By Peter Goldstein (planetworldcup.com)
February 2, 2005
With the possible exception of T&T, Mexico's starting lineup is the hardest to figure. They've got the deepest squad in the region, and with no pressure in the semis, Ricardo LaVolpe tried out a lot of personnel. Also, he tends to prefer versatile players who can contribute in a couple of different spots on the field. And the side will vary depending on whether he goes with a 3-4-3, as in the Copa America, or a 3-5-2, as in most of the qualifiers. So we can't exactly say who'll start where, but we'll try to give you a sense of the options.
One place where there's no question is at keeper, where Oswaldo Sánchez is the undisputed number one. In his prime at 31, he might be the best pure shot-stopper in the region, and although he can be erratic on crosses, there's no doubt he's the star. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury will keep him out of the opener against Costa Rica. Right now it looks as if Oscar "Conejo" Pérez, who played well at the 2002 WC, will get the call. Pérez isn't quite the player he was four years ago, but can still make the key save, and has the experience for a big game like this.
The defensive star is, of course, Rafael Márquez of Barcelona. Strong, quick, intelligent, good in the air--you name it, he can do it. The only question is whether he'll play in the middle of the back line or at defensive midfield. Much will depend on the form of defensive midfielder Gerrardo Torrado, who was on the bench at Sevilla but is now getting time at Racing Santander. He's a streaky player, but is a hard tackler and has a powerful shot, and if in form should be in the starting eleven. If Márquez goes to the midfield, the middle man in the back will probably be Hugo Sánchez Guerrero, a quick and intelligent sweeper type. (We use the "Guerrero" just to be clear: Hugo Sánchez Guerrero is the Hugo Sánchez that plays defense for Tigres and should be on the roster for the qualifiers; Hugo Sánchez Márquez is the Hugo Sánchez that was a striker for Real Madrid and now coaches Pumas, and wants to slit LaVolpe's throat, bury him, and dance on his grave.)
There are several choices for the other defenders. On the left side, it's between Carlos Salcido and Gonzalo Pineda. Salcido is big and mobile, a good marker, technically only fair, but useful on long passes. Pineda is the more attacking option, quicker and better on the ball, not as reliable on defense. Candidates on the right include Francisco "El Maza" Rodriguez, tall and powerful, Ricardo Osorio, quick and technical, and veteran Salvador Carmona, an all-rounder who excelled at the 2002 WC. (If you want to get an idea of what he can do on defense, get a hold of a tape of the game against Italy.) Both Osorio and Carmona can play at wingback if necessary, and maybe Pineda can too.
The midfield also has lots of options. As noted, Márquez or Torrado will anchor. Pavel Pardo has been around as long as Quetzalcoatl, but he's still only 28, and a good linkman. He's slow, but a smart passer, particularly good at rotating the ball from wing to wing, and famous for his free kicks. Brazilian-born Antonio Naelson, known as "Sinha," appears to be over the naturalization controversy; he's quick and supple, and the best pure playmaker on the team. Luís Pérez is a box-to-box midfielder, very aggressive, but his technique isn't quite star quality. Rafael Garcia, another 2002 veteran, is a left-footed defensive type.
The left wingback spot appears to belong to Jaime Lozano. He's a typical Pumas player: nothing fancy, but he does everything right, and in the qualifiers he showed an unexpected scoring touch. On the right, besides Osorio and Carmona, there's Hector "Pity" Altamirano, big, long-striding, physical, a bit wild at times, a spectacular free-kick man. A more all-out attacking option is young and pacy winger Alberto Medina.
The shape of the attack is still unclear. Jesus Arellano, formerly a pure right winger, has recently played as attacking midfielder or even withdrawn forward. He's late in his career, a bit inconsistent, but can still dazzle with his dribbling and passing, and occasionally put the ball in the net. Then of course there's Cuauhtémoc Blanco; he too is on his last hurrah, but when not confined in a mental home is the most creative player in the region. He figures to get a free role partnering a central striker. At the moment both Arellano and Blanco are a little short of full fitness, and again that's where Medina might come in.
Up front is a question mark. If LaVolpe's teams have a weakness, it's that they lack contundencia, the ability to strike when you get the chance. There are few natural finishers on the squad. At the moment, Jared Borgetti still holds the centerforward spot. For years he's been a classic number 9, elegant, slow, excellent in the air, but he's aging now, and although he devours minnows he might not be good enough against stronger competition. The heir apparent is fan favorite Francisco "Kikin" Fonseca, a 90-minute two-way take-no-prisoners tough guy who has the true predator's instincts. But can he find space against top-level marking? Another candidate is Adolfo "El Bofo" Bautista, who's had injury problems, but at his best is quick, can run at his man, and finish.
As we say, LaVolpe has so many options we'll just have to wait and see how they line up. It's a good team, and should have no problem qualifying. But in Mexico, qualifying isn't enough: you have to play well, score goals, beat the USA, finish top of the table, find a cure for cancer, and establish world peace. Hugo Sánchez has publicly claimed he'll be the coach by the time they get to the World Cup, and a lot of fans would like to see it happen. A slow start, and LaVolpe will probably find himself back on the beach--and just as probably grateful for the rest.
