Snak

Mexico roster reflects midfield importance

All the pomp and circumstance (along with the qualifying games) notwithstanding, the World Cup feels like it gets started when the players are chosen for the team. Once the specific personnel are selected, coaches and supporters alike can start planning formations, strategy and lineups.

For El Tri fans, especially on the heels of the mostly-terrible year that was 2013, the chance to wipe the slate clean and look forward to the future with a new team and coaching staff is vital.

Now that Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera has named his players, it is time for him to build a World Cup team. He has coached most of the seven European-based Mexico players only once, or, in the case of Giovani Dos Santos, not at all. The time is short, but the objective is the greatest trophy in the world of sports. Few causes could have more power to unite players behind an enthusiastic coach who believes in their talent.

Jesus Corona was the first goalkeeper named and is presumably the number one, leaving Guillermo Ochoa to once again attend a World Cup as a backup. It speaks to the prestige of the tournament that Ochoa has swallowed his pride and is willing to join the squad as a good soldier. Yet he’s also being practical, since any chance to play in the World Cup could also raise his stature as a transfer target in Europe. Alfredo Talavera goes along as the required emergency third goalkeeper.

However, in the news conference following the announcement, Herrera stressed that each player brought in was starting at zero -- meaning they all had a chance to convince him they should be starters. So perhaps that gives hope to Ochoa, among others who haven´t been marked as Herrera favorites.

The coach is being somewhat disingenuous about all players starting from zero, giving how he promised back in January that defender Rafael Marquez would not only be on the list for Brazil, but also captain the squad. Besides Marquez, the defenders selected are: Paul Aguilar, Francisco Rodriguez, Diego Reyes, Hector Moreno, Miguel Layun, Andres Guardado and veteran Carlos Salcido.

Notable by his absence is Toluca´s Miguel Angel Ponce, who may have been slighted because he isn´t from Club America (like three of the defenders) or perhaps there is a slight stigma to his American roots. Dual-national players aren´t as controversial a topic as naturalized players, but it´s possible that some in the Mexican federation would dislike a trend of them becoming part of the national team, although Ponce did feature on Mexico’s Olympic-winning squad.

One dual-national, however, who is undoubtedly going to be a key part of the squad is Isaac Brizuela, the dynamic midfielder whose strong and creative performances this year have played him onto El Tri. He joins fellow midfielders Carlos Medina, Carlos Peña, Luis Montes, Juan Jose Vazquez, Hector Herrera and Marco Fabian as the key playmakers on the squad.

The midfield players are probably the group that will have to elevate their play the most in order for Mexico to go far in the tournament. The draw has not been too unkind, but it will not be easy to advance from a group that includes the host country, Croatia and Cameroon. Mexico´s midfield is in some ways the weakness of the team. Brizuela shows potential, but he is untested internationally. Fabian has talent to spare, but he has been inconsistent. Herrera is the only player in this group with European experience.

It´s a bit strange to think that the most talented midfielder Mexico has doesn´t want to play in that position, but rather as a forward. Dos Santos is a bit small for a classic forward, but he has blossomed in that position for Villarreal. It remains to be seen whether he can do the same for Mexico.

Herrera will also depend on the experience of Oribe Peralta, who specializes in delivering goals for Mexico. The energetic Alan Pulido is both lucky and good in front of goal, as is the lively Raul Jimenez. Manchester United´s Javier Hernandez has had his confidence dented by lack of playing time in England, but he is still young enough to bounce back and display his quality.

Despite the anxiety of the final choices, Herrera has put together a solid list of players. Of course there will be quibbles from some, but the roster does in general (if one ignores completely the existence of Carlos Vela) represent the best that Mexico has to offer as a team. Ultimately, that is where the strength of this squad will lie, in the whole rather than in the generally unimposing parts.

Mexico has had teams of very good players fall short. Building a good team that works together could be how Herrera maximizes the mileage he gets on this Brazil 2014 World Cup journey.

Herrera´s World Cup cards are on the table

Miguel "El Piojo" Herrera chose his hand. He selected his deck of cards. There´s no turning back now.

And "El Piojo" knows it: This deck of cards has no jokers in it. There´s no joker capable of exponentially multiplying the value of his cards.

He´ll have only a few aces that together may give a superlative value to a team that aspires to be competitive among the world´s elite.

