Wednesday, July 04, 2007

SHOCKING LINEUP BY COCO!


When everything looked set for a handful of changes from the starting lineup we saw in our first two games, COCO surprises with a lineup few of us expected.

He changes our defense dramatically. He also modifies our midfield, giving rest to a few players and he comes up with an unexpected striking partnership.

So...the lineup will look like this...

ABBONDANZIERI; IBARRA, BURDISSO, Cata DIAZ and ZANETTI; GAGO, Lucho GONZALEZ, CAMBIASSO, AIMAR; TEVEZ and PALACIO.

Well...COCO, as much as I love you, I don't agree with this lineup at all.

We are changing our defense entirely, because even if ZANETTI stays, he is being moved to the other side of the field (where he is not as comfortable as on the right).

We agreed, COCO, with our midfielders choices and with Carlitos replacing MESSI.

But why on Earch you pick PALACIO over MILITO?

Where is that sentence of yours, from earlier Today, saying that Diego MILITO is the natural replacement for CRESPO?

Or are you saving MILITO because he will be your main striker in the remainder of the Copa?

I don't think that is a very wise thing to do as he clearly needs more minutes to grow in confidence, and he didn't play that much in order for him to need some rest.

PALACIO is not a big man or a proper reference to use inside the opposing box. So I don't really understand this decision.

A good team, though, but I have a bad taste in my mouth after reading this.

Even though I see AIMAR and TEVEZ from the start, I can't be completely happy as I wanted to see Diego MILITO having his first chance from kick-off in a competitive game.

Will it come in the quarter-finals? Will it be too little, too late?

25 comments:

Rio said...

palacio for messi, not for milito

this is to let tevez play #9
give him the test like many of us have cried for.

good move this is

defense we couldn't do anything better if both ayala and heinze needed rest.

midfield i'm pretty sure he'll rest cuchu after we get ahead.

Seba said...

Just heard COCO at a press conference. He says he gives priority to our players' rest.

Confident on beating Paraguay while using all the "reserve" players he can, COCO sends a message to the rest of the teams: "We don't care if we have to face Mexico or Peru".

Rio, you are spot on. However, I see PALACIO-TEVEZ as a more flexible partnership. Both of them can move in and out of the box and play on the right, the left or the middle.

I don't think Carlitos will be considered by COCO to be our number 9 (even if he scores a hat-trick tomorrow...well...maybe if he scores a hat-trick...).

Anonymous said...

I think it is good that our regular players get to rest and the reserves get to play.

Paraguay won't have it easy tomorrow whomever we send on. I think it is good that both Tevez and Aimar get to start. They will probably cause havoc at the Paraguay defence.

Anonymous said...

Looks like a very fresh lineup, too many changes means coordination might be affected. I hope we are taking this game seriously because it means so much to meet PERU rather than MEXICO. I like the idea of TEVEZ and AIMAR starting. Nice to see CATA DIAZ for once in action with BURDISSO. I have to agree with you on ZANETTI playing on the left, its absurd even though INTER used him a few occasions during the course of the season on that position. What are all these fellas thinking??

Cheers,
Alwin

Roy said...

This is extremely mind boggling. A part of me thinks this is good, while the other part of me thinks this is ridiculous. Theres two ways of looking at this. The first way is this. Chances are Palacio, Ibarra and Diaz won't play, so he'll want to try them out and see how they do, because Quarter Finals, chances are it will be Heinze, Ayala and Milito(ok maybe not Milito) instead of Diaz, Burdisso and Ibarra. Midfield is what I expect. Palacio, again I think it's because Coco knows that this will probably be Palacio's only chance in the competition to play so he wants him to play.

The other side. Milito will be our guy from here on end in the competition. Crespo is injured, we have to deal with it. Aimar for Riquelme and Tevez for Messi. However it seems as if its Palacio for Messi instead of Tevez. Maybe Coco knows what Aimar and Milito can do together(in Zaragoza) so he put in Palacio to see what he can do.

Either way, this will be a very intesting match.

John said...

All I have to say even if what I’m saying here comes from a very small heart.

In COCO we trust

Anonymous said...

i am sorry guys, i love this setup. i love the defense, the midfield is balanced, and we have some boca flavor up front. sweet. though my dad mr. river will throw up all over himself once he sees it lol.

