Down South: Something is very wrong at Boca Juniors

Entering 2016, Boca Juniors looked to have all the ingredients necessary for a successful calendar year.

A 31st Primera Division title and glory at the 2014-15 Copa Argentina were the highlights of an ultimately successful 2015. Pablo Daniel Osvaldo and Carlos Tevez were about to be reunited, with the former returning to Boca on an 18-month contract. Fernando Gago was, at long last, healthy after recovering from an Achilles injury that was picked up in El Superclasico. There was, simply put, reason to believe that 2016 could be a year in which Boca conquers South America once again.

How quickly perceptions change.

It has taken three fixtures for the hype surrounding Boca to not only die, but get launched into the farthest reaches of outer space, never to return. After kicking off its Primera Division season with a scoreless draw at Club Atletico Temperley, Rodolfo Arruabarrena's side followed up the uninspiring result with a 4-0 loss at San Lorenzo de Almagro in the Supercopa Argentina. A 1-0 defeat came four days later at La Bombonera in Boca's second match of the Primera Division campaign.

In other words, with exactly eight days until its Copa Libertadores adventure begins, Boca is still in search of its first competitive goal of the year.

The explanation for the dreadful run of form is a culmination of factors, but there are two reasons that stand out above the rest.

First of all, Boca is quite obviously struggling to fill the void left by Jonathan Calleri, who joined Sao Paulo on loan from Deportivo Maldonado after bringing his time at La Bombonera to an end.

Related - Down South: Jonathan Calleri kicks off life at Sao Paulo in phenomenal style

Calleri's energy in front of goal resulted in 10 goals for Boca last season, and he tallied three goals for Sao Paulo during his first two appearances for the Brazilian club. The 22-year-old is one of the most exciting players to have exited Argentinian football's production line in recent memory, and Osvaldo, for all his experience, isn't an adequate replacement.

Second of all, questionable tactics have defined Boca's first three games of the season, particularly in the midfield where Tevez is arguably dropping too deep, and at the back where Daniel "Cata" Diaz is being asked too much of at the age of 36.

Tim Vickery of World Soccer elaborates:

Against Temperley he went with a conventional 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield – which perhaps did not function well because Tevez operated too deep, invading the space of playmaker Nicolas Lodeiro. For the subsequent two games Boca’s coach reverted to a back three – a system which makes specific demands of the centre backs. First, two of them must be able to carry the ball out of defence. Secondly, the wide pair must have the pace to deal with playing in wide open spaces. In Boca’s case, neither of these conditions apply.

Just how bad the situation is at Boca will be determined in the coming eight days. On Wednesday, the club travels to San Martin de San Juan for its third game of the Primera Division season. That will be followed on Sunday by a clash against Newell's Old Boys before its Copa Libertadores journey gets underway at Deportivo Cali, a Colombian club brimming with youth.

If the results are not up to Boca's high standards, don't expect to see the curly hair of Arruabarrena at La Bombonera any longer.