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Was Fluminense really in control, or did Palmeiras have the game exactly where they wanted it? We break down Abel Ferreira’s compact defense, the midfield battle, and the clever passing sequence behind Flaco López’s decisive goal. Watch the tactics unfold, pass by pass!
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0:00 - Palmeiras' Compact Midfield Game
3:27 - Fluminense's Attacks Lack Cutting Edge
6:41 - Pressing Battles and Fluminense's Best Chance
9:04 - How Palmeiras Built the Winning Goal
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#Football #Soccer #Palmeiras #Fluminense
Subscribe for more match analysis!
Tell us in the comments what you liked most about the video!
👉 This channel was created in collaboration with https://www.youtube.com/@futebolmaximo
0:00 - Palmeiras' Compact Midfield Game
3:27 - Fluminense's Attacks Lack Cutting Edge
6:41 - Pressing Battles and Fluminense's Best Chance
9:04 - How Palmeiras Built the Winning Goal
We're now available on Spotify! Listen now https://open.spotify.com/show/
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SportsTranscript
00:00A lot of people got the impression that Fluminense cornered Palmeiras, but the reality of the match was quite different.
00:05Locking down the midfield and getting in behind the tricolor slow defense were Abel Ferreira's real game plan.
00:12And that's exactly how the Verdun proved once again their great ability to compete and win matches.
00:18Yes, it's true that this goal right here from Flaco Lopez was Palmeiras' first shot after 45 minutes of play.
00:25Hold on a second, because in just a moment I'll show you every detail of this goal and how it
00:29was crafted.
00:30Pass by pass for Palmeiras to take the lead.
00:33First, we need to go back a bit to understand some of that dominance by Fluminense and why it actually
00:38wasn't as significant as many people are claiming.
00:40Let's take a look at this play right here.
00:44Look, Fluminense builds up from the back, ball at Nonato's feet, he finds Guilherme Arana and Palmeiras is set up.
00:49Palmeiras' defensive strategy in this match was to have a five-man backline, the three center backs that Abel has
00:53been using, and a midfield four.
00:55So, Andres was closing down on the left, Arias-Aris closing down on the right, and at times they switched
00:59flanks, right?
01:01Marlon and Lucas Evangelista in the middle, plenty of players to battle hard in that area with only Flaco further
01:05forward because Vito Roque wasn't in the starting lineup.
01:08Fluminense had the ball, which was clearly Palmeiras' strategy, with Fluminense having 75% possession, and they kept working the
01:14ball often, as we're seeing in this play here, in a more horizontal way, unable to actually push forward or
01:20make progress up the pitch.
01:21Largely because Palmeiras managed to do this very well, closing down these roads in the more central areas.
01:27So, Marlon and Lucas Evangelista were always very alert to step up to press Fluminense's defensive midfielders, or whichever players
01:32held the ball through the central lane.
01:33Here, it was specifically the defensive midfielders, Nonato and Martinelli.
01:37Henrias and Arias, who are dropping back here to cover the space left by Dax, also pushed up very smartly
01:42to cut off passing lanes, denying Fluminense room to move the ball forward.
01:46So, here, Nonato, who has the ball, has no option to play it forward, he'll have to play it sideways,
01:50he pushes forward a bit there, drops back, doesn't have much control.
01:53With no one to play to, he turns back and returns the ball here to Martinelli.
01:56And the moment Martinelli takes control, we see Guga making a run, offering an option for a ball played over
02:00the top into space, if Martinelli wants to.
02:02And Holt moves slightly away from his position up front as well, to offer a passing lane.
02:05Whenever that happened, of the centre-backs, in this case here it's Barbosa, in other plays it was Gustavo Gomez,
02:11it could also be Murillo, he would step out from the line a bit and go press Hulk.
02:15I showed that in a video I made here over the weekend talking about Palmeiras, I'll leave it in the
02:19card at the end so you can check it out after you finish watching this analysis here.
02:22So, Martinelli has few options to play forward, a safe ball for Fluminense to keep advancing up the pitch.
02:26So, what is he going to have to do in this scenario?
02:29Spread the play over to the other side to Cano, I mean Canobio, who is the winger hugging the touchline,
02:32he passes to Guga, Guga goes to the byline and Barbosa manages to win the ball.
