expectations and young Argentineans: Aguero, Messi, and Tevezerano

"If he had played badly, all sorts of things would have been said about him...It is not necessary to heap all this pressure on him, especially when things do not work or when he does not score."

Wise words from Maxi Rodriguez, asking the media and the fans to lay off young team mate Sergio Aguero so that he doesn't suffer under the weight of expectations. His comments came after Aguero put on an electrifying display in the game against Atletic Bilbao, setting up one and scoring another in a 4-1 victory.

Maxi's right, of course - us fans are fickle enough to turn on a dime against anyone. Witness the criticism being thrown Leo Messi's way after the last game against Racing, some going so far as to proclaim that he had started the season badly without putting in enough effort, conveniently forgetting the fact that he scored a goal each in the last 2 games and also had an assist in that difficult game against Celta Vigo where Barca were without Ronaldinho.

Sure, he had an average game against Racing (apparently - about to watch it now), but doesn't everyone, occasionally? As a fan, I'm a bit worried about his starting position after Giuly came on in his place and played brilliantly, but if Valencia decide to field Asier del Horno in the next game at Camp Nou then Messi should definitely start. It would be a fun reunion for the two.

Here's hoping Messi picks himself up - I've never seen him have two bad games in a row, after all. When you start for Barca, you can't afford to.

On to two more young, constantly under-pressure Argentinean maestros, this time in London. Tevezerano - as some have taken to calling them (or alternatively 'Tevez and That Other Bloke') - are under ever more critical scrutiny at West Ham, having failed to help their team to a single victory since they've joined. That might sound damning, but given the fact that neither of them are what you'd call match-fit yet, it's also fairly predictable. Mascherano apparently gave his usual assured display against Palermo and was taken off at half-time against Newcastle for a more creative player - which is fair enough. Tevez hasn't really found his scoring boots yet, despite creating good chances whenever he's on the field and hitting the bar with a free-kick against Newcastle before also being substituted at half-time or thereabouts.

I'm not worried just yet - it'll take them time to settle, but I think Mascherano in particular will succeed in the Premiership. His style is well-suited to it. However, it does irk me to see everybody blaming all of West Ham's problems on the two of them. Surely the fact that West Ham have not defended well, plus Alan Pardew not knowing what his best eleven looks like, is more responsible for their losses than two 22 year olds who have yet to settle in?

Tevez and Mascherano both adjusted well to life in Brazil, winning over initially hostile fans with dedication, hard work, and sheer skill. Lest anyone forget, before the World Cup Tevez was the captain of Corinthians, and an idol of the fans having led them to the title. He was also the best player in the Brazilian league by popular acclaim.

They can do the same in the EPL, I'm sure. Just give them a little space and time.

the future of Argentina part 2: midfielders

My series on the look and shape of the new Argentinean National Team continues, this time on the exciting topic of midfielders. Due to the number of players covered, they've been divided up into three categories - defensive, attacking, and playmakers. At the end I'll sum up their possibilities of being involved with Basile's Argentina and to which extent.

Abbreviations: WYC = World Youth Championship, the U-20 tournament run by FIFA. Held every 2 years and won by Argentina in '95, '97, '01, '05 since Maradona first led his team to win it.


defensive

Esteban Cambiasso (Internationale, Italy) was one of former coach Pekerman's most trusted players, even if he was playing a bit deeper for Argentina than he does for his club. Most of this was due to Mascherano's injury lay-off which forced Cambiasso into the holding role. Arguably plays much better in a more central midfield position, making tackles, linking play and even scoring the odd goal. Etched his name into World Cup history by scoring the 24-pass goal against Serbia and Montenegro and then missing the penalty which sent Argentina crashing out. I still remember Cambiasso crying and murmuring "why did it have to be me?" repeatedly as his teammates tried to counsel him. It's all the poignant given that he was once one of the greatest young prodigies of his generation - a member of the '97 WYC-winning 'golden generation' team, signed by Real Madrid in his teens. Now 26 and a definite starter for Inter, he should definitely be part of Basile's plans for the next four years.

Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich, Germany) rather infamously declared that he had lost the will to live after being omitted from the '06 World Cup squad. (Yes, I'm still miffed about that. You're young, what's the hurry?) He does have some cause to feel despair, though, having been called up quite a few times when Mascherano was injured but as far as I know only getting to play once or twice. In Pekerman's team he was firmly behind Mascherano and Cambiasso in the battle for the holding midfield position, despite Cambiasso arguably not actually being a natural holding midfielder. At Bayern he faces competition with England's Owen Hargreaves for a starting place, playing more than 30 games last season and scoring the odd goal. If he continues to start for Bayern he should certainly be considered for the holding midfield role, despite fierce competition for the position. Unlucky at 26 years old to be amongst a crop of great young players all competing for the same role.

Javier Mascherano (West Ham, England) is Argentina's first choice holding midfielder at the moment. Coming up through the youth teams, he put in impressive displays first in winning the South American U-20 Championship and then as the first choice in the '04 Olympics-winning squad. In the past Mascherano has been a hallmark of consistency, with crucial, tidy tackling, great passing ability and a cool head in spite of his 22 years. I fear that the dispute with Corinthians which led to him missing training and the subsequent weight of expectations surrounding his move to the Premiership have disturbed his consistency. He played badly in the friendly against Brazil, the first time I've had cause to say that about him. Mascherano needs to get back to top form for West Ham soon or he may find that the position he had made his own will be slipping away.

Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors, Argentina) is perhaps the biggest threat to Mascherano's future dominance, despite the presence of the more experienced Cambiasso. A member of the '05 WYC-winning squad where he shared playing time with Biglia, both putting in impressive demonstrations in how to dictate play from a defensive midfield position, Gago's star has definitely risen faster in the aftermath. This is primarily thanks to the good work of former Boca coach Basile who has helped him develop into the kind of player who earns rave reviews and comparisons with the great Redondo. The 20 year old has yet to be capped for Argentina, but surely it's just a matter of time especially since the coach who helped him become a great player is now coaching the NT.

Lucas Biglia (Anderlecht, Belgium) has perhaps fallen behind the race with Gago to establish themselves in the NT with his move to Belgium last year. In one sense, the move is earning him more playing time than he would get at a big European club in one of the bigger leagues, but it's also keeping him out of sight. Apparently Biglia is putting in great displays in the holding midfield position for Anderlecht, as he did when they came to the Bernabeu to play Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly. I kind of hope he'll do well in the Champions League and maybe a mid-sized club in Spain snatches him up. In the '05 WYC squad Biglia played alternately with Gago, and was arguably the more impressive by a hair. They are very similar players, both 20 years old, so with Gago's current ascendancy it's hard to see Biglia getting the call ahead of him. Maybe in the future, though.


attacking

Daniel Bilos (Saint-Etienne, France) has only ever played two friendlies for Argentina. So why is he here? Well, he was arguably the most impressive player for a sorry Argentinean side in the friendly against Brazil, and Basile likes him. Many people would like to see him get called up again, especially after he renounced the chance to play with Croatia, his other nationality, to try and get into the Argentinean NT. I'm sorry that I don't know much about his displays for his new club so far, but early feedback has been good. Has a good chance of featuring, if only because the coach rates him, and because he's a good combination of experience and energy at 26 years of age in what may be a very young midfield.

Federico Insua (Borussia Monchengladbach, Germany) is another player I don't know much about who has been on the fringe of the NT for a bit but has seen his stock rise because Basile rates him. Played a bit against Brazil and was just as good as the rest of the team - which is to say, not very. He did very well for Boca last season, scoring 11 goals. May very well be called up again despite being somewhat out of sight because of his choice of club as a substitute for the two below, who I expect to start over him.

