Argentina 3-0 Uruguay: Messi the main man
The starting line-ups
Argentina dominated the entire match, but took an hour to get the breakthrough.
Alejandro Sabella kept a similar side to the XI that drew in Peru last month, with a couple of Manchester City players replacing a couple of recent Napoli players – Pablo Zabaleta replaced Hugo Campagnaro and Sergio Aguero returned in place of Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Oscar Tabarez was without Diego Perez, Alvaro Pereira and Gaston Ramirez, so in came Walter Gargano, Martin Caceres and Alvaro Gonzales.
Argentina were superior in every department – although particularly in the final third, thanks to the fluidity, movement and clever combinations of the attackers.
Approaches and formations
Both sides used a back four, two broadly defensive central midfielders, and four players to attack – but the formations were completely different. Uruguay sat back in a 4-4-1-1 with both wingers pushing forward to create a front four when in possession, while Argentina played a lopsided diamond formation, with Angel Di Maria shuttling forward on the left, reprising his old Benfica role, and Fernando Gago more cautious with his movement on the right.
Argentina were always likely to dominate possession at home, especially with Tabarez favouring a counter-attacking approach against superior teams, but the diamond ensured their superiority with the ball. Diego Forlan dropped back into midfield only half-heartedly, meaning Javier Mascherano got plenty of time on the ball, while to his right Fernando Gago had no direct opponent – the two holders were generally keeping an eye on Messi, while Edinson Cavani stayed higher up and tracked Zabaleta if he attempted forward runs.
Argentina’s initial threat came down the left. Di Maria’s movement from inside to out caused Uruguay problems, forcing Gonzales back into a very deep position, where he was unable to launch counter-attacks from. Di Maria was assisted by some rapid runs from Marcos Rojo, but the Real Madrid winger had a responsibility to get back and defend, however, and although he often found himself very high up the pitch, he sprinted back into position quickly.
Uruguay poor
Uruguay offered very little on the break. The distribution from the central midfield zone was unimaginative and frequently wayward, and the more Argentina dominated possession, the more Zabaleta started to push back Cavani, leaving Forlan and Luis Suarez a long way from their teammates. Those two can legitimately complain about a lack of service, but when they did receive the ball, they were both disappointing – Suarez misplaced passes and overran the ball, while Forlan looked off the pace.
When Uruguay won the Copa America they sealed the final thanks to a brilliant teamwork counter-attacking move featuring their three talented forwards, but Cavani, Forlan and Suarez’s interplay was almost non-existent in this match. Both Cavani and Suarez attempted shots from highly ambitious positions (Suarez from the halfway line) when teammates were in better positions, underlining their frustrations.
Argentina combinations
In stark contrast, Argentina’s forward play was very good – they attacked in a number of ways, and with a number of players. Gonzalo Higuain’s role was as an old-fashioned number nine – competing with the centre-backs in order to create space for Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero.
Aguero played a dual role – he tried to latch onto a couple of long balls over the top of the defence, but when Messi drifted into deeper positions and took Gargano and/or Egidio Arevalo with him, Aguero very noticeably positioned himself between the lines, giving Argentina two central creative threats, both higher and deeper than the two holders. Di Maria’s forward darts in the opposite direction meant Uruguay’s defence had something else to think about, and Argentina weren’t playing in front of the Uruguay defence, they were attempting to penetrate too.
Messi
But this game was really about Lionel Messi, who turned in an outstanding performance in a classic playmaker role. He didn’t just stay between the lines and hope for service, he came towards the ball and received short passes from Mascherano and Gago, drawing the Uruguay midfielders out of position, then beating them with a dribble. He then tried to slip the ball through to Di Maria, Aguero or Higuain, who were all making different kinds of movement and offering plenty of options. This was a good example of Messi being three world-class players combined.
There was one obvious difference between Messi’s role at Barcelona and his role in the first half here: his lack of direct running into goalscoring positions. At Barcelona he’s the false nine and therefore the primary central forward, but in this match Aguero and Higuain got into poaching positions, so Messi had to hang back near the edge of the box.
When that changed after the break, Argentina got the breakthrough. Messi’s opener was more typical of his club style – he got the ball in a playmaking position, spread the play wide to Di Maria (on one of his classic in-to-out runs towards the left) and then raced into the six-yard box to tuck the ball home.
It already felt like the game was settled – Uruguay offered so little going forward and relied on Argentina to leave spaces at the back to break into, so it was difficult to see how they were going to equalise.
