Lionel MESSI, Juan Sebastian VERON, Javier MASCHEREANO, Javier ZANETTI, Gabriel HEINZE, Fernando GAGO and Emiliano PAPA are all on yellow cards. One more yellow card means they will be suspended for the Peru game on October 11 in Argentina. Maxi RODRIGUEZ is also on a yellow card but as more and more news comes out, it's clear he will not take part in the match against Paraguay.
It seems pretty much all but certain that Diego MARADONA will give Sergio ROMERO his first International Cap on Wednesday night. For those of you who are not familiar with ROMERO, here's the quick rundown. The former Racing Club and now AZ Alkmaar(the Netherlands) goalkeeper has won 2 titles in junior level. The first one came in 2007 when Argentina won the U-20 World Cup in Canada. The second title came a year later at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing where he was the back-up goalkeeper to Oscar USTARI. However during the Quarter Finals against the Netherlands, USTARI suffered an injury and ROMERO came in to replace him. He finished the tournament playing 2 crucial matches, the first one against Brazil in the Semi-Finals and the second against Nigeria in the Final itself. He made crucial saves and at 22 is already an established goalkeeper with AZ Alkmaar.
In the 2008-2009 season, ROMERO played a huge part in AZ Alkmaar's first Dutch League title in over 25 years. During the course of the season, ROMERO had a stretch of 11 consecutive clean sheet matches. He has been called-up several times for Argentina, but if he starts(and all signs point that he will), then this will be his first International Cap.
On a quick personal note, I've loved ROMERO ever since I first saw him at the U-20 World Cup and was happy to see him at the Olympics. Oh and the kid has a knack at saving penalties.
Here's a video of ROMERO in the 2008-2009 Season.
Mundo Albiceleste will keep you updated with team news as the day goes on.
This is the first decision by Diego that I like in a longtime. I had the privledge of going to the U20 World Cup in 2007 in Canada. I watched every Argentina game on the television and was lucky enough to see them play live for the round of 16 match against Poland (3-1) and the finals against Czech Republic (2-1). Romero only conceded 2 goals in the entire tournament (unfortinatly I saw both live) but he was incredible in everygame. I've been hopeing to see Sergio make his Mens debut in qualifiers last year, then Carizzo had he's chance and I can't really say he failed, I don't think he was given enough oppurtunity. Next was Andujar and he hasn't really done anything to even earn his spot on the squad let alone start crucial matches against Brazil. Lets hope Diego's gamble on another men's debut for a player pays off this time, I think it will.
ReplyDeleteHe is good.Tall and good in the air.......Just wat we neede.Some1 to give stability during setplays.....
ReplyDeleteany word on the starting XI yet?
ReplyDeleteRomero; Zanetti, Otamendi, Heinze, Papa; Veron, Mascherano, Gago, Datolo; Messi, Aguero
Is that what the projected 11 is?
Romero is by far our best keeper, Carrizo and Andujar are also good but Romero is a head and shoulder above them.
ReplyDeleteRomero allways looked strong and sharp,...with good reflexes and confidence. in Olympics and u-20,..and you can see the same in this video posted in this thread, i dont want to see Andujar ever again, or Carrizo in that goal.
ReplyDeleteI do want to see Federico Vilar in that goal some time.
at last romero gets his chance but if you are correct (dave p's projected team) messi and aguero again up front arghhhhhh this does not work.
ReplyDeletemessi must play were he does for barca every week, week in week out thats what he is use to and is best in.
veron to me does not offer much to the nt , i like him but not in the team and again were is the taller man upfront??? sadly the dawlfs do not work.
this team does not fill me with confordence but please the blue and white go out and "make me eat humble pie" and trash them :)
we need a plan b and c if things dont go corect and we need to learn to win ugly, wc 2006 we were the best team their with amazing football but who won playing shite football-italy.
sadly playing ugly seems to win teams more games then they lose.
When will Maradona or any other Argentine coach realize that we can't play Messi and Aguero (or Tevez) up front and score goals?
ReplyDeletePlease play Diego Milito for goodness' sake.
Juan Roman Riquelme Will Be Argentina's '10' In South Africa - Boca Vice President Carlos Crespi
ReplyDeleteJuan Carlos Crespi, the vice president of Boca Juniors, assured that the "Maradona-Riquelme chapter is not closed," and he asked for both to "leave aside their differences" for the sake of the Argentine national team.
"Roman will be the '10' of the national team at the World Cup. He is indispensable on the field. We have to persuade them to team-up, because [Diego] Maradona and [Juan Roman] Riquelme have the obligation to be in the national team," Crespi declared to 'Mundo Boca', of Radio El Mundo AM 1070.
"The Maradona-Riquelme chapter is not closed, because the national team doesn't belong to neither of the two, but to the Argentine people. All of the projects assigned to achieve the objectives will take place."
Crespi continued, "Both [Maradona and Riquelme] are necessary. They have to leave their prejudices behind. All of us Argentines have to convince Maradona that Roman is necessary for the squad, because you can't buy experience at the end of the street."
