Argentine NT: News, Stats & Players [R]

Actually he could bend it if he cuts to the right and shoot, however in every Argentina matches, he's always in position to shoot from the right side to the left. No wonder we've been seeing the same result countless time.

This was how he used to shoot back then.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/WYJkshrov1I

 

Getting out of comfort zone need to be backed up with reason. Those topics that you mentioned raises more questions than answers.

- Lisandro as a LB - Will this be a temporary or a parament thing? If it's temporary, then I could understand since Barco is new and Tagliafico got injured. If it's permanent and we have Otamendi as the LCB, then having Lisandro as the LB is the wrong move. If it's permanent and maybe have another LCB like a Medina, Senesi or Balerdi, then maybe that could work but we will need to see more games of this.

- He made early changes - He basically just changed Molina for Montiel in the 45th minute and the next change came in the 75th minute when Colombia scored their penalty. Obviously that is pretty late and we were reacting when we should be proactive.

- Double 9 - This is the biggest question mark. Whenever Messi is out, will Scaloni keep on playing the double 9? Alvarez is versatile, but with the starting XI that was put in, the double 9 didn't work that well today (we need attacking threat in the wings to which we didn't get and neither Lautaro nor Alvarez are creative enough to create danger in the middle of the final third)

 

Out of his comfort zone would be to play new guys, not the same players he always plays.

 

We have Maffeo from Mallorca and he was called up for Uruguay and Brazil match in Nov 2023.

Quarta can maybe be considered as an option but I'm not that optimistic.

I thought Molina had great games in this WCQ phase. They both need to get consistent game time in a system that suits them. (I'm more concerned about Montiel since he needs to get out of Sevilla)

 

You really can't judge any players' performances in a match like this. There's a lot of factor to consider (like the heat, humidity, pitch condition and etc.)

 

True. I remember when we lost at home to Uruguay , lots of people starts hyping Uruguay to rise up under Bielsa but then we ended up beating Brazil again in Maracana followed by Copa victory.

Its one thing to lose while being outplayed like those losses in 2010 and 2018 qualifiers, but we didnt play that bad. The humidity ruined the game as the game being stopped constantly cause players has to drink water.

 

Using Licha as a LB so Otamendi can start is counterproductive. It is a stupid experiment. Playing Julian and Lautaro is also a dumb move. When we ask for changes, give somebody like Soulé a look or play an Equi Fernandez.
He literally dropped 4 of our younger and dynamic players. Dybala comes in super late, where he should start.

 

Agreed

Even the match vs Uruguay, we weren't outplayed. It was basically individuals having a bad day and some individual errors and Uruguay just sitting back and countering. I would have been more concerned if we were outplayed on a consistent basis.

 

Yep, however we're once again conceided from aerial threat. We need a better anticipation against direct long ball and crosses. From Copa first match till today, we only conceided 3 goals... 2 from aerial attacks, 1 from gift penalty. Its definetely hard to beat our defenders one vs one (particularly Cuti) so opponents will try some other ways.

 

The Uruguay game was x5 worse. Uruguayan players were rabid sharks that day. Colombia on the other hand allowed us some spaces that could have been exploited better.

 

Yeah, I think from set pieces, we deal with them quite nicely.

It's those crosses and long balls from open play that bothers us. We just need to do better at marking and blocking the player who is crossing rather than focusing too much on the player who is doing the heading.

 

Agree on both statements.

 

Time to start phasing out some personnel in midfield.

Lo Celso, Paredes and De Paul were the best we had at some point but now their best days are behind them I'm afraid. RDP can still be useful as a sub but the former two are just not what we need anymore.
Enzo is playing crap right now, should stay in bench until he improves his form.

Build around Mac, introduce Varela, Equi (why saudi arabia WHY), maybe Barco as midfielder too. If Paz has a good season (likely IMO) then him as well.

The answer at the world cup was playing in-form players instead of sticking to the safe choices. The time has come to do that again.

Never before we had this much depth in midfield, we should make use of it.

 

Look at a push I get why he thought putting some of the younger players against Colombia away from home might not be the right match, but from here on in he's got to give those guys more playing time, especially the likes of Garnacho. Perhaps he will pick them against the likes of Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru etc.

 

I really dont like when Licha is used as a left back.Stick to what worked in Copa America. 442 with Acuna/Tagli as a left back and Licha & Romero as a centerbacks. Also, bring in Alan Varela into the mix. How long does he have to wait?

 

In many ways, it would be the ideal time to give the players a push. It would show that he’s giving trust in the players and is planning for the future. They will play in a tough environment v the runners-up of the CA. Scaloni had a lot of trust in his players when he took over, he needs to look to the future. Messi will probably be back the next game and it will be back to business as usual.

When in 2018 I told you that there was a good generation coming, I’m telling you again, that we have another very good generation on the horizon. Scaloni just seems hesitant to pull the trigger.


The argument was, “Okay, after the Copa America Scaloni will begin experiment…” What’s next? Once we qualify, then he will.” Let’s get real, we’ve already qualified.

He needs to hold a team meeting and I hope he’s already done it… And says “Nobody here is safe from being dropped. You’ve all achieved immortality with the fans and country but I do have options.” Yeah, granted, Cuti, Licha, Dibu , Mac and Messi are untouchable but there are a ton of players who can and should be replaced. I mean, if he plans on taking Otamendi to the 26 World Cup, he’ll be 38. Imagine him being even slower now… We had a monster partnership with Cuti and Licha at the CA but decides to bring back Otamendi as starter and play Licha as a LB? You’re overthinking with what worked…. Fix the midfield.

