This is my new series covering the World Cup. I will pick talking points from each gameday to write about. I will most likely write one or two daily posts until the final. Today, I will be talking about the following:

• Netherlands vs USA

• Argentina vs Australia

Netherlands vs USA

I had some fear over the Netherlands making it as while on paper the match does seem to favor them, but their playing style was worrying as they were more conservative, accepting more offense than they should. You know, Van Gaal style.

The USA does have quality at every point of the pitch, however, the team doesn't the team wit that makes all the top teams. Van Gaal alone has that, let alone with quality players like the ones in the Netherlands. Yes, the Netherlands' defense conceded a goal in the match, but most of the time they prevented the USA from attacking properly and forced them to shoot from a distance. the Netherlands' defense and goalkeeper might end up being the key to their advancement should they do so.

The Netherlands had a lot of positives as we found a fierce team in a counter-attack with Gakpo and Depay, also Dumfries had one of the best performances a full-back ever had on a World Cup stage in attacking and defending. It is also among the best player performance in the tournament overall.

If the Netherlands had conceded in the first two minutes, the match might have gone differently. I would have loved seeing how the Netherlands would react to being behind against a quick-paced team like the USA as it would mean Van Gaal would have to set aside all his beliefs and style going into this World Cup and had to play with a new style.

Another lesson about efficiency carries on to the next match.

Argentina vs Australia

Argentina were two goals up and a Lautaro Martinez would have ended the match, but Lautaro wasn't efficient enough. Argentina would have drawn and the team looked way too tired to keep performing in extra time, the lack of efficiency from Lautaro as well as the whole team could have actually cost Argentina their ticket to the round of 8.

This was also one of Messi's best performances ever as not only did he provide the solution when Argentina needed the goal, but also had a wicked performance keeping his team in the game after conceding. Messi's best performance wasn't the goal he scored but how he prevented Australia from setting the same trap as Saudi. Argentina had a clear mentality problem with Saudi after they conceded as they lost focus.

We saw Messi take command after Australia's goal, controlling the tempo, distributing play, and protecting the team during a time period when they usually lose focus. Argentina once again had those 5-10 minutes of lack of focus, we saw an Australian player pull a Maradona-style advancement against them. During those moments all eyes go to Messi and his reaction didn't disappoint. In fact, if it wasn't for Lautaro's miss the match would have been over. Messi did everything to carry the team through. Still, Messi needed final help from a teammate, however, he got it from the other Martinez, Emiliano.

Aside from that, before Australia's goal, Argentina did control the game and pace quite well. More on why that was a tactical mistake in the final part of the post. The goal shocked Argentina in Australia's pattern of two attacks a game, the goal came from half a decent attack.

Against the Netherlands you can't have those absence moments, the Netherlands are way too crucial and deadly than Australia. Argentina has to stop having those moments entirely as the rest of their calendar doesn't allow a space for them to exist. This weak mentality has to be fixed.

There are players worth mentioning as honorable helpers for Messi are De Paul for his high work rate, and despite not getting an assist for it, Argentina's second goal was all thanks to his pressure work against one Australian player to another all the way to the keeper.

The second player is Julián Álvarez who should definitely be the pick over Lautaro. Not only because of the goal miss but Álvarez's movement off the ball and the way he connects with other players are definitely needed for a team required to be more fluid for Messi. Yes, Lautaro is fierce and has a high work rate as well, but Álvarez is just smarter with fluid teams as per his short experience so far with Manchester City.

The goal is a part of the reason still as Álvarez seems less likely to miss the opportunities Lautaro had in this match as well as the one against Poland. I am not saying one is better than the other, maybe the form is playing a big role here as I don't watch the Serie A and Inter Milan often. But, at this moment in time, Álvarez is simply better.

Finally, it is worth noting how Mac Allister and Enzo Fernández played well, providing the missing piece for Argentina's midfield.

Argentina still won and suffering on your road to the final is nothing new, France's 1998 run to the title proves that. But, the team should be awake and more tactically aware. The problem with tactical awareness is that Argentina's coach isn't the best at that. But maybe more on that in a later post, depending on whether you all will be interested in such a breakdown.