Does this have anything to do with Barcelona? Besides Messi and Alves possibly being on the pitch at the same time? NO.
Are international breaks boring unless you also happen to be a rabid American college football fan and the season starts today although you still feel emptiness inside due to not watching Barca for a weekend (that’s me by the way)? Yes.
As such, we decided that maybe an Argentina-Brazil preview/game post would be in order if only to help us past the time with no Barca on TV. So, here you go.
As South Africa 2010 gets closer and closer, the blood soaked grinder that is CONMEBOL gauntlet, hands down the toughest group in the world, finds Argentina in real danger of not qualifying. Here’s the table right now.
- Brazil: 27 pts
- Chile: 26 pt
- Paraguay: 24 pts
- Argentina: 22 pts
- Ecuador: 20 pts
- Uruguay: 18 pts
- Colombia: 17 pts
- Venezuela: 17 pts
- Bolivia: 12 pts
- Peru: 7 pts
If that’s not a tough group then I don’t know what is. The first four qualify for the WC automatically while the fifth place team plays the fourth place team from CONCACAF in a playoff for the right to go to South Africa. Looking at this table you can see why Argentina is genuinely nervous about qualifying. They cannot afford to drop points right now. Especially considering that next week they have to fly out to face a very dangerous Paraguay team at their place.
However, what makes this interesting is the rivalry between the two nations. Sure, Mexico vs. the US has increased since the 90’s but this one has been going on for much longer. It has evolved in cycles. Argentina had the upper hand from 1986 (the year of the Diego) all the way to 1993 in terms of titles. However, it is interesting to note that during this time the Maradona teams only beat Brazil once in six games. Nonetheless it was to eliminate them in the ¼ finals of the 1990 WC. Making it one of the sweetest victory in Argentina’s history and one of the bitterest for Brazil. Here’s the Brazil broadcast’s version of the 1-0 goal resulting from Maradona’s pass that won it for the Argy’s.
After that, since 1994 it has pretty much been all Brazil, winning two World Cups and making the final of the third as well as beating Argentina in two Copa America finals and a Confederations Cup final. Argentina hasn’t beat Brazil since 2005 when this happened:
Damn. I miss Crespo. Now, let’s look at the two teams:
Brazil
• WC Quals Record: 7 wins, 6 draws, and 1 loss.
• Goal Difference: +19 (26 for-6 against)
• Squad:
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Victor (Gremio)
Defenders: Andre Santos (Fenerbahce), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Inter Milan), Filipe (Deportivo La Coruna), Lucio (Inter Milan), Luisao (Benfica), Miranda (Sao Paulo), Juan (AS Roma)
Midfielders: Elano (Galatasaray), Felipe Melo (Juventus), Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Sandro (Internacional), Ramires (Benfica), Julio Baptista (AS Roma), Kaka (Real Madrid), Lucas (Liverpool)
Forwards: Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Nilmar (Villarreal), Robinho (Manchester City), Adriano (Flamengo)
My stance on Dunga is well known. I hate his guts. Not just because I am an Argentina fan but because of what he has done to Brazil’s beautiful football. At first glance it appears he’s done a great job. First on the table, a Confed Cup win, and a +19 goal difference? What else do you want? Well, I want beautiful football and so do a lot of Brasileros. The goal difference is deceiving because of the number of draws they’ve had. They’ve had a lot of very close games with a few “goleadas” spread in between. The key is always that they hardly concede. Their draws are usually of the 0-0 or 1-1 variety. Only six goals in 14 games is remarkable.
Dunga has built this team around Kaka. In theory he plays a 4-2-3-1 but in reality its more like a classic Milan style 4-3-2-1. They live off the counterattack and are their deadliest in space. Kaka and Robinho are two of the deadliest players in the world when given room to run in the open field. They feature three workhorses in the midfield: Gilberto Silva, Ramires, and Melo. Silva is a pure D-Mid while Melo and Ramires are tall, strong, and fast box to box midfielders. Their job is to break up play and give the ball to Kaka. Since they have three withdrawn central midfielders they count a lot on their fullbacks to spread the field. Maicon and Andre Santos/Dani Alves are the preferred starters. They are very prone to bomb forward and sometimes leave space open on the wings. In the “hole” we have Kaka cutting in from left to right and Robinho from right to left while Luis Fabiano plays the 9. Everything goes through Kaka so expect Mascherano to get at least one yellow card and kick him often. Also, Brazil is exceptional at set pieces with so many big tall physical players; not to mention so many good free kick takers (it is Brazil after all).
