The World Cup quarter finals have a nasty habit of exposing the pretenders from the contenders, and this evening's clash between Argentina and Switzer...
The World Cup quarter finals have a nasty habit of exposing the pretenders from the contenders, and this evening's clash between Argentina and Switzerland feels like a brutal examination of character for the reigning champions. Lionel Scaloni has resisted the urge to tinker with his eleven, keeping faith with the same side that clawed their way back from the brink against Egypt in the last sixteen. That performance was ragged, desperate, and ultimately heroic, but it also painted a target squarely on their backs. The Swiss will have watched that tape with keen interest, noting the chinks in the Albiceleste armour.There is, of course, the small matter of Lionel Messi taking to the pitch for his 205th international cap. The man is a walking monument, but even monuments can crumble under the weight of expectation. The real question for Scaloni is whether his midfield can provide the necessary shield against a Swiss side that excels at transitional play. Switzerland will likely drop into a compact low block, absorbing pressure and waiting for the killer moment to spring forward. Argentina's full backs will need to be disciplined; a single lapse in concentration could see the Swiss wingers exploiting the space behind a high line.This is squeaky bum time, pure and simple. The winner books a date with England in the semi finals, a tie that would carry its own immense weight of history. But first, someone has to earn it. Argentina have the pedigree, the talisman, and the recent memory of glory. But Switzerland have the tactical discipline and the arrogance of the underdog. They will not be rolled over. They will not be intimidated by the name on the shirt.For the neutrals, this promises a fascinating tactical chess match. Can Messi find pockets of space against a disciplined defensive structure Will Argentina's midfield win the second balls that are so crucial in these tight knockout affairs The answers will unfold under the lights, and the margin for error is so slim it is practically invisible. One mistake, one moment of individual brilliance, and a nation's dream is either sustained or shattered. That is the beautiful, brutal truth of World Cup football.
