Belarus vs. Mexico: How El Tri Should Line Up in International Friendly
Miguel Herrera will try an alternative squad for the Belarus friendly in the hopes of finally making up his mind regarding which players will appear in the Gold Cup and the Copa America teams.
Mexico are coming off an uplifting 3-2 win over the Netherlands, which will definitively boost the team's confidence.
For that game, El Piojo changed his usual 5-3-2 formation, and instead, he used Diego Reyes as a defensive midfielder and Jose Juan Vazquez as an attacking midfielder.
However, it is very possible that he goes back to his usual system when El Tri face Belarus, mainly because the Europeans tend to wait for a good counter-attack opportunity.
Let's find out which footballers will appear in the upcoming match.
Goalkeeper
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Alfredo Talavera will get another chance to start a game with Mexico.
The Toluca goalkeeper made his latest appearance last month against Panama in a scoreless friendly held in Mexico.
Talavera hasn't secured the starting position because Guillermo Ochoa has proven to be in a great moment in his career, especially after the fantastic performance he portrayed at the 2014 World Cup.
This season, Talavera has had six clean sheets in 15 appearances and has conceded 14 goals. His average claim success is 97 percent.
He has fantastic reflexes and knows how and when to come out to claim the ball in style.
Talavera will definitively make either the Copa America or the Gold Cup team.
Defenders
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Paul Aguilar (RB)
He is Herrera's go-to man when it comes to the right flank. The America footballer has been an undisputed starter since El Piojo took over the team.
Although he is a superb addition to the attacking zone, Paul Aguilar has to step up in his defending duties. In the Netherlands friendly, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar constantly overpowered him.
With America, Aguilar has won 57 percent of the duels in which he has been involved and has created 13 goal opportunities.
Hugo Rodriguez (CB)
The Pachuca defender made his debut last week against the Oranje; however, Hugo Rodriguez only played a few minutes.
This time, he must prove he has what it takes to lock down the starting position with El Tri, which won't be easy since the defensive line has been struggling without Rafael Marquez and Hector Moreno.
Rodriguez has superb ball control. This season, he has completed 90 percent of his passes; 84 percent of them have been to the attacking zone.
Julio Dominguez (CB)
The Cruz Azul footballer has appeared with El Tri once this year. In the game against Honduras, he proved to be in shape and ready to become a regular.
Julio Dominguez's ball control and steadiness set him as a good option to lead the defense. In front of Los Catrachos, he recovered eight balls and completed 93 percent of the passes he sent.
His body build is one of his most valuable assets. He has won 60 percent of his Liga MX duels, plus he has made 95 clearances, 30 interceptions and 12 blocks.
Luis Venegas (CB)
This will be Luis Venegas' third start with El Tri, and he better prove his worth.
Although he has performed well with Atlas this season, Venegas still has to make an impact in Mexico's defensive line.
Against Panama, he only recovered two balls and had an 87 percent of pass accuracy.
The centre-back is used to playing in a 4-4-2 formation, which seems to be the reason for his poor performances with El Tri.
Miguel Ponce (LB)
The Toluca left-back has been Herrera's first choice to substitute Miguel Layun since the 2014 World Cup.
Miguel Ponce is fast and unbalancing. He can join the attack in the blink of an eye. He can send over crosses or try his chances from outside the box easily.
This season, he has created 19 goal opportunities, with 67 percent of them coming through the left flank and the rest coming from the centre of the pitch.
He was instrumental for Mexico's U23 squad in 2012, as he helped the team secure the gold medal at the Summer Olympics.
Midfielders
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Jesus Manuel Corona (RM)
Tecatito made his senior debut with Mexico last week, and he did it in style.
The Twente footballer assisted Carlos Vela in El Tri's second goal, after leaving the rivals behind and sending a powerful pass to the box.
Jesus Corona has scored twice this season, one in his club's victory over Go Ahead Eagles and the other in a one-goal draw to Ajax.
His speed and unbalancing moves will be key to provide depth.
Jonathan dos Santos (CM)
This will be the first time since 2012 that the younger of the Dos Santos brothers makes an appearance with the national team.
Although he has always proven to be a very technical player, Jonathan didn't get much playing time with Barcelona, which hurt his chances of coming back to El Tri.
However, his arrival at Villarreal has set him as a strong midfielder, who can create a great link with the attacking line and help the defense when in distress.
He has 52 percent pass accuracy in eight La Liga appearances this season.
Arturo Gonzalez (LM)
Ponchito has had quite the season with Atlas. He has put the ball away four times in 16 appearances, which sets him as the best scorer on the team during the 2014 Apertura.
Arturo Gonzalez is lethal through the left flank, from where he cuts into the box. With his club, he has created 28 goal opportunities—85 percent of those from the left and the centre of the pitch.
Ponchito will make his first start with Mexico against Belarus, which will be the perfect shot to make an impression.
Forwards
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Raul Jimenez
Although he hasn't had a lot of playing time with Atletico Madrid, Raul Jimenez has Herrera's confidence.
He has proven to be a lethal forward, who can finish plays with both feet but, most importantly, with his head.
Jimenez will have to prove his worth because Vela's return showed how many attacking options are available to the team.
Giovani dos Santos
His creativity will be instrumental in opening up Belarus' defensive line.
Giovani dos Santos is going through a good moment with his club. He has appeared eight times this season and has created seven goal opportunities, including one assist.
His dribbling skills, speed and elusiveness have set him as the kind of player El Tri has lacked for many years. His rhythm is usually different than that of the team, which many times turns out to be the changing factor in a game.
Subs
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Here is the rest of Herrera's 22-man list.
Goalkeeper: Guillermo Ochoa
Defenders: Diego Reyes, Adrian Aldrete, Oswaldo Alanis and Miguel Angel Herrera.
Midfielders: Andres Guardado, Hector Herrera and Jose Juan Vazquez.
Forwards: Javier Hernandez and Carlos Vela.
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