germany vs. argentina -----prediction and discussion thread

the defence is bad. NOT a single FB or GK is anywhere close to the top level. thats 60% of a back 5 that are sub-standard. If you add HEINZE to that then they might as well not bother. simple as.
Hense my point about their only chance being all out attack.

4-4-2 doesn't suit them and would leave masca far too much work to do.
They need two passers in midfield who can also help masca out a bit with the defending. If Veron’s legs are up to it then fine, play him; but, looking decent in the Argentinean league and doing it in the WC are two v different things. And he can only play in a three.
Maxi is miles past it, judging on current form.
Perhaps swap Lucho for Cambiasso/veron and definitely take Pastore as a wild card but if he cant start for Palmero then NO WAY should he be the playmaker for this team.
Banega is good enough, no questions. He is raw but I don’t see another Argentinean midfielder with his range of skills.
They have to gamble… as the various holes in the team are gaping and will be mercilessly exploited by the top teams.

Kun its out of the picture because their is only room for one midget in the front line and we all know who that it.

the only way i could see him starting is if they went to a 3 man front line and even then i probably won't start him

I'd go with this

messi--Milito--Higuain.

Di maria has it all, he scores and assist and is more than willing to put in a shift down his flank.

Lordanger wrote:the defence is bad. NOT a single FB or GK is anywhere close to the top level. thats 60% of a back 5 that are sub-standard. If you add HEINZE to that then they might as well not bother. simple as.
Hense my point about their only chance being all out attack.

4-4-2 doesn't suit them and would leave masca far too much work to do.
They need two passers in midfield who can also help masca out a bit with the defending. If Veron’s legs are up to it then fine, play him; but, looking decent in the Argentinean league and doing it in the WC are two v different things. And he can only play in a three.
Maxi is miles past it, judging on current form.
Perhaps swap Lucho for Cambiasso/veron and definitely take Pastore as a wild card but if he cant start for Palmero then NO WAY should he be the playmaker for this team.
Banega is good enough, no questions. He is raw but I don’t see another Argentinean midfielder with his range of skills.
They have to gamble… as the various holes in the team are gaping and will be mercilessly exploited by the top teams.

well thankfully he is starting.

Messiah wrote:Kun its out of the picture because their is only room for one midget in the front line and we all know who that it.

the only way i could see him starting is if they went to a 3 man front line and even then i probably won't start him

I'd go with this

messi--Milito--Higuain.

Di maria has it all, he scores and assist and is more than willing to put in a shift down his flank.

Whenever ive seen Argentina he's by far the most dangerous player. It's bizarre he's being left out by some or not rated highly by callidad. He's fast with a great cross great delivery great shot and he gives 110%. I'd love him at United. Looked good for Benfica whenever ive seen him play there also. Beats a man and is skillfu enough as well.

'well thankfully he is starting.'

yes maybe the last game or two but he spent most of the autumn sat on the bench playing 2nd fiddle to a huge pile of mediocrity. All season he has had about 2/3 decent games (from what i've read, i've only see them play twice and both times he was on the bench) so its a bridge too far for him IMO.

I've seen them play a lot and he is one of their best players and is a regular starter, i think they sacked their coach and he has been starting and performing even since.

watch palermo game again and you will see, the hype he was getting in argentina was justified.

I'd go with:


So is it actually true that Maradona said he will definitely call Samuel?

hmmmm, im not saying he isnt a good prospect and I am a fan but its too soon for him. He has what 1 sub appearance for the national team in the friendly v catalunya. Hell of an ask for the young man to suddenly lead his team and act as the link between midfield and attack.

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:I'd go with:

Milito
Di Maria Aimar Messi
Banega Mascherano
Monzon Samuel Milito Zanetti
Romero

So is it actually true that Maradona said he will definitely call Samuel?

Higuain has to play.

Milito should be called, but he's hardly been great for Argentina (not entirely his own fault). I'm not sure he's pyshical or pacey enough to play as the lone frontman though.

