Semi-automatic analysis: Scaloni’s little self-criticism after the heavy defeat against Saudi Arabia

In your first answer, Lionel Scaloni He clarified the big doubt: “We already knew how Saudi played. We were preparing the match with the advanced defense that they use, they do it and they do it well.”

In other words, there was no surprise, nor were there any solutions.. Why the Selection played the hit of FIFA’s new toy, the semi-automatic offside, and lost the match. By inches, by a shoulder, a rib or whatever, but she lost it without looking for alternative ways.

That lack of a solid plan to counter the rival’s approach has been costly and worrying, but the manager’s analysis and lack of self-criticism add up too. It must be recognized that he spoke at a press conference a few minutes after the defeat, still under the effects of the blow. Hot. If we allow ourselves to play with the new system for quickly detecting offside, even his analysis seemed ‘semi-automatic’.

Scaloni categorically denied any possibility of underestimation and praised Saudi Arabia as winners. “We respect him one hundred per cent, like all our rivals. It’s a good team, that’s reality. We knew it. They have technically and physically capable players,” he acknowledged.

But his match analysis shows holes. “It’s difficult to assimilate because in four or five minutes they scored the two goals and the dynamics of the game have changed,” he said. It’s true. “The feeling is that the game slips away from us in an instant, when we realize we’re 1-2”. It is also correct.

“I think the first half was all ours and there were plays that were a goal at another time. The new regulation deprived us of a goal, we accepted it. The World Cup has these things, you can be infinitely superior and in two games the dynamics change“, he mused.

In the analysis of that first half is where we differ. The national team fell six times offside, the weapon with which the rival has thought of reducing the differences with Argentina. Lautaro Martínez participated in only one attacking game, in which he defined with quality but the goal was disallowed for offside. Messi repeated himself looking for the exact pass that would interrupt Arabia’s risky escape, almost 40 meters from his goal.

Argentina was leading 1-0 from 10 minutes on thanks to a penalty of those that are charged or not depending on the will of the VAR and the referee, without clear jurisprudence. And he didn’t know how to handle the advantage with authority. But Scaloni, with a minimum of self-criticism, or more but indoors (it’s a possibility) leaves an improved image of that first part. A difficult image to share.

The rest is true, an extraordinarily effective volley put Arabia in an emotional state of jubilation and the dynamic of the game changed completely. But in the plays before the goal there were Argentinian mistakes, risking and losing the ball in inappropriate places. This too deserves to be analysed.

After all, what Scaloni says is valid. “Big competitions have these things, we’re sad but we have to get back up and win the next two games.”

For that you have to play better.