Argentina vs Australia squad news

This is the list of 21 players who have been called up for the friendly against Australia, to be played in Melbourne (in the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground) on the 11th of September:

Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Getafe, Spain), Oscar Ustari (Getafe), Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, the Netherlands)

Fair enough, given the situation with Carrizo (which I'll touch on below). I'm becoming increasingly concerned about playing time for Ustari at club level as well.

Defenders: Daniel 'Cata' Diaz (Getafe), Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid, Spain), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain), Nicholas Burdisso (Inter, Italy), Javier Zanetti (Inter), Gabriel Milito (Barcelona, Spain), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich, Germany)

I can understand the need to experiment, but I would have liked to see Garay get another call-up. He's definitely a solid performer, and the defeat to Norway cannot be blamed on him. (Playing Gabi Milito at leftback, however, has to be one of the strangest decisions I've ever seen. With all the players Argentina have, you'd think we would have a couple of leftbacks to spare when Heinze isn't available.) I've put Demichelis in this category because Basile has called up so many defensive midfielders that I doubt he also wants Demichelis for that position. Still not too sure about Coloccini, although I hear good things about him at club level playing rightback.

Midfielders: Fernando Gago (Real Madrid), Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid, Spain), Jonás Gutiérrez (Real Mallorca, Spain), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England), Cristian Ledesma (Olympiakos, Greece), Federico Insúa (Club America, Mexico)

Gago must be getting concerned about his amount of playing time at Real now that the double pivot era seems to be over, especially when he's competing with the brilliant Mascherano. Gutierrez has been called up a couple of times, and he's done well for Mallorca in the past, but to be honest, I'm not sure he's the answer. Ledesma is a bit of an unknown for me, although I've heard good things. Insua has been on good form since going to Mexico, and it will be interesting to see if Basile intends to give him the responsibility of being the playmaker.

I'm still advocating for Aimar and D'Alessandro, but they've been off-colour for Zaragoza so far this season, so we'll have to wait and see.

Forwards: Javier Saviola (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Hernán Crespo (Inter), Carlos Tevez (Manchester United)

I'm glad to see Aguero called up, since he's very much deserving. Other than that, my concern is still the lack of no.9 options other than Crespo.

Unfortunately, Diaz, Crespo and Maxi Rodriguez have all had to pull out of the squad for various reasons. This means that Basile is left with a squad of just 18 players to face a difficult opponent on their home ground.

That doesn't even touch on the urgent and very serious problems that Basile must address before World Cup qualification starts with a match against Chile, which is our next game:

• Many of the countries went to the Copa America with an experimental squad in order to prepare for the qualifiers. We didn't.
• This lack of preparation has been compounded by the inactivity at club level of several important players, like Crespo, Riquelme and Carrizo (who has been loaned back to River but is at risk of not starting).
  
• Riquelme's case is the most severe, since he won't get called up if he's not playing at club level, and Basile had built the team around him in the Copa America.
• The team doesn't have the time to look for a new playmaker and to calibrate their strategy to that player.
• There is uncertainty in defence with the retirement of previous leader Ayala.

So to sum up, we don't know how we're going to play, and who should be playing. Needless to say, this is not a good situation to go into the qualifiers with.

Argentina squad against Norway

Ah, yes, yet another meaningless international exhibition match mandated by a shady deal done by the Argentinian FA. Only these friendlies will become increasingly meaningful as coach Alfio Basile seeks to work out the future of a squad in transition, and decide on a formation, let alone the team for the World Cup qualifiers starting very soon. Comments on the squad first, then a note on the glaring omissions.

Goalkeepers:
Juan Pablo Carrizo (Lazio, Italy)
Oscar Ustari (Getafe, Spain)
Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar, Holland)

The big surprise here is the omission of previous no.1 Roberto Abbondazieri, which I'll discuss later. Carrizo has been threatening to break into the team for some time now, although I would question the timing of this promotion for him, given that he's just gone to Lazio and may need time to settle in there. Ustari is in a strange situation himself, having gone to Getafe to be backup for Abbondazieri, or at least that's the assumption given El Pato's form for the Madrid club last season. Hopefully he won't just warm the bench there, as he's an excellent prospect. Congratulations are due to Romero, who just won the U20 World Cup for Argentina. Also a big prospect, and it's good to see so many young 'keepers coming through.

