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The repechage, a lifeline for the Colombian National Team (Last tango)

The problem is not only Reinaldo Rueda. You also have to ask about the players. Analysis.

Jorge Barraza
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  • By:Jorge Barraza
    January 30, 2022 12:00 a.m. m.
    dishonorable box of world teams that do not score goals. Share the list of ineffective with territories like Anguilla, Seychelles, Bahamas, where they are aware that the ball is round, not much else. And let's clarify that Anguilla has 14,000 inhabitants.

    Nevertheless, the reputation of Colombian soccer players remains unscathed and lustrous: they are "the stars that succeed in Europe." The players, all of them, are very lucky beings. This reminds us of the “immense talent of Coutinho”, a languid and apathetic midfielder, with a certain good command of the ball, who has been failing for years, but to whom, whenever he is mentioned, the well-worn “immense talent” is recited. It's like a prefix. To call Colombia you have to dial 57 first, to refer to Coutinho, the “immense…” goes first. An invisible talent, but one that allows Cou to be the object of super-million dollar transfers and collect 16 million euros per year (tax-free). (Also read: James Rodríguez got out of his clothes: he insulted fans on his way to the locker room)

    Which Colombian players make a real difference?

    The question is, outside of Ospina, Barrios, Cuadrado and Díaz, which ones are stars and which ones are triumphant. Let's talk seriously, in football terms and not marketing or social networks. Apart from that quartet of indisputables, there are good elements as well as other teams. Or there are the cases of James and Falcao, whose physical parabola is clearly declining. But the blame always falls on the coach, before Queiroz, now Rueda, in Jesurún, on "the journalism that first praises them and then tears them apart"... Never on the players. So, fine, let's keep the "stars" sign for them, but please don't call them "romperredes" or "cannoneros" or "artilleros", let's save those epithets for the Lewandowskis, Haalands and Mbappés...Carlos Queiroz (This afternoon your Egypt plays the quarterfinals of the African Cup), you have a strong responsibility, you did not know how to put together a competitive team. He had a lot of time, but he left no base, nothing, zero. Reinaldo Rueda, his: he took the patient with game and goal anemia and it didn't improve him much, he just put him back together defensively and made him fight. And the thing about Jesurún, in any case, will be that he chose the wrong coach to start the project. But they do not enter the field.

    There are bills that must be paid by the protagonists. If the team doesn't work, sometimes you have to save it individually. Peru had only one: Cueva's pass was brilliant and Édison Flores' definition was spectacular. Ospina has a slap on the wrist, but the shot at number 20 was a whiplash, violent, grazing and, most importantly, it went between the three sticks. He did not slip or throw it out or hand it over to the goalkeeper. He did everything right and settled. That is what some of the Colombian attackers are asked to do. Let them define one. Someone who wins a rebound, a header, who hits with a shot. Let someone score a goal scorer. What is a goalscorer...? One born from nothing, with an unexpected swing, anticipating the score, deflecting a ball into the net, putting the toe of the shoe. Something that comes from insight, cunning or suddenness. There is an individual execution problem, it is very clear. Which becomes more acute as goalless games increase, because then it becomes karma, an obsession, unbearable pressure. And there is another, more serious, collective one: this team has no game generation. The goal situation appears in three ways: 1) by one-on-one, avoiding rivals. Bochini used to say: "If I dribble to one, a teammate is left unmarked, if I dribble to two it's already a goal situation." Because the path of rivals is cleared. But in Colombia, except for Luis Díaz, nobody faces, they are all passes. And not filtered passes, but laterals. 2) For mobility. The constant dynamic offers download options and generates spaces, and spaces, opportunities. 3) For change of pace. Acceleration produces imbalance. (Also: Egan Bernal: Beloki and Horrillo, stories of faith for the Colombian idol) The problem is that this Colombia is monorhythmic, and a tiring train starts at twenty and continues at twenty. In three quarters of the field you have to accelerate to be able to surprise. There would be a fourth factor, which is the mid-distance shot, however, that already responds to individual virtues. The Peruvian goal is not counted as a performance because it was born by chance, a ball lost in the middle by Chará, with the entire team ahead, attacking desperately and offering giant gaps behind that in normal conditions do not occur.

    The playoffs, a lifeline for the National Team Colombia (Last Tango)

    Working on generation takes time. And Rueda does not have it and never had it. They faced Peru with two previous training sessions. It is impossible to work tactically

    Working on generation takes time. And Rueda does not have it and never had it. They faced Peru with two previous training sessions. It is impossible to work tactically. The orchestras are armed with rehearsals. Gareca has been in Peru for seven years. And many of its players played or still play in the local tournament. He had or has them on hand. What happens then…? That the same formula is repeated over and over again, a midfielder that goes up with the ball, opens to the right for Cuadrado or to the left for Mojica and they throw a center (many times defective) and an opponent who waits buckled behind, as in In this case, Peru is like throwing chocolate bombs at it, a delight. Even so, Colombia dominated widely. The statistics speak of 68% of yellow possession, which sounds meager. We thought it was much more. And he had an infinite number of approaches, although no clear goal situation. But he searched by air, sea and land and had total dedication and generosity. James is right to ask people for respect, they left everything. The commitment is beyond doubt. And it must be the most unfair defeat in history. Although this game does not know justice or injustice, the tyranny of the goal prevails, and perhaps that is why it is so exciting. A digression: James put the soul and has what the others do not, the spark, pity that the physique already prevents him from lighting the fire. Another: Ospina was not happy with the goal, he thought that Flores was kicking across the ball and he neglected the near post, let's also say that he had dozens of happy afternoons and nights.

    The mistakes that have Colombia in trouble

    This is a qualified team, not higher than those of Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador or Uruguay, yes suitable to fight for a World Cup position, but the process was born badly and lost chances. Ramón Jesurún was not entirely fond of Pekerman and decided to change. Too bad Queiroz wasn't the man. It's not that about material either. These people couldn't beat Brazil either there or back, with Argentina at home, neither with Ecuador and Uruguay, they couldn't beat Bolivia there, they couldn't beat the worst Paraguay in history in a double cross, now they lose to Peru … But we never hear footballers say “it's our fault”. It's always one of the others. (In other news: 'The fans don't touch themselves': Kid Valderrama's dart against James Rodríguez) There are still nine points ahead, yes, but be careful, you have to win them... Now he has the advantage of absences from Argentina, which was left without ten players, six of them starters: Cuti Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico, Paredes, De Paul and Messi. It is the opportunity to add again, although now he must do it in threes. Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador are already inside, Uruguay has realigned itself and it is difficult for them to fall. Fourth place is a memory of a better past. Colombia no longer depends on itself. Now we have to assume the repechage. Last tango...Jorge BarrazaFor EL TIEMPO@JorgeBarrazaOK

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