Argentina changed for the better: like Negro Enrique in ’86, Enzo Fernández came in to stay

What does Enzo Fernández have in common with the Black Henry, the small Lavezzi, the Basque Olarticoechea, Enzo Pérez and current River coach Martín Demichelis?

What all these World Cup fans have in common is this they have not started as starters in a World Cup and that in the course of the competition they were gaining a place and ending up being important in the team assembly.

For various reasons, the starting eleven that the coach has is usually modified during a World Cup and many times by vital changes. Physical or footballing reasons, injuries, suspensions, personalities, details that make the coach make hasty decisions, not to cling to his original idea and move pieces based on what he sees in that moment to improve the team.

“Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad”, said Lionel Scaloni after the important victory against Mexico, underlining that the coaches are there for this, “to make decisions”. Without taking any credit for himself, despite having it.

Strong entry by Enzo Fernández. Y his case finds similarities with that of Héctor Enrique in 1986. Both were game flyers, both got into the final list almost on the last plane. The Black He hadn’t participated in the cycle of Carlos Bilardo, but he had broken it in a winning River.

The Doctor started in Mexico 86 with an idea that changed with the gamess: before it was a row of four; then libero (José Luis Brown), two stoppers (José Luis Cucciufo, who replaced Néstor Clausen, and Oscar Ruggeri), then two wingers (Ricardo Giusti and Julio Olarticoechea, who will replace Oscar Garré). In between, always Sergio Batista and Jorge Burruchaga. In attack, next to Diego Maradona and Jorge Valdano, Claudio Borghi and Pedro Pasculli took turns.

The curious thing is that after the 1-0 defeat against Uruguay in the round of 16, Bilardo pulled out the author of the winning goal, Pasculli. That’s where Enrique came in, changing the set-up of the team and giving it the decisive touch. It is no exaggeration to say that the world champion was at his best there. All the pieces fit together. It was against England no less that Bilardo Selection began to have the team of memory.

The Black Enrique, a former number nine turned eight with great technique and plenty of deployment, teamed up with Jorge Burruchaga to generate play, free Maradona and let him fly in attack. That was the Big Bang of that unforgettable Selection. The magic was provided by Maradona.

Like Messi against Mexico, which appears at the hottest moment, filling the gap. At the Lusail stadium, in front of almost 88,966 spectators, Enzo Fernández burst through the second half with the result zero and the same self-confidence with which Enrique played. The shirt didn’t weigh him down, nor did the pressure. He doesn’t miss a pass and scores the great 2-0 goal.

In the failed debut against Saudi Arabia, Scaloni started with Nahuel Molina and Nicolás Tagliafico as wingers and replaced them with Gonzalo Montiel and Marcos Acuña to face Mexico. Lisandro Martínez came on for Cristian cute Romero to complete the defense. Leandro Paredes and Alejandro Papua Gómez was at center, but singled off Guido Rodríguez and Alexis Mac Allister in the second game.

There were five changes, but the most notable one came 12 minutes into the second stageEnzo Fernández by Guido Rodríguez.

Enzo Fernández’s entry into the starting lineup seems inevitable in a team that has lost Giovani Lo Celso’s left foot and accuracy to injury and has yet to find the best version of Rodrigo De Paul or Leandro Paredes. Will he play five or more open left? Scaloni will decide, but it is certain that he will play against Poland.

Going back in time we find other examples of changes that have had a positive impact on the national team. Alejandro Sabella started the Brazil 2014 adventure with a very different idea from the one that brought him to second place. In the opening match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, he opted for five defenders (Pablo Zabaleta, Federico Fernández, Ezequiel Garay, Hugo Campagnaro and Marcos Rojo), but it didn’t last long. Not even the players themselves were closed by the search. Fernando Gago and Gonzalo Higuaín played the second leg for Campagnaro and Maxi Rodríguez.

Ezequiel Lavezzi started in the round of 16 against Switzerlandlaunched to the left like a flying wing, and it never came out. small It’s another example of someone who isn’t afraid of the shirt. Against Belgium, the starters were joined by Martín Demichelis in the background and Lucas Biglia in the centre. Enzo Pérez was added for the semi-final against the Netherlands. In the final against Germany, the starting team had four players who had not been in the starting XI on their debut: Demichelis, Biglia, Enzo Pérez and Lavezzi.

Changes that have improved the team, punctual reactions from the technicians, eliminating any possibility of a whim. In this context it is the turn of an Enzo Fernández who amazes and gives freshness to the Selection.