma)

Midfielders: Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan), Bryan Cristante (Roma), Davide Frattesi (Sassuolo), Jorginho (Chelsea/ENG), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma), Matteo Pessina (Atalanta), Sandro Tonali (AC Milan), Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA)

Forwards: Andrea Belotti (Torino), Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo), Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus), Gianluca Caprari (Verona), Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli), Moise Kean (Juventus), Andrea Pinamonti (Empoli), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Sassuolo), Gianluca Scamacca (Sassuolo), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio), Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma)

 

We will walk all over them

I predict 2-0, hopefullly Alvarez or Lautaro score, and maybe Di Maria

 

I don't want to hear more talk about European teams supposed superiority after we spank Italy

 

Mbappe should remember the old maxim. Better to stay silent and be thought a fool then open your mouth and remove all doubt.

South America has produced some of the finest players to grace a pitch and the major tactical innovations.

From total football by River Plate, the complete box to box midfielder of the early Uruguay sides, the roving fullbacks of Brazil to the 4-4-2, to the high press and catenaccio of Herrera, the professionalism from diet to cynicism of Osvaldo Zubeldia. The moron might do well to read some books on footballing history assuming he can read than count his obscene wealth.

He's worse than Ronaldo and that's saying something.

Tickets arrived for next week;s match. Couple of friends are stuck in the corners with Cat2 and not happy. Italian mate like me has Cat1 but is only twenty rows from the pitch . I'm much higher up hopefully with a group of Argentina fans. View from it should give a great tactical overview. Might need opera glasses to see the players in close up though.

There is a small Argentine community in London.

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Don't forget the u20 start against Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

 

I like the confidence, but let's not forget this Italian team won the Euro cup and that is the whole reason this game is happening. We should not take them lightly.

I think our boys will be extra motivated to win another "senior trophy" for Messi and for themselves. Let's hope for a good showing and good fortune!

4-3-3:
-Emi-
Molina - Romero - Ota - Acuna

De Paul - Guido - Lo Celso

Messi - Lautaro - Nico

Or 4-4-2:
-Emi-
Molina - Romero - Ota - Acuna

Di Maria - De Paul - Guido - Lo Celso

Messi - Lautaro

Which do you think it will be? I prefer Di Maria coming on as a super sub in the 2nd half.

 

They already spanked themselves in qualifier. I mean European champ didnt makes it to the WC? Last time Euro champ played South American team at WC, they got beaten by Uruguay.