Nigeria v Argentina match thread

[ARTY_FOX]

11 hours ago, the fox said:

They went past the group stage with 3 draws! They did nothing of note apart from winning the Euros (that's a big achievement btw), Which BTW, Ronaldo left the finals early AND STILL WON THE TROPHY! How did he carry them? Just like Ronaldo's 3 goals vs Sweden to send them to the world club, Messi did the same with Argentina against a much tougher group.

 

In recent memory IIRC, Messi got carried  3 times against Really good teams. 1- in a 4-0 win against Real Madrid in La Liga, 2- the 6-1 win vs PSG and the 3-1 win vs Juve in the CL finals. Ronaldo got CARRIED 3 games back-to-back-to-back in the last CL (2 semi-finals games and the final). If Messi played like that, no way his team would carry him 3 games in a row.

 

You can't say Ronaldo was carried in the champions league. You just can't. He scored a ridiculous amount of goals. 

 

If you want to go through games being carries back to back look at Messi in this world cup whilst Ronaldo basically drew with Spain on his own. Argentina have a better squad than Portugal but Portugal have Ronaldo. Who won't shy away from carrying them. 

[Guest]

I think the group stages have shown us that Ronaldo is more of a superhero than Messi and that Mahrez is nowhere near world class and can keep on dreaming about a move to RM or Barça.

Edited 27 June 2018 by Guest

[Guest]

Maradona really is an embarrassment to Argentina and the sport. 

 

Really wish the media wouldn't show him.

[yorkie1999]

11 hours ago, The Doctor said:

Maradona hospitalised:

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/diego-maradona-hospital-health-finger-video-argentina-nigeria-world-cup-2018-watch-a8418571.html

 

Unsurprising, he looked like he was proper on something.

Maradona's having a party

Bring your vodka and your charlie.

[ealingfox]

2 hours ago, ARTY_FOX said:

You can't say Ronaldo was carried in the champions league. You just can't. He scored a ridiculous amount of goals. 

 

If you want to go through games being carries back to back look at Messi in this world cup whilst Ronaldo basically drew with Spain on his own. Argentina have a better squad than Portugal but Portugal have Ronaldo. Who won't shy away from carrying them. 

 

Do they though? Some absolute garbage in Argentina's squad and Portugal's looks pretty solid to me.

[Finnegan]

I felt a bit uncomfortable the BBC bothering to focus on him, show replays of his celebrations and then all take a dig. 

 

The man's not well and I don't mean his physical health. 

 

I doubt Shearer and Lineker would sit there calling Gazza a laughing stock and ripping in to him like that. 

 

I really think the bloke seems unstable and need a bit of TLC instead of being treated like a mix of God and the Devil himself depending on where he is. 

[Raw Dykes]

Maradona is Argentina's Bernie.

[the fox]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

I felt a bit uncomfortable the BBC bothering to focus on him, show replays of his celebrations and then all take a dig. 

 

The man's not well and I don't mean his physical health. 

 

I doubt Shearer and Lineker would sit there calling Gazza a laughing stock and ripping in to him like that. 

 

I really think the bloke seems unstable and need a bit of TLC instead of being treated like a mix of God and the Devil himself depending on where he is. 

Finally, someone speaking sense! People need to stop glorifying drugs and alcohol! The man is not well. I felt happy when I saw Gazza bounce back and regain some control over his life so I hope Maradona does the same.

[ARTY_FOX]

2 hours ago, ealingfox said:

 

Do they though? Some absolute garbage in Argentina's squad and Portugal's looks pretty solid to me.

Yes. Line em up man for man and you surely can't argue Argentina haven't got the edge? 

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, the fox said:

Finally, someone speaking sense! People need to stop glorifying drugs and alcohol! The man is not well. I felt happy when I saw Gazza bounce back and regain some control over his life so I hope Maradona does the same.

pah!

 

Gazza doesn't deserve his adulation either. 

 

Everybody has problems in their life, everybody faces decisions on a daily basis. 

 

Drink or drugs your choice, live with the consequences of your actions.

 

 

Just now, ARTY_FOX said:

Yes. Line em up man for man and you surely can't argue Argentina haven't got the edge? 

 

Messi has a far better supporting cast than Ronaldo - Aguerro wasn't even a starter yesterday and he's a better player on his own than anyone in the Portugal supporting cast - that's without mentioning Godin or Di Maria or a number of other players who'd walk into the Portugal side.

