Second Round Watch ®

I don’t necessarily want the “easy opponent”…

as much as I would love to see Mexico in the semifinals, I would rather see the team play the tough opponents.

If that means leaving earlier than anticipated, so be it. The one thing that I want more than anything is to see just how close or far we are from the big boys. Hopefully, both against Portugal and if we go through against the Netherlands or Argentina, some players will go all out and get a contract in Europe, to show the naysayers once and for all that the quality is there, only that most people do not get to see it since most people only tune in to European or South American matches.

The one thing that we have going for us is that the mentality of the Mexican players these days is “to prove them wrong”. To keep that going we need to know exactly what we are playing against.

Right now, my biggest concerns are finding ways to open up closed defences and playing better against the physical European teams (England, Netherlands, Germany, etc.), since we already know how to play against the more technique oreiented ones (Italy, Spain, hopefully Portugal )

Whoever Mexico plays in the next round (assuming Mexico qualifies) is the ultimate test. Holland and Argentina are both favorites to win the whole thing. If Mexico is able to beat either team, then anything is possible…anything! I have lots of faith that they can do it. Viva Mexico!!!

Posted from  United States

I wouldn’t say anything is possible if they beat either team…. it only means mexico is getting better.

I seriously doubt Mexico can go all the way, for 3 reasons:

a) We don’t have a game-breaking player (we have not had one since Blanco when he was at full form 8 years ago, but Gio Dos Santos might be it in the near future)

b) This is not a consistent team. I don’t think Mexico can keep up playing at a high level for 4 matches in a row.

c) Our bench consists of old players no longer at their peak (Arellano and Suarez), young unproven players (Guardado), and several people who have either been hurt or have not been playing regularly as of late.

Mexico would probably need to hire a Leprechaun full time to get enough luck to get them far in the tournament.

Realistically speaking, for a team that has only reached the quarterfinals in home soil, making it to the quarterfinals this time around would be a great feat.

Still, one has to dream on stars aligning right this time around and players will reach their full potential in the middle of the cup (Franco pulling a Butragueño and coming from not scoring to scoring 4 in a match, for example). If that happens, I do believe we have the talent to make things quite interesting.

Holy smokes Rene: I think your right a lot of the time lately. This is getting scary!

I have said it all along. The midfield is just too average to win it all, good some games and not good other games. The forwards without a healthy Borgetti are just regular.

The game against Angola proved what we have known, that if the midfield plays just regular, even a team like Angola can cause them headaches.

Hate to bring this up again, but Lavolpe left some decent players at home and brought some players that are not in form. He gambled, and so far it is not paying off yet (Cabrito, Suarez, Chiquis, Franco, Sinha, Pineda, Torrado, Pardo). All have been in better form.

Again, not being negative but here is a list of players that could have been nice additions:
Diego Martinez, El negro Sandoval, El Bofo, Altamirano, Luis Landin, Venado Medina, Loco Gracia. None of them are starters but they would be better options off a bench.

Mexico’s golden generation is one world cup away. Basically the U-17 team flanked by veterans Marquez, Salcido, and others, they trully will be special. Until then, let’s beat Argentina or Holland and of course Portugal. Anything can happen.

Posted from  United States

Realistically speaking, of course they probably won’t win the whole thing, but its that mind set, the belief that the players can’t do it. It’s the same belief that the players have themselves that prohibit the next progression in Mexican Soccer. I never thought Korea would reach the semi’s but they did. I can’t believe that Korea is better than Mexico… Now they had a nice victory and they also tied France. They are doing well because they believe they can. I don’t know if we Mexicans have that same belief.

I agree that we are a generation away from having the best talent that we’ve ever had, yet many think that this team is the best we’ve ever had. We should be doing better.

I honestly expect Mexico to beat either Holland or Aregentina. I’ve grown tired of the low expectations that this team constantly has.

