Messi Situation

We have watched Lionel Messi amaze viewers with FC Barcelona with his amazing dribbling skills and goals he has scored. He is said to be the best player in the world when it comes to the club level. However, the Messi for Barcelona and the Messi for Argentina are two completely different players. People wonder why he isn't able to translate his club success to the international level. Well for one thing Messi doesn't exactly have the same players surrounding him with Argentina that he has for Barcelona. For Messi's style of play he needs someone in the midfield to link up with him kind of like Xavi and Iniesta do. How can Argentina achieve this? Well for one thing they can tryout Javier Pastore in the Center Midfield position with Cambiasso and Mascherano behind him and take off Lavezzi and both Tevez who both for me haven't been impressing as well. Messi seems to be deployed in the center right behind Tevez and Lavezzi while Messi at Barcelona is deployed more as a 2nd striker or winger which Argentina should do as well. And its time to start the likes of Di Maria, Higuain, and Aguero. Possibly start Higuain up top.

Here is an idea:

--------------------Romero----------------------------
------Zabaleta--Burdisso--Milito--Zanetti-------
-----Cambiasso-----Mascherano-----------------
-------------Pastore----------------------------
-------Messi----------------Aguero-
----------------Higuain-------------------------------
Di Maria, Tevez, Lavezzi as subs. Lavezzi's speed would definitely cause problems for the opposition especially when tired out.

I know people point to Cristiano Ronaldo and how he is still able to score for Portugal as well as Real Madrid, well for Messi's style of play its all about the link up play from the midfield at least this is what I've observed from watching Barcelona.

Looking Ahead

Well the 2011 Gold Cup is over and many of us USA fans were disappointed at the end result of the final. Mexico came back and trounced the USA winning 4-2, but lets look at some of the things the USA needs to do to move on.

  Bring in the Youth
 Well lets look at some of our experienced defenders on the team at the moment. Carlos Bocanegra and Steve Cherundolo will both be 35 years old by the time world cup 2014 comes around and they will most likely not be at that tournament. Oguchi Oneywu will be 32 at the time. These three defenders have been a household name on the USA team since the 2006 world cup. However, it is time to give some of the younger guys more chances. Jonathan Bornstein is a young defender but he has shown that he is not yet ready for the International game as he was getting burned. I would think Lichaj was performing better at left back and at right back we have the options of Timmothy Chandler and Jonathan Specter to move forward with. In the middle of the defense I think Zak Whitbread should get a look, he has helped Norwich City into the English Premier League. I am not quite sold on Clarence Goodson just yet but he has had some good moments but we should have Tim Ream and Omar Gonzalez as back ups. At midfield we have had Donovan and Dempsey leading the pack but they will both be 32 come 2014 so Freddy Adu is key to the USA midfield as an attacking option I believe he is our Giovani Dos Santos or at least has the potential to be. Maurice Edu should be able to have equal opportunities as Jermaine Jones. Michael Bradley shouldn't be entitled to be playing 90 minutes every match especially those matches where he isn't playing well like against Mexico he was caught losing possession time and time again. Maybe a Stuart Holden should have a fair chance as well. Both are younger guys and can push each other. And of course on the wings we saw the improved play of Kljestan and the emergence of Bedoya.
Change the Style of Play
As we witnessed Mexico has reached a new level of play with Chicharito and pace and support from the wings. And the swift passing the Mexicans showed off. What was the USA doing about everytime? They kept on kicking a long ball into the box and hoped to draw a foul or get a corner kick out of it. We will have to change our style of play. Afterall, the game is evolving and we don't want to be left behind. But all this is up to the manager. I am not going to come out and say Bradley should get fired, but he better make a change to the way the team plays.