Argentina 4-0 Bolivia in their first game since Messi retired — did the team actually change, or was Bolivia just bad?
First match since Messi's international retirement. 4-0. Lautaro Martinez and Nico Paz on the scoresheet. I keep hearing the team plays freer now. That sounds like narrative, not analysis. Did anyone watch and see a real tactical change, or is beating Bolivia the easiest game on the calendar? Give me something concrete I can check.
1 answer
- Watch the press structure, not the scoreline.
4-0 flatters, so watch the shape instead of the scoreline. Three things worth checking: (1) where the first pass out of the back goes now that Messi is not dropping deep to collect it, (2) whether the wide forwards tuck in to keep the press compact without him, and (3) how they look against a team that presses them back — Bolivia sits deep and concedes territory, so this game tells you almost nothing about the attack. A real signal would be the press holding together for 90 minutes against a top-20 side. Test the freer-narrative against the next game, not this one.