We don’t lose often and when we do, it’s not a good feeling. Let’s just hope this was a last hurrah for some of the players that won the CA. If not, and if I don’t see changes in the next qualifiers, I’m gonna start to really question Scaloni.

 

The main question is, does Scaloni really plan to have Paredes & Otamendi as a starter in upcoming WC? Otherwise why bother to starts them in this game? I'm ok with them as late sub but their role should be limited to that from now on. Gives new players extended minutes.

Its funny when people judge Garnacho from his very few appearences and they're mostly a very late cameo.

 

Paredes is a perfect sub. One who knows how to control the game and dictate the tempo at the tail end of the match. Plus he's clutch in penalty shootouts. I'd still have him in the WC26.

I don't know what Otamendi is thinking, but his contract at Benfica ends in 2025, so maybe he is thinking of retiring internationally then? I thank him for his service, but I hope that Scaloni is preparing the future now and stops selecting the likes of Otamendi, Pezzella and Guido.

We all know what the main figures of Scaloni's team can do, Freshen the team up a bit by playing the new folks.

Cuti is suspended vs Venezuela for the October match, I'm 95% sure that the CB pairing will be Licha and Otamendi/Pezzella, which would be a huge shame

 

Scaloni and his team need to take a long hard look at the squad. And at it's spine.

Priority one is who replaces Messi ? For control & creativity. We have some real cracks but they have played very little senior football as of this year and are just embarking for some on that professional senior career. Currently there's very little in that area aside from Dybala who could slot into that role as creator.

Priority two is who holds the base at defensive midfield ? Guido is on his way out, Paredes is not a starter by any chalk. Here we have a direct replacement(s) in Varela & Equi Fernandez. And other options who require some senior high class football like Perrone & Redondo.

Priority three. The centreback pairing. Romero was excellent again. He is the rock but the partner is ? Licha surely ? Scaloni needs to dispense with Otamendi who think's he can carry on like Pepe. No thank you. DItto Pezzella. There are 3-4 CBs coming through who need to be given playing time. Balerdi, Perez, Medina & Senesi. All slightly different & of course there are several super but untested at the top level young CBs, the Palacios, Moreno, Anselmino.

Priority four. The fullbacks. I'd get Maffeo in who has had a bright start in La Liga and Soler who looks extremely comfortable with Lanus and is technically excellent and also knows his job defensively unlike Barco who is still to understand his role being shuffled as a WB, LW. LCM and LB.

Yesterday proved the worth of the spine. Romero was excellent, Dibu when called on and Mac when he came on too. But the team needs fresh blood. I'm not saying the older players lack hunger for more titles but there is a law of diminishing returns as their age increases. The mind is willing but the body is not. It's very rare for players to maintain that level beyond a certain age exceptions being Zanetti for example.

Given the WC is just two years away Lionel really needs to make sweeping changes. By that time I would expect 2-3 of our young midfielders to have made their mark and they would be on the cusp as were Mac & Enzo at the last WC.

His tactics were wrong from the start. Negative. Varela at the base of midfield solves defensive issues and gives bite to the midfield which Paredes doesn't and allows Enzo to operate further forward where he is more dangerous. The 2 CFs don't complement each other. If you wanted that then a Veliz-Alvarez/Lautaro type situation is what is required. No width at all. And with WBs too. I'd rather see a natural winger out there. Soule is the direct heir to di Maria and yet no minutes & Garnacho a paltry few.

There's only one way these kids will learn and settle in and that's playing these qualifiers. We're already almost assured of qualification given how poor some of the teams are in CONMEBOL. These games are needed right now to blood those kids & see how they get on mentally more than anything else coping with the additional pressure of wearing the white & blue.

 

We've already quialified for the world cup, Scaloni has a rare opportunity to play some younger players and expriment in games that are competetive but it won't be the end of the world if we lose. Hope he doesn't waste that by continuing to pick the likes of Otamendi, Acuna etc.

 

🚨 VAR audio from the penalty that was given during Argentina vs. Colombia:

"The defender does not touch the ball and with his foot raised, he knocks it down."pic.twitter.com/1vKu97L0yo

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) September 11, 2024

Clowns

 

Munoz sold it perfectly. I mean, parts of me gets really mad when I see that a match is not decided on football, but rather, on play acting. But this has always been part of the game, if you let this get to you then football is not going to be enjoyable.

 

It's annoying how they got it right the first time and then they repeat it 20 million times so of course you convince yourself that something happened after slowing it down and speed it up over and over and over. That's just not how review is supposed to work.

 

It's one of the "penalitos" that VAR gives out all the time, nothing unusual. It's stupid but it is what it is, in this era defenders should avoid using sliding tackles in the box entirely.


I prefer to look at what happens before in the play (from 6:25 onward):

COLOMBIA vs. ARGENTINA [2-1] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 8 (youtube.com)

Otamendi gets beaten by a simple turn from their forward, Licha clears with a great tackle but then Enzo is too slow to get the rebound so the ball goes back to Muñoz.

Otamendi should retire and Enzo should stop playing like a lazy bum.

 

It's soft, but it was daft of Otamendi to go flying in, he should know better.