It's such a shame that the main purpose of our friendlies is to make money for FEF rather than to develop and improve our NT.
I guess we should expect that these things are done for $$$, not football reasons. Ecuador v. Colombia in Spain is going to draw a good crowd and paying in Euros. As mentioned earlier, we're not going to get any top-notch opponents until we qualify to the WC again, because people in Holland or France are not going to pay to see their team play against a South American also-ran.
worries me that up til this point we have still not been challenged by a top flight opponent. I wonder what is going on inside the mind of the FEF thinking that playing teams like this is gonna bring out our true potential. Colombia is a great rival, i respect them but I was thinking we'd be playing someone outside of our continent if we're traveling to Europe. Doesn't make sense to me. I think the FEF is forgetting that we have rivals like Paraguay and Brazil in our group for the Copa America and playing against Colombia and Peru isn't gonna give our guys a "preview" of what they are going to be up against. And thats not a good thing b/c lots of these guys have not played against a top flight opponent EVER in their life since this team has been renovated. At this point I can expect the next few friendlies to be Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, United States, and at best Poland.
EVERY TIME Rueda is about to announce the list for the upcoming friendlies Morante gets injured. ALL THE TIME! It's frustrating b/c he's the one guy I wanna see on defense.
I just also think tactically it's a big mistake to let our direct rivals know how they match up against our new players.
http://www.futbolecuador.com/stories/publica/19715 Still don't know why they call up Minda, the guy is trash!! Arqueros: Alexander Domínguez (Liga de Quito) Máximo Banguera (Barcelona) Defensores: Juan Carlos Paredes (Deportivo Quito) Isaac Mina (Deportivo Quito) Jairo Campos (Deportivo Quito) Giovanni Nazareno (Barcelona) Walter Ayoví (Monterrey) Mediocampistas: David Quiroz (Emelec) Luis Fernando Saritama (Deportivo Quito) Oswaldo Minda (Deportivo Quito) Segundo Alejandro Castillo (Deportivo Quito) Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) Christian Noboa (Rubin Kazan) Delanteros: Felipe Caicedo (Levante) Jefferson Montero (Levante) Félix Borja (Puebla) Joao Rojas (Morelia) Jaime Ayoví (Toluca
I like the lineup. Osvaldo Minda is not in the lineup...it's Mina that's in, and he's not that bad actually. I could think of better defenders, but Rueda stepped it up this time.
Interesting to see the way Rueda manages the squads each time. You would think that Giovanni Caicedo's good moment in Liga would attract him (not that it should) even more than before when he was in D.Quito, but it hasn't. I'm a bit surprised he wasn't on the list but THANK GOD he isn't. Glad Checa isn't on this list either. I wonder if he's eliminating the players who don't convince him or if he's leaving those two guys out just to try other people like he's done this time with Benitez and Elizaga, both player who are with the NT on a regular basis. but im even MORE surprised to see Oswaldo Minda on the list. WTF that dude doesn't even get playing time in D.Quito. If players like MJ Quinonez and Gustavo Rodas don't get playing time in that team what makes anyone think Minda would. How was he even evaluated to make it to the NT? Everyone else deserves to be on the NT besides Oswaldo Minda, they have earned it and worked their way through. So far, it's the best list i've seen Rueda make. My 2 cents, I'd love to see Eduardo Morante added in to this list at some point as well as Joffre Guerron given an opportunity because he really deserves it just as much as Montero and Felipe Caicedo have deserved it this time. And obviously, we all know Benitez is going to be on the list for sure. Ruedas either really interested in trying out other guys like Borja, Caicedo, and Montero or he's giving Benitez a wake up call so that he can finally stop being a lazy ass. BTW Michael Arroyo is missing...doesn't Rueda love Arroyo? he always starts him. weird.
my line up would be; Dominguez; Paredes, Mina, Guagua/Campos, Nazareno/Ayovi; Rojas, Castillo, Noboa, Saritama, Montero; Caicedo Rueda's gonna do something like that b/c he loves playing 3 guys in the middle especially with the qualities of Castillo, Noboa, Saritama, and Quiroz. Hopefully we see Valencia the second half I wouldn't risk playing him 90 minutes.
