Argentina

[nebeer]

I wanted to see Tevez on and 2 goals and an assist - awesome.

[stokebarca]

Great to see Messi net

[nebeer]

Great to see Messi net

Yep and a nice goal at that. He finally started scoring for Argentina

Batista should stay on as the manager.

[Flavia]

Argetina owned Spain today. Maradona must be really sorry he didn't take Cambiasso, Zanetti and Gaby Milito to the wc.

[nebeer]

I'm very happy that Milito played and Zanetti, Cambiasso and Banega came back to the side. Look forward to seeing Pastore.

[La Furia]

It's so nice to see what Argentina is capable of doing with a real manager. Great starting lineup today, and no Jonas anywhere to be found.

[nebeer]

I think it is now very likely that Batista would stay on as the manager.

[zanela]

you don't want a hattrick for messi... you want a hattrick for the madridista against a team with massive barca presence? four days before he suits up for real?

what the hell is wrong with you?

My admiration for players is not subject to the employers they are tied up to. I don't follow Spain. Period. Neither is it customary to do so for any one particular factor which holds very less relevance on the International stage.(for me atleast)...I'm not one to change loyalty, so 'll cheer on La Albiceleste like I've since i can remember. I identify players with the colours they represent on the pitch and whenever Pipita dons the blue and white I'd want the best for him, always. And ppl's reaction to it is of little to no signifance.
You can harbour all the animosity and hostility towards our rival players but don't try forcing it on others.
And your inference of my post regarding Messi doesn't flatter your intelligence either.

I'm no longer gonna explain myself to you or anyone no more on this matter...I've done so once already, this one was hoping to refresh your memory..Hope it helped. I seriously 've no time for such accusations.

[jiltgei_selb]

Wow...I didn't catch this game unfortunately, and just read the headlines...WOW!!!!
Some news outlets were attributing a lot of the win to Spain not having all the players and the backup goalkeeper. Congrats to Argentina, they are a force to be reckoned with

[nebeer]

Wow...I didn't catch this game unfortunately, and just read the headlines...WOW!!!!
Some news outlets were attributing a lot of the win to Spain not having all the players and the backup goalkeeper. Congrats to Argentina, they are a force to be reckoned with

I have even said before that Spain squad is so abundant in depth and quality that they should have done well anyway. So what Xavi didn't start and came on in the second half? Fabregas was on in his place. Cesc isn't that bad is he?

[Lemmi]

It's so nice to see what Argentina is capable of doing with a real manager. Great starting lineup today, and no Jonas anywhere to be found.

then you will enjoy my brothers article...

-----------------------------------------------

Argentina Dispatch: Argentina's Drubbing Of Spain Is A Damning Indictment Of Diego Maradona's World Cup Selection Policy
Daniel Edwards wonders what if, after seeing a Cambiasso and Zanetti- enhanced Albiceleste take the world champions apart...

By Daniel Edwards
Sep 8, 2010 12:39:00 AM

El festejo de los jugadores - Argentina vs España (MexSport)
Amid the happiness and pride that inevitably flows from dispatching the World Champions 4-1 in front of your own fans, in Argentina there will also undoubtedly be an unpleasant question on the lips of many fans: what could we have achieved in South Africa with the cool head and selection policy of Sergio Batista over the fire and emotion that characterised Diego Maradona's short stint as head of 'La Seleccion'?

Of course there are certain qualifiers that must be made. Victory in a one-off friendly match must never be overstated, less so against a Spain team shorn of several key defenders and which had travelled across the Atlantic just days previously. Still, the assurance, cohesion and swagger in this Argentina team - and more than anything the solidity shown in the previously chaotic defence - must call into question the decisions made by 'El Diego' as the Albiceleste fell at the quarter-final stage. Batista's version showed all of the passion and fight which typified the squad before, but crucially added a killer instinct and solid base sorely lacking in the year-and-a-half the Argentine legend was at the helm.

Ironically, nothing summed up the new Argentina like the two returning heavyweights Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso. Zanetti was flawless in marshalling the right flank, completely nullifying Andres Iniesta over 45 minutes and not putting a foot wrong. The fact that Nicolas Otamendi was left to toil and suffer against Germany when 'El Pupi' was on the sidelines now seems nothing less than footballing suicide.

It was Cambiasso however, who really made the difference to the Albicelestes, not least in the boost he gave to captain Javier Mascherano. Many left the World Cup thinking that the Barca midfielder was not up to scratch, after watching Bastian Schweinsteiger and co. swarm all over him as he tried to anchor an anaemic Argentina midfield.

Ably assisted by the youthful Ever Banega though Mascherano and Cambiasso bossed the game, out-Spaining the Roja in keeping possession and tirelessly harassing such talents as Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas. From being the weakest link in South Africa, the middle of the park suddenly turned into a catalyst for everything good about Argentina's play, meaning that Lionel Messi lost a great deal of the pressure he has carried for so long with his national team and could do what he does best - tormenting teams with the ball at his feet and with space to move.

