The Official Argentina WC thread. Including the best player in the world.

[Noob21]

He played 16 games in the Clausura and 7 in Libertadores.

Unless you mean at Bayern, but that hardly matters now as he is on loan to Estudiantes.

Yeah I realize that, still his playing time is low for someone who plays in a position which is well stocked in the NT

[Catracho]

Blanco, Garce, Insaurralde, Mercier, and Palermo all played against Haiti.

Palermo scored a powerful header. Garce and Blanco were running rampid. Mercier didn't catch my eye and neither did Insaurralde.

Blanco is rumored to have interest from Real Madrid, and he did a good job against Haiti, which most likely why Maradona thought he deserved a call-up. Garce was a beat that game. his passes were pretty crucial and did a good job holding that left wing. Marcier could've imposed his will more in the center but eh...

I like Garce and Blanco's chance.

[cms186]

has cambiasso done something to upset maradona or something? because there cant be any other reason hes not even in the 30

[imagine]

He must have. I was really hoping for him to be selected. Has Palermo been playing well enough to deserve a place? Haven't seen him play.

[PMLF]

He must have. I was really hoping for him to be selected. Has Palermo been playing well enough to deserve a place? Haven't seen him play.

He is one of the top goalscorers in the Clausura with 10 goals, alongside Mauro Boselli from Estudiantes.

[Kill Rock Stars]

reckon the argentina side you could build from players who won't make the last 23 would be better than at least 3/4s of the teams at the world cup

[jmr]

------------- -- Carizzo --------

Zabaleta --- Garay - Schiavi (?) - Insua

--------------- Cambiasso -----

--------- Zanetti -------- Aimar --

--------------- Riquelme -----------

------------ Milito ---- Lisandro --

Diamond formation not even including the 7 that won't make the squad, you're right, that team would be better than most at the WC.

[GG17]

Shocked that Cambiasso, Zanetti and Milito haven't made the squad. Whats the story there? I don't know too much about the national team but it seems through reading bits of this thread that these 3 missing out is not as shocking as it first seems and was pretty much always going to happen...?

[iamjerome]

it's gabriel milito who isn't in the squad, diego is in. i'm going to put some money on argies to win tbh, just got a completely unsubstantial feeling they just might!

[Puevlo]

Going to struggle to get out of the group stage.

[Dr_dR3]

No Gaby Militto, Cambiasso or Zanetti. What an utter utter inept clown of a manager. Unbelievable.

Seriously, think about it: Cambiasso and Zanetti are the heart of the team that can win the treble in Europe. Lucho guided Marseille to their first title in 25 years. Lisandro was elected best player in the French league. Militto has returned from 2 years absence in the team of arguably the best team in the world.

But who does he select instead? A Championship player, a guy who failed in Europe and has played 10 games this season and a playmaker who has failed internationally on every single occasion.

[sean_oc16]

Some big omissions from that squad. Would love Cambiasso and/or Lucho in the England squad. Milito and Garay would probably get in too.

[Mr Adam]

Maradonna clearly picking a load of rubbish so that when they win it we can say Messi won it on his own.

[Neil Brock]

Jonas to be player of the tournament tbf.

[hilly_boro]

2 players from the Championship who both were turd in the Premiership last season and no place for Champions League finalists Zanetti and Cambiasso

With that forward line they're still formidable tbh.

[DanGLiverpool]

Not one of the keepers having over 5 caps

[el sid]

And I thought the French team was hilarious

[skybluedave]

Do Newcastle supply the most players to this Argie squad? Or joint most

[Fausto]

how is posible that Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso are not going to the World cup..... Maradona i dont think you know what you are doing

[G-Man11]

Maradonna really is an idiot . Is there a poll somewhere asking what Argentinians think of the squad?

[Buggs_18]

If you're on holiday in Buenos Aires right now watch yourself because there're going to be a lot of TVs,Laptops, pc's and macs being thrown out of windows once the argies catch wind of that shocking team selection.

It takes some doing to pick a worse team than France,Italy and Brazil in the one tournament ffs

[gaga_4_parma]

It takes some doing to pick a worse team than France,Italy and Brazil in the one tournament ffs

Hmm...coincidence that all the nations mentioned are recent World Cup winners?

Maybe they know something...

[samba23]

I've just seen Jonas Gutierrez's attributes on FM

I don't think I've ever seen worse technical attributes.

[RubenJ]

Don't think Diego Milito will make the squad either, he'll most likely opt for the other attackers.

[Astafjevs]

You can possibly make a case for that, though, because of the wealth of options in attack available to him. I still think it would be a mistake, because he offers something different to the rest of them.

