Roe deer stopper? Paolo and Lapadula together? What does Quispe play? Ten questions that will be answered in Fossati’s debut against Nicaragua

For the Copa América in July there are three friendlies left (with the Dominican Republic on Tuesday and two in the US, probably), and for the Qualifiers there is still a long season where it may even happen that Cueva recovers, but there is already a profit in these first seven days Fossati’s work with his new selection group, this is more emotional than football. More in the head than with the feet. A first step. Almost an exhumation. The team with an angry face is today, the team that smiles, as an unequivocal sign of having recovered vitality and energy.

This, of course, is worth nothing if it is not directly related to an electroshock in the way of playing and facing the uphill matches that Peru has to overcome in the Qualifiers. I don’t know about winning a Miss Congeniality but rather a place in the World Cup. What may happen tonight against Nicaragua (8:30 pm) is more related to the execution of an idea that has always been a whim in Videna but not a law: playing 3-5-2. Sometimes Oblitas, sometimes Uribe, sometimes Markarián, but never anyone as forceful as Fossati to say, as he declared to DT in February, “if I don’t play like that I wouldn’t be me.”

Jerónimo Pimentel, DT columnist, wrote a few days ago about the implication of this new tactical drawing. “The fear is well-founded,” says Pimentel. The 3-5-2 is a very competitive scheme, but at the same time very demanding, especially for the wingers, who are subjected to extreme demands. In the eighties, when Bilardo popularized the scheme, Olarticoechea and Giusti could, more or less, fulfill the role in the Argentina of ’86. Decades later, however, it was considered that the first-level rhythm prevented the full-backs-midfielders from being able to do the double offensive and defensive work in a thorough manner.”

Then the questions arise. Will Corzo be the same stopper on the right that we see in the U or does the rigor of a selection surpass him? Will Advíncula and Marcos López be able to make the ultra-exhausting journey that means playing with 5 midfielders? What will Quispe and Sonne play? Can Lapadula be second striker or is it better to have a Grimaldo or a Reyna? What is the ideal length to have Paolo’s excellence, 60, 70 minutes? Does Zambrano have a place when he loses a few kilos or will it be enough with Santamaría or Araujo, who will have a game in these friendlies? Is Tapia more of a central midfielder for Fossati or could he be a libero, as Reynoso tried? Do any of those called up today for the 6 position, that is, Távara or Cartagena, have the track record of the Chilean Ureña in Universitario, the true boss of that champion team? Could Polo be a replacement option for Advíncula or perhaps it could be used in the other lane? Isn’t Edi Flores more extreme?

Today’s 90 minutes in Matute will serve, above all, to test all of this and obtain answers. When in the eighties, the old reporters called the friendlies prior to a competition an “examination”, they were referring to what we will see today: a test to see if that recovered joy is converted into energy to straighten the path. Fossati did it in three days with the U and nine months later he became champion. Faith has that only argument to sustain itself.

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