Copa America 2011 - Will the real Argentina please stand up

This summer's major football competition (with all due respect to the U21, U17 and Women's World Cups), the Copa America, kicked off in front of 50,000 plus on a warm La Plata evening. The hosts and tournament favourites Argentina kicked off with a nation of millions expecting the side to win their first major international competition since 1993. In the end a side boasting some of the World's best players and with the likes of Angel Di Maria and Sergio 'Kun' Aguero on the bench, could only manage to scrape a 1-1 with Bolivia.

The Prize 

Attentions turned to the Estadio Brigadier Gral E. Lopez in the City of Sante Fe yesterday evening for the hosts second game of Group A against Colombia. A side that boasted Lavezzi, Tevez and Messi upfront with Aguero and Higuain coming off the bench could not even muster up a goal against a Colombian back line possessing only Mario Yepes of AC Milan as a recognised household name. Such was the nature of the game that Argentine shot stopper Sergio Romero was in fact named Man of the Match.

In light of Batista's men thus far lackluster performances and the pressure of being hosts, the question then turns to why? Why is the side that possesses the World's stand out player struggling to such a huge extent?

Another poor Argentine performance

Perhaps there is simply too much pressure on Lionel Messi. One man simply cannot carry the weight of an entire nation and the others (looking at you Mr Tevez) need to stand up and prove that the side really is more than just Messi + 10 others. Perhaps what we are actually seeing is that while Lionel Messi is no doubt fantastic, a true World great, Xavi Hernnandez and Andres Iniesta are in fact catalysts to his club success. As good as Ever Banega is (and will be in the future as he is on the cusp of a move to Inter Milan from Valencia), he simply cannot replicate the work of arguably two of the greatest midfielders ever (and in my opinion the greatest midfield partnership ever)!

Instead maybe the work that Dani Alves puts in week in and week out down the right flank in occupying the opposing side's left back cant be replicated by Pablo Zabaleta rendering teams able to double up on Lionel. Or may its is as simply as stating that the 'other' sides in South America sides the 'Big 2' are actually quite good and we should not expect the South American giants to simply roll over all others before them. After all, a 'new look and rejuvenated' Brazil side failed to break down a fairly poor Venezuelan defence with Robinho, Neymar, Ganso and Pato all wasting guilt edged chances.

Whatever the reason might be, Batista and Argentina are going to have to shape up quickly if they are going to get the 3 points that they will almost definitely need to qualify from Group A and progress to the knock out stages of their own Copa America. A failure to escape the Group would certainly see the end of Batista and leave the Argentine fans waiting another 3 years for a major international success.