Defenders:
Gabriel Milito (Barcelona, Spain)
Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain)
Nicolas Burdisso (Inter, Italy)
Ezequiel Garay (Racing, Spain)
Daniel Diaz (Getafe, Spain)
Javier Zanetti (Inter, Italy)

Oh dear, does that mean we might see Coloccini at rightback again? To be fair, he had a good second half of last season playing for Depor in that position, so maybe he could also be redeemed at international level. Zanetti is a no-brainer, other than the fact that I'm worried about the fitness levels of him and Burdisso, who have just returned to training for Inter after the Copa America.

Good to see Garay finally get his chance. An important member of the 2005 U20 World Cup winning side, he's become a vital player for Racing as well. Very reliable, and definitely one for the future.

I'm not sure about 'Cata' Diaz quite yet, having only seen him play one game for Argentina in the Copa America. I've heard good things, though, and hopefully Getafe will suit him.

Midfielders:
Luis 'Lucho' Gonzalez (Porto, Portugal)
Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid, Spain)
Jose Sosa (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool, England)
Fernando Gago (Real Madrid, Spain)
Cristian Ledesma (Olympiakos, Greece)
Federico Insua (America, Mexico)

The return of Maxi Rodriguez is extremely welcome. I think we missed him at the Copa America, especially since Lucho was a bit off-colour.

I'm quite surprised by this part of the list, to be honest. No Riquelme (more on that later), no Aimar, 3 defensive/holding midfielders. Very strange. I haven't been too impressed by Insua's previous performances for Argentina, and young Sosa, who was so good playing in Argentina, has just moved to Bayern. Perhaps Basile will abandon his commitment to a single playmaker who can be stifled by heavy defending, although I don't see him playing anything else other than the diamond 4-4-2.

Forwards:
Javier Saviola (Real Madrid, Spain)
Diego Milito (Zaragoza, Spain)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain)
Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli, Italy)

22 year old Lavezzi is yet another player on this list who has just made a move, in his case from San Lorenzo to Napoli. I have to confess, my knowledge of him is limited, but I'm excited to see what he can do.

Messi was asking to be included in this squad right after the Copa America ended, and not surprisingly he's got his wish. He has the same fitness concerns as everyone else who was in the Copa squad and hasn't been training for too long, though. Saviola has earned himself a recall by some good performances in pre-season for Real Madrid. It remains to be seen if he will remain in contention, given the competition for a place on the forward line at Real, but he's looked good for Argentina before, especially alongside Crespo. So welcome back. Good to see Diego Milito get another chance, too. He was much maligned in the Copa, but I've always been convinced of his quality.

the omissions

It's a young squad, almost half of whom have just been involved in a transfer, quite a few of them making the jump from Argentina to Europe, which is probably a fair reflection of what happens to any young talents who shine in the domestic league these days.

On the other hand, giving a chance to all these young players means the omission of a few surprising names. The retirement of Ayala and the probably retirement of Veron we all know about, but what about the likes of Abbondanzieri, Heinze, Riquelme, Aimar, Cambiasso, Tevez, Aguero and Crespo?

I suspect the omission of Riquelme and Heinze has a lot to with their uncertain future, and the lack of Tevez can also be explained by his long, drawn-out transfer saga, which has just been resolved. As for Abbondanzieri and Cambiasso, perhaps Basile already knows what they can bring to the table and wants to see what others can do in their place. Crespo still has fitness concerns, (I certainly hope his Argentina career isn't done yet) and so does Aguero, although for him it's more a product of a strange pre-season that included being called back to help Atletico qualify for the UEFA Cup straight after winning the U20 World Cup. When he's fit properly again, I hope Aguero gets more chances at senior level. He's certainly proven his devotion to the cause. As an aside, I'd like to see Pablo Zabaleta of Espanyol back in contention too, but he's young and I'm sure the chances will come. A fit Gonzalo Rodriguez would also be nice to see sometime soon. Such a great young centerback, so unlucky with injuries.

The likes of Aimar and D'Alessandro have been figures on the sidelines for a while now, and I can't really see any of those players ever fully breaking through, given the incredible rate with which Argentina turns up the Next Big Thing, leaving the former prospects behind. Just look at the way attention has turned to the stars of the side who won the U20 World Cup.