As for Pastore. I would take him as a wildcard too. Nowhere near the finished product from the 3-4 games I have seen of him (too lethargic + wasteful, and also a bit weak). Apparently he has already upped his workrate though which is promising. He reminds me of Riquelme, or even someone like Le Tissier. I like him, and think he could offer something from the bench.

I forgot about the other Milito too. Would be good next to Samuel, though neither are particularly adept passers of the ball.

Maradona called up the following players:

Diego Armando Fantastico Maradona wrote:
keeper: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andújar (Catania)

Abwehr (def): Walter Samuel (Inter Mailand), Martin Demichelis (Bayern München), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes de La Plata), Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Nicolas Burdisso (AS Rom)

Mittelfeld: Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle United), Jesus Datolo (SSC Neapel), Javier Mascherano (FC Liverpool), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes de La Plata), Angel Di Maria (Benfica Lissabon), Mario Bolatti (AC Florenz), Javier Pastore (US Palermo)

Angriff: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Sergio Agüero (Atletico Madrid), Diego Milito (Inter Mailand)

hmm they have some talent, but who needs strikers when they just play with one and messi


germanys midfield is another league

Yeah by glaring over the Argentina squad i think they have many good players, but almost all of those are strikers. And surely he wont play with 4 strikers

I guess this is the final confirmation that Zanetti & Cambiasso will not be travelling for the world cup. Good for Inter I guess, they will get some much needed rest....

It is however shocking to see some of the midfielders who ve been picked over Cambaisso.... Gutierrez, Bolatti, Datolo... truely shocking. And Zanetti is still a better RB or LB than any in that squad.

At least Maradona picked Samuel, he is probably the most key player for Argentina after perhaps Messi.

Antarion wrote:Maradona called up the following players:

Diego Armando Fantastico Maradona wrote:
keeper: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andújar (Catania)

Abwehr (def): Walter Samuel (Inter Mailand), Martin Demichelis (Bayern München), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes de La Plata), Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Nicolas Burdisso (AS Rom)

Mittelfeld: Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle United), Jesus Datolo (SSC Neapel), Javier Mascherano (FC Liverpool), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes de La Plata), Angel Di Maria (Benfica Lissabon), Mario Bolatti (AC Florenz), Javier Pastore (US Palermo)

Angriff: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Sergio Agüero (Atletico Madrid), Diego Milito (Inter Mailand)

I don't think anything is final until Maradona's submits his final list of 23 to FIFA.

Yeah the article mentioned he couldn't choose all pllayers from the argentinian league he wanted, because there are some important games going on.
But that makes the likes of Cambiasso and Zanetti even LESS likely.

kas wrote:I don't think anything is final until Maradona's submits his final list of 23 to FIFA.

That's what i think.

Would be a real shame though to not see Zanetti at the WC (again). Pretty terrible how such a great and loyal player has been mistreated by his country.

Good to see Samuel and Milito back. Shame his brother didn't get a call though. Also is Aimar injured, or has he just been dropped?

Amazed at no Lucho/Banega/Cambiasso

Happy to see Pastore though. He's not ready yet, but he's a nice option to have.

Antarion wrote:Yeah by glaring over the Argentina squad i think they have many good players, but almost all of those are strikers. And surely he wont play with 4 strikers

Its also to some part coz thats the only area where Maradona is made the right selections... I was half expecting Maradona to pick Palermo over Milito!

bluenine wrote:

Antarion wrote:Yeah by glaring over the Argentina squad i think they have many good players, but almost all of those are strikers. And surely he wont play with 4 strikers

Its also to some part coz thats the only area where Maradona is made the right selections... I was half expecting Maradona to pick Palermo over Milito!

Don't wanna shock you but the article especially mentioned Palermo was not available. So maybe he would have picked him!

