World Cup Injury Watch

Ivory Coast now has the best and deepest strike force - Gervinho, Drogba, Traore, Doumbia, Kalou, Bony + Toure adds depth.
Japan has the best midfield - Kagawa + Honda.
Greece has the best defence.
Colombia will now basically be going on the most well-rounded team.

Should be interesting.

 

I think people are putting too much stock into the Falcao injury in January. If this were May then maybe the Group dynamics would change but there are months of time for many things to change.

Also, it is not like Jackson Martinez is chopped liver. The guy is arguably the best striker in Portugal and is wanted by teams like Arsenal and Chelsea.

 

And Colombia has the best Manager.

 

Sure, no one is denying Jackson qualities. But this makes me remember Brazil squad in 98. Romario got injured and was replaced by Bebeto. Bebeto was a suberb player, but he was no Romário.

Jackson is a great player, but he isn't Falcao. Falcao can define a game by his own, something i can't see in Jackson.

I can still see Colombia qualifying from the group, but now i give the first spot edge to the Ivorians.

 

Falcao does have qualities that are great but Jackson's numbers have been better at Porto than Falcao's was...
... so who knows???
By June the team can adjust and the cohesion could be better. That is not out of the realm of possibility.

 

Similarly Drogba never had Seydou Doumbia's numbers. But there is a consensus that Drogba / Falcao are more pivotal. It may be wrong.

 

And I have not even mentioned the other striker options that have not even been called up yet. Adrian Ramos is one of the best foreigners in Germany right now. Fredy Montero is one of the best forigners in the Portuguese League.

Colombia is so deep these guys have not even been called up yet. Now they may get a chance to be integrated and may have a chance at a roster spot. Injuries sometimes make other players fight more for a spot that once looked bleak.

 

I am not saying that Colombia's chances are drastically reduced, but Falcão is really something special. At Porto, he was more than a striker. At the time, many people talked about Hulk, but he was the real responsible for Porto's offensive ability. He created and finalised chances. On the other hand, Jackson is a pure striker. That does not mean Colombia will not do well without Falcão. James is another great player and capable of building offensive plays.

 

Falcao has never been a pivotal focal point for Colombia though. He has been for his Club teams but for many years people thought Falcao was just mediocre for his National team. This cycle that sentiment has changed a bit since he is the leading scorer but there is not much drop off with guys like Jackson, Muriel, Bacca, Ibarbo, Teo, etc. And there's many months to plan ahead, adjust and acclimate.

 

As I said in my other post Falcao has been crucial for his club teams but he is not the end all be all for the Colombian National team. He has had his ups and downs.

 

Colombia is deep with quality in that position. I don't see this injury changing anything at all tbh.

 

Bryan Oviedo of Costa Rica with a double fracture. He is out. Second casualty from a cup game against lowly opposition.

 

He hurt himself though. Opposition had little to do with it.

 

The only reason this is one of the weaker groups is because Colombia is in it and not Spain or Brasil. You have the toughest draw from the CONCACAF/AFC pot and one of the worst draws in the CONMEBOL/CAF pot.