From Sportlive
Marcelo Bielsa has rejected Kevin Keegan's claims that Argentina are the second best side in the world.
The Argentina coach has brought a squad packed with quality and experience to England for their friendly at Wembley but he dismissed the idea that only Brazil are playing better football than his team. Bielsa's team are ranked sixth in the FIFA world rankings, compared to England's 11th, and Keegan expects a stern test for his experimental line-up.
Bielsa said: "The best and the second best teams in the world are undefinable. On what basis are the rankings made? Maybe they refer to a specific moment in time but the situation is fluid and we won't say whether or not we're the second best team in the world."
Keegan has been impressed after watching tapes of Argentina's wins over Spain, 2-0, and Colombia, 2-1, in their last two internationals. But, like England, the South Americans haven't played since November and have vital games looming because their World Cup 2002 qualifying campaign starts next month against Chile in Buenos Aires.
Recent Argentinian teams are often divided into two crude categories: those of a cavalier approach favoured by Cesar Menotti, who lifted the World Cup in 1978, or those of a defensive, win-at-all-costs mentality, associated with Carlos Bilardo, who coached his country to their 1986 triumph.
The present coach, however, insists he has striven for a balance between the two extremes since taking the reins from Daniel Passarella.
Bielsa said: "I look for a compact team geared to attacking football but also one which will have an answer in defence to the attacks from England. Don't forget that our best intentions depend on the actions of our adversaries. We often go into games with the intention of playing in a particular way but then the game is played differently because of the actions of the other team."
"It is too simplistic to say Menotti or Bilardo but I understand the sentiment. My preference is that a team plays a more attacking game but I hope to have a well-balanced side who can react to situations when we have to defend."
