No strike pair? Rodolfo Arruabarrena starts shaping his side | OneFootball

The new era of Rodolfo Arruabarrena in charge of the squad began to show strong tactical signs in Ezeiza. In the first formal football practice against the reserve team, the coach made it clear that he would do away with the two-striker setup, opting for systems with a defined playmaker and greater mobility in Xeneize’s attack.

The strategist of the club from La Ribera took advantage of the morning session to hold an intense football practice against the youth players. Beyond the notable absence of Changuito Zeballos due to contractual issues, the focus was placed exclusively on the attacking setup. The coaching staff decided to break up the duo of traditional center-forwards that had often been used in the recent past.

In the first lineup that took the main field, Miguel Merentiel established himself as the undeniable reference point in the box. La Bestia was joined by the unpredictability of Leonel Flores, seeking more explosiveness out wide instead of pairing him with another static target man. To supply the forwards, youngster Tomás Aranda positioned himself as a classic No. 10, a role that the Vasco is eager to bring back.

Boca’s squad under Vasco’s orders. Photo: Javier Martino/CABJ Press.

Meanwhile, Boca’s second team kept the same tactical philosophy of avoiding an overlap of heavy attackers. Milton Giménez led the central attacking front, but had Ángel Romero’s experience and technique alongside him to create passing combinations. In this case, the responsibility of being the creative link fell to Chilean Carlos Palacios.

This firm tactical decision marks a break from the approaches of previous eras at the blue-and-gold institution. The board is watching this renewal of the playing model closely and with optimism, as it prioritizes midfield volume and quick triangles. It is clear that the team will rely on fast transitions to hurt its opponents.

The two teams Rodolfo Arruabarrena put out

Vasco’s notebook produced two highly competitive lineups that reflect the squad’s deep depth. The first XI lined up with Leandro Brey between the posts, backed by a revamped defense made up of Leandro Lozano, Nicolás Figal, Ayrton Costa and Malcom Braida. In the middle of the park, Santiago Ascacíbar set the tempo alongside Camilo Rey Domenech and Williams Alarcón, freeing up the aforementioned Tomás Aranda. Up front: Miguel Merentiel and Leonel Flores.

The alternative team also showed more than enough credentials and big names to fight for a place in the main rotation. Javier García guarded the goal, protected by a back line made up of Dylan Gorosito, Lautaro Di Lollo, Marco Pellegrino and Lautaro Blanco. In midfield, Tomás Belmonte and Milton Delgado combined well with Alan Velasco’s dynamism, giving Carlos Palacios more freedom. The attack, as mentioned earlier, was made up of Milton Giménez and Ángel Romero.

Rodolfo Arruabarrena Arruabarrena’s coaching staff. Photo: Gerónimo Marino/La Número 12.

With these concrete tests, Xeneize’s brand-new tactical leader is making it known that nobody has a guaranteed place ahead of the upcoming fixtures. The first more formal test will be on Saturday against Defensa y Justicia, in the first of two preseason friendlies.

Keep reading:

Official: Edinson Cavani signed the termination of his contract with Boca

Arruabarrena left Zeballos out of Boca training

Boca live today: football practice with major absences

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