Match Day 8: Denmark v Australia; France v Peru; Argentina v Croatia

[Corvinus85]

3 minutes ago, Triskjavikson said:

Did Argentina even have any shots on goal?

Well they had the goal open to them, and couldn't score.

[mormont]

We're merely lulling everyone into a false sense of security.

[Disturber of Peace]

While everyone else will be cheering for Iceland, Croatians and Argentinians will be hoping Nigeria does well.

[Vin]

Just now, Disturber of Peace said:

While everyone else will be cheering for Iceland, Croatians and Argentinians will be hoping Nigeria does well.

Well considering the zero effort policy that Nigeria seem to be employing I can easily see Iceland pulling a 1 - 0 or 2-1 

Shame ,Nigeria have great shirts .

[Melphis Amekia]

so long as Croatia gets 1 point vs Iceland(should Iceland win vs Nigeria) then I'm more than happy

now to wait for Japan match xD

[Consigliere]

Having a look at the two starting lineups, this is actually an average Argentina team. Apart from Messi and Aguero, Croatia are better in every other position particularly in midfield. There is zero creativity in Argentina's midfield - Mascherano is past it and Perez looks average. In comparison, Croatia have a top player in Rakitic, the best CM in the world in Modric plus Brozovic and highly rated Kovacic on the bench.

[mormont]

Yeah, but it's more than that.

Tactically, Sampaoli has got it wrong. The back three was a poor choice: it's been exposed time and again. And mentally, the team don't look right either. Sampaoli will lose his job, and I can't say it'll be undeserved. But the players also have to take responsibility: with a few honourable exceptions, they haven't stood up to be counted.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Great. Just f’ing great. At first I was mad that I had to be in a two hour meeting during the game, but now I’m not even mad about it. So far this WC, my home nation fails to make the tournament because they couldn’t beat a tiny little country and my adopted team wets the bed. Now my only hope is these silly English blokes. ARG!

Just don’t let Portugal win!!!!!!!

[Unlady B]

After that first goal, Argentina was doomed. Even if by sheer luck they pass to the next phase, they certainly won't advance from that. They have great players that seem to have no idea what to do in the field. 

It was funny because a coworker said after the second half started: wait for it, around the 80 minutes in there's gonna be blood. Very much expected the show.

[Yukle]

2 hours ago, Disturber of Peace said:

Croatia could have a good tournament.

They have a good chance now to be first in the group and then play Denmark or Australia.

I can't say either of those sides wanted to progress based on the quality of what they brought to the pitch.

Croatia, meanwhile, are the Lords of the Ball. Bow to us.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Lady B. said:

After that first goal, Argentina was doomed. Even if by sheer luck they pass to the next phase, they certainly won't advance from that. They have great players that seem to have no idea what to do in the field. 

It was funny because a coworker said after the second half started: wait for it, around the 80 minutes in there's gonna be blood. Very much expected the show.

They had great players four years ago. Now most of those dudes are old and slow. This team needs new blood badly, and Messi will probably start to decline soon and be shell of himself by 2022, assuming he still wants to play. It's a shame that the country's greatest player with never live up to it's most colorful one. 

[The Marquis de Leech]

8 hours ago, La Albearceleste said:

We're merely lulling everyone into a false sense of security.

It's a very very secure sense of security.

Meanwhile, in defeating Peru, we French have proved that Asterix is superior to Paddington Bear. Onward and upward, and keep the (genuine) champagne on ice...

[Davrum]

10 hours ago, Lady B. said:

After that first goal, Argentina was doomed. Even if by sheer luck they pass to the next phase, they certainly won't advance from that. They have great players that seem to have no idea what to do in the field. 

It was funny because a coworker said after the second half started: wait for it, around the 80 minutes in there's gonna be blood. Very much expected the show.

A lot of the blame has to go to Sampaoli. He has some very experienced players but their experience isn't in playing Sampaoli-style high-intensity football so they find themselves as square pegs attempting to fit into round holes.

[mormont]

2 hours ago, The Marquis de Leech said:

It's a very very secure sense of security.

Double bluff?

