Group D - Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria

[sledger]

Yeah, Messi, Aguero and one or two others have to pretty much carry that side.

 

[Furball]

In the last 25 years or so Argentina have had Redondo, Riquelme and Mascherano as the only 3 midfielders of an acceptable standard IMO.

Great teams are built from midfield.

 

[sledger]

In the last 25 years or so Argentina have had Redondo, Riquelme and Mascherano as the only 3 midfielders of an acceptable standard IMO.

Great teams are built from midfield.

Dunno if acceptable is the right word tbh. Veron, Simeone, Gago, Banega, Aimar, and Biglia were/are all much better than "acceptable" players.

It obviously is a problem position for them though, and has been for a very long time now.

 

[Uppercut]

It's funny because in 2006 they were the team with the most functional system. They've never really recovered from Riquelme being subbed off against Germany in the quarters.

At this stage their starting XI doesn't even have many good individuals. Very lop-sided generation of talent, Messi, Aguero, Dybala, Higuain, Icardi might be their best 5 players and they all play up front.

 

[S.Kennedy]

1998 - 2006 Argies had some really talented players who never did anything.

 

[sledger]

1998 - 2006 Argies had some really talented players who never did anything.

Yeah apart from have massive successes at club level.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Yeah apart from have massive successes at club level.

What I meant was in each of those three world cups they had heavily hyped star studded teams but flopped out on all three occasions. They had those stunning goals in 2006 of course but still flopped out of the competition. Sort of Argentina's own ''golden generation'' era.

 

[sledger]

The only real flop was in 2002.

 

[Furball]

The only real flop was in 2002.

Yeah, 98 they got to the quarters and lost to the best team at the tournament, 2006 was a wee bit of a bottle job to be fair. That tournament was there for them to win.

 

[sledger]

Yeah, 98 they got to the quarters and lost to the best team at the tournament, 2006 was a wee bit of a bottle job to be fair. That tournament was there for them to win.

Maybe, but losing on pens to Germany (who were the home nation no less) was just one of those things imo. Not an outrageous failure by any means.

 

[Uppercut]

Maybe, but losing on pens to Germany (who were the home nation no less) was just one of those things imo. Not an outrageous failure by any means.

It was a glorious failure too. They're a bit like the Brazil '82 of that tournament. "Flop" is so badly not the right word.

 

[GIMH]

Their teams circa 98/02/06 were miles better, even speaking relatively, than the one that *********d it’s way to the final in 90

 

[Niall]

This match so far has been the biggest let down of the world cup, neither side perfect obviously but expecting so much more.

Its not been a high quality world cup today so far.

 

[sledger]

lmao big willy not at the races there

 

[harsh.ag]

Argentina are getting knocked out, aren't they

 

[Niall]

Argentina are getting knocked out, aren't they

They look awful, but its likely that 4 points might get it done for them so they should sneak out of the group at least.

 

[harsh.ag]

How did Meza miss that earlier chance??

Should have substituted Messi, not Perez.

 

[sledger]

lol no way are they taking off Messi.

u crazy

 

[sledger]

They're done.

 

[Uppercut]

Amazing. Modric was so so good all game too.

Caballero’s fault too. Needs to cover the near post because he’s never getting it in the other corner.