Comments on: Bolivia 6 – 1 Argentina

By: Jon at Just Football

Jon at Just Football — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:06:47 +0000

gallina – Messi called it ‘impossible’ to play in such conditions…

By: gallina

gallina — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:09:29 +0000

Dreadful result, but….as an anglo-argentine living in England, for years I have put up with listening to stereo typical shite about Argentine/South American cynicism and bad sportsmanship. Everyone knows that it is impossible to play at high altitude without weeks of acclimatisation (a luxury not available to the selection as they only had four days before the previous qualifier in Bs As), yet not a single player has uttered a word of criticism of the conditions. What a fabulous demonstration of collective magnanimity by the national team. By refusing to blame the conditions, the players have displayed a unity and collective responsibility that will serve them well in the next 18 months.

By: Jon at Just Football

Jon at Just Football — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 00:05:56 +0000

Wow. Matthew, you have touched on something I didn’t even think about – the possibility of Argentina not qualifying for 2010. Just imagine how much that would tarnish Maradona’s legacy were it to happen. Possibly the only thing that could make the Argentine people lose a portion of their love for him.

By: Matthew Gilbert

Matthew Gilbert — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:52:38 +0000

Also, as an Englishman, I would like to note that I do realise today is a very important day for all Argentines.

It is important to pay tribute to ALL who tragically died in the terrible conflict, and pray that it never happens again. I don’t believe the people of the two nations would ever want or allow it.

Let us hope that our two countries will live together in peace and mutual respect, and understand each other’s culture and ideals. And that some day, a mutually satisfactory conclusion is brought to the problem which sadly divides our leaders.

By: Matthew Gilbert

Matthew Gilbert — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:44:21 +0000

Have found the video elsewhere, what a disaster.
Re the altitude problem, I was wondering are the South American fixtures decided by computer, or are they, like in Europe, negotiated by the FAs?
Because it must be a major disadvantage for Argentina to play the high-altitude away game as the second of the two in a double-header.

It happens again in June – Colombia at home, which ought to be a win, but then Ecuador away, which could easily be another defeat on this form.

Which could well leave Argentina possibly just two points ahead of Uruguay AND Ecuador, and at the mercy of Brazil at home and Paraguay and Uruguay away in the final fixtures.

Qualifying from this group is by no means certain – surely only Peru can be discounted. I think that a win in Montevideo could be required to secure fourth place, and a situation like that is the very kind of thing that might make you rather wish hard-headed Carlos Bianchi was in charge instead of the emotionally-charged Diego.

By: Matthew Gilbert

Matthew Gilbert — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:06:58 +0000

Your video has been removed through terms of use violation… just as well, really!

By: Jon at Just Football

Jon at Just Football — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:27:47 +0000

The amazing thing is this could have even been worse. Bolivia genuinely might have scored at least 9 given the chances they created. Simply unbelievable.

I’m happy for Bolivia though, given the way people in Argentina sometimes tend to turn their noses up at their economically less well-off neighbours.

By: sobstel

sobstel — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:59:52 +0000

I really like Maradona did not blame altitude. It was nice to see the coach not just finding excuses but thinking about future. What can we say more? Simply everything perfectly worked out for Bolivia, everything, and nothing for Argentina as all team played awfully bad (apart from Gago and Tevez at some moments). Fortunately this match does not count that much after all.

By: Fernando

Fernando — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 03:47:27 +0000

There isn’t necessarily any correlation between this match and the rest of the qualifiers. I still believe Argentina will qualify directly from South America. BUT, I agree, someone like Cambiasso would’ve helped. You hate to go into any match with a cynical tactics, but that would’ve been more fitting to the situation. A tie would’ve been perfectly acceptable to Argentina. Hold the middle, keep the ball as much as you can, slow the game down, try a few shots from long distance, use your energy on a couple of counterattacks per half to keep Bolivia honest, but otherwise defend, defend, defend.

By: Abel

Abel — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 02:19:48 +0000

Cambiasso would have been immense in a game like this, especially playing 4-4-2, papa and heinze are simply not good enough. Good thing is back in 93 brazil were humiliated in la paz as well, only to go and take it all a year later…