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

Damn@RiverGaucho, you sound old as dirt, and I wonder if you yell at kids to get off your lawn..

I do agree with you about on Nico. As I have said for many years now, the kid has what it takes to be a leader and he has always showed that. Not only is he talented but is a respectful person.

 

LOL, everyone in my neighbourhood honking cause of Nigerias victory, when did we became so pathetic? world cup finalists, 3 international tournaments back to back finalist and now this??? PATHETIC

Worse thing is that we depend on ourselves to get to the round of 16, we only have to beat nigeria to do so. And i don't even think we can beat nigeria, tbh. In normal circunstamces, yeah, sure, Now: NAH


Longest agony ever

 

Christina lighten up a bit. It's ok. Portugal barely made it in euro and ended up winning after 3 shit performances. We will make it just believe or don't watch.

 

Portugal had the benefit of the Euros expanding to 24 teams and 3 teams could get out of the group. Had the Euros stayed at 16 teams, Portugal would be out but hey, they took advantage of the lifeline and won it. Granted, they played defense and we can’t, unless we go to a back 4, and I hope this gives the players motivation to go out and lay it on the line, from the coach to the players.

 

At this point, I only care about Messi. It´s a shame he would be out of the WC, maybe forever, with a match like the one against Croatia. Let the guy score 3 on tuesday even if Nigeria scores 4, he deserves better than a bunch of muertos and an insane coach.

 

I agree with RiverGaucho on the tattoos and whatnot. I wish our guys didn't look so trashy. Not that I always judge by the cover and if they are a high character person otherwise then fine but a lot of these guys are not. I just want a more professional attitude in general regardless what they look like, but sometimes it's a good proxy.

 

It is time for our players to start growing out their hair again. Every couple years I do so, and it is always been something I've loved to do, and I am lucky, still in my 30's and I have all of my hair(One of my great fears in life is going bald. Now after seeing Sampa and Willy, I will make it my mission in life to never go bald).

 

My hair line is receding but if I have to I will probably go the Mascherano look instead of shaving it clean, lol.

 

Just like I said in my previous post... Goal difference could be the difference in this group, meanwhile Mascherano is still pleading for off sides in Rakatic's goal...

Don't want to beat a dead horse, but Mascherano is supposed to be the lion, the heart of the team and his lack of effort could cost us. The only reason he is supposed to be in the side is to provide the hustle and desire, something he completely lacked all match.

 

What game were you guys watching @locoxriver and @Rattlehead

No heart or desire from Mascherano just standing there asking for off sides

 

The problem is, that third goal could be crucial. If we somehow beat Nigeria 1-0 and Iceland beat Croatia 1-0- lets not forget the beat them twice in qualifying so its more than possible- we are out because of the goal in stoppage time. Its inexcusable.

I agree he does show heart, but lets not forget Tafliafico fought till the end too. The rest of the team, especially the captain Messi, had given up as soon as Modric's goal hit the back of the net

 

SAMPANICO from now on.

 

Excellent post. I say 2014 in very large part because that group were 4 minutes from PKs and winning.

As far as talent Argentina were loaded from 1998-2014. So many great players all at once playing at big clubs. Now it's a huge shortage. Talent wise this team is awful everywhere except for forwards where they have too many players for two starting positions.

 

Interesting interview of Omar Da Fonseca in France Football (in french). I translated a bit in English. He made a lot of sense. He also support Burruchaga taking over the team.


With Jorge Sampaoli as conductor of this sad spectacle. What do you think of his action?
Sampaoli, when he was in Chile, I loved him. He seemed much more humble and sensitive to me than today. For a while, he has been a smoke salesman. Yesterday, he ended up insulting the opponents ... Yes, he wanted to transmit this passionate side. I want to understand the rage we can have, the desire to want to break everything. But we always felt that there was no real organization with him. From the moment there is no guideline, no convictions ...

