Plan B: The “ Lavezzi Factor” and the shadow of Tévez (Kicker)

It is known that the Argentinean team has the winning card in Brazil 2014: nothing less but Lionel Messi, four times winner of the Golden Balloon FIFA World Player, and considered by majority the player of the world. Even, it is said that they have the best forwarders: Angel Di María, Sergio Agüero and Gonzalo Higuaín complete the offensive pleyade.

Few teams can enjoy this luxury as well as other: counting on the substitute bench with Rodrigo Palacio, goaler of the Inter in Serie A, and Ezequiel Lavezzi, of PSG.

However, the things are not as they seem. Or at least, in the phase of groups of this World Cup, Messi could find a version somewhat tired of Di Maria, Palacio injured in a friendly match previous to the World Cup, Higuaín was still suffering from a back pain, plus a pain in his ankle, and now it is known that Agüero is out of the round of eights finals vs Switzerland in San Pablo next Tuesday and it is possible he will not be able to play again, though in the concentration of “Cidade do Galo” de Belo Horizonte, the doctor,  Daniel Martínez tries to be precautious and comments only that “it is necessary to wait for the evolution”

Namely, it means that so called “four fantastic”, that now are three, actually  there are two at an expected level (Messi and Di María, though the latter arrived very tired from the final matches with the Real Madrid), meanwhile Higuaín was not able to mark up to now goals and Palacio is recently now in conditions to play.

In front of this situation there appears with force, for what rests from the tournament, the “Lavezzi Factor”, a forwarder who was not the first team player this season in the PSG, though he is very dangerous and aggressive and who was the absolute idol in the Napoli before his arrival to the French football.

The big dilemma of this moment of the coach Alejandro Sabella passes to decide what to do in the case of Higuaín if he continues not converting after Switzerland. Although the forwarder of Napoli (whose transference to the Barcelona is flying in the air, as it happened with Herman Crespo when the World Cup 2002 started and the transference disturbed him) insists with the confidence and that also “it is important to play for the team and produce spaces”, maybe that the exit of Aguero that was an impact for the team now will generate a tactical change in the system.

Though one never  knows what Sabella may perform due to what he hides from the press, that does not know of the alignment until minutes before each match, if the logic to be followed now in the World Cup, if vs Bosnia it was played with five defenders because they have already won so at a friendly match seven months ago, they won Switzerland with three goals by Messi in 2012 with four midfielders (two extern and two interior) and two attackers and with high pressure in three quarters of the rival field

This will generate another dilemma, because though the logic is that Higuain continues and enters for instance, Maxi Rodríguez, also Sabella could opt to try his second duple Palacio-Lavezzi, as in the second half with Iran, seems to ask for  track, though if coach alignments continue, the natural substitute of Agüero in this group is Lavezzi, and Palacio of Higuaín.

One of the obstacles that could appear, though Sabella is too prudent and measured, is that Lavezzi, of extrovert character, appeared throwing water against the technician in a deed that in certain way lessened certain authority of the one who conduces a team, and already a certain press is questioning whether the coach commands as he should.

At any rate, it does not seem that Sabella will change his decision due to this extra sportive fact, and it already occurred that many were asking if Messi had not too much interference in the system, and the coach sent him to talk with the press the day after the debut vs Bosnia, when supposedly in the second half, has been done what the star asked: 4-3-3.

The big question is what would happen if Messi is not in the team. If he injures or receives a suspension. The situation seems similar to the facts in the United States in 1994, when it was discovered that Diego Maradona was doping and had to leave the World Cup, and though that team counted with other very good players (Ortega, Balbo, Batistuta, Caniggia), they could never recover spiritually and were quickly eliminated.

Namely, the Argentinean team has players to be able to form another scheme but without Aguero (perhaps with the chance of not coming back in Brazil) and if it were without Messi, it would be complicated and the tendency would be  going toward a definitive 4-4-2, with Maxi Rodriguez and Di Maria in the bands, Gago and Mascherano in the middle Lavezzi and Palacio (or Higuain).

The big problem that Sabella begins to have and that will help  good results only, is if he remains with two forworders less, even only without Agüero and the team could not have advantages in the next two matches there will be pressure from Argentina for Carlos Tévez, who was separated in the whole cycle for reasons that are not related with the game.

In fact, when Sabella was consulted for the chances to call some players between 2011 and the days previous to the World Cup, he always gave some response from the play or system, but with Tevez he always said “the group is closed”, and though he does not add anything more, it is quite eloquent.

Until not long ago, Tevez< was “people`s player” and who most measured for the sponsors among the Argentinean players. Today, this changed as from the recovery of Messi image and meanwhile the Argentinean team continues in the World Cup, the player from Juventus takes part in an golf Open, far away from everything.

At present nobody asks for him but one never knows.