Rather than playing Higuain as ST and keep Messi on a unnatural position that he's not used to at Barcelona, I would keep Higuain at home and let him watch the World Cup on TV while thinking of his under 50% goals/game in La liga and possibly under 25% in Italy, find a way to play Messi in his best position and improvise the rest of the attack to benefit him.
If they won't do this, I give them 0.0% chances of winning the World Cup, seeing their best 11 except for Messi, in the condition that Spain is IMO starting calm down, Holland already proved they're inconsistent and failed at the Euro big time, while Germany, they're nemesis usually chokes in important games such as Bayern in the CL finals or other games, Brazil have a heck of a defense, someone like Higuain like a pig getting ready to be cut by the local town horde before Christmas between them.
Errrr ??? Are you for real ? Higuain is an integral part of the way Argentina attack. The way he clears space for Messi and his link up play. I love the way Pipita is criticized while he still has one of the netter accuracy ratios in La Liga compared to someone like Crynaldo and Benzema.
Messi of course has been really suffering in his time with Sabella as national team manager. Get a grip of yourself.
Squad versus Colombia tonight at El Monumental:
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Sampdoria), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors)
Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Hugo Campagnaro (Napoli), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Federico Fernandez (Getafe), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle United), Jose Basanta (Monterrey), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Gino Peruzzi (Velez Sarsfield)
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Rodrigo Brana (Estudiantes), Ever Banega (Valencia), Walter Montillo (Santos), Jose Sosa (Metalist Kharkiv), Augusto Fernandez, (Celta Vigo), Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht), Pablo Guinazu (Libertad), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Erik Lamela (AS Roma)
Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris Saint-Germain), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Sosa is injured and misses both games. Banega is suspended for tonight's match which is a shame as he has been in excellent form with Valencia. Gago is out with injury.
Notable omissions.
Willy Caballero currently one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Nicolas Spolli still not being considered and no place for Nicolas Gaitan. Instead we do have the puzzling inclusions of Augusto Fernandez and after his shambolic effort in Bolivia Palacio.
The line up looks like being:
------------------------------Romero---------------------------------------
Zabaleta--------Fernández----------------Garay--------------------Rojo----
--------------------Biglia----------Mascherano-----------------------------
-----------------Montillo------------------------di Maria--------------------
---------------------Higuain-------Aguero----------------------------------
I would to see Peruzzi come in to strengthen the back four. Messi will likely be rested or brought on as a substitute.
In other news Newell's lead the Clausura under the guidance of Martino and knocked Boca out of the Libertadores. Scocco and Maxi were not released to the national side. Shame for Scocco as he is surely one of the best players in South America this season.
River Plate u20 won the Copa Libertadores u20.
River Plate u17 beat Sampdoria, Barcelona and both Madrid clubs to win the world club u17 title. It's great to see the conveyor belt getting back into full swing. Great for River Plate and great for the national team as well.
