How Lionel Messi and Javier Pastore Bamboozled Sorry Paraguay

As statements of intent go, Argentina's pitiless 6-1 demolition of Paraguay to reach the Copa America was emphatic in its brilliance. For the first time in the tournament all the Albiceleste's attacking stars aligned, and the result was a display that has recent parallels only in Germany's famous Brazil World Cup destruction.

Key to the result were two men operating in the middle of the field: Lionel Messi and Javier Pastore. 

The effectiveness of Argentina's team in the final third during the Copa as developed at the same time as this pair's on-field relationship. It is unsurprising that to start, the Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain men looked a little disjointed together. One could count almost on one hand the number of times Pastore and La Pulga had started together in a senior national side. 

The result early on was frustrating. Many times the pair took up the same positions, as Messi dropped deep to take on a playmaker role as it customary with the Albiceleste only to bump into his new companion. As the games went on, the duo began to work out the kinks, and despite firing a blank against Colombia there were signs that things were coming together for coach Gerardo Martino and his charges. 

To take down Paraguay, however, Messi, Pastore and Argentina in general put in a display which had the world of football sitting up to pay close attention. Having given the nation such a tough time in the group phase the Guarani were given a lesson in how to play, despite showing the same commitment and aggression which earned a 2-2 tie in the tournament opener. 

Argentina had predicted, correctly, that their opponents would attempt to prevail using two key areas of the game. First, by harrying and pressuring incessantly in the Albiceleste half, attempting to force errors and most importantly, strangle the supply of possession further up the field. In the first half at least this was partially successful: Lucas Barrios' goal came from a rushed clearance owing to the Guarani tenacity. 

The second part of the plan was to suffocate Messi with two or three markers at all times. If the Barcelona wizard could not play, neither could Argentina. It was a sound idea, but Martino was alive to the danger and in a tactical masterstroke subtly allowed La Pulga and Pastore to switch positions. The setup was reminiscent of a younger Pulga and Juan Roman Riquelme back in 2007; the withdrawn playmaker soaking up the pressure and playing off to his companion at just the right moment. 

Throughout the first 45 minutes the No. 10 dropped back into the pocket, while his team-mate took up almost a centre-forward position and Angel Di Maria and Sergio Aguero maintained width. As the defence rushed out to close down Messi, Pastore ghosted into the space and received more often than not as a clear attacking option. The video of the second Argentina goal shows exactly how Messi's vision and El Flaco's spacial awareness effortlessly carved the defence open. 

Pastore in truth could have finished the first-half with a hat-trick, having missed two golden opportunities. But the partnership was working better than anyone could have hoped, and the Guarani seemed unable to stop both the captain and his deputy running riot down the centre.

Down just 2-1 in the second half, Paraguay nevertheless had to make changes to stem this flood. Unfortunately that decision to give Argentina's captain more space turned out to be disastrous. 

Messi was the Albiceleste King Midas after the break. Everything the little genius touched turned to gold, and he assisted or was directly involved in three of the four goals which rained down in 45 minutes. His dribbling, passing and awareness were simply out of this world, but the star was able to operate with more freedom precisely because Paraguay were forced to guard Pastore with close attention. 

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VINE: Di Maria then gets his second of the game with the goal gaping. Brilliant work by Messi also. #mufc http://t.co/FiVBCbzRHc

— Red Devils Home. (@RedDevilsHome) July 1, 2015"

The only thing missing from the skipper's perfect display was a goal. He went perilously close with an excellent give-and-go to wriggle into the box, but Justo Villar was equal to his effort. Despite just one strike in the Copa so far, Messi is unworried. "I am not too worried that I did not score any goals. We played a complete game," Messi told reporters after the match, per Goal. 

"We did what we were doing in the previous matches. We follow the same idea."

That idea was spot on in Concepcion. Driven by Messi and Pastore's clever switch, Argentina's offensive power was just too much for the Guarani. If they can hit the same heights in the final, even hosts Chile might find the Albiceleste duo too hot to handle.