It seems that you guys have more of an understanding of most of the players in the Mexican league so…what the hell is up with Pardo and Torrado. I’ve seen Pardo squash a lot of free kicks yet they say he’s the best we have. Torrado hasn’t impressed either, the guy looks like he’s going in slow motion. He did make an improvement from the Iran game but…

Either way lets hope for the best.

Posted from  United States

I have been convinced for a long time that neither the team nor the coach have World Cup Quality. In spite of having a relatively easy group, I have always thought that Mexico would probably reach the second phase and then go home. As someone mentioned, Mexico needs a key player that can take the team to a higher level and there is no one in the team that is capable of this. Further, we have a coach that needlessly creates controversy and divisions within the team; he also has a difficult time accepting mistakes. All in all, this team is below the standard of what we have seen from Mexico.

Posted from  Mexico

At the end of the day, the current generation of players in Mexico have pros and cons to them.

We have few all around players, either in the Mexican team, or who could have gone to the world cup and make a lot of diference. Big baller mentioned some that give something to the team, call it more speed, a better fighting spirit, etc., but by the same token, they are either less precise, more individualistic, or a very devisive locker room presence.

If there was one player I would have taken to the world cup, it would have been Giovanni Dos Santos. Yes, he is young, but so was Pele when he started. Unfortunately, Lavolpe is too stubborn sometimes to include players he did not discover or help make important. In a way, he is the soccer equivalent to what Bill Parcells is to American Football: divisive, too loyal to players he brought up, but at the same time very studious of the game and hard nosed.

Arcturus: I have to say at the time Lavolpe took the team, there was not a better choice. Chucho Ramirez had yet to win the U-17 World Cup, Hugo Sanchez had yet to win it all with UNAM and Bianchi did not want the team.

At this point in time, after the World Cup, Mexico again has few choices. To me there are really only 2 good ones: Chucho Ramirez or Luis Fernando Tena. Hugo would be a disaster, because he is as divisive as Lavolpe, and I don’t believe he is nowhere near as knowledgeable.

Posted from  United States

Hugo Sanchez is a megalomaniac, the last thing the team needs. He might have been a world class player, but he is not a world class coach. Giovani Dos Santos is the greatest promise as a player in Mexican football since Hugo Sanchez. I am waiting anxiously for the new generation which holds so much promise; there are a great number of young players that have shown great promise, even outside the U-17 team. At the same time, I shudder at the thought that the FMF will do something to ruin that dream. My hope lies in South Africa. The current team, through some miracle, might get to the quarter finals or beyond, but I’m not holding my breath. I disagree with you inasmuch as Lavolpe had choices up to the day he announced his final list. The absence of Cuahutemoc Blanco, in spite of his form, has left a great gap in the team; his creativity was needed in a team that lacks just that very thing. I was hoping that somehow the team would reach at least the level of the Confederations Cup, but I think now it is quite unlikely.

Posted from  Mexico

Arcturus:

Look at Zidane or to a lesser degree Claudio Reyna or Del Piero as a reflection of what happens when you bring a player at the twilight of their careers to play at his level… nothing. That is pretty much the same situation that would have happened with Cuauhtemoc. You would have a little bit of creativity but a lot of liability, both in the pitch with his dives and referee challenges and off the pitch, with his challenge of authority and divisivness. Not worth the headache, if you ask me.

Again… as far as the Confederations Cup, everyone is seeing that team with rose-tinted glasses. The reality is Mexico played great against teams that allowed Mexico to touch the ball and left more open spaces for them to roam, and those were usually teams that played open and went on the attack. That 0-0 against Greece was yawn inspiring, and even the 2-1 against Japan wasn’t pretty. I would like to talk about this further after the match against Portugal to see if my hunches are correct.

Mark my words: the best match of the first phase of the WC from Mexico will come from that Portugal match, and many people will hail Mexico as gaining the form from the Confederations Cup.

