Way back in 2005, Quilmes drew 0-0 to Colo Colo at home and then drew 2-2 in Santiago and advanced on away goals. On that team, Augustín Alayes AND one Diego Torres, who even scored the first goal for Quilmes.

A little bit of experience in a particular situation never hurts. Plus Alayes played for Estudiantes when they won the Copa last year. Also on that winning squad was Señor Rolando Schiavi, signed on a loan for the tournament from Newell’s.

Newell’s is the better team. They should get the win, but anything better than a scoreless draw gets them through (0-0 would go to penalty shots). They have way too much talent on the team and I think this is the most talented and deep squad they have had since the lost the final of the 1992 Copa to Sao Paulo on penalty kicks.

I’m fully expecting a win on Feb 10 (unless of course they stumble out of the gate in the Clausura and the higher ups decide to scrap the Copa).

I’m not sure if they will run it or not, but the 3-3-1-3 that el Loco Bielsa is running with the Chilean national team is mighty popular in Ecuador and Emelec has been practicing it.

Of the guys that play up top for Emelec, the two to watch are Hernán Peirone and Joao Rojas. Newell’s will be familiar with Peirone, as he was part of San Lorenzo’s 2007 Clausura winning side.

Rojas is the more electric of the two. He’s young, has already been capped and Ecuador is looking to him to become a full fledged star over the next few years.

Ex-Old Boy Pablo Pérez has been playing on the right wing for Emelec as of late, and may see some action in the game. If nothing else, he is being used for background information, having played for Newell’s from 06 through 09 (including for current manager Roberto Sensini).

José Luis Quiñonez runs the midfield, and while he isn’t much of a scoring threat, he is a smart player and very capable defensively, able to disrupt the Newell’s attack.

They have several players who have made appearances for the Ecuadorian national team, with Rojas being the brightest star of that lot. Despite not having a big gun right now, they are a dangerous side with several people capable of scoring, and all of them looking to get in on the attack.

Because of that, Newell’s won’t be able to key on any one player, but have to defend them all, although Peroine and Rojas will garner the majority of attention.

Newell’s will be lining up in the 3-4-1-2 that they used so effectively last season:
Peratta; Alayes, Schiavi, Insaurralde; Roselli, Bernardi, Mateo, Vangioni; Formica; Boghossian and Achucarro.

With Mateo completely recovered, he will be in for Barrientos, which suits me just fine. Nothing against Hugo, but Bernardi and Mateo made one heck of a midfield combo until Mateo went down. Those guys were like ball vacs in the middle. Nothing got by them.

The one disturbing thing I am hearing is that Newell’s will focus on the Argentine championship and not the Libertadores. The time to focus on winning the league was the last game of the season when they took a 2-0 beating at home when a win was all they needed to claim the title.

I say ride the Libertadores for all it is worth. The club is still saddled with debt and could use the money. Making it to the group stage would add a good bit of cash to the coffers and shouldn’t effect the league that much. Plus I really want to do well in the Copa. It was before my time as a Newell’s fan, but losing those two Copa finals still rankles

At age 15 he took work in a bar to be able to pay for daily transportation from his house into Rosario where he played for the lower divisions of Newell’s. His daily schedule included school, a long commute to train, training, a long commute home, work and sleep. Somewhere in there he fit in homework, family, and eating.

Anyway, check it out if you understand Spanish.

As far as mixing the lineup with starters and backups for the friendlies, he is trying to give everyone minutes and take a look at various formations and position depth. He sounds like a man planning on focusing on both the league and the Copa, despite some reports that Newell’s will field less than full strength squads in the Copa matches. He said that he expects a game every three or four days, so he is preparing for a prolonged fixture glut.

Sánchez Prette is still only about 60 percent after surgery a month ago. Sensini said that he is “one kind of player with the ball and another when he has to get it back.” I think he’s looking for a bit more of a defensive output there. Prette scored the only goal in the second friendly against Godoy Cruz, which NOB won 1-0 after a scoreless draw in the first match against them.

With Caffa out on loan, Sensini expressed his confidence in Nahuel Guzmán as Peratta’s backup. He also thinks that Quiroga will stay since the club still sees him as an important cog in the machine. Plus with all those matches ahead, he should get plenty of playing time. If el Negro does leave, Sensini is clear that the club will have to bring someone in to replace him.

Rolando Schiavi might get a few minutes in on Thursday against Gimnasia, even though the doctors want to wait a little longer before he returns. Sensini desperately wants him game ready in time for Emelec.

