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 Copa America 2007, Starts 26th June - Venezuela |
 Jul 12 2007, 03:17 AM
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#181
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Smoking Bianco  Group: Helpers Posts: 14,039 Joined: 15-August 05 From: KWT Member No.: 191  |
QUOTE (Kaka Is Brilliant @ Jul 12 2007, 05:17 AM) What a goal Messi  Yeah .. great lob (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) |
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Jul 12 2007, 03:20 AM
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#182
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Prima Squadra Group: Helpers Posts: 30,192 Joined: 11-March 07 From: Birmingham, England Member No.: 3,660 |
Penalty Argentina. Tevez out of the box and a dive. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)
Riquelme to take it.. This post has been edited by kurtsimonw: Jul 12 2007, 03:21 AM |
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Jul 12 2007, 03:20 AM
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#183
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Smoking Bianco Group: Helpers Posts: 14,039 Joined: 15-August 05 From: KWT Member No.: 191 |
Penalty .. (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)
So that is it then, Brazil - Argentina, the derby (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) |
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Jul 12 2007, 03:21 AM
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#184
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Prima Squadra Group: Helpers Posts: 30,192 Joined: 11-March 07 From: Birmingham, England Member No.: 3,660 |
Cool penalty, cheeky. 3-0.
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Jul 12 2007, 03:23 AM
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#185
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Smoking Bianco Group: Helpers Posts: 14,039 Joined: 15-August 05 From: KWT Member No.: 191 |
QUOTE (kurtsimonw @ Jul 12 2007, 05:21 AM) Cool penalty, cheeky. 3-0. Riquelme (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) |
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Jul 12 2007, 03:27 AM
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#186
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Giovanissimi Nazionali  Group: Moderators Posts: 2,700 Joined: 22-October 05 From: US of A Member No.: 703 |
there are few things, in my life, that are more enjoyable than seeing Mexico get whipped all over the field
yea...the US sucked in this tourney, but getting to see Mexico out classed makes everything so much better (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) |
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Jul 12 2007, 03:52 AM
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#187
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7th Heaven Group: Helpers Posts: 7,116 Joined: 2-November 05 From: Sydney. Australia. Member No.: 821 |
QUOTE (kurtsimonw @ Jul 12 2007, 12:21 PM) Cool penalty, cheeky. 3-0. Dailymotion Link (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) |
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Jul 12 2007, 01:15 PM
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#190
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Allievi Regionali B Group: Helpers Posts: 6,764 Joined: 30-October 05 From: Israel Member No.: 787 |
QUOTE (Porty @ Jul 12 2007, 01:01 PM) Messi is good but c'mon, in that lob he was alone. He had time for evertyhing. Still, not may players can execute it like he did. Messi can be diving cheat sometimes, but his talent is enormous. I don't remember R10 being that good at 20. |
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Jul 15 2007, 01:38 AM
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#191
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Prima Squadra Group: Helpers Posts: 30,192 Joined: 11-March 07 From: Birmingham, England Member No.: 3,660 |
The third place play-off finished a few hours ago.
Was a decent open game, Uruguay took the lead through Abreu with a header at the far post. Mexico equalised with the most outrageous penalty, nothing happened. It also led to Uruguay's captain getting sent off. Bravo was the scorer. Mexico scored another two goals in the second half, both very nice shots from outside the box. |
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Jul 15 2007, 02:16 AM
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#192
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Primavera Group: Moderators Posts: 18,833 Joined: 5-April 06 From: Croatia, Zagreb Member No.: 1,564 |
QUOTE (kurtsimonw @ Jul 15 2007, 01:38 AM) The third place play-off finished a few hours ago. Was a decent open game, Uruguay took the lead through Abreu with a header at the far post. Mexico equalised with the most outrageous penalty, nothing happened. It also led to Uruguay's captain getting sent off. Bravo was the scorer. Mexico scored another two goals in the second half, both very nice shots from outside the box. I hate does Mexicans,...the made such a poor display at the end. No idea, no combination, just like a Scandinavian team. Passing around till somebody makes a long range effort and scores. Uruguay did more then fair. I`m so sad they`ve failed at the end,..Tabarez and the guys deserved it... (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Anyway, my suggestions would be: Fucile (22), C. Rodriguez (21) and Maximilliano Pereira (23),...I know the possibility of Milan signing any of does players is below 1% but still, I would point them out of a very bright Uruguay side... |
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Jul 15 2007, 02:39 AM
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#193
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Berretti Group: Helpers Posts: 11,735 Joined: 5-September 05 From: Portland Member No.: 347 |
Fucile [Chile] is from FCPorto. He's nothing special really.
