Comments on: Out with the old, in with the new http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/ More fútbol argentino than you can shake a mullet at Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:23:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: David N http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1071 Sat, 05 Jan 2008 00:27:21 +0000 http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1071 I’m a (Dublin-born) United fan too, and I agree about Masche. Hes an awesome player and Liverpool should be doing everything they can to make sure they can keep him. Maybe they could sell that overrated England International they occasionally play in Central Midfield to fund it?

Personally though, none of these players begin to compare with Redondo, who both Gago and Banega have been compared to. But then not many No Fives do.

]]> By: hastaelgolsiempre http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1069 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:48:38 +0000 http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1069 David, personally I like Banega. I wasn’t taken by Gago’s style or by the hype that surrounded his performances, and wasn’t too surprised, when he was sold to Madrid a year ago, that a large section of the Argentine press reckoned Boca had played a blinder by keeping hold of Banega – who they claimed (and I’d agree) is a better player than Gago.

Having had the ‘good fortune’ to see Gago in the flesh for Real Madrid back in October (pictures on the HEGS Flickr pool, of course) I’ve got to say my thoughts on him weren’t reversed. Banega’s a more complete player, although – and I don’t think it’s only the River fan in me saying this, because he is after all now playing for Liverpool, and as a Manchester United fan it’s not nice giving them any credit – neither of them are going to have Javier Mascherano quaking in his boots regarding his place in the selección (and Esteban Cambiasso shouldn’t be too worried, either).

As for Johnny’s most recent comment, all Argentine players could do with a year or two more at home before moving to Europe. Sergio Romero was signed by AZ last summer having played one match in goal for Racing’s first team, at the age of eighteen – that’s a joke. Players like Lionel Messi, when they emerge, will be able to make the step up – but for those players who aren’t destined to go down as one of the game’s all-time greats, I do think it’d be wiser to do what the likes of Lucho González and, just this week, Fernando Belluschi have done when leaving River – leave the move to Europe until their early- (or in Belluschi’s case mid-) 20s, when their best years are still ahead of them but they’ve got that little bit more experience and confidence.

Having said that confidence doesn’t seem to be a personality trait Banega lacks (and I don’t mean that detrimentally), so as long as he doesn’t become infected by the void of it amongst his new team-mates, who knows? Time will tell.

]]> By: Johnny http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1067 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:56:03 +0000 http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1067 I agree, Banega could use some more experience, but I think his potential is such that alot of clubs didn’t want to wait. Enter Valencia. Having seen both Gago and Banega at Boca many times, I think Banega will end up as a better player. Certainly defensively, and maybe on the other end as well. He never became a threat for Boca like he was for the U21 team, but that might change. Gago just does not seem to have the confidence to penetrate, though he did have one very fine looking chica when he was in Buenos Aires.:)

]]> By: David N http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1066 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:43:14 +0000 http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1066 Banega could do with another season or two in Argentina, and being thrown into the midfield at a struggling Valencia – in place of Albelda, of all people – may well be the worst thing that could happen to him. Or, it could be the making of him, I suppose. But I can see him drifting along the way Gago has, though I think hes a more rounded player. You’re not a fan of Gago, Sam (judging from the few references to him you’ve made), but do you rate Banega?

Great blog, by the way.

]]> By: Johnny http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1065 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:29:47 +0000 http://hastaelgolsiempre.com/2008/01/03/out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new/#comment-1065 “Yellow Card” for “Short Fuse”. Not a good swap for Boca.

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