Official thread Germany vs Argentina

[Always Laziali]

Javier Saviola has been rewarded for his good spell of form with FC Barcelona, for whom he scored a series of important goals in la Liga and in Europe, with a call-up by Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Saviola steps in for the injured Gabriel Batistuta, who suffered a gashed head in the Serie A clash between Roma and Parma.

Good start for Saviola....if he impresses Bielsa,he could play in the world cup with Hernan Crespo

[valdanito]

i think its very important to win this one

i honestly exopect we beat germans 2-0


and im sad Crespo will not be able to play again
obviously he is being missed

[Always Laziali]

Honestly,i think that Crespo's out of form
may be due to the lack of appearances for
Argentina...don't you think so?
My prediction:0-3

---------------------Bonano--------------------

Zanetti-------Ayala--------Pellegrino---------Sorin

Ortega-------Veron--------Simeone-----------Kily

------------Saviola------------------Lopez

[FANTA]

Originally posted by HernanCrespo
Honestly,i think that Crespo's out of form
may be due to the lack of appearances for
Argentina...don't you think so?
My prediction:0-3

---------------------Bonano--------------------

Zanetti-------Ayala--------Pellegrino---------Sorin

Ortega-------Veron--------Simeone-----------Kily

------------Saviola------------------Lopez

what about marcelo gallardo ?

was he selected ?

[Always Laziali]

That is the line-up i predicted....sorry for getting you confused

[FANTA]

i wasen't ... i was just asking whether he was selected.

do you know or not ?

because with the kind of form he is in right now he should definately be in the team.

[valdanito]

i dont think Pellegrino will strat

i think it will be Samuel there

and i also dont tink well bve playing 4-4-2

Bielsa changes alot and abut Gallardo

yes el muñeco was called to the national team but i doubt he will start

[valdanito]

Two of the most storied teams in world football will come head-to-head in Stuttgart on Wednesday when Germany and Argentina lock horns in what promises to be a richly entertaining pre-World Cup friendly.

The two have conquered five of the previous sixteen World Cups between them, with Germany enjoying the slight edge having thrice been crowned World Champions during their illustrious history. Argentina could very well pull even with the Germans on the cup count come the beginning of July, as they are many pundits' tournament favourites. Since Rudi Voeller took charge following a woeful Euro 2000 campaign, the 'Nationalmannschaft' have improved dramatically, however, and are capable of surprising many by bringing home the most coveted of all trophies from Asia this summer.

It goes without saying that the Stuttgart test is considered important to both teams in their hopes of kicking-off the big show riding high on a wave of confidence, though the Argentinean camp have attached considerably more weight to the fixture as the match represents their final official international friendly before their June 2 opener against Nigeria.

Both Voeller and Bielsa will be forced into fielding experimental lineups on Wednesday, as the taxing physical demands of intense season run-ins have robbed both teams of many of their regular starters.

TEAM NEWS

Similarly to their last friendly against the United States, it will be a makeshift Germany that will take the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadioin field, as Mehmet Scholl, Alexander Zickler, Gerald Asamoah, Sebastian Deisler, Marko Rehmer, Marco Bode, Oliver Neuville, Thomas Brdaric and Christian Ziege are all unavailable due to varying degrees of injuries.

"At this time of the year, when all the teams are in the home straight, it's quite common to have so many withdrawals," commented Voeller, who actually faces less of a selection headache than he did against the US when 15 players were forced to pull out ahead of the eventual 4-2 win.

The former World Cup hero is set to deploy a 3-5-2 lineup, with Schneider and Boehme occupying the lung-busting wing-back positions, while Hamann and Jeremies provide an intimidating defensive shield just behind Ballack and in-front of the back three. The vastly contrasting (in terms of experience) Klose and Bierhoff will be charged with the assignment of operating as Germany's chief goal-threats.

Germany 3-5-2 (probable): Kahn – Linke, Nowotny, Ramelow – Schneider, Hamann, Jeremies, Ballack, Boehme – Klose, Bierhoff.

Bench: Lehmann, Baumann, Kehl, Metzelder, Frings, Ricken, Jancker, Max.

No less than nine key players will be missing through injury for Argentina on Wednesday, with Gabriel Batistuta, Juan Sebastian Veron, Hernan Crespo and Roberto Ayala counting as the most notable absences.

Exciting Barcelona starlet Javier Saviola received an eleventh-hour call-up after Batistuta was forced to pull-out as the result of a head injury suffered against Parma on the weekend, though the tiny figure they fittingly call "El Conejo" (the rabbit) will likely have to content himself with an appearance off the bench.

Favoured ahead of Saviola on Wednesday, will be the layered front-trio of Kily Gonzalez, Claudio Lopez and Claudio Caniggia, with Valencia's mercurial Pablo Aimar patrolling the midfield in close support. Sorin, Simeone and Zanetti will have license to attack but will mainly focus on providing defensive cover just in-front of the back three comprised of Pochettino, Samuel and Chamot.

Argentina 3-4-3 (probable): Burgos – Pochettino, Samuel, Chamot – Sorin, Aimar, Simeone, Zanetti – K. Gonzalez, C. Lopez, Caniggia.