Maxi Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid, Spain) saw his stock rise dramatically during a great World Cup in which he scored one of the goals of the tournament. Many thought he would move to a bigger club, but he has chosen to stick by calamity-prone Atletico, for whom he has been often been the lone spark in an uninspired mess last season, scoring 10 goals. A member of the '01 WYC-winning squad, Maxi was on the fringe of the NT for much of World Cup Qualifying and was somewhat of a surprise inclusion in the final squad. After the World Cup, no one is doubting his claim to be a starter, bringing his complete array of skills - defensive and offensive - to either side of midfield. 25 this year, with any luck he could feature well into 2010.

Luis Gonzalez (Porto, Portugal) was the other 10-goals-a-season midfielder in the World Cup squad, playing on the opposite side to Maxi when he wasn't busy being injured or squeezed off the starting eleven by Cambiasso. 'Lucho' has settled well at new club Porto, claiming the captain's armband after just 3 months there and helping them to the title last year. Apparently Barcelona are monitoring him, although I can't see where he'd fit into Rijkaard's system. He plays a similar game to Maxi, combining defensive workrate with good vision and long-range shooting. A key member of the '04 Olympics-winning squad and the NT through World Cup Qualifying, Lucho has seen himself become perhaps more of a fringe player due to a combination of factors since then. His unimpressive display in the friendly against Brazil will not have helped, although I think the 25 year old will continue to stake a claim for a place in the side.

Neri Cardozo (Boca Juniors, Argentina) is the youngest of this young bunch, a vital member of the '05 WYC-winning squad playing mostly as a striker. There have been doubts over him because no one was sure where his best position was - in attacking midfield or as a forward. He's pretty good at both, but was at risk of becoming a jack of all trades, master of none. Basile has done some great work with him and he has really found his place as an attacking midfielder at Boca. Probably a good thing, as his finishing was very suspect in the WYC - not good if you're being used as a striker. 20 years old and one for the future, it remains to be seen how he will develop.


playmaker

Pablo Aimar (Zaragoza, Spain) is an undoubtedly brilliant player who has been blighted by everything from inconsistent form, endless injuries, trouble with management to viral meningitis (yes, meningitis) and prevented from reaching the heights he touched in River Plate for former club Valencia. Being rather pocket-sized by birth, a lot of people feel that he never really adjusted to the greater physical demands of La Liga, and it is indeed true that he typically runs out of steam at around the 75th minute mark. Still, when he's on form, Aimar is one of the most entertaining and graceful playmakers around. Free-kicks, corners, great passing vision and an eye for goal - everything that Riquelme offers he can do in about equal measure; add to that pace and great dribbling skill, and you have 'El Payaso' on a good day.

However, Aimar has rarely been that consistently good for Argentina since orchestrating the '97 WYC victory alongside Riquelme and Cambiasso. There were many flashes of brilliance in various Qualifying matches, but the team crashed and burned at Japan-Korea despite his best efforts after coming in as a replacement for a below-par Veron. Due to Pekerman's preference for Riquelme, Aimar has mostly languished as a substitute under him, but he has somehow notched up 40 caps for Argentina in between being injured and being left out. Now 27 years old, the retirement of Riquelme would seem to be a good chance for him to get back into the starting line-up, and that seems to be what a lot of people wants as well. On the plus side, he's in good form with Zaragoza. On the minus side, I'm not sure Basile rates him, there's a lot of competition, and a side built around Aimar would have to contain almost as many safeguards as the team built around Riquelme.

Personally, I would prefer that he be at least given a chance to dictate play for Argentina again. Obviously no one is asking my opinion, so here's an almost definitely impossible idea - how about a double-playmaker system using Aimar and perhaps Messi? They've combined well in all the times I've seen them play together - not surprising since Aimar was Messi's childhood idol. I'll explain my reasoning for this further down, along with why I think Messi should play in midfield and not as a striker.

