Against The Cross Bar

Uruguay enter the World Cup on the back of a tricky and unimpressive qualification campaign. They are drawn along with England, Italy and Costa Rica in the toughest pool and will face an uphill task of coming through with their star striker Luis Suarez recovering from a knee surgery. They last lifted the trophy way back in 1930 in the inaugural FIFA World Cup and came close in 2010, eliminated in the semifinals by Netherlands.  But there is never any doubt regarding this South American side. Led by the expert Oscar Tabarez and playing in their own backyard, it would be foolhardy to write them off.

Manager

The day after the Copa America 2011 Final, an Argentinian journalist was asked the question: “If you could choose one player from the Uruguay team to make Argentina better who would it be?”

The reply was instant: “Oscar Washington Tabarez.”

Oscar Tabarez continues his second stint as manager of Uruguay national team. He came back in 2006 and since then has rejuvenated the side, reaching the 2010 World Cup semi-final and winning the Copa America next year. He is famously called “El Mastero” (The Teacher) for his tactical acumen. He is sometimes accused of sticking to same set of seasoned veterans in the starting eleven.  But no one can deny the Mastero’s genius. During Copa America 2011, his team showed lot of tactical flexibility, switching formations according to opponents, subtly altering the balance of his setup. Over the years we have seen various different formations adopted by the team. The traditional 4-3-3, the 4-4-2 diamond, a flat 4-4-2, 3-5-2 – the team has employed all of these formations effectively and used them well to curtail the opponent and play to their strengths. Tabarez is also credited with inculcating a strong team spirit in his side and for his man management skills. Uruguay are known for their coveted forwards Suarez, Forlan and Cavani but Tabarez’s sheer brilliance when facing tougher opponents might be the ace in the pack for them.

Formation and Tactics

Tabarez tends to opt for a 4-4-2 with Diego Godin and captain Diego Lugano at the heart of defense. This 4-4-2 can quickly morph into a 4-2-2-2 on the counter. The two central midfielders, Perez and Rois, are tasked with protecting the center backs. Rodriguez and Sutani push on from the wings, supporting Suarez and Cavani upfront.

But as already mentioned the team is adept at switching formations and making the most of their forwards. During qualification, we saw a 4-3-1-2 and a diamond with either one of Lodeiro, Rodriguez, Forlan or Ramirez in the hole behind the strikers and have also experimented with a 4-3-3, again keeping the center of the park solid and organised, handing the creative responsibility to their intelligent forwards.

Their defensive solidity springs from a weakness – Lugano and Godin’s lack of pace. Lugano is past his peak as a player and Godin, albeit coming in after a good season with Atletico Madrid, is slow on the turn. They are easy targets for a nippy forward, say England’s Daniel Sturridge.  Tabarez sees this weakness and makes his defense sit deep instead of opting for a high line. Furthermore, the two central midfielders, Perez and Rios, work relentlessly to protect the back four. Ultimately, you get a deep and organized defensive unit which is very hard for the oppositions to break down. The quality, pace, strength and finishing of thier forwards make them very hard to contain.  This balance in attack and defense is Uruguay’s biggest strength going into one of the toughest groups this World Cup.

 Players To Watch Out For

Uruguay’s star studded attack is surely one that can set the world stage alight. Luis Suarez is in sublime form, netting 31 goals and providing 12 assists in 33 games for Liverpool. His knee injury has raised some doubts over his fitness, but a fully fit Luis Suarez is a nightmare for defenses. His direct running at defenders and dribbling ability will make him hard to control. He is already accustomed to playing in varying systems under Brendan Rogders at Liverpool which will make him only more comfortable playing in different roles for Tabarez.

His strike partner, Edison Cavani, has arrived on the back of 22 goals in 35 starts for PSG. His strength and finishing make him a goal threat from anywhere in the final third. Both of them interchange positions frequently, confusing the defenders marking them and creating space for each other. Expect to see both of them constantly harrying opposition defenses with their strength and pace, particularly on the counter.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Martin Silva (Vasco da Gama), Rodrigo Munoz (Libertad).

Defenders: Maximiliano Pereira (Benfica), Diego Lugano (West Bromwich Albion), Diego Godin, Jose Maria Gimenez (both Atletico Madrid), Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Martin Caceres (Juventus), Jorge Fucile (Porto).

Midfielders: Alvaro Gonzalez (Lazio), Alvaro Pereira (Sao Paulo), Walter Gargano (Parma), Egidio Arevalo Rios (Morelia), Diego Perez (Bologna), Cristian Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Nicolas Lodeiro (Botafogo).

Forwards: Luis Suarez (Liverpool), Edinson Cavani (Paris St-Germain), Abel Hernandez (Palermo), Diego Forlan (Cerezo Osaka), Christian Stuani (Espanyol).