When you fly into Mexico City, the spaces are limited. There’s a different kind of building in every corner. Small. Tall. Colorful. Old. New. Wide. The space is limited, yet the variations appearing from atop are what makes the landing unique. Even the smog makes its presence felt, you don’t know what you’ll find once you’re on the ground. The same can be said about El Tri’s senior side every time it starts a new proceso with a new manager. There’s a lot to see, but very little on what to expect. The hirings of Juan Carlos Osorio and Gerardo “Tata” Martino are similar in the idea that they’re two managers, whose successes happened somewhere else, and their comprehension of what goes on in the Mexican game day in, day out is rather basic. It’s true that Osorio had that prior experience with Puebla, but it left very little because it involved a sudden arrival and departure. From both there was an understanding of the obvious. Obvious as spotting el zócalo from the sky.
With both friendlies all set and the done, here a series of observations from this month. And I’ll start with El Tri’s U-20s, which will try to match what the last U-20s were able to achieve in South Korea by reaching the quarterfinals and falling to the eventual champions: England.
Two defeats, seven goals conceded, reasons to feel unsure ahead of the World Cup
Only Diego Ramírez knows how productive this European Tour turned out to be. Looking at it from the call-up perspective, it must have been a revealing experience because now come the months when he will make cuts. After all, the list will be small, considering that only 21 names will appear in the final roster, and three of those names must be goalkeepers.
Netherlands 3-2 México
Czech Republic 4-0 México
These were the final results from this mini gira, in which only Efraín Orona, Jonathan González, Francisco Figueroa and José Juan Macías started both games. Macías and Orona are the only two of the four mentioned that participated in last year’s U-20 CONCACAF Championship. Heading into the World Cup in Poland, there’s still no complete certainty on how strong the team’s style is because if we look at the XI El Tri used against the Netherlands, the shape does look like a 4-4-2, as reported by Marca Claro’s Daniel Reyes.
The question up in the air is how effective has the team performed under Ramírez? And the answer is not so optimistic, especially when you look at several results in the CONCACAF Championship: 2-2 vs. Jamaica, 2-2 vs. Panama and 2-0 loss vs. USMNT.
In that tournament held in Florida, Diego Lainez took part in it, but when El Tri played against opponents with a good idea of how to combat El Tri’s strengths, Ramírez’s side had a hard time getting the result. The defensive solidness was not present in the CONCACAF Championship, and there are still doubts after this European tour. There’s a good chance that the backline used in the game against the Netherlands will look similar to the one that will start the World Cup.
The addition of ‘Jona’ into the U-20 picture could potentially increment El Tri’s possession advantage, but he’ll need more practices with his new teammates to understand the team’s attitude. The possible inclusion of Lainez in the World Cup roster will give Jona another option to give more consistency to the offense.
If Joao Maleck makes the final list…
The outlook of the team could possibly change, and it will increase the competition in the striker position, which already includes two in-form options like Macías, who has six goals in the 2019 Clausura, and Roberto de la Rosa, who has 12 goals in 11 starts with Pachuca’s U-20s this season. Also, De la Rosa scored México’s only goals during this tour.
What Maleck could provide is to have an attacking option that wouldn’t mind starting his plays from one of the flanks, and that would open the possibility of having Macías as the team’s lone striker. With or without Maleck, though, El Tri is in a tough group that includes Japan, Ecuador and Italy. The complications of this group are similar to the one in 2015, which included Uruguay, Mali and Serbia. That U-20 team, with Chucky, Guti and Orbelin, didn’t even make it out of the group stage.
Two wins, a variation of good individual performances, eye-catching 4-3-3, is it because of Tata?
There’s a synergy present in the national team, that’s direct reflection of the people in charge, of Tata Martino and his coaching staff. To see the coaching staff come together and embrace after a México goal is a direct message to the players on the field: we’re all in this together. Times will be difficult and sweet, but the togetherness Martino awaits to build is going to be fundamental in all the type of successes this national team hopes to achieve.
The root for the eye-catching 4-3-3 displays is how Tata enabled his players to enjoy their game. By doing so, the intention of play flourished with many players offering some of their best displays with El Tri. Rodolfo Pizarro. Edson Álvarez. Charly Rodríguez. Guti. Jonathan dos Santos. Since the midfielders offered so much in the creation of plays, Chucky, Chicharito and Raúl were able to receive passes in areas of the field where they created a lot of danger.
Notice the amount of midfielders that stood out. In order for the 4-3-3 to evolve and become a signature shape for El Tri, improvements will be needed in defense, specifically in the full-back positions, but what Martino has planted in the last few days is something to look forward to. He has too much sabiduría and that’s something to highlight, time and time again.
What to make of Diego Lainez’s minutes with the senior side
A way to explain Lainez’s first half performance against Paraguay: estuvo muy acelerado. He moved quicker than the ball. He saw the play before he had control of la redonda. He transmitted too much enthusiasm when the play required calmness. He was playing alongside Chicharito, one of México’s most admired footballers of our times. A lot what was going on, yet we still saw what he can do whenever he creates free space in front of him. The only way to stop him is by fouling as he approaches the box. Martino started Lainez on the right flank, which is a place where he has shown his best football with Betis. He’s in an ongoing process, and I do think that a new phase will begin after this call-up because he’s had a chance to talk one-on-one with Tata for the first time. He knows what’s ahead at both club and national team, and that’s good for him because it helps him take one challenge at a time and not feel the rush to shatter down objectives as soon as possible. He has to take them in, as was the case when he won the league with América last December. Betis’ next few weeks will be demanding, and what Lainez should think a lot about now is that in that 1-4 defeat to Barça, he was one of los béticos’ best performers. That’s a lot, he’s only 18.
