The Naivety of the Football Fan

Argentinos Juniors 2-2 Boca Juniors

Hello Boca Offsiders. After taking in Boca’s frustrating opening encounter against Argentinos Juniors at what was a, according to Abel Alves anyway, suspiciously ‘small’ Estadio Diego Armando Maradona, I must admit that I feel more than a little embarrassed.

This embarrassment has nothing to do with the result. Our opposition, Argentinos Juniors are a very capable team (they finished the Apertura in more than credible sixth place), especially on home soil. My embarrassment stems from being so naïve as to think that Boca were capable, this early in the season at least, of turning in a collective performance that would match their blindingly obvious on-paper ability.

But, I guess that’s the way it goes when you choose to love a football team. In doing so, you ultimately choose to become this naïve, irrational, blob which refuses to think that the good times will ever come to an end and that the bad times aren’t really as bad as they seem. You may be aware of your sides’ massive inadequacies, inadequacies that rival fans and neutrals are all too happy to point out to you at any given opportunity, but you naively focus on the positives. Arsenal and Atletico Madrid fans will surely know what I am talking about.

In the end, it takes a performance like Boca’s on Sunday evening to grab you by the arms and shake you out of your naïve slumber, awaking you to the realities of your clubs plight.

And the reality for Los Xenienes is this – they have a long way to go if they are to be considered true contenders for this years Clausura title. After the major off-season backroom problems and the sorry on-field pre-season form, it was massively naive of me to think that a new manager, an injection of youth and simply the beginning of a new season would be enough to eradicate inadequacies that have been apparent for a long time now.

Despite twice going ahead, initially to a Martin Palermo ‘Johnny-on-the-spot’ tap in on 44 minutes after the Argentinos keeper fumbled a tame Riquelme shot, and again five minutes from time after a wonderful Riquelme strike, Boca twice allowed Argentinos to draw level courtesy of shambolic set piece defending. Yes, the very same defending that plagued us throughout last season.

Throughout the match, as it was for most of last season, the defense looked like an accident waiting to happen. “Very rarely plays came with danger,” argued Alves after the match. This is true. But, whenever Argentinos did push forward there was still a feeling that something horrendous could occur. Hugo Ibarra was particularly shaky on the right.

Juan Roman Riquelme was, to his credit, everywhere, passing and moving, passing and moving. He ran the show in what was a fine performance. Nico Gaitan also picked up from where he left off in the Apertura and was a constant threat on the wing. As a unit, though, Boca were shabby and uncohesive at best, and failed to stamp their authority on proceedings. The game plan was also much the same as last season – win the ball and get it to Roman. If Roman isn’t available, pass it around until he is. Failing that, look for Nico Gaitan. Failing that, just hoof the bloody thing forward and let Martin deal with it.

Alves himself may have been around the club for while now, but he clearly still has a lot to learn about being a manager. Twice he took attacking players off, replacing them with more defensive players in an effort to close the match down. Twice the change in personal and subsequent change in formation cost us goals. Argentinos scored their first two minutes after Ariel Rosada replaced Gaitan and their second moments after Insua replaced the exhausted Riquelme.

To summarise, the questions that remained from last season are still to be answered. How can our glaring defensive frailities be remedied? How will we cope when Roman eventually succumbs to an injury? Does the manager have the metal to deliver success?

But, in the end, naivety wins out. The naïve mind of the football fan magically manages to turn all their teams’ negatives into positives. It was only the first game. The coach and players need more time to gel. After the off-season we’ve had and our track record away at Argentinos, a point isn’t too bad an outcome. Ezequiel Munoz looks like a decent player. At least the coach knows what to work on at training this week. Our season really kicks off next weekend at La Bombonera against Lanus.

Naivity is under-rated.

Vamos Boca.

Category: Boca Team News