Argentina

[Hektor]

I guess that the 2-3-3-2 formation would be as follows:

.........................................Armani.....................................
.................Ottamendi.................................Fazzio
.........Mercado..................Mascherano.................Tagliafico/Rojo
.....Banega/Dybala............Biglia..........................Di Maria
.............................Messi....................Aguero...................

As I said, it is a 5-3-2 formation with a twist. Mascherano will be going back-and-forth defense and mid-field.

It is a defensive team. In other words, defense, defense, and defense. If they do not score against you, the worst you can do is a 0-0 draw. With Di Maria (back-and-forth) midfield and offense with Messi and Aguero you are going to score one or two goals/game.

The key, imho, is going to be Banega or Dybala. Someone has to get the ball to Messi and be ready to receive it and also be able to score. Dybala is such a player if he accepts that role and not be the main dog. If not, Banega is there.

Hektor

 

[BarcaOG]

Why on earth would they try Higuain again? Unbelievable. Picking him over Icardi, no matter how 'difficult' the latter may be, is a terrible mistake. It effectively costs them a genuine shot. Higuain might score a couple but when it really counts he'll choke again. I really really don't get it. They're experts, are they not?

 

[JamDav1982]

I guess that the 2-3-3-2 formation would be as follows:

.........................................Armani.....................................
.................Ottamendi.................................Fazzio
.........Mercado..................Mascherano.................Tagliafico/Rojo
.....Banega/Dybala............Biglia..........................Di Maria
.............................Messi....................Aguero...................

As I said, it is a 5-3-2 formation with a twist. Mascherano will be going back-and-forth defense and mid-field.

It is a defensive team. In other words, defense, defense, and defense. If they do not score against you, the worst you can do is a 0-0 draw. With Di Maria (back-and-forth) midfield and offense with Messi and Aguero you are going to score one or two goals/game.

The key, imho, is going to be Banega or Dybala. Someone has to get the ball to Messi and be ready to receive it and also be able to score. Dybala is such a player if he accepts that role and not be the main dog. If not, Banega is there.

Hektor

Horrible line up.

Biglia is shite and old and Mascherano is long past his best.

They need Lanzini in to link midfield to attack and he will surely start.

 

[DonAK]

The rumored lineup Sampaoli is thinking about is:

Armani
Otamendi - Fazio
Mercado - Biglia - Tagliafico
Lanzini - Lo Celso - Di Maria
Aguero - Messi​

 

[Hektor]

Why on earth would they try Higuain again? Unbelievable. Picking him over Icardi, no matter how 'difficult' the latter may be, is a terrible mistake. It effectively costs them a genuine shot. Higuain might score a couple but when it really counts he'll choke again. I really really don't get it. They're experts, are they not?

I agree about Higuain. However, Argentina does not have an attacker with the height of Higuain for high balls and corner shots. He also contributes in the defense and brings the ball up. He is worker "bee." The only thing Huguain fails at is to score the easy ones. Heck...that is the main job of a "9."

Hektor

 

[DonAK]

Mercado and Biglia are not proper fit either. So they might not make it. Apparently Biglia will be a very close call.

 

[JamDav1982]

Said it before but dont think Argies are as poor as folk make out.

There is no clear great squad built on a club side like Spain/Germany were.

 

[Hektor]

The rumored lineup Sampaoli is thinking about is:

Armani
Otamendi - Fazio
Mercado - Biglia - Tagliafico
Lanzini - Lo Celso - Di Maria
Aguero - Messi​

I do not know anything about Lanzini. However, Lo Celso over Banega or Dybala? No way. What do you do with Mascherano? Granted he is not as fast he used to be and he was never that fast. He still has the vision of play and anticipates where the ball is going to be. That is why you put him as a third CB and 2nd defensive MD. He cannot longer be the sole "5." Mascherano is still Mascherano. One of the best "5's" in Argentine football history. One major problem with the present team is that Mascherano is getting old.

Hektor

 

[JamDav1982]

I do not know anything about Lanzini. However, Lo Celso over Banega or Dybala? No way. What do you do with Mascherano? Granted he is not as fast he used to be and he was never that fast. He still has the vision of play and anticipates where the ball is going to be. That is why you put him as a third CB and 2nd defensive MD. He cannot longer be the sole "5."

Hektor

Banega is not good enough. Relying on likes of him in CM is going back to a system that has failed.

Masch legs are not what they were.

Lanzini is a very good player.

 

[DonAK]

I do not know anything about Lanzini. However, Lo Celso over Banega or Dybala? No way. What do you do with Mascherano? Granted he is not as fast he used to be and he was never that fast. He still has the vision of play and anticipates where the ball is going to be. That is why you put him as a third CB and 2nd defensive MD. He cannot longer be the sole "5."

Hektor

Dybala is incapable of playing a bit deeper as Lo Celso is and runs too much into the same spaces Messi occupies. Mascherano was almost not getting selected for the WC and it seems like Sampaoli doesn't rate him too much anymore. His leadership might be what saved him a place. Lo Celso is also faster than Banega and playing with that system you need some quick, agile players like Lanzini and Lo Celso or else it gets too predictable.

You need to be able to counter attack too when there's an opportunity to do so.

 

[Hardy]

just watched the HL, Pavon looks really good

 

[Hektor]

Dybala is incapable of playing a bit deeper as Lo Celso is and runs too much into the same spaces Messi occupies. Mascherano was almost not getting selected for the WC and it seems like Sampaoli doesn't rate him too much anymore. His leadership might be what saved him a place. Lo Celso is also faster than Banega and playing with that system you need some quick, agile players like Lanzini and Lo Celso or else it gets too predictable.

You need to be able to counter attack too when there's an opportunity to do so.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree. As I said, I Know nothing about Lanzini, but I saw Lo Celso play for PSG many times. It is a game of expectations. We expected very little out of Lo Celso and he delivered much more. That does not make him a starter for Argentina. He is a very good sub to have.

Banega was left out of the 2014-WC and it is one of the main reasons Argentina is not the reigning WC champion. We came so close. Men did we need Banega, then. He was a member of the 2007 U-20 WC team in Canada. That team that had Romero, Mercado Fazio, Di Maria, Aguero and others. Ever Banega was the main player. Therefore, he has played with half the 2018 team. Dybala is the star of Juventus and one of the stars in the Series A. Sorry, but Lo Celso is not better than either Banega or Dybala. As I said before, Dybala has to adjust to playing with Messi and we do not have that much time left.

A team without Mascherano is unthinkable. However, he is getting up in age and you have to limit his space. A team with just Mascheranoi as the "5" is a recipe for disaster. The same token goes for Biglia. If we have to depend with Biglia as the "5" we are better off not going to Russia. The problem is that at this time we do not have a true great "5." That is the reality. So what are we going to do? Play both Mascherano and Biglia.

Hektor

 

[gr98]

[tw]999675207517323265[/tw]
4-3-2-1?

 

[Pepe Silvia]

dat midfield

 

[raki]

The rumored lineup Sampaoli is thinking about is:

Armani
Otamendi - Fazio
Mercado - Biglia - Tagliafico
Lanzini - Lo Celso - Di Maria
Aguero - Messi​

That´s 12 players