According to what MARADONA is testing in Ezeiza, this is a likely starting XI for Argentina to face Perú on Saturday:
ROMERO
Jonas GUTIERREZ (as a right back), SCHIAVI, HEINZE, INSUA (as left back)
Enzo PEREZ (as right midfielder), Javier MASCHERANO, Angel DI MARIA
Pablo AIMAR
Lionel MESSI and Gonzalo HIGUAIN
A few initial thoughts from me (if these names are to be confirmed)
Curiousity? Three players with roots in River Plate (MASCHERANO, AIMAR and HIGUAIN) compared to only one from Boca Juniors (INSUA -SCHIAVI also played for Boca Juniors but he is not originally from Boca).
Enzo PEREZ, Emiliano INSUA and Gonzalo HIGUAIN given the responsibility to make his full international debut at a crucial time. SCHIAVI to play from the start for the first time also. Not sure that's the best recipe to face a challenge like this.
Jonas to be played out of position as right-back. This is one thing I can't believe. With ZABALETA injured, not only we miss out on the chance to see him, but we also have no replacement for him. That's something I can't explain. You have one of the most talented pool of players to pick from. Every player born in Argentina at your disposal. Yet you pick 26 or 27 footballers for a crucial couple of World Cup Qualifiers and you have no cover for right back?
MARADONA shouldn't blame injuries, Manchester City, an excessive number of fixtures for European clubs...MARADONA should take responsibility for this. It could work out with Jonas as right back, but the truth is he will be playing out of position and that's something that shouldn't happen to the national team of Argentina.
On the other hand, MESSI finally playing probably more to the right with another player (Pablo AIMAR) taking the play-making responsibilities.
How do you see this lineup working?
Happy?
Furious?
Let us know!
I thinks this line up looks good, happy to see Higuain starting instead of Palermo. The one thing I am not happy to see is Schiavi starting. Could play Otamendi or Pareja, even an unfit Demi.
ReplyDeleteI think its smart to play Jonas at right back there is no way we can play with a back line of 3 with the players we have called up.
Maybe instead of playing Enzo on the wing start Aguero or Lavezzi there.
Other than that I see this as a good team to face Peru
Not so bad. Jonas will be out of position but we know he will give it his all. I'm hoping that between Aimar, Messi, Higuain and Di Maria, enough danger can be created to score three goals. That ought to be more than enough. All the local talk was that Palermo would be starting. So much for all that media fueled speculation. Maybe Maradona is listening to somebody ?
ReplyDeleteOne thing we have to keep in mind is the fact that we are in front of 2 matches. Not only one.
ReplyDeleteDiego may be keeping some players fresh to travel to Uruguay (I think of DEMICHELIS, Lucho GONZALEZ, even AGÜERO, TEVEZ and PALERMO).
I don't know, but it could be a factor for him to decide on the lineup I posted above.
Regarding Enzo PEREZ, I have to say that I like him, but I have never seen him at the international stage (I'm not counting Copa Libertadores here, where he played a big part for Estudiantes to lift the trophy). I would have rather have José SOSA. Ask any Estudiantes fan and they'd pick SOSA ahead of PEREZ (even though they love both!).
I'm hoping for him to do well.
My take? I think if AIMAR has a good-to-great game, we can win it easily and he'll free up a lot of room for MESSI and HIGUAIN to break havoc.
One other thing...I want HEINZE to get a yellow card and miss out on the match at Uruguay. PLEASE!!!!
Jonas out of position but could work with him, he's hard worker anyways. I totally agree with Seba concerning Maradona having a lot of players to choose then he doesn't have 2 right backs.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about Perez but I think he doesn't have the international experience for the upcoming matches, what's wrong with Lucho in this position?
I was fuming when Zabaleta got hurt.But if Jonas does play in the RB spot I think he can do a good job. He is a unique player and I imagine he will do well. What can we do? But if that is our starting line up, I think that will be quite a nice rotation. Guys for some reason I am nervous yet a little excited, it is starting the devil right in the face and telling him COME ON! I hope our boys go and play with passion. I think the difference will be Payasco. You nailed on the head Seba, if Aimar has a good game then Messi and Higuain will murder Peru's defenders. And if Palermo does play in URuguay which he likely will, I think he will be up for it. If Brasil went and got a W in Uruguay for the first time in a few decades we should go and do our best as well!
