FIFA World Cup 2018: Argentina vs. Croatia - June 21 [R]

It's probably the worst Argentina team I have seen in my lifetime, and that is a long time.

 

What tf is going on there guys?
Thats a ********ing circus...

 

Yes, as I explained before, Iceland beat Nigeria means..

Croatia 6
Iceland 4
Argentina 1
Nigeria 0

This would leave our faith at the hands of Croatia. Well, the goal difference we need would be depend on Iceland victory Nigeria and how many goals Croatia can score against them. Big chance we will be out in this scenario.

If Iceland draw Nigeria, that means...

Croatia 6
Iceland 2
Argentina 1
Nigeria 1

In this case , Iceland must beat Croatia or Argentina will top them if they beat Nigeria.

Iceland lose to Nigeria means..

Croatia 6
Nigeria 3
Argentina 1
Iceland 1

This is the best scenario but can be complicated. If Iceland beat Croatia, we can still qualify if we have superior goal difference against Iceland. Its not easy because we lost 0-3 against Croatia but if Nigeria beat Iceland by 1-2 goals then we will qualify if we win by 2-3 goals against Nigeria. If Iceland and Argentina ended up with same goal difference then it will be decided on number of goals they scores in this group stage. However, those things wont matter if Iceland couldnt beat Croatia.

 

Good work on the breakdown for qualifying @Rattlehead, however, there is no way this squad & the manager who lost them, will beat Nigeria.

 

rumors that arg players asking to sack sampoli.... and the interviewer twisted the answer sampoli actually gave and so aguero responding that way.... but if sampoli steps down now it will be chaotic.... atleast for the team he needs to finish nigeria game and see to that they win.... it cannot be always coach always to take the blame.... messi definitely needs to take lot of the blame he never looked in a hurry yesterday and mentally a barca messi is different.... willy i don't know what to say.... but it was defenders mistake to keep passing the ball back to him regularly it happened once in first half and croatia almost scored, seeing that they must have learnt not to pass him.... wish we would have lost against ice;and with willy doing the same mistake that wy we would have got armani for croatia game....
still, we have some chance and i don't think players will play to lose against nigeria... atleast messi shld have been apologetic to the fans who travelled all the way to support and he just walks of the pitch after match....
Have a feeling that Arg will win Nigeria and qualify and if that happens it could go all the way....

 

Spain in 2014 was worst than this, they conceided 7 goals in first 2 games, but won 3-0 in last group match. Although we have 1 point from first game which gave us a lifeline in this situation. Spain lost first 2 games in 2014 and out right away. Off course it wont be easy for Iceland to get 4 points in their remaining 2 matches because Nigeria can still qualify and Croatia is in very good shape.

I believe we will get narrow win like we usually does against them. I dont remember the last time Argentina failed to win a single game in group stage. I think it was 74.

 

Sampoli along with all the senior players going to step down after WC.
Possibile candidates : Gallardo/Gareca

Source:twitter

 

I heard Burruchaga may lead the team for the final game.

 

If Burruchaga takes over, he'll probably temporary manager.

I thought it was bad enough when Diego gets suspended in 94 WC by Fifa, but Sampa was sacked by his own players in 2018, amazing.

 

And So here we are. When people were asking me are we winning the world cup my response was we are not getting out of the group. I knew that from as far back as eliminatorias. I didn't want to go on here and be pessimistic. People would probably thumb me down.

A bigger disaster than the 2002 cup. Everything is wrong here. From players saludando Croatia in the tunnel. That is a sign of weakness. Messi's constant head down. Grabbing his had at anthem time. Yes this is rock bottom.

 

Didnt france do the same think during the last wc?

 

I think our hinchada is the greatest on earth. When We do our aguante we have no rivals. Its just sad that this team does not deserve to have the greatest hinchada of all time. If there was a world cup for aguante, we would would win. Now on the futbol side of things, god help us

 

Messi always walks. Even in Barcelona. It's still extremely effective. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/messi-walks-better-than-most-players-run/

The difference is he has no midfield to support him. He is a genius that has to be catered to and only Barcelona (who has dealt with him since a very young age and can procure whatever talent they want in the world irrespective of country) has been able to do it. He isn't a physical specimen like Ronaldo who only needs someone to hoof the ball to him and can be plugged into any system as long as he gets some very basic service. And yes he's not a leader, but is that a huge surprise for someone diagnosed on the autistic spectrum? Ultimately he is the product of a very unique environment and we probably won't see another like him, but he's not very compatible with the international game, especially the way AFA runs it. I hope he retires in Barca because a return to Newells or a stint in MLS may result in more grief.

So yeah thinking it over I hope everyone rumored retires and we have a clean slate to start with next year. Maybe Sampaoli will do better if he doesn't have the crutches of the old generation to lean on, or hopefully we get someone like Gallardo.

 

Still, there's something wrong just by looking at the body language of the players, especially Messi and Willy. Something must have happened in training if they came into the stadium looking stressfull. It seems like they didnt want to be there at all. If its merely because of the final result, I dont believe the players will imploded after the match and wanted to kickout Sampa.

