Likely 5-3-2 formation for Argentina vs. Colombia, Emiliano Martinez to start

By
Roy Nemer
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46

Argentina play their second World Cup qualifying match of the month when they take on Colombia on Tuesday.

Following the team’s 1-1 draw vs. Chile on Tuesday, the Argentina national team have landed in Barranquilla for their match vs. Colombia. Per several reports in the Argentine media, coach Lionel Scaloni will start with a 5-3-2 formation. Here is the rumored starting XI:

Emiliano Martinez; Montiel, Romero, Otamendi, Martinez Quarta, Acuna; De Paul, Paredes, Lo Celso; Messi, Lautaro Martinez

With Franco Armani not travelling with the team due to COVID, Martinez gets his second cap for Argentina. In addition, Gonzalo Montiel, who missed the match vs. Chile due to a positive PCR test, has tested negative and is in the eleven in place of Foyth.

Nicolas Otamendi did not play vs. Chile due to suspension and is back while Lo Celso, who also missed out, would start in place of Lucas Ocampos.

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46 Comments

  2. I’m starting lose faith in Scaloni, just as I lost faith in Tata Martino. The reason being that since Sabella, Argentina has struggled to play fast coordinated football in the last third. I see Tata being praised a lot here but fact is that he took away the quickness in the final third because he was obsessed with STYLE of play. I’m yet to see a game under Scaloni where we had 5 clear cut chances. That’s my observation of the current state of the Argentina team. At least, Scaloni tries different approaches unlike Tata who never saw the need to change tactics. His substitutions were just a nightmare.

  3. Guys let’s hope that team gives results. Scaloni has been very cautious using three defenders and while putting Tagliafico on the bench(He did that only twice). I believe based on the players that we have it is one of the best decisions. Although I would prefer a 3-4-3 with Nico Gonzalez in front. personally, I think it is a very interesting idea and huge improvement from the coaching staff. For those who expect to see Licha on the left side, I think that it is coming we just have to be patient.

  4. If we have to play with 3 central defenders then why not Lisandro Martinez? He is much better than Lucas martinez quarta. Lmq’s positioning sense are not very good. Also Lisandro is much better passer than LMQ…. LMQ out, Lisandro in.

    • Mate i agree lich martinez is better defender than lmq, however the one who needs to be out there is otamendi Not lmq I don’t get the logic behind want to sacrifice 33 years old defender who is finish to 25 years old who has been decent and please don’t even start saying he has been vs chile no because he played bad but as caution because the yellow card he got end of first half BTW lmq hasn’t had bad game for nt so far .

    • Spot on Reyan!
      Why on earth LMQ get’s ahead of Lisandro Martinez? Lisandro is way better player than LMQ and could even been used as to build up our game from all the way from back oreven moved to DM as i wished personally before even he ain’t the biggest of players Still his quality of play and game vision/understanding is allready at very good level and i’m pretty sure that if he don’t have to go through major injuries in future then he will eventually just get more better as year’s pass a by, but allready i think he has reached that certain level to be regular starter for Albiceleste never mind in which position because i have seen him in Ajax and specially in games where Ajax been trailing with Donny Van Beck Still in the Ajax team before he made his move to Man U one could have imagined that Donny van Beckwouldhave been that crucial player in those desperate Late minutes of game where Ajax was trailing, but that wasn’t the case at all and instead using Donny Van Beck to try create some magic to level the game Ajax used Lisandro and many times than often Lisandro brought the ball very quickly and skillfully from all the way back to oppent’s box or made some beautifull passes and cheated great oppurtunities for his team mate’s to level the game or even tried to do it with all by himself! So for me deffinetly Lisandro is a must starter in Albiceleste team also because he can adapt and play in multiple posessions and has allready developed great understanding of the whole game which is for me the most important thing and usually the smaller players have more better understanding of the game exept of offcourse our own great RIQUELME! Because they lack offcourse naturally some of that physical aspect that taller players have obviously and that’s is why we also have so many examples around the world from smaller players just to mention few like’s Thiago Alcantra, Saido Mane, Mo Salah, Diego Jota from Liverpool and my not a liverpool fan at all instead i have allways supported Spurs since 2-3 year’s old becauseof my old mate and because their history with Argentine player’s like’s Osvaldo Ardiles, Ricardo Villa, Mauricio Taricco, Fazio, Larmela, Gazzaniga, Foyth, Lo Celso not to forget Pochettino as their coach who brought them back point zero to all the way to Champions League Final,but unluckily Liverpool team that had another monster year not to TaKe away anathing from Spurs team at all! And ifwe look back to history of smaller players of Albiceleste, well oh boy what a list that will be…!
      Just to mention few like’s of Messi, Maradona, Kun, Tevez, Dybala, Mascherano, Papu, Lavezzi, Banega, Cambiasso, Angel Correa, Gio Simeone, Saviola, Aimar, Heinze, Biglia, Demichelis, Gago, Maxi Rodriquez, Gallardo, Enzo Perez, Lisandro Lopez, Ortega, Passarelo, Pablo Piatti, Sorin, Claudio Lopez, Maxi Moralez, Burruchaga and so many more so this list just keep on going forever and i do apoligize for all those the great names/players that i did’nt mention on my post! So as i said spot on Reyan and Lisandro for me is a must starter allready, period!

