Team Sheet: Argentina

Written by Vidit Bhandarkar

These notes were gathered in preparation for our panel discussion of the favorites and dark horses for this year’s World Cup in Russia.

  • Manager: Jorge Sampaoli
    • Record = Pl: 11, W:5, D:3, L:3
    • Was Chile manager when they beat Argentina to win 2015 Copa America
    • Criticisms:
      • Left out Icardi and Dybala from friendlies despite their impressive club form, but stuck with Higuain who has flattered to deceive in important international games, as well as other non-star/inexperienced names
      • Not choosing the right team to get the best out of his players
      • Unbalanced midfield
      • Using wingers as full-backs for pace and high press, but not working
    • FIFA Ranking: 5th
    • WC 2018 Group (of Death)
      • Iceland
      • Croatia
      • Nigeria (lost to them in a recent friendly 4-2)
      • Should qualify to knockouts, but question marks over how they will perform against the big teams
    • 5th in Odds to win WC: 8/1 (ESPN)
    • WC 2014 result: Runners up (lost 1-0 to Germany)
    • Have not won since 1986 – Diego Maradona
    • Copa America 2015, 2016: Runners up (lost to Chile on penalties both times)
      • Lost 3 finals in a row
      • Messi retired and came back
    • Finished 3rd in CONMEBOL world cup qualifiers, behind Brazil and Uruguay
      • Record: Pl: 18, W:7, D:7, L:4
        • Scored only 19 goals
        • Only +3 goal difference
      • Played poorly and struggled to qualify
      • Required a Messi hattrick in the last game to guarantee qualification
        • With him – 10 games 21 points
        • Without him – 8 games 7 points
      • Messi top-scorer – 7, followed by Di Maria, Mercado & Lucas Pratto – just 2 each
    • Recent Friendlies
      • W 2-0 – Italy
      • L 6-1 – Spain
      • Messi and Aguero didn’t play
  • Predicted 23-man squad
    • GK: Sergio Romero, Nahuel Guzman, Willy Caballero
    • Def: Nicolas Otamendi, Gabriel Mercado, Federico Fazio, Marcos Rojo, Nicolás Tagliafico, Fabricio Bustos, Marcos Acuna, Ramiro Funes-Mori
    • Mid:  Javier Mascherano. Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Angel Di Maria, Manuel Lanzini, Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, Eduardo Salvio
    • FW: Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Angel Correa
  • Key Players
    • Lionel Messi – Likely his last WC in his prime (will be 31 when it starts)
    • Javier Mascherano – but getting old (34), not very competitive in China
    • Nicolas Otamendi – fine season with man city, will marshall the defence
    • Angel Di Maria – Started all qualifiers
  • Players missing out
    • Ezequiel Garay – key to defense in 2014, but allegedly doesn’t want to play
    • Mauro Icardi – doesn’t suit the style
    • Paulo Dybala – hasn’t replicated club form, no goals in 12 international matches
    • Diego Perotti – lots of competition in front of him
    • Erik Lamela – injury, lack of action
    • Javier Pastore – lack of action

References:

2018 FIFA World Cup odds. (2017, October 11). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/20991480

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL). (2018, April 19). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2018_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(CONMEBOL)&oldid=837157652

Argentina. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xukql55uwTRxwonaJ291h39IHnJQrTkNr2iMn-AqBAQ/edit?usp=drive_web&ouid=103647032685598838891&usp=embed_facebook

Argentina Coach Sampaoli Threatens To Drop Dybala, Icardi From World Cup Squad. (2018, March 23). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/argentina-coach-sampaoli-threatens-to-drop-dybala-icardi-from-world-cup-squad/

Argentina national football team. (2018, April 27). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Argentina_national_football_team&oldid=838509471

Argentina Scores & Fixtures – ESPN FC – ESPN FC. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.espnfc.com/team/argentina/202/fixtures

Argentina’s 2018 World Cup squad predicted: Who will make Sampaoli’s 23-man group? | Goal.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/argentinas-2018-world-cup-squad-predicted-who-will-make/1b540odjxstv41ksyjxdwmq378

Soccer, W. (2018, March 19). Argentina World Cup Fixtures, Squad, Group, Guide. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.worldsoccer.com/world-cup/argentina-world-cup-fixtures-399772