02:36So, essentially, what can we see in this play?
02:39Fluminense had possession, settled into the attacking half, but struggled greatly to progress, to find forward passing.
02:45To break down Palmeiras' very compact defence, which I repeat, was strategically set up this way for this match due
02:51to the context.
02:52Away from home, first leg, 180 minutes, all that talk, that was the strategy devised by Abel.
02:57When we look at the match stats page here, it becomes quite obvious.
03:01Fluminense had 70% overall possession in the match, Palmeiras had 30% at times, even a bit more.
03:07Except that Fluminense had 11 shots, compared to Palmeiras' 7, and in shots on target, Palmeiras was better.
03:13Palmeiras had 5 shots on target against the goal, defended by Fabio, while Fluminense only had 3.
03:19In other words, Fluminense dominated possession, but couldn't translate that into real scoring chances.
03:24Which made the outlook quite comfortable for Palmeiras.
03:27Even with only 280 completed passes compared to 730.
03:31The visitors suffered very little during the match.
03:34Let's take a look at a few more examples of Fluminense's attacks here.
03:37Look, Fluminense, with all their players in the attacking half, working it, moving the ball from side to side, trying
03:42to find space.
03:43And then it's the same pattern.
03:44Palmeiras closing down to holding midfielder space really well here with Evangelista and Marlon.
03:48Invariably very attentive, very aggressive in their pressing, right?
03:51Cutting off the passing lane, closing down space so they wouldn't be allowed to play.
03:54And both Arias and Andreas working very hard on that ball recovery as well.
03:57You saw that in the previous play, as I said, Arias and Andreas were swapped compared to this setup.
04:01That was also a common theme throughout the game.
04:04Fluminense has the ball here, the ball at Nonato's feet.
04:06Nonato plays it short to Martinelli.
04:08And here's that example I was talking about, look.
04:09The two holding midfielders, they step up to put pressure on Fluminense's midfield players.
04:13And many times, space was left behind them like this.
04:16Which Fluminense couldn't exploit the way they could have.
04:19This play here is a good example.
04:20Martinelli has the ball at his feet.
04:22Hulk takes a little step to the side.
04:24Ganso is more central.
04:25Canobio tucks inside.
04:26But here Gustavo Gomez is already closing down.
04:28Just like Barbosa did on that previous play.
04:31And there really isn't anyone occupying this space between the lines to receive the ball and make a play.
04:35To move Fluminense forward up the pitch, right here Martinelli will actually find a good pass.
04:40The ball goes to Hulk and Hulk already controls it as he turns, which is a trademark of his.
04:44And he's going to take a shot from way out.
04:46A shot with very little chance of a goal, right?
04:48Expected goals, which is that metric measuring the probability of a shot ending in a goal,
04:53is very low in a play like this one.
04:54So Fluminense's problems during the game were very clear.
04:57And what the team could do to exploit that better as well.
05:00Look at this play here.
05:01See, Ganso moves wide.
05:02By the way, quick aside.
05:03What a game Paulo Henrique Ganso played as a tank.
05:06He found a lot of passes between the lines.
05:08It's just that the team couldn't make their attacks flow better through his playmaking.
05:10But Ganso played a great game, so he leaves a more central position here.
05:14And then he draws the defenders toward him.
05:16Evangelista, who in theory protects this more central zone.
05:19He steps out to close down Paulo Henrique Ganso.
05:22And Marlon steps out to close down Martinelli.
05:24So here, the two guys who protect the front of Palmeiras's box went way out of position to mark their
05:29opponent's man-to-man.
05:30Which is another way Palmeiras usually defends.
05:32Then Fluminense managed to place three players in this space between the lines.
05:35Plus, a player progressing here.
05:37It's Nonato who's going to receive this ball.
05:39And then, obviously, you have the touch of genius from a guy who's just on another level.
05:43Ganso cuts inside, lifts his head.
05:45In a fraction of a second, he finds Nonato.
05:47And then Nonato receives the ball facing the goal.
05:50From a position here where he can drive forward and pass or take a shot with three Fluminense players making
05:54runs.
05:55From a playmaking perspective, this was Fluminense's best work move probably in the entire game.
