Some recent comments from the national manager Sampaoli suggest that the squad won't have some of the best attackers in the world.

How would their ideal team look like?

yep completely agree golazo. like i said, get dybala on the bench, get him accustomed to the WC atmosphere. Icardi, even with all the bad rep, he doesn't fit the NT, we need players who can fall back and create play. Both higuain and aguero can do that. i'd take lautaro over him anyday, the kid has heart.

Yea I think like that too, Higuain to start and then depending on the team spirit or formation Aguero and Dybala can be on the bench.

The potential lineup that isn't the 3-4-3 can be:
---------------------Romero
Mercado --- Fazio -- Otamendi --- Rojo(if he's fit)
--------------Banega --- *Mascherano/Lo Celso/Biglia/Paredes/Pizarro(depends who you want to put there)
---Messi ------------Correa/Dybala ------ Di Maria
----------------------Higuain-----------------

This formation is very hard to break down and you can always rotate Messi from the right side to the middle with Correa/Dybala.

Players like Acuña can help in the 3-4-3 formation, there is also Pareja that is a good backup for the defensive unit.

I think it's far more secure for Argentina to play with 4 in the backline, that's just my opinion.

With Messi in the squad, any average defense looks better because rival team don’t attack in number and are mostly focused on defensive duty.
Without Messi, Argentina would have finished 7th, right or no Gonzi ?
Argentina is a bunch of individuals and weak defensively, I watched games without Messi, they are poor. Vs Nigeria, concede championship goals. But it remains opinion. I don’t rate Mercado that high nor Brainless Rojo. Argentina for me are unbalanced, they have the best attack in the world, the rest isn’t average, some aging and players, a Gk who is 2nd choice in his club, only Otamendi is worthy defender for me.
France has less quality upfront ( arguably) but France could line up 5 national teams easily. Laporte is still uncapped, Zouma and Sakho have no chance, Varane, Umtiti, Koscielny, Rami, Lenglet.... France has at least 12 CB able to play at high level.
In midlefield it’s even worse, Kante is in the bench, Nzonzi capped only once... Deschamps has 100 players able to do the job. It’s not really the subject, but to get back to Argentina, when you field up off form Di Maria while he was benched for 2 month in club in a crucial game, it’s because you don’t have many choices. Domestic players aside, I can’t see how You find Argentina balanced. Even in 2014 where the squad was stronger they needed 2 late goals from the X factor to get rid of Bosnia and Iran.

Golazo : leave me alone. In 2014 Sampaoli didn’t even take charge of Sevilla, the guy is a fresh coach get your facts straight before jumping on me stupidly.

Golazo : leave me alone. In 2014 Sampaoli didn’t even take charge of Sevilla, the guy is a fresh coach get your facts straight before jumping on me stupidly.

You said he is not to be blamed for not introducing new player in the team after 2014...It has been 4 years, use your brain a bit before always kissing the arse of Messi in your every post please.

Sampaoli was Sevilla coach only last year, in May 2017 he was still in Spain. But he had 4 years, you are probably living in 2022.

it's too much di maria, but you have to remember that he potentiates messi and has more understanding with him than any other player. Di maria was more influential in bringing Argentina to the WC final than messi.

I agree Gonzi, Di Maria was dragging the whole team at one point and his absence was very missed by Argentina.

Sampaoli was Sevilla coach only last year, in May 2017 he was still in Spain. But he had 4 years, you are probably living in 2022.

Nobody is to be blamed but him in case you want to blame someone but Gonzi already proved that Defense isn't even a big problem in big tournaments for Argentina anymore, but if he's using the same players, he should know what his job is and not just call players by default that are old, he was brought so that Argentina wins the World Cup, no less and no more and I am 100% sure that if they fail to win he will get sacked. Now continue living in your fantasy land.

Argentina is playing this friendly in the formation that I suggested, 4-2-3-1 but it looks like a 4-3-3 in practice maybe.

Okay guys, no personal insult please and try to be clear, don't forget that in football, if we're not clear and make mistake in our sentence, its easy to misunderstand each other. As for the topic at hand, Sampaoli joined Argentina national team the 1 June 2017 and he has been in command for 8 game as of now which is indeed not a lot of time to build a winning team before world cup. Personally, I wouldn't blame him but everyone is free to their opinion. Anyway, the interesting test will be the game against Italy! :D

^Looks like he will understand that next weak, now he will just keep throwing stupidities...