17 minutes ago, Davrum said:

A lot of the blame has to go to Sampaoli. He has some very experienced players but their experience isn't in playing Sampaoli-style high-intensity football so they find themselves as square pegs attempting to fit into round holes.

It's an odd experience watching the team right now. They don't really appear to be a Sampaoli team, but nor are they recognisably Argentina. There's little co-ordinated pressing, high up the pitch or elsewhere, but huge gaps in defence. Players seem unsure of their roles - even Messi. Sampaoli seemingly doesn't know how to take advantage of having the best player in the world on the pitch. 

Last night was way worse than the Iceland game, and looking at the body language of the players, I can't see them turning things around against Nigeria. 

[Jace, Extat]

I'm hoping my Icelandic heroes don't become disillusioned by Argentina's collapse. But they will destroy the fellas from Nigeria and ride eternal to Valhalla, shiny and chrome!

Witness them!

[A Horse Named Stranger]

1 hour ago, La Albearceleste said:

It's an odd experience watching the team right now. They don't really appear to be a Sampaoli team, but nor are they recognisably Argentina. There's little co-ordinated pressing, high up the pitch or elsewhere, but huge gaps in defence. Players seem unsure of their roles - even Messi. Sampaoli seemingly doesn't know how to take advantage of having the best player in the world on the pitch. 

 

The problem is Argentina has arguably the best and deepest attack of all the teams. Just every other part of the team is not anywhere near as good. The further back you go, the worse it gets. No central midfield of note, no quality in defense, and in goal Caballero who has played a total of 5 games as City's back up goalie. So Modric and Rakitic had a field day, and Messi repeatedly has to drop deeper to get the balls in less dangerous areas.

[Jace, Extat]

Did y'all get that shit before I could even report it? Nice. 

[mormont]

31 minutes ago, Notone said:

The problem is Argentina has arguably the best and deepest attack of all the teams. Just every other part of the team is not anywhere near as good. The further back you go, the worse it gets. No central midfield of note, no quality in defense, and in goal Caballero who has played a total of 5 games as City's back up goalie. So Modric and Rakitic had a field day, and Messi repeatedly has to drop deeper to get the balls in less dangerous areas.

But that's the thing. The team has Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Di Maria, Dybala... but it isn't scoring goals. Hasn't been since before the finals. So it's not just a problem of a crap defence. The creativity is also lacking. The only attacking player who's looked like a chance creator to me, apart from Messi, is Pavon. He should have started last night, if you ask me. 

[baxus]

Man, I don't remember ever seeing Argentina play that poorly.

Congrats to Croatian team, they played very smart and made the most of every situation on the pitch - starting with the ref who allowed the rougher (I'd even say dirty) game so they made quite a few tactical fouls and got away with it to the gift goal by Caballero and Ottamendi giving Modric all the time and space in the world to make THAT shot (great goal, btw) and, ultimately, Argentinian meltdown after going two goals down.

Ottamendi should've been sent off and banned for at least a couple of matches for that move, as should've that other guy who hit the Croatian keeper near the end of the game. This kind of dangerous (and asshole) moves should be punished severely so no one ever thinks about repeating them.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

13 minutes ago, La Albearceleste said:

But that's the thing. The team has Messi, Higuain, Aguero, Di Maria, Dybala... but it isn't scoring goals. Hasn't been since before the finals. So it's not just a problem of a crap defence. The creativity is also lacking. The only attacking player who's looked like a chance creator to me, apart from Messi, is Pavon. He should have started last night, if you ask me. 

Read again, I said, the lack of quality is already quite noticeable in midfield. Where do you think chances are created, or rather get the ball into dangerous area comes from? A team that can't win or hold onto the ball wil probably not create that many chances, unless you get to play longballs with fast attackers against a high defense. It's really their forwards lacking good supply/support. Messi has to do everything in that team on his own, and he ends up being surrounded by 5 opposing players like in their match against Iceland. With a good defense and goalkeeper they might at least have been able to grind out a 1-0 against Iceland, and maybe survive against Croatia. And remember, Nigeria gave Argentina a sound beating in a friendly earlier. So it's quite possible they will crash out with just one point.