The second goal was very similar to the opener – Messi in a playmaking position, Di Maria running down the left before providing a low cross – only this time it was Aguero who tapped in for 2-0. Sabella removed Aguero and brought on left-sided holding midfielder Pablo Guinazu to give the defence extra protection – this was the only significant change of the game.
Messi later added the third with a clever free-kick under the wall, and 3-0 was a fair reflection of the home side’s dominance.
Conclusion
So superior were Argentina that it’s difficult to pinpoint a specific reason they won this game – Uruguay were dreadful, a shadow of the side that won the Copa America so convincingly last year.
But the contrast was greatest when looking at the set of attackers – Uruguay’s looked frustrated and didn’t put together any good combinations, while Argentina had a cohesive system featuring four talented players that all offered something different to the side. Higuain was an out-and-out striker, Aguero could drop deep or run over the top, Di Maria offered bursting runs from midfield and Messi was both playmaker and poacher.
That Argentina formation looks ominously similar to the one that was hammered 4-0 by Germany at the 2010 WC. Very open and narrow, with only Mascherano protecting the defence.
Looking at it, would it not make more sense to have Aguero playing right-of-centre and Higuain left-of-centre, so Aguero could find space on the right wing (somewhere he’s capable of playing). Having him capable of drifting out there or dropping deep would offer the opposition defence another challenge.
1) Fernando Gago is the key difference. Gago is naturally a much better defender than Maxi Rodriguez. The other key difference is Aguero has a much, much better partnership than Tevez.
2) Argentina is finally revamping its defense, their fullbacks are not converted CBs and they have a bit more speed.
3) With all that being said, here is the key: Sabella anticipated that Uruguay were not as potent as Argentina. Against the likes of Brazil and Germany, he has chosen a 4-4-2 side with Aguero on the bench. Jose Sosa, a very unremarkable player, being picked ahead of him, precisely to compete in midfield. I don’t know if Sosa is the answer but I am sure this won’t be the system Sabella would use against Germany. Uruguay at home, on a losing streak, missing players =/= World cup match vs Germany. I’m not totally with every Sabella decision but he does have flexibility.
I agree with Luis here. In 2010 WC against Germany, and against other opponents, Mascherano was the only one free to receive the ball from defense and to link with Messi and others. Now there is Gago too who does that. Similarly, Gago provided much more balance for team when it came to defending in last match unlike Maxi in 2010 WC.
Am i the only one feeling like Sabella is building separate defensive and offensive units?
I think the key difference between Maradona’s system & Sabella’s is down to the role of the fullbacks. Diego wanted them to play as traditional fullbacks & merely defend, meaning that width had to come from the midfield which in turn isolated Mascherano, as it isn’t Messi’s natural game to drop back in to defend all the time. However, in the system used here the fullbacks play as modern fullbacks providing width, allowing Gago & Di Maria to start more centrally and make those in-to-out runs a la the Benfica side mentioned by ZM, whilst providing a 3 man midfield base in the defensive stage. A good example of the effect of a simple role change in one part of the pitch being reflected in changes elsewhere in the system.
I have said it before and I will say it again,if Argentina want to win the World Cup in 2014 then a fit Gago is key.Last year in the Copa America he was the only CM who came away with any credit.He is a really underrated player who as well as been defensively solid in his positioning and physicality he is good technically and he is the only player Argentina have(Apart from Banega who is both injured and has never performed well for the national team,yet)who can dictate a game from a central midfield position.Of course he’s no Xavi but he is a solid all round player.When Banega comes back injury for Valencia it will be interesting to see if how the Gago – Banega partnership develops as they have played for Argentina together before and it didn’t work.But in theory it should work if they have enough time to develop it,this way Mascherano could be moved to defense were he is needed to add a bit of pace to the back-line.It could be a good second option come 2014 anyway.
Also the attacking trio are pressuring much more- higher up the pitch and as a unit(Sebella this week has talked about the value of winning the ball back high). In 2010 they just didn’t do anything without the ball! Maradona wanted his fullbacks to defend precisely because of this reason- he wanted his attackers to remain free. And if you add two shuttlers with them it meant there was an astounding 50m gap between the front five and back five when Germany won the ball.This isn’t happening anymore as the team looks much more compact without the ball.To be honest the narrowness is an issue(by the way it always is for a diamond) and it will be interesting to see how Argentina does against a top side. But for the moment it looks like Sebella thinks diamond as the attacking system and 4-4-1-1 as the system for a more cautious approach. We will have to see what he does come the world cup. I think he will go for the diamond(it was his favored system at Estudiantes)as Argentina looks much better going forward when they have all of meesi, dm, higuain and kun.
