Thread by @dictatethematch

Argentina didn't get to enjoy the possession since it was so difficult to get rid of the Croatians. As a result, Argentina tried to damage them during transitions as Alvarez was playing as a useful outlet during transitions.
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#ArgentinaVsCroatia

Argentina played a conventional 4-4-2 defence rather than a diamond midfield. They concentrated on creating some space for the opposing defence before intercepting every pass with a strong mid-block.
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To stop the ball from moving forward, Modric was tasked with marking either Parades or Enzo higher up the field. However, Argentina had a numerical advantage in the middle, making it ineffective.
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So, Modric dropped deeper to allow Juranovic to take an advanced position higher up the pitch. By forming a 4v5, Argentina attempted to overload, but Pascalic dug in deeper to stop this. Croatia set up a 5-4-1 defence.
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Mac Allister played as a left interior, whereas Messi played as a right interior. Messi frequently pulled Gvardiol out of position by playing a deeper role.
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Alvarez made use of the space left by Gvardiol to make a behind-the-back run onto the vertical ball provided by Enzo Fernandez, resulting in a penalty. We all knew that the team going on the scoreboard first would have an upper edge.
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Croatia had to put more people on the attack because they lacked an attacking presence. They were now vulnerable to counters.
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Even if Argentina's second goal contained a small amount of luck, Messi's release of Alvarez and Alvarez's subsequent dash down the defensive line demonstrated the amount of space that Croatia was leaving behind. Argentina would have exposed that one way or another.
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Molina and Tagliafico frequently made overlapping runs while playing in considerably more advanced positions. There was nothing Croatia could have done to get back to the game after Argentina took a 2-0 lead.
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The final goal, which was made possible by Messi's incredible run, was the icing on the cake.
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