Gonzalo, Rejected France call

Hey guys, I have been so busy with work and so on, i didnt get a chance to comment or anything. I will start another thread once we hit 200. We are the only blog on here that have this much comment and i am proud of that. I kind of want to show off how we argentina fans are real passionate about our team.

Anyhow, ALBO great post and as usual, alexa, todd utah, aurelious, maxilopez, batigol, fab and the rest of the gang, great comments.

I was thinking about the same thing in regards of the “enganche” topic. The critics that are saying that they could stop the enganche by having him marked by two players, well. as you all have said what happens if you add two playmakers??? either way you have to have a playmaker inorder to control the flow of the game. What makes Riquelme so unique is this guy somehow has a gift in controling games. I have always said, I prefer Aimar over Riquelme “since we use only one playmaker” because aimar is a bit more active on the field. I am a big supporter of having both aimar and riquelme in, but that never really happend.

Here is another question that i have. Where does Messi fit??? we know he isnt a striker. No way, he is too useful in the midfield to be stuck in the box.

Is he a playmaker??? or is he just that insanely good winger??? my favorite player is Steve McManaman and I see messi as a better version of Steve, though they play on the opposite side of the field.

So, as for now, Riquelme is out so no Aimar/Riquelme duo. So how is the Aimar/Messi combo going to work???

Another question i have is Aguero. I am still having a hardtime with him being a striker, not because i think he wont succeed, but i just think he is more useful as an attacking midfielder.

I am curious how Basile is going to approach the France game, because it really is an important game for us. I mean our pride is depending on it. we cant afford to lose to brazil, spain, and then france. just shouldnt happen.

Posted from  United States

Elliot, Argentine players and supporters are the most passionate people of the world. Period. If Tevez is angry because he’s substitued, it’s because he loves football much more than others.

At WC 06, Argentina was the best team. Everybody say this, not only us fans. When you are the best, passionate and lose, it’s very difficult to manage your angerness. I’m not ashamed about their reaction.

I don’t believe Maxi Rodriguez is a bad guy. I believe he and his team were provocated by Frings, Bieroff and Borowski when Cambiasso missed his penalty. Some people even say that the battle was linked with Maxi’s religion. Maxi was provocated like Zidane by Materazzi, Cantona by a Crystal Palace fan, Beckham by Simeone (02),…

Posted from  France

So, Cannavaro won the Ballon d’Or as expected.

Riquelme has ZERO points.

This should be called the “Ballon de Merde”.

Because:

- Only one Argentine player in the 50 men list. Where are Maxi Rodriguez? Mascherano? Crespo? Ayala?!

- Riquelme brought Villareal in the semis of CL and was great in 05/06 (he destroyed Inter on his own) and had a correct WC. He was at least much better than Klose(7), (Pirlo(9), Kaka(11,he did nothing, a joke),Ribéry(13) and all the rest is worst: Lahm, Terry, Zambrotta(!?), Podolski, Lampard, Gattuso,…are in front of Roman.

-In 00, Zidane deserved it much more than Figo. He was at his best.

-In O2, Ronaldo didn’t play the hole year.

-Laurent Blanc never won it unlike Cannavaro.

-Zidane won it only one time! He is the best player of all time with Diego.

It’s the last time i’m talking about these FF and FIFA awards. Their place is a garbage.

Posted from  France

Thanks for clearing that up for me MaxiLopez, it boils down to passion, who would of thought.

No wonder you don’t see such behaviour from Brazilians, Italians,and Spaniards et al they lack the amount of passion that Argentine fans have.

I agree The golden ball “media ball”, is not delivered to the best player, but to the most commercial player.
Riquelme, no Vote ? It is a shame, and I’m a Riquelme hater !
Riquelme shoud have got votes, like Maxi Rodriguez, Cambiasso…
Henry was the strongest this year along side Etoo’, but they are black… A shame I tell you.
I’m sorry to disagree with you MAXI lopez, Zidane is not the best of all time, you can’t compare him with Maradona, Zidane is too slow, and scored a few goals. A “Greatest of all times ” requires all the abilities: Technic, speed and gret goal scoring abilities. Diego, pelé, Cruyf, Di stephano, Puskas are the Ones.

Posted from  France

I think of Zidane as the greatest European of all time.

Riquelme not getting one vote pretty much discredits the entire enterprise.