Hmm, that was a rather cynical note to strike. It will be good to see how this group of players shape up, and to get some indication of Basile's thinking ahead of the qualifiers.

the future of Argentina part 1: defenders

This will mark the beginning of a series of (massive) posts on the future of the Argentinean National Team after the retirement of Juan Roman Riquelme and new coach Basile taking charge. I've discussed bits and pieces of the issue here and there, but not in any systematic fashion. Here I'll take a look first at what shape the new team will take, then likely candidates for each position. Please excuse the European-centric view, it wouldn't be this way if I had more information about those who play their football in the Argentinean league. This post deals with the defenders.


formation and tactics

If Basile's last stint as coach of the NT and his work at Boca are any indication, he favours an all-out attacking style, which is good news for the spectacle-hungry fan. However, no one's sure if he will continue what Pekerman eventually settled on by keeping the 4-3-1-2, which he also used at Boca, or going for a more aggressive 4-3-3 like the NT that won the Copa America under him in 1993. Either way, he's got plenty of talent to call on.

(Abbreviations: WYC = World Youth Championship. Speaking of which, I'm going to compile some statistics at the end of this series - how many players have won competitions at youth level like the Olympics, the WYC and the South American Youth Championships, how many are from each league and so on.)

Profiles are in order of age, from oldest to youngest. At the end I'll put the players into three categories: unlikely to feature, likely to feature in Qualifying/Copa America, and likely to feature in 2010 and give short reasons (age, ability etc).


Goalkeeper

Roberto 'Pato' Abbondanzieri (Getafe, Spain) will probably continue to be the first choice for a couple of years, and deservedly so given his assured performance at the World Cup, but at the age of 34 the search is on for a good replacement with an eye towards the next Copa America and World Cup Qualifying. Right now, though, his great work especially dealing with crosses, distribution and impressive penalty shootout record (only 3 out of 5 penalties get past him) keeps him at the top.

Leo Franco (Atletico Madrid, Spain) had the misfortune of coming on for the injuried Abbondanzieri in the World Cup match against Germany, letting in the equalizer and then all 4 German penalties in the shootout. He can't really be blamed for any of the above, though, given the circumstances of each. A World Youth Championship winner with the '97 team that also contained stars such as Aimar and Riquelme, he has a good record with his club, although at the age of 29 he may just be discarded in favour of someone younger before the next World Cup.

German Lux (River Plate, Argentina) was also a WYC winner with the '01 team that contained Saviola and Maxi Rodriguez, picking up an Olympic Gold medal as part of the '04 winning squad's first choice 'keeper (during which he strangely had a shot on goal in the first match against Serbia and Montenegro). He was also first choice for Argentina in the Confederations Cup '05, but missed out on a place in the World Cup squad because of concerns over his mental state after a personal tragedy in the family. Has been first choice for River Plate since last season, and at the age of 24 is one of the contenders for first choice in 2010.

Oscar Ustari (Independiente, Argentina) is yet another WYC winner, this time with the '05 side of Aguero and Messi. He was the third choice goalkeeper in Germany, taken primarily to get a feel for the World Cup as he is seen as a great prospect by many. Only 20 years old, Ustari has been first choice 'keeper for Independiente since last season, showing great maturity and leadership skills despite his age. There are rumours that Barcelona have an eye on his development. Definitely one for the future.


Defenders (center-back)

Roberto Ayala (Valencia, Spain) has been the undisputed leader of the Argentinean backline for many years. Now 34 years old, he was a member of the Olympic Gold-winning team of 2004 and has been a mainstay of the NT for more than a decade, earning more than 100 caps and playing in the last 3 World Cups. There were doubts over his ability to keep up going into Germany, since he'd had an operation on his knee and missed large parts of the Liga season, but 'El Raton' proved his detracters wrong with a towering performance, combining great passing ability with dominance in the air, assured marking and his trademark headed goals. I think he'll be back to lead the team for at least a couple more years, since he's definitely our best central defender at the moment. To be honest, I wish he could defy age and play on for Argentina in 2010, but obviously that's not possible. Having won league titles in all the countries he has played in, as well as the UEFA Cup and European Super Cup, it's sad that his wonderful career will end without a World Cup triumph. Perhaps the Copa America would prove a consolation.

Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United, England) is one of Argentina's first-choice center-backs at the moment. After drifting through a couple of different leagues he's done very well settling in ManU and is first-choice there when fit. Arguably him going off with a long-term injury in their first European match last season played a part in them failing to get out of the group stages. Heinze's great qualities are his work-rate, courage and accurate tackling. I think he could become one of the best in the world with a bit more experience and maturity. A key member of the '04 Olympics squad, 28-year-old Heinze formed a solid defensive partnership with Ayala in the NT that was only blighted by occasional rashness. Could be a leader of the defence in 2010.

