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Legendary Teams: River Plate 1941-1946


" Munoz-Moreno-Pedernera-Labruna-Lostau . These five names, repeated as a kind of litany, are familiar to any fan of River Plate, a bit 'like the local "S Burgnich-arts-Facchetti ", so to speak. Names that evoke fond memories: images of a great team of the past that made the fans dream of Argentina, and more ...

That River Plate, which was later called "La Maquina ," raged in Argentina during World War II, from 1941 to 1946, and Perhaps for this reason did not have the international showcase that he devoted some of his players to football heroes.

River Plate in full force

coach Renato Cesarini (yes, him, one of the famous "zone cesarini ") forges a very strong team, which is the dynamism and speed of execution of its strengths. Later they will say that this is the forerunner of the famous River Plate total calcium made famous in the world from Holland in the 70's. And maybe it is. From the tactical point of view
River Plate does not propose anything new, at least in appearance. The training camp is set in the classic WM (or system), tactics in vogue in those years. The real novelty is not so much in the - alleged - available tactics, as in the tasks and movements of individual players. The goalkeeper is the

young Amadeo Carrizo, as we have seen, is almost "forced" to play free view of the strong offensive attitude of the team. This means that you often see outside the poles, even the height of the disk of the penalty area, so be ready to go out on the feet of the attacking opponents in the event of a break. Before him there are three "backs" ("fullbacks") right there Norberto Yacono , quick and technically gifted player also discrete physical strength, and to the left Ferreira (later replaced by Rodriguez) , a fullback with good technical and tactical means. At the center instead opera, con compiti quasi da moderno centrale difensivo Ricardo Vaghi , il cervello e i polmoni della difesa. E’ lui la “star” della difesa: Ricardo è un giocatore con un’ottima visione di gioco, piedi educati e, soprattutto, grande carica agonistica.

I due mediani che operano davanti alla difesa sono Bruno Rodolfi e José Ramos , che da soli danno equilibrio alla squadra. Il loro compito principale consiste nel coprire le avanzate degli attaccanti e di recuperare più palloni possibili.

da sx a dx: Munoz, Moreno, Pedernera, Labruna e Lostau

de la Maquina If the defense can be considered "good", the real strength of the team is extraordinary "quintet" of attack. The two wings are also Juan Carlos Munoz and Felix Lostau . The first, Munoz, is a player of excellent technique: his dribbling and the coils on the band are his trademark, and it is not uncommon to see opposition fans applaud this amazing juggler. Its strength, however, is the extraordinary precision of his cross, whether they are flush with the ground or higher: many of the strikers are on his goal. On the I work opposite Lostau Felix, played very fast (Di Stefano told him that he was faster than people, one of the fastest players ever), good technique and vision of the game. More centralized, but with offensive skills, work José Manuel Moreno and Angel Labruna . The first, called "El Charro " (because of its remarkable resemblance to the Mexican cowboy), is an extraordinary player, called it by many more people like Maradona or the same Di Stefano. Jose is a player with a physique of a leg armor and magic: it has a prodigious technique, and often performs in play at the limit of the human. It has
also huge resistance, which allows him to move like a train all over the field ... The other is Angel Labruna midfield. Angel is actually a bomber disguised as a midfield, and the numbers say: nearly 300 goals in 18-year career, enormous. It 's a technical player, with perfect integration times, the powerful shot and precise and incredibly opportunistic net. Finally, the center of attack is perhaps the Star with a capital H the team, or Adolfo Pedernera . Who has seen him play sings its praises as the best Argentine player of all time, but people like Maradona and Di Stefano. Although games in the position of the center-attack (at the time a sort of "point" in the penalty area, whose only job is to throw it in), really is more of a midfielder Pedernera: loves it often return in midfield, dragging the marker and leaving the field open to fellow department. As a player, Adolfo
is extraordinary physically frail, but compensates with extraordinary technique: it has the incredible ability to always be able to serve the partner with less unmarked launches millimeter, his shot is powerful and precise, and the naturalness with which the moves sphere is that of adults.

The whimsical Munoz

From the perspective of the River Plate tactical functions as a machine (hence the name "La Maquina"): each team member acts as a well-oiled mechanism, with the right timing to allow the team to operate. Players of the River Plate football play a fast, exciting, incredible game done, overlapping, and triangulation of one against a sudden and very rapid. Just as happened with Ajax and the Netherlands 30 years later, the players do not have fixed positions in the field, but love does not rotate continuously to give reference points to opponents. The right wing Munoz, for example, likes to get to the bottom of the field and serve the onrushing Moreno, always on time in goal area. The pressing is continuous and suffocating, and the results of that game is real: on average almost four goals scored per game, enormous. It 's also true that a game like that requires physical resources is not indifferent:'ll sometimes see a real goleada in the field (they are in fact rare 6-5 or 4-3). In 1943 a young man with his head on his shoulders and feet fast, affectionately called by his companions "La Saeta Rubia" (the blond arrow), because of the color of the hair, take the place of Moreno. A Alfredo di Stefano. The cycle of Maquina will expire in 1946, with the departure of captain and key player (for 10 years) Adolfo Pedernera.