Back five and new faces: Central Norte's plan for Brigadier López | OneFootball

On the eve of the crucial match to be played this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the Brigadier Estanislao López Stadium for the Primera Nacional, Salta-based journalist Daniel Benítez spoke with Radio Gol 96.7 and provided a thorough snapshot of the difficult current sporting situation facing Central Norte de Salta ahead of the clash with the Sabalero.

The Salta side, managed by Santa Fe-born head coach Mario Sciacqua, heads into this stretch with the urgent need to improve its numbers in order to secure its place in the division. Reviewing the recent coaching history of the “Cuervo”, Benítez recalled Ezequiel Medrán’s successful spell at the club, a name the fans always remember fondly.

The memory of Ezequiel Medrán and the squad he left behind

When analyzing the Salta board’s policy of betting on up-and-coming coaches, the journalist highlighted the process of the man who now tactically leads Colón: “In recent years, Central had been going with coaches who were still developing, with very little experience, and it worked out well on some occasions. When Ezequiel Medrán arrived in 2019, he won promotion from Federal B to Federal A, and then spent about three years in Federal A always competing. He left a very good image here, Ezequiel Medrán is very well liked, and whenever there’s a chance everyone says Ezequiel Medrán, but well, it’s very difficult.”

Drawing a contrast with that period, Benítez broke down the current difficulties following the departure of Adrián “Polaco” Bastía and Sciacqua’s arrival: “The inexperience of putting together a squad when they tell you ‘I’ve got this player,’ ‘no, no, I’ve got another one,’ and saying yes to everything, well, that ended up complicating things a little for Central. Mario’s arrival brought a lot of work and a lot of expectations, but the results didn’t come.”

The lack of goals and the registration of new signings as a source of hope

One of the “Cuervo’s” biggest shortcomings has been its effectiveness in front of goal. However, the recent arrival of new players has given the coaching staff a breath of fresh air and renewed hope, with the squad now having two players from abroad officially cleared to play.

“Central gets very few goals from the attacking third, from its forwards, and Castro was something interesting. Bodencer (Erik) was cleared yesterday too, a player who comes from Colombia...” the reporter explained, adding that forward Julián López could leave the club for Almirante Brown because “the coach made it clear: after Bodencer arrived, he’s going to start way back in the pecking order.”

Another important name is added to that attacking option: “The other one is Checho Quiroga, who was also playing in Peru. He played in the Copa Sudamericana at the start of the year and he’s a very good signing that Central brought in, and he was also cleared to play yesterday... Checho Quiroga is a man who knows the division very well too, and at least the three signings have made a very good impression.”

The likely lineup and a back five for the trip to Santa Fe

On the strictly tactical front, Sciacqua plans to build a defensive lock to protect his goal at the “Elephants’ Graveyard”, forced in part by the absence of his key defensive leader. In midfield, Benítez noted that “there are three players at a similar level: Puma Rivero... Mancuso, who rotates in... and the other is Matías Villarreal, if you want, the experienced one.”

The journalist anticipated a change in formation to contain Medrán’s team: “Central Norte will change its system. It had been playing with a back four for the last three matches, and for this game, after Maxi Padilla’s sending-off, most likely, based on what was seen yesterday in tactical work, Central played with a back five.”

The switch is due to the fact that “Maxi Padilla won’t be there; he’s the captain and he was sent off for protesting to the referee.” Given this situation, the starting eleven would be reshaped with players who recently gained ground: “There are two players who were added at the last moment in the previous match and they are key figures at the back. One is Lamosa (Agustín), who comes from Mitre of Santiago, and the other is Elías Calderón... Most likely this will be the back five, because yesterday, although he played in the practice match, Elías Calderón alternated for one stretch in midfield going forward and another stretch with one team, but the back line was never touched. So it’s very likely that Central will play with a back five there in Santa Fe.”

The value of a point at the Brigadier López

Central Norte has moved off the bottom of the table over the last three rounds. Even so, the upcoming fixture list has an extremely difficult run in store against some of the tournament’s top contenders.

“There’s an important stretch coming up, which is why many people, when they say they’re playing in Santa Fe, beforehand, before the championship, said those are points you can afford to lose... now everyone would sign for a draw; bringing something back from there would be hugely important,” Benítez stressed regarding the symbolic and mathematical value of getting a positive result against Colón. The reporter concluded by highlighting that “there are six teams within three points, imagine what that’s going to do, and that’s why every point Central gets is essential to give them some breathing room near the bottom.” The squad will travel by road after the final tactical session with the aim of putting in a firm performance on Santa Fe soil.

Probable Central Norte XI (5-3-2):

The Salta side’s goal will remain in the hands of its usual starter; the back five will be made up of Lamosa, Elías Calderón, Pucheta, Felissia and Chicho Aleo; midfield will feature Moravec, Matías Villarreal —or Puma Rivero— and Chino Castro; while the attacking duo will consist of Borda and the recently cleared target man Bodencer.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.