Our man in Argentina, Joel Richards, gives us his 'Team of the Week' for the second round of the 2011 Clausura, in a 2-5-3 formation - well, why not...?
GK Laureano Tombolini (Olimpo)
It is pushing it a bit to describe the keeperâÂÂs display against Gimnasia as âÂÂworld class,â but that is exactly what the pundits did. Plenty of shot stopping in the first half somehow kept Olimpo in the game at the break, and in the second half they went on to win it.
DF Gabriel Mercado (Estudiantes)
With something of the Mark Viduka about him, the Estudiantes right back is showing its not just facial shape that he shares with the Australian Croat â if we take the Viduka from his Leeds heyday. Last week he finished with a clever chip to score, this week it was a strong turn to beat his man with a killer finish.
DF Pablo Fontanello (Gimnasia)
âÂÂGimnasia defend with one hand holding a colt 45 in its mouth, with the other hand on the trigger,â said one particularly irate local journalist after GimnasiaâÂÂs defeat to Olimpo. Everybody knew who he was talking about. Olé gave him 2.5 out of 10. Day to forget for the centre back.
MF Paulo Ferrari (River Plate)
Perhaps nobody should be allowed in the team of the week for a strong performance if that performance is against Huracán, who offer something between little and no opposition at the moment. Ferrari makes the grade, however, not least for his diving header to secure the points for River Plate.
MF Martin Rolle (Olimpo)
The architect of GimnasiaâÂÂs demise, was Mr. Rolle. His scooped shot bounced of the bar and dropped for his teammate to finish OlimpoâÂÂs second, but he made up for the miss with a brilliant freekick for the third.
MF Sebastián Grazzini (All Boys)
According to those at Racing, Grazzini âÂÂlives injured.â It must be all the more disappointing then to have sold the midfielder, and to see him orchestrating much of All Boysâ football week in week out, and on weekends like the one just gone, scoring brilliant braces against Vélez.
MF Enzo Perez (Estudiantes)
Simply, the best player in the league right now. No argument.
MF Diego Rivero (Boca Juniors)
Team selection is causing something of a headache at Boca right now. Should Riquelme be in the side? Go with a playmaker, or stick to a straightforward flat midfield four? Rivero made Julio FalcioniâÂÂs job considerably easier, at least for a week, by earning himself a rather unnecessary red card â the 13th of his career.
FW Emanuel Gigliotti (All Boys)
He came on with 10 minutes left to play, but still managed to get an early shower in after making Maxi Moralez look like a crash test dummy after plowing into the Vélez forward.
FW Cristián Fabianni (All Boys)
Famous for including himself in the list of examples when he said âÂÂthe fatties are the best onesâ and then going on to name Brazilian Ronaldo and a few other plump forwards, Fabianni is enormous. At the minute, his fitness is up and he set up both of GrazziniâÂÂs goal, the second after textbook holding-the-ball-up â with three defenders trying to get around him.
FW Mariano Pavone (River Plate)
Non-goalscoring centre forwards donâÂÂt tend to do it for fans, coaches, or bloggers. The Tank is the exception however, having become something of a cult figure since moving to River and having a hand, just as Fabianni did, in both of his side's goals.
Coach: José Romero (All Boys)
They are neighbours, but itâÂÂs hardly a clásico. That is how little All Boys have played Vélez, making the underdogs victory all the sweeter.
Results Gimnasia 1-3, Banfield 1-1 Colón, Argentinos 0-0 Independiente, NewellâÂÂs 2-1 Lanús, Vélez 1-2 All Boys, Racing 0-1 Boca, Quilmes 0-1 Estudiantes, River 2-0 Huracán, Arsenal 2-0 Tigre, Godoy Cruz 0-2 San Lorenzo
