Copa America – Group A – Missing Maradona
By David, BettingExpert.com | Published
So much for Batista being more of a coach than Maradona ever was. The Argentina manager is proving more inept and stubborn than ‘el Pibe de Oro’ at the helm. His dubious choices have placed Argentina with their backs against a wall and are now forced to refrain from giving anything to their next opponents.
Argentina – Costa Rica
Group A now sees Colombia leading with four points, Costa Rica at three, Argentina with two points to their name and Bolivia at the bottom with one point. The upcoming is the last round of matches and the final chance for teams to consolidate or improve their ranking in the respective groups.
The possible scenarios for Argentina are varied and include a shock elimination at the group stage. When considering that from twelve teams eight are supposed to go through it would be an enormous disaster for the home team to be one of the four squads to go packing early.
Batista has offered nothing new in his starting line-up against Colombia despite having witnessed firsthand how the introduction of players like Ze Maria and ‘el Kun’ Aguero changed things for the better. He is known to be hard-headed and proud but with things in a very delicate balance he cannot afford to take the risk once again.
Fans on the stands have already been chanting the name of Diego as they keep being forced to watch a sqaud, which in the past won numerous titles at Under-20 level, struggling to defeat sides that are clearly way below their level.
As I said before, the team is in dire need of someone like Pastore in midfield who can distribute the ball around well. Messi has been thought of as the player who can do both that and also finalize the maneuver of the team as the central striker in attack. Thinking that he can emulate his deeds with Barcelona by placing him in the same position shows how immature Batista’s vision of football is. There is no Iniesta or Xavi who facilitate ball distribution in the first eleven of Argentina and the movements of men on the flank are very different from those which David Villa and Pedro perform with the Blaugrana.
Too many players are being sacrificed out of position or on the bench in order to accommodate Messi in the position which he prefers playing in, after getting used to that in Spain. Removing him would probably give much better balance to Argentina. The best choice would probably be playing him in the position which best fits his characteristics in this context, that is, on one of the flanks. He can dribble past players and set up his team mates – players like Tevez as first striker or else Higuain who can really finish the ball into the net with precision. Pastore should be given playmaker duties and Di Maria allowed to make his runs on the opposite flank to that of Messi.
With Argentina still in confusion this competition’s guests Costa Rica can seek to keep impressing. They have few big names but work well as a team and can harm with young prospect Joel Campbell in attack.
Against a Bolivia side looking for a first win in the competition after fourteen years they managed to hold well and surprise their South American opponents with very effective counter attacks.
Verdict: Argentina -1
Tactics for Costa Rica should be no different than those which allowed them to get the upper hand against Bolivia and record another of the surprises in this competition, perhaps one of the biggest in the series. Argentina, however, cannot afford not to win just as much as Batista cannot afford to field the wrong side for a third time running if he wants to be given the chance to take this team to Brazil in 2014.
Bolivia – Colombia
Despite enjoying much possession and the favours of the bookmakers ahead of the kick off, Bolivia succumbed to Costa Rica. After the first goal they ran all upfront and allowed Costa Rica to play its game on counter attacks. The first warning bell sounded when Costa Rica had the chance to double from the spot kick after being awarded a penalty. Bolivia’s keeper stopped that and the team felt it was a sign that they had to at least draw the match. However, starlet Campbell made sure that Costa Rica still seal the victory a few minutes from time when he was set up well on the left side and made a run typical of the player he is usually compared to, Eto’o, finishing the ball off clinically into the net.
Bolivia are now the main candidates for saluting the Copa America early on. Considering that Argentina should overcome Costa Rica, especially since the latter with three points may well be headed into the next round of games as best third placed team, Bolivia need to get more than a draw against Colombia.
The Cafeteros, however, can afford a draw and will probably play a prudent match knowing that one of their strong points is the defence. With one point they can still take the top spot in group A.
Verdict: Under 2.5
Hernan Gomez should instruct his team to keep an eye on defence first and foremost. They can more than get by with a draw and once it gets desperate for Bolivia the spaces will appear for danger man Falcao to finish off the match for the Colombians.
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09.07.2011, 20:56 CET
Like the work David, Batista had them playing in the friendlies but I don't what's up with this tournament everyones been rubbish, the team I've enjoyed watching the most has got to be Chile.