Antarion wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Antarion wrote:Yeah by glaring over the Argentina squad i think they have many good players, but almost all of those are strikers. And surely he wont play with 4 strikers

Its also to some part coz thats the only area where Maradona is made the right selections... I was half expecting Maradona to pick Palermo over Milito!

Don't wanna shock you but the article especially mentioned Palermo was not available. So maybe he would have picked him!

Nothing about Maradona's selections can shock me... anyone who prefers Burdisso over Samuel needs his head examined!

Anyways, the less Inter players travel to the WC, the fresher our squad will be at the beginning of next season....

Though not the best possible squad, it is easily the best he has called up since taking over as manager, and probably the best argentina fans can hope for.

I think he is going to play Burdisso at LB, like pekerman did at the last WC.

----Burdisso----Samuel---Demi----Heinze

You mean Heinze at LB, Burdisso at RB?

No chance Gabriel Milito will get a recall?

i don't know if maradona is a fan of Gabi, but if he plays
regularly for the rest of the season and at a high level i see no
reason why he shouldn't be recalled.

Demi
Heinze
Otamendi

i think are the only certainties for maradona in defense.

Samuel is a certainty aswell, he said so

bluenine wrote:I guess this is the final confirmation that Zanetti & Cambiasso will not be travelling for the world cup. Good for Inter I guess, they will get some much needed rest....

It is however shocking to see some of the midfielders who ve been picked over Cambaisso.... Gutierrez, Bolatti, Datolo... truely shocking. And Zanetti is still a better RB or LB than any in that squad.

At least Maradona picked Samuel, he is probably the most key player for Argentina after perhaps Messi.

Antarion wrote:Maradona called up the following players:

Diego Armando Fantastico Maradona wrote:
keeper: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andújar (Catania)

Abwehr (def): Walter Samuel (Inter Mailand), Martin Demichelis (Bayern München), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes de La Plata), Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Nicolas Burdisso (AS Rom)

Mittelfeld: Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle United), Jesus Datolo (SSC Neapel), Javier Mascherano (FC Liverpool), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes de La Plata), Angel Di Maria (Benfica Lissabon), Mario Bolatti (AC Florenz), Javier Pastore (US Palermo)

Angriff: Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Sergio Agüero (Atletico Madrid), Diego Milito (Inter Mailand)

Yeah because Cambiasso and Gutierrez are competing for the same position. Anyway, Jonas is injured, he has no business playing internationals right now.

The squad is a bit unbalance to Right wingers in their at all, for does
Jonas play as a right winger, the last i remember he played at LW.


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

--Burdisso--Demi----Samuel/Heinze---Clemente/Heinze

---Jonas-----Masch----Veron----Di Maria/Datolo

-------------Messi-----Higuain.

Vs

---adler

boateng-mertesacker-?????-lahm
----schweinsteiger--ballack
müller-----------özil
klose--------poldi

right...

I'm not too sure about Clemente Rodriguez as a RB but with Angeleri not being fit he's Diegos first choice(god knows why)...I'd call anyone but Clemente, even Zanetti who IMO is best option for the friendly(not for the WC)
CB's are OK really with Demichelis and Samuel, LB Heinze is a bit of a shit but we haven't got many choices there...Burdisso is PLan B for FB in both right and left( )

In midfield Jonas doesn't offer much other than pace and height(if we field an army of midgets), and Maxi's been awful for a while now...Banega should be given a chance IMO. Veron might be doing great in South America but I'm not too sure if the team should be counting on him too much, I'd like a more younger midfield to be given a chance to gel for the WC before its too late.

Upfront it's where e have less trouble really, with higuain messi and milito being the right men for the job

demichelis is the worst bayern defender i can remember

then you should go see a doctor...there's this thing called alzheimer, it really, I hear it can really fuck up your long term memory

For this saison, he is actually correct.

Two sasions ago under Hitzfeld, he was the best defender by a mile, but i dont know what happened to him. Either this saison under Hitzfeld was simply outstanding or sth else has happened.

I hope he gets back on track soon, cause I like demi.