Falcioni’s board: Modric’s key move and Mac Allister’s importance to stop Croatia

The first thing to do is congratulate the team for reaching the semi-finals. We all know that it is not easy to get there. Versus Villages Bass We were discrete winners because there was superiority in almost every minute, except in the final period where the rival put us in trouble with the entry of two “towers” and with shipments from the sides.

What I liked the most is how the team overcame the hard blow of the draw, which, by the way, was a very good set-up. The record was set in all extra time and we didn’t deserve to go to penalties. There we had a I drew Martinez immensely covering the first two, which gave the performers a lot of peace of mind.

He comes Croatia Now, a tough rival like any other. He eliminated Brazil from the World Cup and that’s no small thing. I think Argentina will play with a line of 4 defenders in the background with the introduction of Nicolás Tagliafico in the left sector for the suspended Acuña. Lisandro Martínez may appear, but I don’t see him. Then there will be the three natural midfielders: De Paul-Fernández-Mac Allister; Messi will move very freely, as always; with Di María and Álvarez in the lead.

Yes it’s fine, you say maria I understand that he will play in the right sector to play with a changed profile: there he can unbalance the interior with his skilful leg and create problems for his left rival, named Sosa.

Croatia is a very good team that plays in a similar way to Argentina, with a 4-3-3 that many times becomes 4-2-4. They make a classic move that you need to stand out and pay attention to. it does Modric, which starts as inside from the right. On several occasions Luka comes down to play in the position of first central scorer, the defender (Lovren) runs a few meters to the right to free the full-back (Juranovic) and for the winger (Pasalic) to focus on. From that sector he tries to lead and put passes between the lines. Thus, the key player for Argentina will be MacAllisterthe one in charge of pressuring Modric so that he has no freedom.

If Argentina stall high in the rival camp, Enzo Fernández would be free to act as a spare wheel. Attention must also be paid to the Croatian repositioning. We know they’re trying to get deep to the right with that movement from Modric, but they also have a good start with the left side, beyond the fact that it’s not that aggressive. He also plays for that band perisha vertical end and with a goal.

We have a great Messi, that match after match was more and more important. His presence conveys. Against the Netherlands he played the best game so far in the World Cup: he cleaned up the game, was fouled in the last meters and had a sprint to make the difference. I compared the play he made in Nahuel Molina’s goal with the one he made Maradona in Caniggia’s goal against Brazil at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Messi dragged Molina down for the break and put in a pass in a spot where few can put it.

Leo is characterized by his strong leadership, not only haranguing his teammates and people who are in Qatar, but also putting him Pressure to the arbitrators with their claims and their speeches. I notice him free, loose and eager.

Introduced I drew against the Netherlands. Already in the last ball against Australia he felt important for the team and this is positive. Against the Netherlands he didn’t get a chance to shine, other than cutting a couple of centers and putting out a commanding entry. The rivals came twice and scored two goals. This sometimes to archers it mortifies us, because we know that we have to provide solutions in the few that come to us. Luckily for him (we suffered) then the penalties came and he shone. Saving the first two penalties is a double advantage that gives the players confidence. We will certainly continue to count on his presence and with all his skills put to the advantage of the team.

Finally, I will say something about what happened before, during and after the match against the Netherlands: these are hot times; These are things that happen when revolutions are above all else and should stay that way. No one has to think otherwise. I understand that what the Argentinian players did was express a result. We know they set themselves the goal of playing 7 games and they succeeded. Then there was a lot of talk in the preview, from the rival manager and the media, and that sometimes comes into play. Protagonists usually use it to generate extra energy, not so much to make an enemy visible. We Argentines live and suffer football in a special way and when we win we celebrate in a special way.

The search for an enemy, for a rival, sometimes gives strength to the group, pushes it. He tells a personal experience, saving distances. In 2002 with Olimpo we would have played in the First Division. We have put together a good team. A poll was carried out a few days before the start of the season and 99.9 per cent of the participants – fans and journalists – declared that Olympus was a candidate for relegation. We made clippings and pasted them in the dressing room for the players to see every day. The story ended that they saved us by missing 3 or 4 dates. Those things can be used for strengthen the group.