Copa America: Will Brazil stick with Roberto Firmino or bring in-form Gabriel Jesus into their side against Venezuela?
LIKE a general who starts one war by preparing for the previous one, Brazil coach Tite still seems to be replaying last year’s World Cup quarter final defeat.
After taking stock of Russia 2018, Tite acknowledged that the balance of his side was not right against the Belgians, who surprised him in the first half, opened up a lead and hung on to win 2-1.
If he could play that match again he would make a number of changes – and effectively, it was those changes that he made in Brazil’s Copa America opener against Bolivia last Friday.
Against Belgium Tite left the team too open. The full backs pushed up, and the midfield trio included Paulinho, who had become almost an auxiliary centre forward, and Phillippe Coutinho, who is certainly not an all round midfielder. Fernandinho, in for the suspended Casemiro, has a tough time.
A year on, these have been corrected. Marquinhos at centre back brings more pace, allowing the back four to push higher.
The full backs are now expected to construct from deep – and the replacement of Marcelo by Filipe Luis brings more defensive stability.
The balance of the midfield has also changed. Casemiro and Fernandinho are now together.
Arthur of Barcelona has recovered from injury and will probably take the place of the Manchester City man tonight. But the general principle remains.
SOLIDITY IS KEY
The stress is more on solidity. Coutinho has a platform to operate where he is his best, in the last 40 metres, without having to think about chasing all the way back to his own penalty box.
And there are more changes up front. In qualification for 2018, Gabriel Jesus emerged strongly and appeared to have solved Brazil’s long running centre forward problem.
But he suddenly lost form during the World Cup. Tite’s big regret was that he did not make the switch, taking out Jesus and bringing in Roberto Firmino.
Gabriel Jesus was not even included in Brazil’s first post-World Cup squad, and over the last few months Firmino has been first choice. But it is not really working.
FIRMINO CONUNDRUM
For all of his impressive virtues, Firmino is nothing like a traditional centre forward. He works wonderfully well in the context of Liverpool, frequently dropping to combine, with Salah and Mane accelerating beyond him.
Brazil have tried to do something similar with Richarlison, cutting in from wide on the right to penalty area.
This clearly poses problems for the opposing defences – Richarlison has slotted in very well. But Brazil have been unable to get the best out of Firmino.
So far they have not been able to hard wire his combination play into the circuitry of the team.
The training sessions in the build up to the Copa America were supposed to have been vital to the cause. But Liverpool’s participation in the final of the Champions League meant that Firmino turned up late.
Gabriel Jesus, meanwhile, was right back in form, scoring five times in Brazil’s last three games.
But it was Firmino who got the nod for the 3-0 win against Bolivia last Friday – and he combined well with Richarlison to set up the second goal for Coutinho.
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Bolivia, though, were extremely weak – but held out with increasing comfort until a VAR hand ball penalty soon after half time.
The problem, perhaps, was one that Firmino does not have to face at Liverpool. When he drops he occupies the same space as Coutinho in the playmaker role. Can this be worked out during the course of the competition?
Or will Tite shake the Belgium game out of his head and go back to Gabriel Jesus? The second match, against Venezuela, is later tonight.
