Another game and more disappointment for the Argentinean national team.
Not everyone played badly, and this Manager needs more time to work, but game after game we seem to be moving backwards rather than forwards.
Let’s start with the formation. Originally meant to be a 4-3-3 with Zabaleta and Rodriguez on the sides and Demichelis and Burdisso as centre halves.
I am happy with the Manchester City and Boca players being there. They are not spectacular, but the best we have. They go forward, but also defend tidily.
Burdisso, has passion, commitment and again is a case of how many are better than him at the moment?
Here we are with the last one. Demichelis. He has been consistently out of form, since before the last world cup in 2010.
He should not be playing for the national side, but who calls the players? The manager does. If they call me, I go, if they play me, I play. If I am not good enough, then I make mistakes and they will cost my team dearly. But should Demichelis say no, and not play?
There is a need to bring new guys there, Coloccini is having a great season so far with Newcastle in England, and it is not too late to bring him on board.
The middle 3 (in the original plan, before Aguero got injured), were going to be Gago, Mascherano and Ricky Alvarez.
This surely would have meant a double 5 of Mascherano and Gago with Ricky slightly ahead of them to collect the ball and be the link with the 3 up front.
Talking of the forwards, they would have been Messi, Higuain and Kun.
In principle I like this line up. But if Ricky had a bad game, we would have depended on Messi and Aguero to move backwards to collect the ball, hence breaking the shape intended by the manager and unbalancing the team.
Once Aguero was out of the game, the shape change to a 4-3-2-1. with Pastore for Kun meaning, we would have more balance and more options on the link up.
With Leo and the PSG player 5 metres ahead to the right and left of Ricky respectively, meant more fluidity when the team has the ball.
Gago and Mascherano play well together, they compliment each other and they trust each other. Gago has good range of passing. We then have the two link players (Pastore and Ricky) to bring Leo more into play and with Higuain up front, surely a way to create chances and scoring.
This was a great chance to play modern football. Defence, close to the double 5’s who would be close to the first link up player, who then will have the next 2 close by until we get to the front man.
But what transpire is that the shape was not that. Zabaleta and Clemente were moving forward down the flanks, and they ended up tripping over Ricky and Pastore who were far too forward.
What we also saw, was Gago, naturally looking for the link up guys to pass them the ball, having to carry the ball for longer than he would have liked to.
Gago had a great game, he ran, he recovered and he carried the ball forward. But when the creativity of your team depends on Gago, you know you are not going to be that creative.
Gago in my opinion was the best player Argentina had.
Messi, had in many occasions encounter Zabaleta, Gago, Pastore and Ricky standing exactly where he was, and found no space to carry the ball or see clearly.
Once Alvarez was replaced by Lavezzi, there was an improvement. But more due to the commitment Pocho brought than any tactical changes.
That would have been a good moment to move Pastore back a little, but it did not happen.
He kept trying and could have scored, but he needs to bring the ball from midfield, he is less efficient up front.
Argentina has the players, they are good enough (with the exception of the defenders)
I like most of the personnel, but the manager needs to instil on this players hunger and passion, but also belief, not only on themselves but also on his project.
Not everyone played badly, and this Manager needs more time to work, but game after game we seem to be moving backwards rather than forwards.
Let’s start with the formation. Originally meant to be a 4-3-3 with Zabaleta and Rodriguez on the sides and Demichelis and Burdisso as centre halves.
I am happy with the Manchester City and Boca players being there. They are not spectacular, but the best we have. They go forward, but also defend tidily.
Burdisso, has passion, commitment and again is a case of how many are better than him at the moment?
Here we are with the last one. Demichelis. He has been consistently out of form, since before the last world cup in 2010.
He should not be playing for the national side, but who calls the players? The manager does. If they call me, I go, if they play me, I play. If I am not good enough, then I make mistakes and they will cost my team dearly. But should Demichelis say no, and not play?
There is a need to bring new guys there, Coloccini is having a great season so far with Newcastle in England, and it is not too late to bring him on board.
The middle 3 (in the original plan, before Aguero got injured), were going to be Gago, Mascherano and Ricky Alvarez.
This surely would have meant a double 5 of Mascherano and Gago with Ricky slightly ahead of them to collect the ball and be the link with the 3 up front.
Talking of the forwards, they would have been Messi, Higuain and Kun.
In principle I like this line up. But if Ricky had a bad game, we would have depended on Messi and Aguero to move backwards to collect the ball, hence breaking the shape intended by the manager and unbalancing the team.
Once Aguero was out of the game, the shape change to a 4-3-2-1. with Pastore for Kun meaning, we would have more balance and more options on the link up.
With Leo and the PSG player 5 metres ahead to the right and left of Ricky respectively, meant more fluidity when the team has the ball.
Gago and Mascherano play well together, they compliment each other and they trust each other. Gago has good range of passing. We then have the two link players (Pastore and Ricky) to bring Leo more into play and with Higuain up front, surely a way to create chances and scoring.
This was a great chance to play modern football. Defence, close to the double 5’s who would be close to the first link up player, who then will have the next 2 close by until we get to the front man.
But what transpire is that the shape was not that. Zabaleta and Clemente were moving forward down the flanks, and they ended up tripping over Ricky and Pastore who were far too forward.
What we also saw, was Gago, naturally looking for the link up guys to pass them the ball, having to carry the ball for longer than he would have liked to.
Gago had a great game, he ran, he recovered and he carried the ball forward. But when the creativity of your team depends on Gago, you know you are not going to be that creative.
Gago in my opinion was the best player Argentina had.
Messi, had in many occasions encounter Zabaleta, Gago, Pastore and Ricky standing exactly where he was, and found no space to carry the ball or see clearly.
Once Alvarez was replaced by Lavezzi, there was an improvement. But more due to the commitment Pocho brought than any tactical changes.
That would have been a good moment to move Pastore back a little, but it did not happen.
He kept trying and could have scored, but he needs to bring the ball from midfield, he is less efficient up front.
Argentina has the players, they are good enough (with the exception of the defenders)
I like most of the personnel, but the manager needs to instil on this players hunger and passion, but also belief, not only on themselves but also on his project.