The Colombian U-20 team improved remarkably in the last 1-1 draw against Brazil, without a doubt their best game in the South American.
But not all are good feelings because the game could be won and incidentally ensure the classification to the hexagonal, if it were not for at least three clear occasions that striker Ricardo Caraballo missed.
On social networks there was strong criticism of the striker, who evidently failed, although he was neither the lowest level of the team nor is he the first striker to miss clear scoring chances.
I do not agree that the Caraballo boy falls for them, he needs a lot of psychological work, foundation work so that he achieves confidence and that is where the technician must stop him so as not to burn him permanently, today he came out crying, sunk, humiliated, destroyed,
— Carlos Landazabal (@elojodelfenix) January 26, 2023
The forward, who arrived at Barranquilla FC in 2020 and is on the radar of coach Arturo Reyes for Junior, has stood out in the second division for his scoring nose and power (1.82m), which opened a space for him in the summons of Héctor Cárdenas. He did not arrive by accident.
Although he missed very clear occasions, it must be said that he was always well placed. What was left up in the air was a probable foundation problem that still has a solution in any case, since he is a player in training. Submitting him to the siege does not seem fair, so all eyes are on the DT who bets on him and who, for many, exposed him too much and kept him unnecessarily on the field when it was noticeable that he had lost confidence.
Víctor Aristizábal himself sent him a motivational message: “Let’s go with everything, you’ll put it in next time … a lot of faith,” he said on Instagram.
The question now is how to handle his case: is sitting him down equivalent to acknowledging that his level is below expectations and raising doubts about his game? Could betting on him subject him to fiercer criticism and undermine his confidence anyway? Both options have risks, but now the most prudent thing to do may be not to criticize him, which is already ruthless, and give him time to recover and work more intensely on the difficulties that he should know he has, but without adding pressure.
The role of Cárdenas is difficult, who throughout the tournament does not seem to have found in Caraballo or anyone else a number 9 that convinces him.