But that young mexican Guardado is amazing. This post has been edited by Porty: Jul 15 2007, 02:40 AM |
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Jul 15 2007, 07:25 AM
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#194
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Loves Greek Women esp Fay Group: Moderators Posts: 14,924 Joined: 19-May 06 From: Bangalore,India Member No.: 1,865 |
Yes he is...and he makes assists too. And he's not a total weakling either. Now we'll just have to wait to see Valladolid or somebody sign him up.
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Jul 15 2007, 06:21 PM
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#195
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Allievi Regionali B Group: Helpers Posts: 6,764 Joined: 30-October 05 From: Israel Member No.: 787 |
QUOTE Copa América Final Preview: Brazil-Argentina What: Copa América Venezuela 2007 Final Who: Argentina (WWW, W, W), Brazil (LWW, W, W) When: 15/07/2007 (Sunday) 17:05 (Venezuela), 19:05 CET Where: Jose Pachencho Romero Stadium, Maracaibo, Venezuela Background It’s being billed the grudge match of the year...and not without reason. The last time both nations met with a Copa América up for grabs Brazil won in incendiary fashion, burning down Argentinean hopes of putting an end to an eleven-year trophy drought. The match sparked as Adriano equalised in the very last minute and whooped it up with his shirt off. His celebrations – and a dose of insults sent over from the Seleção dugout – began a squabble between both teams on the field. The Albiceleste players took exception to the taunts from the Brazilian bench. Paraguayan ref Carlos Amarilla had to call in local riot police to separate the sides and prepare for the decisive penalty shootout. Argentina had thought they had won three minutes from time, prematurely celebrating with their fans in the 43,000-strong crowd at the Estadio Nacional and annoying their arch-rivals. "They shouldn't have celebrated ahead of time," Parreira justified in the afterglow. "It's one thing to slow the game down, but you can get in trouble when you start fooling around with the ball before it's all over." Although out of the current Canarinha squad just Juan, Maicon and Diego (who came on in the second half and looks unlikely to start on Sunday) played that day, Argentina have up to eight ‘veterans’ in line. Roberto Abbondanzieri, Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Heinze, Javier Zanetti, Javier Mascherano, Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi may well get a second bite at the cherry, with ‘Lucho’ Gonzalez probably starting on the bench. Most players are coolly denying it in public, save for a characteristically honest Tevez who described the 2004 Final as a “thorn in my side I need to removeâ€, but if there is a grudge it’ll be wearing blue-and-white shirts on Sunday. Argentina, yet again, have the better cast and Brazil, yet again, are testing players for the future rather than fielding their biggest names. The post-World Cup London friendly in September 2006 takes a distant back seat to the 2004 experience – as well as the close parity between the two sides at international level that is still a disputed statistic. Given the fact, admitted or not by the footballers themselves, that Lima 2004 clash is the last time both teams clashed with South American silverware at stake, Goal.com rewinds three years… 2004 Déjà Vu? The last edition of the Copa América in Peru 2004 ended with a Brazil-Argentina that saw the Albiceleste lose the lead twice in normal time. The Seleção went on to win the penalty shootout and their seventh title while the Argentinean players were left with the bitter taste of ashes in their mouths, appearing to have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Everything had pointed towards the Albiceleste winning what would have been their fifteenth Copa América trophy: a record that would have broke the 14-14 tie between Uruguay and Argentina. Instead there was a blend of shock and joy as Brazil hoisted their seventh in Lima to the surprise of most who’d labelled Brazil a ‘B’ team – Kléberson being the only 2002 World Cup winner present in Peru 2004 – a distant echo of the current Cup situation. A Cristian Kily González (20 min) penalty had put Argentina in the lead after Luisão brought down ‘Lucho’ González in the Brazilian box. Benfica giant Luisão (46 min) made amends just before the break by nodding in an Alex free kick and squaring the match off. The second half took its time to see nets rippled again, actually five minutes after Luisão and Ayala clashed heads and the scorer ended up stretchered off. Juan Pablo SorÃn muscled in and headed (with a little help from a Brazilian fluff) to an unmarked César Delgado (87 min), the Cruz Azul striker banging in his first Copa goal as the stadium exploded with what seemed the winner. Nevertheless the underdogs bit back as injury time reached its zenith with a last-ditch Brazil move that ended with a cool bit of control by Adriano (93 min), the Inter man slamming in the 2-2 with a vicious left-footer. The penalty shootout crowned another Inter man as keeper Júlio César – also providential with two key saves during play – blocked Andres D'Alessandro's attempt and the resulting pressure saw Gabriel Heinze smack the ball over his crossbar. Just Cristian Gonzalez and Juanpi SorÃn scored for the Albiceleste, while Adriano, Edu, Diego and finally Juan all beat Pato Abbondanzieri to claim the Cup for Brazil. Contrasting with Parreira’s last laugh, Argentina’s then-Coach Marcelo Bielsa (who crashed and burned spectacularly in the 2002 World Cup, virtually crucifying Verón in the aftermath instead of taking the blame himself and resigning) was scornful after the Albiceleste dominated Brazil…but failed to clear the final hurdle. "There are teams that turn around a game deservedly," he said. "In this case, it was pure chance." "I'm still trying to find some logic to it all," commented stunned FC Porto midfielder ‘Lucho’ Gonzalez. Veteran Javier Zanetti was more philosophical in defeat. "Sometimes there are things that can't be explained in football. That's what happened against Brazil, we can't explain what went wrong." Roberto Abbondanzieri concurred. "Argentina deserved to win the title, but unfortunately luck was on their [Brazil’s] side." BRAZIL (6): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Luisão (Cris), Juan, Gustavo Nery; Renato, Kléberson (Diego 54 min), Alex (Felipe 63 min), Edu; Luis Fabiano and Adriano ARGENTINA (4): Roberto Abbondanzieri; Fabricio Coloccini, Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Heinze; Javier Zanetti, Javier Mascherano, Juan Pablo Sorin: Luis Gonzalez (Andres D'Alessandro 75 min); Mauro Rosales (Cesar Delgado 64 min), Carlos Tevez (Facundo Quiroga 92 min) and Cristian Gonzalez Referee: Carlos Amarilla (Paraguay) Sandwiched in between the (arguably more applicable) meetings at the last Copa América (same competition) and London friendly (same Coaches) was the last time that a Cup was up to be claimed, this time in Germany 2005 when Brazil won the Confederations Cup. Argentina had broken their hated eleven-year trophy drought with the 2004 Summer Olympics Gold Medal in Athens, but even so Brazil continued to dominate…albeit with what could impartially be considered a netly superior side. A lone Pablo Aimar (present in a supporting role in Venezuela) goal was buried as cold consolation after an Adriano brace and one each from Kaká and Ronaldinho Gaúcho left the Albiceleste as road kill under the Canarinha wheels of steel. BRAZIL (4): Dida; Cicinho (Maicon), Lúcio, Roque Júnior and Gilberto; Emerson and Zé Roberto; Kaká (Renato), Ronaldinho and Robinho (Juninho P.); Adriano Coach: Carlos A. Parreira ARGENTINA (1): Lux; Placente, Coloccini, Heinze and Zanetti; Cambiasso (Aimar), Bernardi, Riquelme and SorÃn; Delgado (Galletti) and Figueroa (Tevez) Coach: José Pekerman Dunga’s Brazil v. Basile’s Argentina Since then a lot of water has passed under the bridge and both nations have changed Coaches, although the last time that both sides met they were already under the two Coaches who will cross swords at Maracaibo on Sunday. Although in a mere money-spinning friendly rather than in true combat, Dunga’s Brazil drew first blood from Basile’s Argentina. Not only did the buzz-cut, untried newbie Dunga beat the slicked-back, seasoned and highly successful ‘Coco’ Basile (still alternating between Boca Juniors and the Albiceleste) but he did so in style. Brazil walloped Argentina at the spanking new Emirates Stadium (a.k.a. Ashburton Grove; the Arsenal Stadium) with a humiliating 3-0 final score. That last meet was almost