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nvidic
Moderator Group Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Status: Offline Points: 18938 |
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Posted: 20 Jun 2011 at 2:35pm |
What on earth is going on with Argentina lately? As far as I'm aware they've 3 teams on the go - the firsts, seconds (the team Boselli played in) and a team of players who play in Argentina. All three teams are recoginised as the senior mens team when they play.
The 'seconds' got beat 4-1 in Nigeria in a match that is now under investigation, from there they lost in Poland 2-1. Tonight Argentina play Albania, god knows what team will play but the fact they're playing Albania as Copa America preparation speaks for itself. They'd have been much better inviting the likes of Ghana or Egypt to play them in the warm up. As far as I know Tim Vickery wrote a column on the subject recently but his blog is banned here so I couldn't read it. |
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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They'll be playing a strong team tonight made up of the Copa America squad. Messi and the lads.
I think the last squad was a U25 squad just to give some lads a taste of International football. |
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Chopra Gunner
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 18 Jan 2011 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 274 |
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Argentina 4-0 Albania
Tevez, Aguero, Messi and Lavezzi. |
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What are you looking at?
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TangyZizzle
Liam Brady Joined: 20 May 2011 Location: Rush-a Status: Offline Points: 1554 |
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They're fooked over that Nigeria game. Think it was 3 minutes added time to be played but 8 were played in the end.. basically... up until an Argentina player scored. The reason it's under investigation is a sh*t load of bets went through backing a goal to be scored in ET.
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nvidic
Moderator Group Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Status: Offline Points: 18938 |
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So they stick 'real' Argentina out again but chose Albania as their
opposition for them?! It's all a bit too strange, 84 have represented
them in the last 12 months
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el2nz
Kevin Kilbane Joined: 16 Sep 2009 Location: Northern Ireland Status: Offline Points: 453 |
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Here's the Vickery Blog:
Having three teams on the go is a risk for ArgentinaPost categories: Football Tim Vickery | 13:33 UK time, Monday, 6 June 2011 In an end-of-season international friendly, with one side leading 4-0, why on earth would the referee want to add on a heap of stoppage time? Surely the best advice would be to blow up and let everyone go home. But that is not what Ibrahim Chaibou did last Wednesday when he was in charge of the match between Nigeria and Argentina in Abuja. He added on five extra minutes. True, there had been plenty of second-half substitutions but it was hard to see why five extra minutes were necessary or desirable. But then it got stranger. Five minutes came and went. Then six. Then seven. And then he awarded Argentina an absurd penalty for a non-existent handball. Mauro Boselli converted it to make the final score 4-1 to the home side. With an alleged splurge of bets on a late goal, it is little wonder that Fifa is opening an investigation into the events. Referee Ibrahim Chaibou, in the red top, is surrounded by Argentina players after he awarded a penalty against them in the 4-1 defeat by Nigeria, in Abuja. Photo: AP Describing that Argentina side as "under strength" or as a "reserve" team does not come close. Coach Sergio Batista has announced a provisional 26-man squad for next month's Copa America (incidentally, readers of my column from two weeks ago might be interested to know that Carlos Tevez has been included) but only three of them - reserve defenders Pablo Zabaleta, Emiliano Insua and Ezequiel Garay - were on duty in Nigeria. This line-up was at best a C team. One quick example suffices to illustrate the chasm between this and the real line-up. At full strength, Argentina play 4-3-3 with Lionel Messi in the middle of their attacking trident. Against Nigeria, the same role was filled by Mauro Boselli. Batista currently has three almost entirely separate squads on the go: the first-choice group for the Copa America; a group drawn from domestic football; and the collection of fringe players who, after losing to Nigeria, went down 2-1 to Poland on Sunday. This clearly gives Batista something to do. Bosses of international teams sometimes complain that prolonged spells of inactivity can take the edge off their coaching skills. It also gives him a chance to observe lots of players, which can be worthwhile even if the conclusions are not always palatable. In these last two matches, for example, Batista will have observed that, with a midfield that is unable to retain the ball, his 4-3-3 system is wide open against opponents who attack with pace and that, left exposed, his young defenders lack the quality to save the situation. The performance against Poland was an improvement on the rout against Nigeria. Little striker Jonathan Cristaldo had some good moments, while centre-forward Marco Rubentook his goal well. But these are crumbs of comfort when set against the risk that Batista is running by accumulating these defeats. He took over in 2010 with the claim that he and his back-up staff would be low profile. But losing, especially in the manner that the team went down to Nigeria, makes Batista and his reign an issue. It cranks up the pressure on him as Argentina prepare to play the Copa America in front of their own fans. True, none of the players he will pick next month were in action against Nigeria or Poland. But, with no senor title since 1993, Argentina are under enough pressure as it is and an edgy coach can make for an edgy team. At least Argentina can count on their supporters to be kinder to them than the notoriously fickle Brazilian fans are to their team. For Brazil, the Copa America is the most serious competitive test they face as they prepare to play the World Cup on home ground in 2014. The new-look side of coach Mano Menezes had a