Herzogenaurach: With only first place in Group C at stake, Argentina's match with Netherlands in Frankfurt on Wednesday is a chance for coach Jose Pekerman to prove his contention that his World Cup team is the whole squad.
The players say that while none of them are sure of their place in the lineup this does not generate problems and they feel an integral part of Pekerman's plans since any one of them can come on and seamlessly replace another.
Esteban Cambiasso, scorer of Argentina’s second, wonder goal against Serbia & Montenegro is a case in point, having had to unexpectedly replace the injured Luis Gonzalez after a quarter of an hour of the 6-0 rout in Gelsenkirchen on Friday.
"For me, football is very flexible, the quality of the players makes a team," the 56-year-old Pekerman had said before the Serbia match.
Still a father figure to a majority of his squad who played in the three under-20 teams he steered to World Youth Cup victories between 1995 and 2001, Pekerman lifts the pressure off the players by trusting them to produce quality football.
He does the worrying for them, as two-goal winger Maxi Rodriguez indicated when he said: "Pekerman is a trainer who does not rest and that's very good for us."
Argentina lead Group C on goal difference, boosted by their six strikes against the Serbs, and a draw will be enough to send them to Leipzig on June 24 for a second round match against the Group D runners-up - almost certainly Portugal or Mexico.
Pekerman has already revealed the depth of talent he has in attack, sending on the likes of Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez as substitutes against the Serbs.
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The Netherlands match, however, presents other issues he may choose to face with a much-changed team, the subject of feverish speculation by the growing media presence at Argentina's training sessions.
Pekerman can wipe out three yellow cards with no danger to his overall plans by resting Gabriel Heinze, Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola with Gabriel Milito, Julio Cruz and Tevez stepping in.
He may also want to rest holding midfielder Javier Mascherano, possibly fielding the versatile Fabricio Coloccini alongside Cambiasso in the middle, and even playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme, sending on 2002 veteran Pablo Aimar.
"Teams can grow, you see that in the teams with potential (to win the tournament) and Argentina is one of them," Pekerman said.
Changes against Netherlands could provide the added bonus of discovering an even better balance than was the case in a near perfect performance against the Serbs.
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