ten months ago and in the meantime the panorama has shifted in Argentina’s favour. Basile, now fully focused on the national side, has calmly inculcated his men with his methods and the results are looking as good as they did when Basile helmed the Xeneizes to five recent trophies. Dunga, on the other hand, has faced mounting obstacles. The man who Captained Brazil to the 1994 World Cup after, ironically, Basile himself bowed out in his last four-year stint as Albiceleste Coach (Argentina being knocked out 3-2 by Romania in round 2) is under pressure. He hasn’t been able to do much more than instil a sense of Spartan soldiery in his side…and is without the man who did so much against Argentina in London. Elano started things off with a swift second-minute goal that helped set the tone for the friendly and earned his brace in the second half that makes him a great psychological bet for Brazil in Sunday's Copa Final. Kaká put the tin lid on the destruction of Argentina with a final goal that left skilled Albiceleste players looking like Sunday leaguers. It may have been a Harlem Globetrotters-type exhibition match, not a trophy in sight and only an unholy blend of honour and the dollar at stake, but it’s worth having a look back as the London game is the most recent clash… BRAZIL (3): Gomes; Cicinho (Maicon 65 min), Lúcio, Juan and Gilberto; Gilberto Silva, EdmÃlson (Dudu Cearense 68 min), Elano (Júlio Baptista 72 min) and Daniel Carvalho (Kaká 58 min); Robinho (Rafael Sobis 87 min) and Fred (Vágner Love 79 min) Coach: Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri (Dunga) ARGENTINA (0): Roberto Carlos Abbondanzieri, Pablo Zabaleta, FabrÃcio Coloccini, Gabriel Milito and Clemente RodrÃguez (Walter Samuel 46 min); ‘Lucho’ González, Javier Mascherano (Leandro Somoza 46 min), Daniel Bilos (Frederico Insúa 72 min) and Juan Román Riquelme; Carlos Tevez (Sergio Aguero 65 min) and Lionel Messi. Coach: Alfio Basile. Team News BRAZIL Although he was a supersub in London, Kaká is currently on a holiday that he formally asked the CBF for instead of accepting Dunga’s call to battle. Along with Ronaldinho (also absent in the London friendly), the midfield marvel is unavailable and Brazil haven’t found suitable substitutes in either Diego (Werder Bremen) or Anderson (Manchester Utd) Dunga had little choice but to teeth-grindingly accept the stars’ demands for R&R, a real blow for the Coach. The 2007 friendlies may not have been disastrous in terms of results – or filling the CBF coffers – but showed the Seleção was not evolving. Dunga had stalled and he and assistant Jorginho lacked the knowledge to set things back on track. Brazil fans were let down by a series of performances that may have dripped a youthful energy so conspicuously absent under Parreira, but failed to ignite imaginations with the sort of play that had earned the Canarinha shirt world renown. Something was missing and the Coach began to feel both fans and the domestic press clamouring for improvements. With a poor debut that saw Mexico – now eliminated by Argentina – down Dunga and his not-very-merry men in the first Copa América match, things looked bleak for the Coach. Fortunately enough the Seleção were saved by a Robinho who may still reach or overtake Pelé (he’s two short of O Rei right now) as Brazil’s top scorer in Copa América competition. The resurgence with a Brazilian number 11 making a real difference for the first time since Dunga’s old friend Romário was on fire has helped. So did the goalfest against a lukewarm Chile…and especially a talismanic win over Uruguay in the semi-final. Last time in 2004 it was 1-1 in normal time and 5-3 in the penalty shootout; this time round it was 2-2 in normal time and 5-4 in the penalty shootout: enough to kindle superstitious hopes of a repeat resultin the Final. The similarities with 2004 are also present in the fact that both Canarinha squads lacked some key players and were pooh-poohed back home by both pundits and the general public. Then again, they may have just squeezed into the final…but they made it: skin of their teeth or not. Dunga isn’t just looking back at 2004, but a decade before that when he won the World Cup as a player. Back then Carlos Alberto Parreira had issued the Captain’s armband to playmaking number 10 Raà at first, but changed his mind to field yet another defensive midfielder