Alfio BASILE gave a press conference today in Basel and said very interesting things about our players and the near future of the Albicelestes.
“I’m proud of my players because they always want to be a part of our national team. They are the ones who feel these colours the most. Not for nothing they are always wanted by the best clubs in Europe”.
BASILE announced that Roberto AYALA will remain the captain and confirmed the starting line-up we published Yesterday here in Vamos Argentina:
ABBONDANZIERI; ZANETTI, AYALA, Gabriel MILITO, HEINZE; Lucho GONZALEZ, GAGO, CAMBIASSO, MESSI; CRESPO and TEVEZ.
“Sometimes, people don’t realize of the sacrifice these players make. The Argentine footballer is the one who suffers the most. That is why they are so admired in Europe and in the whole World. Because he is a man who really feels the shirt he is wearing, the one who, in defeat, suffers more.”
“This match against Swirzerland will be good for us to fine-tune for the Copa America. Even if I do have the complete squad in my head, I still need to decide on two or three spots between players that have even chances”.
What a great motivational speach for the players to receive before this friendly (and before the Copa America). They know they are in COCO’s plans, but they can’t relax. They have to stay focused and show the manager what they can do.
SCOUTING REPORT: SWITZERLAND
Our rivals, Switzerland, are not having the best of times. Even though they are already qualified for the Euro 2008 (as they are one of the hosts together with Austria), their manager, Kobi KUHN, could risk his job if he losses big tomorrow against Argentina.
Switzerland are a team that left Germany 2006 without conceeding a single goal in the whole competition. But their lack of finishing costed them dearly as they failed to score a single goal in a penalty shoot-out against Ukraine that saw them leaving the World Cup with a bad taste in their mouthes.
Their top forward, Alexander FREI is out and their probable lineup looks like this: BENAGLIO; DEGEN, DJOUROU, SENDEROS, MAGNIN; BARNETTA, YAKIN, CABANAS, ZIEGLER; VONLANTHEN and STRELLER.
Nine of them played in the World Cup (only VONLANTHEN and ZIEGLER were not in their Germany 2006 squad).
Every member of their back four are interesting players: DJOUROU and SENDEROS with Premiership experience and physical presence and MAGNIN being a left-back that will advance into attacking positions at every chance he’ll have. Philipp DEGEN, of Borussia Dortmund, is a steady right-back who can score the ocassional goal.
Tranquillo BARNETTA is a modern midfielder who can do everything and do it at a good level (he shone in the World Cup), while YAKIN is the most “South-American” (in a way that he can really play with the ball at his feet and make others around him play). Ricardo CABANAS is a Spanish-Swiss midfielder and an international since the year 2000. Reto ZIEGLER belongs to Tottenham Hotspurs but was loaned in 2006 to Wigan and then to Sampdoria, where he ended up playing 10 games and scoring 1 goal this season.
In attack, VONLANTHEN is even more South-American because he was actually born in Santa Marta, Colombia! He is a pacey forward who can cause a lot of problems with his mobility. His combination with Marco STRELLER gives Switzerland a perfect combo: Speedy guy outside (VONLANTHEN) + Powerful tower inside (STRELLER and his 1.95mt).
They represent a good test for Argentina. However, in my opinion, I think Argentina should walk away with a victory. And here’s hoping for a great performance by all the Albicelestes, especially from Lionel MESSI in his new play-making role.
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6 comments:
I really like the offensive minded lineup that Basile decided on. That should also be the team that I hope we will see at the Copa America.
However, I think the team will be tougher and stronger with the Gago-Mascherano partnership in the middle. That might have to wait until the WC qualifiers.
I'm not sure about MASCHERANO sharing the midfield with GAGO or anyone else.
His best comes when he is all alone with acres to run and chase the opposing offensive midfielders.
It's been the case during the World Cup. He's been (and the team also) average against Ivory Coast when he shared defensive midfield duties with CAMBIASSO.
He improved (and the team also) dramatically when CAMBIASSO was left on the bench.
I'm delighted to have as many options though! GAGO could be the holding midfielder from the start and if the going is tough, then MASCHERANO could come out and give a hand in helping the team to get hold of the ball.
I rather have a totally offensive minded team and I think this lineup is as close as it gets.
(Don't forget CAMBIASSO could play really defensively if asked.)
I agree that as enticing as it is to stick Gago and Mascherano together, they are probably both more effective alone.
So this is going to be a short post because I'm in a rush. All I can say is that with this offensive lineup tomorrow's game better be more exciting than the snorefest that was England vs Brazil today.
Also, I really hope that we do well tomorrow (even if it is a friendly) cause I'm still in pain from yesterday's Boca vs Cucuta semifinal.
-argentinafan
Argentinafan-I feel your pain.:(
If I may, I think that Mascherano and Gago together are going to be the "doble 5" for Basile when he plays the more deffensive 4-4-2.
This time Basile is going more agressive and uses a rhombus of midfielders, where Lucho and Camboiasso are the sides and Gago well behind Messi in the center.
It like 4-1-2-1-2.
Danucho
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