5 Reasons behind Argentina's collapse and how they can come back

Sampaoli apparently had no tactics than to pass the ball to Messi.

3. Wrong Tactics

Even the accusation of wrong tactics could be an appreciation for Sampaoli. It is obvious that sometimes your plans will go wrong. But Argentina looked more like a team which did not have any plans. They seemed to be wandering the pitch without any idea on breaking down the defenses of their opponents. If Argentina did have any tactics at all, it was just to pass the ball to Messi.

The decision to go with a 3 men defense system against a star-studded Croatia was nothing less than a blunder. With attacking minded wingers in Acuna and Salvio, they effectively played 5 attacking players and left the midfield empty. Leaving out the midfield could be the worst thing you can do against a midfield featuring Modric and Rakitic.

Their backline was never up to the short pass styled play which they proved by collapsing under pressure. Also, they did not seem to have a playmaker. All they did was sending more men up to the field who did not receive many services of the ball. Argentina needs to seriously address this issue before their next game.