in the shape of Mazinho. Dunga has followed in his 1994 master’s footsteps by swapping the Diego/Anderson options for a more solid midfield that can shield the rearguard more effectively. He’s been blasted back home in Brazil for his conservative approach, but has little time for the critics and fans who are begging for a return to O Jogo Bonito (‘The Beautiful Game’ that reached its apotheosis at Mexico 1970)…or at least not such a Jogo Feio (ugly game). Nonetheless, all things point towards the fact that he’s sticking by his belt-and-braces (US suspenders) approach to the bitter end. "If we're going to start up that debate again over playing pretty football, we'll probably go another 24 years without winning (the World Cup) which is what the others want," Dunga spiked in acid reference to the gap between Brazil's third world title in 1970 and their fourth in 1994…with him in charge and a much-lambasted defensive slant on the pitch. Dunga also balanced the strong recent Argentine performances with Brazil’s ability to beat ‘Los Hermanos’ (The Brothers) in the past few meetings. “Going by what Argentina have done so far in the tournament they are favourites…but we have been judged on what has happened up to now….we’re doing our bit… [and] the pressure is 50/50â€, he assessed. “They [Argentina] haven’t won a Copa América since 1993 but are mature whereas we are younger. Nevertheless, when we talk about Brazil versus Argentina favouritism doesn’t existâ€, added the Coach before a characteristic final call to arms to rally his troops and overcome the myriad criticism of Brazil’s style. “You can only beat mistrust with hard work.†Vágner Love, Dunga’s criticised first choice number 9, now pumped up after scoring his first goal in the 6-1 quarter-final slaughter of Chile, sees the duel as level-pegging . “It’s a game that will stop the world and there is no favourite. Argentina deserved to be in the Final and so did Brazil. Both sides really want to win.†Daniel Alves, probably to be Maicon’s reserve on Sunday, gave his own angle as to what Brazil should do in the Final. “We can’t allow the Argentineans to get comfortable by leaving open spaces for them to fill. They have a lot of experienced playersâ€, the Sevilla star warned, although not renouncing anything. “Brazil always go onto the pitch ready to beat all comers.†Dunga is still unsure of who should stand in for the suspended Captain Gilberto Silva in holding midfield, although he has confirmed that AS Roma’s new centre-back will wear the Captain’s armband in the decider. “I still haven’t decided what to do. We have two candidates for the position and whoever is in better shape will have the best chanceâ€, he explained. Most pundits see Elano ( a previous Dunga fave) and Fernando (who missed a penalty against Uruguay) as the key candidates. It's a question of Elano's forward bite versus Fernando's defensive solidity, although the Shakhtar Donetsk man is no slouch when it comes to getting stuck in either. Girondins de Bordeaux man Fernando refused to comment on his hypothetical inclusion in the first eleven, but did stress that Argentina have an edge. “They have been playing with more or less the same unit for a while and that can make a differenceâ€, he explained. Diego, who looks set to repeat the bench-start supporting role from 2004 when he came on to eventually serve Adriano with the decisive pass to nab his last-gasp equaliser, emphasised another danger “Their strong points are precise passing, confidence and patience. They know how to keep possession and make it countâ€, underlined the Werder Bremen playmaker who hopes he can form a creative duo with Júlio Baptista either from the start or as play goes on. Captain Juan underlined respect for the rival. “They play very well and you have to respect thatâ€, explained the defender, “but we have to show we are a team first and foremost: a strong unit that has deserved a place in the final.†AS Roma team-mate Doni can’t wait. “All Brazilians dream of playing and winning a Final like this and I’m no exception.†Júlio Baptista, a probable starter and Brazil’s second top scorer so far with two goals, urged a close eye on the Albiceleste from the very start. “They are patient but also explosive so we must keep our eyes peeled from the first second. If we don’t do that we could well be asking for trouble, but it’s a message we have received loud and clear from the Coach.