Ignore the troll elliot.

One problem why Arg might not make this list (even though it’s completely bogus) is that very few are on the superstar teams. It’s amazing, for example, that Barcelona and Real Madrid only have one arg player between them, and like 11 Brazilians.

If you check the way inter milan has been playing of late, you can see how good a arg-based team can be.

Posted from  United States

The awards are meaningless. Junk.

Even if Riquelme won the award its meaningless. What counts is trophies on the pitch ,moments of brilliance, spectacular or well crafted goals, defensive displays of mastery that live in the mind long after a player has retired.

Wonder what species Elliott is though Alexa :)? Cave ,mountain … ignorant little twerp.

Albo I dont know how many years you have been watching football & I didn’t see this live but funnily enough Peles elbow on the poor Uurguayan defender never gets mentioned. A definite red card.

As for German sportsmanship hurling anti-semitic insults at ones coach is likely to lead to a degree of provocation.

Schumacher was a great sportsman as I’m sure Battiston will testify too.

Posted from  United States

Elliot, to answer your questions, first let me say that the topic has been addressed in the past. You can find my last comment easily because it’s the one that ends with “shame on us”.
I am an argentinean who doesn’t like some of the things that happen in our football and the first one to share it with my friends here in this blog.
But there’s tone in your comment that sounds cheaper than a spit in the face.
Are you talking from up a podium somewhere in a perfect country with perfect citizens who never get rowdy?
Are you living in a country where there’s no racism, where players and fans never insult black or hispanic players?
The players from your country never stick an elbow on their opponent’s face, they never step on an opponent’s genitals? How ’bout the fans of your country? do they ever have a beer and get loud and white-trashy?
The simplistic way you use to generalize about my people, shows me how poor and mediocre you are, wherever is that you come from.
But if I were to judge the behavior of people from your country, based on your pathetic comments about mine, I would say your people have a major attitude problem.

>>Should a delegation of English Gentlemen be sent over to teach them how to behave?>>

You gotta be kiddin’. Deliver me from that.

God save you, the queen and your english gentlemen from us argies…

Posted from  United States

Elliot, your nickname should be “idiot”.

Posted from  United States

Wamdiego, we finally disagree eachother!

I believe the Golden Ball has nothing to do with race or color of the skin. It’s quite impossible nowadays, we are at the 21st century!

To me, Zidane is the best of all time with Maradona. I repeat it because i truely believe it. I saw him at the stadium many times with Juve and i’ll never forget it. What i saw is unique. It’s enough to me. Forget about him at Real Madrid, his career ended in 02. Then he had injuries.

What you must understand Wamdiego is that Zidane builds the game. He make other score. By the way, he always scored in important games (WC, CL). Admit this, even if you dislike the fact that he’s French and was raised by these coaches who only want physical skills. He’s slow? So what? He has pure class. The classiest and constructive player ever, to me!

Posted from  France

By the way, great posts Aurelius and Albo. GREAT! Constructive. That shows how much we love and defend our team. And we are right…

Posted from  France

Thanks for your response Albo. Admitting that the poor sportsmanship, most recently evident at the WC and by Tevez, is endemic of Argentine culture is a great first step. I encourage you to further this debate with your fellow countrymen. Now these types of problems are by no means exclusive to Argentina however the evidence is overwhelming that it is greater there than anywhere else.

Argentineans can learn much from the way Anglo’s (and indeed Europeans) comport themselves in all things including football. I would think as a caring supporter of Argentine football you would want to encourage this education and not take offense to it being offered.

To AURELIUS and Batigol your responses to my post saddens me. Unintentionally you have both proven my point which brings me no joy.

God Help Argentina.

Aurelius, on your question about Pelé’s elbow, I had heard about it but never saw any footage of it.
And yes. I got to see “O Rei” once when I was a kid!!!.
My dad took me to the Monumental to see Argentina-Brazil (a qualifier of sorts).
He would say to me:
“Can you believe it? That’s Pelé. And that one over there is Garrincha. There’s Didí…”
I wish I had been able to appreciate what was going on, but I was too little.
Saludos

Posted from  United States

Oh my god, Albo - you saw Pele Garrinch and Didi? Live? I’m so jealous. I’m sure you probably also saw maradona live too.

eliot is a troll. He has to make lame complaints because he knows that his team will never reach the level of the south americans, whether in Arg or Brazil. England is a beautiful country, one that I love, but they are really not a soccer power anymore, and their players, save a few exceptions such as Gerrard, don’t have the skills to compete with their south american brothers.