[Donut]

2 minutes ago, FIF said:

pah!

 

Gazza doesn't deserve his adulation either. 

 

Everybody has problems in their life, everybody faces decisions on a daily basis. 

 

Drink or drugs your choice, live with the consequences of your actions.

 

 

 

Messi has a far better supporting cast than Ronaldo - Aguerro wasn't even a starter yesterday and he's a better player on his own than anyone in the Portugal supporting cast - that's without mentioning Godin or Di Maria or a number of other players who'd walk into the Portugal side.

Godin is Uruguayan

 

And Portugal seem a much better "unit" than Argentina. functional and organised.

[davieG]

Kelechi Iheanacho was injured and shouldn't have started for Nigeria, admits manager
And Ahmed Musa refused to be substituted in defeat to Argentina as the Super Eagles crashed out
COMMENT
ByRob TannerLeicester City Editor
11:31, 27 JUN 2018UPDATED11:33, 27 JUN 2018
SPORT

It is Leicester City boss Claude Puel's worst nightmare: when his players return from the World Cup injured.

According to Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr, City striker Kelechi Iheanacho was not fit enough to start Nigeria’s crucial World Cup clash with Argentina last night.

Iheanacho visibly struggled in the first half of Nigeria’s 2-1 defeat and was substituted at half-time.

The 21-year-old, who finished the season strongly with City, will be assessed by the club's medical staff, although he is not due to return to training for several weeks as the players on World Cup duty are given additional time off.

Rohr also revealed that he had planned to take off Ahmed Musa, who had given the Super Eagles a chance of progressing from the group stage with his two goals against Iceland, but he had refused.

“If I had seen what happened in the first half, perhaps I would not have started with the same team because one of my players was not really fit and he went out half-time," Rohr said. "But you never can know.

“It’s possible one player in the starting 11 is not fit, we have to accept that and make the change.

“'I wanted to bring out Ahmed Musa but he said he wanted to stay and was fit to finish the match, we were waiting for the end of the match to make two other changes, everybody did well, nobody had to go out.”

Iheanacho and Musa were joined by City team-mate Wilfred Ndidi in the Nigeria side that eventually finished third in Group D.

[the fox]

7 minutes ago, FIF said:

Messi has a far better supporting cast than Ronaldo - Aguerro wasn't even a starter yesterday and he's a better player on his own than anyone in the Portugal supporting cast - that's without mentioning Godin or Di Maria or a number of other players who'd walk into the Portugal side.

 

 

[Guest]

Just now, Donut said:

Godin is Uruguayan

 

And Portugal seem a much better "unit" than Argentina. functional and organised.

Doh!

 

I meant Mascherano but was thinking about the Uruguay knockout game coming up. Could have said Dybala or Banega or Pavon or even Higuain though. Obviously it's only an opinion but to me Portuguese players simply realise that Ronaldo is a genius and so play for/with him whereas some of the Argentines think they are superb players too (which they are of course) and miss out Messi whereas Portugal would always pass to him where possible.

 

I think I heard that Messi had 49 youches in the first half last night whereas he only had 41 in the whole of the previous game - criminal!

[the fox]

12 minutes ago, ARTY_FOX said:

Yes. Line em up man for man and you surely can't argue Argentina haven't got the edge? 

Well, it doesn't work like that, mate. Or we would've not won the league.

[Donut]

9 minutes ago, ARTY_FOX said:

Yes. Line em up man for man and you surely can't argue Argentina haven't got the edge? 

As said above, have they? I think it would be close.

 

I think in central midfield, id rather be picking William Carvalho as a defensive midfielder over an over the hill Chinese based Mascherano, Banega is getting older whereas Joao Mario and Andrien Silva have good years ahead of them, Lanzini WAS in the squad, but really didn't shine for West Ham.

 

Argentina have an abundance of striking options, but they cant all play together, so theyre overstocked in these positions. Pavon looks a good potential player but its just potential for now.

 

Id take the Portuguese fullbacks over players like Tagliafico and Mercado, and generally Portugal seem more organised, better coached, more of a game plan in my opinion

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Donut said:

As said above, have they? I think it would be close.

 

I think in central midfield, id rather be picking William Carvalho as a defensive midfielder over an over the hill Chinese based Mascherano, Banega is getting older whereas Joao Mario and Andrien Silva have good years ahead of them, Lanzini WAS in the squad, but really didn't shine for West Ham.

