Football News

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 10/16/2012 at 5:21 PM 0 We should think about pastore for the 2015 Copa America not the world cup Our team is set for the World cup, we have the best attack 2 great destroyers and a defense that keeps getting better and better, also Romero has been playing fantastic. Sabella, had a plan to keep the same core of players so that they may grow together and they have been doing clearly so. Plus we have a coach who nobody forget this..in his estudiantes days he almost dethroned Barcelona in one game with a mediocre team, where as it took Mourinho "the best coach in the world" as some people like to "think" several games with a world class team. Imagine what he can do with a month before hand, we don't pastore Lamela, iturbe, we have our team. those others should be considered for the 2015 copa America and the 2018 world cup. Not the world cup in Brazil

Mik (United Arab Emirates)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 11:53 PM 0 Hmm it will be interesting to see How Sabella picks players after we already qualified. Will he go to keep the momentum going on by playing the same line up. or will he test some alternaives, hmmm

Jack! (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 10:22 PM 0 A preseason game is as worthless as 2 bald dudes fighting over a comb.

Shafat.Redondo (Bangladesh)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 9:10 PM 0 We need pastore in tight games to free up some space in the middle of the park . If he doesn't play in the brasil wc it would be a shame . Any of you watched the game psg vs Barca ? he was amazing that night against the best club in the world . facing the likes xavi iniesta messi , he stood tall and kept their mid ticking which was a 2-2 draw

Jack! (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 4:38 PM 0 I agree, we need players that will run and chase every ball down, need to fight for the right to wear the colors. And Kenneth, those rankings came out a a week back or so before these games. It states updated October 3rd, 2012. Next update will be on November 7th of 2012. Just an FYI my friend.

Johnny (Thailand)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 4:36 PM 0 Agreed with Mr.D. It will be super interesting to see how Sabella fills out the roster and incorporates other players. Whether or not we'll see Maxi and Sosa hit the road, and if so, will we see Jonas, Lamela or even, God forbid, the elusive and mysterious creature Pastore. Were I a betting man, I'd say we won't see Pastore. He doesn't seem to fit Sabella's plan of attack in any way.

aka Mr. D (Peru)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 4:25 PM 1 The good news is that Argentina has thrived under the less conservative line ups and player selections. Sabella will not be so stubborn as to keep calling up Los Handballs Hermanos and the other 5th Year Seniors (the Estudiantes players): Sosa hasn't gotten minutes since being subbed out off in the Germany match. The real question is who will Sabella call up after Argentina has qualified. It's a bit of a balancing act between keeping that momentum going and forging an identity but also calling up some new blood and trying to strengthen the weaker positions.

elpipita (Iraq)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 4:23 PM 0 well Im almost ashamed to say it but I am happy (not that maxi is injured but that he's missing the qualifiers). Good player in his day and had his "15 minutes" in 2006 with the spectacular goal against mexico, but he's way past his expiration date.

Johnny (Thailand)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 4:15 PM 0 I honestly think that with time Sabella will replace Maxi. Maxi's a great guy but I struggle to see how he can beat out someone like Gutierrez, and others. The decision may be easy as Maxi is clearly more injury prone with age. Why have an aging, injury prone player who is past his prime, when you could have hard working Jonas Gutierrez ? Gutierrez will bust his butt all over the pitch for as long as he's asked. The other side of all this is Sabella's clear intention to promote team cohesiveness. He may lean towards keeping veterans for that reason only. But, I think keeping Maxi is really testing that idea.

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 3:45 PM 0 Jack you made an excellent point how Maxi always has and always will give 100% for the National Jersey, where as people like Pastore can quickly get frustrated and it seems as if they don't even care. Personally i would take a player who is willing to give it their all for Argentina than a player who is talented and won't try PS Argentina moved up to 4th in the rankings after their win..where as Portugal moved to third after their loss? Okay Fifa...

Jack! (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 3:39 PM 0 Hey Johnny, I think the reason Matias got called up because him being based in Santiago. Would not have to travel where Sanchez Mino would of. And nice article on Pastore. Some people need to give Pastore time before he gets called up. It's just not his time. And the good thing about this game, it is the last qualifier of the year. Pastore will have plenty of time to show his worth from now till the next game, which I believe will be in March.

Nicky B (Jamaica)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 3:26 PM 0 Great News now for a better selection....

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 1:03 PM 0 Agree 100% johnny. I am sure Sabella is attentive to these details.

Johnny (Thailand)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 12:18 PM 0 @Haman-In a perfect world I would much rather have seen Sanchez Mino get a call than Matias. But, they're both essentially attacking fullbacks, and Sanchez really more a midfielder. So, nothing much lost. Also, you can never count out the connections between coaches. Boca has hit a big rough spot and Falcioni is pretty close to being let go. Sabella may figure why deprive him of arguably his most valuable attacking player, with possibility of injury, if it's really not necessary. I'm not saying that's why Sanchez Mino didn't get called, but you can't rule out Sabella opting for another player for those reasons. In addition, similar reasoning may help to understand why Sabella calls on local players rather than Europe based players at times. For example the Barcos selection, rather then Lopez from France. Why uproot Lopez and fly him all the way to Argentina if he's probably not going to be used anyway ? Barcos is right next door and he's no slouch. Again, I'm no mind reader, and this is all speculation on my part, but I don't think you can completely ignore the possibility that Sabella factors these things in.

