Coloccini: The Semis are a Realistic Aim

Are u the same Jonathan ?? Lol quit trying to convince me.

I want to watch this game so bad.

Posted from  Canada

BTW how did Mascherano play ???

Posted from  Canada

different one there are 2 on this blog

Posted from  United States

The game was on te le fe… channel 411 on direct tv.
Mascherano played great defensively.
He was amazing.

His counter, offensively was unconsistant.
He had his passes intercepted a few times, but he’ll be fine with a little more playing time… (the friendlies)

the perfect formation would be
Pato
Burdisso, Ayala, Heinze
Messi, Masche, Lucho, Sorin
Riquelme
Tevez and Palacio (but crespo will start)

Watch TYC, and hopefully they’ll show the highlights.

It was unreal.

I have the game recorded still… If anyone has any suggestions how I can pull it from tivo to show to anyone, let me know.

Tevez was the star.
So was Palacio in the 2nd half.

Burdisso had some nice moments, as did Sorin.

I am so excited I can’t sleep.
This team is for real.
Messi just destroyed his opponents.
With no effort… He would get the ball, and just go. Like lightning.

14 days…til I go to Germany….
14 days….

Posted from  United States

super comments Jonathan… thanks..!! I actually rushed to the office this morning to check the results on the blog.
we do have a solid team.
Aimar will play better… I have faith in his abilities and his enthusiasm on the field.
If Saudi Arabia plays against Albicelestes, they will air it here on TV, promise detials if you guys would like to.
almost two weeks to go.
Ciao

Posted from  Lebanon

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldFootballNews&storyID=2006-05-24T020432Z_01_L19477208_RTRIDST_0_SPORT-SOCCER-WORLD-ARGENTINA.XML

reuters saying Arg fans are pesimistic!!?? that is not true!!

Posted from  Lebanon

the video see how Quality argentina is..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd196c4Ccvc&search=argentina%20soccer

Posted from  Japan

Jonathan I was wondering where did you watch the game. If you have an Arg satelite let me know, I’d want to buy one.

Thats good news Jonathan. Thanks for the update. Who here actually believes Pekerman knows what he is doing? I mean sure he took an awful gamble in the Confederations cup final by fielding a trial squad. I for one believe Pekerman knows what he is doing. Anyone else?

Posted from  United States

Hi guys, Mr Pekerman knows perfectly what is he doing. Check out his background! 3 times world champion sub-18.
He is a low profile coach, very smart and professional. I dont know, I just can talk with my heart because Im from Arg.

Posted from  United States

Thanks Jonathan.

Posted from  France

Fantastic post Jon C. You got me quite excited as well.

Posted from  Pakistan

Guys here is a excellent article from Goal.com:

Pekerman has been given the benefit of the doubt by the Argentinean people if last night’s swansong ‘mini-match’ in the Monumental de Núñez stadium was anything to go by. The crowd was generous in applause that sent the Albiceleste off to Europe on a high note.
Foto articolo

Rodrigo Palácio is the only representative – save, if you will forgive the pun, keeper Oscar Ustari – of Argentina’s domestic scene, and last night showed that he may well be an attacking reference that inspires hope at home and fear in rival defenses.

The Boca Juniors striker scored a hat-trick, perhaps egged on by the scenario and the red-sashed white shirts in front, that marks him as a man to watch in Germany. “Despite the fact that it was a shorter game and not international, goals like these really help my confidence”, explained Palácio.

Pekerman also gave fans an idea of what to expect in the land of lager and lederhosen. Burdisso was fielded in the right-back slot with Heinze skewed in towards the centre of defense, Maxi Rodríguez off towards the right in midfield and Tevez as Cruz’s partner in attack, although only as Crespo had stomach cramps and bowed out at the last minute.

“This gives more of an idea of a base team, that’s true, but every single player realises that this is by no means definitive. We’ve still got a way to go”, explained the Coach after the game. Aside from the freshness of Palácio in attack, Saviola and Tevez showed they’ve arrived in top form – the ‘Conejo’ and ‘Apache’ both intent with the former adding in intelligence what the latter supplies in guts.

Heinze showed that he’s back and unafraid to tackle, although it still remains to be seen whether or not he’s apt for a full 90 minutes. Burdisso was given a starting nod ahead of Coloccini and demonstrated eagerness and reserve energy.

It was worth noting that Maxi por over to the right flank seems to be Pekerman’s way of balancing the fact that he’ll use a less mobile central defender for the left-back slot. Another key to Argentina will be the obsession with possession: Pekerman prizes keeping hold of the ball and relying on his strikers to open gaps.