†ARGENTINA Many pundits have fallen in love with Argentina once more, swapping their glowing respect for the Samba (dulled to the level of a 10 Watt lightbulb in Germany) for dreamy superlatives about the Tango. After all, Alfio Basile's team have won all five games so far, shovelling 16 goals in along the way, although the tally is seen as secondary to the way in which matches have been won. Dunga may wax lyrical about how modern football is incompatible with O Jogo Bonito, any many analysts have hurried to pronounce the death of stylish, attacking football in favour of a more physical game, but the Albiceleste seem to be recreating El Juego Bonito (‘The Beautiful Game’ in Spanish) while Brazil is resorting to the brute physicality that Argentina has sometimes been slammed for. Juan Roman Riquelme has picked up the baton he dropped for the sake of his mother’s health and is back to his peak conducting the Albiceleste orchestra with amazing aplomb, while Messi's chip over Oswaldo Sanchez has rekindled smouldering comparisons with mutual number 1 fan Diego Armando Maradona. The number 10 is back to his best after a well-reconsidered premature retirement from national service and a career revival at alma mater Boca Juniors after a fraught end to his Villarreal years that seemed to spell his definitive decline. He’s back to scoring with assiduous ease and assisting with precision whilst able to slow down and speed up play apparently at will. In front he may have lost goal machine Hernan ‘Valdanito’ Hernán (back in service but probably not in the starting eleven he began the tournament as a key part of), but he has the dream team pairing of incredible number 18 Leo Messi and Carlos ‘Apache’ Tevez, whooping back after a rough landing at West Ham and apparently heading towards a possible pairing with Brazil’s Anderson at Old Trafford next season. The fact that Tevez had already conquered Brazil as Corinthians’ star number 10, winning the Brasileirão (Brazilian League) in 2005 after becoming a star at Boca Juniors, hints at one of the many reasons this Argentina is seen as more Brazilian than Brazil. Messi, Ronaldinho’s self-declared ‘brother’, is yet another who can hold his own with the best of any Seleção. This hasn’t been lost on the Buenos Aires press, football daily Olé twisting the knife in Brazilian gloom over having their creative fire stolen back by Argentina by almost unanimous approval for the first time since the glory days of Diego himself. “O jogo bonito and samba are pulsating in Argentina not the Brazilian Seleçãoâ€, boomed Thursday’s edition. “Brazil is the ultimate rival. Robinho, their shirt, the same old rivalry, a dreamed about game with the possibility of revengeâ€, it continued in clear allusion to the last Copa América…as well the recent defeats by their northern neighbours. “Riquelme is the most Brazilian Argentine, but each time he’s more Argentineanâ€, the paper continued, piling on the comparisons. “Mascherano is the Maradona of central holding midfielders. Tevez scares [them] because he was a god at Corinthiansâ€. The day before the front page showed a photo of Doni (who had illegally come quite far off his line in the decisive penalty kick against Uruguay), exaggerating that he had almost plucked the ball from Diego Lugano’s feet. Coach Basile, back after his 1994 national exit on a wave of acclaim for his club work at Boca Juniors, is the perfect tactician for this stylish Albiceleste, his slicked-back hairstyle and gravely voice going hand-in-hand with the image of a Tango master who seduces with as bygone style. While Dunga sees things in the cold, hard light of statistics, ‘Coco’ is a throwback to the old school where something different was taught...something more in line with fantasy made reality. "It's not just about winning. You can simply win a game, but to win the way we are doing makes me proud," he said in the wake of the praised 4-0 quarter-final win over Peru. It’s also his chance to add a third Copa América to his own personal silverware collection as he helmed the Albiceleste to their last wins back in Chile 1991 and Ecuador 1993. He also knows he has a replacement for his past star Batistuta in Leo Messi; a different player in many respects but with the potential to overshadow even the legendary Batigol; hero