FIFA World Cup: Argentina v. Switzerland (Round of 16) - July 1, 2014

That true, almost all the big teams struggled to score this time.

 

He wont. Not in this WC and i hope he doesnt get called up for 2018. Absolutely worthless of a mindset and the weakest mental toughness ive seen from a player in a WC

 

The problem the team isnt playing the way they used to in qualifier, where's our deadly counter atttack thruoghout the game? (not counting that winner off course). Where's the shortpassing move bteween our attacking line up? how many times our midfield was able to put our forward clear through the goal with a good pass? so far it has always been through the wing, Di Maria and Rojo's 1000 crossess. This is not what our strikers expected because that's simply not the way we played in qualifier!

 

Well I was gonna say "i'd hit" but I didnt wanna offend any posters, incase it was someone's sister on here. But since you said it looks like Di Maria with a wig on lets just forget that I ever said this

 

He is just not cut out to be the opportunistic goal poaching #9 that an aspiring World Cup team needs. He can do his stuff in a qualifier or a league game or a group game against a minnow. He just doesn't have the mental toughness to do it in a World Cup knockout game. It was obvious in the Germany 2006 game and today as well.

The sad thing is this was painfully obvious for a long time. It was discussed several times on this very forum. Our problem in 2002, and in 2011 Copa, and in several friendlies was that we didn't have a clinical #9 to finish off our brilliant tiki taka midfield. We haven't had one since Batigol and Crespo.

But Sabella made absolutely no attempt to discover a tall striker with heading skills. All through the qualifiers and friendlies, Sabella developed no plan B outside of the fab 4. Injuries and loss of form can happen to any team. A good coach develops a system and players who can plug and play in the system and overcome these misfortunes.

Sabella is not a good coach. He put all his eggs in one basket and now we are screwed. If teams bunker, we are out of ideas. Why are we surprised that our opponents bunker? Did we forget 2002?

When we are eliminated, we'll blame our opponent's tactics, luck, and everything else except our coach's lack of tactical foresight. And we'll continue to flatter to deceive.

 

Well, even with our current forwards problem, I still have a little bit of faith. Spain only scored through David Villa in 2010, literally. Iniesta and Puyol, both not a forwards, scored the winner in last 2 games. Italy won 2006 and their top goalscorer only hit 3 goals.

The biggest problem isnt the fact our forward has been in poor form right now but its the fact that the team seems to attack without any gameplan! well, if giving the ball to Di Maria and Messi all the time counts as a gameplan... expecting them to do the job everytime.

 

Hey, I´d hit. It´s always someone´s sister, isn´t it? Or brother for those who are into it.

 

Quick player ratings:

Romero: 5, looked hesitant and umconfortable in a big game. Almost gave an equalizer by not commiting late.

Zabaleta: 6, nice tackling but nothing spectacular.
Fernandez: 4, very soft and out of position
Garay: 6, started slowly but gained confidence as the game went on
Rojo: 7, Argies best defender well positioned and saved the team with some tackles
Mascherano: 8, MVP of the night
Gago: 4, terrible distribution, soft defending and out of position
Di Maria: 6, nothing special but one touch changed everything
Messi: 6, did as good as he can with 3-4 guys surronding him everytime he touches the ball
Higuain: 4, three weeks into the tournament and he still doesnt look fit. I guess hes not even trying
Lavezzi: 6, gave width and was trouble for the Swiss throughout but needs more time on the pitch
Palacio: 5, not much and looked hesitant and caught in the moment
Biglia: 6, provided much needed energy in midfield and ball movement
Basanta: 6, some good tackles and smart fould at the end

 

The biggest problem now is that Higuain replacement is the equally dull player.

 

C'mon @locoxriver, make the next thread for the quarterfinals, you've been good luck so far...

 

Give him 90 mins and youll be surprised how better than Higuain he can be

 

To me it's a very simple equation, either we improve or we go home. If we play like we did yesterday against Belgium they will beat us. The other striking thing about us is that we look so slow, honestly, we look like the slowest team at the world cup. Sabella can't keep picking the same team and hope for the best. Even the substitutions are the same in every game, and unlike for virtually every other side, they have no impact. Gago isn't good enough, he is to slow and offers nothing creatively, Banega would have been far better in that role. Higuain has been useless, it's as if as are playing with ten men.

We're still in the tournament, we still at least have a chance of finally getting beyond the quarter final stage but Sabella has got to get his act together. To me we look like a team that has no tactics, no game plan, no players that can come on and make a difference, it seems to be 'lets all trot round for 90 minutes and hope Messi wins us the game',

 

Imagine if Higuain had touched the ball

http://gfycat.com/NegligibleAccurateGoldenretriever

 

Well leaving the ball by higuain was the biggest contribution from higuain for last match.

 

It should be noted that our goal against Switzerland came from one sweep counter attack, something we have done alot in last 3 years however, this happened because Switzerland finally decided to attack us thinking they could cost an upset, one interception in their own half and we did it in clinical fashion.

If this is the sign of us regaining that deadly counter attack form, then things could get better. The remaining problem would be if our opponent decided to sit back the entire game and just waiting to counter with 3 players, we havent find a way to beat this strategy. Most of our opponent in qualifier dont sit back like that, with very few exception.

 

Thats what im trying to say, he doesnt make subs based on how the game is going but instead it seems like he has these 3 subs and will only make them no one else and no tactical substitution he seriously needs to get his act together. Brought in Biglia to close down and hope for PKs! Since when do Argentina hope for PKs againt Switzerland!

 

Are @jimmi_moh @Leon12 and baker on the mundoalbiceleste side the same person?

 

Hey its me on mundo

 

You are overlooking one major point about Spain in 2010, they had a rock solid defence which meant they could win games 1-0.

 

That's me as well, although I've never actually posted on there!!!

 

True but you probably also overlooking all the dangerous chances by their opponent which either miss and being saved by the Casillas. Even in that final, they have lucky escape in extra time.

Also didnt Spain beat Switzerland in 2010?

 

Nope they lost to the Swiss i think. But hes right they had a better backline and a world class keeper

 

http://rutube.ru/video/7673499706877a1f944f1a8f07fd10c5/