Caniggia (Hong Kong)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 11:56 AM 0 Haha Johnny, I was just about to post that one here for the Pastore fanboys. It was an interesting read about the styles of serie A and French football. Another article is worth looking at too: http://m.espn.go.com/soccer/story?storyId=1190218&leagueTag=ENG.1&lang=EN This one talks about Cesc and the difference between English and Spanish leagues. I can only say that it is no coincidence that our front 4 play we'll together, are all from La Liga at some point in their careers. Gago going to Valencia was probably much better than staying at Roma.

haman (Bahrain)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 11:56 AM 0 Call up Mino to design the bench! :)

Johnny (Thailand)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 11:07 AM 0 Article on Pastore from ESPN: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/parissaint-germain/id/210?cc=3888

fanfrom78 (United Kingdom)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 10:12 AM 0 imagine a 4-4-2 were both dimaria and maxi are in form and of correct age yes wishful thinking like imagine batistuta and messi in the same team lol but when i think 4-4-2 i always imagine a 100% maxi and dimaria on the wings in a athletico madrid winger side midfielder type of play... could have been amazing messi behind higuain up front veron and masch in the middle and a rock solid back 4 not much push from the full backs that could have been a fantastic 4 attack all of its own.. really rate maxi he was a world class midfielder and winger and pass and move and move forward to regain the ball and offer an peno box threat he was world class,, dimaria needs to be more professional like maxi

aka Mr. D (Peru)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 8:45 AM 0 @pablo.d, maybe we can phrase it as the following: Maxi has given so much for the NT he should really take a much needed vacation.

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 8:33 AM 0 I agree @Shafat.R - Tino Costa / Biglia / Jonas are all better candidates.. even aging Cambiasso is a step above Maxi. Politics might be a factor, as Maxi is now a local based player.. its good PR to have local based players too.

Shafat.Redondo (Bangladesh)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 8:06 AM 0 I know maxi was a warrior , no disrespect but my point is he is at the brink of his career and now its time to look somewhere else if not pastore than Tino Costa maybe ! I don't see maxi playing in the next wc .

Mik (United Arab Emirates)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 6:14 AM 0 Well i agree with @ Pablo D here. Maxi is so injury prone nowadays, But keeps getting selected, Any way Hope he gets better, Anyway he wont be used so not a big deal.

Jack! (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 3:47 AM 0 Higuain is traveling, may even play.

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 3:12 AM 0 solid Midfield sub...damn...we are getting thin with injuries...lavezzi, higuain...rojo...Maxi

cleanball (Indonesia)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 2:50 AM 0 @Jack Right, Maxi was once a warrior and have given a lot to Albiceleste.His time with Liverpool was excellence during Rafa Benitez era especially. Still fresh in my mind of his score against Mexico in WC several years ago; regards as one of the best goal ever made in WC.If I am not mistake and poor memory.

Jack! (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 2:42 AM 0 I trust Maxi a lot more than Pastore. I can honestly call Maxi a warrior who will alway give it his all even though his skills have diminished. I can not say the same about Pastore who at times does not even seem like he gives a damn about the team.

Shafat.Redondo (Bangladesh)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 12:21 AM 0 Good job ! i don't understand how could maxi get an NT call over pastore anyway !

Abs (United States)

Posted on 10/15/2012 at 12:09 AM 0 Who called him to the national team in the first place ?

cleanball (Indonesia)

Posted on 10/14/2012 at 10:43 PM 0 Maxi is one of Sabella's favourite although no doubt Sabella can find a better player to replaced him - just curious to see that Licha Lopez can make into the list beside Higuain and Lavezzi also got injured

fanfrom78 (United Kingdom)

Posted on 10/14/2012 at 8:52 PM 0 did he get injured getting of the bench to hug messi after his goal FFS get him out keep him out,,, his as relevant now as ayala is,, and i would bend over for ayala NOT GAY just a respect thing lol...get the old man out to grass his earned it im still frothing at the mouth some what at the ronaldino insult surrounding messis free kick one day other peoples ignorence will be the death of me must contain rage must contain rrraaaaaa

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 10/14/2012 at 8:49 PM 0 Well, this is what happens to players who relied on 85% on their bodies to shine. Maxi was a beast, strong, hard working and with decent skill set.. but his skill was the weakest. Now that his body is broken from a long career and bad injuries he does not have much to fall back on. Players like Riquelme, who can barely walk on the field, are still dangerous.. Thank you Maxi for your good times with the team!

Maradonna BD (United Kingdom)

Posted on 10/14/2012 at 8:03 PM 0 same feelings here pablo.d. I dont see where he fits in the team. we need more young midfielders. seen maxi with liverpool. his good days are beyond him.

pablo.d (New Zealand)

Posted on 10/14/2012 at 7:05 PM 0 i feel bad saying it but good.