This is where Palácio was especially lethal, able to make spaces in a highly-populated defense and working well off the movements of his striking partner to give the Albiceleste midfield more options for threading through the final passes that Maxi and Mascherano will be asked to supply. All in all a positive send off from the stage of the 1978 conquest.

Argentina (4): Abbondanzieri, Burdisso, Ayala, Heinze, Sorín, Rodríguez, Mascherano, Cambiasso, Riquelme, Tevez and Julio Cruz.

Substitutions: Palacio, Saviola, Gabriel Milito, Coloccini, Lucho González, Aimar and Scaloni

Goals: Rodrigo Palacio (3), Saviola (1)

Spectators: 49,879

Venue: Monumental de Núñez stadium, buenos Aires, Argentina

Posted from  United States

I don’t have an argentine satellite.
I have Direct TV, but the Para Todos programming. I highly recommend it.

You get channels like Gol TV, Fox Sports Espanol, Fox soccer channel, and of course, TYC sports.

Te le fe was the channel I watched the game.
I didn’t even know they were going to play until my parents called from Texas.

I guess my dad heard about the game from reading the clarin or something…

Anyway, don’t worry about all the negative press we get in England and Europe.

The fans who watched the Argentina/England and Argentina / Croatia games know that Argentina played well in those games.

This scrimmage just confirmed that the boys are ready to go.

I think it’s all up to the players Pekerman picks.

Palacio is for real.
The kid was running circles around people, and Messi was insane.

We didn’t get to see Crespo, so maybe with him and Tevez, they might do more damage than Cruz and Tevez.

There were more crosses in the first half,
and in the second, it was more “traditional” argentine style with passes right up the middle.

Each goal, except for Palacio’s 3rd, was a 1 on 1 with the goalie.

Palacio’s 1st, he took it around the keeper.

Saviola took a nice shot from right outside or just inside the box, into the lower corner of the net.

Palcio’s 2nd, the keeper came out to try and stop him, but Palacio lifted the ball over the keeper and jumped himself over the keeper, finishing into an empty net.

The last won was beautiful.

Messi brought the defense to him, he split the defenders, ran in the box from the left corner, drawing the keeper, and he simply passed to a wide open Palacio and an empty net in front of him.

Vamos Argentina!

Posted from  United States

Great news on Heinze. He is almost reaching his peak again and another friendly or two will have him in good shape.

Just one question, did messi play or not because someone above said he made an appearance??

Scaloni is a funny guy. He has made me laugh all season for West Ham. He should be the team’s mascot and would be great for entertaining the crowds.

Posted from  United Kingdom

guys check out
http://www.lionelmessi.org

some video of the match plus many messi videos

Thanks Jonathan Will any channel show the game against Angola ????

ARGENTINA WILL CONQUER GERMANY.

vamos vamos.

Posted from  Canada

I am so excited! It sounds like the team played great. It is especially good to hear that heinze played and performed well. Go Argentina!

Posted from  United States

HI guys arg’s are the ones who r seriously concentrating on the game rather then going ga ga about their chances in world cup the way england is doing this argentine team is gonna rock germany with thier performance

Posted from  India

Hey lol,
I don’t know of any channels showing the Angola game live, but on Sunday, the 4th, Telemundo will rebroadcast the game.
I think it’s at 10am pacific time, 1pm Eastern.

I hope someone finds some more info on this, because I would love to catch the game live!

Posted from  United States

Anyone in South Africa can watch the match on Supersport.

Posted from  Pakistan

Who will win the WC ?????
It’s Hard to say that Argentina has less chances to win this WC compared with Brazil, this is the truth we have to say it, it’s also hard to say that the WC winner will be an European country once the tournament organized in Europe( the hosts Germany- Nederland-Italy-and maybe UK) have great chances to win along with Brazil.
as we see in each WC there is a team which makes a great surprise to reach the semi final ( like Turkey in 2002-Coratia in 98 -Bulgaria 94) - so this time hopefully not be ( Serbia) - then i can say it’s maybe (Czech- Croatia -Sweden and Poland)
Nederland will be surely qualified who will be the second team?
Argentina has to win the first 2 matches NO WAY if they want to qualify

Posted from  France

great job “jonathan” … it seems the current argentina team works well togather, thats a gud news.
well “jonathan” can u tell us how did our U20 team played against a world cup side … :S

Posted from  United Arab Emirates

why pekkerman dont play walter samuel???

Ayala-Samuel-Heinze is equal to Campbell-Terry-Ferdinand.

Posted from  Indonesia

Very Very nice information here… Thanks

Posted from  Republic Of Korea