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To be fair to Perez, all gols scored on him, he could do nothing about it. Maybe on the Shabalala gol, he could have run out.
To be honest, I don't know... but this is a good thing.
Putting Perez to start the last 3 games was a bad decision
To be fair to Perez, all gols scored on him, he could do nothing about it. Maybe on the Shabalala gol, he could have run out.
You really shouldn't be nervous... your team delivers when it has to, and they make their opportunities count.
Mexico on the other hand, does have a history of choking in big games. Has had A LOT of trouble this year trying to get ANY goal in the net.
It's hard to say how we're going to be able to score, Vela and Dos Santos haven't really been playing well together recently, and with Aguirre's lineups, no one's used to playing together.
Overall, I'm not nervous about Mexico, I know what they can do.. but I also know a lot about the choke jobs they've done in past games/world cups. It is more likely that Mexico chokes than Argentina gets surprised.
lol Ole kissing Uruguay's ass
http://www.ole.com.ar/mundial/urugua...287371376.html
I am an Argie follower but they should let them know about "Uruguayans best kept secret"
This is true, but who would you rather see in the field?
I still think Ochoa is the better keeper, and we want to give Ochoa some time on the field in the biggest tournament in the world. He needs to get that experience for other world cups, as do Chicharito, Guardado, Vela, and Barrera
IMO, Mexico's play in this WC has been underrated (mostly because they haven't been able to score) and Argentina's a little overrated (yes we have created a lot of chances but we've suffer in the back against teams that aren't even half as offensive minded as Mexico).
I fear the fact that Mexico is a great passing team and could take the ball away from us, that's what most hurts this team, imo, I would rather play a defensive team that waits in their own half the whole game.
I also feel uneasy with the rivalry between this two and the fact that Mexico is due a victory against us, the law of averages is with you.
Would you two quit trying to out-jinx the out of each other!!
lol it seems like that, but c'mon....
We all know Mexico chokes, it's no secret.
Did you see my pick were I predicted Argentina to go to the semis? I'm not much of an "anti-jinx" guy, I say what I think or in the strange case of not wanting to "jinx" something I just stay quiet, I don't write up that I don't bealive just to don't jinx my team. I really have a bad feeling about this one.
Besides I gave my reasons of why I don't feel comfortable playing Mexico, it's not just because.
Agreed. Just giving Perez a little props for playing decent
Starting to get the butterflies for tomorrow.
Yeah while DAF86 makes some valid points, I'm still just trying to be realistic.Agreed. Just giving Perez a little props for playing decent
Starting to get the butterflies for tomorrow.
I hope for a great game on both parts, and may the best team win.
No Samuel tomorrow, huge loss, he's our best defender.
I officially cannot sleep. This is going to be a very compe ive match.
Supposedly, Argentina starting eleven are:
-----------------Romero-----------------
Otamendi-Demichelis-Burdisso-Heinze
---Maxi-----Mascherano----Di Maria---
-----------Messi---------Tevez----------
-----------------Higuain-----------------
Looks like Samuel is not fit yet, and I don't know what's up with Verón...
Otamendi for Jonas has probably to do with Maradona liking what Otamendi did as a full back against Greece.
So, is Mexico going to do man-to-man on Messi? If they do, who takes him? Salcedo? Marquez?
Probably Salcido since Marquez is playing as a defensive mid now. He's a great defender, but that doesn't matter vs Messi
I still feel uneasy about Argentina's reaction if they fall behind... I don't know how and if they can handle it. If Argentina is forced forward, Mexico is going to have quite a few chances on the counter.
World Cup 2010: Mexico's great love-hate relationship with Argentina
The USA have always been Mexico's arch rivals – but there's something about La Albiceleste that rankles
Posted by
Marco Dávila
When Mexico's president, Felipe Calderón, published an analysis last week of the drug wars that bleed our country, it came as no surprise he referred so much to the US. After all, it's part of our culture to point the finger at Uncle Sam whenever something bad happens to us.
If we're an underdeveloped country with an everlasting economic crisis, child obesity, industrial pollution and a shameful political class, we think it's because of them.
