Ecuador are back in the World Cup after 2018’s setback where the South Americans failed to qualify as they finished eighth in the qualifiers.
Their Argentinian Coach, Gustavo Alfaro, has guided the nation to a fourth-place finish, and to a quarter-final place in the Copa America, rebuilding a reputation as one of the toughest and most promising teams in the continent.
The road to qualifying for the 2022 Qatar World Cup was a very brave one, where they won seven matches, drew five and lost six, scoring the third-highest amount of goals (27), and the third to concede less with 19 goals.
They only suffered one defeat, which came at home against Perú (1-2), and they have enjoyed some amazing results like 4-2 and 6-1 thrashings of Uruguay and Colombia, respectively.
Ecuador really shocked all of South America thanks to their recent development in each position and in their quick possession-based game, developing new stars with the likes of Moisés Caicedo, William Pacho, Piero Hincapié, Angelo Preciado, Pervis Estupiñán and more to come.
Thanks to the great work the football team’s been doing to keep growing their playing style, adapting to modern ideas, focusing more on the individual and technical development of young players from the academy systems, Ecuador has turned into a really interesting footballing nation on the up — mostly for the young players who are emerging from Independiente del Valle’s youth academy.
Some of the examples have already been told before like Caicedo, Pacho, Preciado and Hincapié, but they have provided some regular names on the shortlists too like Alan Franco, Gonzalo Plata, Jackson Porozo, Moisés Ramírez and the highly-rated Ajax player, Patrickson Delgado.
This scout report in the form of a tactical analysis will provide a detailed insight into Ecuador’s tactics under Gustavo Alfaro.
More specifically, this analysis aims to identify why and how Ecuador come into this World Cup as one of probable shocks.
Ecuador Predicted starting XI
Ecuador have been a very rigid team with their use of formations, changing their structure slightly to a 4-2-3-1, with Brighton’s Jeremy Sarmiento playing at the 10 lately.
However, the Ecuadorian team should be very similar to what we’re showing in the picture below.
Alexander Domínguez has enjoyed confidence in goal, same for Piero Hincapié as the left-centre-back and Félix Torres to a lesser extent on the right.
Meanwhile, Pervis Estupiñán and Byron Castillo should be the names in the full-back positions.
As told before, Sarmiento could play in the ‘10’ role for Franco and one of the other usual changes is in the striker spot, where we have seen Enner Valencia, Jordy Caicedo, Djorkaeff Reasco or Michael Estrada.
However, the playing style of these options is largely similar.
Ecuador Attacking phase
Ecuador have been one of the most attack-minded teams in South America over the past qualifying campaign.
The likes of Gonzalo Plata, Moises Caicedo, Pervis Estupiñán and more possess incredible talent to go forward and break lines, which has been seriously exploited by Gustavo Alfaro in his team.
With fast, direct and aggressive full-backs such as Estupiñán on the left and Byron Castillo on the right, Ecuador’s attacking threat usually comes from the wings, while build-up also starts from these zones to then connect with players in the central areas.
Let’s take a deep look at how Ecuador sets up on the ball to beat teams from the back.
Alfaro’s boys like to set up with Piero Hincapié and Félix Torres very high on the pitch in possession with both full-backs close to them, but after one of them beats the press, the other stays behind to give balance to the rest defence, forming a back-three.
Occasionally, both are released and the attack could come from either wing, turning from side to side, though this is not commonly seen.
Here, we can see this simple automatism from Ecuador to find the full-back: Gruezo traditionally gets deep in the ‘6’ role, while the central midfielders and wingers stay or go inside the channels to overload them and free the wings.
After receiving, the full-back has the chance and freedom to carry the ball and then go from out to in with the inverted winger or the ‘10’ if used.
Another way to escape the pressure or accelerate possession by Ecuador is what the centre-backs can do with the ball at their feet.
Félix Torres has shown in almost every game why he can be the starter on the right, thanks to his aggressiveness to find players between the lines.