Andres D'Alessandro (Zaragoza, Spain) would probably be the one I'd nominate as the perfect substitute for Aimar. because they're similar enough that one would slot right into a system designed around the other. Unfortunately he's had the same run of luck as Aimar despite starting just as brightly, failing to settle at Wolfsburg and then Portsmouth in a couple of miserable seasons.

D'Alessandro was the midfield general earning accolades alongside Saviola in the all-conquering '01 WYC team and repeated this success as the playmaker in the '04 Olympics squad three years later. He's only been capped 13 times for the NT, though, playing some World Cup Qualifying games and friendlies as Pekerman tried him out as a Riquelme substitute without much success. That's fairly predictable considering the fact that they are in no way similar. He's far more of an Aimar-type playmaker, using pace and dribbling as well as passing to break down defences.

So far this season D'Alessandro seems to be getting a new lease of life at Zaragoza, playing well and finally back in an environment that makes him comfortable. There's no reason he shouldn't be tried as a playmaker alongside Aimar (similar to how they line-up for Zaragoza) or as his substitute when Aimar runs out of steam. There are questions over his temperament and reliability in big games, but that can change with time and experience - and he's only 25.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain) is actually not a striker. No, really. I have a hard time convincing people of this very obvious fact. The role he occupies for Barcelona on the right wing is more like that of a cross between a playmaking midfielder and a winger than a striker - a strange, difficult to nail down position first patented by his 'big brother' Ronaldinho. It suits Messi's characteristics well and doesn't ask him to deliver what he is currently incapable of (goals in every match). My contention is that the Argentinean NT has up until now not used Messi in his best position, with the possible exception of the friendly against Croatia and the World Cup match against Serbia and Montenegro. Sure, he plays well as a striker, but not as well as he could be playing.

But anyway, before I get into all that, an introduction to 'Leo' for those who don't know him. Messi lifted Argentina to the WYC in 2005 while picking up the top scorer and Golden Ball awards - all at the tender age of 18. I can say without exaggeration - and many would agree - that Messi was half of that team. At least, he scored half their goals and set up quite a few of the others. Acting as playmaker, Messi ran games with his maturity, leadership, great passing vision, ball control and eye for goal, not to mention great ability at deadballs including two 'ruthlessly' well-taken penalties in the final.

In between being injured and being disqualified from playing on the grounds of nationality, he helped orchestrate Barca's amazing 14-match winning streak in the league as part of an attacking trident alongside Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho, which included the famous 3-0 win in the Bernabeu. In one match Messi managed gain both admiration and infamy all over the world as he ran through the Chelsea defence like a hot knife through butter at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League, provoking Asier del Horno into an idiotic tackle for which he was sent off, and the ire of Jose Mourinho at what he perceived to be a dive.

All this excitement was dimmed, however, as he sustained an injury in the second leg at Camp Nou which contributed to Pekerman's decision to underuse him at the World Cup. Ever since there has been increasing calls from not only Argentina fans but also the neutrals for him to start for the Albicelestes - which brings me back to my point.

Of the 11 times Messi has played for the NT (mostly as a substitute) he has had good games in general. However, despite appearing for about 9 of those in a striker position, he only has 2 goals - surely unacceptable for a forward. Moreover, both of those goals came when he was playing further back. I think that's enough to prove that he isn't a natural striker. There have already been murmurs that he's suffering from 'Ronaldinho syndrome' - performing for club but not for country. I think that's not the issue at all. If Basile decides to use 4-3-3, then he can take up the same job he does so well for Barca on the wings, but if a different formation is going to be used Messi should really be playing just behind the strikers, using his talents to rip apart defences and set up goals. On the issue of playing him with Aimar, Messi's combined well with him when playing up front in the friendly against Angola and the World Cup match against Mexico, but imagine what those two could create with two lethal finishers in front of them.