Rio said...

this setup isn't bad. showed how much depth our team has. the only playing out of position issue is zanetti, which isn't totally out of position anyhow.

too bad basile doesn't trust carrizo though. wonder if ustari was on the team, would he have started osky?

Anonymous said...

guys news just broke, tevez to manchester united for 20 million pounds.

Anonymous said...

Gonzo...is this true about TEVEZ, where did u read this..if its true i'll be the happiest man alive!!!

Anonymous said...

its on alot of the uk news outlets like

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=466284&in_page_id=1779&ct=5

Anonymous said...

Manchester United are set to complete the signing of West Ham United striker Carlos Tevez, according to reports. It is thought the two clubs could reach agreement over the Argentine international by the weekend and Sir Alex Ferguson's big spending summer continues.

thats from soccernet, espn.coms soccer section.

Anonymous said...

OMG..i can't contain my excitement, thanks for the news GONZO. Lets hope this is not some speculation or rumour and its true

Cheers,
Alwin

Anonymous said...

guys..pls help me, im starting to have tears of joy. Carlitos a RED DEVIL!!!, just the same way i felt when La BRUJITA signed for them.

Cheers,
Alwin

Rio said...

ManU is refabricating its team. This could be a move to stay. but from mascherano supporter point of view, not too good... If they'd gotten mascher instead of Hargreaves man, i would probably have to overlook ronaldo's crying ass and root for manU... and let my dad win the fight..

now a good team arrange its formation according to its player preferences. why manU wants tevez? who are they going to replace? or how are they going to rearrange their strategy... these questions could be hard to answer. there's too much doctrine change necessary to insert tevez into the manU equation.

johnny said...

Well, my idea that Coco would use much the same lineup goes up in mucho smoke. Clearly he thinks we can beat Paraguay with our "B" team, and I also think (being the good granddaddy that he is) that he wants to give everyone a shot at decent minutes. On the other topic, what a surprise with Carlitos likely heading to ManU ! I am pleased he is staying in the Premier, but would have preferred Liverpool(at least not Chelsea). What a strange threesome of varied personalities up front for ManU-Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez. The rich keep getting richer in the Premier. Bad for the majority of clubs, but makes for compelling viewing and great competition at the top.

Linda said...

Wow, what a change. In Coco we trust, and hopefully this makeshift backline knows how to play together.

Great to see Aimar and Tevez - who are both good enough to start against anybody - get a game.

As for the Tevez news, it's great for him but I'm a bit worried about how much playing time he'll have if it's true.

Rio said...

johnny that's so true man.
In EPL, the position of the 4 giant teams are getting ever more difficult to challenge. The money from Champion's League for example, is helping to create such vicious cycle.

Seba said...

WOW! CARLITOS-CRISTIANO RONALDO AND ROONEY????

I wouldn't be so worried about his playing time being reduced.

Once FERGUSON sees him working in trainings and delivering week in, week out, CARLITOS will become a stud in a team full of studs.

I can't say I like Man Utd, but I prefer them to Chelsea any day of the week!

Would have love to see him going to another big team in England, but seeing Liverpool spending so much in Fernando TORRES and Arsenal buying that Brazilian-Croatian guy (COSTA), then I prefer this than to see TEVEZ playing for Real Madrid or Juventus or any of those Italian or Spanish clubs (other than NAPOLI).

We have to wait for confirmation as TEVEZ himself said that he will only announce his decision after the Copa America.

Me Gusta El Futbol said...

AIMAR!!! OEEE OEEE OEEE OEEE PABLITOOOO PABLITOOOOO

Anonymous said...

My first reaction to this line up is, poop! Too many Boca players;)

If you look at the line up its all River and boca players. Funny.

All Boca strikers. All River midfield except for gago and all boca defense.

should be an interesting game tonight.

Seba said...

Well, I just hope there is no Boca or River tonight and just ARGENTINA (a team with Racing Club's colors! hahahahaha!)

Anonymous said...

I think not Seba. Thats the beauty of the national team. All clubs are forgotten and we all have one common goal. Victory and glory for the Albicelestes!!

johnny said...

Don't forget-two Boca players for Paraguay as well !:)

Anonymous said...

This is to me the right way to go.
This team is not a "B" team.
But Paraguay, with changes too, is still a tough team to beat.
As far as Milito, I believe he is now our starting striker, that's why he's resting.
This lineup, however, will depend on the score during the match.