Colombia squad confirmed for October’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Friday 9 October
Colombia vs Venezuela
18:30
Estadio Metropolitano

Tuesday 13 October
Chile vs Colombia
19:30
Estadio Nacional

The choice of players strongly suggests Colombia will continue to play a high-intensity, narrow 4-3-3.

However, it looks very likely to feature a more conservative midfield and more attacking fullbacks.

A lot will depend if Cuadrado is deployed as a roaming 8 or a fullback.

I predict James plays from the right wing as he does for Everton with either Muriel or Diaz on the left behind what I hope is Duvan rather than Falcao.

All of the midfielders are either ball winners or fairly conservative 8s.

Three of the four fullbacks are very attacking.

Goalkeepers

No big surprises.

David Ospina should keep his place in goal but Alvaro Montero has been excellent and looks like his eventual successor.

Aldair Quintana a bit of a surprise as the fourth choice and Vargas returns as third choice.

Nothing adventurous there.

Central Defenders

Yerry Mina & Davinson Sánchez will start. The pairing has been very consistent & dominant for Colombia despite at times inconsistent club form.

Lucumi can easily step in & provide similar qualities as a natural replacement while Jeison is a mature leader.

Fullbacks

Tesillo is a surprise exclusion while attacking leftbacks Mojica & Fabra return suggesting Queiroz wants pace & energy in this position.

Cuadrado potentially balances that quick attacking play from the right while Stefan Medina is a versatile, conservative option.

Ball winning midfielders

Wilmar Barrios will start as the midfield anchor tidying up in front of the defense.

Jefferson Lerma is an energetic, dynamic option while Campuzano is a smart, well-balanced, deep-lying playmaker with good awareness.

Most likely to be one of three.

Mixed midfielders

Steven Alzate has been in excellent form for Brighton and is an energetic, pass and move midfielder who can knit things together.

Matheus is very complete, solid defensively and technically strong while Yairo is more unpredictable but very talented.

Wide Forwards

James Rodriguez looks likely to play from the right cutting inside as he does for Everton.

If this is the case then Colombia will go for a pacey, more direct option from the left with either unpredictable, tricky Diaz or direct and dangerous Luís Muriel.

Central strikers

Colombia have picked three 9s but I think they will start with just one.

Duvan Zapata is my preference - a complete, focal-point, target man who has added goals to his game.

Falcao is clinical but less effective at creating while Morelos has a bit of both.