Copa America 
/ Michael Lintorn / 21 June 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Carlos Tevez indicated against Albania that he can function alongside Lionel Messi in a 4-3-3
"The Manchester City captain wasn’t even expected to make the 26-man preliminary selection, only to benefit from a late U-turn by Albiceleste coach Sergio Batista."
A few weeks ago, Carlos Tevez didn't even look likely to make Argentina's Copa America squad, but the latest signs are that he could yet play a significant role.
Carlos Tevez went a long way to ending the debate over whether he will be one of the three Argentina players to miss out on a place in their final 23-man Copa America squad this weekend by taking his opportunity to impress as a substitute in Monday's 4-0 friendly stroll against Albania.
The Manchester City captain wasn't even expected to make the 26-man preliminary selection only to benefit from a late U-turn by Albiceleste coach Sergio Batista, who remains unconvinced that the Argentine hero is suited to a role in the 4-3-3 formation that he is honing ahead of the tournament.
Batista has made drastic changes to the side he inherited from Diego Maradona after last summer's World Cup and is attempting to borrow a ploy from Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola by using Lionel Messi as the centre forward, the result of which is that there is no obvious slot in the team for Tevez.
The new system has proven effective in getting the best out of Messi, who has previously been accused back home of failing to replicate his Barcelona form when wearing the national team shirt, and he was the star performer as Albania were dismantled, however Tevez showed his worth too.
The former Boca Juniors striker came on at half time and impressed as part of a front three that still included Messi, scoring his first Argentina goal in nine months at the death after good work from fellow substitute Sergio Aguero.
Wide man Ezequiel Lavezzi grabbed his first goal for his country too to illustrate that in attack, the Copa America hosts look capable of justifying their [2.02] favourite status. Their options are so vast that the Argentine press predict that Diego Milito will be the one to make way when the squad is cut to 23, alongside defender Luciano Monzon and midfielder Diego Valeri.
It is at the back that question marks persist though as Batista bids to arrest his nation's 18-year wait for silverware, with the centre-back pairing of Nicolas Burdisso and Gabriel Milito untested against Albania but yet to prove that they are dependable.
Betting.Betfair has signed up the BBC's South American football correspondent Tim Vickery to lead our Copa America coverage....
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