[leg100]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/team_pages/argentina/newsid_1984000/1984155.stm

looks like the entire squad has been chosen now, with Placente and Sorin likely to come next.

 

[pooh]

Argentina's World Cup training squad:

Goalkeepers: Roberto Bonano (Rosario), German Burgos (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Cavallero (Celta Vigo)

Defenders: Roberto Ayala (Valencia), Jose Chamot (AC Milan)*, Walter Samuel (Roma)*, Mauricio Pochettino (Paris St Germain)*

Midfielders: Pablo Aimar (Valencia), Matias Almeyda (Parma), Marcelo Gallardo (Monaco)*, Kily Gonzalez (Valencia), Claudio Husain (River Plate)*, Gustavo Lopez (Celta Vigo), Diego Simeone (Lazio)*, Juan Sebastian Veron (Manchester United)*, Javier Zanetti (Inter Milan)*

Forwards: Ariel Ortega (River Plate)*, Claudio Caniggia (Glasgow Rangers)*, Gabriel Batistuta (Roma)*, Claudio Lopez (Lazio)*, Hernan Crespo (Lazio)*

* initial 13 players


Defence Bielsa ..Defence

 

[czar]

We'll go to the WC with 5 defenders. Bielsa has called up Ayala, Samuel, Pochettino and Chamot. After the CL final Placente who plays for Bayer Leverkusen will be added to the list. Zanetti or Sorin can also always double up as defenders as need be but I think it's ok for us to go with 5 fixed defenders as we always play with 3 at theback so this will leave 2 defenders on th bench.

 

[utopia]

Hooray for :star:Gustavo Lopez:star:!!!!!!:happy:roud:

I love this guy! roud:

 

[pooh]

That's right...you have a point here Czar...but I don't count Chamot as a player we can use...that sucks...Quiroga is much better than him....

We'll go to the WC with 5 defenders. Bielsa has called up Ayala, Samuel, Pochettino and Chamot. After the CL final Placente who plays for Bayer Leverkusen will be added to the list. Zanetti or Sorin can also always double up as defenders as need be but I think it's ok for us to go with 5 fixed defenders as we always play with 3 at theback so this will leave 2 defenders on th bench.

 

[Guest]

gustavo lopez instead of Riquelme? wtf? why????

 

[Philander]

Can someone please list the players' ages, height and weights. I have the sneaky suspicion our median age is over 27 and that we could be fielding one the oldest teams in the WC.

 

[czar]

Cuz it would not make too much sense if Bielsa took 4 playmakers. He has selected Veron, Aimar and Gallardo in that position, so if was going to exclude anyone it would have been Gallardo but it didn't work out that way..

gustavo lopez instead of Riquelme? wtf? why????

 

[leg100]

Can someone please list the players' ages, height and weights. I have the sneaky suspicion our median age is over 27 and that we could be fielding one the oldest teams in the WC.

median is 28/29 years, but I suspect you mean average, which is 27.2 . An average of 27 years old is healthy for a world cup squad.

I compiled a table of the stats:

http://www.compucade.com/players.php

 

[SZeppelin75]

Forename Surname Age Height (cm) Weight (kg)
German Burgos 33 184 88
Roberto Bonano 32 186 83
Pablo Cavallero 28 181 82
Mauricio Pochettino30 182 80
Roberto Ayala 29 176 76
Juan PabloSorín 26 171 68
Walter Samuel 24 184 81
Diego Placente 24 175 71
Jose Chamot 32 185 85
Javier Zanetti 28 178 72
Ariel Ortega 28 170 66
Marcelo Gallardo 26 169 68
Diego Simeone 32 175 73
Pablo Aimar 22 170 62
Cristian González 27 175 71
Gustavo Lopez 29 175 73
Juan Veron 27 177 75
Matias Almeyda 28 177 70
Claudio Caniggia 35 172 68
Hernan Crespo 26 184 77
Gabriel Batistuta 33 185 73
Claudio Lopez 27 175 70
28.45 177.54 74.18

The final stats are the average of all the stats..