Posted from  United States

I appreciate your comments, truly; and you make good points. I hope that you are right and I am wrong. For the moment, I am not convinced that Mexico will do well in this Cup. I expect your comments after the Portugal match.

Take care.

Posted from  Mexico

the truth is that argentina is better than mexico as is holland

second round would be tough

dotn forget that your 2 best players aren’t even mexican

(franco) (zinha)

and if it were not for them you would ahve not scored against iran
assisted or scored goals

Posted from  Canada

Fab: you must not be watching the games buddy. Sinha and Franco are the two worst players on the team next to the Argentinian coaches son-in law.

The only reason they are on the team in the first place is nepotism.

The sooner we bench them the sooner they can qualify quickly and prepare to take out Argentina’s overrated arses. Frabricio Collocini has a little gift coming from a Mexican player during that game. Of course, being the chicken shiznit coward tha he is, he probably will request to sit out that game. Saviola and him will be holding hands on the bench.

Posted from  United States

I disagree Big Baller:

While they are not the best players on the team, they are far from being the worst.

Sinha saved us on the first match by scoring one goal and giving the assist for the second.

Franco has not been as good as he can be, but given his potential, I would keep putting him in matches.

Posted from  United States

I have sat here this past month reading all of your comments and really taking in all of the great info that you all have. I am not an expert of futbol to the point that I follow la liga Mexicana every week, nevermind all of the European and South American leagues so I am definitely not knowledagble enough to discuss much with you all but I did want to say something. Since that devastating loss to the US in the last world cup, I felt for sure that FEMEX would do something to get our boys to the next level. I mean how could they just sit there and let such thing happen. And for the past few years I have seen Mexican futbol go up and down and I am still wondering whether this group is really the one to take us to the next level. I am personally sick of saying “wait till the next world cup”. So I guess my question for you guys (and I do apologize for my blabbering) do you think that Femex response to the US loss is the U-17 team? Are they truly our hope? Are they that good? I never really got to see them play so I have the faintest idea of who they are except for the Giovani kid. Any comments? I want to believe that by the next world cup I won’t have to say “wait till the next one!”

Posted from  United States

As much as many of us can’t stand Lavolpe I think it was a good sign from the federation to stick with him for the whole process, regardless of where our beloved Tri finishes this WC the team needs to be patient with their coaching staff and not let sensationalist media or hugo to dictate what the direction of the team should be.
It is very important that the Federation start grooming those U-17 champions letting them play with the big boys in the upcoming tournaments so they can start gaining some experience and be ready for 2010.
There needs to be a change of mentality from our players they’re too pampered in our domestic league and need to realize that Man U or Real Madrid wont be knocking at their doors just because their stas from our league they need to make sacrifices and play for less money in “smaller” leagues in Europe and then build a career just like Rafa did.I agree that our future looks brighter.
Still think Chiquis is the coming of the next Maradona….lol
Mexico Mexico!!!

Posted from  United States

Mexico has and will remain in the top 10 for years to come. That makes us a good team. I think after some bad steps, we now have assuredd that we’re the top team not only in CONCACAF but in the “other” Confederations (not Europe or South America).

I really think that’s great. We may not win this World Cup or the next, or we might win both. I trully think we have what it takes. Of course their are 5 or 6 teams that will beat us more often than the ones we could defeat them. And of course their are 20 teams that could beat us any given day. That’s what soccer is about, being perfect.

So listen carefully. We have a good team, we are a superpower of soccer, we are not the top team in the world, but we could defeat anyone anywhere. We just need time to get used to it.

The U-17 is a group of good kids, but stillwe don’t know what will happen with them, we just have to wait a couple of tournaments and see if they can play.

Posted from  Mexico

B:

They were so good, that 3 of those guys are already in Europe, 2 in Barcelona and one with Arsenal, if I recall, although he was lended to a Spanish team, because of the rules for players under 18 in Great Britain.

