River: how Martín Demichelis plans to replace the void left by Nicolás De la Cruz in midfield

Nicolás De La Cruz has already left River. He posed with the shirt of Flamengo, his new club, and left a void in Núñez. The Uruguayan was a fundamental player for the functioning of Martín Demichelis’ team, who now has the challenge of replacing him. It won’t be easy, of course. That is why the search for the coach will not only focus on a nominal question, but also on a systemic question.

De La Cruz gave Demichelis several alternatives. The Uruguayan could play in a five, four or three midfield. He could do it internally, later or externally. Also, he doubles five. His versatility and predisposition to both recovery and creation have marked him as one of the – or perhaps the most – decisive players on the team.

So, his departure for Brazilian football leaves a problem to solve. And Micho has already given some signals on how he intends to deal with the situation. In principle, with a modification of the scheme. In the last two games against Rosario Central these signs had already been seen. The coach stopped a classic 4-3-1-2. And another of the tactical systems they will try to use is the 4-3-3.

This will ensure that the game is not so centralized. Let there be variations of movements. In the 4-3-1-2, by having a hook (Claudio Echeverri or Pity Martínez would have this function) behind the attackers, a diamond can be created and in that case the width on the outside will be given by Esequiel Barco and one of the tips . In case you play with three attackers the task will be the wingers. In turn, the parties will contribute their contribution.

Meanwhile, in order not to be discovered in the moment of the setback, the return of the attacking men and also the internal coverage will be fundamental. De La Cruz appeared there, since against Central he played inside, close to Enzo Pérez, even if he freed himself to reach the rival’s area.

For the place occupied by the Uruguayan, Demichelis thinks of two alternatives. One of them is Rodrigo Aliendro, more defensive in nature, although he is also an all-rounder who can bend to transition from one area to another. And the other is Manu Lanzini, more positional, with better ball management and external punch. Although he will have to prepare in the preseason since it has cost him a lot physically this semester upon his return to the club and his football has been seen in dribs and drabs.

The other option is for them to play together, with Aliendro as the central midfielder and Manu as the right wing midfielder. For the “5” spot left vacant by Enzo Pérez, the former Colón will compete with Matías Kranevitter and Nicolás Fonseca, who will arrive from Uruguay’s Wanderers.

The midfielders, who lately performed the dual function of defense and attack, were difficult to replace at River. It happened to Marcelo Gallardo with Exequiel Palacios. El Muñeco tried to replace him with the 3-5-2 (or 5-3-2, depending on the circumstances) but it cost him dearly. Only when Enzo Fernández appeared was he able to partially forget Palacios. But he only had the current Chelsea player in England for a year.

With the arrival of Demichelis, the five-man midfield emerged, in which De La Cruz was a fundamental piece. For his understanding of the game, for his dynamics and quality, for his performance, for his shots from outside the box and because he ran until the last minute, leaving his lungs in every ball.

It is no coincidence that Marcelo Bielsa took him into consideration in the Uruguayan national team and promoted him, to the point of making him one of the figures of the Celeste in the last matches of the South American Qualifiers.

But the Uruguayan has already left River in exchange for 16 million dollars (half corresponds to Núñez’s institute; the other is from Uruguay’s Liverpool, the club where he trained) for Flamengo and once again it will be necessary rebuild half of the field.