Sizing up Tata Martino’s 1st couple games for El Tri
Gerardo Martino left a good feeling in his first two games as manager of El Tri. The Mexican men’s national team won both of their matches against Chile and Paraguay with Tata on the bench.
Every time there has been a new foreign coach in charge of El Tri, there has also been criticism from the “just hire a Mexican” entourage. Those people believe that football can’t be multicultural when you are a foreign coach, because “you don’t know the players.”
However, the curriculum Martino owns is enough proof to have faith in a new process that will have a semi-drastic generational change. In Tata’s first task, there were a couple of young players that left exquisite sensations.
For the first match against Chile, Martino lined up Carlos Rodriguez, a 22-year-old midfielder who plays for Monterrey. Rodriguez demonstrated talent and maturity; he had a flawless game against Arturo Vidal.
In the second game, Jorge Sanchez took the right side of the defense. The player from Club America showed an impressive dynamic in defense and offense.
Both players could be considered in Martino’s next list, especially Rodriguez. He could be the perfect shield for Hector Herrera and Andres Guardado; his game fits perfectly with what Martino wants to achieve with the team.
However, the most evident seal that Martino spread was a more structured game. Mexico insisted and found a better way to distribute the ball from the first to the last line. El Tri tried and successfully reached a productive ball possession that opened offensive spaces when the high pressure of Chile and Paraguay took place. Those actions were the clue in both games; Mexico had a better offensive response with Martino’s ideas.
El Tri scored seven goals in two games, an interesting change from the low scores that Mexico usually produces in friendly matches on American soil.
The sensations were good. Martino had a few days to work with the group, but he applied his methodology and, most importantly, it was noticeable. Martino’s process has just began; however, there were a couple of sparks during both games that could lead to a better evolution of El Tri’s development in the future.
Follow Luis on Twitter: @LFulloa.
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