Pulga Rodríguez set for the bench again against Defensores de Belgrano | OneFootball

El Pulga Rodríguez arrived at Colón to try to put out the fire. Without being convinced, the directors sought him out to buy time and calm the fans' nerves.

El Pulga would remain as a substitute

After the defeat against Mitre de Santiago del Estero and the departure of Andrés Yllana, Colón's board of directors quickly reached an agreement with Luis Miguel Rodríguez.

El Pulga began his third cycle at Colón with a home victory against Almirante Brown, sparking hope that under his influence, the team could fight to enter the Reducido.

But that positive wave quickly dissipated. El Pulga was a starter in the next match against Central Norte, which Colón won, but in the first half, he requested a substitution due to a muscle injury. From then on, everything changed radically.

Colón strung together four consecutive defeats, in two of them (Gimnasia de Mendoza and San Telmo) Rodríguez was absent due to injury and in the other two matches (Gimnasia de Jujuy and Agropecuario) he barely influenced the game.

Far from his best football form and not at his physical peak, Ezequiel Medrán decided to put him on the bench in the match against Chacarita, bringing him on at the 18th minute of the second half for Ignacio Lago.

The minutes El Pulga played seemed to justify Medrán's decision, as he struggled to get into the game and participate, except for executing some free kicks.

Therefore, considering the match against Defensores de Belgrano, it is speculated that Rodríguez might again be on the bench.

If that happens, it would be due to a tactical decision by the coach, given that with an additional week of work and preparation, the player is in better shape than when he faced Chacarita.

Medrán wants a team that is intense, presses, and is tactically organized. And that's why El Pulga, by his characteristics, is not suited to fulfill the role of pressing the opponent's exit.

Consequently, we will have to wait to see if Medrán continues to keep Rodríguez on the bench, to utilize his strengths in the second half, against more worn-out opponents.

Obviously, the inclusion of José Barreto provides more mobility and physical presence, as well as aerial play. And at least from what was seen in the match against Chacarita, the coach seems to prioritize those aspects.

As things stand, as the matches progress, we will have to see if El Pulga fits into the scheme chosen by Medrán, or if he will have to keep waiting for his chance.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.