It would be grossly unfair to write off Maradona as a complete tactical dullard. In the final third of the pitch, it was he that had the guts to play Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain as an attacking trident - a move that he lived or died by in South Africa. His faith in the 'People's Player' Tevez especially was admirable with players of such quality as Sergio Aguero and Diego Milito waiting in the wings - and Batista reaped the benefits tonight of a happy and motivated 'Carlitos' as the Manchester City star was irrepressible, scoring one and adding two assists. These three players have the ability, drive and support to storm the world as an attacking unit.

You cannot however, build a luxury skyscraper without strong enough foundations to hold it up. By ignoring such consistently accomplished performers further back in the field as Zanetti, Cambiasso and Banega, that is exactly what happened as Argentina floundered against Germany. Argentina were set up to perfectly imitate the clinical brilliance of Barcelona and Spain in 2010, but shorn of the necessary players through nothing else but ineptitude in selection. The Albiceleste version under Dieguito never amounted to much more than a cheap knock-off.

Batista has proved for years in Argentina that he has a tactical knowledge and nous rivalled by few, and this convincing win has surely confirmed his transition from interim to permanent coach. Amongst the inevitable outbursts of praise and delight bound to emanate from the Argentine press in the next few days however, the question cannot and will not be ignored: why did Julio Grondona go for the mercurial genius of 'El Pelusa' when the down-to-earth tactical sense of 'El Checho' was standing right beside him?


http://www.goal.com/en/news/585/arge...n-is-a-damning

[dalitis8]

Blah...blah ....blah....blah...the world seems to have turned around thanks to a friendly...

[La Furia]

Your brother is spot on; the day Maradona stubbornly left Cambiasso home was the day Argentina lost.

Blah...blah ....blah....blah...the world seems to have turned around thanks to a friendly...

Bitter much? It's meaningful in the extent that Argentina might finally have a proper coach again.

[Metaphysical]

My admiration for players is not subject to the employers they are tied up to. I don't follow Spain. Period. Neither is it customary to do so for any one particular factor which holds very less relevance on the International stage.(for me atleast)...I'm not one to change loyalty, so 'll cheer on La Albiceleste like I've since i can remember. I identify players with the colours they represent on the pitch and whenever Pipita dons the blue and white I'd want the best for him, always. And ppl's reaction to it is of little to no signifance.
You can harbour all the animosity and hostility towards our rival players but don't try forcing it on others.
And your inference of my post regarding Messi doesn't flatter your intelligence either.

I'm no longer gonna explain myself to you or anyone no more on this matter...I've done so once already, this one was hoping to refresh your memory..Hope it helped. I seriously 've no time for such accusations.

hey I love LOS albiceleste as much as the next guy, but football matches aren't played in a bubble.. unless you are incapable of inferring that if pipita scores a hattrick against piqué and co. that he will return to his club (real madrid) in fine confidence and form, whereas our (barcelona) players will return in poor confidence and form..and that him winning this matchup may give him a psychological edge come el clasico.

well I can infer that you don't flatter your loyalty to fc barcelona with such stances, not to mention the unwavering support of a turncoat dane.. especially when one uses their intelligence and looks back to realise you've never shown such unwavering support for any barca player, and indeed only the madridistas higuain and laudrup seem to gain unconditional love from you.. well I can only infer what's right there in front of me sweetheart..

my apologies in advance if you have inferred an offensive nature from this post. I assure you I meant no such insult and was merely speaking on matters as they appear to be with the hope that perhaps you will realise the folly I am trying to highlight..

Your brother is spot on; the day Maradona stubbornly left Cambiasso home was the day Argentina lost.

people are really overlooking the return of gabi milito.

yes, banega and cucho were very important pieces of the puzzle. but argentina have lacked a defensive leader since gabi went out injured. they are REPLETE with secondary defenders. outstanding individual talents but none of them a leader, an organiser. gabi is that guy and his return totally steadied the ship at the back to the point that even heinze looked competent (alright navas filleted him regularly but that's what navas does, it didn't get to marcelo levels which it should have done).

even romero looked more boss than usual, although that could just be him maturing.

[dalitis8]

Your brother is spot on; the day Maradona stubbornly left Cambiasso home was the day Argentina lost.



Bitter much? It's meaningful in the extent that Argentina might finally have a proper coach again.

Like I said before...the next World Cup won't be upon us for another 4(four) years...even if Argentina have proven to be superior to the World and European Champions(ridiculous inference if from only a friendly) it matters little if at all...since come 2014..we will be living in a different world...many current players will be done and dusted,others will fall out of favour and new stars will arise...if ever there was meaningless game...this was it....