Centre-backs usually look to link with the wingers in the half-spaces, executing diagonal long balls to a wide player, which mainly is Estupiñán or flat fast balls between the full-back and centre-back to find the striker making the run.
As we can see in the following figure, Ecuador have, once again, overloaded central areas, and ‘the bullet’ Estupiñán has recognised the space to attack.
In the middle third, Moisés Caicedo becomes the most vital part of the team.
Depending on which full-back they put emphasis on in the match, they look to create overloads on that wing, with Caicedo being the third man to support there.
His input in these situations is very good because of his mobility, intensity, runs and the way he can turn his body and change to the weak side of the ball.
If the ‘10’ is playing, these overloads could exchange massively between them during games.
Another name that also gets very important in the middle third is Gonzalo Plata.
The right-winger is the one who understands the job of the wide players in Ecuador’s system better than anybody.
The 21-year-old is a very undetectable and unpredictable element that predominantly plays in the half-spaces, behind the midfield line, but also for the way he changes channels with his right-back; he’s a constant threat and creates plenty of trouble for the opposition.
He likes to help the team very deep when they cannot beat mid-blocks and his change of pace is a big thing to be careful of.
The picture above us explains perfectly what we have been talking about with Plata and Castillo.
After Ecuador has stepped on the middle third, the Real Valladolid winger goes inside and Castillo gets total freedom to run.
Ecuador then likes to be very creative and depend on the improvisation of their players in the final third, especially in Plata’s talent or Caicedo’s intelligent attacks to the box.
Even so, several automatisms are also seen in these.
Pervis Estupiñán is one of the most dangerous players of all, thanks to his powerful runs and dribbling technique to get inside the penalty box and execute cut-back crosses.
However, overlapping runs and short combinations at the edge of the box are other ways of harming rivals that Gustavo Alfaro’s team likes to apply.
The Brighton full-back received the ball in the middle, carried the ball very forward and dribbled past players.
Alan Franco is the midfielder making the run in this case — not Caicedo — to try and score from a cut-back.
Ecuador Defensive phase
Ecuador’s attacking style has been an enjoyable one throughout the qualifying season, but they have worked very hard to solidify their defence too, with Moisés Caicedo being, once again, the part that makes the gear work.
Why’s this? Let’s analyse their defensive behaviours under Alfaro.
La Tricolor swap from a high-block and mid-block constantly during the game.
Ecuador sets up a great pressing trap that relies upon the prominent timing and reading of the game of Moisés Caicedo.
Firstly, you can see them defending high in a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-1-3 if they use a ‘10’.
In this first stage of the press, they don’t defend that tightly but also don’t position themselves that far from the ball carrier.
If the pass breaks the line through the middle, that’s the trigger: Caicedo covers — a lot — of ground and he does it with ease, he’s a fantastic ball-winner and his recovering ability is utilised well here.
He gives space for the next receiver, but if this gets the ball, he’s going at full speed and power.
As we see in the picture, Ecuador has allowed the Venezuelan centre-back to play through the lines with a progressive carry.
However, they blocked all the passing options and Caicedo is ready to intercept his next action.
Obviously, this situation doesn’t work all the time, so if they’re forced to fall back to the middle or their own third, they form a rigid 4-4-2 where the full-backs are proactive to jump off their lines and the midfielders try to block every possible pass in the central areas.
The picture below shows the perfect example of the 4-4-2 they deploy when forced to get back, and adds another known conduct: The jumps from Caicedo to defend higher.
Transitions
In the attacking transitions, Ecuador have many players to play the ball long to and start a counter-attack.
Wingers change their starting positions between the half-spaces and hug the line to receive passes with big spaces to attack.
Normally, the centre-backs or midfielders perform these deliveries — namely, Carlos Gruezo, who has good long distribution, has a big role to play here.