taste of what could be in store when they drew 0-0 at home to the Netherlands on Saturday. A chorus of boos greeted the final whistle in Goiania, while the crowd started to cheer every Dutch pass before the game had finished. "We need to educate our fans in time for 2014," said Menezes after the game, "acknowledging that we'll be up against strong opponents and that, at important moments, the crowd should support us and not go over to the other side. We have to be united if we're going to take advantage of being the hosts." The boos on Saturday were hardly justified by an entertaining 90 minutes. Brazil were poor in the first half, their 4-3-3 looking very inflexible, with Robinho and Neymar either side of centre-forward Fred. Until half-time, the Dutch were more dangerous. Brazil's Neymar (centre) competes with Netherlands' Tim Krul (left) and Gregory van der Wiel during the 0-0 draw in Goiania. Photo: Reuters But it was a different story after the break. Robinho was given more freedom, the formation looked more like a 4-2-3-1 and Brazil had more of attacking threat. They will have days when they play worse and score four. It was a fascinating afternoon for Neymar-watchers, with the Santos star taking on a top-class European team for the first time. He was not as effective as usual in one-against-one situations but produced enough moments of magic to reinforce the view that he is a very special talent. Tim Krul in the Netherlands goal had to be constantly alert to Neymar's ability to finish with calm precision off either foot, although the Brazilian did earn a yellow card for diving. So did the latest wonderkid, Lucas, of Sao Paulo, who was cautioned for a ridiculous theatrical effort. Fred also seemed primarily concerned with going to ground. A centre-forward in this system must try to stay on his feet and provide a platform. Menezes recognises Brazil have a problem against opponents who are defensive or who know how to mark well. It might not be easy when boos are coming down from the terraces but the remedy would seem to be less frustration, more elaboration, more patience and less diving. Not every referee will point to the spot with the eagerness shown last Wednesday by Ibrahim Chaibou. Comments on the piece in the space provided. Questions on South American football to vickerycolumn@hotmail.com and I will pick out a couple for next week. |
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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Romero; Zabaleta, Fernandez, Garay, Clemente; Gago, Mascherano, Di María; Messi, Higuaín y Agüero.
Brazil 2014 qualifier -v- Ecuador 23:30 http://www.firstrowsports.eu/watch/125381/1/watch-argentina-vs-ecuador-%5Bwc-qualifying%5D.html Edited by tribalarmy - 02 Jun 2012 at 10:46pm |
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IrishPride
Jack Charlton Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 6380 |
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Any good bets for this game??
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Galway Will Win The 2014 Hurling Championship
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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Wouldn't touch this game myself, in the 4 games so far Argentina have managed to lose to Venezuela and draw at home to Bolivia. Very unpredictable side. They haven't played a game in 4 months either so it's hard to see what will happen. |
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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Possibly both teams to score. Argie defence average, Ecuador attack is decent. Not sure if the odds are any good though.
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IrishPride
Jack Charlton Joined: 21 Nov 2009 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 6380 |
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6/5 for that. Worth €20 to see
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Galway Will Win The 2014 Hurling Championship
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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1-0 Aguero brilliant move, slighty offside though.
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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3-0 Higuain and Messi.
Argentina have been superb. Messi especially. |
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Green Devil
Robbie Keane Aye Kes, I've pissed me-self again Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Location: Barbados Status: Offline Points: 22173 |
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4-0 to Argentina , when they hit form they can be lethal!
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"He drives two Ferraris; I think he's a very lucky lad to have 50 caps for Ireland,"
Eamonn Dunphy on Glenn Whelan |
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tribalarmy
Robbie Keane Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Location: Gaillimh Status: Offline Points: 20466 |
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Brilliant performance. Best in a long time, same with Brazil during the week. They play each other at the same time as Germany-Portugal on the 9th.
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Doyler
Liam Brady AKA James McCarthy Joined: 01 Oct 2010 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 1262 |
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Had 15 quid on over 3.5 goals at just about evens before the game kicked off. Just when I said to my woman the game was dying down and i was in bad need of a goal...BANG! In goes the fourth
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Look at these scenes, just look at these scenes!
"it's too strong lads!" |
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zizu Kilbane
Jack Charlton Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Location: Ireland Status: Offline Points: 8327 |
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They have apparently cancelled a friendly with Israel as the players/ coaches felt it was inappropriate to play a match there
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"Sometimes, sh*t happens, someone's gotta deal with it, and who ya gonna call?"
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HuntysCousin
Jack Charlton Joined: 26 Sep 2011 Location: Waterford Status: Offline Points: 5241 |
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Seems the Israelis are very upset about the decision, the poor souls
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