Maxi Araujo and his influence in Puebla’s bright start in 2022
Some lines on the LarcaBoys
Times are different in Puebla. The LarcaBoys continue to get surprising results. They’re no longer a team scrambling to pick up results in order to avoid the bottom of the table. Puebla has become Nicolás Larcamón’s laboratory, and what’s best of all is that his moves on the field always find ways to foster and improve the players he has available. One of the big winners in Larcamón’s laboratory has been 21-year-old Maxi Araujo.
Picking up four of six possible points against Club América and Tigres is an almost perfect way to start the season, especially considering that Federico Mancuello, one of the club’s notable signings this offseason, has yet to play. But we’ll get back to where and what he could provide to los Camoteros a little later.
Of Puebla’s three goals scored this season, Araujo has been directly involved in two. Against América he scored off a left-footed shot, and he almost repeated that same goal in Monterrey, but this time his shot hit the post, which then bounced off Carlos Salcedo to give Puebla an early 0-1 lead.
Both goals showed his ability to find himself in the box with space and with no marker to block his shot. Araujo has been Larcamón’s surprise factor in the attack, but he also embodies the team’s philosophy.
“This team isn’t just one name, it’s made up by the totality of its squad”, said Larcamón after Saturday’s win.
When observing Araujo’s heat maps from this season’s first matches, you can see how he moves depending on the team’s needs.
In the match against América, Puebla played most of the match with one extra man, and to be honest, América looked stronger with one man down. Puebla really had a hard time stringing up scoring opportunities in the second half. Araujo’s heat map suggests that he played most of the game tied to the left flank, with more responsibilities as a left-winger because Puebla had that extra man.
Against Tigres, his heat map shows that he stepped on more diverse areas. He wasn’t so tied to the left, suggesting that he was a wildcard player. Wherever Puebla needed marking support, it was Araujo who supported. This aspect of Puebla’s game is what makes Larcamón’s side so unique in the league.
Seeing players like George Corral moving from a full-back role to the center of the midfield, or slotting Diego de Buen as a center-back in a backline of three are moves that we didn’t see coming three or four years ago, but that’s the type of moves Larcamón has been able to pull off with the squad he has available.
Without a doubt, the inclusion of Mancuello will enable Araujo to be more dangerous in the final third. I expect Araujo to score more goals, but I think what will turn him into a more dominant force is how he develops his passing game. How can he become more clinical in finding the opening man? Will Larcamón find a reliable no. 9 option capable of holding up the ball, while also being a menacing presence up top?
These questions are still up in the air, but what we do know is that Araujo will be a player to keep an eye on throughout the season.