Walter Samuel (Internationale, Italy) was left out of the World Cup squad in '06 but recalled for the friendly against Brazil. He's actually only 28 years old, and was a member of the '97 WYC squad, but always somehow seems older to me. Maybe I've been affected by all the talk about him being past his best. Samuel was hailed as 'the Wall' at Roma, but bombed at Real Madrid and now performs inconsistently for Inter (as does the entire Inter team, it must be said). I don't see him getting back into the squad unless there's an absolute shortage - he's been on the sidelines of the NT for far too long, and hasn't performed that well when drafted back in.

Gabriel Milito (Zaragoza, Spain) has been a defensive mainstay for his club since joining from Independiente. Very impressive everytime I've seen him play, with great distribution, he's been kept out of the starting line-up of the NT by the Ayala-Heinze partnership, only playing a single game in both the Confederations Cup and the World Cup. Only 26, though, so he'll probably be an important member of the team for years to come.

Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain) can also play at defensive midfield and right-back, but he's mostly a center-back for Argentina so he goes here. Captain of the '01 WYC-winning squad and part of the Olympic Gold winning team, he featured mostly in the Confederations Cup and World Cup Qualifying for the full NT. Played two games in Germany standing in for the injured Burdisso at right-back, not very impressively it must be said. He's known for being somewhat inconsistent, perhaps owing to the fact that he's had a torrid time staying at a club for more than a season. Now that he's settled at Depor, maybe things will improve. Only 24 years old, so he could feature in the next 4 years, but I remain unconvinced that he should on current performances.

Gonzalo Rodriguez (Villarreal, Spain) was unfortunate to sustain an injury that kept him out of the World Cup, and yet another one that came just as he was about to break into the NT which will keep him out for most of the season. Won the South American U-20 title in '03 with a team that included new West Ham signings Mascherano and Tevez. Gonzalo played twice for Argentina in the Confederations Cup, but remained on the fringe during Pekerman's time in charge. He's one of Argentina's brightest defensive prospects, having put in impressive displays for Villarreal particularly in the previous season. Only 22 years old, but already attracting attention from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, not to mention the inevitable rumours about Inter. Barring injury worries, he should definitely feature in the next 4 years.

Gabriel Paletta (Liverpool, England) was a member of the WYC-winning squad of '05, his performances there earning him a move to Liverpool in the last transfer window, where he has yet to feature in a competitive match. He's a bit rough around the edges, but has a great sense of positioning and what he can and can't get away with. Also scores the odd goal - an old-school Argentinean defender, in other words. Yet to be capped for the NT, but surely it's just a matter of time and of course getting himself some playing time at Liverpool. At 20 years old, one for the future.


Defenders (right-back)

Javier Zanetti (Internationale, Italy) was controversially left out of the World Cup squad that went to Germany. A well-respected former captain of the NT, both for his efforts on the pitch and great character off it, Zanetti is one of the most-capped Argentinean players having taken part in the France and Japan-Korea World Cups, the Confederations Cup and World Cup Qualifying this time round, only to be mysteriously left out of the final squad. At his best he combines skill and pace with great runs down the right and is a hallmark of consistency both as the captain and symbol of Inter and for Argentina. At 34 he's only got a couple of years in him left, but I hope that Basile can give him a proper end to a wonderful career by selecting him at least for friendlies and maybe Copa America.

Lionel Scaloni (Racing Santander, Spain) is only included here so I can marvel at how a comedy defender like him got into the NT, let alone the World Cup squad. Okay, the 28 year old is a WYC winner with the '97 team, and maybe he used to be good for Depor, but I've seen the phrase 'West Ham comedy defender' next to his name far too many times. Not to mention I've also seen his attempts at defending against Mexico in Germany, when Pekerman tried him out as a replacement for the injured Burdisso and found his efforts to be worse than even Coloccini's attempt at filling the same position, and the latter's not even a right-back. Joined Racing recently hoping to kick-start his career again, but hopefully won't been seen in the sky blue and white again unless absolutely necessary.