The key for them is to score first because once they do, they can stay back and play their counterattacking game. If Argentina scores first then we might actually see an interesting game. Consider them prohibitive favorites though.
Argentina
• WC Quals Record: 6 wins, 4 draw, and 4 losses.
• Goal Difference: +4 (19 for-15 against)
• Squad:
Goalkeepers: Juan Pablo Carrizo (Zaragoza), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar)
Defenders: Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan), Nicolas Pareja (Espanyol), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Gabriel Heinze (Marseille), Sebastian Dominguez, Emiliano Papa, Nicolas Otamendi (all Velez Sarsfield), Rolando Schiavi (Newell’s Old Boys);
Midfielders: Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Jesus Datolo (Napoli), Juan Sebastian Veron and Rodrigo Brana (Estudiantes), Mario Bolatti (Huracan), Sebastian Battaglia (Boca Juniors)
Forwards: Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Lisandro Lopez (Lyon), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Eduardo Salvio (Lanus), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors).
Argentina has not had a good qualifying campaign at all. They are no longer this team:
Ex coach Afilo Basile was fired halfway through and surprisingly replaced by Diego Maradona. It is pretty much a consensus that el Diego is over his head. A great motivator (if you are Argentinean and GOD tells you to do something then you will give your life to do it) but a shitty tactician, his choice also resulted in the team’s center of attention, Juan Roman Riquelme resigning from la Seleccion. The team is now built around our very own Leo Messi but they still have not found the way to optimize his presence. Two friendly wins against France and Scotland and a rout against Venezuela gave way to a nightmare run of results. A massacre in Bolivia, a 1-0 win against Colombia, and a 2-0 loss against Ecuador has put Argentina between a rock and a hard place.
The team is not as good as some people make it seem in terms of talent. Part of it is Maradona’s fault. When you call up the likes of Gabriel Heinze and Newcastle’s own Jonas Gutierrez instead of Lazio’s Zarate or Real Madrid’s Higuain then you know something is woefully wrong. The other part is that a significant part of a generation that should right now be in its prime is missing for various reasons ranging from injury (Aimar) to flopping (Saviola and D’Alessandro) or resigning (Riquelme). Instead, Argentina has a lot of young talents with a bunch of old guys interspersed with a few players in their primes. How they play depends on the mad whims of el Diego. They’ve done everything from a 4-4-2 to a mad 3-4-3 to a 4-3-3. None of them have been particularly effective.
For the purposes of this game it looks like a 4-4-2 with a backline of Otamendi (good talent) and Dominguez (the pride of Velez-Sarsfield) at CB; with Zanetti and Heinze (WTF!?!?) at FB, Mascherano and Veron at center midfield, Maxi Rodriguez and Jesus Datolo as wingers, and Messi and Tevez up front. I honestly have no idea what they will do. Diego is so bat shit crazy that I just don’t know. Datolo is a real winger and a very underrated player IMO (certainly better than Gutierrez). Maxi is not a real winger and more of a volante or flank midfielder. Look for Maicon and Robinho to have a party against him and Heinze on the left. I like Veron next to Mascherano. That’s a good balance. What I don’t like is Tevez and Messi. The latter needs a real #9 to play off of and that’s Milito but apparently he is on Diego’s bad side.
Argentina claims they want to be offensive and attack but I think that’s also exactly what Brazil wants. They are underdogs in my opinion. That said, Argentina has a hell of a tough crowd. They have NEVER lost a home game for world cup qualifiers. Messi has a world of pressure on him but I think he can thrive off of it. He’s 22 years old and the hopes and dreams of his nation are on his shoulders. No pressure, right? A few days ago, Argentina played a third division side in a practice match… Messi scored 5 goals. He really wants this game. It won’t surprise me to see him man marked. Dunga has done it before using Anderson (Olympics) and Melo (WC quals). They will also kick him every chance they get. Say a prayer for our Argy Bargy because Brazil always plays him tough. The last game they played (a 0-0 draw) went like this for Messi:
If Argentina scores first then they have a chance. As far as I’m concerned they are the soccer national team version of the Cleveland Cavaliers offense (NBA reference). Its “give the ball to Messi and get out of the way ”. I’m not sure that’s enough to win against a pragmatic and effective Brazil side. We’ll see.
