2010 FIFA World Cup: Maradona's Attacking Conundrum

With just over two weeks before the FIFA World Cup kicks off in South Africa, Diego Maradona has perhaps the most difficult task of any manager in the tournament: how to formulate a system that can best incorporate the abundance of attacking talent he has at his disposal.

At the back, Argentina’s lineup is fairly straightforward, with Sergio Romero the unquestioned No. 1 (although he will actually wear No. 12) and Gabriel Heinze, Walter Samuel, and Martin Demichelis assured of starting spots, while Jonas Gutierrez looks a likely choice to man the right back spot at least through the more open group stage.

From the midfield forward is where complications will arise for Maradona. Captain Javier Mascherano will protect the back four, but from there El Diez has a plethora of options to choose from.

Many Argentine pundits and ex-players, including former Independiente legend Ricardo Bochini, have all weighed in stating that Maradona should play with three forwards against the weaker opposition Argentina will face in the first round.

If Maradona does in fact play three up front, that means a midfielder must lose his place. Benfica winger Angel Di Maria has been arguably Argentina’s best player over the past year and is a lock to play down the left flank.

Di Maria, scorer of the winning goal in the Olympic gold medal match in 2008, has built up a good relationship with Gabriel Heinze, and also the ability to score wonder goals, including the one he scored against Canada Monday.

The former Rosario Central man picked up the ball on the left before hitting a left-footed shot from around 20 yards in off the far post, a goal Maradona himself admitted that he would not have been able to score such a goal. The former Napoli star stated he would have gone for the bear post from such an angle when hitting the ball with tres dedos.

A few weeks ago, Juan Sebastian Veron looked to be a lock to start, but Maxi Rodriguez put in a brilliant shift against Canada and is back in consideration.

Rodriguez has a very good scoring record as a midfielder for Argentina (12 goals in 36 games), and who can forget his wonder goal against Mexico at Germany 2006? The Liverpool man also gives Argentina the natural width down the right that would be missing if Veron is handed a starting spot. Maxi also offers a lethal right foot from set pieces, a part of Veron’s game that has deteriorated over the years.

Should Maradona play with just two forwards, Veron would slot in naturally next to Mascherano, but there is now a feeling that Maradona will take a more offensive approach against Nigeria, South Korea, and Greece.

Veron is the perfect player to come in when Argentina has the lead to knock the ball around and keep possession. At his current age of 35, La Brujita tends to play in a much deeper position and does not serve as the proper link between midfield and attack that the young Javier Pastore does.

Should Maradona play the way he did against Canada, with Maxi on the right and Di Maria on the left, it seems logical that Messi would slot into Pastore’s position.

The Palermo man was one of Argentina’s most active players Monday, providing an assist for Kun Aguero’s goal, and constantly looking to get forward and link up with Tevez and Higuain. But Messi’s starting position will obviously never come into doubt, and Pastore, despite all of his talent, seems to be the man sacrificed.

In front of Messi, Maradona has options with Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, and Champions League hero Diego Milito.

Milito recently said, “Pipita and I are compatible. We can play together without problems. We have similar characteristics, but I play a little bit more in the area while he can play out wide on the dribble...We could complement each other.”

The idea of having both Higuain and Milito on the field with Messi is appetizing for Argentine fans. In a current poll on the website of daily sports newspaper Ole, over 60 thousand fans have voted, and 25 percent would like to see that combination, while 21 percent would like to see Tevez and Milito.

Tevez has very different characteristics to both, and is the ultimate hustler. Tevez is always willing to track back in defense or to receive the ball deep. The Manchester City star is also well known for his shot from outside of the area and his memorizing dribbling.

Milito has thrived for Inter playing a lone striker, but when playing for Argentina he has failed to create an understanding with his attacking partner, but there is the perception that if Maradona uses Tevez and Messi slightly behind Milito, the Inter man will have more space to operate in the box.

There is a major drawback to starting Tevez: his awful scoring record for Argentina that includes just nine goals in 54 games, his most recent striker coming against Canada after Higuain set him up for a tap in.

Tevez also has the experience of being a super sub, a task he performed admirably in 2006 and at the Copa America in 2004 and 2007. Tevez’s energy makes him the ultimate weapon to use against tired defenders. 

Higuain is considered more of a classic “No. 9,” or penalty area predator than Tevez, but the Real Madrid star actually began his career as a playmaker when coming through the youth ranks at River Plate and has great speed and vision. 

El Pipita has also impressed Maradona by his ability to finish with both feet with equal confidence from inside or outside the penalty area.

Also fighting for a starting birth, although further behind, is Sergio "El Kun" Aguero. Like Messi and Di Maria, Aguero won the Olympic Gold in 2008, but has failed to display his best for the senior team. 

After a brilliant strike against Canada, Aguero proved that he will certainly be a dangerous option as a substitute, but has a very minimal chance of starting.

Martin Palermo will be the last option off the bench, just as he was when he scored the goal that qualified Argentina for South Africa during a torrential rain storm last October.    

As Milito so perfectly put it, “It is a beautiful problem to have.” It will be made all the more beautiful if Maradona's men can duplicate their club form for the national team. All told, Messi scored 47 goals this season, Milito 30, while Tevez and Higuain each notched 29. Aguero could "only" manage 20.