Scaloni shuffles the pack: Agustín Giay and ‘Flaco’ López set to start | OneFootball

Argentina’s open training session offered clear signs about the lineup Lionel Scaloni is planning for this Saturday’s friendly against Honduras, with tactical changes and some new names.

Unlike the first training session of the week, the coach introduced two key changes to the tactical setup during Wednesday’s practice. Forced by the large number of players dealing with physical issues, the coaching staff kept the backbone of the team intact but adjusted pieces at right back and up front.

The changes and the switch to a 4-4-2

The shape of the team tested in Kansas differed from previous trials, changing both the formation and the players involved as follows:

Battle at right back: Agustín Giay wore the purple bib as the starter, replacing Nicolás Capaldo. With both Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel unavailable, the spot for the weekend is now a straight fight between Giay and Capaldo.

Surprise with two strikers: José Manuel López came into the attack in place of Giuliano Simeone. Scaloni chose an unusual setup for his system by fielding “Flaco” López alongside Lautaro Martínez at the same time in the finishing area.

Midfield reshuffle: With these changes, the system shifted from a 4-3-3 to a clear 4-4-2. Rodrigo De Paul moved out to the right flank, Thiago Almada played as a left-sided midfielder, while Enzo Fernández and Alexis Mac Allister formed the central double pivot.

The team shaping up for Saturday

Although the coaching staff has not made the final lineup official for the first warm-up match on the road to the World Cup, the eleven taking shape in the morning sessions is made up of:

With only two days to go before the match against the Central American side, the only doubts raised by Scaloni are the choice between Giay or Capaldo in defense and López or Simeone in attack.

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