Most people I talk with, think Argentina will win the World Cup or it will take a special effort from a special team to beat them. Let's face it, Messi is on fire as is Tevez. They have other players playing exceptionally well. And the team chemistry seems wonderful. Maradonna, seems to have a great relationship with his players and it looks like he is pulling all the right strings to get them playing well as a team and believing they can win the World Cup.
So why am I not jumping on the bandwagon? Well first, let me say that, if things go well for Argentina, they certainly could win the World Cup, and be deserving winners. Let's face it, along with Brazil (this is written before Brazil take on Holland later this morning), Argentina are perhaps playing the best of any team and have a squad that is as strong or stronger than any team, they have scored more goals than any team, etc, etc.
There's a fairly simple explanation as to why I am afraid to jump on the Argentina bandwagon...I think they are ripe for a meltdown. I think the chances are fairly high that they will implode if things don't go their way.
Look at how things have gone so far. They have won each game rather comfortably. Their first game against Nigeria was won 1-0. The other three games have all been won by two or more goals. They have outplayed each opponent, had more of the possession, more of the shots, goal chances and so on. You get the picture.
But I just have this feeling that there is a very fine line with Maradonna. There isn't much even keel stuff with him. It's either all glory when things are going fine and I think it will be all mayhem if things don't go their way.
Just imagine for a second what would have happened if the offside goal by Tevez in the Mexico game would have happened the other way round. Just imagine if it was Mexico that scored a goal that was two yards offside. How would Maradonna have handled it when he saw it on the big screen jumbotron? My guess is he would have lost it. Or been close to losing it. He might even have got ejected. And it's pretty common for the players in these situations to mirror their coach. There would have been problems on the field for sure. It might have just been a couple of yellow cards to overzealous players, but things didn't improve...if Argentina don't score a tying goal, my bet is that things would only get worse for Argentina with a red card or two before the game is over.
How would Maradonna and the players handle a decision like not giving Lampard's goal that crossed the line in the England v Germany game? My guess is not very well. Going back 44 years to the 1966 World Cup, Argentina had a game with England where I think it was their captain that got sent off and ejected from the game. The details are fuzzy, but I think some other players walked off in disgust and they played a part of the game with just 6 or 7 players. So they have a history of imploding.
Now you could make the argument that they might handle any adversity. Well I would argue against that. I love the football currently being played by Argentina, but the crazy in me, is hoping for them to come up against some sort of adversity, some sort of controversy during a game, just to see the fireworks that could happen.
Remember the disclaimer. Argentina are playing well enough to win. And be worthy champions if they do so. But, don't say I didn't tell you, if they implode at some point.