ReplyDeleteImportant factors vs Peru. We need to score, and score early. The longer the game prolongs the more our players will get nervous and frustrated. We need to score to give our players a boost. When Argentina is up on a team, they are all but unstoppable, but if they are down they look totally lost. I would love to see a goal in the first 15-20 min. We need the crowd into it and chase the Peruvians off the pitch!
VAMOS ARGENTINA!!!!!!!
Jack!
To all my argentina brothers and sisters. First of all i would like to say that no matter what happens i love you all and im proud to support this great team and country. I have always loved Aimar and i know he is a great player. I was very happy to see him being called up. If he does rise to the occasion and gels in with the rest of the team then i think we can start getting ready for the finals. I have a good feeling about this.
ReplyDeleteHappy
ReplyDeleteOther than the 2 CBs i think everyone else's position is simply perfect! I for one always thought of Jonas being either a right back or a left beack cause honestly i saw him defending better than both RB and LB on the NT! he has length! he has speed and he'll give teams a havoc on the right side of the pitch!
As far as the midfield goes i think thats just the best midfield Argentina will use in a very very long time! maybe since Bielsa was around! you're right Perez is getting a debut here but i rather have him there instead of Veron even though i prefer Messi dropping back to that position!
Anyways i think Aimar, Di Maria, Messi, Higuain would be more than enough for Peru and Uruguay! if we score 2 or 3 goals i recommend Diego to pull out these guys and rest them for Uruguay!
football is built from the back..if the foundation is weak then their will be temporary or no success....heinze plus shiava...cant find the word to describe their pairing....we have Samuel the rock,Garay, and Pareja, Gonzgo, yet he will line up the most mistaken maken defender Heinze in all of football...i dont know how to make sense of it...wow
ReplyDeletethey say to have a strong team you need a very strong 1,2,5,9 (under the old number systym) and i agree annonymos on smauel, garay etc.
ReplyDeleteI think its right to start with Shiavi at the back. He is tall a strong header. The peruvians are not that strong in set peices. We truly need to take advantage of that. I believe that with us pressing the peruvians will fall back. It will result with us getting alot of free kicks and corners. We really, really need to take advantage of the set pieces.
ReplyDeleteI got a felling that the peruvians will have a man sent of. They will not master the skill of messi, di maria and aimar.
I am also satisfied with the rest of the line up. But I truly miss Zanetti. He is still a top class player. Several times better the zabaleta and our other rigth backs.
One change i would have made is to put Messi where perez is and take Palermo in the line up. That will take our set piece advantage a step further.
Remember i am not thinking of beatiful play i just want the three points in anyway possible.
We are hoping for the best.
People are talking about Garay as a rock, but he doesnt even play at Real Madrid...
ReplyDeleteMsi2 thats a good point, and I think until he plays we should relax from mentioning him.
ReplyDeleteI recommend Samuel and Burdisso and then Pareja.
i was expecting one or other of these line up's.....
ReplyDeletezab--dem--hen--insua-
------lucho--mas--
messi----aim---dimaria-
----------palermo-------
---------or----------
zab--dem--hen--insua-
--lucho--mass--janus--
----------aim--------
----messi------------
-------------palermo----
looks i was 90% there bar injuries.......id like a 4-3-1-2 as above but better forward c/f or a 4-5-1 like olimpics with lucho as mascoranos partner...
a barsalona line up could be like this
zab--dem--hen--insua-
--------mass-----------
--lucho---------aim----
messi----hig-------dimaria---
argentina world cup team blog is full of morons ....
---dem--sam--henzie-
ReplyDeletezanetti-----mass-----janus-
--------lucho----aim-------
-----messi------hig--------
Aimar and Messi, finally they get to play together. I think if they link up well the result will be devastating for our opponents.
ReplyDeleteWith Higuain I think we have a good target man. This attack has real potential. I must say I think Maradona has really made a positive change to the attack. It should be down to the players now.