Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, the doubt in the Colombian outline

[Akrapovic]

He has been the only player in the national team that has been a starter in the three matches of the Cup.

At the beginning of the Copa America, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado was the great uncertainty, if he was going to play as a starter in the National Team and in what position. He had not been comfortable in previous friendlies. However, the tournament started and there he was, in the match against Argentina. He was a starter and one of the most outstanding in that victory. But his level dropped in the next two games. Today his name is back in the debate. Are you ready to play the quarterfinal match against Chile? And, if he does not play, who could replace him?

Cuadrado accumulates 186 minutes in the tournament, has been a starter in all three games, something that no other player of the National Team has done, because against Paraguay there were 10 changes, and he only remained. He came from showing a high level against Argentina, where he dominated the position perfectly, he was seen with sacrifice, courage and brand, as when he knocked down Lionel Messi to recover the ball at any cost, and also with his offensive game, usual, the known. But in the last two games he has been seen off, without his usual dynamic, without the same spark.

The debate around Cuadrado began in the friendlies prior to the Copa America. Then coach Carlos Queiroz put him to play in the first line of flyers. Cuadrado did not shine, his level was low and it was noticed that it cost him the position, more delayed than usual and with many defensive tasks. He himself came to recognize: "Because of my characteristics, my position will always be for the bands," he said, and he thought it was something momentary. "In Juventus I made that position, but I feel more comfortable on the sides," added the player.

After shining against Argentina in the new position, and to lower level against Qatar, he returned to play later against Paraguay, but he did not stand out either. For all this, the question is generated in front of its ownership for this Friday, a questioning that in other circumstances would not have a place, due to the importance that the player has in the National Team.
With Square or without him?

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado is one of the symbols of the National Team. A player who has played two World Cups, four America Cups, eliminatory. A player with many scrolls and positive background that support his stay in the titular team of Colombia. In the hands of Cuadrado, the team has fought many battles. Perhaps what is criticized the most is that it is impaled with the ball, that it loses some unnecessary ball. But its character for this type of matches, like the one Colombia will have against Chile tomorrow, is unquestionable.

"We work to dream, for that we are day by day here in the National Team and we hope in the end to achieve the goals we are looking for," Cuadrado said during this Copa América, after the game against Paraguay in which he played 58 minutes, because although it has been In the three games of the first phase, he never plays the 90 minutes. Against Argentina was replaced at minute 19 of the second half and against Qatar, at the same moment, at 19.

The doubts about the ownership of Cuadrado also go through the other possibilities that the National Team has in that area of the field and, especially, in the approach of Carlos Queiroz, with those three flyers. What the coach has already done, during the development of the matches, has been: against Argentina, the one that entered was Jefferson Lerma, against Qatar the DT entered to Falcao and with him he gained offensive volume, in a very closed match, and already against Paraguay that area was conformed by Lerma, Cuéllar and Cardona, Cuadrado played higher and was replaced by James Rodríguez. In conclusion, if Cuadrado does not start, its place could be occupied by Cardona or Lerma, since Barrios and Mateus seem fixed. One indication is that against Paraguay rested all the holders, except Juan.

The final decision - which surely is already very clear for the coach - is Carlos Queiroz, for a match against a fast and dangerous opponent in the midfield, an area where Colombia can not give an advantage.