[ad_1]
The absence of James Rodriguez in Tuesday's match against England for the knockout phase of the World Cup in Russia is an open secret. But finally secret. Officially, there is no period of disability, but it is intuited that the presence of a small edema in the soleus of his right leg will not allow him, at least among the initiates, to go to the Spartak stadium of Moscow
. evaluate the kind of team that Colombia is with him and without him – it is so obvious that he is losing a large percentage of his danger, which is not worth the argument – it must be said that the numbers are not all bad as long as the injuries prevented the & # 39; 10 & # 39; to reach the national team.
Colombia was forced to play five times without James on the road to Russia 2018: three times won, a draw and once again lost. In these matches, he scored 7 goals and received 5.
But without the "10", that made the team in attack? Sometimes he replaced him, others changed
The first absence was registered on October 8, 2015. That day, Colombia played Peru with two strikers, Carlos Bacca and Teófilo Gutiérrez. , still supported by Edwin Cardona and Juan Guillermo Cuadrado. That day, in Barranquilla, Falcao came in the 75th minute, the goals of the 2-0 triumph were the work of "Teo & # 39; and Cardona, absent today.
Next season, five days later: Uruguay 3- Colombia 0. Unique defeat without the "magician", as Mojica says. It was exactly the same quartet of attackers but with more brand work, at least on paper, and with "Teo Plus" outside the rival zone. The result was particularly poor.
James again missed due to physical problems on June 10, 2016, when Colombia triumphed 0-1 at home in Paraguay. Then the team, which had a clear defensive plan, left Bacca and put Muriel and Cuadrado in flyer-stopper mode to close the sides and avoid the centers and the one that solved, with a powerful mid-range finish , was Cardona. This triumph, in the end, would be the key.
There were still physical problems the day Colombia drew 2-2 against Uruguay in Barranquilla (11-10-16). And Pekerman went in search of Macnelly Torres to replace the creative with another of his own position. Muriel and Cuadrado on the outside and above Bacca completed the figure. The attack was little attacked, to the point that the goals of equality were the work of Abel Aguilar and Yerry Mina. The hottest dance of the caucano in the afternoon
Last time, at least in the playoffs, that Colombia did not have one of its most prestigious internationals was in the draw 0-0, in San Cristobal, against Venezuela, on August 31, 2017. And interesting things happened: the team opted for Cardona and Cuadrado more open and Chará, with features of the game. striker yes but no longer waiting to badist Falcao. This attempt was rather inconsistent and had to rely on Giovanni Moreno more than James (minute 62) and Muriel (78).
Missing again the player who makes the difference in Colombia but who was en route to Brazil 2014, in June 2013, when the team attacked with Falcao and Teófilo together and Macnelly as the '10' defined . But that's another story, another moment, another illusion
Regarding the friendly engagements without the "10", the national team played 9 games including 1 lost, 2 draws and 6 wins, with a total of 25 goals in favor and 6 against. Thus, the 14 cumulative matches of the Colombian national team without James Rodriguez are 9 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses. The goals scored in these matches were 32 and he received 11.
This time Colombia will feel the absence of its most destabilizing player but, if it is not the case, it is necessary to adjust the case, knowing that the extremes seriously need defensive virtues, that we must take advantage of the good moment of Juan Fernando Quintero, the most "10" of the payroll, and that we must leave Falcao to the company, to whom another battle is waiting in a rival zone. Everything will be done, yes, from the certainty of knowing that even though it is a different team without James, it remains competitive and, as the figures show, reliable.
There are fewer hours and, after a practice of closed door football in Kazan – with Aguilar but without Borja and James available – it is time for reshuffle.
Jenny Gámez A.
Editor-in-Chief of FUTBOLRED
Special Envoy to Russia
On Twitter @jennygameza
Source link