Of course that's only perception. What's for real is that sometimes they treat Mexican immigrants as criminals, and that over 150 years ago they took from our country the modern-day states of California, Arizona and New Mexico in the infamous Mexican-American war. Those are some of the main reasons why the "Star Spangled Banner" is booed everytime the USA play in the Azteca Stadium. The others have to do with football.
Over the past years the US soccer team has been our biggest rival; our nemesis; the team we love to hate so much that it seemed impossible there could be another one. But then came Argentina.
We've never fought a war against them. Neither have they invaded us, or taken a square foot from our territory. In fact we've always had a good relationship. Argentinians make us feel at home when we visit Buenos Aires and never behave like Idaho spring-breakers when they come to Cancún.
Besides, there are thousands of "porteños" who live in Mexico City. Some of them own excellent Argentinian restaurants, others work as creative divas in advertising agencies. If they're women and they're pretty, they get work as actresses or models; and if they play football a little better than the Argentina-born Guille Franco, they might get Mexican citizenship and play for our national team in the World Cup.
Nevertheless, we cannot stand their football team. We just can't. How could we when La Albiceleste has beaten El Tri over and over again?
Back in 1993, when the best Mexican side of all time reached the final of the Copa América, Argentina beat us 2-1. Later on, in 2005, when Mexico were playing the best football in the Confederations Cup, they kicked our ass in the semi-final, and a year later they did it again in the second round of the World Cup.
On Sunday, when both teams face each other for the 10th time in five years, millions of Mexicans will be praying for revenge. But even the Virgin of Guadalupe can't do much when they have Lionel Messi and Gonzalo Higuaín on their side, while we have Franco on ours.
So we can expect that Argentina will win, as usual; Mexico will be looking for someone to blame, as always; and the USA will remain in second place among the teams we love to hate, forever.
World Cup: Guillermo Franco pledges allegiance to the Mexican flag
If things had worked out a little differently, Mexican forward Guillermo Franco could have been on the other side of the field when El Tri takes on Argentina Sunday in a second-round World Cup match.
At least that's what Franco's birth certificate says.
His heart, however, says something different.
Born in Argentina, Franco has started all three of Mexico's matches in this World Cup and has played in two dozen international matches for El Tri. And he insists there will be no mixed emotions Sunday.
"I'm Mexican," Franco said in a press conference. "I feel 100% Mexican since the day I was naturalized.
"I made the decision to be Mexican. I didn't decide where I was born -- God made that decision. But I made the decision to become Mexican and I feel proud of that."
Franco, 33, began his professional soccer career with San Lorenzo of the Argentine first division, playing there from 1996 to 2002. He joined Monterrey of the Mexican Primera Division midway through 2002 and became a naturalized Mexican citizen two years later, a year before being selected to the national team. In 2006 he played for Mexico in the World Cup.
"I never imagined my life would change during my time in Mexico," Franco said. "The opportunities that country has shown me, the love, I have two Mexican daughters -- there are a lot of reasons why I tipped my heart towards Mexico."
Now he faces the homeland he left in a game in which only one can go on -- just as in 2006, when Argentina sent Mexico home with a 2-1 victory.
"Soccer always gives you the opportunity for revenge and in this World Cup that has been the case," Franco said. "That's why we are preparing very well for Argentina. Now I just hope the victory is there for us."
-- Kevin Baxter in Rustenburg, South Africa
Maradona worried by Mexico
Argentina coach Diego Maradona has admitted he is worried by the threat posed by Mexico ahead of their second round clash.
El Tri have looked good going forward in the build-up to the World Cup and at the tournament itself, creating plenty of opportunities in their three matches thus far.
While they haven't taken the majority of those, Maradona is worried by the prospect of facing a side who could pose Argentina their first serious threat.
"I don't know if (Cuauhtemoc) Blanco will play, or (Guillermo) Franco, although I hope he doesn't because he's good in the air. I think (Javier) Hernandez will play, he moves well all across the front line," the former world cup winner said.
"I think Marquez will play at sweeper because he looked lost in midfield. But these are just my ideas. We know it will be a tough match but with the team and players we have, we can move forward."
Mexico will have plenty of motivation to overcome Argentina having been dumped out by the two time winners at the same stage in 2006 World Cup.