There's always a game where Messi just walking around and didnt do much running but in these first two matches its entirely different thing. His confidence was at zero level, the same with his enthusiasm.

Only one player keep fighting all the way through as usual.

 

We could do. But why ?

The blame does lie with the manager but it also lies with the players. More and more I am convinced that there is a clique within the seleccion of Messi and company.

This is a cancer within the seleccion. No individual player is more important than the nation which is what they are representing. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

We had this situation with Basile. Bauza bent over backwards for the players and where did that get him ? No. If I was the AFA president unlike the piggy Tapia I would be right down at Bronnitsy getting them all around the table.

First of all I would show them video and pictures of the supporters. This is what you are playing for. Not your vain egos. I would tell those who have not got the guts to stick it out. You can go.

We need a stable project long term. Not more shuffling of the deck hoping we land an ace. And caving in to players sends out the wrong message entirely that player power succeeds.

Some of these idiots in Europe have lost touch with reality. That their high profile and money makes them able to deride the coach. Get rid. There are plenty of able candidates to take over.

The only two players I would try and convince to stay on in the mid term are Otamendi and Messi. The rest of the club Rojo, Biglia, Banega, di Maria and Higuain can go to hell. With a new young cadre we can set in motion a four year plan for the next WC and longer term plans for 2030-4.

When the anthem is sung the lack of passion in the players is disconcerting. You don't see it in the Pumas, Las Leonas, the mens hockey team or basketballers or tennis players. They seem to have become insulated from reality.

Long term we have some interesting managerial candidates. I like what Heinze is doing along with Coudet with some very promising youngsters in those clubs not to mention the way they play.

The most important thing is not to give in to player power. Stuff them. Who do they think they are ?

2022: Manager: Gabriel Heinze (tough and doesn't take any bull from bullshitters)

------------------------------------Rossi/Werner-----------------------------------
?-------------------Pezzella-------------------Cardona---------Tagliafico-----
------------------------Foyth----------Asascibar-----------------------------
-----------------------------------Lo Celso--------------------------------
---Pavon----------------------------------------Dybala---------------------
----------------------------------Icardi-------------------------------------

In the frame: Maxi Romero, Lucas Robertone, Matias Vargas, Gonzalo Maroni. Lucas Quarta, Alan Franco, Jose Gomez, Fabricio Bustos, Emmanuel Mammana, Giovanni Simeone, Facundo Ferreyra, Santiago Caseres to name but a few.

NO TO PLAYER POWER.

 

He's apparently regarded as a one trick pony who insists that his teams press hard and fast .
That's it .

Yesterday Argentina basicky played 5 attackers plus 4 defenders .

 

He will be regarded as a great player. Better than Cristina as well by a mile. But not up there with the Argentinian greats right from the thirties like Moreno to the present day.

 

I feel sorry for Mascherano. Heart of a lion and no mean number 5. Probably in the top four of Argentinian fives of all time. Maybe he will become a coach. One of the few players actually three who actually have any real nastiness in them and animo.

The others are Otamendi & Tagliafico. I like Lo Celso though very much along with Asascibar. The latter as his club fans know has real fight in him and Lo Celso is brimming with confidence.

It is a disgrace how the best box to box player we have produced since Redondo and still only 21 has not played one minute of this WC. Icardi too has this confidence.

The rest are pretty cowardly in their demeanour. Even Dybala needs to really step up to the plate in high pressure situations. He has not really shown it for me in crunch situations.

And I would like to add there must be a reason why Simeone and Pochettino do not play the young Argentine kids. They must see that they are weak mentally. Simeone demands players of hardness not just ability. Kranevitter was more interested after getting a substantial pay rise in messing around like Banega. He has not developed one bit as a five.

 

The reason why Mascherano is still out starting DM and why Simeone and Pochettino do not play young Argentina players, is because we are no longer producing many first tier players. I think we will go through a dark period after this generation is through where we are only an average team in South America.

So let's not give up yet. I sure hope the players don't!

We are a mess at the back but the first goal was completely avoidable if we stop trying to play like Spain. And we were doing alright till that goal. Afterwards we panicked (manager and players) and that's what causes the second two goals.

The panic was inexcusable. Let's not panic and forfeit the last match.

 

Imo guys like icardi and lo Celso have to be the fixed points of the Team.
Sure, we are still missing a playmaker. Who cares? Just adapt the Style of play to our players and not the Player to a „required“ style...

 

Imagine if Costs Rica scores now and Brazil panics by sending in all their forwards. Can you imagine them doing such a dumb thing?

 

Someone's comments:

I think the team in 2009 under Diego that was struggling to qualify was the worst I've seen.

 

They still won 4 straight games at WC (scored 10 goals) and won the latest 2 qualifier games. Meanwhile Sampa's team....

 

Yes but during 2009 they were so bad. Even worse than our qualifying campaign this time.

 

Remember the match v Uruguay in the rain? Craziest match ever.