Prediction: Brazil 2 Argentina 2
all my streams are being cut! Any good ones?
I’d love to see all the Latin American teams do well, though I see Brazil making qualification difficult for Argentina today. Argentina will be fine, though. Colombia and Peru did them favors today.
anyone got a scoop on the lineup? we’ll know in 8 minutes, but still, its nice to be ahead
Fuck I can’t wait AT ALL!!! And yeah those streams are gonna get cut like an umbilical cord. This happened for the Mex v USA game, which I ended up just watching at the Kitchen on comcast (ugh i hate kitchens, seriously) but this, as I understand it, wont be available on tv at all. So I am gonna go nuts every time a stream gets cut.
http://www.justin.tv/lvss_sports_1
//http://www.justin.tv/lvss_sports_1
//http://www.rojadirecta.com/freedocast/426E31E02139109D
a couple of the Sopcast CCTV steams are working for me with Sopcast; not great quality though and Chinese commentary. but always trust the Chinese with technology.
oh, those are found on Myp2p.eu, by the way.
Which one are you on BA? I can’t find one that’s working
Thanks txiki
these are working for me
//http://www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/futbolarg5 )
//http://www.rojadirecta.com/justin/gremio_tv
My god the quality is awful! It feels like I am watching this on one of those old school handheld tvs haha
Yup all the streams I have seen are bad quality
WHY IS HEINZE STILL PLAYING FOOTBALL. LET ALONE FOR THE ARGENTINE NATIONAL FUCKING TEAM.
//http://www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/mitvcanal62
//www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/mitvcanal62 DONE
shit defending honestly
txiki
only http://www.ustream.tv/channel-popup/mitvcanal62 seems to be of some help for me on my interent connection
but i can’t find the match. could u plz help me
Brazil 1-0 off a set piece.
not an Argentine player within 5 yards of him in the box. horrible defending.
fuck…i shoulda payed the god damn 35 bucks
is it me or all the streams not working
Well even more comical defending.
2-0 maradonna’s whack…poor leo
http://www.justin.tv/footballtoday125
i’m gonna go kick my dog. this shit is horrible. stupid feeds.
Brazil are fouling the shit out of the Argentinian forwards. Tevez alone has gotten stiff-armed like 4 times already.
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=48019&part=sports
the first CCTV5 Sopcast stream on that list works and is steady. you need Sopcast and you’ll have to listen to about 12 Chinese people yammering on about god knows what, but it works and the quality is acceptable.
don’t kick your dog txiki, kick a maradona look alike! my feeds are all shit
//http://www.magedtv.net/ch1.html
Brazil 2-0 up, after yet another set piece. Argentina are being routed.
//http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=48019&part=sports
the first CCTV5 Sopcast stream in that list works fine, if you have Sopcast and don’t mind Chinese commentary.
Yes!!
Maradona biting his nails in the dugout. the idea that he could manage a national team in World Cup qualifying was, is, and will continue to be a total joke.
Good link:
http://www.magedtv.net/ch1.html
In English.
agreed BA
But that last link only works w/FireFox.
Maradona out?
Cesar makes a point-blank save from Maxi, but the ball that got him there was a long hopeful sliding hoof rather than anything concrete.
Almost 3-0. Holy crap.
//sop://broker1.sopcast.com:3912/30931
If you have sopcast that’s a great link. English, ok quality, no skipping, and best of all, RELIABLE!
holy crap is right….. and my boy Sam Bradford is out (different football, but i am switching b/w both)
Veron whiffs a high volley in the box.
Leo has no support. and dunga’s turned brazil into Chelsea.
Argentina looks completely uninspired.
Isn’t it sad? Now you guys see why I hate Dunga’s guts?
Lordy. Individual brilliance will have to do the trick for Argentina, and they’re kicking the crap out of Messi whenever he touches the ball.
I hate what Brasil looks like under Dunga
lol at this point, Messi might as wll get a yellow and come back early to Europe. crap.
Argentina’s dead meat as far as I’m concerned. Two goal lead? Dunga can comfortably play his game now.
