They have plenty of top class players. I think Cuadrado will really make a name for himself this summer.
Colombia - World Cup Darkhorses
- Thread starter Jammydodger7
- Start date
They have plenty of top class players. I think Cuadrado will really make a name for himself this summer.
Hidden diamonds then?
Admittedly I don't watch too much Portugese, French and Italian football, but looking at the starting XI in the topic I sense a serious lack of x-factor. None of the players play for an actual top team, unless you count Monaco.
Not hating on Colombia or anything. I just can't remember the last time a national team got such a good reputation wihtout me knowing at least half the starting XI. This is truly a "first" for me. That is why I was tempted to believe that they're a team with great chemisty that overcame their otherwise "weak on paper" set of players.
Did people consider Colombia to be a really strong team before the qualifiers?
Similar to Atletico, they are a a team cohesive, theres a real bond between the players which makes them play to their fullest. Similar to Belgium its a golden generation that theyve been working on for a few years. Your right most of their players dont play for big clubs but are nearly all European based. Before the qualifiers they were decent but since then they've handled all the big boys.
They'll suprise a lot of ppl whit are still loving Belgium, probs because their players are seem week in week out in the prem. Especially with the hime conditions to favour them..
In Colombia yeah but the quality they have in attack, Gutierrez is the least talented and comes in with an average season, he'll struggle against the top European defences
Oh, ok, I barely know him, I just think Martinez is a bit too similar to Falcao and always heard that was the reason Gutierrez played instead.
Yeah I barely know him either but like all S American coaches they seem to bring their own domestic players for those who are in better form/talent. Jackson adds a bit more pace and strength to aid Falcao's finishing and movement. What you think of Jackson this season, surely he will be on the move this summer?
That's a fair enough statement . I'd be the same with some of the other nations. To be honest theres a lot of the Dutch team who I've not heard of before. Part of what makes the world cup so good, finding these hidden gems.
I'd say its a mixture of both, on paper they have some great players, maybe not as many as other nations but they'll certainly give any team a very tough game. The likes of Falcao, Martinez and Rodríguez would get into most club sides I think. Cuadrado is being linked to Barcelona and I think he'll have a massive tournament. They have such a good strike force that Adrian Ramos who has just signed for Dortmund as a replacement for Lewandowski probably won't get into their starting eleven.
I think people thought of them as being a very good side before qualifying but they have gone a step up with a great campaign added to the fact that most of their players are coming into the tournament after having great seasons at club level.
Not as impressive as his first season, but then again we were so shit that it would be very unfair to single him out individually. By far our best player anyway, in my opinion. I expect him to move out this Summer, doesn't look that excited to be here and we'll need the cash anyway.
Yeah I know how it feels lol. If you get 20-30mill it'd be good business. Whats happened to the Porto scouts, who have they found lately it looks like they havent for a couple of years or are they trying the Mexico/Portugal fields.
Pekerman has a tried and trusted team that was so impressive in the qualifiers and he will stick to that. Jackson Martinez and Guarin are two of the bigger names who didn't get much game time and I can see Sanchez (Elche) starting in central midfield alongside either Ramirez or Aguilar. Falcao and Jackson Martinez won't start up front together as they are too similar but with Falcao's injury things get interesting. River Plate's Teofilo Gutierrez was Falcao's usual strike partner and a favourite of Pekerman but hasn't had the best of seasons unlike Bacca who's been superb for Sevilla.
Colombia coach Jose Pekerman has cut three players from his provisional World Cup squad.
America defender Aquivaldo Mosquera, Mainz midfielder Elkin Soto and Al Shabab midfielder Macnelly Torres have been told they will not be on the plane to Brazil.
Four more players will be cut before the June 2nd deadline.
America defender Aquivaldo Mosquera, Mainz midfielder Elkin Soto and Al Shabab midfielder Macnelly Torres have been told they will not be on the plane to Brazil.
Four more players will be cut before the June 2nd deadline.
I don't get the Colombia hype. They are not half good of what people say. They have an easy group though.
They beat Uruguay 4-0 in qualifying, that says something. You'd expect them to top their group as its relatively easy. They then have the runners up from Englands group, who I think will be England, I think they'll beat them and then they're in the quarter finals, anything can happen from there.
Agree. And Yepes is 38 years old no less!
I honestly think Aldo Leão Ramirez is one their underrated players.
He has played for a mexican club for quite sometime - but he has always beena strand out performer. I'm not sure why he isnt in a european team as he is better than most mid-table midfielders in europe. I've seen plenty of his games in the past few years and i've always died to have him transfer to my team (club america in mexico), but it probably wont happen.
Honestly, watch this guy, i think he is quite good.
Colombia are one of my dark horses too
The most important thing about Colombia is a lot of their underrated players have had strong seasons for their clubs
Cuadrado was the highest rated player in Serie A this season for example
I think their group is the real group of death though, because no weak teams and all 4 teams evenly matched, it is possible any 2 from the 4 could qualify
The most important thing about Colombia is a lot of their underrated players have had strong seasons for their clubs
Cuadrado was the highest rated player in Serie A this season for example
I think their group is the real group of death though, because no weak teams and all 4 teams evenly matched, it is possible any 2 from the 4 could qualify
They played spain pretty darn well in that one friendl @ spain.
They have been probably the best team in south america for the past 2 years (or qualifiers at least). When you consistently perform extremely well against argentina, uruguay, chile.. i think its safe to say your team is strong.
Its the european bias - if he isnt in europe, he must not be good, right?
