I never said that. I said we can do well without him if we had to. There is a huge difference between those statements . Which is why I apparently have to repeat myself
The discussion is happening on a lot of threads at once right now, so I'll bring it here and start talking about what's to add/change going forward. We all agree the subs need to be sorted, but there seems to be debate on whether slight changes in personnel is the better solution or if a modification of tactics is needed. I like this team built around James. We need to integrate his heir apparent ASAP...who I think is Yaser. But we need to have a solid sub for him. Outside of that, I think the biggest thing that needs to be solved is whether Jhon Arias is a CM or a RW. The striker as a psuedo RW can only get us so far against tough teams like Arg and Uruguay. It was way better with Cordoba than with Borre, but even the former is limited. Duran is a kid who might pull that off, but who knows when he'll be ready. Playing James pretty much gaurantees that we play a false 433 to cover him, or a 4231. Arias is playing in the midfield because or CMs have not been able to pull that off the latter formation by themselves. Even though Rios broke out, he and Lerma don't have it in them effectively transition us from defense to attack. Those two are great and deserve to keep starting. The biggest thing that would help them is a competent LB...but it seems we don't have anybody. Even the best prospect--Cabal--is not exactly a transporter of the ball. So what are your solutions, people?
In the vision of a team WITHOUT James, without a 10 in general, we need to find the 3rd CM so that Arias can play out wide. Most of us know Solis and Puerta. They are fantastic prospects, but who knows when they'll start playing for club. And Lorenzo has been quite gun shy with Yaser and Duran. Portilla is fine, but he is not a guy who might push us beyond what we are now. The MAIN guy I think could be added to the squad right now--regardless of formation--is NELSON DEOSSA. I've watched this dude alot. I was pretty sure when I first saw Rios play, when I first saw Puerta play, and when I first saw Solis play that they'd end up in Europe. I posted about all those guys before they were ever on the NT radar. He's older, but, I'm pretty sure, once Deossa gets in the limelight, like Rios, this guy will go directly to Europe. Even if it's just to be a sub, this guy will be a MUCH better option than Uribe.
I don't think we need a big tactical change, we don't need to overthink what's working and the system Lorenzo has put in has largely done really well and allowed us to dominate almost everyone and even we looked the better side in the first half against Argentina before the legs fell off after a long tournament vs a deeper and more rested team. Arias not having more freedom this tournament was surprising, he's been really good and able to move all over previously, but I think now that we are playing Rios instead of Uribe Rios is being given more freedom to roam and Arias is more central. I think we keep it the way it is but we need to get Yaser minutes, Arias can also play the James roll with a little twist if we get another midfielder who can take his roll he has played. Arias is such an amazing player, the guy has played a bunch of different roles and done them really well, this guy played like a 8 largely tasked with defending a bunch against Messi and did the job really well, crazy how versatile he is. I honestly think part of the issue is that with Rios on the right, Arias moves to the left and Rios is great but he's not as dynamic as a winger or at making runs off the ball like Arias can be when he played that role with Uribe playing more central, so what happens is there's more pressure on the 9 who's playing on the right to be the winger, whereas previously Arias was popping up there and he's a real wide attacker that knows how to hurt a team there, with Rios and Cordoba you don't have that same dynamic and it hurt us a bit against Argentina who clamped down both wings expertly and they did nothing all game. Keep James central but have Arias/Yaser as the alternatives for a roaming 10 type(Quintero is a like for like) but I think the easiest and most logical adjustment is the false 9/RW that Borre/Cordoba have been playing. We should try ditching that and playing either no 9 and commit to possession playing to feet monsters or at least give the guys who can be a RW/9 chances to get more of a natural on that right side to hurt teams. We can play Sini there and there are others, Duran and other guys who aren't being called up currently if we want to go that way tactically, but I fear with Arias on the left now that right side needs to be more balanced and the fake RW isn't going to work without the surprise anymore. Also play a LB who can invert and give Arias more freedom again to bomb forward would help. Of course as well with Munoz there it helps too as he is great at overlapping. Diaz------------------Sini/Duran(or someone else) --------Arias--James---Rios ----------------Lerma----------------Munoz Cabal------------------------------ -----------Sanchez---Lucumi- James/Arias/RIos need to make runs through the middle, Arias was doing this pre Rios. Rather than trying to get a LB who stays wide and doesn't add much, get one who is comfy coming inside like Arsenal/Man City use and send the CM's more and let Diaz patrol that whole side with Arias helping Diaz and the LB.
