This can't be true. How can someone say this team is better than Portugal squad?
Sampaoli picking a shit lineup doesn't mean they don't have a more talented squad than Portugal
This can't be true. How can someone say this team is better than Portugal squad?
THIS IT GUYS! this biggest game of Lionel Messi's Career
The media are really in for him this time round. English Media already crowning Ronaldo "the greatest of all time"
He needs a big performance to change minds or to get back level
Looks like tomorrow again Lo Celso, Dybala, Pavon, Banega all on bench...
Nobody to blame but himself. It was a piss poor penalty.
I watched the match from the tactical cam and he had zero assistance. Aguero, Biglia and Mascherano were the main culprits. Against that parked bus, which was great in its execution, Aguero should have helped him more by coming off the front into deeper areas but he stayed upfront and made these little diagonal runs to the left. Neither Mascherano or Biglia took up a more advanced position in the centre either leaving Messi completely isolated which meant every attack was initiated by getting the ball to Messi having to drive at the defense looking for a 1-2 in the final third.
After what I saw on the tactical cam I would be tempted to go 3-3-1-3 with Dybala in the hole and Messi at RW and Higuain as striker but the problem with that is neither (Messi/Dybala) are tactically disciplined enough to pull it off and would just get in each other’s way like against Venezuela and Uruguay in the qualifiers. The other option is 4-3-3 with Messi on the wing but the problem here is that there is no longer any Lanzini to do the cover work when Messi goes inside or drops deep but it’s clear that this 4-2-3-1 is not going to work because it isolates Messi and there is no attacking impetus in the centre.
People laugh at Benzema, whom I think is criminally underrated, but he does to perfection what Aguero should have done against that deep block. Higuain is a better option for Argentina at this stage than Aguero for the team dynamic they have going but he is wasteful.
None of Meza, Di Maria, Acuna and Pavon are a solution because neither cut in.
That’s how Sampaoli plays unfortunately and Argentina are not a good counter attacking side.
In the grand scheme of things it’s just a lack of a midfield. Losing Lanzini didn’t help and replacing him with Enzo Pérez, another defense minded player, was a mistake of epic proportions. The only attack minded central midfielder they have is Éver “Fucking” Benega.
Sampaoli picking a shit lineup doesn't mean they don't have a more talented squad than Portugal
Great post.
Again, this whole, ''Dybala occupies the same space as Messi thus assumes inferiority as they can't play on the same field'' is bonkers to me.
You simply cannot have someone like him on the bench when you are pushing Meza ahead of him. (Blind alley runner).
If that leaked team is correct, it's going to be a repeat of Iceland, with a little more space, 100% reliance on Leo and much more danger from Croatia.
There's a point of acceptance which you reach where everything is so peaceful blissful and great. So serene. Calm. Accepted that Leo and Argentina most likely will exit the world cup tomorrow. Dysfunctional team and dynamic with a coach who has abandoned his ideals and everything he stands for as a manager. It's over.
And I dont feel anything bad about it. very calm. accepted it will happen. Acceptance. You move on. I'm calm about it won't get bad, accepted it. etither That or or the effect of the blunt still on my mind.
I’m going to bookmark this article for stupidity...Brilliant article by the guardian on Messi: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/20/lionel-messi-sun-king-argentina-blind-world-cup
According to the article Messi ran 7,6km, less than any other outfield player.
He ran 1,42km off the ball, less than Lloris who is a goalkeeper.
He made 17 sprints, half as many as Philippe Coutinho and Mesut Ozil in their opening games.
His top speed was 25 kph, slower than Iniesta or Busquets. In comparison Ronaldo's was 33 kph.
Messi has to seriously change his way of playing because that's shocking.