Chelsea’s debut in the Club World Cup last Wednesday (9) highlighted some of the strengths and weaknesses of what will be Palmeiras’ opponent in the final. The path for the Brazilian team may be the edges of the field, but they also offer danger.
It was attacking from the sides that the European champion had his best moments in the 1-0 victory over Al Hilal, from Saudi Arabia. Lukaku’s goal came from a play by the skilled Havertz, who attempted a cross from the left twice. In the second, the defense failed, and the striker took advantage.
The German striker, who plays openly at the front, has established a good partnership with left winger Marcos Alonso. The attacks from the right lane were also efficient, although less frequently, where winger Azpilicueta and forward Ziyech were chosen.
It is likely, to stop these moves from the London team on the wing, that Abel Ferreira will set up Palmeiras in 3-5-2, with the left side playing the role of defender. With Marcos Rocha scoring on the right and Gustavo Scarpa on the left, in practice, a line of five defenders is formed.
The system should also offer greater protection against the Lukaku area man, the one for whom the crossings are intended. The Belgian is not living his best phase, but he has a lot of physical strength, which worries the alviverdes especially in confrontations with defender Luan, who doesn’t like hand-to-hand duels.
Despite their good edge play, Chelsea had a hard time beating Al Hilal. In the second half of the match in Abu Dhabi, the Asian champion created problems precisely in bids from the sides. The left sector proved particularly fragile, with Alonso often outflanked.
The English team played in a 3-4-3 formation, something they should repeat in the decision, and the recovery of the wings was often slow. Thiago Silva, who plays in the center of the defence, was repeatedly late. And the Saudis took advantage of that to build counterattacks.
If it weren’t for the great performance of goalkeeper Kepa, who came to defend a ball face to face with Marega, Chelsea could have suffered a draw or a comeback. If the problems presented are repeated and even the apparent lack of interest shown in the semifinals will open the door for Palmeiras.
The Brazilian team is better equipped for counterattacks than Al Hilal and demonstrated this in their 2-0 victory over Egypt’s Al Ahly, with two goals that came from stolen balls. Ron’s speed up front should be an important weapon against a trio of defenders that aren’t fast.
“They have a way of playing with three defenders. Up front, they have two fast players and a very strong striker, a very good scorer. We need to study and work to understand their strengths. .
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