In possession, his attacking gameplan was a direct one that was highlighted by his wing-backs connecting with the dangerous front two of Julian Quiñones and Julio Furch. While Quiñones was more of the clever and playmaking brain of the partnership, Furch was the well-rounded brawn that was excellent with finishing his chances and creating plays of his own.
Out of possession and when chasing a first or second goal, Cocca would have Atlas sit higher up the field and press opponents. Once they had the lead, he was more than happy to sit further back and/or cautiously put more numbers behind the ball — which sometimes led to tense or boring finishes to games.
If you ask most Tigres fans, this was a glaring issue in his short-lived 2023 stint with the club that lasted just five matches before he took the Mexico job. Although he did tinker with a 4-3-3 and 4-1-4-1 formation, his pragmatism remained and was best personified in a narrow 1-0 win during his final game in charge.
However, the big question is if the new tactical setup is a good idea in the short to medium term. Unless Cocca decides to alter his methods and become more attack-minded or possession-based (which is a possibility), there are legitimate worries about how well his strategy will look against CONCACAF opponents that almost always bunker their defense. In March’s Nations League games and this summer’s Gold Cup, it’ll be interesting to see the manner in which Cocca deals with this.
Most importantly, he must also figure out what his player pool will look like. The aging roster urgently needs a youthful refresh, and with Cocca and the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) promising in his presentation that he’ll work more closely with clubs, the hope is that there will be even more of a focus to identify and support players who can be important contributors to El Tri.
Like all things involved in this process though, it’s simply hope and not a guarantee just yet for Mexico’s future.
