3 Cuts are in

Huiqui, ok. And after what he showed yesterday, I agree with cutting Lozano off. It’s the third spot that I’m still not quite sure, I’d have cut Mendez or “Chiquis”.

Anyway, Lavolpe knows what he’s doing (sort of). The only thing to do now is to give the “Selección” or whole support now. ¡Vamos México!

Posted from  Mexico

Well… I’m not surprised given that I gave the same names this morning. Huiqui and Lopez were agiven since they didn’t play the last 2 games. Lozano was also an obvious candidate given the poor display he gave in the two friendlies.

It is obvious he is still not out of that funk he has been in ever since the Confederations Cup last year. It would have been a big leap of faith for a player who has not shown any quality football for more than a year.

As for those who ask about Chiquis, I was thinking about it for a bit, and while I don’t think he will play any minutes in the World Cup, he does however provide a wealth of experience that he can share with his roomate, Guardado. After all, he has been in every national team at every level.

Another thing to consider: none of the three players who were left behind had any world cup experience. I think that played a big part in the decision-making, specially when it came to the case of Huiqui vs. Claudio Suarez. Suarez looked solid in all the friendlies this year. I’m sorry for Huiqui… I think he has a great upside and potential, but given the choices, I would have done the same thing.

As for Mendez, he is the only natural choice to sub for Gringo Castro. Going with just one natural winger on the right side is suicide.

Again, unless Gringo is too tired, playing horribly (which I doubt he will, since he has been a very steady player, even in America) or hurt, I don’t see Mendez having too many minutes since the drop in playing quality is notorious.

Just goes to show that things in Mexico will never change. Let me explain:

Chiquis was not even starting for his team Atlas, he looked washed up, but his father in law gives him the most valuable roster spot in sport, an opportunity for the World Cup. In addition, he did not play one single minute in the friendlies recently, and people are to believe his experience and talent were worthy.

It is insulting for Mexican players all around the world that give it their all and have talent to see Chiquis going to the World Cup.

It is a damned shame.

The cuts are a joke. Jimmy is twice the player Chiquis is. Huiqui is far and away more talented and has greater potential than Pineda or Mendes.

Posted from  United States

Correction: Lozano WAS twice the player Pineda and Mendes are, 1 year ago.

And Again, Huiqui does not play right winger, Mendes does. Huiqui does not play left winger either, but Pineda does. Huiqui does not play winger PERIOD. So there is no need to compare apples to oranges.

If all of this was about putting the “best available players”, then Mexico should take 5 goalkeepers, because I really believe that when evaluating talent, we have better goalkeepers than we have midfielders, but that is not the point. The point is taking your best available players by POSITION. Lozano was not playing better than any of the other left wingers. Huiqui did not play at all, which leads me to believe he was not 100% from that injury he sustained at Acapulco, so he is more of a victim of the “out of sight, out of mind” problem (and seriously, name a weak central defender in the Mexican team he could have substituted… the only choice would have been Maza, and we know that won’t happen because of the physical attributes he has).

Israel Lopez looked lost in the friendlies he participated, so it was pretty much a toss up between him or Chiquis, since they both play the same position. If you ask me personally, I would go with the guy who has the most experience, and that one is Chiquis (and again, Lozano does not play defensive midfielder either).

If it was up to me, I would had taken Villa, but he probably would have had to wait in line to play because Torrado and Pardo are going to be the ones in charge of that position anyway, and Chiquis will be in the same position and will be lucky if he plays 20 minutes per game, if any.

Correction, Huiqui can play all back line positions.

How can anybody make a straight faced argument about the inclusion of Chiquis.

Not only has he not played recently for Mexico nobody has seen him play in years because he was a bench warmer on both Toluca and Atlas.

If he wanted to take his son in law to the world cup he should have bought him a ticket out of his own pocket like the rest of the public has to do.

Posted from  United States

“How can anybody make a straight faced argument about the inclusion of Chiquis.”

Easy… it was either him or Israel Lopez (both defensive midfielders). Niether looked impressive, so it was not really a big drop in quality anyway.

Again… I’m not saying Chiquis should be there, I’m just saying that given the options available within the 26, I would rather go with past experience (and no… leaving Lozano or Huiqui instead of Chiquis is NOT an option, since it would leave the defensive midfield position very thin).

With all due respect, I disagree about Chiquis inclusion as well. Israel Lopez has always been more
consistent,he has always been brave. He was one of the top scorers in Toluca this seasson.
He can also play as right wing (he started as one in Pumas) or midfielder. So instead of Mendez I would include Lopez, and intead of
Chiquis I would left Lozano as a wing, Pineda can easily replaces Chiquis as a midfielder.

Of course in the case you need someone who sacrifices himself in the left side, that is an option
but initially they will play Pineda as a wing and Morales as Left midfielder.

So my cuts would be Mendez, Chiquis and Huiqui.

But it is over, Chiquis is going to this world cup. There is nothing to do than support them anyway.

Posted from  Republic Of Korea

Richie:

I know a lot of these players can play alternative positions, but you have to have them signed up at their natural position first.

Pineda is not a natural left midfielder, and while Lopez played right winger at Pumas, he works better as a defensive midfielder (in fact, he was quite mediocre as a right winger, from what I recall, and only made a name for himself until he was moved to the midfield in Toluca).

It just baffles me how easily you guys move people around because you want “your guy” to stay, but no sport works that way. Yes… you want them to be able to play adequately in a different position in case of a tactical change, -which is what Lavolpe looks for- but unless they are equally good in the alternative position, you just have to go with the primary position first.

Again, I’m not saying Chiquis was the best choice, but Lavolpe does have a point… he is the only natural left footed defensive midfielder on the group. If you are going to a 2 DM mode, he is going to be adequate for the scheme.