Fresh Approach Has Led To Uruguay's Midfield Regeneration

For the second consecutive World Cup qualification cycle, Uruguay used fewer players than any other side in South America. With a core who have been together since before the 2010 World Cup, their tactics and personnel have barely changed in recent years.

But towards the end of the qualification campaign, a series of young and technical midfielders emerged who could be capable of transforming Uruguay’s approach in the build-up to next year’s World Cup in Russia.

Federico Valverde and Rodrigo Bentancur were both part of the Uruguay side who reached the semi-finals of this year’s Under-20 World Cup in South Korea, and they were both promoted to the senior squad shortly thereafter. Valverde debuted and scored in the 2-1 win away to Paraguay in September, while Bentancur came off the bench for his debut in the second half of the draw with Venezuela in October.

Upon entering the pitch, Bentancur combined neatly with Valverde and later Giorgian de Arrascaeta, a talented attacking midfielder who was part of the side who finished as runners-up at the Under-20 World Cup of 2013. Then, in the 4-2 home win over Bolivia, the trio started in unison in a narrow midfield four alongside Matias Vecino - at 26, older than the rest but still with years ahead of him.

In that match, Uruguay played some of their best football since Diego Forlan was in his prime. Their 4-4-2 formation has become increasingly boxy in recent years, with penetration provided by direct balls up to the forwards or quick attacks down the flanks. It has required one of the two strikers Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez to drop off to provide a central link point.

But things were different against Bolivia. Uruguay played attractive passing football, progressing through midfield with neat one-and-two touch interchanges and reaching the final third with a variety of options ahead of them. Cavani and Suarez were left to do what they do best: score goals.

The third goal highlighted the potential of this approach. Valverde picked out a crisp pass to De Arrascaeta between the lines and he in turn provided a wonderful first-time flick to set Suarez free to score.

Friendlies against Poland on Friday and Austria next Tuesday now provide seasoned coach Oscar Washington Tabarez with an opportunity to trial that lineup against tougher opposition. One suspects that his preference would be to align three of the four with a scuttling wide player such as Nahitan Nandez, Carlos Sanchez or Cristian Rodriguez, but the manner in which his side performed against Bolivia may have swayed his opinion.

It is not only in midfield that a process of regeneration seems to be getting underway. Maxi Gomez and Gaston Pereiro will compete for a place alongside Cavani up front in the absence of the injured Suarez, while Las Palmas defender Mauricio Lemos will also hope to receive some playing time after being called up for the last four matches without receiving minutes.

So with seven months to go until things get underway in Russia next summer, there is still time for what was becoming a relatively stale Uruguay squad to evolve into a side with new players, new ideas and a renewed drive to perform on the grandest stage of all.