Group D Matchday 3 - 26 June - Iceland 1-2 Croatia, Nigeria 1-2 Argentina

[6666]

Nigeria could've and probably should've had a second penalty. Can't believe Rojo pulled that out the bag with all the attackers they had on the pitch. Don't feel Argentina were deserving of going through, tactically they look amateur as well. The whole attacking midfield area was left empty.

[Cicero]

Aguero

Pavon--------------Messi

Banega---Lo Celso

Biglia

Tagliafico---Rojo---Otamendi---Mercado

Armani 

[Spike]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Aguero

Pavon--------------Messi

Banega---Lo Celso

Biglia

Tagliafico---Rojo---Otamendi---Mercado

Armani 

Drop Aguero and play 10 players, it'll be better.

[Cicero]

Just now, Spike said:

Drop Aguero and play 10 players, it'll be better.

That'll be too easy for Kante 

[SirBalon]

Let's be honest... All this Nigeria were unlucky. How hard did Armani have to work?

This was a game of fine details and the team that scored more won. They deserved it. Nigeria didn’t wet my pants at all and I can assure you, I was all up for a bit of humidity. 

[Batard]

16 minutes ago, Berserker said:

It was good today until the pen. I agree with the line-up stuff, although it was much better than the last 2 matches.

I'm actually not scared of France, was more scared today. Just hope we have a fun, fair and square match @Batard may the better side win!

It’ll be a shit match.

[Machado]

Portugal vs Argentina in the QF if both advance. Would be the most hyped event of all time.

[Azeem]

8 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Let's be honest... All this Nigeria were unlucky. How hard did Armani have to work?

This was a game of fine details and the team that scored more won. They deserved it. Nigeria didn’t wet my pants at all and I can assure you, I was all up for a bit of humidity. 

Its about playing to your strengths. And clinical striking was never Nigera's strength.

[Batard]

Just now, Machado said:

Portugal vs Argentina in the QF if both advance.

Marginally less shit than France vs Portugal 

[Machado]

1 minute ago, Batard said:

Marginally less shit than France vs Portugal 

Worldwide media would go nuts. The utmost Ronaldo vs Messi battle. Possibly the most hyped event the sport would ever see.

[Cicero]

Argentina should field all attackers given their midfield will be eaten alive by N'Golo 

[Stan]

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 minute ago, Machado said:

Worldwide media would go nuts. The utmost Ronaldo vs Messi battle. Possibly the most hyped event the sport would ever see.

I think all of the Barca v Real Madrid clashes are more impressive. Club football is a higher standard than international and you get these two generational talents surrounded by other world class players, which helps them get the most out of their abilities.

But yeah I agree with you, it would be insanely hyped by the media. I bet it'll happen, FIFA would love that.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, Stan said:

Imagine being Maradona.

25% football player

25% god

25% a filthy fucking cheat

25% cocaine

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I think all of the Barca v Real Madrid clashes are more impressive. Club football is a higher standard than international and you get these two generational talents surrounded by other world class players, which helps them get the most out of their abilities.

But yeah I agree with you, it would be insanely hyped by the media. I bet it'll happen, FIFA would love that.

Messi wouldn’t like it. Portugal are 5 times the complete team Argentina are. 

[El Profesor]

16 minutes ago, Berserker said:

We defended well until the penalty, despite their extremely pacey players we were able to handle it quite well.

Not at all, in no other match was a penalty sanctioned for a play like that. And Rojo headed the ball before it touched his arm so it wasn't a pen neither. We were extremely unlucky to have a pen against for a play like that.

Mascherano defended well but he fucked up several times with his passes.

Di Maria is a fucking cunt, has one good match every 15 or 20.

Don't forget Rojo.

I'd agree although Higuain sacrificed himself quite a lot.

I think Argentina had a good 1st half, but after the tying goal Nigeria´s midfield stepped up and was excellent. Mikel, Ndidi and Etebo were really good.

This was probably a mix of the emotional gettingto your players and also a dip in the physical condition. You needed fresh blood in the midfield, Lo Celso in particular, but for some reason Sampaoli has a strange fixation about Meza. The defence also looked shaky at times. 

Against France you´ll need to be more compact and to take better care of the ball, otherwise France has the individual quality in attack to make you pay for your mistakes. If Nigeria had a better striker, I think they would have scored at least one more. 

My starting XI against France would be: 

Armani;  Mercado, Rojo, Otamendi, Tagliafico,;  Mascherano, Banega, Lo Celso; Pavón, Messi, Higuaín. 

What do you think?

