The struggles of Argentina to progress the ball when they had possession combined with a determined Mexico defense meant that very little was created in this game. In the second half though, Lionel Messi’s strike from distance put Argentina ahead, and they were able to defend their lead with relative ease before Enzo Fernández added […]
Saudi Arabia brought an ambitious gameplan into this match, looking to impose themselves on the game by pressing Argentina’s buildup and deploying an offside trap to stay high up the pitch. This looked exploitable at various points, but Saudi Arabia were able to take their limited chances at their other end of the pitch, scoring […]
While in some national teams like the Netherlands or Spain the coach is the superstar of the project, Lionel Scaloni has followed a more player-based approach. His flexibility and diplomacy allowed him to build the most consistent Argentina of the Messi era, with particularly strong possession and counterpressing phases. This tactical preview has been written […]
The iconic scene of the 2021 Copa América lasted just under thirty seconds. Two men in a close embrace, degrading the mix of celebrating and crying teammates to a mere background image, much like they have done countless times with their footballing qualities. Neymar congratulating his friend Messi on finally winning that international trophy was […]
Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, and Dani Alves carried Brazil past an Argentina that had their chances in the second half. Tactical analysis and match report by Om Arvind. Due to time constraints and a dearth of quality managers, it is quite a rare occurrence to see a well-drilled and tactically advanced team in international football. […]
Both Venezuela and Qatar have been swept aside with Argentina’s new 4-4-2 diamond formation. Some genuine tactical questions remain unanswered however, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Tactical analysis and match report by Erik Elias. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – that is what must have been on Lionel Scaloni’s mind […]
A switch to a 4-4-2 diamond formation improved Argentina’s offensive structure and helped them overwhelm Qatar, despite a limp showing from Messi. A classy performance from Sergio Agüero also helped. Tactical analysis and match report by Om Arvind. It is old news that Argentina are no longer one of the world’s elite teams. Since the […]
In a contest between two sides that did not play particularly well, it was not much of a surprise that neither side came out on top. Scaloni’s game plan read like a book that had been torn up and put back together again… except, out of order. Tactical analysis and match report by Peter M. […]
It is one of the most asked questions in the game of football. Why does one of the greatest players of all time perform at such a different level for club and country? If you want to answer that question, look no further than Argentina – Colombia in the 2019 Copa América. Tactical analysis and […]