"The Zárate Swap" - Rio de la Plata #FM20 — CoffeehouseFM

Previously on Rio de la Plata, Bastardo’s Peñarol won a second league title and the Caporegime neared completion.

Intro

Ángel Bastardo always knew that signing Mauro Zárate would come with controversy. After 18 goals and 12 assists in his 1st season in Uruguay, Zárate rejected Peñarol’s new contract extension…meaning he leaves in 6 month’s time for Poland…for nothing (!). Legia Warszawa are the team to offer 34-year-old Zárate one last European adventure and despite the disloyalty shown, Bastardo always respected the maverick nature of his fellow countryman. However, with Zárate’s decision came opportunities: a new Match Engine (from FM’s Public Beta), meaning that Peñarol could switch things up tactically sooner than expected, and a chance to proactively move on from the dependency on Zárate’s mercurial talents. Or could they?

Welcome to The Zárate Swap…

Season 2021

From 4-4-2 to 4-1-3-2

I expected to continue with the 4-1-4-1 that had brought success over the previous two years, albeit with some frustrating moments. These moments are probably not in relation to my tactic, more so the endemic nature of the current FM20 match engine. However a blessing arrived in early January: the public beta! Match Engine v2031 isn’t so bad now. So, I decided to go with two up top for the first time in this save: Mauro Zárate as my dreamboat Deep Lying Forward and an Advanced Forward, who could run onto his through balls and finish (usually Luis Acevedo).

Initially I tried a flat 4-4-2 and although I was getting some results, I didn’t like the highlights on offer. The football just didn’t seem exciting and I was getting some really tight games…I mean 1-0 Vs Cerro Largo FC, come on! It all culminated in a 1-0 loss away against Nacional and I quickly decided enough was enough.

Instead, we’d turn to a replication of the Marcelo Gallardo 4-1-3-2 system, which I wrote about as part of my Football Manager Tactics series. Adoption of this tactic came one season earlier than I would have hoped, as I wanted to transition and externally recruit a Mezzala or two before I tried it with Peñarol. So I quickly instructed the DoF to submit a Deadline Day offer for transfer listed Francisco Ginella (of Wanderers), who can play this role. In addition, I did the sensible thing and started re-training a wide Attacker to play the attacking variant: Agustín Canobbio. You’ll often find Wingers like Canobbio doing well in this role, as the Mezzala requirements correlate with the good Technicals of Dribbling, First Touch & Technique that effective Wingers [should] also possess.

There’s no need to wax lyrical about this formation, as you can re-read my love for that in the Gallardo replication article. But what I would say is that this tactic is a bit of a hackz on the current v2031 match engine. If your three central midfielders can shoot, you’ll see many ridiculous volleys and long-range efforts go in. I have also found playing a Half Back with "‘Likes To Switch The Ball To The Other Flank’ extremely effective too, on numerous occasions in a match he will recycle the ball and release the Wing Backs who provide a cross to the Advanced Forward, which results in a goal.

Domestic

The switch to 4-1-3-2 brought about 8 wins and 1 draw to see us win the Opening Stage once more - the Nacional result obviously still hurts…but the recovery from that result is encouraging. Also don’t overlook that Super Cup win…Bastardo’s 5th FM20 career trophy and 4th with Peñarol.

Continental

The 2021 Copa Libertadores campaign has been tough going. We narrowly lost to Argentine 2020/21 Superliga Champions Independiente in injury time and also had frustrating draws at home in Peru Vs Melgar and away in Venezuela Vs Deportivo Lara. However, we just about did enough in the end to go through to the Knockouts with a 79th minute Acevedo equaliser in Peru’s second largest city: Arequipa.

Next up is heavyweights from Brazil, and popular figures, Corinthians.

The Zárate Swap

Usually I would stop my update here and not document the mid-season Intermedio tournament, instead leaving this for the end-of-year save update. However, it felt right to tie this in with 34-year old Mauro Zárate’s final few games for Peñarol. In short: Mauro Zárate’s hat-trick Vs Boston River (in a 6-0 demolition) ensured a 5th Peñarol FM20 trophy and our 1st Intermedio cup win of the save:

Mauro Zárate’s 18 months in Uruguay has been pretty decent: 69 games, 34 goals, 17 assists, 3 cups and 1 league title. I knew that he came with a lot of baggage and could have caused a nuisance in Uruguay, but he’s been nothing but the gifted No.10 I always hoped he’d be. It’s a real shame to be losing him, when I feel he could provide at least two more years of brilliance. So, how on earth do you replace a guy like Mauro? Well, you do The Zárate Swap:

20-year-old Tobías Zárate, nephew of Mauro, joins Team Bastardo on a Free Transfer from Vélez Sarsfield. He comes with a reputation as a goalscorer with 15 goals scored during 2020/21 whilst on loan at Santamarina in Argentina’s Primera B Nacional. It’s an obvious shame I couldn’t field Uncle and Nephew together upfront, but Tobías is gifted with the famed Zárate DNA with high Technicals in Dribbling, Finishing and Technique. Meaning that perhaps the elder Zárate will not be overly missed? Only time will tell…

As always, thanks for reading/sharing/caring.

FM Grasshopper