Football News

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 3/5/2013 at 3:54 PM 1 dimaria just got hurt...Lamela might have to step up sooner than thought

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/24/2013 at 3:26 PM 2 @leandro....I watched the last game biglia played for Argentina...a friendly against Portugal in 2011.... Good tackler when play is close to him....a solid passer...but that said...all his passes were negative passes...meaning backwards or non advancing passes....I don't see him as even a back up to Gago at this time and despite his age..cambiasso is still a better tackler ...our best other than mascherano at midfield and a far better passer than than biglia, gago or banega....honestly if cambiasso and mascherano were our holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1.... There would not be much of anything to get by them......you have to wonder how no one in Europe wants gago but cambiasso still starts for a top tier team in Italy..yes inter is still a premier team...lol

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/18/2013 at 4:04 PM 1 against the organized european teams like italy, holland and germany a 4-5-1 is a better formation than 4-3-3 with the line up looking like leandro posted below...

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/18/2013 at 11:17 AM 0 -----------Higuain--(Kun second half)------ DiMaria-----Messi------Lamela-------------- -----Masch--------Gago-------------- Is a Fab4 I think is more balanced than what we have now. DiMaria and Lamela while offensive are real midfielders. Perhaps our problem in mid is having both Pipita and Kun on at the same time since they are both pure forwards. Personally, I feel we should have Higuain and Kun rotate every half time and encourage them to run their buts off.

Johnny (Thailand)

Posted on 2/18/2013 at 4:33 AM 1 Before it gets out of hand, it is "Lamela",with two "l"s and no "d".

Pino (United States)

Posted on 2/18/2013 at 3:28 AM 0 Also, Lameda is a natural mid, if you take out one of the fab4 and put Lameda in, we wont lose that offensive punch and we will improve in our mid.If the Fab4 can't control the midfield, then we going to have to adjust anyways.I'm just looking at different options just in case.

Pino (United States)

Posted on 2/18/2013 at 3:13 AM 0 I watched the game between Roma and Juventus, and Lameda was really playing defense.Sabella must of said something to him and Pastore.Lameda looks sharp, I think Sabella is going to call him sooner, rather than later.If not the next call, then maybe by summer.I really want to see him and Messi play together!

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 7:28 PM 0 @ leandro, he started and captained one game under Argentina....under Batista i believe it was more an Arg B type of game though, from all of the games i have watched of him, he is literally the safest type of player out there. Won't fly in like Masch, won't really try the through balls like Gago don't get me wrong he has the ability and has done them but he won't attempt them as often as gago, he likes to play deep inside his own half and will recover and give the ball to a Di Maria or Messi type esque player. IMO he'd be a good back up for Gago and maybe he could be a starter if he played in a bigger leave , id like to see him over the likes of Banega/Brana

pablo.d (New Zealand)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 7:24 PM 0 leandro:i totally agree with you thoughts that "Biglia, Jonas are the two I feel most confident on filling Sosas shoes when we go 4-4-2. We also have domestic options (Canteros, Min~o, etc) that I think we should also include" as i to would like to see biglia or jonas. as for the lam vs past at the moment its all lam as pastore really need to get some consistency to his game to be considered and at the moment lam is very Consistent and is in fantastic form.

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 5:39 PM 0 @Tony, I am no hyping him up to be the best thing.. BUT.. considering his competition for Argentina in midfield.. our weakest spot at the moment.. What I like about Biglia is that a) he won the cup with his league team, as their leader and with much praise from the fans. b) He went against his clubs instructions to get shoulder surgery in order to not waste the national team call up, where he played fine despite the handicap. c) He looks healthy, hungry and consistent. d) He is a smart, hard working 'Role' player with a good understanding of possession and smart 1st touch football in the style of a Veron/Pirlo player.. thats good in my book. e) He is also been rumored to many good teams (Arsenal, etc).. so international scouts are nibbling, and I would figure a full time scout for Arsenal knows a lot more about spotting talent than we do here. So, it feels like a good bet, especially since our other alternatives are no that clear: Banega.. no thanks. Drama, slow, unfit. Cambiasso.. too old to run a 3 man mid, can be sloppy in his passing. Costa.. I am ok with him, but he is a little rustic.. he lacks finesse. Gaitan.. too offensive in my book for what we need. Lamela.. I want him in the team, but as a sub for the fab4. Not in the same category as a DM. Pastore, let him fight with Lamela. Sosa, no thanks, unless we need a deep deep bench player that can fill in a lot of positions.. rather bring Zanetti for that. Alvarez, salvio.. not impressed. But not against them. Biglia, Jonas are the two I feel most confident on filling Sosas shoes when we go 4-4-2. We also have domestic options (Canteros, Min~o, etc) that I think we should also include.

