I have such a hard time seeing Balanta on the field. He's lefty but really doesnt use the flank to protect the ball and seems to be daydreaming/a step behind the player constantly. If I'm going to improvise and have no options, I would rather keep Lerma on the right wing and switch Arias to the left. Balanta offers no guarantees either offensively or defensively.As for Sanchez, he offers a lot of guarantee for Pekerman in the MF and no one (barring injury) is moving him out.
I agree. Long flight/trip to Asia, time changes, cuisine, etc, everything has it's part. FCF is clearly minting $$$$$ by taking on these 2 friendlies with very little consideration as to how it affects it's players.
in other news....Argentina has given up 4 goals to Nigeria today.....things can always be worse for us.....word of the day....perspective =) it's a long ways between now and March. a lot can change. Lerma, Barrios, Borja, Duvan are players that should make the final roster but it will be important to see how they develop this club season. Mina, Davinson, C Zapata - hopefully all 3 have solid club form as season continues Muriel and Cardona - drama zone; i rate them both highly, but their actions may hurt the team and their NT standing GioM, Balanta (lesser extent), Aviles, Pardo, Medina, Tesillo - i'm indifferent, if they make the final roster, i'll be cringing a lot anytime they are on the field, otherwise i won't lose sleep if they don't make it to Russia. GC brothers, Murillo Brothers - don't know what to say....hopefully they can make a case for themselves by March. Abel, Roca, Ospina - please find playing time at club level - transfer request or hire some goons to take out whoever is ahead of you on depth chart (joking guys.....kind of) Cuadrado, Arias, Fabra, James, Falcao - keep on doing your thing
That’s gonna be the roster for the WC .. except for EABalanta his spot should be given to someone else that can play in the midfield.
despite the injuries......i agree. Farid Diaz if returns to junior or nacional will be the back up of fabra
Potential 23 to the world cup updated BOLD (guaranteed, barring injury), Italic (fringe) GKs Ospina Cuadrado Castellanos RBs Arias CBs Zapata O. Murillo (may be out as not polyfunctional) Mina Davinson (started out as CDM) Alvarez Balanta (started out as CAM in youth, can play LM, or CDM) LBs Fabra RMs Cuadrado (can play CAM, can play RB in emergency) Pardo/Chara (can play CAM or on the left side) CDMs Sanchez (can play CB) Barrios (can play as sole CDM when needed) Lerma (emergency right back) CMs Aguilar Uribe CAMs James (can play LM in emergency, needs to improve work-rate in Bayern) Strikers Falcao Bacca Borja Zapata TeoDios (can play CAM) Potentially Out Cardona Muriel Hurtado Gio Moreno Medina Tesillo Potential Surprises Machado J. Murillo (has experience, also has made errors in yellow) Cuellar D. Torres (needs PT) Perez (has the potential to receive plenty of PT, once recovered) Izquierdo (needs consistent PT, needs important goals)
He never have played there inn professional level........is like to say that yepes was able to play as forward because his past in cortulua......... If we want Balanta with almost NT level it should be as center back.......and since longo time he havent been so great
Everyone is speaking about names but what about the way to play or the formation? Last time, Pékerman changed the 4-1-2-1-2 from the qualifying to a counter attacking team with a 4-2-3-1 that kind of improved/solved many of theproblems that we faced at the end of the qualifying for BR 2014. Based on that, I think Pékerman is going to change from the 4-2-3-1 to another system not only because we have a lot to fix but also because he doesn’t want other teams to know the way we play before the WC. Against Corea and China he tested a very flexible 4-3-3. Don’t be surprised if he moves James to the left for the WC as a LM or LW.
Balanta should never see the field as a CB with our current crop, so it doesn't make sense to bring primarily a CB to play as an auxiliary CDM/LB. It makes more sense in a pinch to move Lerna there or Arias across and Lerna at RB. Hell even Sanchez could probably play in the FB positions if needed and is more mobile.
Without Falcao I think we are best with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, with Falcao its going to be difficult to play without a front 2 because we won't get the best out of him and leaving him out seems not to make sense. I really think that Duvan and Falcao will be the preferred pairing, Duvan work his ass off and really works the defense, and as well this season his offensive numbers have been really good and no fluke. Falcao likes to drop deep at times and Duvan stretches the defense better then anyone else we have, really think that combo makes sense, it also will create a stretched defense which is also playing to Cuadrado and James strengths, and Falcao with space to come into the box = goals.
With Falcao we can even play with 3 strikers , he knows that from his time at Porto or now in Monaco. Maybe going back to the roots with James as LM? 4-3-3 Aguilar——Sanchez——James JGC———Falcao———DuZa
i think a 4-2-2-2 is my preferred formation, but the 4-2-3-1 has been used so often, i think it would be tough to deviate from that as well Falcao plus: Duvan - play him in more physical matchups Borja/Bacca - play either when facing a finesse team
I think we are better with 2 strikers regardless if is Falcao or not. I wish we can find a way to use James as a false 9 and Falcao as pure 9.
Backup creative player. Teo? He can play striker and is a way better AMF then Gio Moreno Maybe with Izquerido
nah, not because on what each can offer offensively but mainly because Chara can play in different midfield positions, while Pardo cant. we clearly need to find a solution in the mid.
No I mean Teo can be a backup play maker or AmF. No way in any universe is Gio Moreno better then Teo. Maybe in height but in nothing else. Bacca Most likely isn’t going Def going Falcao baring Jail 3 others -Zapata offers something no one else does he is new Jackson. Unless Córdoba has a monster last 6 months in Germany. -Borja offers something else as well Then a toss up between Muriel, Teo and Bacca. He seems to rate Bacca the least a monster game against China won’t change that. Teo in a pinch can play MF. He also has the best chemistry with Falcao. So he is going unless he brings Chara or Izquerido as CFs who can also play MF. Muriel if he has a great season will take Borjas spot. Competing with Bacca as well.