YouTube - Argentina Vs Brazil 1-0 - Lionel Messi Goal & Match Highlights - November 17 2010 - Friendly - [HQ]
Love the Brazilian commentary.....
Checho used a 4-3-3 for the first time.
-------------------Romero--------------------
Zanetti------Pareja----Burdisso-----Heinze---
-----Banega-----Mascherano----Pastore--------
--Messi----------Higuain----------di Maria---
The midfield three was too narrow. It allowed Brazil to push on their fullbacks and commit our fullbacks .They hit the space behind either with a runner or a diagonal ball.
Banega needed to get much tighter.He prefers playing alongside a 5 not in a three.
Pressing from our front three was very poor in comparison unsurprising as Pipita was not fit.
Also as Brazil commit their fullbacks have needed to hit the space in behind. Hardly aside from one ball that went long to Zanetti and out.
Roman used to do this and turn the opposition defence regularly.
Our midfield was having to pick the ball up with their backs to goal and is going backwards most of the time as there was not enough movement off the ball and little width at all to increase the size of the pitch ie Sorin with Pekerman.
Messi and di Maria cut in reduces this and made Brazil's job easier to defend compactly.
We need someone as Roman used to do who lifts the ball over them and gets them turning and lifts the clamp on the midfielde because when they are forced to do so it allows our midfield room to breathe and more space.
We started well enough in the second half with di Maria and Lavezzi on for Higuain, hitting the space in behind their fullbacks and pulling them wide but then it degenerated into much like it had been in the first half.
The pressure on the ball was much better though in the second half. However still not enough movement for me.
Football is all about creating space and movement and we are still not back to 2006 standards. Also we triangulate too slowly still and allow the opposition to get their bearings too easily.
And Zanetti. I don't know if he was under instructions but neither he or Heinze (who at least made the effort in the first half) ever reached the byeline as Pupi certainly would have done a few seasons ago.
Always cutting inside into where they are compact defensively.
Also use Messi as a decoy. Lavezzi receives it from him and passes it back to him too far ahead of him and into traffic. Infact 2 Brazilian defenders have gone with Messi. Use the space that creates to fashion room for your other players.
Lavezzi had the space open up for himself yet there seems to be this nagging feeling that they must always pass to Leo who often is double marked by that time.
Too often it seems to the team is looking to pass the ball to him and still hoping he can create something. They've tht is those upfront have to take on some of the responsibilities.
They are very talented themselves and need to believe in it themselves and get to his level.
Still this was Pocho's best game in the seleccion and of course Leo does what he does best when running at defenders.
Lots and lots of work to do for Batista. So many areas to work on and improve.
It will take time to get them used to 4-3-3.
Also proper carrileros attacking fullbacks are needed rather than Heinze and Zanetti to provide width and open up the pitch.
However I think Leo is growing into his role as leader. The way he pumps his arms demands the ball and even encouraging team mates are signs of it. A far cry from the shy youngster of three years ago at the Copa.
Diego lifted his team mates to higher levels and Leo can do the same. After all he has one target left and that is to win the WC which would be especially sweet in 2014 as wellas the Copa next year infront of the home fans.
Contrary to all that is said he is very popular.There is only a very small minority who still do not think he performs.
On the pitch Argentina has some extremely talented players but they need to believe in their abilities as well. Far too often they are ready to shirk responsibility onto Leo . They need to feel lifted by his presence not crushed and do their share of the work.
Messi without the ball is just as potent as a weapon as he is with it. He often can draw defenders out of position and more than one so creating space for other players. Some of the players in our seleccion need to realize this rather than constantly passing te ball to him to borrow an American hockey colloquialism , in traffic.
They need to realize they are also very gifted. With all this talent and introducing a new defensive corps ie Munoz/ Musacchio/Ansaldi Argentina should have a great chance of taking the Copa and WC.
Which would leave Leo very happy and also elevate him to godlike status in Argentina.
PS Neymar . Is he a submarine ? Dive, dive, dive......
)