 

Argentina have an abundance of striking options, but they cant all play together, so theyre overstocked in these positions. Pavon looks a good potential player but its just potential for now.

 

Id take the Portuguese fullbacks over players like Tagliafico and Mercado, and generally Portugal seem more organised, better coached, more of a game plan in my opinion

Portugal certainly have the edge defensively. Maybe Griz can find his form against them and Mbappe must be licking his lips. 

[the fox]

Higuain, The biggest bottler in football and Kun both have 2 goals combined in the last 2 world cups and don't even get me started on Di Maria! Mascherano is a CB playing DM because they don't have a great DM. One of the reasons Messi played better is the fluid formation and players willing to play fast 1-2s and run into space.

[the fox]

This is your Higuain, @FIF                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

Edited 27 June 2018 by the fox

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, the fox said:

This is your Higuain, @FIF                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

 

How much were Juventus willing to pay for him? 90 million euros? 

 

And I know you love goals and assists stats. Hasn't he got about 300 goals and 100 assists in less than 600 games? and 31 international goals in 72 games.

 

I'm not a fan of Higuain but he's still a better supporting cast for Messi than whichever reserve striker for Portugal you want to compare him to. 

 

And Aguero is a superb striker.

[ARTY_FOX]

32 minutes ago, Donut said:

As said above, have they? I think it would be close.

 

I think in central midfield, id rather be picking William Carvalho as a defensive midfielder over an over the hill Chinese based Mascherano, Banega is getting older whereas Joao Mario and Andrien Silva have good years ahead of them, Lanzini WAS in the squad, but really didn't shine for West Ham.

 

Argentina have an abundance of striking options, but they cant all play together, so theyre overstocked in these positions. Pavon looks a good potential player but its just potential for now.

 

Id take the Portuguese fullbacks over players like Tagliafico and Mercado, and generally Portugal seem more organised, better coached, more of a game plan in my opinion

See I don't really think Cedric is all that neither guerreiro. Fonte is really poor, Mario isn't great, queresma is nothing special and Andre Silva is  woeful. 

 

I don't think either has a spectacular team but if you wrote down the starting line ups you'd expect the argies to win. The biggest difference for me though is Ronaldo embraces playing for Portugal and messi sort of doesnt seem to have the same effect for Argentina. Ronaldo, scores or not is always involved. Even in the Iran game someone mentioned earlier he had so many people on him but still wanted the ball and drew fouls ect. They always look for him. 

 

Messi has been abit anonymous. He scored a goal from a shot I'd expect Vardy to put away but second half you barley noticed he was playing.  I don't buy into the notion that he can only be good with Barcelona and that calibre of player Ronaldo is a different class to anyone at the minute. 

 

[the fox]

9 minutes ago, FIF said:

How much were Juventus willing to pay for him? 90 million euros? 

Unrelated. 

9 minutes ago, FIF said:

And I know you love goals and assists stats. Hasn't he got about 300 goals and 100 assists in less than 600 games? and 31 international goals in 72 games.

Yes, I do. Higuain is like spurs, They will get the numbers but when it's time to deliver the dagger, they choke!

 

11 minutes ago, FIF said:

but he's still a better supporting cast for Messi than whichever reserve striker for Portugal you want to compare him to. 

Because Ronaldo is the striker and other players are the support. He doesn't need to create because his teammates will help keep them in the game with their defense and will create chances for Ronaldo. Messi has to create and score not just because he's the best at both but because his teammates can't. his teammates aren't putting up numbers that they should and Di Maria is still living off that 1 game in the last world cup. 

14 minutes ago, FIF said:

And Aguero is a superb striker.

For club, absolutely! but 1 goal in the last 2 world cups?

 

[ARTY_FOX]

43 minutes ago, the fox said:

Well, it doesn't work like that, mate. Or we would've not won the league.

Point is Messi has others on the field that can do the special things that big players do to win games they really shouldn't. Portugal have Ronaldo. 

[the fox]

Just now, ARTY_FOX said:

Point is Messi has others on the field that can do the special things that big players do to win games they really shouldn't. Portugal have Ronaldo. 

Well, where were they in the world cup finals and 2 Copa America finals?

[ARTY_FOX]

6 minutes ago, the fox said:

Well, where were they in the world cup finals and 2 Copa America finals?

Hiding like Messi has been probably. 

Edited 27 June 2018 by ARTY_FOX