Bench: Caballero, Placente, Quiroga, Almeyda, Gallardo, G. Lopez, Saviola

FORMGUIDE

Germany last 6 matches: LTTWWW

Germany have enjoyed an upswing in fortunes following their highly-forgettable Euro 2000 campaign and subsequent home-mauling at the hands of England. Three wins on the trot have reinstalled some much needed self-belief into the former world-beaters and they will be eager to perpetuate their psychological ascendancy with a strong showing against Argentina.

Argentina last 6 matches: WTWTTT

Argentina have stuttered slightly since rampaging through the demanding South American qualifiers in such majestic fashion. Back-to-back draws against Wales and Cameroon have provided some cause for concern, though you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who sincerely regards the recent hiccups as foreboding of a great Argentinean let-down in the World Cup.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

The weakest aspect of Germany's squad is considered to be their attack. While many have already given up hope on the aging Oliver Bierhoff rediscovering his former form, there is optimism that up-and-coming Kaiserslautern starlet Miroslav Klose has hurriedly gathered enough confidence and cunning to transfer his club form onto the world stage. Klose has already looked the part in the crucial stages of the qualifiers and during the subsequent friendlies, so Wednesday will present yet another fantastic opportunity for him to prove his readiness.

Despite the fact that he only recently returned from a six month injury lay-off, the indomitable Diego Simeone is considered a vital gear in Argentina's finely-tuned engine. The Lazio midfielder's trademark hard-nosed tackling, steely determination and infectious enthusiasm could just prove the ingredient to give Argentina the edge over France and Brazil and the like and it will be interesting to continue to gauge whether he has indeed fully recovered from his debilitating knee injury.

SA PREDICTION

Both teams are likely to struggle due to the injury-induced major reshuffle of their starting XI. The best bet is a 1-1 draw.

Germany Win 30%
Draw 40%
Argentina Win 30%

i dont agree! i think arg will win! and im happy with the lineuo

[Massimo]

JAVIER ZANETTI WILL BE ARGENTINA'S CAPTAIN FOR TONIGHT'S FRIENDLY AGAINST GERMANY
wednesday, 17 April 2002 13:18:56
GERMANY - Inter's captain will also be Argentina's captain for tonight's friendly match against Germany. Tonight's match will take place in Germany, were both sides have qualified for the 2002 World Cup in Japan

this is great!
my favourite player is the captain in both of my favourite soccer teams! (INTER and ARGENTINA)



:D


anyway, i hope ARGENTINA will win....
tough opponent....but we are better...
i predict a close 2-1......

[Massimo]

40th minute....still 0-0
AIMAR was substituted earlier in the game....because of an injury...i hope its not surious.

[Massimo]

0-1 ARGENTINA!

SORIN scores.....

[valdanito]

if eimeone plays he will be captain!

and Sorin! yep had to be a future laziali!

[valdanito]

04/17/2002. A 48th minute Juan Pablo Sorin goal proved decisive in lifting Argentina to an overall deserved 1-0 victory over Germany in an international friendly in Stuttgart on Wednesday, which was compromised by injury.

A combined total of almost twenty players were forced to pull out of the prestigious World Cup-warmup game through injury – including the likes of Veron, Deisler, Crespo, Hamann, Batistuta and Scholl - though there was plenty of talent on hand to make for an entertaining yet tightly-contested affair in the jam-packed Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion.

The hosts began the match as aggressors and created a number of chances to go 1-0 within the first quarter-of-an-hour, the best of which arrived from a Jorg Boehme corner but Thomas Linke was unlucky to see his determined header come back off the post.

The "get out of jail" card by way of the woodwork served as a wakeup call for the visiting World Cup favourites, who themselves were denied a golden opportunity for the opener when Jens Lehmann – who was deputizing for the flu-stricken Oliver Kahn - produced an instinctive kick-save on a goal-bound 17th minute Aimar effort.

The technically-superior Argentineans dictated the proceedings from that point forward but could not achieve the breakthrough before the half, as Lehmann stood firm to deny a couple of inspired attempts by both Claudio and Gustavo Lopez.

The overdue opener arrived just minutes after the interval, however, as Gustavo Lopez delivered a inviting cross from the right, which was clinically dispersed into the net by the Lazio-bound Sorin.

The two-time World champions from South America eased down a couple of gears after that but remained a constant menace on the break. Germany only managed to threaten the visitor's goal on a few occasions, but could not prevent Marcelo Bielsa's side from achieving a confidence-inflating victory on Teutonic turf.

[Always Laziali]

Great news,but i am worried about 1 thing though....where was the teamwork in the team....i feel that Argentina must improve on this area.....now or they may risk losing the World Cup.

[valdanito]

well!

rhey played great as team against Germany! but its tru they still have to be a litle more unite!
Crespo will fix things!

[D'Artagnan]

It is amazing that Argentina can keep getting results like these even without Batigol and Crespo. Man, they've got such an incredible amount of talent at all positions. And they've even got lots of players who are of great level, but not enough to make it to the starting team, or even the WC roster. We'll see about guys like Riquelme, Solari, Saviola, Coloccini. Man, if they played for any other country, they'd probably be starters all the time, but Argentina is just loaded.

Hmm, and France couldn't beat Russia at home... I think Argentina should regain its spot at number one favorite again.

[valdanito]

Hey France had the greatest of matches played!
they just didnt find th net!
well they did but the referee needs new glasses!
i belive France are our biggest obstacle! im not afraid of the italians a less Brazilians! well tough teams but our morale is really high/1