Mexico are likely to bring back Efrain Juarez back into the defence after his one game ban while Carlos Vela could also be available having overcome a hamstring injury.
Maradona has a fully fit squad to choose from and is likely to bring back the likes of Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain after they were rested for the game against Greece.
Mexico battles its inferiority complex before match with soccer powerhouse Argentina
Mexicans go into Sunday's game aware their team is the underdog against the fabled Albicelestes. They're torn between national pride that whispers 'just maybe' and the louder voice that says 'no way.'
By Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Mexico City —
Three days before Mexico faced powerhouse Argentina in the World Cup knockout phase, the new Argentine ambassador here happened to be presenting her credentials to Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
"I told the president, 'May the best team win,' " Patricia Vaca recalled. "He said, 'No, no, may Mexico win!' "
Mexicans go into Sunday's game fully aware that they are the underdog against fabled Argentina. They are torn between national pride that whispers "just maybe" and the louder voice that says "no way."
The World Cup qualifying shuffle that pitted Mexico against Argentina revived deep-seated Mexican feelings of inadequacy — even as those sentiments were tinted with awe for best-on-the-planet Lionel Messi, the larger-than-life Diego Maradona and the great Albicelestes (white-and-sky-blue), as the Argentine team is known.
"Mexico does not have the weapons to win against a team like Argentina," Jose Ramon Fernandez, one of Mexico's top sports commentators, said in a radio interview. "Argentina has talented players and a good game. What does Mexico have? Nothing. It will look ridiculous."
Ouch.
One Mexican newspaper survey had more than two-thirds of Mexicans predicting that their team would lose. The social media networks were full of dire assessments. Even Mexico's 2-0 defeat of France had more to do with the implosion of the French team than any talent from Mexico, said the chattering masses.
(This, from "Carlos" on Twitter: Cheer up friends! Better to prepare for the defeat and then it won't hurt so badly.)
Miffed, star defender Rafael Marquez weighed in to say that he had had enough of the gloom and doom. As Mexicans, he said, we allow pessimism to defeat us. He spoke of the national inferiority complex and urged his compatriots to shelve it.
"Unfortunately sometimes we don't seem to believe in ourselves, and that's the extra 'plus' that other teams have," Marquez said in a news conference in Pretoria, South Africa. "And not just in football. We need to change that mentality and do the best we can in order to be great."
He added: "Yeah, it's Argentina. So what?"
As Vaca, the Argentine ambassador, pointed out, Mexico is home to thousands of Argentines, which will make for some up-close-and-personal rivalry come game time Sunday. Mexico has often welcomed Latin America's outcasts, and Argentines sought refuge here from brutal military juntas in the 1970s and '80s and, again, during Argentina's more recent economic collapse.
Overall, this World Cup has been very good for Latin Americans. Six of the seven Latin American teams that started out advanced to the second round (the exception: unlikely Honduras). Five of the surviving teams are from South America (Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Brazil), a record-high representation for that continent.
And as Uruguay's struggle to conquer South Korea on Saturday proved, anything can happen. Uruguay prevailed, 2-1, but it was no walk in the park against what was widely considered a weaker team.
Maybe Mexicans should take heart in that. Exactly four years ago, in the same round-of-16 stage of the World Cup, Mexico faced Argentina amid similarly negative forecasts. But a scrappy Mexican squad managed to hold Argentina to a tie through regulation play, before the Argentines finally won in overtime.
Mexico's coach then was Ricardo La Volpe — an Argentine.
To be honest, I wouldn't mind if you guys took Franco back.
Exactly what I'm trying to do
This.... I can't believe Rafa admitted it, but he knows what it is to be a winner.
He knows this teams weakness, if Mexico doubts the club, the players doubt themselves.
They don't play as a team, they only thrive on expectations, and they fall apart when they think they're supposed to.
I hope I'm wrong, I hope this team comes out confident and ready to prove Mexico they can win.
But it is highly unlikely.
Guardado is super pissed and has a right to be.
I'm fixing to get really drunk tomorrow....
Brought my uncles grill, got the seasonings ready,fixing to buy some meat tomorrow... beers.
I'm going enjoy the loss lol
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