If Brasil win, they get to celebrate qualifying for the World Cup (for the 19th time) at Argentina.
Kinda sweet for them, huh?
mexico v costa rica on the boob tube fuck yeah!!!!
This is a blessing in disguise for Argentina. A heavy loss at home (and let’s not kid ourselves, with the second half to come, this could end 3-0, 4-1, or something similar) to Brazil will ensure Maradona gets fired. Maybe when that happens, Argentina can play their best team. With solid tactics. And good man management. You know, stuff a manager is supposed to provide.
just got home, argentina aren’t looking too good
i like your photo choice for this thread
shit txiki, I don’t have telemundo
Pure insanity! Only a miracle can get them out of this hole. Yes Brazil looks like garbage under Mr. Dung, but they’re getting the job done right now.
Very sad to see..maybe this will finally get Maradona kicked out
haha jose, couldn’t barca have bagged the league at the bernabeu this season if we’d beaten valencia and they drew/lost at sevilla or something like that? too bad it didn’t work out
True, Luna. But they’re winning, right? Whoever thought that (like us v. Gijon) that both Brazil goals would come from set pieces? Defense looks horrific.
:^( poor luna.
argentina started out like they were gonna kick ass. first 3 minutes were awesome!
Smart halftime commentary from the stream I’m on.
I just feel bad for Leo man.
Why is lisandro lopez on the bench
why isnt *
Yeah Brasil is winning but it’s soo unrecognizable, but they are winning…
is it me or is it like Argentina are not convinced, their faces, everything on playing for Santo Maradona? Or maybe I am reading too much into this
I’ll have to settle for Mexico v. Costa Rica on streams
Luisao free header! What the fuck was that!? Even if Argentina finish 5th on the table, they still got chance to play world cup right? They need to play a qualifier vs mexico isn’t it?
Well at least Ecuador and Uruguay lost if you’re an Argentina fan. But Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay are all about to be out of reach…
Not sure if I’m going to watch the second half or check out Chile’s funky system that Vickery wrote about recently.
Anyone know what’s up with the virtual blackout of US – El Salvador? I guess ESPN went with college football, but not even match commentary? And almost no streams?
The US game is on ESPN classics if you have it and 360
Boat: It is not decided yet as there are still a few games left. Mexico plays Costa Rica today, and if they win it probably wont be Mexico.
Time to call official BS on the Thierry Henry Twitter site. 11 a.m. the day before the Cup qualifier and he posts from the Web about going out with friends in Barcelona? Hmmm….
@Boat Forever – they play the fourth place CONCACAF team, which right now is Mexico. I think Mexico catches Honduras though.
Thanks Luna!
Best Argentina can hope for is a draw. Even that will be a minor miracle.
I say it finishes 3-1.
Aguero coming on for Maxi R.
si se puede
even w/maradonna @ the helm i don’t like mexico’s chances vs argentina.
maxi out for aguero?
By the by, coaching is what makes things such as defense against set pieces happen. Individual excellence can drive offense, but teams drive defense.
i like aguero so far…he’s pressuring
Argentina: Got Riquelme?
argentina looking better
Get in Kaka’s space and he’s singularly unimpressive, isn’t he?
Why does Fabiano always look mad?
how could the ref not have seen that deflection? arghhh
Why does Maradona look so strange?
Brazil play really ugly football under Dunga, but man they’ve got some classy-looking kits. those shirts are awesome.
he looks like divine from pink flamingos
Yes kxevin, hes no number 10.
Diego looks strange cuz he’s hittin the powder again. and if he’s not, he fuckin should be.
Tevez taking wild swings at the ball hoping to Gitmo it into the net.
Why take that shot, if you’re Veron?
chasing the dragon again? maybe it was the drip causing that worried looking face
Hey, Tevez is out there! How ’bout that?
Tevez out?
cuz he’s not very good? neither is Carlos Tevez?
Maradona doesn’t seem to be providing any input or guidance, just letting them play. Can anyone imagine Guardiola, with us being down 2-0, standing there biting his nails?
Messi is doing it, but nobody else is.
Mascherano – Cambiasso – Anyone
Messi – Higuain or Milito – Aguero
there, i just solved 90% of Diego’s problems.
How, oh how, was that NOT a foul v. Messi?
Tevez continuing to do his best Wayne Rooney impression, rocketing around the pitch with no clear goal or forethought.
poor Messi, shove him in the back more!!!