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 2:58 PM 1 i respect your opinion but i dont agree....But maybe i need to watch more club games of Biglia though...after your analysis of him i think i will.....

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 2:08 PM 1 Biglia is the best prospect from that list, especially considering our healthy attack options and our need for hard working, intelligent, defensive midfielders while playing the fab4 or sensible3. He has never really been given a fair chance, from my memory he played always as a sub for the NT and the one game he played a good chunk of time (might have started, forget) he had the serious shoulder injury.. and from what I saw he was solid despite the handicap. On his last minutes with the albiceleste, he had 1 touch and it was an intelligent, one time ball that cleared all the pressure from his sector of the field. To me Biglia represents the work ethic and hunger of Gago, the tactical positioning of Cambiasso and the intelligent passing of a (lesser) Pirlo player. Every quality we need in midfield to compliment the fab4.

sulav787 (Canada)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 9:31 AM 0 i would pick bilgia over banega

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/17/2013 at 4:27 AM 2 I agree biglia is a solid player...not ever great but reliable....unfortunately argentine players cannot just be solid while playing or the NT...Messi was voted a top 10 player in the World Cup 2010 and was crucified ...if there is room for 7 midfielders for the WC2014... Here are 13... pick 7....Mascherano, DiMaria, Gago, Banega, Gaitan, Lamela, Pastore, Sosa, Biglia, Alvarez, cambiasso, salvio and Costa... Masche, Angel, gago and banega are in if healthy ...leaves three out of 9... Lamela needs to go...he is a future number 10 in a 4-4-2 and sub for DIMaria in a 4-3-3.....now there are 2 out of 8 left with quality players to pick from....does Biglia make your cut...?? It's going to be tough .. Your opinions?

pablo.d (New Zealand)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 5:26 PM 1 as i said its not worth taking the risk on banega for the n/t sadly, to me a wasted talent.

elpipita (Iraq)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 4:47 PM 1 To be honest, biglia has never played a full game to my knowledge, but from what I've seen he's a very solid player who stays in his own defensive half (good thing for argentina), works hard, dedicated (risked worsening injury to shoulder inorder to play for the albiceleste) and is an overall good passer (especially long balls). Banega on a good day is world class (I've seen him humble iniesta and Febrigas last season in the 2-2 draw with valencia) but banega has some serious disciplinary problems that adversely affect his consistency with the NT (for example brilliant against spain then invisible against brazil then great against USA/costa rica and then abysmal in copa etc....).

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 2:34 PM 1 Biglia has never been a factor in any NT game...very time he in in the game, he has never stood out. There is no doubt his talent is behind gago, Mascherano, banega and even cambiasso when it comes to defensive mids.....

nozbleed (Malaysia)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 1:21 PM 0 -------------Romero Zabaleta--Garay--Coloccini--Ansaldi -----------Mascherano ----------Gago--Di María -----Higuaín--Messi--Agüero Subs: ----- GK: Caballero, Andújar DF: Campagnaro, Peruzzi, Lisandro López MF: Tino Costa, Cerro, Lamela, Gaitán FW: Scocco, J.M.Martínez, Palacio

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 11:34 AM 0 @Tony Montana, from that list.. almost all are starters for the team.. only 2-3 are not regular Sabella call ups.. one of them being Biglia.. which should be on our squad in one way or another.

argentine (Ghana)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 9:40 AM 0 Lamela,really needs to over work as there are many prolific attackers out there.

Dinucci (Argentina)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 5:58 AM 0 Lamela deserves a call up soon. Hes only 20 and he is doing great!. Pastore needs to gain disipline and stay where he needs to be on the field when that happens he will be on the team for sure. Plus he needs to have more defensive attributes which he will develop.

elpipita (Iraq)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 5:38 AM 1 Regardless of age I regard biglia as a solid player who should be Gago's official backup (i would choose his consistent solid play over banega's sporadic brilliance any day of the week and twice on sunday).

