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Argentina Team Guide

There will be no excuses this year if Argentina do not return home with the Copa America in their clutches as a country they haven’t won since 1993 when their current coach Alfio ‘Coco’ Basile was in charge. The Argentine FA has named a full strength squad including the like of Hernan Crespo, Lionel Messi and Roberto Ayala for this tournament in contrast to Brazil who have named an experimental team. This means that there will no excuses accepted if the Copa America trophy isn’t brought back to Buenos Aries.

The man in charge to replace Jose Pekerman is an experienced manager and guided Argentina to a 33 match unbeaten run during his first stint in charge which included two wins at this tournament. However, things fell apart for the former Racing Club player at the World Cup in 1994 when the payer he had unwisely built Argentina’s tournament on tested positive for drugs; Diego Maradona. However, Basile has rebuilt his career in South American club football and was engaged by the Argentina FA after success with Boca Juniors recently. Basile likes his teams to play attractive football and was responsible whilst at Boca for overseeing the development of the likes of Fernando Gago now at Real Madrid and Carlos Tevez at West Ham.

Basile has named a team that doesn’t include a great deal of width leading one to assume that having dabbled with 4-3-3 in recent friendlies such a formation will be employed again. With Messi posted to the right flank in such a formation there is still some uncertainty about who might occupy the left hand side. Therefore to accommodate the plethora of central midfielder and strikers that Basile has named one assume a 4-3-1-2 formation may be adopted so that a play-maker such as Juan Roman Riquelme or Pablo Aimar can be fitted into the team and provide service to the strikers.

Argentina haven’t lost since October last year when they were beaten 2-1 in Spain and there has also been a recent victory over France in Paris when they beat their hosts 1-0 in a tightly contested game. However, recent results haven’t been inspiring; there was a narrow win over Algeria (4-3), and two draws with Switzerland and Chile; results that hardly set the pulse racing.

Argentina have named three goalkeepers for the tournament although the number one choice will clearly be current Getafe goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri who finally sealed a move to Europe after impressing at the World Cup last year having being a stalwart at Boca Juniors for a number of seasons. He currently has 30 caps to his name and is an excellent keeper with outstanding shot stopping abilities. He also commands his area well and is well known for his pin point distribution. Providing his back-up will be two domestically based keepers Juan Pablo Carrizo who is No. 1 choice at Argentina giants River Plate and Augustin Orion who plays his football at current Argentine champions San Lorenzo.

In the centre of defence Argentina will probably start with the hugely experienced Roberto Ayala alongside Gabi Milito. Both players are currently plying their trade in Spain and both have a wealth of experience to call upon. Ayala has over 100 caps to his name and at the age of 34 is still going strong dishing out the strong arm tactics that have made him so recognisable. With his long flowing hair and strident attitude to the game Valencia, his current club, have been so keen to keep him they have had to play Villarreal, the club he was due to join in the summer, 2 million pounds to retain him. Ayala has had another strong season after recovering from a lack of action earlier on after being the centre of a dispute between Valencia manager Quique Sanchez Flores and Sporting Director Aurelio Carboni over whether Ayala should remain in the team. Eventually Flores won the struggle and got his man back into the team. His colleague at the back should be Gabi Milito the player who will eventually inherit Ayala’s mantle as the enforcer at the back for the national team. Miltio is an outstanding defender and has contributed immensely to the success that has been reaped at Real Zaragoza this season. Not only an excellent tackler and man marker he also has a wonderful range of passing from the back and a considerable turn of pace.

Cover in the central positions will be provided by Nicolas Burdisso of Inter Milan. Burdisso another former Boca Juniors man has established himself as a useful member of the Inter defence playing both at centre back or right back. His main asset is his pace but he is also a good tackler and a tricky opponent for any striker. In addition to Burdisso current Boca man Daniel Diaz has been drafted into the squad. He is one of Basile’s favourite players having played under him at his last three club sides; Cruz Azul in Mexico and Colon and Boca domestically.

In the full back positions Argentina again have an experienced feel to them. Right back duties will be taken care of by Javier Zanetti, the 2nd player in the squad to have over a 100 caps to his name. Zanetti, who is wonderfully versatile, can play in a number of positions including right back, which is where has spent the majority of his time for Inter. He gets forward well to support attacks in addition to carrying out his defensive duties in an accomplished fashion. His understudy will he Hugo Ibarra of current Copa Libertadores holders Boca Juniors. Ibarra returned to Argentina 3 seasons ago having played for Porto and Monaco � he came to prominence playing for Monaco whilst on loan from Porto in the Champions League final. In many respects he is a similar type of player to Zanetti although less versatile.

From the left Manchester United man Gabriel Heinze will be expected to play. The former PSG man who has performed well in the Premiership since arriving 3 seasons ago has forged a reputation for being a solid defender capable of playing in both the centre of left back positions.

In the midfield the squad has a narrow look about it and players can be divided into two groups; those with defensive responsibilities and those charged with playing the ball forward to service the strikers. Perhaps still the most recognizable name in this midfield to English observers will be Juan Sebastian Veron; currently back in his home land with his old team Estudiantes de la Plata. Veron, now 32, has been back in Argentina for a season and has played a pivotal role in the team, helping them to a creditable third place in the last Argentine championship finishing ahead of the likes of River Plate, Velez Sarsfeld and Racing Club.

