🇲🇽 - Five thoughts ahead of Mexico's friendly with the Netherlands
It may not be everything Tata Martino hopes, but El Tri will certainly get something out of today's match.
Yes, I typically trawl the depths of the region for the untold stories, but did you know I also covered Mexican soccer daily for one of the world’s largest soccer websites for half a decade? Get you a newsletter writer who can do both - and if the top team in the region isn’t your jam, then skip this one and stay tuned for a Belize focus later this week.
This may not be the most important game of the tour
Mexico’s friendly match today against the Netherlands is one that El Tri fans - and you get the feeling members of the coaching staff - have been looking forward to for a long time. Mexico manager Tata Martino wants the federation to schedule more of these types of games, contests against top opposition, countries with soccer history who are competing for trophies and he wants his team to go toe-to-toe with those types of nations.
“Without a doubt we’re not going to give up the search to go on the front foot, which is definitely the same way we look to play from the first minute,” Martino said Tuesday. “We’ll try to have the better of the match, have the match go through us. We’re open to go moments of anxiety, of uncertainty because we’re facing a rival with hierarchy and we can’t pretend that the entire control of the match will permanently be at Mexico’s feet.”
The Netherlands will provide a challenge, but perhaps not one as strong as Martino would hope. Dutch manager Frank de Boer said this week that he’d rather not have this game jammed into a FIFA date that also includes UEFA Nations League games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy, games that are competitive fixtures.
“It is not ideal to play a friendly game when you have two other official matches in such a short period of time,” he said, per Football Oranje. “We could’ve had an entire week to prepare the UEFA Nations League’s games and a lot of my players saw activity this past weekend. Due to the pandemic, a lot of players have had little rest due to the change of schedules so I would have to make a lot of adjustments for Wednesday’s game.”
That said, he’ll want to win his debut and still will have a strong squad, such is the depth of the Dutch squad. Memphis Depay, who is suspended for the Bosnia game because of yellow card accumulation, likely will feature, and there should be some debutantes eager to make their mark under the new coach.
Still, Mexico’s hastily scheduled match next week against Algeria, the champion of Africa and a team in the same situation as Mexico as it looks to stay sharp despite no official matches, could be more important for El Tri’s long-term growth.
Fans denied the trident they deserve
There was lots of domestic drama about Martino taking players for both last week’s mini-camp and friendly against Guatemala and this week’s European trip. Yet, Martino insisted Tuesday he has the group he wants - with one notable absence.
“I brought the group I wanted to bring. Tomorrow I’m going to play with the team I wanted to play - save Lozano, and I don’t have any way to counteract that.”
Yes, Mexico winger Hirving Lozano is the notable absence, but after his club, Napoli, decided not to travel to face Juventus last weekend because of a pair of positive COVID cases, it wouldn’t exactly look great for them to send their players out on international duty.
So, Mexico fans will be denied an attacking trident in absolutely top form in some of the best clubs in Europe. Raul Jimenez, who has two goals in four Premier League games with Wolves this season, should still start as the No. 9, and Jesus “Tecatito” Corona should play on the wing. But instead of Lozano look for Rodolfo Pizarro to slot in, an imperfect solution Martino has had to utilize before both in the Gold Cup and in other competitions where “Chucky” or Corona missed out for one reason or the other.
Mexico fans are dreaming - as they should be - about what that group could do once its finally together. All three are fast, combine with teammates well and are currently in systems where they have freedom to move either outside in or in the case of Jimenez can drop deep to join an attack together and provide an assist.
Maybe that would be even more of a shame if the top Dutch defenders were expected to go, but we may have to wait for an official match to see members of that trio run at Virgil van Dijk and Joel Veltman.
Montes set to get an audition
TUDN’s national team reporter Gibran Araige reports this is how Mexico will line up:
It’s a big opportunity for Cesar Montes as the right center back. Hector Moreno has been consistent on the left side, but ideally he’ll be replaced - even before the Qatar World Cup. Yet, the 32-year-old still appears to be Martino’s best option there, and not only because he’s left footed. Few others can start attacks from the back with his passing range, and perhaps no other player in the Mexico pool is as confident a one-on-one defender.
The spot next to him has been up in the air for Mexico. Nestor Araujo, was regularly putting in solid shifts in La Liga for Celta de Vigo against some of the world’s best clubs. Now, he looks to have lost that starting spot, and on top of the club status has been frustratingly inconsistent for the national team (remember the Argentina game?) instead of locking down a starting spot next to Moreno.
So, it’s time for Montes to utilize his physical presence and build on a quality game against an outmatched Guatemala side. With all respect and love to my Concacaf friends, stopping Comunicaciones ace Alejandro Galindo is a bit easier than holding down Lyon’s Memphis Depay.
If the 23-year-old is up to the task, Martino will feel much better about the defensive outlook, and Montes may find himself playing in Europe much more often.
Midfield depth will be tested - or on display
One of the biggest areas of concern for Mexico, even dating back to the days of Miguel Herrera leading the way, is who is filling the Rafa Marquez sized hole in midfield.
Edson Alvarez, should have a nice moment playing for his national team in Johan Cruyff Arena, where he plays his club matches with Ajax. Recently, it’s been clear that the options in the middle of Martino’s three-man midfield are Alvarez and not much else - and even that hasn’t always worked well with Alvarez experiencing some highs and lows with the national team. He certainly has experience around him, with Andres Guardado and Hector Herrera usually providing more than enough both in terms of defensive cover and outlet options when starting the attack. Yet, he’s certainly unproven in big games.
Behind him on the depth chart has been Clip Art of a question mark with arms shrugging, but that could be changing. Luis Romo followed up strong a strong start to the Liga MX season with Cruz Auzl with a superb showing against Guatemala. Martino’s plan for continually calling him into mini-camps despite the now 25-year-old regularly being the oldest player now looks to be coming to fruition.
With Monterrey’s still-rising star Carlos Rodriguez missing the trip because of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, the midfield is a bit more thin than expected. Still, with players like Jonathan dos Santos, Erick Gutierrez and even Omar Govea in the fold, Mexico has plenty of ‘interior midfielders’ it can rely upon to play on either side of the defensive midfielder. The pressure is on Alvarez to show he’s ready be in the middle of matches with top teams.
Will Tata rock the vest?
It’s actually shocking just how many times a referee requires Martino to toss on one of those mesh pennies to set him apart from the rest of his team. He had to do so yet again last week in a closed-door match.
It’s hilarious because Martino clearly hates to go through the hassle and generally refuses to get his head through the hole or figure out where the arms go. Many games he tosses it over his neck like it’s his trademark sweater. In others, he’s basically just held it in his hand.
Of course, in Wednesday’s friendly it was his counterpart, Guatemala manager Amarini Villatoro who stole the show with a mask matching his blazer.
Later, his tailor got in touch via Instagram to show me there were plenty more fine details that went into the jacket design than simply the matching patterns. I enjoy the sky blue pop on the lapel and the cuffs. (This is not sponsored, but I guess if you were like, ‘Hey Jon, I’m in Antigua, Guatemala, and have a blazer emergency do you have a recommendation?’ I’d have to send you over to the homies at JL Jordani.)
Whether or not Martino can rock his fit or if he’ll be required to don a neon color of shame will come down to what he chooses. Adidas has to be able to get him a nice jacket-sweater-to-tie-around-the-neck combo that doesn’t match with what his players are wearing on the field.
It has no bearing on the game, but look great, feel great, coach great.
Netherlands 2-1 Mexico. That’s my prediction.