There is a lot going on these days. The Champions League final on Wednesday, the transfer market that has already began its European summer frenzy. The final 4 weeks of the domestic Clausura tournament. The Copa Libertadores quarter-finals. The U23 and their friendly against Catalunya on Saturday...
Such is the offer this time of the year that we seem to have forgotten about the two friendly matches that Argentina will play in the USA in early June.
But Coco BASILE is doing his homework and he has announced a list of 21 players that will go with him to San Diego to face Mexico (4 June) and New York to play the USA (8 June).
He won't be taking players that compete in the local league this time and he has said that if he can't count on his first-choice play-maker, Juan Roman RIQUELME, he won't try to replace him with another player in that role.
So we could be in for a change of system. We'll have to wait and see.
Another surprising thing is that we can see a few players that are also on BATISTA's plans for Beijing.
We'll have to wait also to see which of the following players will also be involved for the double fixture of WC Qualyfiers coming up later in June (Ecuador and Brazil) and which players not in this list will be called when Coco makes the official announcement on May 30.
Enough with the conjectures. Here's the list of 21 players that will go to the Tour of the USA:
Goalkeepers:
Roberto ABBONDANZIERI and Oscar USTARI.
Defenders:
Gabriel HEINZE, Fabricio COLOCCINI, Gonzalo RODRIGUEZ, Pablo ZABALETA, Nicolás BURDISSO and Martín DEMICHELIS.
Midfielders:
Fernando GAGO, Maximiliano RODRIGUEZ, Jonás GUTIERREZ, Ever BANEGA, Javier ZANETTI, Esteban CAMBIASSO, José SOSA and Javier MASCHERANO.
Forwards:
Lionel MESSI, Julio CRUZ, Lisandro LOPEZ, Fernando CAVENAGHI and Sergio AGÜERO.
OK...back to the conjectures.
Here are the big news that we can read in this list.
1. BASILE said: "ABBONDANZIERI is still my first choice goalkeeper".
2. Gabriel MILITO and Ezequiel GARAY are not included here because of injuries so Gonzalo RODRIGUEZ gets a chance.
3. Javier ZANETTI is included as a midfielder and he will probably be used there. He gets a reward after captaining Inter to their third league title in a row. So do his team-mates: BURDISSO, CAMBIASSO and CRUZ. CRESPO is nowhere to be seen and he doesn't seem to be in Coco's radar anymore.
4. Ever BANEGA is called to the full national team for the first time in his career, after the Youth World Cup triumph in Canada and the friendly against Guatemala in Los Angeles for the U23. Congratulations to him.
5. TEVEZ is not there for obvious reasons: he is still in action for Manchester United and he is suspended for the next WC Qualifier (against Ecuador). But BASILE said he'll talk to Carlitos after the Champions League final to see how he feels and he might as well consider him to face Brazil in Belo Horizonte.
6. MESSI and AGÜERO are two of Coco's favourite offensive weapons and he demonstrates that by having both of them on this list.
7. He gives Lisandro LOPEZ a vote of confidence after winning the league with Porto, being the top-scorer and elected best player of the league. His partner in crime, Lucho GONZALEZ, is also falling behind in the manager's preferences and he is out of the list.
What are the significant points you see after reading these 21 names?
Any nice surprise? Any unfair omission by Coco?
Give us your thoughts!
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9 comments:
Of course I'm very surprise that Lucho is left out. How could this be?
If ZANETTI is going to be used on the right side of midfield, chances are he might shift Maxi to the left. Okay.
But I feel Coco should start looking at long term plans, ZANETTI is no longer getting younger, Lucho deserve his chance. This is especially after another spectacular season with Porto.
Since this is just friendly match, why don't give a re-call to Mario SANTANA?
The forward is not looks splendid and you just can't argue about that.
My preferred partnership upfront will be something tall & deadly (CAVENAGHI) and something small & tricky (MESSI).
From here, you get the best of both world, grounder and aeriel ability.
My impressions:
Too bad we won't see Riquelme, but it is understandable. He's involved in the Libertadores, and besides he's not in very good form right now.
Pato, Pato, Pato. I like Pato but I'm with the crowd who would like to see some changes here. If not Pato, then who ??
Our defenders look a little weaker than usual to me. There is not as much depth due to injuries. Why has Coco moved Zanetti to midfield ? Not that he isn't capable, but he is so valuable in his customary position. Is this move part of Coco's plan to prepare a more sturdy, heady midfield for Brazil ?
It looks like Crespo's days as part of the seleccion are in the past. He hasn't played much for Inter. I don't think you can blame Coco for leaving him off.
I am surprised by no Lucho. But if Coco is going with Maxi, Zanetti and Sosa in midfield, it leaves less room for a player like Lucho.
Congrats to Banega. I have not seen a minute of him since he left Boca. It will be very interesting to see how he fits in and what role Coco gives him.
Regarding the forwards, bravo for Lisandro Lopez. For me, between he and Cavenaghi, Crespo's role is filled, and well. Let's hope we see Carlitos back in the future. Messi and Aguero-what can you say ?! World class threats !
Well, I am long winded. Actually I think there is alot to discuss, with Coco's strategy at the top of the list. Apparently he is considering going 4-4-2, and you have to wonder if Coco is contemplating reworking Argentina's gameplan with Brazil in mind.
Pato, again? He had a good World Cup, but that was it. He hasn't done well since. Copa America he didn't have to do a single save, he has a bad game versus Australia(though we won) and a shaky game versus Egypt. Give someone else a chance, PLEASE.
It's clear as hell Coco wants to go with a 4-4-2 but it's going to have to be a solid one. Our back line isn't the best in the World. Milito is injured, Heinze is having a decent season, Coloccini plays good with his club team but sucks with the NT, Burdisso is a hit/miss and Demichelis is our best defender(since Zanetti is now in midfield).
Maxi, Zanetti, Mascherano and Sosa in midfield? Or Maxi, Zanetti, Cambiasso, Mascherano with Maxi and Cambiasso drifting forward?
Up front we have what looks to be a deadly combination. Messi and Cavenaghi looks just amazing. I don't think we should go with Messi/Aguero until maybe when we face Ecuador but certainly not Brazil. I would of liked to of seen Crespo instead of Cruz. Cruz had his chance versus Egypt and didn't seem to play too well. I would love to see Crespo versus Brazil because he's been there before and has much experience versus them.
As usual, our weakest point is between the sticks and the defenders.
They better give him the OK because Messi trys to play for Argentina as much as he can. If they say no you can not go, this might haunt them later in the future. Do not bite the hand the feeds!
Jack!
Woops Wrong Place for that comment.
Hey can somebody tell me a little about Sosa, from what I am hearing he is the heir to take over Roman's spot. How true is that?
Jack!
Jack, I don't think SOSA and RIQUELME can be compared. SOSA bases his game on speed and explosion and plays wider than Román.
In terms of position in the field, SOSA could be compared to Lucho GONZALEZ or Maxi RODRIGUEZ, for example.
This is a joke, right? Sosa over Lucho? Sosa is shit! He's NOT NT material, hell, he doesn't even play!
Banega also isn't playing, why is he called up? Cruz, biggest joke of all.
They should stop continuing to build the team around one player: Riquelme. To be over-reliant on one player is like putting all your eggs into one basket. What happens if that player has a bad game? Or is injured? Then your whole game plan is screwed. This is what happened against Brazil in the COPA final. Unless that one player is Diego Maradona, there is no point in building your entire team around him. The reason Argentina has not won anything in 15 years is because it continues to try to build its teams around one central playmaker: Veron, Ortega, Aimar, Riquelme...they all are no nothing like Diego.
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