    • height and physicality mate..colombia have zapata and luis muriel up top as well as strong set piece threat with yerry mina we need as much height and strength for this game

  7. Acuna and Lo Celso would make a massive boost in our leftside of attack. Molina would have been perfect for this formation. He is better in attacking than defence. Lisandro would have been better in place of Quarta or even Tagliafico would have been tried.

    Any way good to see the changes. Lets see how they are gonna perform. The coach can only do the layouting its upto the players to implement it as much as they can.

    • Yes, Milk u are totally right or i deffinetly Share your opinnion about LMQ even i don’t have anything against him, but he is not just simply in form now and that has been the case allready for some time so until he discovers his former form i would not to include him in our starting eleven! Lisandro for me is a must and i would not Mind to see Molina again because i’m Still not fully convinced by Montiel and also Tagliafigo is doesn’t just feel the right piece our puzzle and specially on leftback and deffinetly not as wingback where Acuna is much better at least attacking wise so if i would use personally and to be able to coachTagliafigo i will train him back to his old LCB position!

  8. Mollina and Foyth should have been starter that could have given both attacking and defensive stability. Montiel,he is average player at best. Quarta Martinez is a below average defender he should learn defending from C. Romero.Acuna is good addition. Alario over Lautaro Martinez would have been better. Rest is good

    • yeah foyth is 1 of my favorite argentine defensemen. i dont know why they keep takin him out. i dont understand it. He can guard the other teams fastest player, and he can even go up if need be.

  9. It’s really a 3-5-2 because we will have 60% possession.

    I would prefer Molina to montiel but locelso,DePaul, parcedes, acuna and montiel in midfield providing to Messi and Martinez is exciting…
    three center back trio, Colombia better not score!!

  10. This formation is not the best but not the worst. I was hoping to see Molina because of his connection with De Paul and because he is exciting to watch as a wingback but Montiel can play there too and provide crosses. This formation and player selection does put an emphasis on crosses but I think a bigger target man in the middle rather than Lautaro and Messi that will drop deeper may be more useful. I also do not understand the emphasis on Quarta but we have a substitutes bench anyway

    • i think because in back three the only other options would be foyth or pezella to the right of Romero. I don’t think I have seen foyth play CB in a back 3 yet successfully, and pezella is used only in the middle in back 3. I understand the choice. Zapata and Muriel are purer center forward duo than, for example, jesus, firmino, gabigol, richarlison etc combo and you need true CB to keep strikers on the shoulder. I just wish alario was also available off the bench.

  13. During Sabella’s time, the away Colombia game was the turning point. A last gasp goal by Kun Aguero turned the tide, after that we were flying. Let’s hope this is the turning point for Scaloni too.

    Another point. We have to get better on set pieces both defending and attacking. The coaching team should get these right. To play a cohesive, flowing football may take time and experimentation. But set pieces can be practiced well. There is no build up to a set piece. That’s why coaching teams emphasize on them. Having said that Scaloni an co have been around for long. Its about time where we should be good enough to have clean sheets and create 5-6 chances in a game. After that anything can happen in a game, win, lose or draw.

