Lautaro MARTINEZ scored a hattrick for Racing Club while Argentinian international Ignacio SCOCCO was on target twice for River Plate.
With Argentina National Team coach Jorge SAMPAOLI (as well as a member from the Inter Milan team) present at the match, it was the Lautaro MARTINEZ show as the youngster scored three goals in Racing Club’s 4-0 win against Huracan. It’s been rumored for some time now that MARTINEZ would get called-up to the Argentina team (more specifically for the upcoming friendly matches against Italy and Spain next month) and with SAMPAOLI in attendance, he didn’t disappoint.
From a young 20 year old to a more experience 32 year old, Ignacio SCOCCO found the back of the net two times for River Plate and both were gems as Los Millonarios picked up a 2-0 win against Olimpo. The opening goal was a very well struck free kick, 56 minutes into the match. The second was nothing short of genius. A run you would have seen done by Diego MARADONA or in modern times Lionel MESSI, SCOCCO wiggled his way around the Olimpo team, rounded the goalkeeper and scored to double the lead.
The infatuation with the old guard is amazing. Higuain should never be on this team ever ever again. Icardi , or martinez should be our #9. More speed and quality. Pavon should be a def option on the right. Paredes should be our starting midfield with lo celso. Some experience is fine with di maria , and otamendi who are both playing great and of course messi
Guardiola is making Aguero a great option #9 to play alongside Messi. Theres no question hes improved a lot and is in great form. Martinez doesn’t have the experience on the big stage and i’d be weary of throwing him into the lion’s den too early. Most recent call ups suffer and the WC is right around the corner. I’d go with 1) Icardi or 2) Aguero 3) Higuain 4) Martinez
Same thing with Paredes and Lo Celso in that they lack experience (moreso Paredes). I have great hope for Paredes but hes isn’t doing as well as Lo Celso. i would 100% start Lo Celso. His experience at PSG is perfect – brings the ball out of defense, partnered with Mascherano and another brute box to box like Enzo.
No body here note about lucas prato and nacho scoco…for me they are national team material..with minimalis apperance they both could prove with same goals…
I like Pratto and hope he does good with river plate. Unfortunately he has not been starting 🙁
Angel Di Maria scored a hattrick tonight for PSG. The opening was from his head. Great to see him perform like this.
There’s a lot of speculation here even when Sampaoli hasn’t even settled on his team. Martinez scores a hat trick. Now all over a sudden he should go to WC over Higuain who scored a hat trick in more competitive league? Martinez need to do this consistently to start. Yes Higuain missed in the past but he is still ranks higher than Martinez, Benedetto or any striker from the Argentine league. For Russia, we more mixed firepower of youth and experienced (Aguero & Higuain); and new blood in (Icardi, Dybala & Martinez). And there is also Angel Correa who is also playing well in competitive league currently.
On the team. People are posting line ups and suggestions here as if we are in May now. One good thing about Argentina this time is that our opponents do not know in what shape the team will show up in Russia. This is a big plus cause our opponents will have figure out the tactics in the tournament. As far as I can see Sampaoli has the players he likes on his mind but he is still testing things out. However I don’t think he has settled on formations and tactics. Even for the march friendlies, he’ll still be experimenting. Since he took over he has never spent 10 consecutive days with players. It’s gonna be the sane in March, so I don’t expect the team to click in the up coming friendlies. I expect the team to take shape in May after the WC training camp. Even with Chile and Sevilla, Sampa did not hit the ground running.
I think Aguero and Icardi should be the 2 number nines going. I wouldn’t take Higuain I believe his time is up. I wouldn’t take Lautaro Martinez either,he isn’t proven at the highest level. I actually wouldn’t take anyone from the argentine league. Obviously I’m not Sampaoli, but I’m sure he knows best.
In your opinion,What is wrong with selecting players from the local league? Aren’t there players with high quality like Lautaro Martinez, Bustos, Enzo Perez, Pavon, Nacho and more?
I once mentioned in one of my previous posts that Barzil’s 2002 WC winning team had 13 players from there local league. Why not Argentina select players from the local league?
I don’t think South American club football is what it used to be. In 2002 a handful of Boca players (Riquelme an friends)should have gone to the World Cup 2002 they beat a great Real Madrid side and outplayed a great Bayern side until Delgado got sent off. They could compete against the best in the world and they didn’t have it their own way all the time in the Copa libertadores and in Argentina. South American club football was strong and the best clubs could beat the best in Europe. Now it’s totally one sided.The South American teams have to sit deep and hope to snatch a win.
I love the argentine league. But it is so hit and miss at showing how good a player is at the highest level.For every Lanzini there are gonna be so many more Centurions.