Aurelius—
As for German sportsmanship hurling anti-semitic insults at ones coach is likely to lead to a degree of provocation.—–

can you give some background on this statement?

Posted from  United States

Unfortunately I have to spend a few seconds dealing with your comments Elliott.

If you actually watched the Pumas on their tour of Europe you would see sportsmen of the greatest ferocity on the pitch yet perfect gentlemen off it .Just witness Pichot & Dominici arms round each others shoulders after the dramatic one point defeat at the Stade de France or the Lions on the hockey pitch or Nalbandian parading round the tennis court.

You talk as Albo has said in blind generalisations.And by declaring quite brazenly that somehow Argentineans are endemically an underclass to Europeans in terms of their behaviour you show a great deal of bigotry.

Argentines seem themselves as Europeans seeing as most are of European descent. There is a unique culture a fusion of the Spanish & Italian.They need no lessons in deportment or culture (if you or I indeed were lucky enough to actually visit the country(which I intend to do in the near future)one would see that plainly) & certainly none from you.

As an Englishman myself & something I have stressed before there is actually a great deal of commonality with Argentina in historical links some unfortunate but mostly beneficial.

There is a social underclass in this country which need lessons in refinement, education & how to behave.No doubt there are similar persons in Argentina indeed around the world.

Your pointed remarks towards all Argentines in general indicate an unwelcome degree of hostility disguised by fair seeming remarks ,hence the retort from Batigol .

I really shouldn’t be wasting my time responding but you are irksome with such crass comments.

It would be like characterising the whole population of Britain as Europeans have done on the basis of the actions of a few hooligans & increasingly the chav Brits abroad on holiday.

But that of course would be untrue as well.

Of course English footballers are angels.They never cheat, throw elbows or abuse opponents or the referee just witness the QF against Portugual.

They certainly could do with lessons in erudition & seeing how real footballers like Moore,Charlton & Best played the game & unlike certain characters like Alf Ramsay a true English gentleman calling the opposition animals & that after a very dubious home decision by the referee .

Even his own players were embarassed by his actions which shows the characters they were.

Enough.

Regarding the fracas after the game Alexa. It was already a heated situation. But something was clearly aimed at Pekerman which incensed Ayala & Heinze (Volga Germans speak a medieval dialect of German still but he still would have understood it) both fluent German speakers(most English footballers struggle to speak English).

It was implied but mysteriously the whole thing was hushed up by FIFA for political reasons with Germany being the hosts & for obvious historical reasons. The culprit was in all likelihood Bierhoff.

And German fans will deny anything happenend at all & that it was yet again a case of sore losers.
Albo you are indeed lucky to see have that team live. I saw the incident on a tape recently obviously not being alive in 1970.

Pele just lifts his elbow into the chin of the defender who’d obviously annoyed him.The referee though & the linesmen were walking away at the time & never saw it.

So much for Peles saintly image !

Posted from  United States

Alexa, I did see Maradona at Boca’s La Bombonera about a year before he was sold to Barcelona. I remember the noise level and the way the stadium vibrated, it was scary.
But the biggest highlight of my life as a football fan was Argentina-The Netherlands ‘78WC finals at The Monumental. Visually, the most impressive match I’ve seen.
OK, this probably makes me the oldest of the gang. Let’s leave it there…
I’m sure some of you guys have a few memories of big games at big stadiums.
Anyone?

Aurelius, you’re such a class act. Great post.

