Group D Matchday 2 - 21/22 June - Argentina 0-3 Croatia, Nigeria 2-0 Iceland

[DeadLinesman]

Just now, Cicero said:

So's Croatia, yet they perform better as a team

 Croatia are class mate. They’ve got some fantastic players in Modric, Rakitic, Manzukic and Peresic.

[Carnivore Chris]

5 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

Rakitic! Well deserved. MOTM in my opinion. He played like the Rakitic of Barcelona´s treble.

He was easily the best player on the pitch, but Modric wasn't far behind. Rakitic hasn't played like that for Barcelona in a while, so hopefully this World Cup rejuvenates  him.

Hopefully that isn't the Messi we'll see at Barcelona next season, but then he will have far more of the ball then, so that is doubtful.

 

Very average Argentine side, but like Blue said, they were lucky to even be in the tournament really when you look at how poor and unbalanced they looked in the qualifiers.

[Danny]

Shades of England in this Argentina team

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Blue said:

I can see what you're trying to say as Ronaldo is doing very well with a far more pragmatic system, but I think Portugal have a better side than Argentina.

100% correct!

Anyone looking for an under the belt swipe at Messi using Portugal as comparison is just searching for something that has no coherence.

[DeadLinesman]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

Someone playing in the Chinese league in the most important part of the pitch up against Modrić and Rakitić.

 

Like a certain Spanish midfielder 

[El Profesor]

Just now, The Rebel CRS said:

He was easily the best player on the pitch, but Modric wasn't far behind. Rakitic hasn't played like that for Barcelona in a while, so hopefully this World Cup rejuvenates  him.

Hopefully that isn't the Messi we'll see at Barcelona next season, but then he will have far more of the ball then, so that is doubtful.

 

Very average Argentine side, but like Blue said, they were lucky to even be in the tournament really when you look at how poor and unbalanced they looked in the qualifiers.

Yes, Chris. I hadn´t seen Rakitic play so well in a long time. That was more the Rakitic we got used to see at Sevilla and in his first season at Barça.

[Guest]

As I said, I noticed a few things in this game that I wanted to point out, but I'll do it after my nap. I am knackered.

The one thing I wanted to leave here though is that Gareca is a bit of a fool to go out and defend against Argentina at La Bombonera, when it was very clear we could have given them a game. Ah well, we qualified for the World Cup so it doesn't matter. Ricardo Gareca is Argentina's next manager, I hate to admit it but his job here has won himself the job.

[JRRandall]

1 minute ago, Danny said:

Shades of England in this Argentina team

England has played much better football so far.

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, DeadLinesman said:

Like a certain Spanish midfielder 

Who?

[DeadLinesman]

2 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

100% correct!

Anyone looking for an under the belt swipe at Messi using Portugal as comparison is just searching for something that has no coherence.

Oh give over mate. It’s a slight at Messi and Argentina, not Barcelona. Stop being so oversensitive

[DeadLinesman]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

Who?

Iniesta? Does he not play in the Chinese league 🤔

[Cicero]

Bring Back Sabella

Sampaoli is far, far too conservative and very biased in his choices. 

I'll ask again, what the fuck does Meza actually provide? 

[The Artful Dodger]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

100% correct!

Anyone looking for an under the belt swipe at Messi using Portugal as comparison is just searching for something that has no coherence.

Can't argue Messi has been a disappointment. You could see from the anthem he was anxious and not relishing the challenge. There is too much talk about one player, they failed as a collective but Messi was especially poor today. 

I imagine he will retire from international football, leave it as something he could not only never conquer but never really come to terms with. It's a shame, I do hope he perseveres and who is to say he cant be back at a world cup in 4 years but im not sure the desire is there. It seems to be detrimental to his happiness.

[Kowabunga]

36 minutes ago, Machado said:

@Kowabunga give me those juicy tweets.

 

 

 

 

[SirBalon]

Just now, DeadLinesman said:

Oh give over mate. It’s a slight at Messi and Argentina, not Barcelona. Stop being so oversensirive.

I don’t give a damn about Barcelona because this isn’t about them. Just be coherent mate because this Argentina side has nothing whatsoever to do with the Portugal side. Debate after debate has gone on and on all the way from the other forum on how shit this Argentina actually are but fools and fanboys (not directed at you) can’t see past the names playing in attacking positions for them. I’m not even going to entertainment such a ridiculous debate. 

[Chaaay AFC]

I have to say after watch the 2nd and 3rd goal back, absolutely embarrassing tracking back by the Argie players. Everyone appealing for offside instead of challenging Raktic for the third was so shoddy.

[SirBalon]

2 minutes ago, DeadLinesman said:

Iniesta? Does he not play in the Chinese league 🤔

No!

He’s moved to the Japanese league where he still hasn't even played a game for them yet as he finished this season with Barcelona.

Come on mate!

[SirBalon]

3 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Can't argue Messi has been a disappointment. You could see from the anthem he was anxious and not relishing the challenge. There is too much talk about one player, they failed as a collective but Messi was especially poor today. 

I imagine he will retire from international football, leave it as something he could not only never conquer but never really come to terms with. It's a shame, I do hope he perseveres and who is to say he cant be back at a world cup in 4 years but im not sure the desire is there. It seems to be detrimental to his happiness.

It’s tools using it as a tool with no foundations and full of hollowness. (Not directed at @DeadLinesman)

[DeadLinesman]

1 minute ago, SirBalon said:

I don’t give a damn about Barcelona because this isn’t about them. Just be coherent mate because this Argentina side has nothing whatsoever to do with the Portugal side. Debate after debate has gone on and on all the way from the other forum on how shit this Argentina actually are but fools and fanboys (not directed at you) can’t see past the names playing in attacking positions for them. I’m not even going to entertainment such a ridiculous debate. 

So Messi shouldn’t be doing better with the likes of Aguero and Higuain around him? Ok then. My point was the beeb we’re trying to say poor old Lionel, it’s such a fucking shame he’s shite on the international stage because of his team mates. What an absolute load of bollocks. He went missing BIG TIME tonight and it had nothing to do with this team mates.

[DeadLinesman]

2 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

No!

He’s moved to the Japanese league where he still hasn't even played a game for them yet as he finished this season with Barcelona.

Come on mate!

My bad . That’s worse than China then 

[El Profesor]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Bring Back Sabella

Sampaoli is far, far too conservative and very biased in his choices. 

I'll ask again, what the fuck does Meza actually provide? 

Yes, at least Sabella recognized that trying to play a more advanced type of football wouldn´t work with his midfield and built a team that worked in the World Cup. 

I rate Sampaoli, he´s built very good teams during his coaching career, but he wasted too much time trying to implement something that he hadn´t enough time to implement. Should have done the simple, like Sabella.

[The Artful Dodger]

2 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

It’s tools using it as a tool with no foundations and full of hollowness. (Not directed at @DeadLinesman)

What does that even mean?

 

[El Profesor]

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Big Dick Dejan > Messi

[Stan]

1 minute ago, Teso dos Bichos said:

Football won today!!!everyone talking about how Ronaldo is just a scorer... Those four goals of his have directly equal to four points as oppose to Messi whose missed PK leaves him at -2 points..while watching the CL, I knew Ronnie would have the better tourney...ffs, the dude has been the best player for the past four or five years. Do Argentina a favour Messi and that fat ass tatted up clown and retire! I don't remember a single poster apart from me that disagreed with the argie FA when they appointed that clown!!

how can you have -2 points though