Holy crap! Golazo!
datolo!!! i was about to talk shit about that guy. awesome.
Beauty!
Golazoo wow
Datolo with the rocket!
holy shit! Datolo with a fucking ROCKET from 30 yards into the far top corner.
Datoloooooooooooo!
Fuck
Ouch. Nobody got in Kaka’s grille.
Another worst piece of defending
that started with Veron
Fabiano is a loathsome, frown-faced bit of pustulence.
that was a nice pass
nevermind. Fabiano does what he does. 3-1. more bad defending.
If you give Kaka that kind of space, he will always make the killer pass. Scouting should have told them to always keep someone in his face/space.
they were showing a lot of heart…that is just cruel. beautiful strike though. fabiano may have just made it onto my fantasy futbol XI
Diego Milito in the house. For Tevez.
Heinze hoofs the ball 40 yards out of bounds from 50 yards out. what a clown.
More coaching. After scoring a goal like that, the back line should be so tight to make sure that you don’t concede right away.
good…Tevez has crazy energy but sometimes it’s just blows up on him
Dani is on.
BUS BUS BUS BUS
I feel sorry for messi
horrible performance by Tevez IMO. senseless fouls and poor offense – (1) cross missed by Aguero.
3 goals in 20 mins against a side that they still haven’t broken down? Not likely.
Alves right on, almost an assist.
mexico streams anyone???
Leo with a nice move
worst performance of the night has to go to Heinze though. what a Sergio Ramos wannabe.
milito????
Ramirez INCHES away from a fast Dani Alves cross.
Ho.Ly. Crap. How does Milito miss that one?
Oh GOD
Aguero has to keep running.
un. believable. had to have been a goal. HAD TO.
cesar is amazing
Messi does brilliantly…. someone (Kun in this case) doesn’t measure up. the story of Argentina’s qualifying campaign.
Sort of makes you realize how good we are, doesn’t it? Offense, midfield play and defense combined. Mes que un club, indeed.
Diego looks like a wax figure of himself.
Damn Milito!! YOU SHOT ON SIGHT MOFO!! One touch and Cesar (Who i love) was on him
@ luna
telemundo baby
http://www.myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=48052&part=sports
Adriano actually looks smaller.
Fatty Adriano on for Fabiano.
Aguero going for the move, instead of one-timing the ball across the box.
Kun has been deeply unimpressive in general this season, for both club and country.
Mascherano wasting possession and position.
What bullshit from Adriano. Shameful.
Heinze punches Maicon in the face.
Ill be deeply upset if brazil win the world cup like this.Fuck you dunga.
Shhhh! You’ll vex Hector.
oh that’s Adriano, and Heinze didn’t really touch him.
Adriano? i thought that bastard was still in rehab haha
Are you fucking kidding me Adriano?? Bunch of garbage
Very nasty challenge from Ramirez.
Brazil are the foulingest national team i’ve seen in a long time.
Lol Nice free kick Alves..oh wait that was Veron haha
The thing is the ref isnt even calling most of the fouls
Wow. Cesar.
if Argentina lose by this scoreline, what are the odds of Diego getting sacked?
he should have been sacked after the 6-0 @ bolivia. this should be the golden age of argentina.
BA: Probably about 1,000:1
Sad thing is a player will most likely get blamed for it..
After this game, I hate Dunga’s Brazil, I hate Maradonna, and I hate Tevez. But i still HATE the BCS more than anything.
So left are Peru, Paraguay and Uruguay. Two of those are at altitude, right?
peru for sure.
Veron’s free kick can’t make it past the 1-man wall. he’s been horribly inadequate in that position.
and the game against Peru is at home.
Better than Dumbenech, but not enough to get him axed for sure.
Aguero? Really?
Yes, Dumbenech is truly idiotic. I think a battle of the mindless between he and Diego would be entertaining. I think Maradonna should resign, start working out and training, then suit up for the team. If Adriano can be recalled, (and possibly Ronaldo?? HUH?) then its possible. They’d be better off with him playing than coaching.
oh…scratch peru then. altitude shmaltitude. maradonna sucks. he can’t even mimic barca’s play. he has the personnel.
I hate Dunga AND Maradona.
The only way for Argentina to take ANYTHING positive out of this is if Maradona is fired.