06:01Except right here, Nonato doesn't control it very well.
06:03The ball slips away a bit.
06:04He loses his balance.
06:05And hesitates.
06:06Right when Gustavo Gomez stepped out.
06:08A pass right inside here.
06:10He could have played it to Guillerme Arana breaking through.
06:12To be clean through on goal and get a shot off.
06:14But then, Nonato makes the wrong decision.
06:16Which is to shoot off balance and without much of an angle.
06:19With the edge of the box pretty crowded.
06:21From way too far out, the ball goes wide.
06:22Clearly a bad decision.
06:23The ones who don't make a bad decision are the subscribers here on the Football Maximo channel.
06:27Because when you subscribe, you're the first to be notified about new videos.
06:31And you can enjoy our content here much faster.
06:33So if you haven't subscribed yet, subscribe to the channel and drop a like as well.
06:36If you're enjoying this analysis of Palmeiras' victory, we're breaking down Fluminense's struggles in attack.
06:41And also how Palmeiras managed to defend well and compete hard as this play right here shows.
06:45Another thing Fluminense did very little in the match.
06:47Using the center backs to drive the ball into the attacking half.
06:50And trying with that to draw a midfielder out of position.
06:52Because if the center back carries it forward, someone will probably have to step up to press him.
06:56So he isn't left free on the ball.
06:57They also need to cover the passing lane.
06:59And specifically in this game, Fluminense barely did that.
07:01Right?
07:02So here's a play where Thiago carries the ball forward.
07:04And as he advances, you can even notice here in his run that there's a hesitation.
07:07Lucas Evangelista hesitates.
07:09Like, man, if I step up there, I open up space behind me.
07:11And Piquerez does the same thing.
07:12Piquerez plants his foot right here to make this forward run and cut off this passing lane.
07:17But he's not very confident.
07:18Because he knows that by stepping out of the defensive line, he might leave room for Savarino to run into
07:22that space.
07:23Between him, Piquerez, and Barbosa.
07:25And by doing so, receive the pass and make a diagonal run toward the goal.
07:28So he hesitates.
07:28It takes him too long to step up.
07:30When he goes to close down, he's too far from the play.
07:32Savarino made the wrong run here too.
07:34He makes a run, then clashes.
07:35He doesn't make a run to get in behind Barbosa.
07:37Thiago Silva makes the pass to Hulk.
07:39And here, Piquerez deserves huge credit.
07:41This competitiveness.
07:42Putting a foot in.
07:43Pressure at all times.
07:44Trying to cut off the passing lanes.
07:46Trying to reduce the space to operate.
07:47Piquerez was very effective at that.
07:48That definitely needs to be praised.
07:50You see, Gustavo Gomez steps out of the back line.
07:52In that move, by the free center back.
07:53Stepping up to press.
07:54And Marlon also joins the chase.
07:56Puts a foot in.
07:57Tries to prevent it.
07:58Scrappy as it was, the ball goes back and forth.
08:00And Fluminense still manages to stay on the attack.
08:02Because that was to Fluminense's credit.
08:04And a failing on Palmeiras' part in the match.
08:06Palmeiras lost that second ball here many times.
08:08That's something the team obviously needs to fix for this type of game.
08:11Where your strategy is to sit back a bit deeper.
08:13Win the duels and win the second balls.
08:15Crucial aspects for you to keep transitioning from defense to attack at times.
08:18Otherwise, the ball keeps bouncing right back, bouncing right back.
08:20And you're constantly against the wall.
08:22So here, Nonato puts his foot on the ball.
08:24It keeps Fluminense in the attacking half.
08:26And then, to create a dangerous chance, it takes Ganso's touch of genius.
08:29He cuts inside.
08:30Gets past G.I.
08:31He uses his body to hold off Arias' challenge.
08:34So he took two players out of the play.
08:35Gomes had stepped up to challenge in the central zone.
08:37He's a bit late to challenge Paulo Henrique Ganso.
08:39And then he manages to...
08:41Nice pass to Uhu, who's already positioned right in this pocket of space.
08:44You know, between the two of them.
08:46And then he has the better body position, right?
08:48He's gonna turn.
08:49Nobody even touched him or intercepted him.
08:51He's gonna turn and take the shot that Carlos Miguel says.
