Opinion – PVC: Tite’s list for the Cup will have a vast menu of forwards

Martinelli was a starter in Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea, for this Sunday’s round (6) of the English Championship. His evolution is remarkable and can expand Tite’s strikers menu for the World Cup.

Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison, Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Rodrygo and Antony are almost certain. If Pedro and Martinelli are the two remaining names, there will be attacking players for all kinds of circumstances.

Pedro for aerial and pivot play, can open closed defensive padlocks. Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus can play as strikers or play on the side, entering diagonally to score goals, a different characteristic from Antony, Vinicius Junior and Raphinha.

With Martinelli, open on the left, Rodrygo will be an option for both sides and also for the central lane of the attack.

Certainly, there is not a generation of superstars like when the offensive duo had Bebeto and Romário or Ronaldo and Rivaldo, but the chances of changing style and fooling opponents with changes in positioning and strategy will be huge.

It is one of the reasons why Arsenal’s Martinelli could be one of the names on the list to be released at 1 pm this Monday (7).

Two months ago, when releasing the squad for the friendlies against Ghana and Tunisia, Tite admitted that there was a dispute between Philippe Coutinho and Éverton Ribeiro. If there was, the Flamengo midfielder won, for having been featured in the finals of the Copa do Brasil and Libertadores.

Coutinho was not even on the bench in Aston Villa’s victory against Manchester United. With an injury, he is out of the World Cup.

Neymar has just one game left, against Auxerre, before joining the Brazilian national team. Over the weekend, he was the man of the match in PSG’s 2-1 win over Lorient. He scored a goal, gave a pass to another, is in his best technical and physical shape on the eve of the Cups he played.

It is not the case of Richarlison and Paquetá, in the final stages of recovery, Casemiro, now a starter, but unstable at Manchester United, Fred and Raphinha, reserves at Manchester and Barcelona, ​​respectively. On the other hand, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are increasingly indispensable to Real Madrid.

But they will, in principle, be bank options in the Brazilian team.

The big question is whether Tite will summon Daniel Alves, accompanied by the coaching staff in his physical preparation in Spain. Daniel is not playing, he has never made a great World Cup, neither in 2010 nor in 2014, but he can be important in a group of 26 athletes due to his leadership and experience.

Four years ago, the national team coach said he would not take players far from their best physical condition again. It might be impossible, because it would mean retaking too many new bets.

Giving up Daniel, in theory, would mean adding another defender. It may not be necessary. Firmino returned to play well for Liverpool and is an alternative to being a centre-forward, false nine or midfielder, a position in which he played in Liverpool’s victory over Tottenham.

With him, there could be ten attackers, each with a specific characteristic. Brazil will have a very tough path and strong opponents from the group stage. Maybe he’ll only face world champions in the knockout stages. Not a favourite, but a candidate to win the Cup.

the last defender

Bremer returned to start for Juventus against Internazionale and is favorite for one of the vacancies in the defense, but Gabriel Magalhães was Arsenal’s highlight against Chelsea and has a chance. Lucas Veríssimo is out, who returned to play after a year of injury.

Victor or Vojvoda

Fortaleza president Marcelo Paz reiterates that he believes in Duilio Monteiro Alves when he hears that, if Corinthians decides for Vojvoda, he will speak with the Ceará club first. Vojvoda has a contract until the end of the year. Duilio still has hope of following with Vítor Pereira.