Desperate Sampaoli’s tactics evoke shock and woe
NIZHNY NOVGOROD: Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli came under fire from Sergio Aguero and the Argentine media after their 3-0 loss to Croatia here on Thursday.
In setting up his preferred three-man backline, as opposed to the four defenders used against Iceland, Sampaoli used some players out of position. Full backs Gabriel Mercado and Nicolas Tagliafico joined Nicolas Otamendi in central defence while wide midfielders Eduardo Salvio and Marcos Acuna were slotted in as wing-backs.
That contributed to Javier Mascherano, Enzo Perez and Maximiliano Meza being overrun in midfield by the Croatia trio of Marcelo Brozovic, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. It made Sampaoli’s decision to keep Ever Banega on the bench seem ever more surprising.
Aguero reacted hotly to Sampaoli’s comment at the postmatch press conference that players failed to adapt to his tactics. “Let him say what he wants,” he told a TV reporter. “I feel anger and sadness, although there is still a chance,” he said.
“Nobody expected this result. He played with his favourite system, with three behind, something that didn’t happen against Iceland. When it became 1-0 to Croatia, maybe it was the time to put Aguero and Higuain up front and not take out Aguero,” said Argentine midfielder Hernan Pablo Losada, a former player with Anderlecht who is an analyst for the Belgian football website Voetbalkrant.
Francisco Javier Ali of Vermouth Deportivo too blamed Sampaoli. “We saw the team had not done enough work on the coach’s plans. Argentina were flying in air like a piece of paper,” he said.
Despite a poor qualifying campaign, Losada said hopes were high going into the finals.
When I played and had a bad game... Valdano, Burruchaga showed up and had my back. Messi has no one. It’s all on his own. DIEGO MARADONA, defends Lionel Messi’s performance First and foremost, I would beg for their forgiveness, especially those who came great distances. I am responsible for this result but I was as dreamyeyed as the fans. JORGE SAMPAOLI, Argentine coach
What’s happening to the team right now is what has happened to Argentina in these last four disgraceful years: anarchy, no leadership from the players, coaches or directors. The team is lost. DIEGO SIMEONE, former Argentina player and now Atletico Madrid coach