Córdoba’s transformation is a phenomenon of 2023. How he became the best striker in the RPL
Dmitry Zimin Aug 2, 2023 08:15 UTC Audio version: Your browser does not support the audio element.
The playing style was influenced by Vladimir Ivic.
John Cordoba’s performance in 2023 is a delight. Although a year ago, the impression of him was very contradictory. A lot of money was paid for the striker (according to various sources, in the region of €10 million), they gave a fancy salary, and he was expected to drag Krasnodar to the trophies. The first games were really fast: he scored, he gave up, but then he stumbled. A few months later, he was injured and missed the entire spring of 2022. Then a comeback, but with Alexander Storozhuk a full connection did not work out. The stats have evened out though – 5+1 in the fall part of the last RPL season. Not big numbers, but at least something.
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However, with the arrival of Vladimir Ivic – a complete transformation. Since the beginning of the year, the 30-year-old Colombian has already scored 14+4 in the “goal + pass” system. And his last goal for Sochi is just a standard of how a center forward should act. Caught in the fight with Litvinov for the ball, he dragged it into the opponent’s penalty area, resisted the necessary pause, noticed that the goalkeeper had moved and hit him away. A video that all strikers who want to grow at a high level should watch.
In the summer of 2022, Córdoba, in principle, could not return to Russia. After all, a significant part of the legionnaires suspended contracts and left the club. But they convinced John to stay. He himself admitted that the leadership played a significant role in this. The Colombian confirmed it: he will have all the conditions to play football. And without distractions. He accepted. True, the first six months after the return turned out to be difficult. Finally, John, apparently, could not come to terms with the style of Alexander Storozhuk. This is what the coach himself said about the striker in an interview with Sports.ru last year.
Alexander Storozhuk
former Krasnodar head coach
“John is a very strong striker, but specific. Cordoba constantly requires vertical passes from above, even behind the back; we explained that you must be patient when changing the direction of the attack. Besides, he said that he came to Krasnodar to score, so he doesn’t want to work a lot on defense. In response to this, we prepared a cut of his actions in the Bundesliga: he ran a lot, bit balls from defenders and defensive midfielders. There was a serious conversation. I think we understand each other. This is an example of the necessary cooperation between a coach and a player.”
Yes, Córdoba tried to work for the team, but he clearly felt out of place. At the same time, Storozhuk did not have a suitable alternative. That is why, over and over again, he unleashed in the heart of Juan. He scored regularly. But obviously he didn’t play his own game. He admitted as much in a winter interview with the Championship.
“After six years playing in the Bundesliga, I am used to the vertical style. There, in many teams, this is in the order of things. It is difficult to change everything at once. Here I had to change the style and move, among other things, to defensive actions. I had to get used to it. This is a different style. But I got used to it. And in general, I don’t really want to talk about the past, ”he said.
Here is Kodoba’s winter interview.
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At the same time, in the same interview, he spoke with inspiration about the arrival of Ivic. According to him, the new coach concentrates on the strong points of each player and focuses on that. And John expressed the hope that Krasnodar will continue to play attacking football, but with a different shade, which is more suitable for the players themselves.
And so it happened. Córdoba began to run into the ball much more frequently. According to the statistics of the first round, he gets it even more often than the attacking midfielders. That is, now he is the central figure in the Krasnodar attack – all movements of the ball go through one hit with him. Sheds, where he is strong, are also now an integral part of the attack. Cordoba is good in the air with his height of 188 cm. Ivic uses this trump card with power and force.
Juan Cordoba
Photo: Sergey Apenkin, “Championship”
In defense, the role of Córdoba has also changed. The key function is to put pressure on the opponent’s half. Now he does not have to run towards his goal with force and main, defending with the midfielders. John has a freer role than he likes. In the first matches, we were again convinced that in the empty space, which is now a lot in the RPL, this is a top striker.
Interestingly, Córdoba did not hide the fact that in each transfer window he has many offers. True, mostly not from Europe. Recently, they are interested in Türkiye and the Asian championships. And there they could definitely repeat their salary, as in the RPL.
However, work with Ivic, apparently, turned on John so much that he will most likely spend the next season in Krasnodar. And finally, he will fulfill the mission for which he came to Russia: he will score a lot. So far, neither of the team’s RPL rivals have been able to stop the transformed striker.
