Diego Maradona Finally Adds Fresh Blood to Argentina Squad

Goalkeepers

Diego Romero (AZ Alkmaar) and Mariano Andujar (Catania)

Defenders

Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Nicolas Pareja (Espanyol), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Emiliano Insua (Liverpool) and Gabriel Heinze (Marseille)

Midfielders

Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle), Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Pablo Aimar (Benfica) and Luis Gonzalez (Marseille)

Strikers 

Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Diego Milito (Inter Milan), Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid) and Gonzalo Higuain (Real Madrid)

Diego Maradona’s most recent squad still isn’t perfect, but it is million times better than what we’ve seen from him since he took over.

Finally, Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Higuain has been given his chance. After scoring 24 goals and finishing as Madrid’s top marksman last season, “Pipita” will finally get a chance to show the Argentine public what he can do on the biggest stage.

The former River Plate star will hopefully be given a chance to play from the start in front of his home fans at El Monumental, where he famously scored two goals in River’s 3-1 win in El Superclásico (against Boca Juniors) in 2006.

Another former River star, Pablo Aimar, has been called up for the first time under Maradona. After struggling with injuries for a few seasons, Aimar as settled at Benfica in Portugal, where he looks to be regaining his top form.

Aimar’s Benfica teammate, Angel Di Maria, has also been brought back after serving a four game suspension for kicking a player during Argentina’s meltdown in La Paz. Di Maria, who scored the winning goal in the 2008 Olympic Games Gold Medal Match, will be joined by Olympic teammate Pablo Zabaleta, of Manchester City.

Although largely a bit time player this season, Zabaleta has always been a classy right back, and looks poised to replace Argentina’s record holder in appearances, Javier Zanetti, who has been left out by Maradona, most likely signaling the end to El Pupi’s international career.

In addition to winning the Olympic Gold, Zabaleta captained Argentina’s U20 side to the U20 World Cup Title in 2005, where Lionel Messi also starred.

Liverpool’s Emiliano Insua has received his first call up after a promising start to the season in England. The 2007 U20 World Champion also captained Argentina’s U20 side that failed to qualify for the 2009 version of the tournament, but is poised to receive a starting chance for the full team.

Although many young players have been added, one has to question Maradona’s logic in leaving out Real Madrid’s Ezequiel Garay and Sevilla’s Federico Fazio, while under fire Gabriel Heinze has for some reason been given another chance despite two horrendous performances in September.

Espanyol defender Juan Forlin, who was on target for his club last weekend, is another notable absence, especially after breaking into Maradona’s squad while still at Boca Juniors last season.

The way Maradona chooses to employ his set of talented players will be quite intriguing, especially since Juan Sebastian Veron will be suspended for the match against Peru. Logic would imply that either Pablo Aimar or Lucho Gonzalez will take La Brujita’s spot, but with Maradona, anything is possible.

Although the games are still two weeks away, I would love to see Argentina line up like this when they take the field in El Monumental against Peru:

---------------------------------------Sergio Romero

Pablo Zabaleta---------Nicolas Otamendi---------Nicolas Pareja-------------Emiliano Insua

------------Pablo Aimar-----------Javier Mascherano (c)--------------Angel Di Maria

---------------------------------------Lionel Messi

----------------------Gonzalo Higuain--------------Diego Milito

Although very attacking, one would take the odds that Argentina can score early against a very poor Peru team.