Without Messi, Argentina beat El Salvador and Scaloni gives signs of what the national team of the future will be like

Argentina did what Argentina had to do: beat El Salvador 3-0. It was known that he would not be a major rival the Staircasewhich didn’t stretch a little due to the relaxation of the final minutes and a lot due to the saves of the rival goalkeeper.

We will have to start questioning ourselves forcefully If these matches are of any use to the world champion. He is remembered for friendlies like the one played this Friday Lionel Scaloni kicked after the victory against Brazil at the Maracaná, the afternoon in which his continuity was called into question. And nothing has changed, at least if you take into account what happened in Philadelphia: El Salvador was not against the national team.

On the same day that Colombia beat Spain in London and on the eve of Brazil facing England and a few days later Chile faced France, Argentina took to the field to face the 81st team in the FIFA ranking. It is true that in that window they would have played against Nigeria and Ivory Coast in China, in a tour suspended at short notice. But the feeling is that Argentina can aspire to something more.

The image of Scaloni during the match can serve to describe the progress of the match in cold Philadelphia: He spent almost the entire time sitting and smilingly talking to Pablo Aimar, his helper. The normal thing for those born in Pujato is to experience duels at the foot of the touchline and give various instructions to their team.

The matches are more useful than the friendly matches themselves, the technical staff reason behind closed doors. Meet again, train for a week together to refine concepts and they begin to integrate the younger ones such as Garnacho, Barco, Carboni and Buonanotte It’s the essential thing. You get the juice out of it.

There is also evidence on the field, beyond the fragility of the rival. There is always a question to answer that Lionel Messi isn’t there. This time it was Ángel Di María who dressed as Leo to accompany Lautaro Martínez in the attack. And Fideo comes close to scoring a great goal from the right and after a header from Giovani Lo Celso.

Pep Guardiola loves to talk about asymmetrical schemes. And Scaloneta presented a design that was difficult to frame because He played with a line of 4 defenders, but without a left back. Nicolas González’s position was key. Nehuen Perezone of the surprises, he played as a contained right-back: he reached the end only three times and failed on crosses. Cristian Romero and Nicolas Tagliafico They occupied the rear and González occupied the entire left lane. If you analyze the heat map of the Fiorentina player you will realize that he moved more as an attacker than as a defender. It is also true that El Salvador played very late and that all the Argentines were in the rival camp.

In the first part, Head of Cristian Romero -from a corner kick by Di María- and Enzo Fernández -touching the empty net after a good collective play-, scored the Argentine’s goals.

For the complement, Scaloni filmed Alejandro Garnacho, one of those trying to get into the Copa América list. The Manchester United player came on for González and played on the left flank, with Di María running in the opposite sector. The 19-year-old’s youthful entry was good, making a couple of passes and finishing on goal on a couple of occasions.

Valentin Barco made his debut and, like Garnacho, he was participatory. The youth players met a couple of times and understood each other well. Facundo Goodnightinstead, he entered the field in the 19th minute and was a little nervous, only at the end was he able to team up with Di María and Nahuel Molina.

The one who took advantage of it once again was Lo Celso, who was ruled out of Qatar due to injury. The former Rosario Central player was received in the area by Lautaro Martínez and defined with three fingers. A goal that seals his elegant left foot.

The victory was only 3-0 because goalkeeper Mario González saved several times. Only small stain: Lautaro Martínez extends his goalless streak with the Staircase: 16 games, 742 minutes.