If he doesn't take Milito, he will take Palermo, which is still a mistake because he's nowhere near as good.

[RubenJ]

Palermo is already a certainty isn't he? I remember reading a quote from Maradona from even before the list was announced, that Messi and Palermo were the two names that were already definitely going.

[yovan]

Agüero, Higuaín, Tévez, Messi and Diego Milito are going for sure. Palermo is a possibility, but I think he's going tbf.

If you are interested, the line-up against Nigeria will be: Sergio Romero; Nicolás Otamendi, Martín Demichelis, Walter Samuel, Gabriel Heinze; Jonás Gutiérrez, Juan Sebastián Verón, Javier Mascherano, Ángel di María; Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuaín.

Maradona says that he wants to give freedom to Messi, but that team forces him to come deep in almost every possession.

The full backs offer no support. It's not logical to expect Verón to be effective playing every four days. Jonás isn't even a footballer. Then Higuaín can't create for himself.

[Astafjevs]

That isn't a surprising line-up - it's a very similar to the one they used against Germany. I think that is what Maradona deems to be his best team. Personally, I'd like to see them use 4-3-1-2, or 4-3-3 - either of those would suit Messi more, and get the best out of the rest of the team.

[RubenJ]

just looked it up and this is how Maradona was quoted in the Belgian press (the respectable kind, not the rubbish papers) in an article of 10 May:

"Martin Palermo and Lionel Messi are definitely going to South-Africa."

He said it on Argentinian television apparently.

[yovan]

That isn't a surprising line-up - it's a very similar to the one they used against Germany. I think that is what Maradona deems to be his best team. Personally, I'd like to see them use 4-3-1-2, or 4-3-3 - either of those would suit Messi more, and get the best out of the rest of the team.

Maradona wants to protect the team, so he plays four center backs. The problem is that he doesn't realize that he will need the full backs to offer an option and create superiority (?) on the sides. I don't see that team breaking a defence, any defence.

Then, IMO, the best formation for Argentina is a 41212 with some flexibility on offence and especially on defence.

Attacking

-----------------Cambiasso

------Mascherano-------------Di María

--------------------Messi

----------Tévez----------D.Milito

Defending

--------Mascherano-----Cambiasso

Tévez------------Messi-------------Di María

-----------------D.Milito

[yovan]

just looked it up and this is how Maradona was quoted in the Belgian press (the respectable kind, not the rubbish papers) in an article of 10 May:

"Martin Palermo and Lionel Messi are definitely going to South-Africa."

He said it on Argentinian television apparently.

He probably said that, I don't know. I think he said that Palermo never failed him or something like that.

Anyway, I'm sure Palermo will make the squad tbf, it just that people close to Maradona haven't confirmed it.

[Astafjevs]

Maradona wants to protect the team, so he plays four center backs. The problem is that he doesn't realize that he will need the full backs to offer an option and create superiority (?) on the sides. I don't see that team breaking a defence, any defence.

Then, IMO, the best formation for Argentina is a 41212 with some flexibility on offence and especially on defence.

Attacking

-----------------Cambiasso

------Mascherano-------------Di María

--------------------Messi

----------Tévez----------D.Milito

Defending

--------Mascherano-----Cambiasso

Tévez------------Messi-------------Di María

-----------------D.Milito

I like that - that top one is essentially the 4-3-1-2 I was on about. It would work much better than the method he will use for the World Cup - even if you account for Bolatti/Verón playing instead of Cambiasso in that team.

It's such a shame, because even with all the omissions from the squad, they can still put a team out capable of winning the World Cup and playing potentially very good football, but it is unlikely to happen unless Maradona changes his tactics and approach.

[Whirlwind]

Wtf. No Zanetti, Cambiasso, Garay, Lisandro? WTF!

And where's Crespo?!

Problem with Maradona: all decisions made with the heart. We'll see though. Maybe that's what it takes at an international tournament.

[Rio_V]

I was hearing about this today on the radio. I am speechless.

Zanetti, Lucho and Lisandro among others left out is terrrible, but Cambiasso might actually be criminal. He must be stunned. Not to mention that Mascherano not only hasn't been all that good for club this year, he has stunk for country. Amazing.

[Puevlo]

Players who ply their trade in Argentina are more passionate for the national team.

[Orzelek]

Players who ply their trade in Argentina are more passionate for the national team.

And usually also not as skillful as the ones playing in Europe...

