The World Cup Final.

[agyeiboateng]

To be fair though, when the team is completely set up to accommodate them at the expense of bringing out the best in others and they don't perform they will get some stick.

Argentina didn't lose because of Messi...

The main reason they lost imo was because Germany are just a flat out better team and they were also unlucky with injuries. Messi had a down year last year, Aguero after a blazing start just kept breaking down every 3 weeks and they also lost Di Maria in the last couple of games. Di Maria didnt play in the final and Aguero came on in the 2nd half.

Germany were worthy winners imo and the best team did win, but Argentina were also very unlucky to have their 3 best players broken down.
Tevez also should have went. With their three best attackers all suffering he would have been perfect for this game with his never say die attitude.

I'm not saying they did lose because of Messi.

What I am saying is that throughout the whole world cup Argentina never played to their full potential because they tried too hard to play to Messi's strengths.

This World Cup has shown that the teams who play and work as a team are far more effective than the teams who depend on certain players.

England did it with Rooney, Portugal with Ronaldo, Brazil with Neymar and Argentina with Messi. Compare that to the likes of Holland, Costa Rica and Germany who played a system to bring out the best in the whole team rather than certain players.

Argentina did not have a bad World Cup by any means but on paper they have by far the best strike force in the world. Messi and Aguero are easily in the top 5 in the world and Higuain, Lavezzi and Di Maria would walk into any team in the world. Surprisingly though it was in the defence where they excelled whilst playing a 34 year old CB who wasn't even expected to get in the squad. The fact their defence out performed their attack sums up their performance.

The problem was Aguero and Di Maria were not fit

If both those players played in all of Argentina's game and never had injuries I would say fair enough but that clearly wasn't the case. Aguero played a half here and there and we all know what happened to Di Maria

 

[agyeiboateng]

Messi is the second best player ever. Maradona stands above him because not only did he take a very average Napoli to the top, he also dragged Argentina to the World title. For some posters to come on here and post such gems as he's shite or he's not worth £1 million really only highlights the fact they need to start watching a different sport as clearly they no nothing about football.

Don't be daft and a drama queen like that other poster, nobody said he was shite just that he has not turned up when his team needed him and that maybe he's had it so easy at Barca with a team built around him he's started to rest on his laurels

What is wrong with having a team built around you?

Wasn't the team built around Zidane and other great players? I don't see why that is such a bad thing?

 

[Mancity1980]

I don't know about others but I feel envious of the German setup. With the interest and money in England we should be able to produce the talent they have and set our team up in a similar way. Knowing that city have a strong team with a great chance of further honours going into the new season helps to compensate for that jealousy, but if we didn't have that it would be a pretty poor time to a football fan in the UK the moment.

 

[Wio Gumflapdinand]

Argentina didn't lose because of Messi...

The main reason they lost imo was because Germany are just a flat out better team and they were also unlucky with injuries. Messi had a down year last year, Aguero after a blazing start just kept breaking down every 3 weeks and they also lost Di Maria in the last couple of games. Di Maria didnt play in the final and Aguero came on in the 2nd half.

Germany were worthy winners imo and the best team did win, but Argentina were also very unlucky to have their 3 best players broken down.
Tevez also should have went. With their three best attackers all suffering he would have been perfect for this game with his never say die attitude.

I'm not saying they did lose because of Messi.

What I am saying is that throughout the whole world cup Argentina never played to their full potential because they tried too hard to play to Messi's strengths.

This World Cup has shown that the teams who play and work as a team are far more effective than the teams who depend on certain players.

England did it with Rooney, Portugal with Ronaldo, Brazil with Neymar and Argentina with Messi. Compare that to the likes of Holland, Costa Rica and Germany who played a system to bring out the best in the whole team rather than certain players.

Argentina did not have a bad World Cup by any means but on paper they have by far the best strike force in the world. Messi and Aguero are easily in the top 5 in the world and Higuain, Lavezzi and Di Maria would walk into any team in the world. Surprisingly though it was in the defence where they excelled whilst playing a 34 year old CB who wasn't even expected to get in the squad. The fact their defence out performed their attack sums up their performance.