Finally he commented about Argentina's devastating defeat to Brazil on Saturday. "Against Brazil we lost our modesty. Journalists, directors, fans, everyone influenced in making this the match of the century, but it isn't like this. Argentina will qualify and our defeat to Brazil will just be a bad memory."
I just got done re-watching majority of the game from Saturday. I just can not understand why we can not beat Brasil. I just do not get it. Why don't we play counterattacking football vs them. There has to be a remedy to beat these guys. Copa America, friendly in London, Copa America a few years back, Conf Cup in 05. I am sick and tired of it. I can care less about the gold medal game. We were lucky to score 2 fluke goals and have a PK.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I am kind of happy with is. Brasil are hitting their stride now. This is what happened to us for 02 WC and we played great in 05 as well. I'd rather have Brasil hit their peek now then next year. If we manage to go to the WC which I think we will, then we need to hope and prey that Brasil can get bounced by some other nation before we run into them. I am sorry but I just believe our team can not stand with them toe-toe. It is not a talent level, far from it. I think it is ALL mental. We go down a goal and that is all she wrote.
This loss did not hit me until today. Watching the game LIVE at a bar was ok, after we went down 2-0. Just started to chit chat with friends and people around and did not pay much attention to the game until Datolo scored a fluke goal. I told my friends just wait until Brasil scores again, and what do you know in 5min or so they do. So pretty much got up and left towards the beach.
I think majority of have lost a great amount of faith from this team. I do not want to even start with Maradona. I could care less about the players he has not called, I am how you say "over that". I just our players to play with a bit more passion.
I just realized something and how important it was. We shall all sending Palacio a card telling him thank you for scoring that goal in the 93rd min vs Ecuador. Or else they would be up a point on us and we would be tied for the 5th spot.
For the game vs Paraguay which starts in 14 hours or so, I am not going to expect anything. Last couple times we played Paraguay it was a tough game. Copa America until Mascherano scored late and when they came down here where the game ended 1-1, thanks to a Heinze giving them the lead with a og and Aguero coming in. Well lets wait and see how this goes.
Jack!
ok i know its only Keita, but the man has a point:
ReplyDeletehttp://goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2009/09/09/1489647/maradona-should-go-and-sell-newspapers-keita
Very nice comment by Jack but I'd like to add which players I prefer to play vs. Paraguay:
ReplyDeleteRomero in goal rather than Andujar and Carizzo. He has the potential.
Dominguez? I'm really dissapointed that he was actually given his debut in another Brazil nightmare! Failure.
Otamendi? not good at all. He's not another Ayala or Samuel. He's just another Burdisso/Collocini which in other words is Average... very overrated.
Heinze? well he's not gonna be dropped anytime soon.
Zanetti? no comment. he hasn't done much for Argentina but I'll never change him,
Mascherano? he's been dissapointing in the last 10 matches or so, but whenever he hits his stride, he's unstoppable, isn't it a coincidence that Mascherano lost his touch ever since Cambiasso was dropped and Gago took over?
Maxi? He shouldn't always start! he hasn't scored in a long time for Argentina and doesnt offer anything in terms of moving forward and defence,
Datolo? He was bad against Brazil, very nervous but I'd still choose him considering the fact that he gets shots on goal and brings goals to the team unlike Jonas.
Veron? I see him an Ok player, good passer of the ball but he doesn't have that killer pass, he's not a Riquelme that's for sure.
Messi? What can be expected from this guy when he has to do everthing by himself although he's pretty much failing in passing that last defender and getting the goal.
Tevez? I never want to see him start a game again!! Ever since he grew his hair long, he's lost his effectiveness, I liked the old ugly short-haired Tevez more but those days are over and he's now just overrated. Hardworker and plays with heart? but no goals nor any threat to goal
Aguero? He's good whenever he has space and he's on form now so i'd put him in,
Lisandro? He definitely has to start! this is his year in goalscoring terms and needs to play from the beginning.
Milito? I like this guy and definitely don't mind him playing from the start although I prefer now Lisandro.
As for the starting line-up? 4-3-1-2 would do with: Romero
ReplyDeleteZanetti - Pareja - Otamendi - Heinze
Veron Mache Datolo
Messi
Aguero Lisandro
I will also be agrieved that Milito or Licha are not starting. We need a pure goal threat as we had when we played will with Crespo, Saviola or Batigol.
ReplyDeleteAlso, thumbs up for Romero.
BTW- is Lucho Gonzalez injured at the moment?
Everybody is taking a dig at Maradona now, sa though it is, we cannot be suprised.
Also, people complaining about Veron need a sense check. Without Riquelme who else are you willing to play to control the ball in the middle. Mascherano has lost his old game dictation powers that he expressed for River and Gago, good as he is needs to recover confidence and play before he can take such responsibility.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, Pastore and Diego Valeri can develop into such players in the future.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/1863/world-cup-2010/2009/09/06/1484337/world-cup-debate-how-diego-maradona-has-turned-argentina
ReplyDeletehaha hoping for the argies not to qualify for the world cup.... proper karma for hiring a world cup cheat, a drug addict as your footy coach shoudl have never forced pekerman out.
ReplyDelete