Zero shots on goal in six games out of eleven in the Reynoso era: How to correct this problem against Argentina

It is the beginning, yes; but the symptoms are obvious. And the position in the table brings back bad memories: we are ninth thanks to the point achieved in Asunción due to Pedro Gallese’s saving saves. We only surpass Gustavo Costas’ Bolivia, which has behind it the problem of the paralysis of its local championship due to issues related to corruption. Here, League 1 has its three big teams fighting in the Clausura Tournament.

In fact, even Bolivia knows what it’s like to celebrate a goal in the Qualifiers. In fact, two: he scored against Brazil in Brazil and Ecuador at home. He lost both, of course. Paraguay is the other team that has not celebrated so far, but has two shots on goal; that is, he did some merit.

The seriousness of the matter worsens if the panorama is expanded a little and the numbers recorded in the Reynoso era so far are seen. Eleven games have been played, including friendlies and official ones, and the record dictates that in six of them there was no shot on goal: in the losses against Mexico (1-0), Germany (2-0), Brazil (1-0) and Chile (2-0), and in goalless draws against Morocco and Paraguay. Nor is it a problem caused by the absence of Gianluca Lapadula. In fact, the ‘Bambino’ was present against Mexico, Morocco and Germany. In addition, all available forwards were used: Ruidíaz, Percy Liza and Alex Valera had minutes.

Playing well is not only what Peru did in the Gareca era. Playing well is putting a plan into practice, whether offensive or defensive. But to win you have to put the ball in the opponent’s goal and if you don’t attack, it is impossible to do so. Whether defensive or not, the search for the goal is important and it is something that the Bicolor is not having.

, said the coach after making a mea culpa for the result obtained in Santiago. The generation that took us to a World Cup and almost always put us on the podium in the Copa América showed that they can compete head-to-head with any rival, but recently it seems that they forgot that.

Changes are urgently needed against Argentina

This Tuesday, The Bicolor will receive Messi’s Argentina at the National Stadium. The world champion, the leader of the Qualifiers, the team that in the five years under Scaloni has only lost one official match. And the game will be pivotal, for better or worse. Peru needs to add, but the outlook seems very complicated.

To add three you need to score a goal and to do that you need to shoot on goal, something that the national team has not done in its first three games. Due to poor individual performance and poor decision-making in attack (against Chile, for example, a corner was wasted for not taking the center), but also due to approach and planning.

In the last two games, Reynoso was more concerned about not conceding goals than about finding the opponent’s goal. Against Brazil he put Roe deer and Polo on the right, now Trauco and López on the left. Two full-backs along with midfielders-wingers who have more of a defensive than offensive vocation. Against Chile it was similar: Corzo-Advíncula on the right and Trauco-Polo on the left. In the second half, López entered for Polo. Peru entered the field feeling inferior to its rival and the consequences were two consecutive defeats.

On Tuesday against Argentina, the team needs to risk more. Shuffling changes is an exercise in futility. It will be the coach who will decide on the eleven that seeks the first victory in the Qualifiers. He has the capacity to do it, it remains to be known if he has the decision-making power to take the risk.