Posted from  United States

AURELIUS I never wrote that poor sportsmanship was exclusive to Argentine football but that it was prevalent in it. I am genuinely surprised at your and others reaction to what I wrote. What I wrote is a statement of the obvious. If you wish to bury your head in the sand and hope this behavior will just self correct on it’s own that is your choice. I would still encourage others to ask the tough questions about their NT players behavior that is setting the example for the youth.
One observation I would like to make which contributes to this poor behavior on the pitch is the constant conspiracy theories that I read not only on this blog but in the media. You alluded to it yourself when referencing the post match fight between Ger. V Arg. When you said in part
“It was implied but mysteriously the whole thing was hushed up by FIFA for political reasons with Germany being the hosts & for obvious historical reasons. The culprit was in all likelihood Bierhoff.”
I say stop the endless self pity and continued promotion of conspiracy theories. This type of discussion will inevitably lead to another international incident like that at the WC.
Allow me one more very quick example. I read all the various countries blogs as I love the game and am interested in how different people view events happening in the sport. Some have questioned how a player like Riquelme wasn’t able to even one vote for the Golden Ball. Fair enough, however in the same sentence they will assume natural bias towards Argentine players. Now I bring this up because a player like Totti was not even nominated in the top 50. Anyone who watched Serie A last year knows this is an absurd oversight. When I read the Italian blogs there is no uproar or claims of conspiracy about this.
It takes courage to self examine and I wish Argentina the best of luck at placing the focus back on football and not the drama.

Oh Elliot, Elliot, you keep going at it.
You come into our blog to criticize our conduct as a whole, and in particular that of our members for their opinions, comparing us to bloggers of other countries and comparing the conduct of our players to those of other countries.
The whole thing with us is wrong, right? So why are you still in here?
Nobody really cares about your experiences in other blogs?
You little brat, should be the first one to learn from your own preaching.
You have interrupted the flow of an interesting conversation about midfielders we had been having for the last couple of days.
You came in this board to bully us about a topic that has been covered extensively not long ago and instead of going back and reading first, you made a fool of yourself assuming we would prove your point at the first insult. Now that’s cheap.
Where are your manners, Elliot? Are you really one of those gentlemen you talk so much about?
A lesser argentinean is respectfully asking you these questions, hoping that you will consider them and finally come to your senses.
Do you know how to exit a room in an educated fashion, Elliot?
Well thank you, I know you will eventually understand.

Posted from  United States

well duh, no Italian complained about Totti because Cannavaro won the whole thing.

But enough about elliot. Albo and Aurelius’ posts were already too good for troll stuff.

About midfielders=== I ABSOLUTELY think that any team with people like Riquelme or Aimar would be dumb not to use them to their best potential. If the Arg systems values midfielders enough to develop players like R and A, they should use them.

Rumor is that the Gago deal to Real Madrid is all but done. 20 mill euros for the January transfer window. Let’s hope he’s the new Redondo.

ALbo - again. I’m gobsmacked that you were at that game. You should write your experiences.

messay i am number 200 start a new thread

Posted from  Serbia And Montenegro

There can be no doubt I am on an Argentine football blog when responses to my posts include name calling.

I know you will have no difficulty justifying it by saying I started it, or I work for Fifa. Good Luck.

I can accept your apologies, Albo and company, but I will no longer contribute to the Argentine Blog.

As i said before good luck.

elliot if you will no longer contribute then piss off

Posted from  Australia

Extremely valid point Messay old chap, it’s been a while. The funny thing is I do feel you’ve still left out some important strikers such as German Denis (Independiente), Nicolas Frutos (Anderlecht), Maxi Lopez (Mallorca), Mariano Gonzalez (Inter), Luciano Figueroa (when Genoa is promoted to serie A next season) and who could forget (the for some reason somewhat unliked) Julio Cruz who has even upstaged Crespo so far this season. Basile will have his hands full but I still think Demichelis, Solari and D’Alessandro are all worth a serious shot in the midfield where I feel the real problem lies.

Btw for Eliott and other Totti fans I’m sorry to say it but Totti was one of the worst players in the Italian squad at this years WC. Del Piero (even in his twilight) completely outshone him and played the role Totti was supposed to play for Italy. If he was injured then he should not have gone simple as that. Oh and what did Roma finish last season? = Totti outside the top 50 = JUSTIFIED….

Posted from  Australia

Fernando I accept your apology.

Matias Totti as you know broke his ankle about 45 day’s prior to the WC. So the world only had a chance to see Totti at 60% of full health.

Looking back at the 2005 - 2006 season Roma won 11 consecutive games, a new record in Serie A. Totti played a huge role and was recognized by no less than Pele himself who called him “The King of Soccer” just before he broke his ankle. To say he shouldn’t have made at top 50 list is….baffling.

Today he is still playing with metal plates in his ankle. Recently on the weekend when Ronaldhino scored a beautiful bicycle kick goal Totti out did it with this beauty….enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g85KNt-8ZE4

Regards