Vela won the scoring trophy, and Giovanni Dos Santos was considered the second best player of the competition. They really are very good at their level. Hopefully, many of them will make it to the next level, but when it comes to U-17 players, it is a bit uncertain. Several make it, and several don’t. One good thing though is that many of them are already playing for the first team in Mexico (Villaluz, Ever Guzman, Araujo, etc.) which is unheard of, since Mexican teams usually debuts players late (between 22 to 24 years old) when compared to places like Argentina or Brazil, where they start playing at 17, so this is a good sign. These players will get to experience Copas Libertadores, Sudamericanas, etc. while still young, so at least 2 or 3 should be ready by the next World Cup.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if at least one of them is called for the Copa America next year.

Another thing that looks promising is that some young players in their early 20s are also entrenched as first teamers already and have shown flashes of great play, like Reyna, Landin and even Ochoa and Guardado who are part of the current WC team.

It seems that team for 2010 will have much more creativity and firepower than the current generation of players. That is always a good thing.

let me explain again

franco assisted goal # 1

zinha assisted goal number 2

zinha scored goal # 3

argentina would annihilate mexico currenty

holland would be a safer bet

over rated would be england

argentina is not over rated with 8 goals for and 1 against in 2 games

EXPERTS around the world have made them the favorite

holland is also very good

its a fubar situation for group D

Posted from  Canada

fab:

That may be the case, but the World Cup has shown enough cases of teams being “champions” during the group phase and being eliminated during the first match of the knockout phase. Examples:

Brazil in 1982
Denmark in 1986

I will wait to anoint Argentina as the next coming of the 1970 version of Brazil until I see them against better opposition. Serbia-Montenegro has been a punching bag so far in this group and hardly the best parameter to measure the real potential for Argentina.

Rene,

I believe Arsenal’s coach said that Vela was destined to make everybody in London forget Thierry Henry. Now, this could be coach talk, but hey, it is something.

A question: who’s the other U17 Mexican Champion playing for Barcelona?

Posted from  United States

Two points:

Fab, Argentina has not crushed Mexico in a long time. You should read some other threads, Rene had a nice statistical break-down.

Argentina is one of our arch-rivals, besides the United States. If any team knows what being outmanned talent wise, it is Argentina, because over the years Brazil has had more talented teams and Argentina still found a way to beat them through heart, effort, and determination. Mexico is far from scared. Yellow cards will fly with a rapid pace and blood will be drawn.

Second, if you think Franco and Sinha are Mexico’s saviors your sadly mistaken.

Posted from  United States

B: Make no mistake about it, this U-17 world champion squad is the golden generation of Mexican Soccer. Not only did they win, they played brilliantly and beat Brazil 3-0 or 3-1 in the final. On the way to the final, they took out Holland quite easily.

Those kis bring people to tears with the way they play. The world championship is a good sign because Argentina and Brazil are usually dominant at those levels.

For what it’s worth, FEMEX did put in place better organization towards the youth programs, however, the coach Jesus Ramirez had as much to do with this victory as any suit did, perhaps more. Jesus believes in self belief and motivational tactics as much as on the field tactics. Great guy, he recently was promoted to head up all the youth divisions, and is serving as an analyst on the radio here in the US for the world cup.

Indeed, Lavolpe is quite jealous he had nothing to do with this squad, and one night exploded and let it be known. Whether the FEMEX lets Lavolpe work with those lads is anyones guess.

Posted from  United States

More news about our “exports”

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/esp/noticias/noticias/n06061805.shtml
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/esp/noticias/noticias/n06042310.shtml
http://www.fcbarcelona.com/esp/noticias/noticias/n06061614.shtml
http://celestes.org/blog/2006/05/31/carlos-vela/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/4422984.stm
http://espndeportes.espn.go.com/news/story?id=432686
http://www.elresultado.com/magazines.php?id=2

Rene:

I’m back.

What are your conclusions after the Portugal match?

Posted from  Mexico

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Posted from  United States