Opinion – Tostão: Paquetá escapes stereotypes and can be a good option in the national team’s attack

This Thursday (24), Brazil, already classified, at Maracanã, will face Chile, which they need to win to have a chance of going to the World Cup.

For the last few matches, Brazil should keep the way they play, with two quick wingers, dribblers and open (Raphinha is out, because of Covid, and should be replaced by Antony), a central attacking midfielder (Neymar), close to the striker , two defensive midfielders (one that advances further) and the line of four defenders. When the team loses the ball and is unable to press, it will form a line of four in midfield, with the two defensive midfielders and a winger on each side. With that, Neymar does not need to return to score.

This formation has worked well, but I’m afraid that, against strong teams, which prioritize approaching, exchanging passes and dominating the ball, the Brazilian team could leave a lot of space in midfield, since the wingers play open and Neymar doesn’t able to act from one intermediary to the other.

​Neymar, as he usually returns to receive the ball far behind, stays away from the opponent’s goal and runs the risk of trying to dribble and lose the ball in a dangerous place. In the last year, Neymar has not shown the same mobility, intensity and speed, which makes it easier for opponents to mark.

The presence of Daniel Alves, who plays close to the steering wheel, should minimize the problem, as the midfielder who plays alongside Casemiro will have more chances to advance. On the other hand, the presence of Daniel Alves could leave more spaces on the side for the opponent. In Barcelona’s 4-0 victory over Real Madrid, coach Xavi selected the fast defender Araújo in place of Daniel Alves, to successfully score Vinícius Júnior.

For the first time, I saw Marquinhos play a game badly, in the loss of PSG to Real Madrid. This does not diminish in any way the talent of the defender, one of the best in the world in the position.

Will Tite, for having called only one striker (Richarlison), will climb Paquetá in attack, to form a pair with Neymar? Paquetá, who has performed well in the place of Fred and Neymar and also on the sides, can be a good option in the attack, even more so that Brazil has not defined a striker.

The selection does not lack a classic striker. They lack a high quality striker, like Benzema and others. In the same reasoning, Palmeiras and Corinthians do not need a striker, but a special striker, to strengthen the team.

Brazilian football loves terminology, reductionism, ready-made commentary, the commonplace, the buzzword. Everything would have an explanation, and everything would be resolved by the coach’s strategy. Some, as in all professions, have the gift of deceiving and captivating, even with obvious actions, words and gestures.

One of the reasons for so many changes of coaches in Brazil is the overestimation that managers, fans and the press give to coaches, as if they were the only ones responsible for the performances and results.

In Brazil, the buzzwords are repeated thousands of times, such as “forwards who have an eye for goals”, “offensive midfielders who play between the lines and step into the area”, “the dribbling winger who makes a lot of smoke and who, with the , dribbles to center to hit the ball to the goal”, “the first midfielder, the guard dog, and the second, who goes out to play” and dozens of other commonplaces.

Paquetá plays well in several positions and avoids all these stereotypes.