World Cup Qualifiers

[ElNono]

I have nothing against Dybala, in fact I like him. I'm just sick of the re ed "el q no está es mejor" way of thinking. Same with Icardi. No, Icardi isn't better than Higuaín. If he was, Juventus would have spent 100 million on him instead of Higuaín.

And the biggest problem right now is the coach. Bauza is an outdated coach that doesn't work in the most important aspect of modern football: high pressing.

High pressing is what makes you dominate games, it's what allows you to win the ball back quickly and have majority of ball possession. When you don't work on the high press your team suffers from what Argentina suffered today: your team gets way too long, disconected, your players don't play with enough tension and concentration, and you don't get control of the ball.

I don't necessarily disagree, but if you want to play controlling the ball, you can't have out of control players like Di Maria, tbh... and the other issue is that this team just needs a new iden y. I'm not saying it shouldn't focus on Messi, etc, just that if you don't have a coach that brings a new system and ideas, players are going to keep playing the same.

I also feel some players are spoiled and en led. Rojo or Di Maria shouldn't think their spot is undisputed. They're not that good and they have not been in their clubs either. But if you keep calling and playing them, nothing in their at ude is going to change.

[diego]

I have nothing against Dybala, in fact I like him. I'm just sick of the re ed "el q no está es mejor" way of thinking. Same with Icardi. No, Icardi isn't better than Higuaín. If he was, Juventus would have spent 100 million on him instead of Higuaín.

And the biggest problem right now is the coach. Bauza is an outdated coach that doesn't work in the most important aspect of modern football: high pressing.

High pressing is what makes you dominate games, it's what allows you to win the ball back quickly and have majority of ball possession. When you don't work on the high press your team suffers from what Argentina suffered today: your team gets way too long, disconected, your players don't play with enough tension and concentration, and you don't get control of the ball.

Argentina had higher possession yesterday, something like 55-45. What good did a high press do martino? The problem with this team is too many strikers, not enough playmakers / wingers. Aguero and higuain are good players, but they don't receive the ball in position to score. I'm much more fed up with aguero than higuain though.
Dybala I like too, but he is not a playmaker. Correa is a kid who has a future but shouldnt be relied on at this stage.
High press works great against weak teams that are prone to mistakes, and if you have no playmakers you need those mistakes to generate opportunities. Good teams are going to pass out of it. Argentina yesterday had a terrible passing game. A lot of that was on the back line barely being able to advance the ball. Banegas coming in helped a little but he is not a forward playmaker. Also, yesterday the defense was terrible, Zabaleta was lost and Funes Mori got dominated by guerrero. With your logic, if he's not good enough for everton why should he be good enough for the NT?

One of the hallmarks of argentine football is the passing game but this team can barely make 2 through passes per game. Peru had less possession, and their forwards pressed high but it's not like the whole midfield did, what they did have were midfielders who knew how to get their forward the damn ball with good forward passes.

[ElNono]

Correa es humo... mucho humo...

[Brazil]

... And some usual suspects that wanted to make us believe that Chile was some sort of powerhouse

[lefty]

No Misty and Higuain scores tbh

[dfens]

... And some usual suspects that wanted to make us believe that Chile was some sort of powerhouse

imo chile is like croatia/poland: a strong 2nd tier team who on a good day can give any 1st tier a run for their money. Similar strategies, a more talented than poland, less talented than croatia .. in that ballpark tbh. Whoever thinks chile is a 1st tier needs their head examined tbh.

[DAF86]

Argentina had higher possession yesterday, something like 55-45. What good did a high press do martino?

a 74% winning efficiency.

[DAF86]

... And some usual suspects that wanted to make us believe that Chile was some sort of powerhouse

France would have suffered a similar result on the al tude of Quito, tbh.

[140]

No Misty and Higuain scores tbh

[140]

France would have suffered a similar result on the al tude of Quito, tbh.

If not worse, tbh.

[DAF86]

If not worse, tbh.

Probably, since they aren't used to it.

[dfens]

France would have suffered a similar result on the al tude of Quito, tbh.

you know, in europe you get to play russia/belarus/norway/icyland in winter ... i'd rather have quito tbh.

[Brazil]

France would have suffered a similar result on the al tude of Quito, tbh.

My point is not about the results per say... it happens I've seen the game, losing is one thing but this team is just plain awful

[DAF86]

you know, in europe you get to play russia/belarus/norway/icyland in winter ... i'd rather have quito tbh.

You don't know what you're talking about son.

[dfens]

You don't know what you're talking about son.

checked it out on the internets ... 3000 mother ing meters ... are y'all s serious? gtfo , what next, playing on ice?

