Sabella wants more from '6/10' Argentina

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Sabella wants more from '6/10' Argentina

GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP

Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella urged his players to raise their game after seeing them labour to overcome Bosnia-Hercegovina 2-1 in their opening World Cup match in Rio de Janeiro.

One of the pre-tournament favourites, Argentina went ahead in the third minute thanks to a Sead Kolasinac own goal, but it took a glorious 65th-minute solo effort from Lionel Messi to give them breathing space.

Even then, an 85th-minute strike by substitute Vedad Ibisevic threatened to give Bosnia a path back into the game and there was relief in the Argentine ranks when the final whistle sounded.

"If we analyse the two halves, I'd give us six out of 10," Sabella told a press conference after Sunday's Group F encounter at the Maracana.

"We have to improve. Part of this improvement is my responsibility."

After seeing his side toil in a 5-3-2 formation in the first half, Sabella reverted to a 4-3-3 system at half-time and sent on Gonzalo Higuain and Fernando Gago.

The changes took Argentina back to the set-up they had used in qualifying and they proved effective, with Messi thriving amid the extra space and scoring following a one-two with Higuain.

"In the first half, we controlled Bosnia well, but we weren't getting in behind. That's what we managed to do in the second half," Sabella said.

"We got in behind more after Higuain and Gago came on and with (Angel) Di Maria dropping deep. We were able to play our game, the one we'd played during the qualifiers.

"We played differently than usual in the first half, but it was my decision. In football, you need a balance between defence and attack.

"We had to give a bit more power to the attack in the second half."

- 'The best whatever happens' -

Messi in particular seemed to appreciate the switch and his goal carried all of his hallmarks -- a sudden burst of acceleration, a neat one-two, a sidestep that flummoxed two defenders, and an unerring low strike.

"Messi is the best player in the world and he doesn't need much, but there's always a context that can aid him a bit more," added Sabella.

"Giving him more passes and then giving him better support makes him stronger."

Messi's strike ended his eight-year wait for a second World Cup goal after he failed to find the net once at the 2010 tournament in South Africa, when Argentina were crushed by Germany in the quarter-finals.

While he has yet to bend a major tournament to his will, Sabella does not believe that he needs to win the World Cup to be considered the world's best player.

"Messi is the best player in the world whatever happens at the World Cup and one of the best players of all time whatever he does at the World Cup," he said.

Making their first World Cup appearance, Bosnia more than held their own against Argentina, recording 11 shots on target to their opponents' five and forcing six corners to the South Americans' two.

"It is a huge satisfaction to take part in a World Cup, to play against a great team and one of the best players in the world, and maybe of all time, to play in Rio at the Maracana," said Bosnia coach Safet Susic.

"I hope Argentina will win the other games, so we can decide among ourselves who deserves the second place between Nigeria, Iran and us."

Susic recently abandoned the 4-4-2 system that saw Bosnia through qualifying, instead fielding Edin Dzeko as a lone striker, and despite Ibisevic's late impact, he said he had no regrets about benching the Stuttgart man.

"We played two friendlies with the same formation (4-2-3-1) and everything worked perfectly," said the former Paris Saint-Germain star.

"Playing with two attackers would've been risky. Maybe the margin would've been greater, but I'll count on Ibisevic for the two matches left."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-16

thw/rcw

[jellydog]

Higuain and Palacio both with bum ankles probably led to Sabella's choice of 5-3-2, but boy was it ugly. 4-3-3 the desired formation and hopefully the 5-3-2 is done and dusted. But, Sabella's default stance is always a conservative approach. Vamos a ver.

Argentina looked super anxious and impatient. I expect some of the butterflies will be gone next match...for Sabella and the players.