of the last two Copa América triumphs. "Messi's goal made be feel like closing the stadium there and then. Only a genius can do something like that," he marvelled afterwards. Not one for counting his chickens before they’re hatched, Coco’s enthusiasm is generally pragmatic and muted, although he seems set to keep the same line-up rather than use a Crespo who perhaps most likely fits the bill of being a Batigol doppelganger. "I don't mess with a team that's been winning and this team has been doing very well", he recently hinted. His players know that they are capable of attaining South American hegemony once more. "We have great hopes at this moment," said blooded veteran Javier Zanetti. "After all these years without winning a Copa América, we now have a really good chance. Argentina have an opportunity to make history with this title." The 34 year-old Zanetti gives seasoned experience and consistency, also provided by equally vintage centre-back Ayala. Two years younger is Juan Sebastian Verón, the Brujita (Litle Witch) still able to conjure up the magic in midfield and relieving himself of the unfair burden of shame that smeared him in the wake of the 2002 World Cup fiasco. If the front line is devastating, the rearguard isn’t lagging behind in quality terms or a dash of youthful vim to pep up the mix. Number 15 Gabriel Milito has just been snapped up by Barça in a high-profile deal and is forming a formidable centre-back pairing with the more experienced Ayala. Flanked by an on-song Heinze opposite Zanetti, the Albiceleste can hold off most attacks with consummate ease. Despite the danger of facing a lethal Robinho, Zanetti, like Basile, won’t give the Real Madrid and Seleção star undue special attention. “One player won’t change the course of the game and if we start singling people out then all that happens is that we give others more room for manoeuvre. We’ll carry on in the same way that we’ve played to dateâ€, he explained. Barça star Lionel Messi also denies that he’s the centre of attention. “My goal [against Mexico] was nice, but the important thing is that it helped the team as a whole…and that’s my aim as a player…the title may be very close…but we still have a great rival to face and that is always complicatedâ€, he said after the semi-final in which he was voted MVP. Gabriel Heinze, who scored Argentina’s first semi-final goal, also stressed the team doesn't - as some have claimed - play a game of two halves. "Argentina always plays the same way, in the first half and in the secondâ€, referring to the fact that four out of five of their matches in Venezuela so far had reached half time with the scores even. “We always want to take control and direct the match although perhaps in the second half the rivals have been more worn down, but we always keep the pressure up on whoever we play", ended the polyvalent Manchester United left-cum-centre back. Inter Milan midfielder Esteban Cambiasso was cool about any heated rivalry getting the blood going. "There’s no revenge involved – it’s just a simple match", he opined during a Maracaibo press conference on Friday. ‘Cuchu’ Cambiasso was keeping a level head for a good reason. “Talking of revenge can be a very negative psychological factor…it’s not good to talk of past ghosts or they can come back to haunt us. We have to keep calm to avoid being driven crazy.†Fellow lynchpin midfielder Mascherano was worried more about the mid-afternoon heat as the match will be played earlier to air at a more viewer-friendly time in Europe. "I hope that it doesn’t affect us too much, although we have suffered so far in this Cup. It’s difficult to play at 5pm in Maracaibo, I’d prefer to play at night, but it should affect both sides equally and we just have to get over it." Possible First Elevens (Unconfirmed) BRAZIL (4-4-2): Doni; Maicon, Alex, Juan and Gilberto; Mineiro and Elano (Fernando), Josué (Diego), Julio Baptista; Robinho and Vágner Love Coach: Dunga ARGENTINA (4-3-1-2): Abbondanzieri; Zanetti, Ayala, Milito and Heinze; Mascherano, Verón and Cambiasso; Riquelme; Tevez (Crespo) and Messi Coach: Basile Vamos Argentina! (IMG:http://cyrus.medialayer.net/~m1ke/milanfan.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif) |
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| Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 16th April 2024 - 12:54 PM |
