The mystery behind Vasco’s fall at the Brasileiran

Vasco is experiencing another shaky moment at the Brazilian Championship. Cruz Martino’s team, which showed signs of evolution after fixing a three-game winning streak, has stumbled again and is now on a three-game losing streak. This variation is noticeable not only on the scoreboard but also in the statistics. Interestingly, Vasco has finished more times losing than winning.

In recent setbacks, against Juventud (3×1), Botafogo (3×0) and São Paulo (3×1), the team had 50 shots on goal, while the opponents had a total of 44 shots. The numbers were very different in the wins against Bragantino (3×0), Fluminense (2×0) and Fortaleza (2×0). Vasco had just 25 shots on goal, while Vasco had just 25 shots on goal. Opponent. Still, the attack performed much better. sofa score.

However, these numbers don’t tell the whole story. It would be naive to say that Vasco plays better when he has fewer goals or less possession. Each conflict had its own context. In the matches won, the team was able to take an early lead and control the pace by taking advantage of the spaces vacated by the opponent. In the defeat, the scenario was reversed. Vasco was on the back foot, confused in search of a draw, and ended up being exposed on defense.

In fact, what the statistics reveal is what fans have already pointed out: fluctuations in concentration. When leading, a team shows solidity and discipline. When he needs to react, he loses concentration and rushes. In winning, the team “knew how to suffer” and relied on the confident performance of the entire defensive system, especially goalkeeper Leo Jardim, who made nine saves against Fortaleza. In the loss, there were many cautionary mistakes, such as Archer’s own pass error for Juventude’s second goal.

With the score at his disadvantage, Cruz-Martino tends to play too fast and lose precision. Even if they try to react, they end up with hasty crosses and inefficient finishes. As happened against Juventud, the introduction of Beghetti and GB allowed the ball to be brought into the area one after another without much danger.

After the last game, coach Fernando Diniz admitted that his team still needs to mature. For his part, Vasco is in a learning process and needs to find consistency to successfully cope with the fluctuations throughout the season.

— Vasco is learning to play well and, above all, to be a big team. Variations occur during this process. This is not the first time that the performance has deteriorated, there were a couple of moments like this during the championship. This is the third or fourth period of decline, and the challenge now, like any other period, is to respond to it. The key is to understand these stages and learn to grow from them again, the coach said after his latest setback.

The challenge now for Dinis is to turn volume into efficiency and regain the confidence of a team that has already shown it is capable. Regaining focus and composure could be the difference in getting Vasco back into the fight for his goals, whether it’s a place in the Libertadores or a Copa do Brasil title.