 

[leg100]

woops, forgot Husain.

http://www.compucade.com/players.php

Forename Surname Age Height (cm) Weight (kg) Position
German Burgos 33 184 88 GK
Roberto Oscar Bonano 32 186 83 GK
Pablo Oscar Cavallero 28 181 82 GK
Mauricio Roberto Pochettino 30 182 80 DF
Roberto Ayala 29 176 76 DF
Juan Pablo Sorín 26 171 68 DF
Walter Samuel 24 184 81 DF
Diego Rodolfo Placente 24 175 71 DF
Jose Chamot 32 185 85 DF
Claudio Husain 27 180 75 MD
Javier Zanetti 28 178 72 MD
Ariel Ortega 28 170 66 MD
Marcelo Gallardo 26 169 68 MD
Diego Simeone 32 175 73 MD
Pablo César Aimar 22 170 62 MD
Cristian Alberto González 27 175 71 MD
Gustavo Lopez 29 175 73 MD
Juan Veron 27 177 75 MD
Matias Almeyda 28 177 70 MD
Claudio Paul Caniggia 35 172 68 FD
Hernan Crespo 26 184 77 FD
Gabriel Batistuta 33 185 73 FD
Claudio Lopez 27 175 70 FD
Averages 28.391304347826 177.65217391304 74.217391304348

 

[Philander]

Thank you for the info I requested. Now as I am busy converting to British units I can't help admiring the full names of the Argentine players. Better than Seamen, Fowler and Butt (there are 3 Butts in the WC, Nicky, Hans-Joerg and Jorge) anyday.

 

[Guest]

Cuz it would not make too much sense if Bielsa took 4 playmakers.

4 playmakers, ok, but they do tehy play the same position in the argentine national team? nope...

--------CF--------
LW-----------RW
--------OH--------
LM-----DH----RM
-------------------
---LD--CD--RD--

Veron has pretty much taken the OH-spot. Aimar has been playing as a RW and is a back-up to Veron. Gallardo has been playing as a LW or RW, he might back-up Veron as well but probably not.

so why Gustavo Lopez? He'd play on the RW, but Aimar, Caniggia and Ortega are in front of him and I would also rather have Gallardo or Crespo or change the system to two OHs and 2 CFs.

Gustavo Lopez just doesn't have the same quality as most other Argentine attacking players, that's not because he's no good, it's just that teh others are amazing.

 

[utopia]

Gustavo Lopez just doesn't have the same quality as most other Argentine attacking players

I strongly disagree!:devil:

 

[Plotinus]

originally posted by snakeEyez

so why Gustavo Lopez? He'd play on the RW, but Aimar, Caniggia and Ortega are in front of him and I would also rather have Gallardo or Crespo or change the system to two OHs and 2 CFs.

Psychological reasons.......

Gustavo (Chamot also) has been in and around the squad during the qualification round.....and that group TOGETHER achieved something...
taking out some of them (and replacing them with for example Saviola or Riquelme) would have some psyhoimpact cos they were part of that group and they deserved some kind of reward......especially cos they are 2nd or 3rd choices and it's not likely that are going to play much anyway......

Personally, only surprise is Caniggia (starter? ), but it seems like a strong relation developed between him and Bielsa (I don't know where are the roots though) and the later one trusts him....on the other hand I have to say ( especially after I've seen Ger-Arg game) that he fits perfectly to the system with his pace(despite his age) and skills........

I guess we'll just have to trust Bielsa (at least until we see how it's gonna look like on the pitch)........

 

[Humbird]

Great analysis Plotinus.

Bielsa had to walk a fine line when selecting the final 23 players. He had to, as you say, keep the group together that got through the qualifiers. To remove some of those players, after all the work they put in, would have caused negative reactions in the other players. As a result, there are players who were not called but are currently playing very well, and players who were called but maybe not at the height of form.

As for Caniggia, a year ago, who would have ever thought that he would be in the final list. But Bielsa seems to think he can do what is required on the right side. Bielsa has worked alot with Cani on an individual basis and has decided that he's the one. Cani also has a good working relationship with Batistuta which will help.