Argentina

[Hektor]

Sampaoli wont drop Mascherano. Someone has to do the dirty work and Argentina dont have anyone beter than Masche for that.

Sampaoli does not a better player than Masche, in this team. He is a generational "5." In Argentina, there is no another Mashcherano. The player that might replace Masche in Qatar-2022 might be Matias Kranevitter, but he is no Masherano. I do not know. There might be another player but I'm not aware of it. Furthermore, Mascherano is the heart and soul of Argentina and a coach on the pitch.

Mascherano, after the WC, will return, with his family, to Argentina to play with River or to coach. He is the future coach of the Argentine NT team. I do not know when. He might need some experience coaching before taking over. He is already licensed to coach.

I do not have anything new to report, except that there was a light training session with the players that did not play against Nigeria. The others did some recovery work with exercise machines. There are 6 players with yellow cards: Maschereano, Messi, Mercado, Otamendi and two others. If they get a yellow card against France, they won't be able to play in the quarter-finals, should Argentina advance.

Hektor

 

[Blaugranaa]

France have so many world class individuals. They can really hurt Argentina. But being a dane myself I have watched France closely and I must admit they have yet to impress me. The only difference between France and Argentina is that France got the results needed. Their play on field hasn't been good at all. France is a young team and even though they got far in the Euros, I still think they need some experience. Argentina on the other hand has a lot of experince but not half as much individual skill and pace. France has a lot of pressure too, it's not just Argentina this time. Argentina has had maximum pressure in every single gave so far. Now the pressure is more relaxed because they are not dependent on others' results. They don't need to rush forward and get an early goal as they did against Croatia. This game can go either way and in the World Cup everything can happen.

 

[henias]

Weren't you busy hating on Argentina?


Origami

lol

 

[Sultan]

Sampaoli wont drop Mascherano. Someone has to do the dirty work and Argentina dont have anyone beter than Masche for that.

True. I don't think he will drop him either. Also i don't think we will see him play worst than he did against Nigeria. I think emotions got the better of him and he tried to do a little too much in that game.

 

[henias]

Mascherano is still very much a key player, him and Messi are the seniors of the team who very much can motivate and organise the team. Mascherano is still doing most of the dirty work and against Nigeria he just seems a little too jittery and overwhelmed. Understandably though, because the pressure was seriously immense.

The penalty would be a lesson learnt from him and can see him doing better in the next match. Only doubt I have is with Perez, I really hope Lo Celso is given a chance.

 

[Hektor]

France have so many world class individuals. They can really hurt Argentina. But being a dane myself I have watched France closely and I must admit they have yet to impress me. The only difference between France and Argentina is that France got the results needed. Their play on field hasn't been good at all. France is a young team and even though they got far in the Euros, I still think they need some experience. Argentina on the other hand has a lot of experince but not half as much individual skill and pace. France has a lot of pressure too, it's not just Argentina this time. Argentina has had maximum pressure in every single gave so far. Now the pressure is more relaxed because they are not dependent on others' results. They don't need to rush forward and get an early goal as they did against Croatia. This game can go either way and in the World Cup everything can happen.

Excellent analysis. I could not have done better myself.

Hektor

 

[Hektor]

This is something that I will never forget. In the Germany's celebration in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate , after winning the Brazil-2014 WC by beating Argentina 1-0 in overtime, many of the German players mocked all the Argentines in Argentina. They were walking with chests out and heads high saying that is how the Germans walk. On the other hand, they walked with their chests in and hunchbacked saying this is how the Argentines walk. Being Argentine, I found that very offensive and contrary to FIFA's philosophy of "FAIR PLAY." We found that so offensive that Argentina almost cancelled the friendly against Germany, in Germany, which we won 4-2. It was the intervention of the President of the German Football Federation that saved the friendly. He explained that it was only a joke. Some Joke! The German players never apologized for their tasteless joke! I wonder how the Germans, specially the German players that partook in the mockery of Argentines and Argentina, walk today?

Hektor

 

[MagIX]

I would like to think positive, but honestly it's not possible.
Or a magic happens, a drastic change in the team (suddenly they find a way to play) or imo without huuuge luck, i do not see Argentina win against France.

 

[blaugrana1987]

Perhaps as posters in Messi thread said Messi should play false 9 and instead Higuain bring Lo Celso/Dyabala. Instead of ADM Pavon and try to clutter center of the pitch as much as possible to ease it of on defense and slow down French attacks. Messi in false 9 was best that Barca played this season. Better then playing Suarez as 9.

 

[eaman]

The organisers really messed up the second round fixtures for Argentina and France. Why couldn't Spain play Russia on Saturday and argentina France on Sunday. That way all four teams get five days rest. Now argentina have 4 and Spain get 6. And they knew this would be the case months ago just not which teams it would be

 

[blaugrana1987]

The organisers really messed up the second round fixtures for Argentina and France. Why couldn't Spain play Russia on Saturday and argentina France on Sunday. That way all four teams get five days rest. Now argentina have 4 and Spain get 6

Look at it this way, that means Argentina will have one day of rest more for Finals.

 

[Hektor]

The Iranian Referee, Alireza Faghani, is going to officiate Argentina-France game. He is the referee of the Mexico-Germany and Brazil-Serbia games. In 2005, he officiated the team world cup, when Barça defeated River Plate 3-0.

In other news, it seems that Argentina will try to start the same team that started against Nigeria. The only question mark is Enzo Perez, because he is not physically fit. We are doomed!

Hektor

 

[kollegah]

as much as I dislike Higuain, i would prefer to start him as striker.
if leo plays false nine, he will still drop to midfield and the box will be empty.
also france will try to close the center, so there isa high possibility for messi to be isolated.

my line up: gk and defenders remain, lo celso, banega, masch, messi, aguero, pavon

 

[Kul_z]

as much as I dislike Higuain, i would prefer to start him as striker.
if leo plays false nine, he will still drop to midfield and the box will be empty.
also france will try to close the center, so there isa high possibility for messi to be isolated.

my line up: gk and defenders remain, lo celso, banega, masch, messi, aguero, pavon

Gk and defenders
Masch banega
Lo celso
Messi dybala
Higuain.

Higuain needs to start with dybala. Dybala is a quality player and he could adapt to the left wing in no time. Thats an extra player who could hold on to the ball and produce something. Higuain lurking for headers. Pavon is good, but i dont know how he would play against superstars, dybala is used to it

If messi plays at the top, than dybala is a must on the right wing, but im not a fan of that either, umtiti and varane with kante in front could isolate messi pretty badly

 

[henias]

Gk and defenders
Masch banega
Lo celso
Messi dybala
Higuain.

Higuain needs to start with dybala. Dybala is a quality player and he could adapt to the left wing in no time. Thats an extra player who could hold on to the ball and produce something. Higuain lurking for headers. Pavon is good, but i dont know how he would play against superstars, dybala is used to it

If messi plays at the top, than dybala is a must on the right wing, but im not a fan of that either, umtiti and varane with kante in front could isolate messi pretty badly

Dybala lacks speed and Pavon is needed for sheer pace. Dybala cant maintain width either, plays more inverted and operate the same spaces as messi, he would either take a shot or resort to putting a poor cross, this would push Messi further centre and forces him deep due to France's strong presence in the middle. I think best position in Argentina for him is still RW/RF. He wont get the supply he gets at Barca while operating as a false 9. They are not good at creating or exploiting space through the centre.