By: COLIN REESE
Argentina’s current squad is even stronger than Argentina’s outstanding 2014 World Cup squad. Carlos Tevez was a criminal snub from Argentina’s World Cup squad, and Javier Pastore would have helped to maximize Lionel Messi’s ability to score more goals by making him less responsible for creating goals and more focused on scoring goals.
Pastore has proven to be a magician of a passer, dribbler, and goal-scorer, and like Kaká described Zidane, Pastore appears to glide around the field.
His speed and quickness are very underrated, and he’s developed a reputation as a nutmeg master than appears to average at least one per game.
Pastore has bolstered his work rate and defending, and Pastore can be seen all over the field stamping his influence on the game and controlling the passing tempo and speed of play. Paris Saint-Germain has played their most beautiful and effective soccer when Pastore has played. Pastore deserves to be a starting lock for Argetnina.
Along with Pastore, Roberto Pereyra is a welcomed and key piece to the Argentinean National Team. The Juventus midfielder first appeared like a quality central midfield option for Juventus, but now Pereyra has demonstrated that he’s a creative and explosive player with lots to offer in the attack. Pereyra can also play any position in the midfield very well.
A central midfield duo of Javier Mascherano and Roberto Pereyra is an upgrade for Argentina, and with Pastore ideally lining up in front of them, Argentina’s midfield is even better than the 2014 World Cup addition.
While Gonzalo Higuaín is more of a Number 9 than Carlos Tevez, Tevez is an excellent Number 9, and using him as the striker is no different than Chile using Alexis Sánchez as their striker. Tevez gets behind defenses. He holds up play. He drops back to collect the ball and create, and he scores lots and lots of goals.
Below is World Soccer Source’s opinion of the Best Argentina XI for the 2015 Copa America in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
Goalkeeper: Sergio ROMERO
Right Back: Pablo ZABALETA
Center Back: Nicolás OTAMENDI
Center Back: Ezequiel GARAY
Left Back: Marcos ROJO
Defensive Midfielder: Javier MASCHERANO
Central Midfielder: Roberto PEREYRA
Right Wing: Lionel MESSI
Attacking Midfielder: Javier PASTORE
Left Wing: Ángel DI MARÍA
Striker: Carlos TEVEZ
Argentina XI: Romero; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Garay, Rojo; Mascherano, Pereyra; Messi, Pastore, Di María; Tevez.