Farewell

Well friends, the time to say goodbye has arrived.

Let me begin by saying that I’ve enjoyed every day that I’ve spent on the blog talking about the national team & Argentine football with you all.

My decision to no longer blog was not a rushed decision or have anything to do with Argentina’s latest world cup failure, as humilliating as it was.

I made the decision before the world cup.

And it is due to personal and work considerations. Mostly work considerations.

I am embarking on a new career in marketing and it is going to require alot of my time and focus.

It’s really been an immense joy and wonderful experience to have maintained this blog. I will miss it alot as I will miss talking to you all.

The blog was a part of my daily life and it is difficult to end it after all the time & effort that I’ve devoted to it.

Thank you all for your participation, for making the blog a really fun place to meet up to talk about Argentine football and Thank you for your love and passion for Argentina.

Gracias Amigas y Amigos.

Hasta Siempre.

The end of the road

I’m looking forward to reading what those that have been unleashing praise on Maradona have to say today.

Poor Messi. Poor Messi.

Only an incompetent manager can make the best player in the world irrelevant.

Maradona LO QUEMO a Messi.

Argentina made it as far as the quarterfinals because it had goal scoring power but it did not have any play build up. It did not have effective ball distribution. It did not have strong collective play.

Maradona refused to make the changes necessary to give Argentina’s attack the boost that was needed.

Argentina had an advantage that no other team had. The best player in the world.

Maradona did not build a team around Messi. Maradona did not provide Messi with players that could effectively link up with him.

Maradona made Messi irrelevant. It should have been Messi’s World Cup.

It should have been Argentina’s World Cup.

Hopefully, two things will happen after today:

1. Maradona will no longer be a part of the national team.

2. Messi, with the help of a semi-intelligent manager, will have his world cup in 2014.

Argentina vs Germany

Share your thoughts on today’s game.

-UPDATE-

The starting lineup confirmed:

GK – Romero
D – Otamendi
D – Demichelis
D – Burdisso
D – Heinze
M – Maxi Rodriguez
M – Mascherano
M – Di Maria
F – Tevez
F – Messi
F – Higuain

VAMOS ARGENTINA CARAJO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vamos Argentina!!!!!!!

Starting lineup against Germany

Maradona has not confirmed the starting eleven for tomorrow’s big quarterfinals matchup against Germany but according to Argentine media reports and from what was seen in yesterday’s training session, the starting lineup against Germany will be:

GK – Romero
D – Otamendi
D – Demichelis
D – Burdisso
D – Heinze
M – Maxi Rodriguez
M – Mascherano
M – Di Maria
F – Tevez
F – Messi
F – Higuain

I don’t like it.

Once again, Argentina will not have a strong play build up.

Once again, Messi will be isolated and will struggle to find someone to link up with.

Once again, Argentina will waste having the best player in the world.

Once again, Argentina will rely on its goal scoring power instead of its collective play and creativity from its play build up.

It worked against Mexico but I don’t think I need to explain that Germany is not the same as Mexico.

Basically, Maradona is betting on a defensively strong, counter-attacking strategy that will rely on the forwards making a great individual play, depend on a great goal by the forwards.

Pastore was right to say that the way to beat the Germans is “jugando a la pelota”. By playing football, the Argentina way.

Too bad Maradona was not listening.

Demichelis press conference

Martin Demichelis speaking to the media today.

Argentina-Germany battle of words

Maradona talks about Germany game

Messi did not train today

Messi did not participate in today’s training session because he reportedly has a fever.

Maradona interview