So after those halcyon days last summer when we cheered, danced and yes, cried, with Colombia’s World Cup team in Brazil as they fought their way to la seleccion’s highest ever placing in the tournament, it’s almost time to do it all over again, as the Copa America 2015 in Chile looms large. This edition is shaping up to be one of the best ever as superstars like Neymar, Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez and many more all head over to battle it out for the prize. Colombia’s squad was just announced and, although it offered few surprises (the recent friendlies against Kuwait and Bahrain basically showed us who Jose Pekerman was leaning towards for a call-up), the squad heading to Chile does raise some interesting questions nonetheless…so here are 5 of them!
1. Who will lead the line?
The big question! With Falcao’s travails at Manchester United (who just confirmed he will not be made into a permanent signing) well-documented, the first major question to ask is who will be playing up front when Colombia kick-off their first game against Venezuela in a couple of weeks time? Colombians have been quick to blame Louis Van Gaal for their hero’s problems, and it is certainly true that Falcao’s game time has been limited and his confidence has taken a knock working under a manager who never really seemed to believe in him; however, when he has played, he has looked off the pace, and it seems that he hasn’t really managed to recover completely from the injury which cruelly ended his World Cup dream. Goals in Colombia’s recent friendlies cannot be taken to mean much: against superior opposition there’s no guarantee of the old Falcao turning up…
So who? Luckily Colombia do not lack for striking options: Carlos Bacca has netted 25 times for Sevilla so far this season, and Jackson Martinez has continued to dominate the Portuguese league with 32 goals in all competitions. And let’s not forget Teo Gutierrez, whose combative style is so beloved of Pekerman, and who proved an ideal complement to James in Brazil. As much as I love Falcao, I’d go for Bacca up top, with El Tigre providing experience and an eye for goal off the bench…
2. Will Chelsea prove Colombia’s downfall once again?
With David Luiz, then of Chelsea, scoring what proved to be the crucial goal in Colombia’s World Cup elimination, once again the Chelsea connection could prove costly…but this time because Colombia’s key assists man, Juan Cuadrado, has failed to establish himself as a first-team player since his big money January move. When he has played, Cuadrado has seemed sharp, but how much will his lack of game time over the past 6 months effect his play in Chile, especially against strong opposition like Brazil? I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he is given the chance to play regularly next season, but for Colombia, it could already be too little, too late.
3. Has Yepes been properly replaced?
Before the World Cup many pundits identified Mario Yepes, Colombia’s 100+ capped captain, as the weak link, due to his age…how wrong they were! Yepes was a rock at the back, with the experience and aggressive style required to marshal his defense. However, Yepes retired at the close of the tournament, and questions have to be asked as to whether Colombia have managed to completely replace him…a center-back partnership made up of 2 of Jeison Murillo, Cristian Zapata and Pedro Franco seems likely, and on paper this looks fairly promising. However, the loss of Yepes’ leadership and ability will never be felt lightly…
4. Can James pick up where he left off?
In spite of Real Madrid’s well-documented issues this season, Colombia’s young talisman has enjoyed an excellent debut season at the pinnacle of world football, after a World Cup campaign where he was the name on everyone’s lips. The nation will once again be looking to the boy-wonder to lift the players around him and drive his team to greatness, but is this too much pressure for one so young. His recent history suggests that James is more than strong enough to support the weight of a nation, but he will need to be at his very best once again in Chile if Colombia are to have a hope of lifting their first Copa America since 2001, and only the second in their history…
5. Have the ghosts of Brazil been banished?
The majority of the likely starting 11 for Colombia were on the pitch on that fateful night last July when Colombia’s World Cup dream was dashed by a shockingly aggressive and ill-disciplined Brazil side. Colombia’s players suffered a bit of a psychological blow that day, and what was previously a big clash between South American nations has become a fierce rivalry almost overnight, not least because of the unfortunate broken back suffered by Brazilian poster-boy Neymar. Brazilian players are used to intense pressure, but for Colombia to triumph in their crucial second fixture against Brazil, the players will need to keep cool heads, play their normal game, and banish the memories of that night.
Chris