I’m not saying that Martinez or Pavon or any youngster could not be a genuine top class player. I’m saying that we don’t actually know if they can compete at the highest level. A year ago Driussi was the man on everyones lips to be in the national team. In the Russian league now his hardly the goal scoring superstar many said he would be.I would rather go with a Pereyra over a Pavon.
“I’m saying that we don’t actually know if they can compete at the highest level”
I think they can compete at the highest level because they have the skills to do so.
Look, the only thing these guys need to perform well is the coach’s faith. When Argentina played against Venezuela at home in recent WCQ their goalkeeper was a 20-year-old GK. That guy faced some of the world’s finest strikers and he did more than his fair share in that game.
You may think that they used that young GK because they were out of the race. But don’t forget they went there for victory and they really caused big headache for Argentina.
If Sampa keeps faith in Martinez, Bustos, Pavon, and the other youngesters and gives them the chnace to play for the national team I think they won’t dissapoint him.
If fit Icardi is a must for us he has a leadership quality in him,The guy deserve some matches he has only started 2 matches for us that too in do or die, once he scores that first goal then he is gonna keep rolling for us. Aguero will be there at the WC as he is the type of Striker Sampa prefers. It has to be between Higuain and Martinez. I Would go with Martinez someone different whom the opponents don’t know much about. He could be a great super sub.
All of them will go … higuain, icardi, aguero and Martinez
Ramiro Funes Mori is nearing to full recovery. He played for Everton’s U23 team for 45 mins and is expected to play for the senior side very soon. I think he is very important for the NT.
Funes Mori is the kind of ball playing defender that suits Sampaoli’s system but I’ve never been convinced by him. Prefer Rojo on the left side of back three or as left-sided centre-back in back four.
Rojo is good but what I like most about Mori is his calmness. Rojo isn’t calm like mori and sometimes concedes fouls in very dangerous areas which can cause big problems for the team.
In terms of goal scoring (header attemps) from set-pieces Mori is way better than Rojo.
It doesn’t matter who Sampa chooses for the duty, but what matters most is the team to have a solid defense.
hes was awesome during Copa…..loved his footwork, aerial ability, and dog like hustle.
i would def take him if he regains form.
It will be interesting to see which youngsters will get to go to Russia – Pavon, Lo Celso, Paredes, Rigoni, L. Martinez, Bustos, or maybe all of them. The advantages the young players have is the desperate hunger to succeed, hyper motivation that some players over 30 lack. Not saying all of them should start but they have enough quality between them to make a difference even as subs. I think we need to find the balance between athleticism, physicality, grit and elegance. Also, between experienced players and some young ones added to the mix.
Pavon, loCelso and Martinez will go … they are difference makers … I like parcedes in the future to go though but not now..
Paredes is a bit older than the others though. Not saying older means better but generally speaking, experience matters too.
I too believe those three will go to WC
Out of those younger players you mentioned Paredes and Pavon are a must.
Gonzalo Pity is the only River player whose been consistently good throughout the club’s recent abysmal run, honestly right now I would take him over Lanzini because of the latter’s seemingly frequent run of injuries.
Nacho sadly seems to have lost a step in recent months.
Pity is outstanding every game, no matter wheter he has goals or assists… He is at least on Lanzini level IMO so yes, I agree with your statement.
Another player to take Lanzini place is Franco Cervi. His form in Benfica is currently stabilized on highest level. Game by game consistent.
I forgot about Maxi Meza from Inde. Samapoli already follows him.
Meza is a very skilled player…excellent dribbling and ball control
Cervi is fantastic and he’s recently kicked it into high gear when he got moved from LM to LF but he is a different type of player to Lanzini who, while very versatile, does best when placed centrally.
I’m afraid you need to put Higuain 😊 as he recently scored a wonderful hatrick. Personally I would use him as a sub but one cannot disagree on his quality as well as his chemistry with Messi.
Zaracho, Pusetto and Soto from the Racing – Huracan game may also be in Europe in future.
Zaracho for me is gonna definitely be in Europe , there is something special about this guy.
Completely agree. Go-getting guy who knows what he wants. He and Martinez are new wave of Racing Academia.
With these high quality young players it seems Argentina is retaining its position on youth level.
Only in category ’97 there’s abundance in league. Vargas of Velez, Torres of Newell’s and more.
Icardi vs Martinez for No.9 spot?
Now I am afraid icardi will lose his place for higuain
Don’t worry, that will never happen. I am more than sure Icardi will be in Russia if he stays fit. Scoring a hat-rick against a very weak side doesn’t mean Higuain will get his spot in the NT.
Icardi could be reliable unlike Higuain who doesn’t know how to handle pressure and score goals when it matters most.
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