Argentina in pitiful shape without Messi and what we learned from the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers

Having leaned so heavily on Lionel Messi's talents for the best part of a decade, Argentina was always going to find it hard without the Barcelona player in the starting XI. But the sheer lack of collective play in October's World Cup qualifiers proved that the nation is more dependent than ever on the wizardly captain. 

Messi has played three qualifiers out of 10 so far on the road to Russia 2018, and all three have ended in victory. Without him, however, the side has picked up just one win in seven, and if his fitness does not pick up the side could be in serious danger of missing out on automatic qualification. 

This last double-header showed beyond a doubt how far La Pulga's individual magnificence papers over the cracks in the Albiceleste's attacking play. Those deficiencies were exacerbated against Peru and Paraguay by inexplicable tactical errors from coach Edgardo Bauza.

Argentina disappointing in defeat

Despite it being crystal clear that Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero nullified each other's poaching talents and added little as a unit in the first match, Bauza persisted with the idea and paid the price with a punishing 1-0 home defeat against Paraguay that means Argentina has failed to win any of its last three qualifiers. 

Aguero utterly failed to provide any creative spark as a clueless 'false 10', and compounded his overall below-par performances with a penalty miss that would have pulled Argentina level. Of the two truly inventive presences in the team, meanwhile, Ever Banega started as a substitute against Peru and then played far too deep in the second clash, while Paulo Dybala spent most of a frustrating series either kicking his heels on the bench or marooned on the right wing. 

Bauza won his first big battle as Argentina coach by ensuring that Messi would continue in the team. But his stubborn unwillingness to clear out a side that has not changed in essence since 2011, or adapt his rigid 4-2-3-1 formation to at least get the best out of the players, had disastrous consequences. Aguero, Higuain and Angel Di Maria are currently playing on reputation alone in the national team, and sooner or later something must change to revitalize what is a painfully stagnant first XI. 

The Argentine novice's problems are in stark contrast to his counterpart further north. Tite has enjoyed a dream start since taking over from Dunga at Brazil, and a 2-0 victory over Venezuela means that the Selecao have taken a maximum 12 points out of 12 to rocket up the CONMEBOL standings into first place. 

The coach faced a similar set of problems to Bauza when he took over the role following a dreadful Copa America campaign: over-reliance on one star, a talented but stagnant squad, a lack of collective play. But where Tite diverged was in taking the necessary risks, blooding new players and looking to take the focus of the team away from Neymar, although he remains a vital part of the side. 

One player in particular has stepped up to show the new coach he has what it takes to succeed at this level. Palmeiras' Gabriel Jesus scored a sumptuous chip over Dani Hernandez's head to score his fourth qualifying goal in as many games, a record for an Under-20 player in South America. He is just one, however, of a group of stars who have grabbed their opportunity with both hands, along with Philippe Coutinho who is in the form of his life and Atletico Madrid's Filipe Luis to name just a couple. 

While Argentina has fallen to pieces without Messi, the Selecao have ridden out the absences not just of Neymar in two of those four victories, but also Real Madrid pair Marcelo and Casemiro. Something is cooking in Brazil, and if Tite can maintain this scintillating start while continuing to introduce the new generation the side will be a serious contender when it comes to Russia 2018. 

An intensely driven competitor who gives his all for his nation, it is fair to say that Luis Suarez did not enjoy sitting on the sidelines for what felt like an eternity these past two years. The Uruguay hitman was forced out of competitive internationals until March 2016 for his World Cup bite on Giorgio Chiellini, and after just one match had to endure half-fit from the bench as the Celeste crashed out of the Copa America without him playing a single minute. 

Now, though, the Barcelona striker is well and truly back in business, and desperate to make up for lost time. Uruguay picked up four points out of six this week to stay on course for Russia, with Suarez as always in the thick of the action.

Accustomed to finishing moves, he turned playmaker for Thursday's win over Venezuela by laying on two delicious assists for Nicolas Lodeiro and Edinson Cavani. Suarez created a host of chances in a 3-0 victory, but he was back in his normal position on Tuesday to almost grab what would have been a priceless triumph in Barranquilla. 

Using his normal muscle and fight he slipped free of his marker and fired past David Ospina to put Uruguay on the edge of victory over Colombia having come from a goal down. Yerry Mina eventually levelled an enthralling game, but Suarez was the star of the show as he shrugged off his less than exemplary club form to deliver for his nation. 

There has been precious little to cheer in Bolivian football since the incredible 6-1 thrashing of Argentina back in 2009. On Tuesday, however, the nation came agonizingly close to recording its third victory of this qualifying campaign - and it was all down to the magic of the ageless Pablo Escobar. 

The nationalized Paraguayan who shares his name with an infamous drug baron hit the headlines with a fantastic double as Bolivia raced into a 2-0 lead over high-flying Ecuador. The first was a venomous effort that left Alejandro Dominguez with no chance, and the second was almost as good as Escobar waltzed through the Tricolor defense and finished superbly. 

Unfortunately for the home side the brace from the 'Patron of goals', as he is known in deference to the more famous Escobar, wasn't enough to take the side through to a win. But it marked a notable record for the 38-year-old star, who became the oldest-ever scorer in a CONMEBOL qualifier, and showed that the Verde can still compete when their talisman is in an inspired mood. 

The last seven days were a roller-coaster ride in the life of Enner Valencia. Everton's Ecuadorian forward started the international week facing arrest, and ended it as a national hero as his two goals salvaged a 2-2 draw away to Bolivia that keeps the nation on track to make Russia 2018 in a devilishly hard competition. 

Valencia had found himself the subject of a detention order related to charges of unpaid child maintenance in his native country. He narrowly escaped arrest going into the Quito stadium, but events took a comical turn when he apparently feigned an injury and made getaway in an ambulance cart midway through Thursday's 3-0 win over Chile. 

De Ripley. Enner Valencia salió en camilla, casi lo arrestan y lo llevaron con prisa a la ambulancia y así salió del estadio. Que cosas. pic.twitter.com/I7VnAWYLC3

— Andrés Muñoz Araneda (@andresmunoza) October 6, 2016

He eventually came to an agreement with authorities; and once safely out of Ecuador was able to relax and show his best side. Two goals in La Paz helped end Bolivia's hopes of a victory and keep the Tricolor on course for a second consecutive World Cup - as long as their star striker can stay out of trouble!