River played against Platense in friendly mode and equalized without scoring. As if it were just another game, perhaps without thinking that the train to chase Velez begins to go away and that when the tournament resumes after the break for the double day of South American Qualifiers, will receive the Liniers team, the undisputed leader of the Professional League, at the Monumental.
Between last week’s defeat with Córdoba Workshops and Brian Romero’s goal a few minutes from the end with which Vélez beat Racing on Saturday, may have appeased Marcelo Gallardo’s team, although the coach from the substitute bench showed the usual impetus and played with his best training in Vicente López. However, to River – like to the stadium of the Squidlow light intensity – lacked energy. It was overshadowed. He lacked the football flight that his coach expects.
The team of Doll It did not have the dynamics or rhythm of other meetings. He did everything slowly, with tired steps. And it had a lot to do with the midfield not having good fuel. It is, perhaps, the main problem that Gallardo is dealing with since his return. The midfield, the driving force of the teams, does not regulate well and the team feels it. And if Kranevitter, their best 5 on the squad, can’t last the entire game, it’s a problem. Yesterday, it came out again. He played a little more than 60 minutes.
Gallardo once again implemented a 4-3-3 and that scheme may need to be reviewed from now on. Do you have the right performers to make it work? With Maxi Meza injured, the one who occupied the right wing was Nacho Fernández, while Manu Lanzini stood as an intern in the middle. And on the other side was Facundo Colidio. But both Nacho and the blonde forward were false wingers and played from the outside in.
The idea was that the full-backs exploited the wings, but PLatense controlled the climbs of Bustos and Acuña very wellwho also came out as a precaution at halftime with muscle discomfort. To make matters worse, shortly after the second half began, Pezzella was also injured due to a hit by Mateo Pellegrino. So, Gallardo had to make three of the four changes to his last line, the strength of his team.
River’s disconnection from the party was exposed in some incredible pifies from Kranevitter and González Pirez. The one with the central marker forced Pezzella to commit a foul for which he earned the yellow card.
For Núñez’s team to be applied, there was also a great effort from Platense, which is a running, messing, annoying and uncomfortable team. And their technical duo, made up of Favio Orsi and Sergio Gómez, are specialists in planning this type of matches. Their teams know how to play without the ball. Although, of course, when they have it, it is difficult for them to reach the rival goal. In fact, Jeremías Ledesma, who replaced Franco Armani, practically had no job.
The plan to hinder River on the entire court was well executed by his players. Every time a player with the red band caught her, there were at least two players from Platense. And in some plays they even ran in threes or fours so that Muñeco’s team had no spaces or passing lines to play with. She sought to make him feel uncomfortable and she achieved her goal.
In River, there were attempts by Simón and Lanzini but they could not overcome the barrier of the rival midfielders so that the game flowed and prospered. Colidio’s appearances were intermittent and Borja was left alone, absorbed by the rival central markers.
River had the ball almost the entire game. And Gallardo asked for patience but his team paid too much attention to him and at no time did he accelerate.. It did not have the ordered chaos that the Doll proclaims. He lacked mobility. And despite having 78 percent of the possession, they did not create a single scoring chance. He could not even generate them from the income of Mastantuono and Echeverri, who entered with good energy. You can barely highlight a cross shot by Simón from outside the area and another by Paulo Díaz after a corner, which ended up in the hands of Cozzani.
River drew four of the last 5 away games. And this match against Platense is a wake-up call. The League is already far away and his mind is on the Copa Libertadores.