In the defensive transitions, Alfaro’s team rely on the speed and sprints of their full-backs, as they’re very fast, powerful and disciplined players to get back, but also on the presence of Félix Torres and Carlos Gruezo, which is massively important in this phase because both players have been solid at tracking the rivals’ runs.
The 11 players must be very committed to making the run and tracking back.
Ecuador Defenders
At the back, Ecuador has good options.
Starting in goal, the regular starter has been Alexander Domínguez.
At 35 years of age, he was the trusted man for Gustavo Alfaro.
However, Moisés Ramírez from Independiente del Valle, aged 22, is very good and exciting player vying to take his spot.
At the centre-back spot, several players have rotated during many competitions they have played in, only Piero Hincapié at the left side of the defence is the one you can call a regular starter.
The Bayer Leverkusen defender has enjoyed a lot of minutes in Europe, being a key player for their system.
The other centre-back has been constantly changing, but one of the most regular names there was Félix Torres.
Other options include Jackson Porozo, who has recently signed for Troyes in Ligue 1.
The full-backs are a well-covered position for Ecuador.
The country’s football teams have been developing many names in this spot, from the left to the right, most commonly the right, where Alfaro has one of those good ‘problems’ of selection.
Byron Castillo has been one of the regulars in the lineup, but names like Angelo Preciado or José Hurtado keep catching the eye.
The left side is very clear: Brighton’s Pervis Estupiñán is one of the most important elements of this Ecuadorian team, mostly in the attacking phase.
Ecuador Midfielders
The ‘6’ spot has a name written on the team sheet: Carlos Gruezo.
The 27-year-old midfielder from Augsburg has a great understanding of this position, and he tactically knows to perfection how Ecuador likes to play.
Patrickson Delgado could be an interesting name to see providing depth in the centre of the pitch.
If Gruezo has his name written on the pitch, we have to talk about Moisés Caicedo.
At 20 years of age, he’s performing brightly for Brighton and is the main man for his National Team.
He has a great opportunity to display his abilities in the most privileged tournament in the world of football.
Alan Franco, José Cifuentes and Jeremy Sarmiento are the other names that could play in this position or that will play if Ecuador decides to play with three midfielders.
Ecuador Attackers
The attacking threat is going to be provided by fast, mobile and intense players that like to contribute in every phase of the game.
Michael Estrada has been the starter for this team, working as a target man that gets involved in the final third with few touches, as well as former Inter player Felipe Caicedo.
Normally, Enner Valencia enters from the bench to play as a striker or on the left wing too
Wingers provide speed and also ball-control as they usually play inverted thanks to the threat that full-backs provide to the team.
Gonzalo Plata on the right and Rommel Ibarra on the left could be the regular names, but Jeremy Sarmiento could also play on the wing, as well as the experienced Ángel Mena.
Ecuador Key player
Thinking of Gustavo Alfaro’s squad, line per line and position per position, at the end it was an easy choice having Moisés Caicedo as the key player.
Not only because he is playing at the highest level in terms of which competition, but also for the way he contributes to the Ecuadorian National Team.
His intense defensive profile helps the team to be as aggressive as they want, because he can provide the solidity behind the first line of pressure, as well his positioning and tactical intelligence when closing down the lines in a more pragmatic way to defend.
In the attacking phase, Moisés remains another vital player for his national team, thanks to his great carries after winning the ball, or his aggressiveness to get to the penalty box or score from a long shot.
In terms of progression and controlling possession, he’s outstanding, constantly shielding the ball in tight spaces thanks to his technical ability and connecting with players on the weak side of the ball.
Ecuador Tournament prediction
Ecuador have the squad, youthful fearlessness and talented profiles to qualify at least as the second in their group, and possibly be one of the revelations of the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
The automatised system, mastered by a combination of balanced experience and youthful intensity, as well as a great philosophy from head coach, Gustavo Alfaro, makes La Tricolor one of the teams to follow closely in the competition.
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