World Cup 2018: 4 changes Argentina need to make to get back on track

Argentina’s World Cup did not get off to the best of starts and now they will have their hands full trying to emerge as group winners. Argentina had a very tough qualifying campaign, with them qualifying on the last day. Their saviour that day was a certain Lionel Messi.

The free-flowing football that had become synonymous with the Argentina teams of yesteryears has given way to laboured performances. In order to get the ball rolling in the right direction, Argentina needs to tweak a few things, tactically as well as with regards to personnel.

An implementation of these changes would place Argentina in a much better position to stake their claim on the ‘ultimate prize’. However, if they continue playing the way they did against Iceland, they are just a calamity waiting to unravel. If they get their act together, they will survive the ‘Group of Death’, but a failure to do so will result in a quick and sudden ‘death’ which will surely affect a million lives back home.

Here is a look at them:

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#3 Switch to a back-three

Mascherano

Argentina started the game against Iceland with a back four with Tagliafico and Salvio playing as full backs. Sampaoli played Meza and Di Maria as wingers in the hope that they would provide defensive cover against the rampaging opposition full-backs. However, the few times the full backs came galloping forward, Argentina found themselves outnumbered. This leads one to believe that Argentina will encounter a lot of problems when they come up against better offensive teams.

With a back three in play, Mascherano can partner Otamendi and Rojo at the heart of the defence. Tagliafico and Meza can continue as wing-backs while Biglia and Banega can be the central midfield pairing. This will provide them with the much-needed solidity while it would also give the front three the freedom to wreak havoc.

With the front three not having to burden themselves a lot with defensive duties, a case can be made for playing Dybala right from the start. A trio comprising Messi, Aguero and Dybala would cause trouble to even the meanest of defences.

The system would not be an unknown territory for their manager Sampaoli, with him having employed this system many a time with Chile. This tactical switch has all the ingredients to be the catalyst for Argentina’s change in fortunes.

#2 Quicker transition from defence to attack

Argentina v Iceland: Group D - 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia

Against Iceland, a defensively resolute team, Argentina enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. However, they could not really make it count. A major factor in this was their slow build-up play. Whenever they dispossessed Iceland, the midfielders either passed it sideways or backwards. Argentina did not attack with the required impetus to be able to ruffle Icelandic feathers.

In the new system, with Biglia and Banega, the midfield would be more dynamic and technical. Banega is a much better passer of the ball than Mascherano and has the vision to play defence splitting passes from inside his own half. He is also more adept at controlling the tempo of the game. While this is not a tactical tweak, this represents a change in personnel that needs to be taken up sooner rather than later.

#1 Argentina need to stretch the play more

Aguero and Messi linked up well but lacked the width

Argentina in Moscow represented a car stuck in one of those infamous Mumbai traffic jams. Though it wanted to move forward, it just could not. Their forward play was too static and there were no real attempts on the wide players’ part to get to the by-line and put in devilish crosses.

Argentina’s game plan was pretty obvious on the day. They passed the ball to Messi and waited for him to pull something out of the hat. But even the best have their bad days and that’s exactly where Argentina fell short. Argentina needs Aguero to be playing off the shoulder of the last defender and make runs into those channels. This will eventually free up space in and around the box which can be used most efficiently by Messi and Dybala.

Also, Argentina does not possess gifted midfielders of the ilk of Toni Kroos or Andres Iniesta. Hence, it becomes imperative that their forwards make runs, drag defenders into areas they don’t want to go into and create space and time for the midfielders to be able to control the game.