BTW The newspapers tomorrow will talk about how Messi failed to lead the team to glory.
On the bright side, my college football team won convincingly today.
I got it! Maradona looks like Robert Downey, Jr. as the old Charlie Chaplin.
peru home. uruguay away.
masch << yaya
Maradona…out!
Whose your college football team Hector? I’m a big 12 person…My boy Sam Bradford, hurt shoulder, Oklahoma just lost
Thanks for ruining my weekend Diego ! Next saturday cant come sooner.
Argentina just doesn’t look a team to me. They look a collection of talented individuals. And that isn’t a club that can win. Not long-term. You can beat minnows like that, but not bigger fish.
So that magad tv link was Al Jazeera feed, with English commentary.
Argentina wholly deserved to lose like that…
lol they will call leo soft wont they
25 goals in 33 matches for Fabiano? All that, and I still hate him.
As I said earlier, this is a blessing in disguise for Arg if they fire Maradona. If not…well, it’ll be a shame for a truly transcendetal player (Messi) to not be on the world’s biggest stage next year.
Also, can I get some props for the 3-1 prediction at halftime?
Yes Messi will get blamed for this..and yet he was the only person with an Arg jersey worthy of being called a football player. Ah well
PROPS! @ Ahsan.
how STUPID. did maradonna really think he could win without playing a striker?!
yeah that maged stream was a great save. one of scottland’s ex coach’s doing the pregame & halftime commentary.
Good call Kevin. Argentina were no where near fluid enough to overcome Brazil’s negative play. They need someone to distribute through the midfield. Masch can slow those counters but the other midfielders didn’t look like they had clear roles.
No Higuain, no Riquelme, 3 midgets (Leo, Aguero, Tevez) running around like rabbits when you only need 1.
FIRE HIM!
jnelson, obviously you don’t understand Maradona’s tactics:
1) Give the ball to Messi.
2) ???
3) Goal!
Props @Ahsan.
Maradona and Dumbenech, both playing w/o strikers today. What do both coaches have in common? Hmmm….
If you’re playing like Argentina, midfield control is crucial. They’re only playing when they get the ball. Did any of their attackers ever track back?
Argentina had control of the ball in the attacking end, but once they lost it, Brazil were off to the races.
More bad news for Argentina: Venezuela go up on chile out of nowhere on two horrible back passes. Argentina could end the day with four teams breathing down their neck for that fourth (and fifth…) spot.
So top 5 go through, and sixth plays CONCACAF in a playoff, correct?
Desastrous performance from Argentina, where is the defence, where is the offensive, creative midfield?
Messi cannot carry the whole nation. Where is Lucho Gonzales, Juan Roman Riquelme, Lisandro Lopez, Gonzalo Higuain? And I doubt that there is not a single Argentinian defender who is better than the ones who played today (except of Zanetti, he’s actually good but not so today). I am still shocked and I already feel sorry for all the blaming on Messi that will possibly come up in the Argentinean press. And I’m looking forward to the day of Maradonna’s retirement.
Nevertheless, I’m also kind a relieved that no Barca player got injured and everyone (except of Messi) had a great match. Messi will strike back, possibly not on Wednesday, because Argentina is no team at all, but he will do it for us against Inter and in La Liga.
Visca el Barca!
PS: I’m also looking forward to some nation kicking Brazil’s ass in the World Cup, they have become the Italy of South America, or even worse, the Chelsea of the national teams.
Good night!
Top 4 go through and the fifth plays CONCACEF in a play off
Apparently, of all the players in the field only Zanetti and Veron were alive the last time Argentina lost to Brazil at home in a competitive match.
I could list over 20 things that Argentina did wrong, I shit you not. But why? With Maradona there, they are not going to get any better. They have 3 games to get better. They truly could be out.
Luna- Michigan. Seriously, thank God for Barca because the last years have been horrible on that end of the spectrum. It felt good to win convincingly after what seems like decades. Sorry about Bradford. I like that dude.
Mexico gol…Giovanni dos Santos!
Yes Helge, exactly like chelsea.Hopefully they meet spain in the world cup and iniesta can exact justice for football again.
