Yeah, I think what's happening here is we're letting popular thought, the media, dictate how we view the player and each other's opinions of him. I think you're being a little over critical of him based on the hype surrounding him. And to those who might say that the media doesn't really matter, they should look back to reports of how he reacted to being subbed during his abysmal performance in the sub 20 WC last year. We've gotta stop deifying the kids when they start out hot (Pino, Ortega, Cucho) and demonizing them when they stumble on the big stage (Medina). But, as Homie said, Cucho has scored against Real and Barcelona. While his initial hype, I agree, was pretty baseless, he has shown glimpses of greatness in La Liga. But, let's admit, if, say, Edwin Cetre was unexpectedly doing what Cucho has been doing the past couple years we'd probably be praising the kid to no ends for the exact same performances... As for @HomietheClown, I think you double down a bit in support of players when a few people disagree with your estimation of their ability. You're not the only one who does this. Actually, I think ALL the heated debates that happen on the forum stem from our desire to edify what we perceive to be popular misunderstanding when it comes to a specific player. Juanfer was a big source of this in the past...
I just go by my observations and tell the truth as I see it. It is not doubling down as you depict it. It is just trying to inform people of my point of view. I think what goes on around here is people read positive things about players and excitement and misconstrue it as over-hype and "way too soon". I try to give positives and negatives on each player in this forum and try to see what attributes can be used for the National team to win.
@HomietheClown can deny it all he wants but they did say he was the best prospect to ever come out of Colombia And then they keep going on about scoring against Barcelona and Madrid. Prior to this season, neither of those teams boasted a solid consistent defense. They gave up goals regularly and simply outscored the opponents. Scoring against Barcelona in a game his team lost 8-2 is not a show of grit and mental toughness. Look i like cucho. I don't think he is a bad player and i think he will be around the national team plans for many years to come. But he has not shown anything for me to get excited about. Just another good Colombian player to keep an eye on and that can help fill the senior team with quality. He is not going to be the type of player that tips the scale for us a la James or Falcao or even Cuadrado were. I hope I am wrong, but to this day he has not shown anything warranting me getting excited about
I think you're the king of doubling down And I don't think this is a bad thing. You're the most reliable guy on the boards to actually have a debate with, which is the whole point of a forum. Take it as a compliment. No. But I think he's helping his case to get on the roster. If we're going on form, I think Cucho is playing better right now, but I don't value club form nearly as much as others do. Regardless of form, I see Diaz as more dynamic and possessing better abilities to change games. But, I also think he's far less of a team player, and that's where Cucho is shining right now.
Doubling down to me implies not straying away from original thoughts or on a position/premise. As I have said, I go on these forums and give both the highs and lows , the positives and negatives of each player and allow that evidence to steer my conclusion and persuade me. It is fluid in most cases with meticulous views of player form not just opinion.
LOL he absolutely was not called the best prospect ever. He was our best prospect at the time and he's played plenty of important matches and shown well. It's harder to shine as an offensive player playing on relegation battling teams that don't produce a bunch of offense, a lot easier to do so on really good teams so that doesn't even make sense. He was a good prospect for a position that we didn't have a ton of guys for that would make us a better team using a false 9. We now have Morellos who suits that roll perfectly and Duvan as clear head and shoulders ahead of the class, CQ has used Morellos in that position and has used attacking wide forwards and it suits us perfectly, part of the appeal of Cucho was he had played that role and we needed it to move past the Falcao and Bacca's who offered nothing other then penalty area poaching.
Ok not best prospect but as close to a "can't miss prospect" as we've had at the forward position Big words for a guy that has accomplished very little especially compared to the likes of Falcao, James, Muriel, Quintero come out of our ranks. Anyways i hate to sound like I'm hating on him. Kid seems to have a good ethic and attitude and to want tl succeed. I just don't place him clearly above any of our other prospects such as Borre, Suarez, Diaz, Morelos, or Cordoba. Nor do i think will reach superstardom level as Falcao and James did.
Anyway, the September conversation is now already stale and irrelevant. I just heard qualifiers will be postponed again to October. Not September. More about Cucho now...
His attitude and his work ethic goes along with what I was alluding to with his style of play and aforementioned gritty mental side. Every time I see him play he plays with such intensity and a fierceness. Plays like a bully and with a chip on his shoulder even though he is not the biggest or the fastest. Morelos is similar but he seems to channel it into a negative and gets carded and punished for his chip on his shoulder and falls into mental traps.
Yeah I did say that but I think you might have taken it out of its intended context. Young players have a ton of variance and can be very unpredictable on how they will turn out, my point was at a very young age Cucho was playing and carrying himself like a player much older and had a skillset that allows him to play in many different formations and be successful, he wasn't timid, out of place or lacking intensity with much older players which is rare. He's also still very young, younger than a lot of those guys and for example a guy like Borre can't play multiple positions like Cucho can which gives him a better chance for success even if Borre is more likely to be a star if he puts it all together. This doesn't mean he's destined to be a star, he could be, it just means he's got a much more likely chance at success.
Cucho have had very few good matches in la liga in these two seasons.....honestly inst the rule that he makes a difference in a match...compared with cucho that is another youngster......cucho havent show the same.
Some of the Can't miss means high floor, range's of outcomes for young players can be super wide, can't miss means they are just not super likely to hit the bottom of the range and not pan out. From a floor standpoint he's up their historically sure, can't miss doesn't mean a Falcao or a James, can't miss means a good consistent player who is very likely to be involved with the national team. I still think he'll be involved and a good player, he's getting over a very bad injury and you can't really account for that in terms of development.
Kubo is insane, much higher level by far. The coach is a moron for not using him every game, the only reason they are in the conversation is because of Kubo and Cucho and they barely used them together or at early in the season.
Close is only good when you are playing horseshoes or hand grenades. I never said he is the best prospect ever. And if you look at all of my posts in here I have been consistent in my honest evaluations about his attributes and emphasizing playing with an edge/attitude. If you look on the first few pages I considered him a poor man's Tevez and a Turco Mohamed. Far from being the best prospect ever but still could provide very good value and overall versatility- especially for his age.
I think most of us here are not looking at his teammates or players eligible for Japan. Comparing him to Colombian players his age and playing in the League he is playing in he is a good prospect for Colombia this cycle.
With an extra month to evaluate players it changes things a tiny bit and adds variables I was not obviously expecting. And with the way the virus is still spreading October is not even a guarantee. I will think about your question more and answer it in the appropriate thread. BUT pertaining to this thread I think Cucho deserves a chance to be on the next roster. But think he may not be.
I’m all for Cucho on the next call up....amount of playing time? Depends on factors you mentioned - wouldn’t expect much though Was extremely bummed about May. I was supposed to be in Mallorca for a wedding and the timing was perfect bc I would have been able to catch a Mallorca home game. Another time! Since I was at the game Cucho scored two, i figure my attending a club game of his would have helped him get at least one goal
james.... Falcao.... Rodallega, Mina.... Davison....Ospina..... James was starting at Porto at Cucho age wasn’t he? rodallega went super Saiyan in the U20 qualifiers Mina was a starter at The Santa Fe team that won the sudamerica cup? davison was a starter and won the Copa Lib at a younger age Ospina was starting at Nacional all things I think are more impressive
Remind me when did Falcao's career take off? At 23 no? Arguably 22, his final year at River. Cucho still 21, but some of you are already calling for his head? Guy hasn't even played 5 games with the NT.