Uruguay head coach Diego Alonso believes his Actual Madrid star Federico Valverde is finest suited as a defensive midfielder, however that the workforce might want to carry out higher as an entire to permit him to “shine extra”.
Alonso’s feedback got here after Monday’s disappointing 2-0 loss to Portugal, leaving Uruguay alongside Mexico and Tunisia as the one groups with no objective by two matches.
Following their failure to attain of their 0-0 opener in opposition to South Korea, Uruguay had been well-handled by the Portuguese, controlling solely 40 per cent of the possession, though they solely narrowly trailed in anticipated objectives 1.33 to 1.27.
Not quick on expertise, Uruguay fielded a beginning XI that included Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez and 135-cap veteran Edinson Cavani up entrance, whereas Tottenham’s Rodrigo Betancur partnered Valverde in midfield.
Having performed each in central midfield and on the wing for Madrid, Valverde was deployed within the engine room in opposition to Portugal, and regardless of their desperation for objectives, Alonso made it clear that’s the place he feels the 24-year-old is most beneficial.
“I feel Federico has performed full matches with us within the qualifying spherical,” he mentioned. “He’s performed in the identical place, even enjoying larger up.
“I feel he performed as a defensive midfielder with a second pivot along with Bentancur. It’s the identical place that you just noticed at the moment. He was even enjoying larger up, or as a large midfielder.
“I feel his important ability is enjoying by the central lanes. With us, he’s confirmed an awesome efficiency in that place.
“Once you speak about taking pictures, I feel he shot as soon as [against Korea], it simply missed the highest nook. He was unfortunate he couldn’t rating.
“For us, he’s an essential participant with many abilities. When the workforce performs higher, I’m positive he’ll shine extra.”
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Regardless of their lack of efficiency going ahead, Uruguay nonetheless have an opportunity to advance to the knockout stage if they will defeat Ghana of their last Group H fixture – a rematch from 2010’s quarter-final the place Uruguay superior on penalties.
“We’re in search of victory in opposition to Ghana, there isn’t any doubt about it,” Alonso mentioned. “If we now have to make slight modifications, that’s what we’ll do.
“We’ll present a workforce all of the weapons we now have at hand, so I’ve full belief in my gamers. I’m positive the following sport can be exhausting, however we’ll go all out in order that we now have a victory and we qualify.
“We’re speaking about qualifying or not qualifying. It was essential again in [2010], however it is a completely different state of affairs. It is going to be a vital sport, however has nothing to do with what occurred 12 years in the past.
“We have to be at liberty and transfer freely as we performed throughout the second half in opposition to Korea. We have to gamble extra and push ahead, enjoying in between the traces and going for one-on-ones on the perimeters.
“Typically, opponents additionally play, they cease you, they know that are your important abilities and so they attempt to counter your play. However we have to proceed trusting our workforce, our abilities, the gamers we now have, and to additionally give them belief to develop their sport.”
