'Caballero has it' - Why Paraguay winger could return to Fratton Park with much-needed srping in his step
Gustavo Caballero could make his international debut for Paraguay against Greece tonight
Gustavo Caballero had been labelled a game-changer as he prepares to make his international debut for Paraguay tonight.
La Albirroja boss Gustavo Alfaro believes the on-loan Pompey winger is someone who can provide the additional attacking spark his side needs as he looks to finalise his squad for this summer’s World Cup Finals.
He also said now was the perfect time to unleash the forward onto the international stage as his temporary move to Fratton Park had provided him the European experience and consistent game time he wants from his Paraguay players.
Caballero has made nine appearances for Pompey following the completion of his loan move from Brazilian side Santos on the final day of the January transfer window.
Six of those outings have come in the way of starts, while it was his opening goal that inspired the Blues to pick up a valuable win at promotion-chasing Millwall on February 21.
That performance made the 24-year-old an instant hero with the Fratton faithful. However, it’s fair to say the former Nacional winger as struggled to live up to the hype generated following that display, with the Blues losing five of the six games they’ve played since as they fall into deeper relegation trouble and scoring just four goals.
Gustavo Caballero has a fan in Paraguay boss Gustavo Alfaro
Paraguay’s international friendlies against Greece (Friday night) and Morocco (Tuesday) should provide Caballero with the opportunity to take his mind off Pompey’s current troubles and enhance any confidence lost by his club side’s current poor run of form.
Indeed, if anything, he should return to PO4 with a spring in his step after national team boss Alfaro bigged up his newest addition to his squad.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s game against Greece in Piraeus, Alfaro admitted he’d been keen to call upon Caballero for some time, adding that the Blues forward has the capacity to be a match-winner for him.
Explaining Caballero’s call-up, he said: ‘There were players who changed teams and started to get consistent playing time. In the case of Gustavo Caballero, I already wanted to call him up when he was at Nacional, when he was doing very well.
‘At the time, he went to Santos, and we had the expectation that he would play in an intense competition there in Brazil, but he didn't get much consistent playing time.
‘Instead, he goes to a second-division team in England, he starts to get consistent playing time, and there he quickly begins to demonstrate his abilities, and today he's a player who has the European experience.
‘We need a spark, we need a player who has that verticality, that speed, that different approach at a crucial moment in the game.
‘Julio Enciso has it, Miguel Almirón has it, Ramón Sosa has it, but Caballero has it with different characteristics .’
Caballero’s last outing for the Blues came during the 6-1 defeat to QPR last Saturday. However, he only played 31 minutes of that game, after coming off the bench just before the hour mark.
He’s vying with Adrian Segecic and Harvey Blair for a place on the right wing when John Mousinho’s side return to action against Norwich on April 3.
That game, however, could also see fellow January arrival Keshi Anderson return to action following his abence with a hamstring injury.
Caballero is on loan at Pompey until the end of the season. The Blues, though, have an option to make his Fratton Park stay permanent.