Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

I think the march dates were already set before Scaloni decided he might want to walk.
Then Scaloni said fix this or I walk, and Tapia managed to get Nigeria and Ivory Coast (which is good) considering the amount of time he had, and just lucked out that they were both finalists. At that point everything seemed like it was just luck for tapia, kinda like Scaloni lol.

Anyway, China messi incident happened. That loser government became pressed and they called it all off a few weeks before the games.

We can't judget him for this situation, but what happens next with his actions will be telling.

I personally feel Ivory coast and nigeria were games that tapia was trying to make right. It's just bad luck what happened and unfortuante.

Gaston is reporting Nigeria are not going because they have issues with their passports to enter the USA.

We can blame this entire mess on the Chinese Govnerment 100%

 

What if Messi played alongside… Messi 😳

The most unique video you will see today 🤯 https://t.co/TfAKG5tSMU

— Amit Shah (Parody) (@Motabhai012) February 27, 2024

 

Lautaro could score goals like this but yet missed another penalty today.

ALL LAUTARO MARTINEZ DOES IS SCORE GOALS 😤

His 23rd of the Serie A season 💪 pic.twitter.com/o7OYc48OMh

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 28, 2024

Out of 22 penalties for Inter, he's scored 14 and has missed 8. He loves to go to the goalies right.

 

🇦🇷🌟DEBUT de Valentín #Barco para Brighton. 10 minutos en #FACup para él. pic.twitter.com/l2kD3t5U0T

— la12twitera (@la12twitera) February 28, 2024

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🤯 Valentín Barco ya se convirtió en el jugador con MÁS CHANCES CREADAS [2] en solo ¡5 MINUTOS! desde su entrada ante Wolverhampton.

Es su debút en la Premier League. pic.twitter.com/QShZAImgHT

— Analytics Boca Juniors (@AnaIyticsCABJ) February 28, 2024

 

ALL LAUTARO MARTINEZ DOES IS SCORE GOALS 😤

His 23rd of the Serie A season 💪 pic.twitter.com/o7OYc48OMh

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 28, 2024

Yea, he's always bad at penal but at least he scored all his 3 penalties for the NT. He also hit the post with a long range volley. Hopefully he's in this kind of form in upcoming CA.

Inter has been dominant in serie A this season, losing just once so far and has +55 goal difference.

 

Lol so he's not ready but immediately dominates in 5 minutes

 

I always think introducing new player in last few minutes of the game is silly.

Speaking of Lautaro bad penalty record, Batistuta actually missed 9 times in 30. While its still way better, its not outstanding either. However, he scored all his 8 penalties for Argentina. All his misses were on serie A.

Maradona and Messi has a better penalties conversion rate but they both had missed in major tournament and that always sticks out like a sore thumb. Bati scored all his penalties in World cup , Copa and Finalissima.

 

Messi misses just 1 out of 12 PK shoot out. It is extremely good.

 

Varela is being linked to Liverpool. He’s got a 70mill clause and they may trigger it. Other English sides are also interested.

 

I'm talking about overall penalties, both during game and shootout. Messi misses 2 at WC but he scored 7 overall. Messi overall career conversation rate is 78% which is great considering he has taken 140+.

 

Must have been after the outstanding performance he had against Arsenal. I swear he is so good. I would without hesitation drop Enzo for him. Put him in CDM alongside RDP and MAC

 

Well, you know there are rumors that Xabi may end up at Liverpool for next season. He could possibly take Pala with him. And if Varela is also a target, can we possibly get a Mac, Pala and Varela in the midfield for Liverpool. Honestly, I have zero idea how they form, I’m just daydreaming but if Varela is a target, then he could be a part of the starting 11.

We do have depth in the midfield. As the likes of Paredes and RDP are aging, there are some nice replacements waiting in the wings.

I do not think Scaloni is really scared of adjusting the team. I’d wait before Enzo gets dropped since we know what he can do. And I wouldn’t drop him just because he can do a lot of great things. Scaloni probably feels the same way. But having a ball-winner and a grinder like Alan, it is nice to have. You can always have him come in and close out games. Sure as hell better that freakin Guido.

 

Career High Pressure penalties (WC(u20)/CA/EU/CL KO/SO)

80% Messi 20/25 (12/13 for ARG)
79% Penaldo 11/14

Always takes the first and hardest penalty in SO, and also probably taken more high pressure penalties than anyone else in history.

 

It partially references Brighton's original home kits back in 1899. For a time black stripes. Then green stripes before turning blue.

