The start of the new season proves it Mouth as in a continuity of what was the closure of 2022 which has seen him champion of Argentine football twice but showing a lack of associated play, speed and certainties from midfield. However, that team that ended up staying with the Professional league on Racing showed an advantage: its effectiveness. They also won 9 games 1-0 in that incredible stretch to the Olympic second leg. But this beginning of the year doesn’t find it like this.

In the 5 games played (two were friendlies) he scored just 2 goals. And none of the offensive bits of him. They were Roncaglia in the match against Racing in Abu Dhabi and Óscar Romero against Atlético Tucumán. The rest? No contributions. Not even the tip of the turn (Nicholas Orsini) nor Benedetto’s original replacement (Luis Vázquez) but not even his wings, fast and decisive in 2022 but with gunpowder wet in this beginning: Villa, Langoni, Zeballos and Briasco played. Nobody scored.

Is it a supply problem? It is, of course. Because Boca generates few opportunities for his advice, but also a lack of individual resolution in the final meters. if even Michael Merentielwho arrived, trained once and jumped onto the Bombonera playing field, barely touched a couple of balls in the time he was in front Central Cordoba of Santiago del Estero.

The last goal by a striker was by Norberto Briasco, against Racing, in the Champions Trophy final in San Luis. The previous one was from Sebastián Villa (in the last round against Independiente) from a free kick, in addition to Luca Langoni’s goal contribution in the final stretch. And when was the last goal scored by a Boca centre-forward? On October 9, with a conquest by Darío Benedetto against Aldosivi. It’s already been 11 games.

The absence of Darius Benedict (He still has three penalty dates left following his dismissal against Racing in the Champions Trophy) he’s not an easy replacement, despite the striker not having even as effective a 2022. And Merentiel’s arrival speaks of a match that tries to lift the weight in the area that Nicholas Orsini for now it does not contribute and what Luis Vazquez (recovering from a tear) did not toast for physical deficiencies. and the boy Gonzalo Morales? Today he lost ground, but the idea of ​​the technical staff is to alternate him with the Reserve so as not to lose any minutes in the match.

“We are looking for Merentiel to move as a double 9 next to Nicolás (Orsini) because the rival had approached from behind,” Ibarra said in relation to his idea against Central Córdoba. Will he repeat it but from the start against Talleres? With Villa as the immovable starting piece, that idea seems to need another kind of work. In a team with so many wingers there seems to be only one place for the centre-forward.