World Cup Group B (1 Viewer)

[RED(tape)MENACE]

Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

Even Maradona couldn't ruin this Argentina side, surely? Though looking at some of the players he may leave at home, he's giving it a go.
The 2002 and 2004 suprise packages both in the same group should be well worth a look.
Hopefully Nigeria can do a job after missing out in 2006.

 

[washingcattle]

Hard to call. South Korea won't be a patch on the home advantage side but Nigeria and Greece aren't either. Argentina will lose one draw one and win one to get through but look stronger as the tournament goes on. Messi will be hacked to shit by Nigeria and Kyriakos will get sent off for another two footed Fellani destroying lunge.

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

Yeah, I imagine Greece will man mark the shit outta Messi and he'll be the most fouled player in the tournament, most likely.
Still, he gets that pretty much every week in Spain too.

 

[washingcattle]

He might not be ready for the sheer physicality and self sacrifice of the "take a red for the team" niavity of African defenders and Greek cynacism though. Actually niave is probably the wrong word "taking the red" is perfectly acceptable, the Italians do it all the time but smaller nations have a tendancy to dive in instead of just tugging a shirt and do it way out from goal with men back which defeats the purpose. Actually this is probably bordering on racist since African football has improved so much since the niavity of the nineties but the old rush of blood has cost many a strong african team.

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

After a couple of seasons in La Liga and a couple of South American qualifying campaigns, I reckon Messi is well used to the business end of a Reducer tackle.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Argentina to win 3 from 3. I don't see any real pitfalls here. Nice group for them.
Runner-up: South Korea.

 

[Unicron]

Argentina to win 3 from 3. I don't see any real pitfalls here. Nice group for them.
Runner-up: South Korea.

I agree with the asessment re: Argentina but I think Nigeria will go through.

 

[washingcattle]

You never get used to someone breaking your leg.

 

[washingcattle]

Pitfall?

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Diego is grand. World Cup history tells us that qualification form isn't a great barometer. Recently, Brazil were shocking qualifying for 2002, scraped in.
Don;t ruin my dream of Maradona on a foul mouthed tirade at the English press after they accuse him of this and that when a controversial knockout-stages win for the Argies makes it 44 years of hurt.

 

[washingcattle]

Don't get me wrong the romantic in me wants Diegos fat hands all over the greasy prize, I want Messi to beat 9 english lads on the way to an even more epic winner I just see them imploding and there being an even more embarrassing riot than last time when they go out.

 

[evil bandit]

Maradona can do no wrong in my book after his majestic goals against England in 1986, his drug fuelled celebrations against Greece in 1994 and his reaction to Pele questioning his role model status by suggesting that Pele lost his virginity to a man.

I also like the look of Higuain to be top goal scorer, should Maradona take him that is !!

 

[Cormcolash]

Argentina walk the group when Maradona reminds them of Cameroon in 1990 before their first game.
Greece crash out despite conceding zero goals throughout the entire competition.
Nigeria pip South Korea to second place after one of the South Koreans calls them Niggeria, only to realise that the referee that was in charge of their match against Italy in 2002 has just died when his boat was sunk by a mystery torpedo.
Argentina go on to win the World Cup. Messi gets them to the final despite Samir Nasri making him look shit, and in the final Maradona makes a surprise decision by bringing himself on in place of Messi, only to go on and score the greatest hat-trick of all time to eliminate England from football forever.

 

[avernus]

Argentina, South Korea.

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

Argentinian 30 man squad announced.
Does not include - Cambiasso or Javier Zanetti.
Also omitted are Gago and Gabriel Milito.


Argentina squad: Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Diego Pozo (Colon) Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Olympique Marseille), Nicolas Otamendi (Velez Sarsfield), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Juan Manuel Insaurralde (Newell's Old Boys), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes), Ariel Garce (Colon)



Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Sebastian Blanco (Lanus), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes), Jesus Datolo (Olympiacos), Jose Sosa (Estudiantes), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Liverpool), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina), Juan Mercier (Argentinos Juniors), Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle), Javier Pastore (Palermo)



Forwards: Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli)

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

Maradona, speaking before naming his squad, said he wanted Messi to roam freely during the World Cup in South Africa.

"I don't want him stationed on the [right touch] line," said Maradona. "All the balls have to pass through him.
"I'm going to defend with four centre-backs but I'm also going to have full-backs available in case we need to improve coming out of defence."

 

[RED(tape)MENACE]

I'm going to defend with four centre-backs. but I'm also going to have full-backs available in case we need to improve coming out of defence."

The mind boggles.

So Cambiasso, Zanetti and Gabriel Milito left at home..

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

I can tell him right now that he will need full backs to improve coming out of defence.....

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Diego is a fat Martin O'Neill.
Centre-backs as full backs = turgid stuff.
In fairness, they are not especially blessed for quality full backs, Zanetti aside.

 

[Moods For Mallards]

Messi is going to be crowded out of the game by the first good side they meet, isn't he? Leaving Jonas Geordio to provide the spark.
I can see that Brazil game repeating itself.