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Started a new thread because this is not specific to the recent international against Colombia. Having watched the 2nd half of the Argentina-Colombia match, after seeing the 1st half of Uruguay-Brazil, it struck me how much quicker the game is being played in South America. The European influence of many of the players is starting to filter through to the domestic players it seems. My point concerns Argentina. We know on their day they are a joy to watch (witness the 24-pass Cambiasso goal in 2006) but the reason I think they have struggled to win trophies in the last 20 years is due to their emphasis on building teams around a single player, and not playing to all the strengths. This stems from the 80s when they were heavily reliant on Maradona. Now having a player of that class, anyone would make him the focal point. The problem comes when he retires. Who do you turn to? In the late 90s they had Ortega, a box of tricks with an attitude problem who lacked the consistency and maturity to carry the role (as an aside, Hatem Ben Arfa reminds me a lot of him). At the start of this decade, they turned to Veron, and for a while he looked the part. Then he joined a club where he wouldn’t be the focal point, for a record fee, and his game was so affected it resulted in him being totally neutered in 2002, therefore Argentina went home early. Argentina then changed approach slightly in the middle of the decade by focussing on Riquelme, who played slightly further up the pitch. Undoubtedly a talented player, he, more than anyone, required the team to be built solely to suit his game. Again his temperament meant he didn’t really settle in Europe, save for a year at Villarreal. At the 2006 World Cup, Argentina started brightly and looked to be favourites, but Riquelme was neutered by the Germans and Argentina had no plan B. In the end they gambled on beating the Germans on penalties! As you do! The worst example of over-dependence on Riquelme was the 2007 Copa America final against Brazil. Again, Argentina breezed into the final, had virtually all the possession, yet lost 3-0 to Brazilian counter-attacks. Argentina won free kick after free kick in the Brazilian half, and as with the corners won, Riquelme insisted on taking all the set pieces. Each time he just chipped it into the box, hoping one of his sub-6ft attackers could outjump a 6ft-plus Brazilian defender. Argentina didn’t try anything different, thus losing out on a trophy they should by rights have won. Since Maradona’s been in charge, he’s decided to build around Mascherano instead, to alleviate pressure on a single attacker to do everything. Riquelme fell out with him because of this, so Maradona turned to Veron again to control the game’s tempo. The problem is the game has gotten so much faster that Veron’s one-paced game is leaving Argentina exposed. The other midfield options, Gago and Banega, lack both experience and maturity. Gago is heir apparent to Redondo, yet looks too flustered and lacks Redondo’s assurance. He young and may yet develop into another Redondo. The most assured midfielder at the moment is Cambiasso, yet he seems to be out of favour. Argentina are struggling because they DON’T need Veron in there. They would be much better off using a midfielder like Cambiasso (or even Zanetti) to just keep things ticking along and keep the midfield in shape. This would allow Mascherano the opportunity to play his pressing game without exposing the defence too often. Ah yes, the defence. All of their options in defence need a partner that can calmly organise when to press and when to hold. Think about it. They have Demichelis, Diaz, Burdisso or Heinze as regulars, with Coloccini also available (also, remember what Palletta was like at Liverpool, even though he was young at the time). All have a certain rashness about their play, which allows the opposition to get at them, knowing they are liable to panic. Heinze on this very forum has been described as a “car crash defender” and seems never to be far from causing injury to himself or others. They are still looking for the next Roberto Ayala or Nestor Sensini. Argentina as a whole make it too obvious when they don’t like how things are going on the pitch. They seek retribution too visibly. It shames me to say it, but they would be a lot better if they could reintroduce that cynical, behind-the-refs-back gamesmanship defensively. You know, the sort of thing they were once hated for. They have the attacking options to balance it out. More than that, it might allow them to start dictating games again. Maybe, it might win them a World Cup.