Chelsea should take Jorge Sampaoli off the short list after Argentina draw

Chelsea are without much of a managerial plan for their future, and are turning their heads every way possible to find a solution. Argentina’s display at the World Cup against Iceland should remove Jorge Sampaoli from their thoughts.

Argentina looked very disorganized and unsettled in their World Cup opener against Iceland. This could have been because it was their first game of the tournament, or even over-confidence. Nevertheless, their tactical plan was far from the correct one.

First, Argentina did not use their wings at all. Instead, every play was forced through the middle of the park. Although Argentina had good moments where the wingers had space to run the ball and cross, they were ignored. Rather, Argentina tried to break down a defensive wall through one-touch passes. Needless to say, it did not work.

Second, Argentina reached a point in the game where each player focused solely on scoring himself. They neglected team play, and so it fell to Javier Mascherano to be the play-maker. These actions make a huge statement about the lack of discipline on the field.

Third, Sampaoli did not make any changes to the tactics while introducing his substitutes. The plan was the same from the first minute: go through the heart of the Iceland wall. And in the case that did not work, the team always went back to Leonel Messi, who Iceland suffocated with three players at all times.

Chelsea’s current squad makes clear there will not be a drastic shift away from the “three defenders and two wingbacks” formation. This leaves it to the wings to bring stability. When it comes to the attack, the Blues have always been good at exploiting pockets of space behind the defense. And with players like Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud, they have no reason not to play crosses. However, that style is neither Sampaoli’s strength nor favorite strategy.

Furthermore, Chelsea cannot afford a manager who only has one plan in mind. They need someone who is constantly reading and assessing the game to find the right solution. The Premier League is becoming more tactical, and a lack of imagination will be costly. Most teams sit back against the Blues and wait for an opportunity to counter. If Sampaoli was unable to find an answer with players like Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Angel DiMaria and Lionel Messi due to a lack of organization and creativity on his part, the outcome will be the same if he joins the Blues.

Finally, Jorge Sampaoli’s over-reliance on the star player demonstrated he is not ready for the role as Chelsea’s manager. Eden Hazard is to Chelsea what Lionel Messi is to Argentina. Last season, everyone at Chelsea wanted Hazard to come up with the goods when the forwards could not. That over reliance on Hazard was one of the many reasons Chelsea’s season crumbled. If they make the same mistake again, rather than organize and find different outlets as a team, Sampaoli’s time as Chelsea’s manager will be short and bitter.

While Argentina’s current coach is not the answer for the Blues, they have an undeniable urgency to fill the job. However, settling for someone will end in disaster for Chelsea. Next season, Chelsea need to challenge on all fronts, lift at least one trophy, and return to the Champions League.

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To do that, everyone at Chelsea must be sure of who is coming in as manager and what he has to give to the team. They cannot just hope for the best.