Nicolas Burdisso (Internationale, Italy) was a surprise inclusion in the '06 Germany squad, after a season in which he only played 16 games for Inter. Another member of the '01 WYC-winning squad and the '04 Olympics winning team, he hasn't really impressed for the full NT. Did his job well defensively but was criticized for his lack of ability going forward until Ruud van Nistelrooy fell on him in the match against Holland and his World Cup ended. He's only 25 but I don't really see him getting too many chances under Basile, unless as a stop-gap or substitute. Players who sit on the bench for their clubs are unlikely to be selected, after all. If he becomes a starter for Inter, then his adaptability could be an asset.

Pablo Zabaleta (Espanyol, Spain) is a player I've admired such he captained Argentina to the '05 WYC title, playing on the right side of midfield. Since signing for Espanyol after the tournament, he's been playing at right-back for them and doing admirably well, considering the wildly inconsistent form of his club in general. A mature, cool-headed player with perhaps more effort than technique in defence but very good going forward, perhaps reflecting the fact that he started his career as a striker but moved gradually back. He was the one bright spark in the friendly against Brazil which was only his second cap and put in a very good claim for being called up again. 21 years old and developing well, so I hope he continues to be selected and becomes a regular.


Defenders (left-back)

Juan Pablo Sorin (Hamburg, Germany) led Argentina at the World Cup, performing admirably with his barnstorming runs up and down the left, working well with then-club mate Riquelme. His illustrious career for Argentina began when he captained the '95 WYC winning side, going on to win 70 caps including almost all the matches in the Confederations Cup and 2 World Cups. Sorin's club career has been less impressive, drifting from league to league and probably setting a record for the number of countries a single footballer has played in (Argentina-Italy-Argentina again-Brazil-Italy-Spain-France-Spain again-Germany). Played well for Villarreal in the last two seasons as a left-sided midfielder before being told that he was surplus to requirements. He's done everything asked of him as captain, but probably won't feature much in the future, being 30 years old and not a favourite of Basile.

Diego Placente (Celta Vigo, Spain) seems to be the forgotten left-back these days, after appearing at the 2002 World Cup, Qualifying for '06, and at the Confederations Cup final. A crucial member of the '97 WYC team, he only moved to Spain last year after spending the last five seasons as a regular for Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. At 29 years old I can only see him filling in for the next few years, especially since he's been on the fringe of the NT for a while.

Leandro Cufre (Monaco, France) can reportedly play at right-back and center-back too, but I'm going by what I know - his performances at left-back for Argentina. Well, performance, really - he's only been capped 4 times, and played in a single game of note (the World Cup match against Holland, filling in for Sorin). You may remember him as the one who got red-carded against Germany for stamping on a German player in the after-match brawl, despite never playing in the game itself. A regular for Roma last season, he hasn't really impressed me from what I've seen, but maybe the move to France will suit him. 28 years old and yet another member of the '97 WYC-winning side, he may yet have further chances if he does well for his club, if only because of Argentina's current lack of left-backs.

Clemente Rodriguez (Spartak Moscow) was a surprise call-up to the NT for the Brazil friendly, having only featured in a couple of matches and the '04 Olympics squad until then. He's actually settled relatively well in Russia last season and has looked impressive for them so far this season. Basile loves a good attacking full-back and at 25 years old there's a high possibility that he'll be a member of the squad for years to come.

Unlikey to feature

Walter Samuel - hasn't been good for too long

Javier Zanetti - advanced age in a position that calls for speed, unfortunately
Lionel Scaloni - 'former West Ham comedy defender'

Juan Pablo Sorin - out of favour
Diego Placente - seemingly forgotten

Likely to feature in Qualifying/Copa America

Roberto 'Pato' Abbondanzieri - still first choice, still excellent
Leo Franco - seems to be default back-up for El Pato

Roberto Ayala - can't see anyone else leading the defence while he's still performing well
Gabriel Heinze - one of the first names on the team sheet when fit
Gabriel Milito - first substitute for both of the above
Fabricio Coloccini - useful as a versatile stop-gap
Gonzalo Rodriguez - Basile will be eager to bed him into the team

Pablo Zabaleta - seems to have earned himself a place with good displays
Nicolas Burdisso - versatile and fairly reliable

Leandro Cufre - because of the lack of experienced left-backs
Clemente Rodriguez - impressive so far, adds attacking threat

Likely to feature in 2010

German Lux - has shown promise already
Oscar Ustari - 'goalkeeper of the future'

Gabriel Paletta - if he lives up to his promise

Conclusions: Argentina currently have no truly world-class goalkeepers, a lot of central defenders and not enough great full-backs. What happened to proper wing-backs?