Defence
Sampaoli likes his sides to be able to use both three and four-man defences, with opposition characteristics and formation often dictating the alignment.
He also wants players capable of providing a quality first pass out of defence and that is why Javier Mascherano is likely to be moved back from his normal defensive midfield role into the central defensive position he takes up in Barcelona. His inclusion in the defenders’ column of the squad press release seems to confirm this suspicion.
The other European-based defenders who have been called up are all proactive markers who seek to impose themselves physically. Gabriel Mercado has played at both full-back and as a central defender for Sampaoli at Sevilla, while Emanuel Mammana and Nicolas Otamendi are both central defenders by trade. The implication would seem to be that Sampaoli intends to employ his characteristic high press and defensive line.
Also read: What if: Argentina miss out on the 2018 World Cup
Argentina have had a few issues in the full-back positions in recent times and the inclusion of Jose Luis Gomez among the rumoured domestic call-ups is, therefore, an intriguing one. A swift, attacking right-back, he looks a solid fit for Sampaoli's favoured profile for the position. Nicolas Tagliafico of Independiente is also on the list and while he lacks the thrust of Gomez, he is nevertheless a solid option on the opposite side of the pitch.
