[Corey Feldman]

from what i seen Argentina were a better team when Maradona was the coach

last night they played like Stoke, long balls and an O.G titus Brambell was laughing at

agree jayjay

[Arkulari]

Originally Posted by jayjay

When did I say they were better?

You said our midfield is not good enough, that's just plain bullshit.

Good enough yes, not up to Spain's level but again maybe only Netherlands and Germany are there

BTW: how is that Gabi Milito is on the team? Pep preferred to put Mascherano/Busquets as a CB rather than him

I think they should have Pastore-DiMaria-Messi-Aguero-Higuain up there, Tevez is not up to be on this team after all the shit he pulled through.

[ChinoRios4Ever]

unreal bad from Argentina

also by Colombia today, very poor against a young Costa Rica team...

[Pirata.]

Originally Posted by jayjay

The captain isn't decided on the basis of caps. Mascherano was captain material for the national team ever since he was captain at youth level. Strangely, when he became captain - under Diego - which was overdue, he was reluctant to take it because he is not a vocal leader.

Zanetti is a legend, but he was one of many poor players against Bolivia, he offered no support down the right to Lavezzi in an attacking sense. One of many reasons we constantly looked isolated any time we attacked.

Thanks

[Arkulari]

Originally Posted by ChinoRios4Ever

unreal bad from Argentina

also by Colombia today, very poor against a young Costa Rica team...

blame Bolillo and his shit tactics, also the fact that Falcao and Rodallega choke horribly on their NT

[vn01]

Colombia def. Costa Rica 1-0. I was impressed by Leonel Morreira, the goalkeeper of Costa Rica He saved many chances to goal. And good performance by Guarin from the Colombians

[Kiedis]

^Moreira

If Argentina doesn't win at home the atmosphere is going to be unbearable in the team, especially if Messi isn't able to pull a good championship.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Corey Feldman

from what i seen Argentina were a better team when Maradona was the coach

last night they played like Stoke, long balls and an O.G titus Brambell was laughing at

agree jayjay

Based on the Bolivia match alone, yes, the team was never as bad as that under Diego.

However, that performance hasn't been the kind of level we have shown since the World Cup. The team has been much more cohesive, we hammered Spain and beat Brazil and Portugal since the World Cup. The team was moving in the right direction, but Bolivia game was a huge setback.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Arkulari

Good enough yes, not up to Spain's level but again maybe only Netherlands and Germany are there

Well, nice to see you corrected yourself. You said they weren't good enough, now you're saying they are good enough - which is it?

And again, I didn't say they were up to Spain's level.

BTW: how is that Gabi Milito is on the team? Pep preferred to put Mascherano/Busquets as a CB rather than him

I'd like to know the same. Milito and Messi are quite close, so it wasn't a surprise to see him in the squad for harmony and experience purposes, but I wasn't necessarily expecting him to start. We all know how slow he is and he'll be a liability throughout if he continues to play.

Then again, we don't really have any good centre backs anymore, and the only promising one - Otamendi - was not selected for the squad.

I think they should have Pastore-DiMaria-Messi-Aguero-Higuain up there, Tevez is not up to be on this team after all the shit he pulled through.

Pastore should definitely be in the team, why he isn't is a huge mystery. He and Bangea can release Messi in the way Xavi and Iniesta do at club level, but instead everyone is just giving the ball to Messi static, and asking him to create the play. He then creates the play only to see Lavezzi run the ball over the touchline or Tevez run into players rather than around them.

It will be interesting to see what Batista does against Colombia. If he picks the same team, he better hope they win and win well, otherwise his shelf life will be over soon as coach. He clearly felt the pressure against Bolivia, even though we didn't play well in the first half, we still created bits and pieces, but instead he went 4-2-4 and the gap between defence and attack was huge.

There was at least a twenty minute period where I hardly remember Messi being on the ball in the Bolivian half, he kept having to come into our half to pick up the ball, and Tevez was nowhere to be seen in the second half.

I will be disgusted if there aren't at least a couple of changes, mainly Cambiasso out for Pastore, and at least one of Tevez or Lavezzi out (but ideally, both) for any duo of Di Maria, Aguero, Higuain.

[selyoink]

It's almost impossible to believe Argentina can't conjure up two centerbacks better than Gabi Milito and Burdisso. You can't expect to win tournaments when all of your good players are attackers and your defensive players are borderline scrubs (Zanetti aside).

[vn01]

Originally Posted by selyoink

It's almost impossible to believe Argentina can't conjure up two centerbacks better than Gabi Milito and Burdisso. You can't expect to win tournaments when all of your good players are attackers and your defensive players are borderline scrubs (Zanetti aside).

agreed.

[samanosuke]

Brazil - Venezuela 0:0 . Bad match . Brazil was awful . Nice fighting from Venz

Pato, Robinho and Neymar in attack . can't decide who was worse . Brazil really looks poor . They have just hard workers and these 3 so called artists .neymar is new robinho and pato just isn't world class . Don't see bright " close" future for them

[selyoink]

It is shocking how poor a group of attacking players Brazil has at the moment. I would like to know why none of the Shakhtar contingent have been given a chance with only Jadson called up for this tournament.

This tournament could be a lot more wide open then expected seeing how dreadful both Brazil and Argentina looked in their opening games. And its not like they played any of the second tier South American sides rather it was two of the bottom tier sides though to be fair to Venezuela they have improved a lot over the last decade.

[jayjay]

I love Ganso, but he was painfully bad tonight. I would like to say it made me feel a bit better about Argentina to see how poor Brazil were, but it didn't.

The pitch has been a bit of a problem in La Plata, but it doesn't excuse how bad Argentina and Brazil have been in the opening games.

[Arkulari]

Originally Posted by jayjay

I'd like to know the same. Milito and Messi are quite close, so it wasn't a surprise to see him in the squad for harmony and experience purposes, but I wasn't necessarily expecting him to start. We all know how slow he is and he'll be a liability throughout if he continues to play.

Then again, we don't really have any good centre backs anymore, and the only promising one - Otamendi - was not selected for the squad.

oh yeah, they like to "share"

now being honest I agree with you, why is Milito playing? any relatively fast forward can eat him for breakfast, hell if things get too bad put Mascherano at CB and Cambiasso at the midfield (desperate measures), it'll still be better than this.

Otamendi is very good, I still don't get why him and Hulk weren't called for their respective NTs after the great season they had at Porto.

Grondona said: "Messi wasn't playing badly, it was the rest of the squad" what an asshole