Right when Borre and Arango were gonna sub in, the commentators I listened to laughed at the logic. Putting in every striker you have does not and never has increased your likelihood of scoring. Quieroz did it all the time, too. I don't miss Morelos, but I feel bad that he's never gotten an actual shot to play his natural position. I'd say Arango is more versatile, but it's getting to the point that it doesn't even matter who gets put in. Even when you play well, like Sinisterra, you can get the boot. The only people who have unquestionable spots for Rueda are the veterans who always play--whether they play well or not.
Genuinely felt sick after that game. Ospina - NA - Didn't have to do anything all game. Moreno - 3 - What on earth happened to him? His crossing was crazy! Davinson - 3 - Created their best chance by misjudging a bounce terribly and getting turned much like he was in Asuncion... Tesillo - 4 - He plays soberly but he gives away so many corners and throw ins... Against better opposition that can hurt. C4 - 3 - The bad Cuadrado. So many poor decisions. Cuellar - 4 - Was late all over the place. Lerma - 4 - Man, everytime he passes the ball forward it goes to the other team. Painfully limited for a player with his fitness and athleticism. James - 5 - In best form? No way. But he worked and passed well and transitioned us well. Praying he gets fit by Feb. Played longer than I expected. Diaz - 6 - motm. Terrorized them all night, but didn't have his finishing boots and also made some poor choices in the attacking third. Borja - 4 - Rough first half missing two sitters. Thought he was taken off too early because he was creating chances. Muriel - 3 - So selfish. In Italy he either gets off a shot or passes. Those out of control runs were lame. Duvan - 4 - Gets a point for holding up the ball and forcing them to ten men, but poor guy is a head case out there right now. Valoyes - 4 - Showed some skills controlling and holding up well on the wing but was way too deferential to Cuadrado - he didn't take on the fullback once and instead passed it back to og to cross every time. The miss at the end was brutal - what an opportunity to be the hero and he didn't get it on frame... Cantillo - 6 - Improved distribution vs. Cuellar and sought out the ball. That said, his mistake at the end of the game could have been a red card on another day with a ref looking to even things up and he should have kept his head. Borre - ? - At CM? Arango - na - not enough to rate but thought he was tidy on the ball and looked comfortable with the shirt on.
God watching the highlights reminds me how pissed I was watching the game. Especially with Boja wasting those headers of his. Had Falcao been in his place he would have at least gotten them on target.
In truth, we created a ton of chances but these guys all look so stressed the heck out. I mean that first Borja header was absurd. I don't know what's more upsetting about it - that he misses so awkwardly or that Lerma (running behind him) scores it without question if he isn't there. That was a legit great move to release Diaz and then a great cross from Lucho. James hits the other cross perfectly and this time Borja shapes perfectly and it just goes wide. James hits a great shot a little later.... It just goes wide. Duvan great play on a break (maybe could have released Lucho on the left) but he hits it well... And it just goes wide. None of these were killer saves - it was like after making keepers look incredible for the last several games all we did was practice shooting at the corners or something. I still feel sick.
key word, stressed. It was so evident this team is stressed out. I miss the whole dancing and smiling we used to have. Pablo arenero and his twerking. A far cry from what we used to be
Wow, you're giving James way too much credit. He had one great shot but he just wasn't match fit to mark any difference. But I don't blame yesterday's poor performance on James but rather on Rueda who clearly doesn't have the pulse of this team. Cuadrado is having more and more of those type of negative moments/games. But at least he's the only semi -leader on the field that seems to talk to the ref, to his teammates, etc. That's probably why Rueda chooses to leave him on. I'm not saying he shouldn't be benched but who else can be that leader? Cantillo's 1st few minutes showed him a bit nervous but as time passed on he was clearly the glue in MF we needed. Cuellar was awful. I would have taken Lerma out and played Yairo in that DMF position alongside with Cantillo because Paraguay was simply not attacking. Again, bad planning from Rueda. As for Valoyes, I really liked his tenacity and speed. Yes, a bit of a carro-loco in his 1st game but clearly with a bit more instruction and cohesion he has a ton of potential. He picked the wrong shot that maybe could have been the goal differential but he was clearly in the right spot. He wasn't afraid to take the shot to begin with. I just don't think it has to be him or Siniesterra. You can clearly have both and just drop Muriel who had no business playing this qualifier.