Sini was pretty brilliant as a false winger 9 in his last season at Feyenoord. Like the sound of it. Only thing we would lose is the brilliant hold up play of Cordoba. The value this adds to the team is really hard to fully measure. Duran would be the ideal if he pans out. Good analysis of Rios' assumed responsibility of the right side of the midfield.
haha I can't drink Alcohol not sure if it was the stress of my job after college, fact I didnt sleep for 4-5 years because I drank so much going to party but any booze I drink I instantly am 30 seconds away from shitting my pants haha. So that does not help me at all I think a Change in formation needs to be discussed. No James and our current formation doesn't work. We also dont have any LBs in the pipe line. Cabal is a CB if he goes to Inter it will be to be a LCB and Bastonis sub so he isnt going to start or get much play time. Prefer he stays where he is at. Fuentes failed in Spain, and let's be honest is just ok in Colombia. Now the 3 LBs at Nacional they all need to go on loan same as their U20 goalie. Again why force a position and players out of it when we dont have one and we have like 15 CBs. Lucumi also can sort of play LB if needed tho he is our Best CB. Borja isnt that good and Machado is just ok defensively and not good offensively at least on the NT. No James = no BS 10. No one has the vision, crossing or free kicks so that we have to put up with that stupid positions issues. Quintero is dead he more than a Zombie than Falcao is. He fking failed at Junior haha. Carrascal is garbage. We have Yaser but again he isnt James and will never be. No one else in that pipe line Instead of focusing an another position and player that doesnt exist. Man I would love to see another James in my life time but making our young players (u10-u17 try to become a new James isnt the way to go) instead of James try Arias, Diaz, Sinisterria/Yaser/ Gomez/Poveda/ Cucho or anyone else. Who ever playing for James that is much much faster just switch positions up top during the game to confuse defenders. We have no one anywhere near as good at crossing(team needs to work on that) or free kicks on the squad. Bring guys that do things way better than James ever could or with more direct goal threat tho getting another Golden Boot winner at a WC..... thats going to be tough or play with 2 strikers once James isnt on the field. Feel if we had put another guy supporting Cordoba in for Arias or Diaz instead of making Quintero come in. That would have unlocked their defense. We just simply kept crossing to no one or a guy who was marked by 3-4 dudes. Players in Argentina would not Mark Duran or Borja the same they were Diaz/Arias/James that could have helped. But yea Quintero coming in we lost 2-3 men(thats how important James is to our gameplay) then putting Borre and Uribe that was like playing 4 v 11 Quintero is not like and has never been anything like James I just never seen it and do not understand how people can think they are anything alike. Quintero short pass instead of taking the corner is classic Pre James 10 Colombia BS. It should have died with Macnelly but nope we have the much more inferior version of Macnelly still on the team.
Yeah I've seen Sini do it, he actually holds up well to feet and for a smaller guy is really good in the air and attacks crosses well like Diaz as well. Of course not sure it would work every game, and the more traditional guys still would be useful but I mean alot of our chances have been generated from runs off the left or right wide into central, so idk why not just give the 2 guys who we have who are best at it given a chance in Diaz and Sini together. Another guy who I think would be really good in that position would be Andres Gomes, he and Sini are wide forwards but they both are good operating central and always want to cut into those areas anyways.
Sini needs to get club minutes and work on his fitness. Dude is more injury prone than James and Mina combined. he is an interesting prospect but seems to be made out of glass.
You lost me when you said bring in 2 strikers, and you entirely lost me when you said that would've unlocked their defense.
People keep saying this about our players, who cares if they're fit and constantly perform then play them, if they're not than don't. Sini has performed for us non stop off the bench, James was the player of the tournament, Mina has been our best CB when fit and playing. We don't have enough depth to discard good players who get hurt, if they're fit and they perform play them, clearly Lorenzo understands that so its not the issue because James is the centerpiece for us.
we finished 3rd last time, 2nd this time.... man hope that means we win 2026 Vamos Colombia ! hopefully our sh it head fans learn to be adults and civilized people. Prior to the Uruguay game everyone was like wow Colombians joy was infectious then..... yea not nice to attack women/kids. To these people are fking savages !!
I like him. I like the way he tracks back and plays D. I like the way he can help in attack. Not sure he will be called up as long as he is in Mexico though but he was an integral part of Pachuca's CONCACAF Champions Cup run/victory.
This caught my eye when reading your post. It would be interesting to see any of those players in an experimental formation. In the Non- FIFA friendly against USA a while back it was Borrero from MLS who was given a chance and it was an interesting move. Lorenzo really has not tried it since though and Borrero is not back to form since his long injury. I do think out of all the guys you list maybe Poveda can be played there. Of Course Yaser I would like to see too. Someone like Campaz or even Centre in Argentina could even tried out in experiments once we Qualify.
I was also pretty upset last night and this morning but I kind of sat on it. I’m obviously not happy we didn’t win but if I’m being honest this is much better from us within the last 20 or so odd years. We can compete with anybody. Do I want to win a trophy? Yes obviously. But we should take this and build on it. I hope Lorenzo takes this as some growing pains, learns from his mistakes and takes us to the next level. I think if we play our cards right we can continue with to compete for every trophy. Competing in finals still means we made it to the final and will gradually change our mindset. I think the next time we are in one, we will be much better prepared mentally. I’m optimistic.
yep. his son was booked. not sure what happened though so I'll wait to hear details. But if I had to take a guess ... " (cop): you there, where do you think you're going, get back, the stadium is closed.... (Jesurum and son) : "do you know who I am"....(cop and mace) "I don't care who you are".... can't stand Jesurum and can't stsnd entitlement but there was no one in charge yesterday in Miami.....only Shakira
C. Borja should be back. Alazate has not been called up since 2022 so I think he is off the radar for now. But who knows?