Wow Hector, Michigan, glad you won, with the drama surrounding Rich Rodriguez. I like Michigan, glad you won!
golazo from the older dos santos!
ex barca gio dos santos scores for mexico just before half time. really nice shot. and it wasn’t on a crappy feed! streaming matches licks ass. never again.
jealous txiki, jealous
Any buy-back clause included in his transfer? Been excellent lately
ha! just wanted to rub it in a little more in case you forgot :^p
how do you not get telemundo? i even got that channel when i was living in boston for a while. where do you live mars?
I do live in mars, utah mars
http://www.canchallena.com/1171386
…and so it begins. Its all Messi’s fault. The better Messi performs for Barca the more he will be criticized in Argentina for “not feeling the flag”. Give him a Xavi or an Iniesta to get him the ball in good positions and take advantage of his runs and you’ll see how he improves. What the hell is he supposed to do?
Yeah that’s how it is over there. This is just pathetic. Can’t believe Messi is gonna feel the brunt of the Arg fans’ and/or media’s reaction.
Luna I have the EXACT same problem: I live in Utah and don’t get Telemundo.
Bizzare.
Utah=Mars, Lol!
you don’t get more mars than utah. oh my. sorry i brought that up.
ha! back to mexico. why isn’t guardado on instead of washed up ass cuauhtémoc. i mean he’s doing/done well today on the pitch…but that guy should have been put out to pasture a while ago.
Aint that rich. One of the comments on the articles on that site called him “Me$$i”.
I have a soft spot for Cuau, but the way guardado has played in Spain, he should be in, but G suffers the Mexican complex at times-kick ass on club, choke on national.
Utah ain’t that bad…if you like outdoors stuff
i know i know…i’ve got peeps in utah. see i shouldn’t have brought it up
gio & vela won the u-17 i think? they don’t quite fit that complex. if anything dos santos is the opposite. flop at his club & hero for the national team.
I don’t read Spanish, but as a Pakistani, I think I know what’s going to happen, from experience. With our media, whenever we lost at cricket, the media doesn’t blame the people who actually deserve it, but the biggest names and the easiest targets. They’ll go after the captain (even if he’s the only one performing) just so they can sell their trashy
“journalism”.
I’m pretty sure that’s how Latin American culture is with football.
GOLLLLLLLLL
Fuck Giovanni is looking so good. You’re right txiki, Gio and Vela are a new breed!
gio to franco. golazo!!!!!! azo azo azo!!!!
franco have a club yet?
I think there’s a hang up, he’s trying to get back to Argentina but the federacion doesn’t want to let him, at least last I heard
sabah on the bench? injured? awol?
I think, not sure, Aguirre chose Franco over Sabah
gio to guardado!
OMG GIO!!!!!!!!!!! and Guardado
costa ricans filing out the stadium. maybe we won’t have to play argentina to qualify.
Do not want to face Argentina!
ok sabah on
nery castillo on. he still play for man city? what he injure his shoulder @ manchester & then never play again? great goal against brazil a while back but after watching him play the u.s. he seems like a total dick head.
he went to Shakhtar and he was loaned out to another Ukrainian team. Don’t care much for him myself
obligatory to rock my long sleeve mexico goal keeper jersey tonight.
yup yup! streams out on my end! Till the next match txiki!
peace & chicken grease!
BS.com rated Messi at 5.5 but Veron at 6.5. Right.
Poor Argentina, they got owned in every aspect. In my opinion Datolo was the only one showing some promise out there.
Anyone watched Argentina-Brazil training session? Maradona made a smart move by putting each of his player in the wrong position and role so they understand how their teammates in that role think and feel.
When will they play?
Ramzi, from what I understand, the next time Argentina might play Brazil is Copa America 2011.
I downloaded the Ivory Coast-Burkina Faso match, and Yaya’s play was ridiculous. He had a goal and two assists and was strolling throughout the match. When he has more offensive responsibility, these things happen. He is disgusting.
WTF David Villa has missed 3 penalties now with spain…one after the other what the hell?
The net is so full of shit, people are already out there spreading crap about it being Messi’s fault, because you know, it isnt enough that he ran through 5 brasilians twice or 3 times, he has to do more, he still has to go through the other 6 and score all by himself. Bullshit
and Yeah, Veron was absolutely amazing :S, a 36 year old AM always is..
Brasil’s style of play has become disgusting with Dunga lately, they’re winning much, but not quite the reputation Brasil have.