[140]

checked it out on the internets ... 3000 mother ing meters ... are y'all s serious? gtfo , what next, playing on ice?

and La Paz is even worse at 3600m

[lefty]

You know who Deschamps didn't select for the Euro?

Gameiro

[diego]

2x higher than the highest European city and Denver, and you're comparing it to some chilly weather? Sorry but you're making me agree with daf

Chile has never won in Quito, and medel is the heart of their D so no surprise there. Getting one point out of Paraguay and Bolivia at home though is a huge fail and will likely cost them wc qualification, unless they can get some points back from fifa (Bolivia used a nationalized player that hadn't met all requirements). Medel being out for.another three games is not going to help either, Peru always plays them tough, they need to win out at home, get a few points away and hope for Colombia to fall apart- if I had to bet Chile is not making the wc.

[dfens]

2x higher than the highest European city and Denver, and you're comparing it to some chilly weather? Sorry but you're making me agree with daf

Chile has never won in Quito, and medel is the heart of their D so no surprise there. Getting one point out of Paraguay and Bolivia at home though is a huge fail and will likely cost them wc qualification, unless they can get some points back from fifa (Bolivia used a nationalized player that hadn't met all requirements). Medel being out for.another three games is not going to help either, Peru always plays them tough, they need to win out at home, get a few points away and hope for Colombia to fall apart- if I had to bet Chile is not making the wc.

son I am eating crow, never knew you s play at 3000m, i thought it was like 1000-1500m, hard but not impossible ... 3000 is just i don't know how the that can even be legal tbh.

On the other hand I remember a game in russia at -20 degrees and the pitch frozen with 5 cm of snow ... I think it was a qualifiers some time ago .. to this day I can't understand how they let them play, it was crazy tbh.

[urunobili]

son I am eating crow, never knew you s play at 3000m, i thought it was like 1000-1500m, hard but not impossible ... 3000 is just i don't know how the that can even be legal tbh.

On the other hand I remember a game in russia at -20 degrees and the pitch frozen with 5 cm of snow ... I think it was a qualifiers some time ago .. to this day I can't understand how they let them play, it was crazy tbh.

Respect dfens.

It's an old OLD issue with players complaining left and right to what it's to play at 3000 mt al ude. It's just not right.
It's also as bad to play in Colombia at 1pm (40 degrees Celsius in the shadows or more) (and they're still getting away with that ) top notch defensive teams like Uruguay eat 4 goals there as players by the 30th minute of the first half are full on dehydrated.
I don't blame the federations though, if we had those "natural" advantages I'm sure I'd celebrate them.

[Canyonero]

son I am eating crow, never knew you s play at 3000m, i thought it was like 1000-1500m, hard but not impossible ... 3000 is just i don't know how the that can even be legal tbh.

On the other hand I remember a game in russia at -20 degrees and the pitch frozen with 5 cm of snow ... I think it was a qualifiers some time ago .. to this day I can't understand how they let them play, it was crazy tbh.

I've played some "picados" in Jujuy (northern Argentina) where the avg height is 2500-3000 mts and that is tiring AF unless you chew some coca leaves.

[dfens]

Respect dfens.

It's an old OLD issue with players complaining left and right to what it's to play at 3000 mt al ude. It's just not right.
It's also as bad to play in Colombia at 1pm (40 degrees Celsius in the shadows or more) (and they're still getting away with that ) top notch defensive teams like Uruguay eat 4 goals there as players by the 30th minute of the first half are full on dehydrated.
I don't blame the federations though, if we had those "natural" advantages I'm sure I'd celebrate them.

sounds like football tbh, sorry to hear that ... I always wondered how teams like ecuador and bolivia had such strong home courts ... looked it up and I said to myself holy these s using climbing rope to get to the stadium It's normal for good teams to collapse under such conditions tbh. On the other hand a team like france would love 40 degrees, them s would feel like at their parents house tbh, hot sun, wide spaces, the jungle is nearby

[spursistan]

Is Spain back? They look really good so far

struggling with Albania

They are washed, IMO..Have been so since 2013 and their younger generation isn't as good ..

[DAF86]

imo chile is like croatia/poland: a strong 2nd tier team who on a good day can give any 1st tier a run for their money. Similar strategies, a more talented than poland, less talented than croatia .. in that ballpark tbh. Whoever thinks chile is a 1st tier needs their head examined tbh.

What about thinking Italy is 1st tier right now? ing Macedonia

[spursistan]

Italy ..

My bold prediction for these qualifiers is Italy missing their first WC since 1958..