Sea Bass and Syrah - Copa America Chile 2015

[teddykgb]

I really agree with that analysis.  2 DMs made them more stout, and you can see the logic in saying that someone like Messi is so good that you can afford to have a more defensive minded approach, but the actual play on the pitch has been stifled too much.  Some of this may be that some of Argentina's attackers have proven to maybe be just a little worse than their reputations suggest but I think Argentina has too much talent to struggle in attack this much.
 
One thing that's interesting/difficult with this roster for any manager is putting the parts together.  All the names are big but they don't really seem to fit perfectly together. You start with Messi and build around from there, of course, but Messi is such a unique player that you're already practically throwing out any traditional system.  I root for Aguero every week and he's phenomenal, but short fast strikers aren't the easiest to accommodate either, as you can't count on winning many long balls forward and need to play it out from the back nearly all the time.  Zabaleta is a great fullback, but there's no LB ready for the squad.  Di Maria is a classic wide midfielder but he plays the same position as Lavezzi, who can't go the full 90.  It's like a tantalizing puzzle.
 
I think if I were forced to make the decisions, I'd probably play a 3 back formation, keep 2 DMs in front since I think Biglia and Mascherano are very good, then put the rest in a very fluid attacking formation.  I'm pretty sure they tried this, however, and it didn't really work.

 

[Zososoxfan]

I really agree with that analysis.  2 DMs made them more stout, and you can see the logic in saying that someone like Messi is so good that you can afford to have a more defensive minded approach, but the actual play on the pitch has been stifled too much.  Some of this may be that some of Argentina's attackers have proven to maybe be just a little worse than their reputations suggest but I think Argentina has too much talent to struggle in attack this much.
 
One thing that's interesting/difficult with this roster for any manager is putting the parts together.  All the names are big but they don't really seem to fit perfectly together. You start with Messi and build around from there, of course, but Messi is such a unique player that you're already practically throwing out any traditional system.  I root for Aguero every week and he's phenomenal, but short fast strikers aren't the easiest to accommodate either, as you can't count on winning many long balls forward and need to play it out from the back nearly all the time.  Zabaleta is a great fullback, but there's no LB ready for the squad.  Di Maria is a classic wide midfielder but he plays the same position as Lavezzi, who can't go the full 90.  It's like a tantalizing puzzle.
 
I think if I were forced to make the decisions, I'd probably play a 3 back formation, keep 2 DMs in front since I think Biglia and Mascherano are very good, then put the rest in a very fluid attacking formation.  I'm pretty sure they tried this, however, and it didn't really work.

 
I agree that you build around Messi and that you do so around the concept of him as a #10 with 2 dedicated forward options ahead of him, while keeping the traditional back 4+1 (Masch is still a very good traditional destroyer DMF and should be for at least another year or 2). I start with the premise that Messi is going to roam regardless and since he draws so much attention, have him play as a nominal #10 (AMF), who's allowed to drift closer to midfield to pickup the ball if necessary (but is still classified as a striker because he plays exactly zero defense). If you play him on the wing or too far advanced, teams just smother him and the space around him, so by moving him a bit farther back, you are putting a lot of stress on the defense - either commit numbers to midfield and Messi (leaving your backline exposed) or leave him space to work with in midfield. The reason Chile's tactics worked so well, again, was because Aguero alone wasn't enough to trouble a backline of 3. So, if Argentina plays Messi at #10, I'd want 2 dedicated strikers (or a striker-winger combo, like Chile did with Vargas and Sanchez). Argentina have enough skill to possess and their current FB options are excellent with Zabaleta (not Zaballeta, Ray!, as someone upthread hilariously pointed out) and Rojo. Those guys will provide you the width you need, so get some real creative types around Messi, so he can combine with them. IMO, Pastore proved he can hang, so I think you keep him on the field in a more-dedicated attacking role. With those concepts in mind and the personnel, the question then becomes where do you play the 10th outfielder. You can either play another holder next to Mascherano (e.g. Biglia) and then it's a 4-2-1-3, or you could put that player into a slightly more creative role and have it morph into 4-1-2-3, which is basically the Barca alignment, with the caveat of having a different front 3/attacking concept. If Argentina thinks Pastore can be part of an effective 3-man midfield along with Mascherano and another player, that could work. Di Maria is a much better candidate to be an effective part of a 3-man midfield though with his high workrate, but again, I like Pastore as a central reference in case Messi feels like he needs to drift outside more and in any event, I don't see a 3rd MF Argentina could pair with Masch and Di Maria/Pastore effectively (although if Biglia is the closest thing, they should've tried a 3-man midfield this tournament). I could see a way for Di Maria and Pastore to coexist on the field together, but it would have to include Di Maria as a more dedicated winger (like Alexis played), which doesn't necessarily utilize his talents best, but gets him on the field and then Argentina can stick to the 1-striker alignment (e.g. Aguero) in a 4-3-3.