For more Grimaldos and less Carrillos: what can be rescued from the Reynoso process in these Qualifiers?

Russia 2018 was five years ago and it was a trip that today, 2023, the Peruvian team must realize that it has come to an end and we have to change suitcases to think about 2026. Because André Carrillo’s jogging pace or the little Paolo Guerrero’s weight will not take us to that new journey.

Against Venezuela, the Peruvian team barely played a little better than in the previous five games. Barely, because it was only 45 minutes of rebellion that died out when Venezuela began to practice its soccer in the second half.

Yes, we were excited by Grimaldo’s climbs, by Reyna’s daring, by Quispe’s controls. But a good first half was only enough to put us 1-0 up on the scoreboard.

Venezuela’s reaction hit hard in a Peru with no reaction on the field or on the bench. La Vinotinto achieved the tie and was always closer to victory than Bicolor. Neither with Guerrero nor with Lapadula together, because André Carrillo came in to complete the eleven, with zero contribution in the game.

André Carrillo represents that we must turn the page on Russia 2018. It cannot be understood that a player has touched the ball 14 times in 25 minutes and lost it seven times. Not in a footballer like ‘Culebra’ who knows a lot about the ball. That he has won one of two duels tells us how far he is from the André we expect. That explains his substitution.

And the viral video explains everything. A connected player, plugged in with what is happening in the game, does not put on the shirt with the ‘desire’ that Carrillo did. And he also knows that he can’t play with jewelry. Grimaldo had to help him take off the chain he was wearing. His body was in the National, his mind who knows where.

Carrillo’s self-criticism on his departure from the country is worth it. “I am aware that I have not had good games. “I’m not giving my best level, I don’t feel ashamed, but I don’t feel completely good knowing that I can give more.” But that shame must be seen on the playing field.

That’s a curious image, of Grimaldo’s departure for Carrillo’s entry, when current events dictate that young people take the reins of the national team. See more of Piero Quispe’s rebellion and Bryan Reyna’s daring before Carrillo’s apathy, Zambrano’s slowness, Guerrero’s fatigue and even Flores’ lack of emotion.

The generation of Russia 2018 begins to say goodbye. Alberto Rodríguez and Jefferson Farfán are already former soccer players, Cristian Ramos is no longer considered and Christian Cueva was erased alone – physically unwell and with an injury on top -, Carrillo’s level has practically disappeared and Guerrero is already playing his last minutes as a professional at 39 years old piggyback. Amen to Zambrano, who last year, at 34 years old, spoke about his possible retirement when he was a Boca player. In League 1 he plays plenty, the level demanded by the national team has been too high for him. And we are talking about the backbone of the team.

If we look at the lineups, the pillars that supported the team until before this date were Gallese, Abram, Yotún and Guerrero, starters in the first four games. But as soon as Callens was available, he deleted Abram. Lapadula returned to the eleven and perhaps sat Guerrero in decisions that seem obvious, but are difficult in such a fragile team. Six games with six different central defenses and three pairs of central midfielders (Tapia-Yotún, Aquino-Yotún and Cartagena-Yotún).

THE SUCCESSFUL

That is why Juan Reynoso’s work is criticized, because he has not known how to direct the replacement. As Michael Succar from Movistar Deportes said, Piero Quispe debuted when he was already a popular demand and not because of a bet from the coach. In the previous eight friendlies, only Bryan Reyna was a new face, the only one who had experience – present in five games -. We only had 60 minutes of Piero Quispe against Bolivia in a friendly at the Monumental and there were no more tests. He just called Zanelatto and Grimaldo with the burden of solving the problem in the Qualifiers and Quispe waited until the fifth date to make him debut when he had already shown signs of his condition leading Universitario since the beginning of the years.

With more time of work, it is clear that the new names can lead to the selection. They showed that there is something – the first 45 minutes of the duel against Venezuela – but that something more is missing to make it sustainable. Trust? Better physical preparation? The new technical command must work on that.

If there is something to rescue from the Reynoso ‘process’ it is precisely that these boys have shown that their shirt is not heavy even when the responsibility was thrown at them with the road uphill.

And of course, there is still material to rescue from the World Cup process, but adapt it to the present. Tapia is already a 100% center back and should not be displayed in the midfield. Corzo is 100% dedicated, but he cannot cover what Oliver Sonne can do in the position. The Dane still does not have minutes and we will surely only see him in the friendlies in March. In the Copa América he should earn his place. Aquino and Yotún always do what they do, and López asks them to slow down. The little continuity that he has at Feyenoord does not help him consolidate his position.

There is material to work with, but now we first need to heal the emotional wounds left by this process. Players who do not feel supported and others who have not established themselves. Then, it will be time to play and seek the World Cup feat.

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