I have said it before and I will say it again,if Argentina want to win the World Cup in 2014 then a fit Gago is key.Last year in the Copa America he was the only CM who could come away with any credit.He is a really underrated player who as well as been defensively solid in his positioning and physicality he is good technically and he is the only player Argentina have(Apart from Banega who is both injured and has never performed well for the national team,yet)who can dictate a game from a central midfield position.Of course he’s no Xavi but he is a solid all round player.When Banega comes back injury for Valencia it will be interesting to see if how the Gago – Banega partnership develops as they have played for Argentina together before and it didn’t work.But in theory it should work if they have enough time to develop it,this way Mascherano could be moved to defense were he is needed to add a bit of pace to the back-line.It could be a good second option come 2014 anyway.
Uruguay are a top side,for your information they won the Copa America last year beating Argentina on their home soil and got to the SF of the World Cup in 2010.
Have a bit of respect.
I’ve always felt part of the problem with Uruguay is that they lack creative players in the middle. Gargano and Arevola are two great ‘pitbulls’ while Gonzales is a good box to box midfielder, but they really have no players in the middle who excel in changing the tempo. Forlan has the ability to be a great link up man playing like a trequista, but when he is not playing that role, is not on good form to play that role, or is nullified by the opponents, Uruguay is left without a creative force.
They have one in Nicolas Lodeiro. but he hasn’t played much
Also Gaston Ramirez, but he has flattered to deceive for the national side, and is currently out injured for about 6 weeks. I can see him coming good for Uruguay though, and being their main creative force for years to come.
Pity Gaston Ramirez made an awful decision for his career by going to a relegation candidate in the DPL(Donkeys Premier League).
Chase the money instead of thinking about football and don’t expect to be treated with any respect.
Southampton will survive easily in the Premier League this season. They had the hardest start of any team and still aren’t in the bottom 3. They also have ambition and investment and will be closer to the top than the bottom over the next few years.
If you want to call one of the top 5 leagues in the world the Donkeys Premier League, that shows how little you know about football anyway.
(I’m guessing you’re just a bitter Bologna fan)
They won’t finish in the top 10 that’s for sure,if Ramirez is happy playing for a side way below his level for the sake of money then good for him.
It won’t let me reply to your last reply, no idea why. If you think that players choose to play for Southampton because of money then quite frankly te falta un tornillo, che.
Of course he went there for the money,why else would he have chosen to go to a team like that?
My question is, what is Argentina’s best lineup considering their attacking talent? With Messi only improving and providing better and better national team performances they should be a serious contender for 2014. That being said, their lack of width makes me think they’d seriously struggle against well-organized, deep teams that have world class talent at every position, ergo Spain, Germany, etc. like they did in 2010. As JH said above me, this formation is nearly the same as the one used in that loss, except Aguero is in place of Tevez, and Gago in place of Rodriguez. Obviously the defense is different, but the structure is relatively similar besides Gago’s more defensive attributes in comparison to Rodriguez.
Wouldn’t a 4-2-3-1 fit this side better? Mascherano and Gago as the holders, Messi playing just behind Higuain, and Aguero+Di Maria left and right?
This lopsided diamond they played was a stone’s throw away from a 4-2-3-1 anyway. They just lack width on the right but play with the two more defensive of their midfielders and full backs there to compensate for it. On the left, Di Maria and Rojo were stuck to the touchline for the most part and the former cut in only when space was created for him by Messi’s dribbles in the middle.
It worked fairly well against what was essentially a 4-2-3-1 in Uruguay or after and hour at least. The benefit of their diamond shape was that they occupied uruguay’s four centralised defensive players with three of their own, instead of two. This might be one of the reasons the diamond shape, if you got the talent, is making a comeback this year again as opposed to the single striker formations.
Gago for Maxi is DM for AM or winger.
Tevez and Aguero play similar roles and don’t see how that would change things much defensively.
Another big difference is that Di Maria plays more as a midfielder in this formation and less as a pure winger which adds some more beef to their midfield.
Of course as the poster above said, Sabella adds another DM against big sides so it’s really not the similar. He’s really playing 3 DM’s + Di Maria in midfield against big positions as opposed to Maradona who played 1 DM + Maxi Rodriguez in midfield.
