The Tata Martino did not want to confirm the team against Uruguay although he acknowledged that it is already defined.
The coach of the albiceleste acknowledged that the changes he made in the second half against Paraguay affected the team and did not have the expected result. "The changes were not only made in response to Paraguay's change of formation, which broke the game. We played with the three forwards on one side, and the alternatives we had were to rebalance the team or, after that change, rely on the hierarchy to attack. I didn't succeed because they ended up equalizing, under different conditions it could have ended 5-3."
And when asked if he would make the changes again, Tata assumed that in his role and with the hierarchy of his players, "he is aware that sometimes risks must be taken."
Martino praised his team's good first half, but was very critical of what they did in the second half: "The first half was not just good, it was very good, it was one of the best I've seen in the first phase of the Copa América. The game was overshadowed because we allowed ourselves to be analyzed for what we did in the second half. And what happened in the second half, considering the players we have, was one of the worst things seen in the Copa."
But he clarified that "I can't guarantee that it will happen again" and that the team needs more coordination. "The risk will always be there, although we have been working for eight or nine months and it should be minimized. Against teams like Brazil, we will always take precautions, but in general, Argentina must take risks. We have to organize ourselves when we don't have the ball."
Regarding Uruguay, Martino indicated that it is a team that beforehand has a similar formation to Paraguay. "Uruguay will be a classic match. A team of great quality but I don't live it as if I had to play a quarterfinal or a semifinal. They play with five midfielders, or two central midfielders. They have a clear profile of switching to a 4-4-2, or sometimes they set up a three-man line. They have several ways of setting up the team, or they repeat what they did against Jamaica, with two central midfielders." And he praised the work of the Celeste's coach, saying that he values his management, as his team is recognized worldwide.
The Rosario coach is betting on the recovery of his team based on the good first half: "We have 55 minutes of the game to rely on, in which we played very well. The good part of the team coincides with the intention we have in the game. We have to control the midfield to play a game more similar to what we did in the first half against Paraguay. That will be very important for us."
Against Uruguay, the coach of the albiceleste will complete ten matches at the helm of the national team, but he downplayed the fact, although he acknowledged that it is an important match for Argentina's objectives in the Copa América: "If we qualify first, it's much better because we stay to play the quarterfinals in Viña del Mar, which is much better. The decisive part begins later."
Regarding the playing style of his team, Tata, when asked why his compatriots question his changes rather than discuss the playing style, explained: "Everyone always knew how Brazil played. We have had an idea according to the coaches who have passed through the national team. We have changed coaches because of a lifestyle. That's why when there is no defined line, it's obvious that more is said about the result. Since the idea is not there, today one person comes and wants to do things one way, and tomorrow another person comes and wants to do things another way."
Martino also spoke about which team he likes the most in the Copa América and praised the host: "The team that plays differently is Chile. I am an admirer of a generation of Chilean footballers, Alexis, Vidal, Medel.
Alexis always plays well, now he plays more on the inside. At Arsenal, he has the freedom to move all over the attack. They are footballers who play football well," he concluded.
Check the schedule of matches day by day on AS, all the results of the matches (both in the group stage and the final stage), as well as the latest news, the best photo galleries, and the videos (goals, match summaries, technical details, great plays, analysis by Menotti...) of the Copa América 2015.