Debutant, Facundo Roncaglia was given a tough time by Montero last night

With Lionel Messi missing, some new faces in the defence and a reshuffled 4-4-2 being tried out by Coach, Alejandro Sabella, last night’s goalless draw with Ecuador in New Jersey did not teach us a great deal about La Albiceleste. A poor first half and some uncertain debuts should have been punished by Ecuador and despite an improved second half display perhaps more questions than answers were created.

Sabella has made it quite clear that it is the defence that he is looking to improve but the auditions of Facundo Roncaglia and Lucas Orban were not particularly impressive. The pace on either flank supplied by Jefferson Montero and Antonio Valencia caused a lot of problems for the backline and Ecuador could consider themselves unfortunate not to have led at half time.

Argentina are always susceptible to the counter and the new 4-4-2 did not change that and Ecuador tried to take full advantage. It was Montero’s run and cross down the left that created the best chance of the first half, Orban was no where near Antonio Valencia who saw his headed effort come back off the post when perhaps he should have scored.

After the game, Sabella noted that he thought the formation was “balanced” and that the debutants, “had a difficult battle, but fought. They played acceptably.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement for either player but surely not their only chance.

The second half was much improved and Angel Di Maria twice went close with efforts from outside the box while Maxi Rodriguez hit the upright with a late volley. However, even the introduction of Sergio Aguero could not yield a winner.

Sadly for the fans inside the chilly MetLife Arena the game ended goalless but on the balance of play the draw was probably a fair result. A point that Sabella himself made, “Ecuador deserved more in the first half. But as Ecuador were better in the first half , we were the better team in the second.”

Obviously Argentina missed Messi but as Sabella rightly stated any side would miss such a player, the same as Barcelona look a different team without their talisman. What is more evident is that the ‘Plan B’ 4-4-2 is a work in progress.

Roncaglia and Orban did not seize their opportunity with both hands and the introduction of Pablo Zabaleta at right back immediately looked more stable. Ricky Alvarez failed to make much of an impression as did Ezequiel Lavezzi and it was in the final third that Argentina looked a little stale at times.