In the list announced Friday there is no added surprise to the stupor that arose every hour of every day in every medium, pretending to be the mother of all exclusives, especially with the presence of Carlos Salcido, the exclusion of Moises Munoz and the confirmation of Giovani dos Santos.

A few weeks ago, we pointed to Herrera himself on the ESPNDeportes program "Raza Deportiva" the fact that the names had passed to a secondary plane, when what matters is, given the group, to make it work, especially since the European legion arrives dragging the guilt of having failed to conquer the direct ticket.

Let´s start with a basic statement by Herrera: "On this team nobody stops running, nobody stops fighting, nobody loses focus, nobody stops helping, nobody stops attacking and nobody stops defending."

Of course, it sounds logical. It´s the line of argument of competition in soccer.

These demands of Herrera´s are not privileges, they´re priorities; they´re not options, they´re obligations; they´re not alternatives, they´re commandments.

But, wasn´t Jose Manuel "Chepo" de la Torre´s team questioned for the very same thing: distraction, disregard, ease, disorder, indifference and faintheartedness on behalf of those on the field during the 2013 drama?

That was perhaps the most powerful indictment against Chepo´s group that was later inherited by Luis Fernando Tena with same syndrome, and even splattered on the budding and desperate temporary role of Victor Manuel Vucetich.

Herrera found the formula, and this very Friday, former Mexico head coach Manuel Lapuente described it as the central point on "Raza Deportiva." "The first thing I looked [for France ´98] was character, temperament, determination, commitment, and then to be good players."

Ex-El Tri boss Javier Aguirre summed it up in 2002: "Many think that I brought amateurs to the World Cup, but they´re warriors who know how to play soccer."

Herrera has already drawn a very clear line. He did it against the United States in a friendly match in Phoenix back in April.

After being shut out in the first half, due to the indifference of some, like Jesus Zavala, he explained after the meeting, rescuing a valiant tie, the simplistic methodology of the second effort: "I told them [at halftime] to put some [guts] into it, that they had to put a lot of ´huevos´ into it, and only then can you play football and be on a Mexican national team".

Therefore, we insist: The big difference in the World Cup won´t be by Munoz or Guillermo Ochoa, Miguel Ponce or Carlos Salcido, or anyone else ...

1. None of the absentees is a joker to be playing at the congested gamblers´ tables of the World Cup in Brazil.

2. And none of those present either, by themselves, individually, can change the defeatist history of El Tri at this point.

3. Let´s take an example, the maximum sweet aftertaste in Mexican soccer: Oribe Peralta was the outstanding figure in the London Olympics, but it was the gearing, the blood and sweat of the rest, that made the outcome possible.

The only one who could perhaps merit a wake-up call would be Carlos Vela, but, as he already said, wouldn´t even play Mexico on PlayStation, and even finished by saying that soccer is not his biggest passion in life.

Therefore, taking the best available to him, Herrera knows that there is only one route left: the work; the friendly matches with Israel, Ecuador, Bosnia and Portugal, before facing Cameroon.

In chess terms, it being understood that Mexico does not have a queen (Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar), then Herrera will have to learn to play with pawns, which he has to spare, and hope that one of his bishops (Miguel Layun, Carlos Pena, Rafa Marquez, Jose Juan Vazquez, Peralta) makes a difference, and that one of his knights (Luis Montes and Dos Santos) finds his best form and is a leader on the field.

So, again, Herrera already has his chess game, but it´s incomplete: He has no queen, but let´s hope that he doesn´t take any kings either, which ultimately is the most important piece, but the most useless in a game of chess, because everyone plays for him, but he doesn´t play for anyone.

Kan han da blive ved?


Este viernes se ha confirmado que el veterano futbolista Cuauhtemoc Blanco de 41 años jugará en la Liga MX con el equipo Puebla.


"Bienvenido Cuauhtémoc Blanco al Puebla", publicó el club camotero en su cuenta de Twitter. Una decisión que podría marcar el adiós del jugador al fútbol profesional.

El entrenador argentino Rubén Omar Romano confirmó hoy el retorno de Blanco a la Primera División del fútbol mexicano, luego de iniciar en 2007 un peregrinar por el Chicago Fire, de la MLS, Veracruz, Irapuato, Dorados de Sinaloa y Lobos BUAP, estos últimos cuatro de la Liga de Ascenso.
Desde su salida del América, el equipo de sus amores, el ´Cuau´ siempre deseó regresar al ´nido´, lo intento varias veces pero no le abrieron las puertas.
Por eso Romano habló de la posibilidad que le da Puebla al ídolo del fútbol mexicano de retirarse profesionalmente en la Primera División.

