Breaking from his usual 4-2-2-2 style formation for Colombia’s opener with Greece, Jose Pekerman opened up some interesting questions as to how he intends to utilise his supply of proficient strikers in the rest of their group games, and indeed in the business end of the tournament. Clearly his tactics proved successful on the day, but is Pekerman getting the best out of the options at hand?
The Argentine manager played River Plate’s Teo Guttierez as a lone striker against the Greeks. Guttierez, Colombia’s second highest scorer in qualification with 6 goals, has been a long time partner of Falcao and is a player whose craftiness and work ethic made him the perfect second striker for Pekerman. However, this was his first time truly heading the attack for Los Cafeteros, and the other striking option in the line-up, Victor Ibarbo of Cagliari, was employed in his other natural role on the wide left.
Ibarbo, the beneficiary of Falcao’s injury, did not make a single squad during qualification. Featuring only in Colombia's pre-tournament friendlies, the Serie A forward played his first minutes for his national side since 2010, and the rapid, powerful newcomer has clearly made quite the impression on Pekerman.
Using his big physical presence and obvious agility, Ibarbo does not aim to get around defenders, he runs at them, a characteristic that made him extremely dangerous against Greece. The question that remains for Ibarbo though, is if Colombia’s five-man midfield system was only used to suitably counteract Greece. Speaking in his press conference yesterday, Pekerman said: "A good team has to maintain its style of play but always respecting the rivals".
So if Pekerman does intend to alter his line-up initially for games versus a physical and quick Ivory Coast and technically brilliant Japanese side, there are a lot of other options for him to explore.
Jackson Martinez of FC Porto fame
Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca followed up a year in which he earned the Belgian league’s top scorer and player of the season awards with an impressive first season in Europe’s elite leagues this campaign. 14 league goals proved Bacca to be very capable of operating at the very top level of football, and this has not been ignored at international level either. Unused against Greece and ruled out of the Ivory Coast tie through a minor injury, Bacca is still a very valuable member of this squad. A late addition to the world of professional football, at 20 Bacca was still working as a bus driver’s assistant in his local village before getting a trial for Colombian outfit Junior de Barranquilla. Bacca is probably the best finisher in this squad and is a pure goalscorer, who you will not see getting involved in any link up play.
Jackson Martinez has now been the top scorer in the Portuguese Primer Liga for two seasons in a row with Porto, and is more than ready for a move to one of Europe’s biggest clubs, but his form has not always been replicated at international level. The constant presence of Falcao has led to limited opportunity for Martinez, as he was always the one striker incapable of playing alongside the national hero. However, his supreme touch and skill level on the ball, mixed with his ability to score any type of goal, makes him impossible to ignore regarding Pekerman’s striker conundrum. Also, it is worth noting that in his first season at Porto, he benefitted from having a brilliant connection with Colombia’s sublime number 10, James Rodriguez.
The last man knocking on the door of Colombia’s line-up for the rest of the tournament will be Borussia Dortmund’s new signing, Adrian Ramos. Racking up 16 league goals at Hertha Berlin last season, Ramos impressed enough to be Robert Lewandowski’s replacement but remains the least likely to break into the side for Colombia, although he is also capable of playing out wide if necessary. Extraordinarily good in the air and very good at defending from the front, it will indeed be a shame if Ramos can’t find a way to impact this tournament.