Brighton apparently did make contact with Juventus about Barranechea. de Zerbi is a fan. They may well go in for him in the summer.

Varela, Mac and Enzo would be my current midfield trio to start. Rdp and Redondo to switch in. I mentioned in my 23 selection for the Copa that if Licha is fit I'd obviously have him in and send Medina to Paris. Licha would be superb at DM too if needed. Pillar of steel.

Let's face it we are replete with talent in midfield. Just need a couple of defenders to break out, find another young striker and keeper and we'll be serious title contenders for everything.

 

Looks like Soule is going to train with the U23 in the March international window.

I really don’t like how they’re treating the kid, they are acting as if they don’t need him and that he has to wait his turn, when the reality is his characteristics are fundamental to the first team and he should’ve already been selected since the October qualifiers.

We have to keep in mind that this is not the same team as in 2021 or 2022, where even Messi was still in his prime and could consistently make a play out of nothing by dribbling 2-3 players in small spaces.

Messi and Di Maria are 35, even playing full 90s regularly is going to be a challenge, you’re going to need players who can take the workload off of them and provide a similar threat in terms of close range dribbling.

You’re not going to get much of a threat playing Nico Gonzalez, his strength is crossing the ball and we are not a team that thrives when we attack off crossing. The guy couldn’t even dribble past the Indonesian right back, what kind of threat do we expect him to have?

This is when you need someone like Soule, Dybala or Luka Romero to come off the bench for Di Maria and Julian, cuz outside of Messi, Di Maria, De Paul and Lo Celso when he’s in form, we don’t have any outstanding dribblers who can pull the defence out of position.

I get that you don’t want to tweak the team because they won the international treble, but at the same time you have to admit that there were players who served as liabilities, like Nico, Lautaro, Pezzella, Guido and Acuna, and as a manager you sometimes have to be ruthless and acknowledge there maybe better players and better fits than them moving forward.

 

@AgentOfR9
Are we really including the scrimmage against Italy in London as a "treble"?

 

Well, it is not really a real tournament, but closest we can get to the Confederations Cup since it is cancelled.

But honestly, we were lucky that Chiesa and Verratti didn’t play amongst others.

Or else we would’ve had a tough time.

 

True, but we were also missing Paredes and Acuna as well. Paredes was badly missed as we had trouble building up play in the first half.

Wish they didn't cancel the Confederations Cup, it was a tournament that I enjoyed watching.

 

The Squad list for the March Friendlies!

GK: Armani, Benitez, Dibu
RB: Molina
CB: Pezzella, Perez, Otamendi, Romero, Senesi,
LB: Tagliafico, Barco

CDM: Paredes, MacAllister
CM: Palacios, RDP, Enzo, Lo Celso

LW: Nico Gonzalez, Garnacho
CAM: Valentin Carboni, Messi, Dybala
RW: Di Maria, Buonanotte

ST: Martinez, Alvarez

---------

- Very Surprised that with the Europibes called up, Soule wasn't included at all. Feel for the lad as he definitely deserved the call up.
- Weird that a lot of CBs were called up but only 1 RB.
- Very excited to see Barco, Garnacho, Carboni and Buonanotte play (especially Barco)
- Very happy to see Senesi' good performance in the Premier League be rewarded.

 

Matías Soulé, Nico Paz, Bruno Amione y Thiago Almada irían a la Selección Argentina Sub 23.
Esto es importante porque es el equipo que Mascherano está armando para los Juegos Olímpicos.
Depende de los clubes que los dejen ir a los amistosos de marzo en México. pic.twitter.com/MQehU5dUI6

— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) March 1, 2024

Don't understand why Soule would be going to the U-23 while the likes of Carboni and Bounanotte were not called up for the U-23.

I guess the players mentioned like Barco, Carboni and Buonanotte didn't get permission from their clubs to be released for the U-23 while Soule did get permission.

 

No back-up RB. This continues to be an issue for us. Montiel and Foyth is one reason or another. Molina is up and down (figuratively and literally) and we need to find someone who can lock-down this spot.

 

Still calling up Pezzella...? And no love for Varela...? And lol @ still calling up Armani.

As for Soulé, I think they want to give him the reigns with the U23 side. He is by far the biggest name for that but I would not be surprised if the likes of Buonanotte and Carboni go with the U23s. Maybe it was a way to get them free. I suspect the U23s will train with the senior side before they make the trip to Mexico.

Not a bad list, no real surprises. My only real disappointment is that Varela was left out.