08:53So when we look at all these plays, you can't really say that Fluminense completely dominated the match.
08:58They dominated territory and had possession in the attacking half.
09:01But it didn't effectively generate great scoring opportunities.
09:05Because naturally, playing at home, Fluminense would take a few more risks, push forward a bit more.
09:09Palmeiras' strategy was to defend well, but also to wait for the slightest slip-up to strike.
09:14And that lapse in marking by Fluminense came right at the end.
09:17When you're naturally more tired, more worn out.
09:20They tried, they fought, they battled hard, set up shop up front.
09:23They couldn't find space, got worn down.
09:25So it's natural that at some point, you switch off in the game.
09:27It happened to Palmeiras, as we showed in some plays.
09:29And with that, yeah, you gave away an opportunity that could be fatal.
09:32Here, Barbosa steps out.
09:3345th minute of the first half, Barbosa carries it forward.
09:36He isn't under pressure.
09:37And this is where the domino effect begins, which is going to end right in Flaco Lopez's goal.
09:42Out wide, Barbosa receives the ball.
09:44There's no pressure.
09:45No effective pressure from Canoia.
09:47Much less Paulo Henrique Canganzo.
09:48He's too far away.
09:49That probably wasn't even his job to close down.
09:50And Andres Pereira, who was the guy playing on that left side, is already making a move
09:55to break through, to speed into space.
09:57Why?
09:57Because he offers a long passing lane for Barbosa, who's a guy that makes a lot of long
10:00balls, anticipating that once the ball goes to Piqueres, he can receive it in behind the
10:05defense and keep the move going.
10:07So let's watch the play here.
10:08Look, Barbosa passes to Piqueres.
10:10Canobio was already left behind.
10:12If Canobio was left behind, he neither marked Barbosa nor covered his lane on the side.
10:18And Guga will have to jump out of the defensive line, just to put that pressure on Piqueres.
10:23So Guga steps out of the defensive line and goes to press Piqueres, which is that Fluminense
10:28is reacting far too late defensively.
10:30Canobio didn't apply pressure.
10:31The ball reached Piqueres with plenty of space.
10:34Guga didn't close down.
10:35When Guga steps out, domino effect.
10:38Thiago Silva steps up on Andres Pereira, who is the player making the run behind Fluminense's
10:43defense.
10:43Guga was late closing down on Piqueres because Canobio was late too and didn't protect the
10:47flank.
10:48And then Palmeiras manages to advance with the ball on the ground and quick short passes.
10:54Piqueres plays the ball to Andres Pereira and look at the gap opening up in that back
10:58line.
10:58Thiago steps out to cover Guga and he drifts way too far from Milan because he goes all
11:03the way to the touchline to cut off a potential pass from Andres.
11:07Meanwhile, Flacco is right inside.
11:09So Milan is caught in a tough spot here because he either steps out to cover Thiago's space
11:14and cut off a potential run in behind by Piqueres.
11:18Or he stays to protect the space against a potential cross to Flacco.
11:22He did neither.
11:22He got stuck in no man's land.
11:24Andres plays the ball in behind.
11:27Piqueres blows past him with sheer speed.
11:29Beats Guga.
11:30And when he receives it, look.
11:31Fluminense's center back is positioned right here.
11:34Caught between two situations.
11:36Intercept the cross or mark the striker.
11:38He wasn't able to do either.
11:39Like I said.
11:40Neither one nor the other.
11:41But Piqueres's cross is precise and Flacco deflects it in to score another one.
11:46A very high scoring season for Flacco.
11:48By the way, whoever has him in the football maximal fantasy game is crushing it because
11:53this guy is scoring so many goals.
11:54And then, of course, a 2-1 lead, a one goal difference doesn't settle anything in a Libertadores
12:00semifinal but it is huge for such a solid team.
12:03And as competitive as Palmeiras.
12:06Here in this video, I showed a few details of Palmeiras' new midfield ever since Lucas
12:10Evangelista came in.
12:11And what Abel is aiming for in terms of tactical variations for the final stretch of the season.
12:16And after you watch that, click on this playlist right here on the side and come check out
12:19our fantasy game and play with us.
12:20Thanks.
12:21Take care and see you next time.
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