You'll notice I haven't considered whether or not he'll be selected. One advantage of playing for one of the biggest clubs in the world is that if you perform well, people will notice. He's only 19, but so what? International competition isn't going to be more testing than a Champions League game against Chelsea. I have faith in Leo having a good season, which would make it rather wasteful of Basile to leave him out, recalling what Pekerman did in Germany. And nobody wants that.

(Sergio Aguero would have gone here, but I've decided he's more of a striker, so he's going in the next post.)


unlikely to feature

none - I think everyone I've listed has a good shot at being in the team

likely to feature in Qualifying/Copa America

Esteban Cambiasso - consistency and experience
Martin Demichelis - as a substitute for either Cambiasso or Mascherano
Javier Mascherano - first choice, as long as he's in form
Fernando Gago - on a high right now

Daniel Bilos - good option to have, even on the bench
Federico Insua - Basile favourite
Maxi Rodriguez - previously underrated, now a hero
Luis Gonzalez - if he can keep improving for the NT

Pablo Aimar - at least a couple of chances to show what he can do
Andres D'Alessandro - Aimar substitute?
Lionel Messi - it would be criminal not to when he's on form

likely to feature in 2010

Lucas Biglia - good competition for Gago, hopefully

Neri Cardozo - if he develops well

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?

the good and the bad in a dramatic day for club football

Quick reactions to some of the La Liga and EPL matches with longer reports to come.


Racing 0-3 Barca

Barca

The Good: not conceding a goal, keeping pace with the other league leaders, best start in 7 seasons, 4 goals in 3 games for Eto'o

The Bad: some defensive mix-ups, Messi not playing up to his usual (admittedly extremely high) standards, over-dependence on scoring first

Racing

The Good: starting well, some good defensive work

The Bad: horrid goalkeeping, having said 'keeper sent off


Valencia 2-0 Getafe

Valencia

The Good: Morientes getting a new lease of life back in Spain

The Bad: more injuries, Joaquin's anonymous performance

Getafe

The Good: not being outclassed in a hostile ground, still on course for a solid start

The Bad: El Pato finally conceding after 2 clean sheets


Real Madrid 2-0 Real Sociedad

Real Madrid

The Good: steadying the ship after the loss to Lyon, Reyes' and Robinho's performance, Capello's substitutions

The Bad: struggling to break down a not very good Sociedad side, the performance of Raul and Guti, the injury to Roberto Carlos

Sociedad

The Good: keeping Real at bay for most of the match

The Bad: poor goalkeeping on the corner Reyes scored from, continuation of an indifferent start to the season, unlucky to go down to ten men


Athletic Bilbao 1-4 Atletico Madrid

Atletico

The Good: Aguero opening his account on his full debut, the Argentine contingent really beginning to shine

The Bad: poor Maxi Rodriguez being mis-identified as Maxi Lopez on more than one website. Okay, performing well without Torres leading perhaps to questions about how vital he is to the side and general overrated status (did you know that he was the player who gave the ball away most times in La Liga last season? Anyway, a rant for another day.)

Athletic Bilbao

The Good: at least they got one back with a nice goal

The Bad: everything else, unfortunately


Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

Chelsea

The Good: Drogba's goal, the defence

The Bad: Ballack earning the first straight red card of his career after just 5 games for Chelsea.

Liverpool

The Good: improvements in defence

The Bad: awful finishing


Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal

United

The Good: their substitute keeper did well

The Bad: Rooney's indifferent performance, the entire midfield

Arsenal

The Good: finally winning, Cesc Fabregas

The Bad: more questions over Henry's form when he gets back to match fitness, now that they're winning without him?

looking ahead to the sunday la liga games

Like Villarreal, Barcelona also started last season with a whimper, winning 2 games and drawing 4 out of their first 7, first thanks to a misfiring strike-force and then the leaky defense. It looked to be happening again with the humiliating loss to Sevilla in the European Super Cup and the dodgy win against Celta despite good performances against Espanyol in the Spanish Super Cup and Bayern Munich in the Gamper Trophy friendly. However, with excellent wins over Osasuna and Levski Sofia in the Champions League, they look to be back on track and will feel confident going into the away game against Racing Santander.