alright i need some clarification here: on the list from futbolecuador.com i see different selection of players than from teradeportes.com which ones correct? teradeportes is always more reliable but on that site we only have 2 center backs which is really weird and Edson Montano is on the list as well as Pablo Palacios (really weird, f*ck him for scoring that goal vs. Honduras). on the futbolecuador one Guauga is in it, Borja is in it, and theres no Palacios or Edson Montano. http://teradeportes.com/newsv2.php?id_noticia=38277 http://www.futbolecuador.com/stories/publica/19715
This is from marcador.com.ec Arqueros Alexander Domínguez (Liga de Quito) Máximo Banguera (Barcelona) Javier Klimowicz (Emelec) Defensores Juan Carlos Paredes (Deportivo Quito) Isaac Mina (Deportivo Quito) Jairo Campos (Deportivo Quito) Jorge Guagua (Liga de Quito) Giovanny Nazareno (Barcelona) Walter Ayoví (Monterrey-México) Volantes David Quiroz (Emelec) Luis Fernando Saritama (Deportivo Quito) Oswaldo Minda (Deportivo Quito) Segundo Alejandro Castillo (Deportivo Quito) Luis Antonio Valencia (Manchester United-Inglaterra) Cristian Noboa (Rubín Kazán-Rusia) Jefferson Montero (Levante-España) Delanteros Felipe Caicedo (Levante-España) Jaime Ayoví (Toluca-México) Pablo Palacios (Barcelona) Edson Montaño (KAA Gent-Bélgica).
Rueda clearly has been watching the Mexican league, because Michael Arroyo and Christian Benitez have definitely not been on form this Clausura season. It probably was a message that he will pick the players who are performing. That said, without Arroyo, Guerron or Rojas we lack options out wide. I would also have picked Renato Ibarra or even Marcos Caicedo. Too many central midfielders in that squad. Not sure what the deal is with Pablo Palacios. He keeps getting chances, reminds me of Cuchillo Fernandez back in the day.
Pablo Palacios isn't even a regular starter in Barcelona. I was surprised he was part of the squad against Venezuela. Really surprised. I'm still in doubts as to which list is real and which one isn't. in some I see Edson Montano, Borja, Rojas, Palacios, and Guagua. In others I see only 1 or 2 of them. A bit confusing. Are you sure the one from marcador is the real one? and your right Renato Ibarra should have been given an opportunity. He's starting in El Nacional unlike Marcos Caicedo who barely gets chances in Emelec and is doing a great job at it. I would have wanted to see someone like John Navaez get a chance but i've barely seen him get any minutes with Cuenca this season. Weird how these teams let their best guys warm the bench.
No es el "A" pero tampoco el B. Hay jugadores que son titulares indiscutibles como Valencia, Noboa y Walter Ayovi, pero tambien hay aquellos quien se estan comprobando. Tambien esta la ausencia de jugadores que definitivamente seran llamados para la Copa America, como Christian Benitez y Joffre Guerron.
how are you so sure about Guerron? Did you mean Felipe caicedo? cuz Guerron has only received 2 call ups since Rueda has been coach. He performed well in the game vs. Poland but never received a call up after that despite his great performances in Atletico Paranaense. Makes me doubt Rueda will consider him for SURE in the Copa America, although all hope isn't lost. But I think Rueda favorites Arroyo, Rojas, Valencia, Saritama, Quiroz, Noboa, and Castillo in the midfield more than anyone else. You can add Montero there if you want, but i dont know if Rueda considers him a forward or a winger.
That's interesting...I think Guerron confirmed his role on the right during the matches he played against Poland and Colombia. Plus he is starting, playing well, and scoring goals on one of the top teams in Brazil. For all of Caicedo and Montero's merits at Levante, and all the other players in Mexico and Ecuador...it is surely more difficult and impressive to get a starting spot on Atl. Panaraense than any of those teams. As far as the other midfielders you mention, definitely Valencia and Noboa are guaranteed starters no matter what. Saritama, Quiroz and Castillo will likely be rotated depending on the opponent and tactical setup. Arroyo and Montero will be on the squad, but whether they play will depend on their club form, and unfortunately neither of them are doing anything big with their clubs right now. Rojas - I like him, but he is not going to be a starter, he is more of an impact sub. For these reasons, I think if Copa America started today, it's Guerron on the right wing or as right-sided forward, with either Benitez or Caicedo up top, and Valencia playing more centrally.
But if anything Valencia, he will probably be the star of the team but the real rising star in Ecuador is Montero
thats true. we're analyzing them as completely new and different players from the ones we saw 2-3 years back. at least i am, they are starting from scratch again in my book. and you add Benitez there as well.
If Norberto Araujo stays fit the next month, does he have a chance to get a call up to the NT before the Copa America?
Absolutely. In fact, I think he gets the call up regardless. He is one of the best defenders in Ecuador...and now he's Ecuadorian. PERFECT.
[LINEUP-4-4-2]Caicedo, Benitez, Arroyo, Mendez, Noboa, Guerron, Ayovi, Campos, Guagua, Valencia, Banguera[/LINEUP-4-4-2] I think this is the strongest lineup we could possibly field.
I agree. I'm just in doubt of Valencia in the right back position. and instead of Guagua i'd have Norberto Araujo. And I really like what i've seen from Arroyo in the NT, but Montero's up there for grabs on that spot too. Other than that, it's really the best line up.