Valoyes did good at receiving the ball and finding space between him and the defender. He deserves a second chance. I also liked the little we saw from him.
Those who rate Muriel again dude had the bitch work of playing a Box to box mf that he doesn’t have to do in Italy. Same with Duvan muriel did well with the overly defensive cm
is ridiculous that he was changed after a half..... these changes is another sign of how rueda handle so bad
Not even that....i would only changed cantillo in that point. Borja with 5 goals with rueda continue to be our best striker....with cantillo or james he would have a one to one. Dont imagine pekerman for example with that early changes...beside kill tge confidence of the players...top scorers need more than a time Not surprise that duvan yesterday completee 17 matches in a row with colombia, and 1100 minutes without goal....he havent been managed by a guy that doesnt train attack
Duvan should start with Diaz all the time our most dangerous players. James was at 20% and still better than everyone else on the field. His vision is insane. It’s just the insane work rate Rueda ask of Cuadrado, Diaz, Duvan and his strikers is why we don’t score. Not the CF Job to defend a corner then run all the field to score. It’s not a fking video game
We have had ton matches that duvan inst even close to be dangerous.... Isnr casual that despite played 17 matches with rueda, he havent scored or assisted....borja had 5. That unlimited chances also have been another signal of how bad rueda handle all.... Muriel and othees havent played the half of minutes than duvan....that is 30 neither we can wait him like a rising star
I thought it was lame he took Borja off at halftime too. He had a nightmare first half but removing him there only puts him in a tougher mental state next time he is in with lots of pressure... The last thing we need is Borja losing confidence at the NT...he's been the only one feeling comfortable until Tuesday.
Rueda has him playing as a dm. and our mf is giving him maybe a 10% chance every game. The mf just isn’t functioning and the wingbacks can’t create or cross for shit. also for the love of god stop back passing it to Ospina or One of the cbs every time we are in attacking position. Just shot the ball at the fking goal!!
False he have played in his position, literally was use a 9 and especially in the matches of june/july we improved a lot of matches after he was took off (argentinians for exaplme) Also the only match we won after copa was without him (borja) If we are going to critizicise rueda, are all his mistakes....and one of them is the preference treatment to zapata respevt over forwarda. The guy complete more than 1000 minutes. Yeah we attacked horrible......but other guys in less minutes like diaz and borja have scored between both 9 goals. Spoiled duvan and give him multiples oporrunities when a lot of times he havent been dangerous....is just bad management of group. Muriel havent complete 300 minutes with rueda
It's great that Borja has scored some goals for us, but we've got a pretty big sample size of Borja and his level is average at best for international soccer. He has 2 goals from open play and 1 assist in 840 minutes for Gremio this season, he's likely to regress to the level he's been at for most of his career which isn't super impressive to be honest. I don't doubt he'll have some good games but we shouldn't overweight recency bias with that big of a sample size that we have for Borja alongside he's not exactly in amazing form at club level right now either.
One of the three colombians that have won best south american player. Top scorer of libertadores ( after long time) and top scorer of sudamericana. Now he is our top scorer this wcq .... For our shitty standards and history, borja have been great. And the unfair distribution that rueda have had in the choicing of forwards....is one of the main reasons of our bad game.......
Borja has been big for us, Borja also is a penalty taker which I'm not going to include in his goal totals because at best its maybe a. 5% swing from one taker to the next. Any of our forwards are struggling because of the game we are playing and Rueda yanking all of them quickly during WCQ. I'm not sure what the answer is for us be it Duvan, Borja, Muriel, Falcao or Borre and which ones together but I just want to look at the big picture to get an idea of what these players can and have achieved to see where their level is and could be. In that regard I don't think Borja or Borre have the same pedigree as the other 3, Rueda needs to find an answer and it doesn't look like he knows what to do.
I think all of us here brought some great perspectives as to problems with how we have been playing (or not playing) the past 8 games. Hard to say what the silver linings are because Rueda is totally capable of going further backwards with call ups and less tactics in the next few games. i just hope the coaching staff isn’t viewing these results as a positive or aren’t trying to adopt a “rope-a-dope” mentality and turn things around at the speed of a light switch.
when I saw duvan zapata next to davinson Sanchez where Paraguay was building up play on our half, that’s where I knew something is wrong with our tactics. No minefield control as furnaccio pointed out. it’s bad dude, we are just counter attack football. We play like watford. Except they can score!