Argentina Prepares For The Netherlands In Quarterfinals, and Boca On Its Way to Recopa Title

I just wanted to be the first one to write first…haha!!!

Go Argentina!!!

My prediction for the holland game: Argie 3 – Holland 1

PEOPLE,
You all know me. I always point important problems. After the SM game, I am very very positive. If we attack 3-4-2-1 AND defend 5-4-1 with Roman & Messi, I believe we are almost invincible. We were very compact in the last game and our pressing was efficient. It’s very important to have our 2 playmakers defending. They also perfectly know how to do it.

ALBO, haha.

ADRAS,
Yes. I hope like you that Batista plays like this. Would you sit Banega on the bench?

MESSI10,
Seems that Barca 07 is the only team who has ever played a possession strategy. The reference for me was Argentina 06, the most magnificent team I have ever watched in my life. A team that should have won WC 06.
You need to respect people’s views otherwise you’ll never find a place here.
I would say that “possession strategy is the better way to defend (& attack!)”.

J-ARGIE,
My predictions:
If 3-6-1/4-5-1 = 3-0
If 4-2-2-2/4-2-4 = 1-1

HOW DO HOLLAND PLAY? WHICH SYSTEMS? I’ve never seen them in the competition.

Inter already want Buonanotte.

Looks like I was wrong, the practice showed that Batista will play the same team that started against Ivory Coast. According to olé, wouldn’t be surprised if we lost tomorrow.

Posted from  Belgium

hey guys, will the game be shown on telemundo or any other tv channel or online?

Damn…

Por el momento, se prepara para ver a los once que Batista pondrá en cancha. Ustari; Zabaleta, Pareja, Garay, Monzón; Mascherano, Gago; Messi, Riquelme; Lavezzi y Agüero se perfilan para estar desde el arranque.

The same applies for you Maxi. You also need to respect other people’s view. You act like you are a football pundit, and everything you say has to be correct and respected. How could you make a statement like this = Why do you think we all screamed when cambiasso scored that goal against S&M in world cup and statement like did you ever think why pekermen chose not to use Messi in world cup 06? Now those statements are merely stating your arrogance. Where is the so called “RESPECT” for other people’s view? No hard feelings. I know you have been in this blog before i even started following it i guess which is world cup 06. So, with all due respect Maxi, i think you need to take a step further and start weighing other people’s views as well.

Greeting to all other bloggers here and of course Maxi too.

I don’t see where Ole writes that they think Arg will lose tomorrow….they seem hopeful…

It seems it’s been raining non-stop since yesterday and Batista has not been able to test his lineup.
According to Clarín/Olé, it looks like a 4-2-1-3 (but it’s not confirmed)

——————Ustari———————
Zabaleta, Pareja, Garay, Monzón
——Mascherano—Gago————
—————Riquelme——————
Messi ——Agüero——— Lavezzi

Posted from  United States

the NBC link only seems to work if you’re from the states, if you’re from the great white north it seems like the sports networks care more about synchronized diving or womens beach volleyball (nothing against that but Messi, Riquelme, ronaldihno, kaka- superpowers of the world game taking a back seat to that?!) I wish they would show the games on TV (they did show the Germany/ Sweden game- womans- man I hope they show the mens games)

any other links for the game on Saturday?

thanks

Posted from  Canada

Alexa, I think we might lose tomorrow. That sentance I made in my earlier post is confusing I know, that comma shouldn’t be there

Posted from  Belgium

A player who still has to perform at his usual level is Agüero.
I know he hasn’t found his position yet.
But if he does against Holland, we have good chances to score from many angles.
I still think Lavezzi could have scored 3 or 4 more in the last game.
Just a bit of luck and it’s “Goleada”.

Posted from  United States

Nice interview with Riquelme
http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/news/newsid=850729.html

I have never gotten the impression that Roman is this arrogant sob that causes trouble everywhere he goes like the media portrays him.

Posted from  Belgium

http://www.ole.clarin.com/notas/2008/08/15/seleccion/01738387.html

You are right ALBO. I can’t believe that our team has prepared 2 weeks before the Olympics, 4-2-2-2, 3-5-2 and 4-5-1 systems! Batista really tries things. I like it. I hope we are prepared enough to change systems like this.

If we play 4-3-3, Lavezzi, Aguero, Messi must be collective and not do solo dribblings like Ronaldinho (& Messi) tend to do last year at Barca. The 2 wingers will have to defend their flank too, probably in a 4-4-1-1 defending system.

I still hope we play 3-5-2 tomorrow with Zabaleta & Di Maria on the flanks.

I can’t wait to know & watch the game. Vamos Argentina!

Here’s the updated schedule from nbc site (all pacific time)

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv_and_online_listings/zone=PT/day=8/sport=FB/index.html

I think telemundo (channel 009 for cox people) will be showing Argentina match live. Also NBC’s soccer channel (for COX subscribers channel 736 – this channel is HD so u must have HD subscription)

I just want to see Di maria tomorrow, i hope he starts instead of Lavezzi, i think Lavezzi played wonderful in Australia game but was not as good in the other too. Di maria is far far superior than lavezzi on the left.
—Messsi—-Aguero—-Di Maria
would be so much better. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s game.

Posted from  United States

From the Riquelme interview

Who were you surprised to come across there?

“The first day we arrived, we were lucky enough to have Kobe Bryant come over and eat with us. He took photos with all of us and told us how much he liked Argentinian football.”

Posted from  United States

I look more into this and Kobe seemed to be a big fan of messi.

http://thestar.com.my/sports/story.aspfile=/2008/8/15/sports/22088872&sec=sports

It seems like argentina soccer players and Kobe are big fans with each other

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/sport/olympics2008/news/article_1422633.php/Mascherano_wants_picture_with_Kobe_Bryant

Posted from  United States

Yes – I’ve been reading the Kobe – Arg (Messi) love-a-thon for a while now. he was at the Serbia game, but of course Messi didn;t play, but Messi gave him his shirt. Kobe is a big Barcelona fan, big football fan.

Great Riquelme interview. It must be interesting for those guys to realize that they are not the center of the universe as athletes. They all seem to love to find that out.

I think that they have a great chance winning tomorrow. Holland will always be tough, but Arg are no mugs. EVen though we as fans always want them to play the way we fantasize, even when they don’t, they generally win. Riquelme will have a good game. He’s rested (and brilliant). I;m more worried about Lavezzi and Aguero, who seem meltdown-prone.

Cinco, Penta, 5.BRASIL
A Argentina quantos????????????????????????