I really don't understand why the hell he didn't select Cambiasso and Zanetti? :confused:

[UTT]

The Cambiasso decision is criminal, but not shocking. Maradona said when he took over that he didn't really like Cambiasso

The Zanetti one is shocking, he played all through the qualifiers, is the Argentine record caps holder and is still a very good player. Maradona has this nutjob idea of playing 4 CB's. It won't work. There is no natural width there, and when gong forward, they look scared (see Otamendi vs Germany, he lost the ball when forward as he wasn't comfortable).

Looking at the defenders in his 30 man squad:

- Burdisso CB

- Coloccini CB

- Demechelis CB

- Garce ??

- Heinze CB (Maradona feels he is vulnerable on the flank)

- Insaurralde CB

- Otamendi CB

- Rodriguez LB

- Samuel CB

Now, while Burdisso and Otamendi could fill in at full back, why not select one? Zanetti, Angeleri?

I can understand playing a defensive left full back behind Di Maria to avoid being over exposed, but when your right winger is Jonas, you need some support. Baffling

[7zige]

Did he ever watch or send scouts to watch Newcastle?

[UTT]

Did he ever watch or send scouts to watch Newcastle?

Who knows? He said that his team is "Messi, Masch, Jonas + 8 more". There seems to be a horrible crony culture around Maradona's leadership - on Zanetti/Cambiaso he said “There is nothing strange and nothing to explain about Zanetti's exclusion. It was already decided a long time ago. And as for Cambiasso, it's the same story.”

However, he describes Gago as one of "his boys"

I dunno what it is, he isn't even being consistent and showing Boca bias, but he fell out with Riquelme as well. Think there are player vs coach personality issues

[Crazy_T]

if messi gets injured, I wonder what plan b is?

all balls go through jonás gutierrez?

[7zige]

If Jonas does a quarter of Messi's job, he'll be linked to Real soon

[Micado]

With that selection of Maradonna, it is no wonder that the Argentinian FA approached Guus Hiddink to lead the team together with Maradonna

[UTT]

if messi gets injured, I wonder what plan b is?

all balls go through jonás gutierrez?

Plan A is use Messi as a decoy, let him get man marked and then play it behind the right full back to Di Maria. Pastore as a back up to Messi maybe?

[brett.spurs]

                                         Andújar

                                         Samuel

                          Mascherano      Lucho       Cambiasso

               Messi                                                 Di María

                         Tévez      Agüero     Higuaín      Milito

Clearly the way forward

Hmmm, going to have to readjust that somewhat

[samba23]

The team will be as Yovan stated earlier.

-------------------Romero----------------

Otamendi---Demichellis--Samuel---Heinze--

Jonas-----Mascherano---Veron---Di Maria-

-------------Messi------Higuain-----------

Of course Messi will drift around, Veron will push forward and Mascherano will cover but it's effectively a 4-4-2.

Seeing as Messi plays up front - if he got injured then I would imagine that plan B would be to play Tevez, Aguero or D. Milito alongside Higuain. Anyway, Messi doesn't get injured so I'm not worried about that possibility at all.

[Müller1469564937]

Does anyone know what the reaction's been like to the squad selection in Argentina?

[cms186]

I've just seen Jonas Gutierrez's attributes on FM

I don't think I've ever seen worse technical attributes.

jonas has looked barely above average for newcastle this season, collocini i can kind of understand, he has stood out, but given the options argentina have available, how jonas even makes the 30 let alone be a certain starter is beyond me, can only assume the drugs Maradona took have addled his brain

[aggressive minor]

With the players they have, they really should be hot favourites alongside Spain.

Maradona really is a joke of a manager. Would be like us having Gazza in charge.

[georginho_juventusygr]

This 30-man squad will go to the final. It seems that I'm the only optimistic person here.

[Noob21]

The Zanetti one is shocking, he played all through the qualifiers, is the Argentine record caps holder and is still a very good player. Maradona has this nutjob idea of playing 4 CB's. It won't work. There is no natural width there, and when gong forward, they look scared (see Otamendi vs Germany, he lost the ball when forward as he wasn't comfortable).

Looking at the defenders in his 30 man squad:

- Burdisso CB

- Coloccini CB

- Demechelis CB

- Garce ??

- Heinze CB (Maradona feels he is vulnerable on the flank)

- Insaurralde CB

- Otamendi CB

- Rodriguez LB

- Samuel CB

Now, while Burdisso and Otamendi could fill in at full back, why not select one? Zanetti, Angeleri?

Garce is also a RB, he also plays CB at times (so he's an utility) and Jonas played RB and RWB in the qualifying games, that's why Maradona like him he can play anywhere on the wings

He could be playing a three man defense btw