Argentina in Lima: how does Peru’s rival play with and without Messi?

Those directed by Lionel Scaloni have an average age of approximately 27 years. On paper, a young team, but at the same time mature and without a roof, with a Copa América, a World Cup on top and with several of its players being figures in the big teams in Europe. Therefore, in addition to the recognizable talent of their footballers, they have fresh legs, desire and the ambition to continue achieving goals with their team.

The strength of this campus was rebuilt over time. Scaloni, based on his taste for vertical football and without being a very tactically obsessive coach, proposed a game proposal in which his team tries to quickly steal the ball to attack its rivals. To do this, he bets on players with good footing, who manage the midfield and on full-backs who join the attack with danger. With the addition that they tend to be very intense in their marking and quick transitions from attack to defense and vice versa. And above all, he implemented an idea with which the group feels identified and which continues to be reinforced: Messi does not have the obligation to be the savior of the team and the team is also capable of responding without it.

In the preview of Peru – Argentina, we review the current world champion line by line and analyze their collective functioning and whether their game proposal is modified with and without the presence of their figure and captain, considering a possible absence of Messi.

Goal

Emiliano Martinez has consolidated and clung to the position, not only because of his notable presence in goal from the security he gives to the team, but also because of his leadership. One fact: Dibu, Cuti Romero and Nicolás Otamendi kept the score undefeated while the three were on the court in 18 of the 21! matches they played together in the Argentine National Team.

Defending

Against Ecuador and Bolivia, they maintained the same defensive line that has been giving them success since the World Cup. On the wings, with Nahuel Molina and Nicolás Tagliafico, the latter alternating with Marcos Acuña on that left lane. And with a central couple made up of Christian “Cuti” Romero and Nicolás Otamendi, who demonstrate in each game that they continue to understand each other perfectly and that individually they maintain the level of last year, not only in their national team, but also in their clubs. .

At least three of them will start against Peru, and at left back it is very likely that Scaloni will keep Tagliafico due to the confidence he has after having scored his first goal with the national team against Bolivia.

Name by name in the defense, its players continue to play in the elite of football. The level of urgency against their first two rivals was high, due to the historical obligation to secure home points against any team, taking into account that it is the start of the qualifying rounds and the team they had to face: Ecuador, a rival whose The collective is growing and although Bolivia did not compete, it is important to consider the always difficult visit to La Paz and the excessive demands that this implies.

Steering wheel

This area of ​​the field for Scaloni comes from memory and even with the modifications he makes, the team does not suffer. With mixed midfielders, capable of giving play to that area of ​​the field and also carrying out defensive duties, they have a single main function: to make Messi’s job easier. The coach is playing for that midfield that has given him results since the World Cup: Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo de Paul and Alexis Mac Allister. And that he has been decisive in the latest results. (Fernández and De Paul were the players who completed the most shots on goal against Bolivia. In addition, Enzo scored the first goal of the game and De Paul was the most outstanding midfielder, completing 66 passes and hitting 60 of them, with a high accuracy percentage. In past seasons, players such as Leandro Paredes, Giovani Lo Celso and Guido Rodriguez also alternated, who due to injuries left the starting position and allowed the names that we understand to be the starters to be established.

It is the right way to take advantage of Leo’s status with other features in your game. Less explosive and much more sensible in decision making. Now with another level of prominence in the team, he thinks more and runs less. To that we add that he is more of a leader from the order and from what he transmits. It is an aid and at the same time a break for the team. His genius allows him to have that clarity to find the paths to the goal and to be that partner on the field on which the security of the ball rests. A more time-oriented player who, despite having lost certain characteristics of his game over the years, has added other attributes that this team needs with his experience.

Lead

Lautaro is the main reference in attack as a center forward. Against Ecuador, Nicolás Gonzales and Lionel Messi accompanied him as wingers and against Bolivia there were variations. Di María took over the position of Lionel, who was not on the list to face the Bolivian team, Lautaro went to the bench and the reference in attack was Julián Álvarez. The only one who remained in the line of attack was Gonzáles, who more than responded and scored a goal during the visit to the highland country. With Ecuador, the match opened with the genius of Messi, who with a left foot shot scored the goal that his team needed to control the match and thus ensure the victory. Against Bolivia it was a more solvent victory. And beyond Messi’s noticeable loss, the changes in the forward line worked. The wingers had a direct influence on the result: Ángel Di María was decisive and provided two assists on the goals of Fernández and Tagliafico, while “Nico” Gonzáles scored the third and closed the game.

On the roster for this double date against Paraguay and Peru, the names of Ángel Di María and Paulo Dybala do not appear in attack. Prior to the call, a possible absence of Messi was also rumored. Given this, it is inevitable to analyze the

variants that the Argentine team could offer in attack during its visit to our country.

How much would Argentina’s game change without the presence of Messi?

The Argentine attack is usually dynamic and has quick transitions. They do not have a static area forward who fights and attracts the center backs. Generally, the main reference they have as “9” is between Lautaro and Julián, two footballers more about playing than friction with the rival defense. And that, based on their unchecking and searching for balls in space and in depth, it is easier for them to be able to stay one-on-one with the goalkeeper and define. In short, fast and engaging football players. Although with the absence of Messi the deep pass that can enable the forwards and that only he is capable of making is lost, other attributes that the Argentine attack also has are used, such as stopped balls in fixed tactics, shooting free kick, corner or quick transitions with which they quickly go from defense to attack seeking to surprise their rivals, taking away the option and time to react to a counterattack.

The universe of players of the Argentine team provides alternatives that can cover the “10” position, without necessarily being their playing characteristics. Given the recent losses of Dybala and Di María, who due to injury will miss the second double date, Alejandro Garnacho, Julián Álvarez and Nicolás Gonzáles are emerging as the main candidates to make up for those absences, even considering also the possible absence of Messi for these matches. The latter had a sustained start in both games against Ecuador and Bolivia. If this does not happen, the decision will be to define who will accompany Messi in attack. By playing with a scheme of four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards, the attackers defined to face Paraguay and Peru on this double date would be Gonzáles, Messi and Martínez.

Tough task for the Peruvian defenders and an interesting duel, taking into account the outstanding defensive level that the Peruvian team has shown in its last games.