Netherlands vs. Mexico: Herrera's Diamond Suffocates Blind, Prevents Build Up
Mexico pulled off an impressive 3-2 victory against the Netherlands on Wednesday evening, exacting revenge for their World Cup round-of-16 loss.
Carlos Vela's return for El Tri was the big story, but tactically Miguel Herrera aced this one and Guus Hiddink struggled to fight back throughout. Let's take a look.
Formations and XIs
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The Netherlands played a very basic 4-3-3, with Wesley Sneijder in central midfield and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar—finally—taking Robin van Persie's place up front.
Mexico played a fluid formation that was difficult to track, but at its most identifiable point it looked like a 4-4-2 midfield diamond. It was not, at any point, his trademark 3-5-2.
Suffocating Daley Blind
The first 30 minutes were absolutely disastrous for the Dutch, as Mexico pressed and harried Blind deep on the ball to prevent them building play.
Juan Vazquez, playing loosely out of the No. 10 role, made a name for himself as a dominant defensive midfielder at the World Cup, and Miguel Herrera put him to work higher up the pitch this time. The energy of Carlos Vela and Javier Hernandez helped.
For a long time, the Dutch failed to pass out. Tim Krul messed up his goal kicks due to the green sea in midfield, and Hector Herrera, always pushing high on the right, stopped Jetro Willems from receiving the ball and galloping forward.
El Tri went 1-0 up early and looked to be in almost complete control.
In Focus: Mexico Diamond
It was truly odd to see a Herrera team not using a 3-5-2, and it must be said the diamond—at times—looked quite a lot like it.
Diego Reyes (anchor) would drop between the centre-backs in possession at times, but he would also buccaneer forward to identify himself as a midfielder, not a defender. The outside central midfielders (Herrera and Andres Guardado) are perfectly suited to hardworking, shuttling roles in the channels. It's your Angel Di Maria-esque position.
Moving forward, El Tri would always "find" width in one of two ways. First, the outside CMs would split so far they'd become wingers (essentially making the formation a flat 4-4-2) and look to create for an inside pass to Reyes/Vazquez or over the top to the strikers. Guardado, naturally a left-sider, was great at this and saw more of the ball in these areas than Herrera.
Second, the strikers split wide and encouraged Guardado and Herrera to push on inside and work the centre-backs. However they chopped it up, it all looked fairly similar in terms of zones covered and number of attackers pushed forward.
For the majority of the first half and parts of the second, they pressed very well and stopped the Dutch from playing.
The Press Softens
Just after 30 minutes, Mexico's pressing died off a little. They weren't able to press as ferociously any longer, and Blind began finding one or two more seconds on the ball.
It's all he and the Dutch needed to begin sparking the attacks, and his cutting vertical passes began setting up attacks within five seconds of the ball leaving his foot.
The Dutch went direct, but on the floor; the ball was moved between the lines quickly, hoping to catch Mexico's midfield four (and in particular a very aggressive, adventurous holder in Diego Reyes) in no man's land.
Arjen Robben, Memphis Depay and Huntelaar were all suddenly in the game. The Dutch's new-found ability to move the ball to within range of Guillermo Ochoa's goal was rewarded with a sumptuous Sneijder strike.
Closing Stages
Vela and Hernandez perked up again later, harried the defensive line and caused confusion. They picked up a goal each, taking Mexico's tally to three, and confused Stefan de Vrij so badly the defender managed to play the latter onside by about 10 yards for the last goal.
Mexico fell into a very flat 4-4-2, placing Jesus Corona on the right wing and moving Guardado into a true wide role on the left. A host of substitutes followed, but the intention was clear: Sit off in the final 15 and protect the victory.
The Dutch missed some very good chances—Huntelaar and Quincy Promes chief among the culprits—and El Tri made some very good blocks. Mexico edged it 3-2 and claimed victory, going close via Raul Jimenez at the end after a great Corona cross.
El Tri look balanced, energetic, exciting and disciplined? The Dutch, on the other hand...
