QArgentina coach Lionel Scaloni is fielding the team knowing that they will have to face Poland on the field, who are playing hard. The coach had a precise game plan against the Polish team who did not concede a goal in the first two games. The team executed beautifully with a 2-0 win. Scaloni devised and implemented three strategies against Poland. The team played in a 4-3-3 formation. Poland, on the other hand, deployed in a 4-4-2 formation but left only striker Robert Lewandowski in the opposite half and handed the rest of the defense.
Attack in a semicircle
The basis of Argentina’s game plan was to break down Poland’s defensive wall through continuous attacks. But the strategy adopted in determining the playing fields of the players was successful. Nicolas Otamendi and Christian Romero were put in charge of the defense and Nahuel Molina and Marcus Acuna were assigned to play. After giving Enzo Fernandez the role of anchor in midfield, Rodrigo De Paul was moved forward and played slightly on the right. Another midfielder, McAllister, is assigned to cover the left-wing position, and left winger Julian Alvarez is instructed to play just in front of McAllister. Messi plays in a false nine role and plays right winger Angel Di Maria in just in front of the box.
Scaloni forms an attacking formation in a semi-circle in front of the Poland box and carries out successive attacks. The simple strategy behind this is to wait for the mistakes made by the opponent during continuous attacks and take advantage of it.
Arrival of Alvarez
Scaloni changed tactics by withdrawing Maria in the 59th minute after the first goal. Messi is moved to the right wing and Julian Alvarez is moved into the central striker role. McAllister was brought to the left wing. Leandro Parades was dropped in midfield. Julian Alvarez’s goal was the result of this change.
Midfield play
Scaloni makes another change in the 79th minute. Formation changes to 3-4-3. It was a move to keep the game confined to the Poland half. Part of this is deploying Tagliafico and Molina in midfield and bringing Messi into the center of attack. Poland’s long ball game focused on Lewandowski and Argentina used multiple defenders to nip at the bamboo.
Argentina had 23 shots in the match. 12 of these were on target. 868 passes came from the team.