James Rodriguez was one of the 10 best players in Ligue 1 this season
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/74...771/PlayerStatistics/France-Ligue-1-2013-2014
Adrian Ramos was one of the 10 best players in Bundesliga this season
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/81...PlayerStatistics/Germany-Bundesliga-2013-2014
Caudrado was the no1 best player in Serie A this season
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/10...8019/PlayerStatistics/Italy-Serie-A-2013-2014
Then you have several other players who have had strong seasons and Falcao
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/74...771/PlayerStatistics/France-Ligue-1-2013-2014
Adrian Ramos was one of the 10 best players in Bundesliga this season
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/81...PlayerStatistics/Germany-Bundesliga-2013-2014
Caudrado was the no1 best player in Serie A this season
http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/10...8019/PlayerStatistics/Italy-Serie-A-2013-2014
Then you have several other players who have had strong seasons and Falcao
I think Colombia are the team most likely to win it if it doesn't go to one of the four favourites. They have a strong side throughout, their strikers are excellent and they're used to the conditions in South America. I'll be cheering for them once Germany go out.
I am a neutral and I always support the most attractive attacking teams, so I hoping Colombia will play like Czech Republic, Russia or Mexico from previous tournaments I enjoyed
I never support the boring negative teams like Greece or England mostly
Any news on the final 23 ? should be coming in any time now
Falcao cut from the squad is the biggest news...Perea and Muriel also out.
Yeah just seen it, can't believe it. Falcao would have had 3 weeks till the K.O stages if they qualified, would have given him more time, surely a risk worth taking
Shame for Falcao. Would've been a massive risk to play him though.
What a shame for Falcao, he'll be 32 by the time the next World Cup comes so he probably won't be at his best then and he was so close to making it now. I still feel they should have taken him, even coming back straight from injury he'd be an asset.
Considering that i'm from South America, that's quite funny actually.
I still remember how the referee gifted them 2 non existant penalties against Chile, they were getting battered against Chile (0-3 at HT) but thanks to the referee they "came back". They are nowhere near to be the "best side" in SA in the last 2 years, let alone the qualifiers.
Uruguay is a very weird team. I think they will flop massively too since they over rely on Cavani (awful form) and Suarez (just got injured).
From South america i only can see Brazil (cause they are the hosts, otherwise they would eventually dissapoint), Argentina and Chile doing well, or at least playing atractive football. I think that Chile will get eliminated by Brazil in the last 16 though, as always.
They've taken 5 CMs, surely Mejia could have made way for a 70% fit Falcao. 23 players is a lot, a risk would be worth it as a few of them players won't play a single minute
It's not easy to see the talent in colombia when you dont see the individual super stars.
But on the field, colombia is an intense team. They are as physical as they come, and they have some midfielders with a good touch. And yes - they actually breezed through the first part of the qualifiers and dropped the ball towards the end, but i think thats more human nature than anything. Just look at chile - they were on the brink of elimination and they did a hell of a job towards the end.
It's going to be an interesting cup from my vantage point - i'm really expecting south american teams to show some prowess in their backyard.. Only time will tell though.
Forlan was quality at the last World Cup, but he is 4 years older, Suarez injured, Cavani overrated really in my opinion
They might have a poor World Cup this time around with England and Italy going through
With Falcao not selected, will Martinez or Baccca start upfront? I assumed Martinez but noticed Bacca started the recent friendly.
When they beat Belgium they had
--------- Falcao
Muriel - Rodriguez - Cuadrado
I think that formation is the way to go but which 4 do you choose?
--------- Falcao
Muriel - Rodriguez - Cuadrado
I think that formation is the way to go but which 4 do you choose?
Awful example. They were managed by that clown borgi or something like that, and of course they lost points that with a good manager they shouldn't have thrown away (hello moyes). Eventually they got Sampaoli and started to play the "bielsa way", as they did in 2010.
Whilst I'm gutted for Falcao to be missing out as you always want to see the best players play in a world cup maybe its a blessing in disguise! Even if fit, there was no way Falcao would have been match sharp, just look at Rooney in 2006 and Torres in 2010. Colombia have very good strikers who can replace Falcao and while they won;t be as good, I think they'll do better than a half fit Falcao.
They had the best defensive record in qualifying so they must be doing something right!
Doubt it will be Jackson. Front runner is now Bacca and Teo Guiterrez
Not that I'm a disbeliever, more so that I'm not clued up on the area, so I ask whats the reasons for this as I'm sure I read somewhere JM is quite similar to Falcao in playing style and with his good record from this season would be a direct replacement?
Jackson is great for Porto, I also thought he should be ahead but when you watch him play for the National Squad he's not the same, his record is pretty average. Carlos Bacca has had a great season also but seems to fit in the frontline better than Jackson, then there is Adrian Ramos who has done well but is probably behind Jackson in the list. Pekerman favours Teo the River Plate striker who he sees as a partner for Falcao but now probably Bacca. Time will tell if he has the quality on the big stage but I doubt he can deliver against the top European defences that he doesn't face in the Argentinian league
Tim Vickery kept on mentioning Macnally Torres as one to watch... I was suprised by Falcao's ommission for obvious reason yet this guy got cut as well, surprised Quintero has made the squad, hope to see this guy play this summer if he gets on the field
Yeah, but let's not forget Brazil wasn't there. The qualification in South America was exceptionally easy this time with Brazil missing and the traditional powerhouse of Paraguay struggling. Even Urugay nearly missed. I can imagine them getting murdered against fast attacking wingers who tend to make a move to the goal, like Reus, Ribéry, Hulk, Robben etc.
Yeah Quintero effectively took Mac's place. Quintero is a brilliant player to watch just like James Rodriguez, hopefully he will make an impact albeit most likely off the bench. Definitely one to watch.