If one were to chalk down a list great tinkermen through the ages in world football, it would be hard to leave Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli out.

His tinkering could end up in victory, like it did in Argentina’s thrilling 2-1 triumph over Nigeria in the World Cup on Tuesday, but it could backfire too. Sampaoli’s favoured back-three, for instance, was artfully picked apart by the formidable Croatians in Argentina’s previous match.

Earlier on Tuesday, France coach Didier Deschamps had effected his own share of changes, as many as five of them. Expectations wise at least, Sampaoli and Deschamps were poles apart when they went into their last group game.

Sampaoli, facing severe public and media scrutiny back home, was facing a do-or-die situation. Deschamps could afford to relax with the knowledge that even his second-string team still had the goods to match up or better Denmark, who needed a point from their last group game to guarantee progress.

Sampaoli ditched his back-three and turned to a 4-3-3 formation, a variant of which also happens to be Deschamps’s preferred system. Even with the vast change in personnel, France lined up the same way. The manner they went about trying to break the Danish defence down, though, left a lot to be desired.

What sets these two coaches apart are personnel. Deschamps’s vast array of talent across positions can make any coach go green with envy, while Sampaoli’s reserves are limited.

The former World Cup captain could afford to rest midfield maestro Paul Pogba and still see his team hog the ball in the centre of the park. Argentina, meanwhile, looked bereft of ideas even with the ball during their group opener against Iceland.

The lack of a creative outlet could well be a reason behind that. Ever Banega, a solid footballer on his day but no Pogba, added a different dimension in the middle of the park for the Albiceleste in their do-or-die clash against Nigeria.

Sampaoli didn’t start the Sevilla midfielder in the first two group games. While the Iceland game allowed Messi and Co to raid the opposition box with the space that was on offer, the 0-3 thrashing against the Croats saw the five-time Ballon d’Or recipient cut an isolated figure on the flanks.

The star man conundrum

In contrast, France’s outing against Denmark may or may not have unveiled who the main man is for Les Blues. Star forward Antoine Griezmann was handed a start, while Pogba wasn’t even used as a substitute. Was it a ploy to rest the Manchester United midfielder before the round of 16? Did Griezmann not get time to cool his heels on the bench because he hasn’t been among the goals so far?

While Sampaoli continues to lose his sleep over how to find the right system to get the best out of his erstwhile captain, Deschamps’s handling of Greizmann will also be closely watched.

France’s games against Australia and Peru also saw the 27-year-old have players in front of him take up channels that he would otherwise run into. It was a two-striker system that got the best out of Griezmann in Euro 2016, where he was the top scorer. Even during the La Liga season, he thrived feeding off the menacing Diego Costa at Atletico Madrid, netting 29 goals.

Greizmann has now had to play alongside three different combinations in the attacking-third. In Moscow, the Atletico Madrid striker cut a forlorn figure, despite trying hard to open the deadlock.

Given how porous Argentina have been, there is a possibility that Deschamps may revert to deploying Griezmann as a false nine.

Sampaoli, on the other hand, has tried Sergio Aguero before settling for Gonzalo Higuain as his central striker. The partnership of Messi and Paulo Dybala continues to be a work in progress. There is also an argument that the two may clash with their runs during the build-up.

The know-how

One wonders if Sampaoli would still be the Argentina coach had Marcos Rojo not smashed his side’s winner against Nigeria five minutes from time. The 58-year-old manager was vilified by the Argentinian public only a few days ago.

The much-vaunted Sampaoli said after the match: “I think the media really needs to satisfy popular needs. They simply write what people want to hear. It’s not only the media’s fault, it’s also what the audience wants to hear.”

To be fair on the Copa America-winning coach, he has had only 12 months with the side. Compare that to a Deschamps and Joachim Low, who have been at the managerial hot seat for six and 12 years respectively.

But it is the sheer weight of personnel that makes France the favourites. However, despite the embarrassing wealth of options, it seems Deschamps still hasn’t figured out what his best XI is.

And it remains to be seen if Sampaoli and Argentina can exploit that weakness and build on their great escape from the group stage.