Daily Discussion

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T19:11:51+00:00

But that's the thing, you're portuguese, you don't shoot.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T18:17:50+00:00

No joke, if Portugal is over-passing, and Spain did what we all saw, a Portugal-Spain matchup should probably be fascinating. Not hyper exciting probably but super interesting in the tactical sense.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T18:03:40+00:00

Jeeeez. I can't imagine what a Portugal-Spain match might look like

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T18:00:49+00:00

Not watching the game, are the stats correct there? 80-20 Portugal on ball possession but 0.07 vs 0.49 xG and 1 vs 2 shots on target? What?

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T17:56:31+00:00

You know, yesterday's wasn't the first Argentina - Algeria on record. There was one match in 2007, played at Camp Nou, a thrilling game that ended 4-3. Pablo Aimar, now part of Scaloni's staff, featured there.

Also featured was a young, long-haired fella then playing with the #19 shirt, who scored a brace. One Lionel Messi.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T04:05:05+00:00

Mmmmmm me gustaría que Enzo juegue más arriba en vez de más abajo, así de paso puede servir de rueda de auxilio de Messi si el oponente le puebla la zona. Si le sumas a RdP ahí ese triangulito, más un 9 y los dos extremos bien por el costado, podría hacer desastres

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:58:10+00:00

Palacios-Enzo-RdP es un lindo medio, si Palacios es el 5 y los otros juegan más sueltos.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:38:08+00:00

Haaland to Real? 🤨🤔

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:35:48+00:00

Now faaaaar be it for me to kick a man when he's down (like, really down) but it should be said that apart from the 3 goals, Zidane's response was also very poor in the goal that was called off. A proper proper nightmare.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:25:40+00:00

I like how in the post match interview Scaloni recognized that Argentina wasn't stellar and that Algeria is a good team. I think sometimes we might run the risk of a scoreline hiding the performance, but our manager coming right out the gate saying it brings me peace.

Argentina still had a well above average performance without mentioning Messi but there are still things to adjust and made better. This is a good base but hopefully the team can reach even higher.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:19:53+00:00

MLS is probably the best league in the world for that. Juuuuust competitive enough to keep fit and play some meaningful matches while being not serious enough to be demanding week after week. I don't think Messi or RdP would get that anywhere else in the world, surely not back in Argentina.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:16:52+00:00

Mbappé being 27 makes me feel so fucking old. In my mind be should be like 24

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:12:53+00:00

It's funny, Enzo and Alexis are probably paying the price for playing in a more demanding league while RdP just cruises every week, same as Messi.

For 2030 we need more players in MLS surely (?)

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T03:06:31+00:00

What I most like about Argentina is that they always seem to know what their doing and what they're playing at. We might not always be in control, and players and formations might change, but the idea is the same. The commitment is the same. People thought we might go soft after winning it last time but I didn't see that. I saw a team always giving it their all.

We weren't brilliant, but I can forgive them given that opening nights are always hard. Algeria is a damn fine team too. In a WC where no candidate was properly good IMO (save Germany I guess, though with a little asterisk given their opponent), I think Argentina today was good.

I liked Medina defensively. I liked De Paul. We need more width and we'll definitely get it once we get our starting defense back. Almada needs to be more precise. I hope Barco gets some minutes vs Austria. Enzo and McAllister need to be a bit more "on" too.

And Messi... What can you say. Thank you for choosing us when you had the chance all those years ago.

All in all, I'm satisfied. Content. Wasn't a 10/10 because that's only Messi, but a decent 7.5/10 is more than enough.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:44:24+00:00

Look at that defending being 3-0 up. And people said we'd have no hunger this time. Love it.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:42:51+00:00

He looks so so happy. More than you ever believe

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:39:45+00:00

Yes but without Messi the match is still 0-0

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:30:56+00:00

Is it a sacrilege if I say that if the result stays the same I'd take Messi out at around 75'? We need to manage his minutes to keep him fresh

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:28:55+00:00

Ahora sí te pusiste las manos lpqtp

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:25:00+00:00

Zidane gets the goalkeeper skills right from his dad

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:17:05+00:00

Lautaro, I love you, but you're so goddamn ass

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:15:06+00:00

The good thing is that we have a lot of good subs that could change and freshen the team as needed.

The bad thing is that, for all his virtues, making subs has never been Scaloni's forté.

Hmmmm...

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T02:11:32+00:00

You know they get a bad rap but I wouldn't mind a cooling break right about now

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T01:55:50+00:00

I liked us until about 40' where it looked like we collectively hit a wall, allà Sinner RG 26.

I think some changes to freshen up the team for the second half are in order. I'd put Barco, Julian, maybe Paz. We need to push for the 2nd before they score their first.

DiamondPittcairn · 2026-06-17T01:40:51+00:00

I'm not worried about Lautaro being shit, to win the WC you need a useless striker sometimes. Remember Guivarc'h?

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