    I watched Brazil vs Ecuador. Brazil was not impressive. But they are getting a 2-0 even when they are playing bad. This is critical. You cannot play great everyday. But one has to win. We have to be in a similar position.

    • Yes, I do get your point that Scaloni&Crew has had allready quite bit of games together and in the beginning and specially in last Copa they deffinetly build up great chemistry and beautiful flow after that Qatar game and then came Varzil first and bloody Gary Medel after that! And for offcourse because of Pandemic there hasn’t been many games with Albiceleste obviously so i really do hope that they will put up proper play against ” Cafeteros” because even i know that the time being together to practice things and build up real chemistry between our players and deffinetly to figure out the right formation and specially pick up the right players against Chileno’s or ” Cafeteros” is just simply not enough but Still i feel even though in the end of it as much i would prefer to do as support our beloved team as much as allways also one has to be a Littellin critical towards his beloved team if they are simply not delivering enough and i did’nt see really any of that against Chile which is the thing that makes me really wortied and i just that my thoughts and worries about our beloved team will be vanished away by a great performance from our team, but i also would not be surprised if things won’t work our away at all because u can’t never under estimate” Cafeteros ” specially on their home soil and with those Numbers of rumoured fans in the stadium even we do have a great past against them and please correct me if i’m wrong about our past against them!

  14. @Insider,
    Lisandro can’t play wingback role. But a left fullback in 4 man defence? yes.

    Possibly Scaloni don’t want to risk Lisandro in a 3 man defence. It is a system, in which Lisandro played only once. Foyth – Mercado – Lisandro started vs Venezuela. We lost the match 3-1. Ofcourse, Lisandro made huge improvement after that and it has been 2 years since that match, but you get my point.

      • Yes, spot on! LMQ’s form is much more risk personally for me to consider so i would even go for Palomino if he is available or Romero-Otamendi-Lisandro or Otamendi-Romero-Lisandro or which of between theese 3 works the best for us, but if Palomino is Romero’s team mate then i would go for him if he is available and offcourse Still use Lisandro as well in 3 man defence even he might have just palyed once in that system Still we can’t just to ignore his talent and vision of the game not to mention his another technical qualites and i do know he is a bit short maybe for some to CB, but so was Puyol in Barca for example!

  15. I just want positive football. Football is in the end entertainment. It is hard to convince myself to wake up early in the morning and see the slow paced aimless attacking play. I hope things changes for better in next match.

  16. Alario will not participate in Copa America due to his injury. He is in contact with river for a potential return to Argentina

  17. I think given Nico Gonzalez is injured and our wing play has been non existent, it is not a bad idea. Both Acuna and Montiel needs to be given total freedom to attack.

    Only issue is Quarta. But given Quarta’s experience (bad!) with 3 man line, I think Scaloni opted for him. All of the 3 defenders has played in back 3 formation this season. So this is a plus point.

    Montiel is good on attack when given freedom. Acuna has good crosses. Messi and De Paul both played in similar system. So it makes sense.

    But making sense in lineup and convert it into field performance are two different things. We have seen it in last match. Hoping for the best.

    • Good info @mafioso
      “But making sense in lineup and convert it into field performance are two different things.”
      Well put.
      I’m a big acuna fan, so I’m happy with his inclusion, but I am wondering why he opted to take out taglafico for him. Was it because of his performance?
      Also one exclusion no one is speaking about is Lamela…. Is he out of form? Or is there no place for him strategically on the NT? I don’t know the reason, nor am I criticising the decision….. im just wondering because I see him as an above average player that many nations would call up.

      • Lamela is good enough for a national team side. He is good enough to be in any national team’s bench. He is skillful and combative. Just watch Copa 2016, he was very good.

    • Otamendi and Lisandro in either side with Romero at the center…🔥🔥 But why Quarta…?
      Molina and Lisandro can be option in WB role..too.

      I would always use Lisandro and Romero in my team. Scaloni should use the talented and inform players always.

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