Just when you thought you had Lionel Scaloni's selection patterns mapped out, the Argentine manager is preparing to throw a curveball of genuine intri...
Just when you thought you had Lionel Scaloni's selection patterns mapped out, the Argentine manager is preparing to throw a curveball of genuine intrigue. GoalZaza has learned that the Albiceleste are ready to hand a starting berth to an unexpected Serie A operator for this monumental World Cup semi final against England. It is a decision that reeks of tactical audacity and a refusal to bow to the obvious.The identity of the player remains the subject of intense speculation in the press boxes of Doha, but the message from the camp is clear: Scaloni believes that the cutting edge of this semi final can be sharpened by a man who knows the grinding, attritional nature of Italian football. This is not a glamour pick. This is a selection born of cold, hard pragmatism. Facing an England side that can suffocate you with possession or hit you on the break, Argentina need legs that can cover grass and a brain that does not panic when the midfield tightens. The Serie A man offers exactly that.You have to admire the gamble. In a game where reputations can weigh you down, Scaloni is looking at the granular details. Perhaps he sees a weakness in England's defensive transition. Maybe he believes that the physicality of the Premier League can be countered by the tactical discipline of a player honed in Serie A. It is a fascinating subplot to what is already a heavyweight collision. The question is not whether the player is good enough, but whether the occasion will swallow him whole. In a semi final, there is nowhere to hide.For England, this presents a new problem. They have prepared for Di Maria drifting in from the right and Messi pulling the strings from deep. Now they must account for a runner, a disruptor, a man who might just be the key to unlocking that stubborn English low block. Squeaky bum time, indeed. The tactical chess match just got a whole lot more interesting, and Argentina have just tipped over the board.