Other options for these midfield berths will be Javier Mascherano. The current Liverpool man has been the subject of much controversy since his surprising move to West Ham and then onto Liverpool. Clearly the former Corinthians and River Plate man, nicknamed El Jefe (the boss), has had a notable dip in form as a result of all the problems surrounding his deal. However, he looks more settled at Liverpool and went straight into the side that finished as runners up in the Champions League. On his day he is well capable of running the midfield. Fernando Gago could be another more attacking option; the youngster left Boca Juniors for the bright lights of the Spanish capital joining up with his Argentine colleague Gonzalo Higuain (who hasn’t been selected for this tournament). Gago, who has been likened to Fernando Redondo, has shone sporadically for Real this season but ultimately lost his place to the rejuvenated Emerson in the midfield. He will see this Copa America as an excellent opportunity to re-establish his confidence.

Esteban Cambiasso has also been named in the squad, the Inter Milan midfielder has had an injury disrupted season but is a fine midfielder capable of conducting a team from the centre of the pitch. Aged 27 he is now in his prime. This tournament will be a good chance for him to get back his match fitness in time for next seasons Serie A. Finally ‘Lucho’ Gonzalez will the last defensive option for Argentina. He is perhaps the least well known player in this part of the team but is certainly the equal of his colleagues. Gonzalez has been plying his trade for the last 3 seasons with Superliga side Porto and is surely due a move to one of the European ‘super powers’. He has had another outstanding season in Portugal despite having obviously outgrown his surroundings. His finest moment this season came when he hit a sizzling 40 year volley against HSV Hamburg in the Champions League group stage.

On the attacking side of midfield Argentina also look formidable with a number of players well capable of turning a game. Pablo Aimar has had an excellent season with Real Zaragoza and is the 3rd player called up to the national squad from this side. His move from Valencia, where he had fallen down the pecking order under new coach Quique Sanchez Flores, was well timed and he has rejuvenated himself. The player once hailed as the new Maradona by the great man himself (if you wear number 10 and you come from Argentina it’s part of the job description!) has found his form again contributing a number of assists and important goals (6 in total in 33 appearances) from the midfield. The man who was his competition at Boca Juniors whilst Aimar was at River Plate will also be in the squad: Juan Roman Riquelme. Riquelme has rediscovered his joie-de-vivre since being loaned back to Boca Juniors having been publicly dropped and humiliated this season at Villarreal. He is a player capable of extraordinary touches of genius yet also one who needs constant re-assurance about his position within the squad. Since returning to Boca he has been made the focal point of team and has helped them win the Copa Libertadores recently against Gremio. In the opening match he was in some way responsible for all three goals, and the Bombanera faithful loved him for it. The next stage in his recuperation will come if he can turn it on for Argentina.

Up front Argentina are armed to the teeth with strikers who would put fear into any team and should perform outstandingly in this season’s tournament. Number one choice is almost certain to be Hernan Crespo currently at Inter. This season the marksman scored 14 in 29 games for Inter and helped them to the league title. Despite an unsettled spell with Chelsea which statistically at least has to be considered a success (20 goals in 49 appearances for the Londoners) he is one of the most prolific strikers in the world game. Another option for the out-and-out striker role is in form Diego MIlito, brother of Gabriel playing in defence. This season Diego has been in scintillating form for Zaragoza and has attracted attention from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid. It wasn’t always that way, as his brother has generally outshone him in Europe. However, since arriving from Serie B side Genoa in Italy Diego has flourished into a natural predator, and could rival Crespo for that starting place.

If Basile plays with a support striker alongside Crespo the most obvious candidate would be the prodigiously talented Leonel Messi of Barcelona. Messi who has been playing on the right hand side of three for the Catalans is an outstanding prospect even at the age of 20 and could make a significant impact on this tournament. His ball skills as well as his all round game has come on leaps and bounds this season to the extent that at times he has carried Barcelona. As expected Basile has a fall back in the shape of Carlos Tevez. Tevez, much like Mascherano, struggled to come to terms with life in the Premiership initially but played a pivotal role in West Ham’s survival this season. Whether he remains in East London or not largely depends on how well he does for Argentina in the Copa America but a strong tournament could well persuade the Hammers to cash in on a player who still somehow looks out of place at Upton Park.

Argentina therefore posses an array of talent that hasn’t been assembled for a Copa America for many a tournament. Usually Brazil and Argentina have rested their big guns for this tournament which has been seen increasingly as a chance to give some of the fringe players a chance to stake their claim for a starting place. This squad though is very much the full team and they will be expected to go all the way, if they could beat Brazil along the way, then so much the better!

Key player: In a squad such as this it is almost impossible to pick out any one player that will be able to make a significantly larger impression on the tournament than any of his teammates. For this reason I am choosing the manager. Basile has been given the post in an attempt to get Argentina ‘off the leash’ as recent Argentine teams have given the impression of playing within themselves. Although Jose Pekerman’s team last year in the World Cup produced some scintillating football such as the 6-0 trashing of a demoralised Serbia they paid the price for being overly cautious against the hosts in the quarter final and lost on penalties. If Basile can harness the talent that has been named in this squad in truth they should win the tournament at a canter.

Posted by Walter Townsend on Sunday, 24th June 2007

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