Now is the time for introductions

By: Scott | August 24th, 2007

Welcome to Argentinos Juniors Offside. Today marks the inaugural post, so there is much business to attend to.

First, a little about the authors, just so we won’t have to spend any time on this in the future: my name is Scott, an American living in Argentina. I have had a life-long love affair with soccer (football, fútbol, calcio…you get the idea). I appreciate many things in life, including teams that like to play with short, quick passes, greasy food of any sort, and the comedic stylings of Mitch Hedberg. Martin should also be joining us in future posts and he can introduce himself. Mostly he will provide analysis, history, and strong opinions about the state of Argentine soccer. Ladies…sorry, we’re both taken.

Now, onto Argentinos Juniors. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the brilliant idea to create this blog did not come until three matches have already been played in this Apertura tournament. Many of our readers will not be familiar with the players or what the hell they have done thus far, so an introduction to the most important members of the squad is also in fair order.

The regulars in the starting lineup are (important note!! Decent photos of these players are often not available, since the club’s official website still has last year’s roster…but it really is a club to take seriously…honestly, it is):

Alejandro Delorte: Standing at a daunting 6′6″, Delorte has turned into the focal point of the attack scheme. He has demonstrated the ability to control balls in the air and make good decisions, scoring 2 goals and setting up 2 others in the 2+ matches he has played in thus far. New to the team this year, after numerous years with Olimpo in Bahia Blanca and 1 in Italy where he did not play, he looks to now be the way and the truth as far as attacking is concerned. I will address this later, but I am not exactly pleased with that. Position: Striker

Roberto Battión: Who the hell is this guy? A big, Swede-looking midfielder who started the first game as a defensive mid and failed to impress most (mainly due to his pristine ability of sending the ball as far away from his leg as possible when receiving a pass), Roberto “Sven” Battión has since scored 3 goals in the last 2 matches (mostly on dumb luck…check out the last goal against Boca and tell me that that’s not the worst possible finish to have it still end up in the back of the net). Regardless, his physical attributes are impressive and he has imposed himself well in the midfield when the times have called for that. It appears he has won himself a spot in the starting lineup for the near future, so congratulations are in order. By the way, this man averaged about 1 goal a year for his old club in the Second Division. Needless to say, the blond boy had better enjoy this streak while it lasts (lasted?). Position: central mid, occasionally attakcing mid.

Alvaro Pereira: Now here’s the first (and probably only on this team) name that might be talked about in a couple of years in terms of European club interest and national team chances (he is Uruguayan). This man looks like Thierry Henry and can do things that a young Henry would do: he’s strong, fast, decisive, good at getting the ball, and good at keeping. This guy never stops running and his energy is infectious. Only 21, Pereira has a great future ahead of him. His present is….very good. He needs a better nose for the goal. Expect to read a lot about him. Position: Left wing

Nestor Ortigoza: If one Argentinos player were to be the inspiration for a movie, it would be our beloved Néstor.

Believe me, seeing him in person is actually a bit more painful than the photo. His fish-out-of-water story of rising against adversity (adversity here meaning his natural lack of talent) to lead Argentinos Juniors to unheardof success. It would star Sean Astin, naturally. He would have also been a great subject for Gladwell’s Blink, since the first time anyone sees him, the thought is, “Oh, there’s no way he can actually be a player.” But he is. And you know what? He busts his ass more than anyone else on the field. He looks like he has zero natural athletic ability, and he doesn’t really. He also has very few acquired skills. He delivers the ball well to the attackers, but that’s about it. Yet he is an indispensable part of the team. That’s a sad commentary, but you can’t avoid the truth at times. Position: defensive mid.

Andrés Scotti: Defensive Stalwart, Break of Hearts. Our rock in the defense. Also plays for the Uruguayan national team. He’s real good. Position: Central defender

Nicolas Navarro: Possibly the most talented member of the team, Nico moved up through the youth ranks and finally grasped the starting keeper spot from the large and often rebound-giving hands of Marcelo Pontiroli. And thank God he did. The boy is tall, quick, smart, and a fine distributor of the ball. He single-handedly saved two goals (at least) against Boca and one more in the Gimnasia match. I have him pegged for a future keeper on the Argentine national team. Position: Goalkeeper

Ricardo Caruso Lombardi: The man who cahgned everything. He was hand-picked by Maradona to replace the ousted Domenech 8 months ago and he brought his own version of charismatic machismo to La Paternal, with effects produced immediately. This is a far different club than the one the fans were used to: they fight, dive, and scrap more than any other in First Division. Most importantly, he brought a culture of belief to La Paternal, and they haven’t stopped believing since (Chris at the Roma blog already stole Journey’s selp-help anthem for the giallorossi, which leaves me with possibly the “Dr. Phil” theme as my only choice…). At the end of last year, he parted ways with some of the most popular and longest-tenured players on the team because they did not fit in his system. The fans were pissed, but he won the power struggle in the long run. Position: Coach

All right…that’s enough of the player. Many of the others are interchangeable or just not that good. We will address them in their own time.
A summary of what has happened so far seems in order:

A tough 1 – 0 defeat at the hands of San Martin de San Juan. In my opinion, this was a necessary, though painful match. The defense was solid, allowing the only goal on a corner kick, but allowing no other clear chances. The other side of the field presented a quite ineffective attack grouping of Saucedo, Gianni, and Hauche…a combination that has not appeared together since.

A brilliant and inspired 3 – 2 victory over Boca Juniors. This match marked the time when the identity of the team became established: the attack moves through ~~Nico Gianni~~ Alejandro Delorte, with Alvaro Pereira and Roberto Battión, among others providing the follow-up. It would appear that this match was a pivotal one in the tournament, as these players are now fixtures.

A solid, though unimpressive 2 – 0 victory overGimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata. Honestly, Argentinos controlld the match and the victory was well won. There really isn’t much else to say.

The next match is tomorrow afternoon against Independiente, the current leaders in Argentina with 3 victories in 3 matches. A preview and summary will be available soon.

If anyone in the States knows which channel shows Argentine soccer matches, please let me know so that I can alert people of when Argentinos will be showed internationally. A thought that chills the soul…

PS I promise I will find my voice…and I will not write future posts so hurriedly. Enjoy and comment nonetheless.