Rijkaard's starting eleven is getting as difficult to guess as Rafa Benitez's, but here's my hopeful prediction (4-3-3): Valdes; Zambrotta, Puyol, Marquez, Sylvinho; Edmilson, Xavi, Iniesta; Messi, Eto'o, Ronaldinho.

If that turns out to be anywhere near Rijkaard's thinking, I expect Gudjohnsen to get some time on the pitch possibly at the expense of Eto'o - who has got to be tired having played every minute of every game so far - if he doesn't throw a fit about it. I also expect Oleguer to feature as a substitute either at right-back or in the center.

I put Sylvinho ahead of Gio because he sat out the midweek game and has been in blistering form lately; Xavi and Iniesta ahead of Deco because they've had less time on the pitch so far, and because rumour has it that he will be rested for this game, and Messi because Giuly played in midweek. There are also rumours that Messi will be rested, but ever the optimist, I'm not crediting those just yet. The rest of the selections are based on who's been left out of the squad (Thuram, Belletti, Motta, Saviola).

It's very important that Barcelona win this match, with two tough fixtures coming up - against Valencia at home on the 24th and away to Bremen on the 27th. I'm a bit worried about the defence with Racing's new towering striker Zigic making his debut, but as long as Puyol gets back to top form alongside Marquez who has been excellent so far Barca should cope.

Other big games on Sunday include Athletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid - big in the sense that both clubs are prone to spectacular collapses, and that it will probably be 'new Messi' Sergio Aguero's first start in the league for Atletico alongside Mista because club captain Fernando Torres is suspended, barring an insane decision from the coach to play midfielder Maxi Rodriguez upfront instead.

Valencia meet fellow table-toppers Getafe, who have started extremely well despite limited resources. Valencia on the other hand have spent big in the transfer window, bringing in most notably Joaquin who would make a tasty attacking axis with Vicente on the other wing and David Villa alongside a revived Fernando Morientes upfront. To me, though, one of the best things about their transfer window activity was settling the dispute with veteran defender Roberto Ayala - who despite being 33 years old had a fabulous World Cup - and persuading him to stay at the club.

The biggest game this week is the Seville derby - Sevilla v Real Betis, which should be a cracking match if only Sevilla can sort out their TV deal dispute so that the rest of the world can watch them play the spectacular football they've played in recent weeks. Betis got a good victory against Athletic last week and should do better than last season having made some interesting signings in the transfer window, bringing in David Odonkor (who had such a good World Cup as a supersub for Germany) as a replacement for the departing Joaquin and also Brazilian star Rafael Sobis, fresh off being the hero of Internacional's Copa Liberadores triumph. Sobis was also part of the Bronze-winning Brazillian World Youth Championship team of 2005 in which he scored a valuable goal in the group stages for a very goal-shy side.

(That, by the way, is not a criticism of the Brazilian team - despite winning the tournament, Argentina had a similar problem, with half their goals coming from playmaker Messi, reflecting 1) his domination of the team and the tournament, and 2) how badly the forwards were misfiring. Only 2 of their 12 goals were scored by actual strikers, Neri Cardozo and Gustavo Oberman respectively.)

What's wrong with Villarreal?

A break from my series of posts on the future of the Argentinean NT as I ponder the shifting fortunes of my club, Barca, and my second club Villarreal in La Liga, starting with Villarreal's Saturday game.

Villarreal lost 2-0 against Deportivo La Coruna, which means that they have only one point from three games - ironically, from a draw with title contenders Real Madrid - and sit 16th in the league with the rest of the teams yet to play. As a fan on one forum pointed out, the Yellow Submarines have a proud tradition of starting seasons badly, gaining just 2 points from their first 4 games last season.

