The most complicated challenge for any coach is to help an average team to shine on a world class level. Maradona achieved the most unattainable task: leading a world class team to perform as an average bunch of amateurs. Argentina will be one of the most interesting teams to watch. At least they have the most interesting coach.
I will not dive deep in his selection choices. I believe the coaches should be judged based on their tactical systems first before evaluating the cards selected to serve such systems. But first let’s point out three major challenges Maradona had to deal with:
1) Lack of quality fullbacks to count on.
2) Creating a Juan Román Riquelme free selection.
3) Lack of natural target men/Poacher s to compliment the skillful forwards and attacking midfielders in the team.
Maradona tackled these challenges selecting this lineup:
Romero, Heinza, Samuel, Demichelis, Otamendi, Mascherano, Veron, Di Maria, Gutierrez, Messi, Higuain
To cover for lack of quality fullbacks coaches usually go for one of the following:
1) In the presence of one quality wingback (and sometimes even by customizing a wing) who lack defensive quality, Coaches may use him as a fullback and slot a center back on the opposite flank to serve as a fullback who serves as a third center back when the wingback push forward.
2) In the presence of two quality wingbacks, coaches either use them both with two holding midfielders with one of them moving deep to play as a third center back or they reshape the tactics to something similar to 3-5-2 with the wingbacks playing in front of three center backs with a holding midfielder I between.
3) Some more daring coaches (especially if the squad lack quality wings), may structure a 3-4-3/3-3-3-1, etc… with the wingbacks serving as wings.
Regardless of any critical evaluation for each option, Maradona decided to take a different approach selecting two center backs to serve as fullbacks (Though Heinze played as a fullback before, but he serves more as a left flanked Center back for Argentina). It may sound like a reasonable idea. It secures the team defensively and offers the offense the chance to focus on what they can do best. Yet, the defects of this option are more than the advantages:
1) During the qualification games –Maradona era- one of the main problems of the team was the crack between the offense and the defense units. There was a huge space between the lines. The current option will only make things worse during offense buildup.2) This structure fits more the underdogs, not the favorites or the competitive teams. The lack of overlapping runs from the fullbacks will terminate the offense options on the flanks. Most of the teams –especially in the group stages- will play two holding midfielders in front of four defenders. A fullback with a holding midfielder can terminate any threat Argentina can generate on any flank as long as none of the fullbacks contribute offense wise.
3) Unlike the common observation, this option will not serve the team defensively. Having only Mascherano in front of static four will create enough space in the midfield for the opponents to generate fast counters to the Argentineans’ defensive third. Keeping in mind the lack of pace and positioning sense of the defense it is always better to put more pressure on the opponents higher on the field rather than tracking them back. A fullback who contributes in offense can also serve a better defensive task for being closer to the lost ball and capable of either putting early pressure on the ball holder as an initial attempt to win back the ball or he can close spaces in the midfield while retreating to his position. We can expect Demichelis to move forward to assist Mascherano while the team in possession, but neither him nor the two center backs he leaves behind has enough qualities to perfect this option without causing more chaos.
Creating a Juan Román Riquelme free selection: I like the player, but I also support the idea of keeping him outside the squad. His poor work rate and lack of defense contribution and attitude is infectious. You can’t create a group that fight and work as a unit with Riquelme being involved in the selection. But there is a need to create the right offense dynamics to cover the absence of such a quality player. The first wrong decision was selecting Veron, especially for the current system applied. He performs well, but while his defensive contribution is not much better than that’s of Riquelme, he plays much deeper in a selection that lacks fullback offense contribution and a poacher who can benefit from the offense setup generated from the flanks. From the current squad (and I will not comment on the players who are not selected for the World cup), Javier Pastore is a better option there.
Lack of natural target men/Poacher: Higuain is not the answer. Period. Milito, may be. Or even Tevez, the bull. Not Higuain. He is a quality player but he can’t offer any significant addition to the mix around him. See it this way: the main quality of Higuain is 1) creating space when he opens to the flanks. 2) Slicing through the opponent defense demanding the ball in the space. Yet, 1) with the lack of immense offense on the flanks where the opponent fullbacks have only one player to deal with (the wing), why will the opponents center backs move to support? Especially with the presence of holding midfielders and flanked midfielders. 2) Where will the spaces come from with the lack of positional interchanges? No fullbacks involved, wings dealing with their own issues and if they cut inside the selection gets too narrow unless if Messi open to the flank(which may not serve them). A deep laying playmaker that can barely catch any defense with surprise… The outcome will be inevitable: Messi isolation.
In fact the team counts completely on Messi’s skills for the offense to click. That’s the only hope they can bet on regardless of the great individuals they have. Something you can build castles of hopes it will happen if we were in the 1986 football era. Nowadays, it’s not as easy as Messi’s talent may inspire.
Stephan Said,
I wonder how Maradona is going to use Messi. God, I wish they had G. Milito, Cambiasso, Zanetti, Banega, Gago, Garay, Zarate, and even Riquelme.
Posted on June 12, 2010 at 6:04 AM
Ramzi Said,
It seems that Maradona is playing it sold, tactically. Creating a defensive platform and counting on Messi to do the magic offense wise scoring and creating spaces/opportunities for his teammates.
I will be the happiest man if Messi wins the world cup. But the idea of labeling Maradona as a tactical genius afterward causes me nightmares.
Posted on June 12, 2010 at 6:39 AM
Stephan Said,
Half time, and I think Di Maria needs to be subbed off. Jonas G. and Veron also look very average. Higuain keeps drifting out to the right but he isn't doing much - like you said :p
Posted on June 12, 2010 at 7:59 AM
Stephan Said,
Ramzi, when are you going to be a pro coach for a big team? You seem to be a tactical genius! You always seem to predict exactly what the situation will be in a match.
Posted on June 12, 2010 at 12:51 PM