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 3:56 AM 2 @Leandro And if 26 is youth then biglia is our 15th best youth product behind Messi, aguero, Dimaria, higuain, banega, gago, garay, Fernandez, Romero, Alvarez, Rojo, monzon, DiSanto,peruzzi and gaitan...and biglia is actually 27.... Wonder kids...andrada, icardi, iturbe, Lamela

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 3:46 AM 1 Lamela is a better player already than pastore... Not to say pastore can't improve but watching them both in last weeks matches pastore will have a great touch one play and a horrible pass the next! I will say though he did play hard defense throughout....Lamela touch is of class...as seen at the u-20 World Cup in 2011 and now it is echoing in serie A.. He is only 20 and has to improve to start or even get playing time with the albiceleste but his time will come...and sooner than pastore....

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 2:13 AM 0 Also, this is second hand.. BUT.. according to my Italian friend and obsessed fan of Napoli, supposedly its pretty solid that Campagnero will be moving to Inter at the end of the season.

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/16/2013 at 2:12 AM 1 Regarding that Biglia comment, to me anyone under 26yrs old is youth. I dont count the teens, thats wonderkid good to make it into the national team.

HollywoodHayat (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 10:04 PM 0 HECTOR CANTEROS is the ideal CM for Sabella's system

pablo.d (New Zealand)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 7:27 PM 0 lamela deserves a chance in the n/t but for me pastore is not good enough and their others i like to play before him, past is young and has planty of time to show some consistant form.

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 4:38 PM 0 @ Pino i can see Lamela playing defense and playing his heart out for Argentina, i just can't see Pastore the same way also he's 100% opposite the type of player Sabella uses he's a classic number 10 who needs 2 CDM to cover him and one CM to give him the ball great talent sure, but with the offensive explosion we have, not the right piece to this puzzle

Pino (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 2:46 PM 1 I dont see why Sabella shold'nt call either Lameda or Pastore, or maybe even both, to see what they have to offer and how they will perform with the A team.Lameda plays two different positions (rightwing and attacking mid), he has to focus on defense, I notice that he does not cover the flanks really with Roma, and that, is something Sabella wants from his offensive players, Lameda can easily work on that.DiMaria is the only one that really plays defense out of the Fab4, but I did notice Aguero playing alot more defense in the second half against Sweeden, Im sure Sabella said something about that at halftime.If Lameda and Pastore play defense, then they sould have a shot at making the team.Its going to be a real dog fight making this team.Also, when Sabella won the Libertadores, he played a 3-4-3 and a 3-3-4 and even a 3-2-5 in attack, as long as the wing player run back on defense, he will attack, but that same team also played a 5-3-2 and a 4-4-2 on defense.If the Fab4 want to play play a 4-2-4 on offense, then there going to have to play a 4-4-2 on defense.

Mafioso (Bangladesh)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 2:19 PM 0 biglia...26 years old

Chainsaw (Iran)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 12:51 PM 1 Biglia?? Youth??!

Leandro (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 11:43 AM 1 Its funny how we all need disclaimers :) Lamela has the eye of the tiger. I think that Biglia and him are our two best youth prospects.

Slicer (Lebanon)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 3:24 AM 0 @Kenneth: Haha good one ;) I love Lamela and really hope that he gets a proper call up with playing time in the next round of matches. He can be a great partner to Messi with his passing.

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 2:53 AM 1 Just to explain I AM NOT COMPARING LAMELA TO MARADONA

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 2:53 AM 0 Thing i like most about Lamela, is even with the failing and miserable 2011 youth world cup team, he had a swollen ankle and still played through it. I don't remember the last offensive minded player to do that for Argentina, Maradona is the last i can recall.

Tony Montana (United States)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 2:10 AM 1 He is moving up the castrol rankings to top 130 in the world... 12 th rank Argentine

cleanball (Indonesia)

Posted on 2/15/2013 at 1:02 AM 0 No worry u will get the chance but first proved yourself worth to wear the jersey

Jack! (United States)

Posted on 2/14/2013 at 10:26 PM 0 You will get your chance young grass hopper, just wait. And yes, right now Scocco is playing out of his mind. 1 player I would not worry about taking a PK.

Kenneth (United States)

Posted on 2/14/2013 at 7:21 PM 0 The kid is fantastic, def wanna see him in the future, although right now i think the forward who deserves the call up the most is Scocco. he's on fire