**The World Cup 2018 Official Thread**

[shadowking]

We need a total ban on all Nigerian Coli posters, if they choke tommorow.

God bend your neck

 

[Premeditated]

What makes this funny is Croatia when they counter look slow as fukk and they're still whooping them

watching Rakitic carry the ball towards Arg 18 yard box was like watching Tekashi 6'9 run with that ak

 

[Jmare007]

Conmebol getting embarrassed this World Cup

I'm a Messi stan and I don't. His FA shat on him from the moment they made that fraud ass team selection...go back to the first page or so. EVERYONE in here said this squad was weak as fukk...there's 11 men on the pitch...

CR7 has a team the plays FOR him...
ARG has a team that shrinks in Messi's presence.

This current Argentina squad is fukking garbage and Sampaoli, a guy that had success everywhere he coached before this and whose teams always had a distinct way playing, did a HORRIBLE job with what he got. It's almost as if he's another person.

BUT, Messi has had all types of teams and players surrounding him for the past decade. Including teams that played solely FOR him, and once that didn't work the narrative was about every player focusing too much on Messi.

Nowadays the team is a disaster, Messi included.

 

[Nero Christ]

missed the second half but u mean to tell me Argentina let Croatia go in raw like that

 

[Jards]

They are going to make Maradona relapse.

 

[Premeditated]

That's because as Ronaldo has gotten older he's accepted his limitations and plays primarily as the most forward player allowing ten men to organize behind him. Ronaldo can roam without disturbing the shape of his team. Messi can only be deployed in the middle so his limitations cripple team selection and their very way of playing. It takes a VERY carefully thought out and drilled system to work out a black hole the middle of your side.

Argentina's struggles with Messi are the EXACT reason the trequartista role is extinct.

If Messi would commit to playing as a winger (and keeping his width) or was capable of playing as a striker (not a false 9, don't have the ability to set up that complex a system for international play) Argentina could adapt.

But instead, because of him they play a 20 year old brand of football. It is what it is.

Watch any game where Argentina loses and you'll see an overrun midfield. Yes, that's his fault.

watching Barca last season, I noticed the same thing. He's always in the middle and his teammates are pressured to pass the ball to him.

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

God bend your neck

Tell him to go hug a transformer​

 

[LiveFromLondon]

Why are mid fielders so important? I always thought it was about the strikers....

 

[The Odum of Ala Igbo]

 

[Scottie Drippin]

Could you go into detail about the bolded?

I'm pretty sure the No. 10 role is still being used today, no? Isn't the trequartista simply that?

Nah, the traditional trequartista is extinct pretty much, especially at the highest reaches of the game. Soccer just doesn't have room for such specialized players anymore. The traditional trequartista plays in a more advanced role than a CAM, and their job was to roam and pick up delivery from the midfield (who didn't really advance up high) and deliver it to the striker (who stayed in the middle). The arrival of the 4-3-3 system meant that a team could have 3 people against 2 (remember the old trequartista's play way up the field, they didn't contribute to midfield battles for possession and especially not defending).

A guy like Francesco Totti was a gem, but if you wonder why Roma never made any real runs with him as the 00's went on, look at the 6-1 game against Utd. ManU's more well-rounded midfield trio operate without any interference from Roma's midfield 2 and feed their attacking three whenever they feel like it.

 

[Ukbrotha]

Damn, was really hoping Messi would show out in this world cup. SMH. Let me down hard.


CRonaldo = LeBron
Messi = Kobe
Diego Maradona = MJ

 

[mastermind]

Argentina

 

[thatrapsfan]

Tell him to go hug a transformer​

So you're a citizen of the Federal Republic again?

 

[thatrapsfan]

Someone has to hold responsibility if you guys let the entire continet down again. Im done with this World Cup if they let Iceland get a point. We will never hear the end of it.

 

[mastermind]

Watch any game where Argentina loses and you'll see an overrun midfield. Yes, that's his fault.

who is their midielder?

They garbage. I am not saying your theory is entirely wrong, but there isnt anyone there to push Messi to a different position.

Argentina haven't produced a top midfield talent since the 90s.