They've been extremely unlucky with long-term injuries to center-back Gonzalo Rodriguez and midfielder Robert Pires, although I think of the two Gonzalo's injury is the more worrying. The coach has a different perspective though and is busy searching for a Pires replacement in the short window granted by the Spanish FA to sign a replacement.

To me, Gonzalo's injury is the more significant one because he has become a defensive mainstay since arriving from San Lorenzo, playing consistently well. The back-line of Arruabarrena, Quique Alvarez, Pena and Javi Venta hasn't really looked all that convincing this season, in contrast to the side that was known for its defense last season, keeping many clean sheets against the likes of Manchester United, Lille, Benfica and Inter in the Champions League.

The preferred strike pairing up front seems to be Nihat and Forlan, although any and all combinations of those two, Franco and Jose Mari has been tried so far without success. Nihat in particular has played the most without much to show for it so far. The lack of goals from the strike force is the most worrying aspect of Villarreal's start to the season, with the midfield incapable of chipping in with goals to cover the lack as they did last season.

By 'they' I mean Juan Roman Riquelme. 12 goals last season, including long-range stunners, penalties, glorious freekicks and a couple that came straight from corners. 15 in 04-05 (and an incredible number of assists, helping Forlan become top scorer), the best season he has ever had in Spain in which Villarreal finished a miraculous 3rd. Roman's form or lack of is always going to be the subject of intense scrutiny because of the way that Villarreal (and previously Argentina) are built around his play. What is obvious from his disappearing act against Deportivo is that with his mother's illness he has too much on his mind to concentration on the game. Much as I love him, maybe it's time Roman's dropped for Cani for a few games until he gets his head sorted out.

The more defensive midfielders fared well, Senna and Somoza both continuing to put in competent performances. The same cannot be said of the creative side of things, and not all the blame can be laid on Riquelme. With the injury to Pires the club's decision to let Sorin go to Hamburg for considerably less than what I consider his true worth looks increasingly suspect. Playing on the left side of midfield he could have lent some much needed pace and creativity to the team, not to mention how well he works with Riquelme both in open play and with deadball situations.

Hernan Crespo talks himself out of the Argentinean NT

...well, at least I think he's going to end up frozen out, if he doesn't watch what he says. I usually love how straight-forward Crespo can be, like when he defended Messi after the first leg of Chelsea vs Barca last season, breaking ranks with the rest of the Chelsea team.

But when you have incidents where (at the tail end of World Cup qualifying) he criticized the NT for playing too slowly - which was taken amongst the press as an attack on Riquelme and his particular characteristics, partially leading to the rumours about antipathy between the two (which, by the way, I don't think have a single grain of truth to them) then you'd think he would learn to be a bit more careful.

Whilst complaining about the lack of respect he gets - about which he does have a point:

"During the World Cup I was sorry that many people wanted other players in my position.

"Everyone can have an opinion but you can't say anything against statistics."

Ah, yes, talking about how people wanted Tevez and Messi to play instead of him and Saviola (mostly Saviola, it has to be said) is really going to help in the new Basile era which will probably see him building his side around players like Tevez and Messi. Pekerman stuck by Crespo as a starter all the way in Germany - as he should have. From my perspective poor Saviola was the one who constantly saw his place threatened by 3 (the aftementioned, and Palacio) similarly-built players despite putting in great displays initially.

Don't get me wrong, Crespo will probably get called up again because of the perceived need for a big central striker. But his comments won't help atmosphere within the team, and whenever a reliable, young replacement is found who offers a similar goal-to-game ratio, I think we'll see the back of him. It's unfortunate, because I do rate him highly. But it's clear that the new management of the NT have one eye on the Copa America and the other on the next World Cup, and the simple fact is that Crespo belongs to the wrong generation.