Damn, this is so ridiculous…
What’s Messi supposed to do? Do they think Maradona would do better in this side AND with this coach?
In an article on goal.com, Maradona says that this loss will make him work even harder, but he also admits it will be complicated to qualify. Unfortunately, he doesn’t think about retiring
Will it make him work ever harder, just like the loss against Bolivia? Which was shortly followed by a match in Ecuador which contained the same errors? This guy never learns anything… he is the worst coach I’ve ever seen coaching a great football nation.
And even if Argentina wins in Paraguay on Wednesday, it doesn’t make any differece for their World Cup ambitions. With Maradona and without players like Higuain, Cambiasso, Riquelme, Lucho Gonzales, Lisandro Lopez etc. their chances of winning it are 0.5 % .
I wonder how this Dunga’s team is regarded in Brazil.
I mean, if the Brazilians didn’t really like the philosophy of Parriera in 94, they must be vomiting every time they watch this version of their national team.
good news Messi isn’t injured, as I read in skysports that Sneider’s foot is badly injured. he actually heard it getting broken!
Well, about Sneijder: I’ve heard that it isn’t that bad. He probably has a stretched ligament only. But he should miss the CL clash anyway.
As far as I know, Dunga has been anything but popular in Brazil because of his disciplined, rather unspectacular way of playing football. But since they won the Confed Cup, I haven’t heard much about it anymore. The end justifies the means…
yeah now some of the arg fans are saying Messi is overrated.. and apparently, before the game Maradona showed the players some video to motivate them, just like he did before another game that they lost, Bolivia? Ecuador?
At the moment, Messi and thong boy may not make it to wc. wow.
Not to forget France, fcbfan.
I’m not devastated if Portugal fails, but a World Cup without France and Argentina would suck!
Yes Helge, forgot France, another clueless coach.
No Sneijder for cl? mmmm
It’s not confirmed yet, fcbfan. But usually such a injury takes 2-3 weeks to be cured.
From what I understand, most Brazilians are fine with the state of play. The complaint the last few years has been the disconnect between the fans and the players, as most of them now play in Europe and not Brazil. At least that’s what the WCB Brazil blogger says.
I would also consider that Dunga plays with what he has. The past ten years or so, there’s been an emphasis in Brazilian players to bulk up and be able to physically compete with European players. This change in emphasis has made the Brazilian player much more marketable, which is why Brazil has become the world’s biggest exporter of football talent.
In that sense, being a national team coach is different than being a club coach. You can’t procure transfers, you see what you have and you design the best, most efficient system to win with that. Dunga has always had an affinity for that style of play, of course, but maybe he’s honestly felt that Brazil’s best shot at winning is playing like this. And you can’t damn well say it isn’t effective. Brazil isn’t scraping by with 1-0 wins, or playing for penalties. Their deadliness on set pieces and counter attack is unparalleled–even in club sides, I would say.
Then again, maybe I’m just being a Dunga apologist.
“as his spectacular runs were nowhere to be seen.”
Good fucking god! He made a handful!
I hope he retires along with Riquelme. He doesn’t deserve this BS.
You know with all that has happening with Argentina, the ones I really feel sorry for are the players. Maradona, with his status and PR tactics is an unprecendented motivator. He has got the players so hyped up (esp Messi) that it hurts even more that they can’t perform. And lets not forget, the performances arent due to lack of heart- they have too much heart- there tactical cohension and concentration isnt there. Maradona is stupid, plain and simple. Stupid for not understanding that at this level you can’t will yourself to victory(maybe he could 20 years ago). You need a successful tactical plan. Whats all this crap I hear about him asking for prayers. You make your own fortune, sort out the tactics and only then when all else fails do you resort to divinity.
Ok rant over!
BTW how do you guys think Argentina shold play. They play 3 up front with messi slightly behind, but its all so narrow. I dont know why Maradona didnt see this.
I’m excited how deadly Dunga’s Brazil works when they face opponents such as England or Spain, my personal other 2 favourites for the title next year.
“Each coach, the Brazilian and the Argentine, played for his country 91 times, but what God gave Maradona — gifts bordering on soccer genius — he did not hand to Dunga.
The Brazilian had to sweat, to think about his game. Maradona did what came from his soul — beautifully.”
-Rob Hughes, NY Times