What choices do you think are difficult to defend at this World Cup?
Mascherano only plays because his name is Mascherano. This has been an excellent element. But everyone, from the playoffs, had seen that he had been bad. I do not want to know why we kept this kind of thing. What I want is to know why we took guys like Salvio, Acuna, Meza, Tagliafico, Biglia ... Biglia! During the Copa America or the playoffs, he was a snail! Rojo! He has played just four games at Manchester United this season. And then we try to play a game where we have to bring the ball cleanly out of the back with guys like Mercado or Otamendi!
https://www.francefootball.fr/news/...monde-sampaoli-est-un-vendeur-de-fumee/914266

 

Biglia is slower than a snail.

 

I agree, we were so stacked for WC10 but had Diego as manager. Your lineup is good but I think Riquelme should have been in midfield to give the team a touch of class, he would be supported by Masche and either Cambiasso or Lucho. Your forward line is on point, perhaps consider Tevez for DiMaria as at that time he was really a top player in the world.

 

Riquelme was a headcase at that point. I like my 2 box to box midfielders (Cambiasso and Enzo) who could score goals, run, and tackle.
Always start tough.
Bring Riquelme if we're confortable in defense but stil need to score.

Need Di María for width (Messi will be cutting in and Milito occupying the box) and for counters.

 

The days of JRR, he was the one who got the stick from the media and some fans. The story always went, if JRR played great, we would win, if he played poorly, we would lose. This feels like a century ago...

 

Sadly just beating Nigeria won't be enough, we will need to beat them by a bigger scoreline than Iceland beats Croatia.

Croatia will be fielding a B squad for the final group stage match

 

There is no sadly it will be enough
Croatia B is still strong
They will beat Iceland just watch

 

They just have to tie them.

 

Croatia will have players without yellow cards against Iceland. But I still think, that it's an easy game against Iceland. Everything less than 1 point, would be horrible. Croatia wants to keep the good atmosphere. Not nice to go in the knock out stage after defeat.
Rakitic, Brozovic, Vrsaljko, Rebic, Mandzukic, Corluka have yellow cards.
Corluka was on the bench anyway. Coach won't experiment with defenders a lot, because this is the weakest spot in the team.
Instead of Rakitic, probably Badelj. He was at the press conference today, so this menas that he is the starter.
We can expect Kovacic, talented, Real Madrid, but he has only individual quality.
Also, Marko Pjaca could be instead of Mandzukic, which is even worse for Iceland, because Pjaca is more technical.
So, I don't think it's a real B team. 3-4 changes with players who have similar quality like players in the first two rounds.

Argentina has a great chance to qualify. I wrote much earlier, that you need to place goalkeeper and defenders with Italian origins..so Armani instead of Caballero. And Tagliafico, Ansaldi, Fazio as defenders. You'll need only three defenders. Ajax bought Tagliafico, this means a lot in European circles.
Argentina won four times against Nigeria on previous World Cups, not sure why this fear. They literally score own goals and make penalty fouls. Someone will fall: Di Maria maybe.

Coach should just place Higuain as CF, Aguero as LAM, Dybala as RAM, Di Maria and Messi slightly behind. No need for experimenting with Meza, Biglia...

Messi needs to stop coaching this team and he needs to stop selecting players, with who he can play?? Insane attitude. He isn't modest at all, like media wrote before 10 years. In Barcelona, he brought Martino, removed few players out of the team, that's why Barcelona is weak in the Champions League. Maradona should become part of history - finally. Without comparison of Maradona, Messi era. Remember Messi and his gesture during anthem against Croatia, scratching his forehead. One day, he could get some mental disorder because of media and fans.
Maradona had Troglio, Burruchaga, Basualdo, Sensini, Ruggeri...Messi has Biglia and Meza. Not the same. The Golden Generation of Lionel Messi was World Cup 2006, 2010, 2014.

Iceland pushed Croatia in additional qualifications for this World Cup, another motivation reference against Iceland.
Coach of Iceland knows Croatia extremely well, every possible feeling, atmosphere, unity, advantages, their teeth quality. After all, he is dentist in sense of occupation.