The problem was Aguero and Di Maria were not fit

If both those players played in all of Argentina's game and never had injuries I would say fair enough but that clearly wasn't the case. Aguero played a half here and there and we all know what happened to Di Maria

I know what happened to Di Maria, he pulled a muscle laughing so hard at United making a bid for him, yep and Mangala turned ye down too, how does that feel?

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

Zabaleta and Demichelis played really well tonight. I can't believe some posters have Demichelis at fault for the Goal. As Schurrle beat his man he has to move to the near post to cut out the cross. The other defender should have covered. I hope that when we play Chelsea one of ours takes out him from the Proclaimers.

Argentina played well tonight. All over Bluemoon this afternoon posters were saying 3 -0 and 4 - 0 to the Germans. Argentina put up a fight and had chances. This was a side that lacked a stylish player in midfield to get the ball to Lionel and Kun or even Lavezzi and Higuain a lot more than once every twenty minutes.

The best team in the tournament have won the Trophy but don't be fooled. This isn't a great side. A Striker who is 36, three Centre Halfs two of which are slow as treacle and tonight's man of the match who couldn't make it at City, no left back when even England have two in Cashley and Gibbs going spare.

What they do have is power, precision and confidence - even though they lack style and flair.

Italy, Portugal, France, Spain, and even England are all capable of giving them a slap in two years time if they pull their fingers out and play their cards right.

 

[Ja Salford Blue]

United fans wetting themselves coz Argentina got beat! Ha ha how the mighty have fallen

 

[Wio Gumflapdinand]

Messi is the second best player ever. Maradona stands above him because not only did he take a very average Napoli to the top, he also dragged Argentina to the World title. For some posters to come on here and post such gems as he's shite or he's not worth £1 million really only highlights the fact they need to start watching a different sport as clearly they no nothing about football.

Don't be daft and a drama queen like that other poster, nobody said he was shite just that he has not turned up when his team needed him and that maybe he's had it so easy at Barca with a team built around him he's started to rest on his laurels

What is wrong with having a team built around you?

Wasn't the team built around Zidane and other great players? I don't see why that is such a bad thing?

Great if you can lead a team like Zidane or Maradona but Messi is not that player, when Argentina looked for inspiration he went missing, great player but needs a new fresh challenge..doesn't look the same player as three/four years ago

 

[pudge]

I don't know about others but I feel envious of the German setup. With the interest and money in England we should be able to produce the talent they have and set our team up in a similar way. Knowing that city have a strong team with a great chance of further honours going into the new season helps to compensate for that jealousy, but if we didn't have that it would be a pretty poor time to a football fan in the UK the moment.

Countries like Holland and Germany have youth football set ups to put most to shame.

There are buses put on to collect players from virtually every age group straight from school and take them to their respective clubs/academies where train a good few days per week. They have their dinner there so they can control their diet, insist on homework assignments etc. Then they go home at night.

The big plus to that is that they are able to focus on the individual.

You'd never get that in the UK, couldn't do it.

 

[agyeiboateng]

Don't be daft and a drama queen like that other poster, nobody said he was shite just that he has not turned up when his team needed him and that maybe he's had it so easy at Barca with a team built around him he's started to rest on his laurels

What is wrong with having a team built around you?

Wasn't the team built around Zidane and other great players? I don't see why that is such a bad thing?

Great if you can lead a team like Zidane or Maradona but Messi is not that player, when Argentina looked for inspiration he went missing, great player but needs a new fresh challenge..doesn't look the same player as three/four years ago

Zidane played on a far better teams

Henry, Vieira, Ribiery, Thuram, Desailly were all some of the best players in their positions and they were all Zidane's teammates. I get Pele and Maradonna but Zidane doesnt deserve to be in that conversation imo. He played on some great teams, far better than Messi and Ronaldo ever have.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

United fans wetting themselves coz Argentina got beat! Ha ha how the mighty have fallen

Ain't that the truth.