And he praised Hereñú again, singling him out as one of the youngsters that is showing they can play. Estigaribbia (I’m going to hate spelling that all the time if he has a good season) is coming along and learning the style of Newell’s. Boquita said that he is all over the ball and has great moves. I wouldn’t be surprised if he cracks the starting IX.

Another man wanting to head to Paraguay is Juan Quiroga, who feels as though he doesn’t have much of a future with La Lepra. The rumor is Cerro Porteño. Both Paraguayan clubs are participating in the Copa Libertadores this year and looking to strengthen.

A name to remember may very well be 19 year old Jonathan Hereñú. The 19 year old is at training camp and turning a few heads. He is a center back playing on the wings. Reports are that he has good pace and shows a maturity ahead of his age on the pitch.

Only 16 more days until Emelec visits the ‘Marcelo Bielsa’ to start the Copa.

Of course, beating a team from the Nacional B should be the expected outcome. Still, they apparently looked good, but since it was a friendly at the beach, no TV.

Looking at the roster, one name stands out – Pablo Pérez. He play midfield for Newell’s from 2006 through the Clausura of 2009.

If Newell’s can make it through the home and away tie against Emelec, they will move into the Group Stage in group 5, which features Internacional, Cerro, and Deportivo Quito.
The winners of each group (8) and the top 6 second place finishers will move on to the round of 16, where they will be joined by Mexican sides Guadalajara (that’s a lot of A’s) and San Luis who were forced out of the previous tournament due to swine flu concerns. Since they had to drop out, they were invited this year and automatically placed into the round of 16.

Internacional won the Libertadores in 2006 and the Sudamericana in 2008 as well as the World Club Cup in 2006 (I think). They are a deep squad, and dangerous, being the runner’s up in Brazil this season. On a Newell’s note, their captain is a former Old Boy, Pablo Guiñazú. He came through the Newell’s youth system and played for the first team from 1996-2000 and again in 2003. Definitely the team to beat in the group.

Cerro is entering their second Libertadores, having been knocked out of the group stage sometime back in the 90’s (I’m too lazy to look it up). They are the former club of one Joaquín Boghossian. I think them to be the weakest link in the group.

The final team in Group 5 is Deportivo Quito with seven prior appearances in the Copa. Their best finish to date was an appearance in the round of 16 in 1989. Many Newell’s fans will recognize the name of Iván Borghello, who played for La Lepra from 2001-2006 and was part of the 2004 title winning side.

All in all, I like us to beat Emelec and then make it out of the group stage either as outright winners or as one of the top runners-up. Beyond that, who knows?

I could see Vangioni heading out the door, as he seems to always draw some interest, but not for anywhere near that kind of money. The club said other Primera teams couldn’t afford him, but I don’t see him making a European move right now. Money is tighter in England than in recent years and while I do like the guy, he’s just not that good to command a figure that Newell’s would be comfortable with. Of course, as soon as I write this he’ll get snapped up by some Russian or Turkish side.

Financially, Newell’s need to sell, but I’m hoping they don’t. A good run in the Libertadores, while not quite on the same financial footing as it’s European counterpart, could provide a good bit of cash for the club.

If Aguilar is the worst of the losses this off season then color me ecstatic. Sure, he gave some solid minutes when called on, but we have the depth at the back to make up for it.

I’ll get a post up taking a wee closer look at Alayes, the other signing, later on tonight or tomorrow. (Which of course by writing that I am dooming the post to never happen.)

Well, he’s Paraguayan, 22 and he goes by Chelo. He started out with Cerro Porteno in Paraguay and then moved to Ligue 1 side Le Mans. He also plays for the Paraguayan national team.

While I like the added midfield depth, he plays on the left which I thought was our stronger side. I haven’t seen much about it other than Tata Martino recommended him to Newell’s. Still, he figures to play for Paraguay in the World Cup, so he can’t be a slouch.

The loan deal is for a year, without charge and with an option to buy him at the end of the deal, and I am guessing the thought is to get him some first team playing time close to home ahead of the 2010 World Cup. At Le Mans, he had only appeared in between 7 and 12 matches (depending on which web site you look at.)

The video is more of a sentimental Cerro Porteno kind of deal, but it does show him scoring a pretty good looking goal. I think he starts out saying it was the goal of his life against his arch-rivals for the club that he loves.

The only other video that popped up under his name that seemed to have him in it is a bit hard to follow unless you speak French and because no one scores. Le Mans is in the red kit and I believe he is number 11.