Russia World Cup 18

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Are you watching the game?

 

France have clearly clued in that he's the only one worth defending. They have three players on him any time Argentina get the ball and are just daring Meza or Pavon or whoever to beat them (which they're obviously not capable of doing).

Yes I am.

 

I was talking about his whole career, not just this game.

 

Pretty sure the commentator said he's never scored a knockout World Cup goal.

[Trumo]

If your goalkeepers and defenders are bang average, you make sure your midfield lacks nothing for intensity and dynamism, and you use forwards who can provide a genuine threat. When you have the world's best player too, you can get more out of him in the final third. You are compensating for weaknesses in one area by playing to your strengths in the other.

 

What Sampaoli has done is shorn his team of any dynamism and attacking verve by either not selecting difference makers, or leaving the ones he did take to Russia on the bench. It's made his team among the most dysfunctional in the whole tournament. The goalkeepers look shite. The defence looks weak. The midfield looks useless. The attack looks non-existant. And Messi is reduced to strolling around with a face like a slapped arse, playing in a role that doesn't get him on the ball often enough, or in any threatening areas.

[VladimirIlyich]

How Aguerro and Dybala don't start is fuckin criminal. And Icardi left at home? Oh marone!

 

Their goalkeeper is woeful too.The whole defence actually.

[J-V]

Fazio fouls Otemendi. 

[Anubis]

Otamendi - gormless twat.

[3 Stacks]

Yes I am.

 

I was talking about his whole career, not just this game.

 

Pretty sure the commentator said he's never scored a knockout World Cup goal.

 

He led the team to the final last time and was managed by a coke head in 2010. 

[aRdja]

Otamendi is one of the most overrated players at the moment.

[Ne Moe Imya]

Fuck can he do in this team? He's in a team with a League 2 standard back five, three holding midfielders, Di Maria, and a fella playing wide right that I only noticed when he was taken off about ten minutes ago.

 

This team is utter, utter shite.

 

Stick him behind two of Aguero, Dybala and Icardi and he'd have half a chance of shining.

 

Sampaoli should be investigated after this.

 

Blaming Messi for this is like blaming Gerrard for us finishing 6th in 2011, instead of recognising that Hodgson was running him out with the likes of Christian Poulsen and Milan Jovanovic.

[Trumo]

How Aguerro and Dybala don't start is fuckin criminal. And Icardi left at home? Oh marone!

 

Messi will probably retire from international football again after this World Cup. Those 3 should be starting for Argentina.

[aRdja]

Di Maria’s crosses have been woeful.

[Jairzinho]

I think this tournament is a great example of why the "you have to win a world cup to be the best" argument is pure bollocks. A great player may, if he is lucky, get three 10/1 shots to win it in his life. And that's before taking into account having a manager that appears to have taken a bung.

[Jenson]

Placcy has never scored a goal in a World Cup knockout game either (so I read this morning). Now I know he has a chance later on, but I hardly think that’s a stick to beat Messi with.

[CWD82]

Dybala's got nothing to do with that. That's Icardi.

You are right.

 

Still another brilliant forward not in the team. Would have him over Higuain

[Jairzinho]

Give it Zanetti.

[J-V]

Come on Argies 2min

[RoboRiise]

Biggest problem Argentina have got is their manager is a complete twat.  Absolutely no idea what he thinks he's doing.

 

LAST MINUTE DRAMA 4-3!

[Jenson]

Ball from Messi

[dockers_strike]

Turned out nice again. What a bunch of twats the argies are.

[VladimirIlyich]

I think this tournament is a great example of why the "you have to win a world cup to be the best" argument is pure bollocks. A great player may, if he is lucky, get three 10/1 shots to win it in his life. And that's before taking into account having a manager that appears to have taken a bung.

To be fair to Sampaio,he has faced a revolt from senior players. Easily solved by picking younger and better players who he hasn't either selected or chosen for the squad.

[aRdja]

Messi is playing with some absolute clowns.

[Jenson]

Argies gonna Argie

[RoboRiise]

Can see a proper barney klcking off at full time here.

 

Edit:  Nah, bunch of fannies.  Great game that.

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Crazy game.

[dockers_strike]

And they are out. Shame the frogs go through though.

[J-V]

Imagine playing your best players from the start.