Edson and the process of inheriting the no. 4
It’s a daunting task, but only made for those who aren’t scared of the monumental challenge ahead of them. So much happened this week to Edson: one day Martino confirms that he’s ready to take on the challenge of playing in Europe, and the other, he becomes the only player to start back-to-back friendlies in this new Tata era. Shirt numbers in fechas FIFA tend to be irrelevant; they should be taken lightly. But it says a lot about Edson that he has inherited Rafa Márquez’s no. 4 and started both friendlies. Martino has done his part, transmitting to Edson all his trust and belief in his abilities. Now it’s Edson’s turn to continue proving his importance week in, week out with América. If Nicólas Tagliafico arrived to Ajax when he was 25, why can’t Álvarez arrive at 21? Arriving to Ajax would make Álvarez into a complete central defensive midfielder. There, he’ll solidify many skills needed to be elite in that position: from positioning to passing.
The reunion of Pachuca’s Three Musketeers
Back in 2016, I wrote a piece on Pizarro, Chucky and Guti. As many had already done in México, I decided to call this attacking trio - Three Musketeers. It’s been a long time coming, but in March 2019, El Tri’s Three Musketeers have made their presence felt. Chucky scored a goal against Chile, Pizarro provided a lot flashes of brilliance that same night, and Guti imposed a lot of authority in the midfield against La Albirroja.
Of the three, Chucky is living the best moment, as he’s on the brink of finalizing a move to a contender in one of the top five leagues in Europe. Meanwhile, Guti is part of the bench crew at PSV, and Pizarro’s first months with Rayados have been filled with inconsistent performances. With Pizarro, he has the tendency to step up in the big games, and they’re certainly coming up as Monterrey is battling for a place in the CCL final and will be a title contender come Liguilla time. His recent performance with the national team should help boost his confidence as he seeks to leave a mark in his current club. Guti almost scored a goal on Tuesday night, thanks to great pass from ‘Conejito’ Brizuela, but his influence in the midfield was perceived, specifically in Chicharito’s goal, and even in the second goal which came off an own goal by Gustavo Gómez.
Will we see them in an El Tri starting XI in the Gold Cup? Ya veremos.
Jonathan dos Santos’ sudden climb
I will admit if there’s an MLS team I will watch from start to finish in 2019 that team will be Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s Galaxy. I decided to do so because of Efrain Álvarez, but also because of Uriel Antuna. When I made this decision, watching Jonathan’s performances closely wasn’t on top of my list, but times are different.
In 2017, I didn’t hide my disappointment when Jona decided to change La Liga for MLS. I felt this way mainly because I thought he still had a lot to give in European football. Just as he completed his best season over there, he decided to leave. And for him to reach that level took years and time.
With the arrival of Schelotto to the Galaxy, the atmosphere at the club has changed. The goals a player like Zlatan Ibrahimovic sets for himself and the rest of his teammates set the club’s mood to different heights. The club looks different to how it looked when he arrived in 2017. Jona’s one of the leaders of the team and has shown a good grasp of what Schelotto wants from the team.
He has a natural ability that few Mexican midfielders own. Against Paraguay, Jona showed a lot of class and maturity. He wanted that type of performance. And if he wants to keep giving those performances, his presence in the national team will be vital. Jona already has a World Cup in his resumé, but he hardly played. With Tata, it appears he wants to go to a World Cup and leave a mark.
Living in the era of Chicharito and Raúl
It’s a healthy competition. More than anything else you might come across, the fact that El Tri’s two best scoring options are working hard every day to win Premier League minutes says a lot about the current state of El Tri’s striker situation. It can’t be better. The legacy Raúl and Chicharito will leave behind to the young Mexican generations is one that will be used as prime example on how to be successful and play in the best leagues of the world. As it’s the case with all forwards, every single one offers different advantages, whether that’s in the association and creation of play, in guarding the ball, or in quick decision-making. Martino has two excellent options, who are capable to offer many advantages, and that’s what Mexican football should feel proud most.
What all this means once HH shows up…
More than likely next time Héctor Herrera shows up to play for El Tri, he will have a new club. A lot will be heard and said about Herrera’s upcoming months. What he has achieved at FC Porto is unprecedented because he arrived as a young Mexican midfielder with a lot of hunger and drive and will leave as the club’s captain. He made the best of his time at FC Porto. All signs point that his new club will be Atlético de Madrid, and his first objective there will be try to replicate what a midfielder like Gabi offered to Cholo’s Atleti. Remember when HH struggled in the 2015 Gold Cup, well, there’s no chance for a rare episode of that sort to occur again. This proceso will count with one of El Tri’s brightest midfield generations, and HH is a big reason why.
Interpreting the meaning of the Gold Cup
Ya hemos ganado varias Copas Oro can already be heard from a not so distant future. These friendlies were like appetizers. The Gold Cup will be the main dish. It’s going to be a tournament, in which Martino’s México will need to set the tone by showing tactical advancements and prove with performances why they deserve to be the winners. The last serious Gold Cup, in 2015, was a struggle to watch, mainly because it was difficult for El Tri to make their presence felt. Their best display happened in the final against Jamaica, with great showings from Jesús ‘Tecatito’ Corona and Jona. Other CONCACAF nations are going through transitions of their own and will be exciting to see what they’ll offer to the growth of the sport in the region.