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 minute ago, El Profesor said:

I think Argentina had a good 1st half, but after the tying goal Nigeria´s midfield stepped up and was excellent. Mikel, Ndidi and Etebo were really good.

This was probably a mix of the emotional gettingto your players and also a dip in the physical condition. You needed fresh blood in the midfield, Lo Celso in particular, but for some reason Sampaoli has a strange fixation about Meza. The defence also looked shaky at times. 

Against France you´ll need to be more compact and to take better care of the ball, otherwise France has the individual quality in attack to make you pay for your mistakes. If Nigeria had a better striker, I think they would have scored at least one more. 

My starting XI against France would be: 

Armani;  Mercado, Rojo, Otamendi, Tagliafico,;  Mascherano, Banega, Lo Celso; Pavón, Messi, Higuaín. 

What do you think?

I'd keep Mascherano the fuck away from the side. 3 matches now and in each one he's looked like a liability for Argentina. They desperately need to change away from some of what's been holding them back now that they're through to the group stages.

[Cicero]

3 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

I think Argentina had a good 1st half, but after the tying goal Nigeria´s midfield stepped up and was excellent. Mikel, Ndidi and Etebo were really good.

This was probably a mix of the emotional gettingto your players and also a dip in the physical condition. You needed fresh blood in the midfield, Lo Celso in particular, but for some reason Sampaoli has a strange fixation about Meza. The defence also looked shaky at times. 

Against France you´ll need to be more compact and to take better care of the ball, otherwise France has the individual quality in attack to make you pay for your mistakes. If Nigeria had a better striker, I think they would have scored at least one more. 

My starting XI against France would be: 

Armani;  Mercado, Rojo, Otamendi, Tagliafico,;  Mascherano, Banega, Lo Celso; Pavón, Messi, Higuaín. 

What do you think?

For that reason I'd have Biglia over Mascherano. Higuain or Aguero is a toss up, but I still prefer the latter given his speed. 

 

Messi is the first player in history to score a world cup goal in his teens, his 20's, and his 30's. Don't know the legitamacy of that. 

[SirBalon]

Put Mascherano in central defence where he’s belonged since Guardiola spotted it. He can do a good job there. 

[Machado]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I think all of the Barca v Real Madrid clashes are more impressive. Club football is a higher standard than international and you get these two generational talents surrounded by other world class players, which helps them get the most out of their abilities.

But yeah I agree with you, it would be insanely hyped by the media. I bet it'll happen, FIFA would love that.

That's true, the standard is not the same but the WC is watched more than La Liga and even the CL I think. I'm not sure how it would do in terms of views but I don't see why it couldn't break a record. It wouldn't be a great match at all IMO but fanboys all over the world don't really care.

[El Profesor]

2 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I'd keep Mascherano the fuck away from the side. 3 matches now and in each one he's looked like a liability for Argentina. They desperately need to change away from some of what's been holding them back now that they're through to the group stages.

His penalty was terrible and he misplaced some passes, but I still think he had a lot in his plate defensively and did ok. Banega is a great footballer but he´s not a good defender , Di María and Pérez couldn´t control the possession enough to give Masch a breather. 

 

3 minutes ago, Cicero said:

For that reason I'd have Biglia over Mascherano. Higuain or Aguero is a toss up, but I still prefer the latter given his speed. 

 

Messi is the first player in history to score a world cup goal in his teens, his 20's, and his 30's. Don't know the legitamacy of that. 

Good point. Biglia´s a good alternative.

[SirBalon]

21 minutes ago, Devon Von Devon said:

Its about playing to your strengths. And clinical striking was never Nigera's strength.

Yeah, but that’s called a lack of quality in an area. Argentina have that virus in midfield which is the most important area. So we can say it all equals out if we don’t go into semantics. I’m not about to feel sorry for a team or say they were unlucky just because they’re a lesser name. 

[Azeem]

12 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Yeah, but that’s called a lack of quality in an area. Argentina have that virus in midfield which is the most important area. So we can say it all equals out if we don’t go into semantics. I’m not about to feel sorry for a team or say they were unlucky just because they’re a lesser name. 

Or a team that punched above their wieghts.

Compare Argentina's midfield to the likes of France,Germany,Spain etc. Not to Nigeria.

 

 

[Marc]

32 minutes ago, SirBalon said:

Messi wouldn’t like it. Portugal are 5 times the complete team Argentina are. 

Tiresome trolling to soften the blow if CR7 does better

[Azeem]

@SirBalon With that midfield Argentina were supposed to get out of the group easily it was about winning the whole thing in which that virus might have hurt.