Part from Argentina proving you wrong by their good defense and the formation that I was talking about right before the game, I'm guessing this is the only way you can talk when you don't mention Messi :D Nice try though, didn't work.

funny thing was...with lo celso, lanzini, banega and biglia, the midfield was the best part of the team. biglia staying back as DM, giving lo celso space, it was exactly what i was talking about before: finding an explosive midfield player. that being said, omg paredes was awful, he won't be going to the WC.

@Gonzi Lanzini and Lo Celso might be just what Argentina need before world cup. I'm hyped! :D

That’s Italy, i wish Argentina all the best, Sampaoli may find a formula before WC, but as I said he didn’t have time, he won’t be blamed on case of failure...

@tiki_taka you are right, I don't think sampaoli had the time, because his appointment was too abrupt, but I am pretty sure he improves the team in the long term. chile with and without him is so different. the problem with dybala is that he is in the same position with messi, no. 10. I think dybala, icardi and correa needs more playing time with the seniors such as mascherano, aguero, higuain, di maria. However, sampaoli selection has been experimental and we will never know until the final squad is announced (if anyone gets injured too). friendly is experimental and does not really reflect anything.

Part from Argentina proving you wrong by their good defense and the formation that I was talking about right before the game, I'm guessing this is the only way you can talk when you don't mention Messi :D Nice try though, didn't work.

People who start watching football yesterday Enjoy your analysis :p been sizing teams quality for 20 years...

So Argentina is balanced ? Next joke please.

And don’t blame Sampaoli, Argentinian federation has amator management...

Lmao...

Some guy has all the ways to discredit Messi is freakin hillarious. "Di Maria dagged the team" lolllllllll.

Btw, @Gonzi: im not sure if we follow the same Argentina... All of those mid you mentioned... Which one of them would be featured in any of the top leagues' top 5?

The most recent campaign, WC qualification how did it go at the beginning? And at the end? Respectively when Messi didnt play and did.

Argentina is a balance team with good defend + great mid is seriously wrong. They almost missed the WC

The present of a strong attacking force reduce a lot of pressure to the team's defense. The top stars sheer present are so important for the team confident. Thats why both Ronaldo, Messi, Hazard, etc... are vital for their teams not only for their direct contribution.

Now, please have a look at the Spain 6 - 1 Argentina just now, and mind you this is only friendly.

Back to the topic, if they dont have great mid or defense leacing Arcadi and Dybala out could be a big big mistake. They need those attack up front to reduce pressure for the back.

But those strikers need services to win games. Most of them are not the kind that can create chances out of nowhere (sometimes Dybala can but not enough).

@tuan They obviously need a player like Gonzalo more than they need Icardi. Dybala play in the same spot as Messi so he is a no go.

Anyway, I was completely shock to see the results of that games against Spain, I mean, some of those defender, Otamendi, Rojo, who are quality player most of the time for big English team, even them looked completely lost, something is wrong with how Argentina went into that game, its really not reassuring for the World Cup, thats for sure.

tuan_jinn

or defense leacing Arcadi and Dybala out could be a big big mistake

You can’t start Dybala and expect him to do something different from Messi. I believe someone said this, but indeed playing with Dybala is like playing with 10 men. Since Messi is clearly better, he will be starter. Surely he will grab a place in the plane though.

As for Icardi, biggest reason he missed these friendly was due to his injury before the 4 goal game. You can’t expect Di Maria Higuain Aguero Dybala and Icardi to start with Messi at one time. I believe he will get place, but like Dybala, will not be starter.

@amir: not saying they should start at the same time. Nobody said they would be starter! They aren't even called up! that's more of the debate. Although like I said, Argentina biggest problem is lacking of Services for those guys up-front.

Dybala also just got back from injury not far ago... The thing is they need back up, just like last game they need back up. God forbid Messi is injured or limping in one of the game. Who would step up????

Di Maria has been so important too, but he is in the decline, he doesn't even start anywhere in his club, flopped in Manchester United... While Higuain has been a clown for his national team so many time infront of the goal, at crucial moments.