If it's worth anything I just wanted to give my verdict on why Argentina don't have a prayer against Germany if Di Maria is unavailable to play.
Messi looks cooked at the moment and his Dad has even admitted it. Against Holland I couldn't believe what I saw. I've never seen Messi walking around the pitch as much. He was literally strolling around the pitch and must have been incredibly easy for the Dutch to mark even with just one player.
If Messi repeats that performance then the Argies will have very little chance against this all confident Germany side who seem to know that they are the best.
Having Aguero back is a bonus for Argentina but again he looked far from fit when be was introduced against Holland and like Messi had little running in him.
Lavezzi's influence on games and energy has also waned throughout the tournament which means that in the absence of Di Maria Argentina don't currently have any players with any real energy that can get at the German back line and attempt to get behind them.
Messi can still have a significant impact against Germany but only if there is another player willing to do his running for him as such and Di Maria would have been the ideal candidate if fit.
No Di Maria ? No chance.
posted on 12/7/14
Argentina coach Sabella must surely be regretting his decision not to bring Carlos Tevez now as it is a decision that may well be the difference between winning and not winning a World Cup given the current circumstances.
posted on 12/7/14
I've never seen Messi walking around the pitch as much. He was literally strolling around the pitch and must have been incredibly easy for the Dutch to mark even with just one player.
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Not the first time I've seen this kind of thing from him recently. Something hasn't been right with Messi for the past year or so.
posted on 12/7/14
So This pressing game kills players in the long run
posted on 12/7/14
Di Santo will save the day
posted on 12/7/14
I agree that Di Maria will be a massive loss. I really don't get why Madrid would let him go. Ancelotti seemed to really rate him last year.
And the Man Utd link is just laughable. Why would he leave the European champions, to go play with Davey Moyes' left overs. The only way he will go there is if he is greedy, and they offer him £250k+ a week.
It still bemuses me that they are paying Luke Shaw £150k a week.
posted on 12/7/14
Argentina have made a point of coming out and downplaying expectations, casting themselves as underdogs and basically claiming that it would be a muracle if they won. They've been as negative in interviews as they have been on the pitch. But they have just as talented a squad as Germany's, arguably mire talented. Don't let the fact that they've chosen to rob the public of a spectacle every time they've played fool you into thinking that they're an average team
posted on 12/7/14
So.... are you trying to jinx Germany now?
posted on 12/7/14
Just calling it how I see it.
posted on 12/7/14
With Messi, anything's possible.
posted on 12/7/14
Aguero may step up this time