I thought aguero and Di Maria provided the much needed penetration for Argentina with their well timed runs, while messi was the creator in chief providing the ammo. Messi and Di Maria also switched positions well, with messi dropping deep when Di Maria moved forward and vice versa. But against the top teams I think they might struggle, as they look very open to counter attacks and weak defensively. The fluid midfield movement leaves a lot of gaps in midfield and mascherano with too much work to do. A lot of responsibility is on messi’s shoulders too as if he isn’t pulling the strings they lack creativity in their team.
But impressive link ups and fluidity is a good first step and with messi in the side they will always have a good chance at the next World Cup.
Thank you ZM for writing about this match, when most in the media are giving more importantance European giants killing of minnows.
In many ways the fantastic four – Messi, Aguero, De Maria and Higuain – was there for the WC Germany match, but there are lot of differences here. Gago is a big factor. I agree for many European pundits he is not world class. But he has a great understanding with Messi, and is a much better player than Maxi Rodriguez, on the defensive side.
And most importantly this team is coached by Sabella,not Maradona or Batista. Sabella seems to know – I dont agree with all his player selections – that a good defence is most important for winning tournaments, and also that Messi is as good a play maker as he is a goal scorer. It is important for the team to win, rather than enjoying Messi scoring goals. Both Maradona and Batista wanted Messi to score, more than using him as a play maker.
Sabella is more intelligent and seems to understand that Messi can be the Xavi, Iniesta and Messi himself for Argentina.
And also, most of these players know each other since their youth world cup days and all they wanted was a good tactician behind them. If the fantastic four and Mascherrano remains injury free, if Sabella can help grow the CB pair of Garay and Fernandez and players like Gago, Argentina will be a major threat for WC14.
It is also heard that Messi himself asked Sabella to start Aguero, Higuain and De Maria and Sabella instead asked all four of them to be good defenders upfront. If they carry on like this, they can only be much much better with time.
Disagree, Maradona assigned Messi the enganche role. He considered him his playmaker.
Really happy that Sabella is not using Tevez or Lavezzi up front. Messi, di Maria, Aguero, Higuain is a good combo. Also, I don’t rate Gago as a world class player either, but so far he’s doing his job well enough.
Argentina are a serious contender for the world cup. There team is only gonna get better with time. I mean picture how good Messi, Di Maria, Aguero, Higuain will be by 2014 they’ll all be in their prime. As for Messi in my opinion hes the best player ever, i havent seen a player who can influence a game to the extent he does, that is just my humble opinion. Great article ZM.
Messi is above the tactics,he’s a strange guy you can mark out every player out of game(with 2-3 defenders)except him.
There is no tactic for stopping him and he’s getting better.
Man i really feel bad for C.Ronaldo.
Despite Argentina’s dominance, I honestly saw the game heading for 0-0 until Lugano went off injured. Argentina immediately got the breakthrough and scored 2 more in quick succession. They capitalised on Uruguay losing their captain, organizer and best defender.
Suprised to see no mention of that in the analysis.
I still think this Argentina side would get murdered by any top side playing with aggressive width and confidence. Full backs are average, not much width, etc.
Im of the opinion that a three man Valencia combination of Banega, Gago, and Tino Costa will bring impressive balance to the side and allow them to compete more in midfeild. Messi as false nine, making up the umbers so that Argentina dominate the ball no matter the opponent, Aguero on the left and Di Maria on the right. As for Mascherano, he can do very well at CB. Full backs will have to stay.
Tino Costa is very average on the ball and slow,he is not good enough for Argentina.If Argentina wanted to play a 4 – 3 – 3 then Masch – Gago – Banega would be interesting but probably a bit too defensive as none of these players provide penetration from midfield.Banega is a deep lying play maker remember.That’s why I said near the top of the page that Banega and Gago could be a option which would allow Masch to play CB.They would could play Messi in AM or maybe if Pastore develops nicely he could and play Messi as a striker,though I prefer Messi as a AM for Argentina.
If Argentina want to play this diamond at the World Cup, which they must given the get the best out of Messi behinf 2 forwards, then they are going to have to drop Macherano between the centrebaacks when they have the ball and send the fullbacks forwards.
The systems too narrow otherwise.
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I dont get why Tino Costa is not used on the tip of the diamond when Aguero/Higuain are removed for someone to compete in midfield.
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Messi has been ON FIRE in the last few games for Argentina. Totally awesome.
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