World Cup 2014: Falcao absence needn't ruin Colombia

Radamel Falcao definitely won't be appearing at the World Cup

Colombia have drifted and drifted since Radamel Falcao got injured, doing so again after he was left out of their final squad, yet they aren't short of attacking options...

Radamel Falcao's attempt to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury in little over four months wasn't quite as ambitious as Diego Costa trying to mend a mangled hamstring in a week, but it was always likely to end in distress.

El Tigre's failure to prove his fitness before the June 2 deadline for naming final 23-man World Cup squads was confirmed late on the day of reckoning as Jose Pekerman, having vowed to give him until the last possible moment, trimmed him when forced to turn Colombia's 30 into 23.

Their World Cup winner odds have been badly affected by the Falcao saga, with their price drifting from 40.0 to 48.047/1 in the aftermath of the announcement, having already steadily crept up to that mark from a low of 22.0.

This writer thinks they are a bit overhyped, yet any backers who were impressed enough to get on them when they were at that mark shouldn't be too concerned by the faintly ridiculous shift that has catapulted them from 22.0 to 48.047/1 because of one injury as they have plenty of Falcao alternatives.

Teofilo Gutierrez scored six in qualifying, Jackson Martinez is fresh from a 29-goal campaign with Porto, Carlos Bacca contributed 21 strikes to Sevilla's success and Adrian Ramos netted 16 times for Hertha Berlin on their Bundesliga return.

Prior to World Cup qualifying, Falcao's figures for Colombia weren't anything special - even now 20 goals in 51 appearances isn't exceptional - and there is also a theory that his absence will free them to set up in a more fluid manner.

They play two up front seemingly as, while Falcao's eye for goal made him undroppable, his contribution to all-round play isn't rated effective enough to field him alone. Without him, a 4-2-3-1 - and enhanced role for Juan Fernando Quintero, Victor Ibarbo or Fredy Guarin - becomes viable.

The two most high-profile cuts away from Colombia saw Spain opt for Fernando Torres over Alvaro Negredo, as well as ditching Daniel Carvajal and Jesus Navas, and Italy omit the recently-injured Giuseppe Rossi, even after the forward's promising display against Republic of Ireland.