De esta manera, La Franja consiguió al que será su referente en ataque el próximo torneo, donde continuará su lucha por alejarse del descenso.

La presentación de Blanco se llevará a cabo el próximo domingo, en el Estadio Cuauhtémoc.

La relación entre Cuauhtémoc Blanco y la Selección Mexicana parece que tendrá un final feliz.

Y no porque haya sido convocado a la próxima Copa del Mundo, sino porque la Federación Mexicana de Futbol le realizará un reconocimiento por sus 22 años de trayectoria como futbolista profesional y sobre todo, por lo que aportó al representativo mexicano.
El "Temo" acompañó a la Selección Mexicana a tres mundiales, el primer en Francia 98, el segundo en Corea-Japón 2002 y finalmente a Sudáfrica en el 2010. Pudo sumar cuatro copas del mundo, pero su mala relación con el Director Técnico Ricardo Antonio La Volpe lo dejó fuera de la convocatoria para Alemania 2006.

Det er ren serie A !

Ser spændende ud med Mexicos VM-trup.

De er altid interessante at have med til VM og det skulle ikke undre mig at de overrasker positivt til dette VM. Folk har ikke mange forventninger til dem.

Det samme havde man heller ikke til Uruguay sidste gang, da de jo kun kom med til VM efter et par hårde playoff kampe mod Costa Rica.

Luiz Zini Pires: futebol mexicano tenta Barcos

Colunista de Zero Hora revela que clube do país está disposto a pagar mais de R$ 7 milhões pelo centroavante

Um grande clube do México está disposto a pagar mais de R$ 7 milhões por Barcos, 30 anos. A direção gremista conhece a proposta. Pensa. Mas quer mais.

A canal argentino, empresário de Barcos não descarta negociar com o Boca
"Sou do Grêmio e estou muito feliz aqui", diz Barcos

Se pudesse o Grêmio negociaria o centroavante hoje mesmo. O atacante é uma decepção, depois de 15 meses de Olímpico, poucos gols e nenhum título.

O capitão tricolor não é o argentino aguerrido, bravo e brigador que a direção imaginava quando o buscou no Palmeiras.

Seu perfil não agrada, apesar da liderança fora de campo, do domínio sobre o grupo e da defesa das boas ideias do Bom Senso FC.

O paulista Kleber, 30 anos, desde 2012 na Capital, também não é a solução para o comando do ataque. Os dirigentes tentam colocá-lo no futebol do Oriente Médio. Os altos salários dos dois atacantes gremistas impedem negócios com clubes brasileiros.

No Grêmio, não se fala em pagar parte dos salários dos atacantes depois de uma possível mudança de endereço.

Spøg til side, fordi med fare for at blive skudt fascistiske tendenser i skoene er FLU-tilhængernes verdensberømte kasten med rismel vel snarere ment selvironisk end racistisk? I så fald en ret fed galgenhumor.

Jeg er dog med på, at udbryderkongerne Flamengo er blevet så populære pga. folks afstandtagen til riskasterne, men siden Carlos Albertos nummer har klubben jo græsset en del mørklødede spillere - aktuelt bl.a. kaffeplukkeren Edwin Valencia.

Hehehehe.. Deres fans er lidt underlige, men repræsterer jo overklassen i Rio. Eftersignende så skulle Mick Jagger også være Flu-fan
https://www.youtube.com/…G_8I-1IN-yM

Så du kan jo trække hipster trøjen over dig, og smile at I ligger godt til i tabellen.

Er FF17 så blevet "Flu-fan"?

@ Dibben

Forskellen på Uruguay 2010 og Mexico 2014 - at Mexico´s målsætning/egen selvforståelse forventer en kvartfinale plads spillermmaterialet i mente.

@ NPATO

Mick Jagger passer vel meget godt ind i kredsen af gamle, afdankede FLU-fans - stofmisbruger er vel en glimrende forudsætning for at være en del af kliken, såfremt ifald at man ikke evner at begå sig i de alt for korrumperede kredse.

Det har du nok ret i. Der bor trods alt også lidt flere mennesker i Mexico end de 3.3mio der bor i Uruguay. Der må også betyde lidt.