WITH FIRST GOAL FOR FLAMENGO, LUIZ ARAÚJO REVEALS A "STRANGE" FEELING

The scene at Maracanã was one of frustration. Against a technically inferior opponent, Flamengo repeated the mistakes that had already been made clear in the defeat to Cruzeiro last weekend. The team, once again, was far from any competitive standard expected of a club with the investment and roster of Fla.

THIAGO SEES A VERY STRONG CAST

Thiago Leifert, on his YouTube channel, did not hold back on his criticism and stressed that the problem goes beyond tactics. For him, the drop in performance is directly related to the mental behavior of the players: a team that entered the field certain that it would win without having to make any effort. The journalist highlighted the role of the midfield in this decline process. De La Cruz , Pulgar and Gerson were the main targets of the analysis. According to Leifert, all three were well below their usual level both in the defeat to Cruzeiro and in the draw in the Libertadores.

"Against Cruzeiro, it's already very difficult, because the players were terrible individually. De La Cruz, bad. Erick (Pulgar), bad. Gerson didn't have a good game yesterday either," said Leifert. The commentator went further and raised the hypothesis that an "unconscious arrogance" had contaminated the team. For him, Flamengo entered the field in the last two matches believing that victory would come naturally. A common mistake in clubs with star-studded squads that face lesser opponents.

A GREENHOUSE EFFECT

"The effect that facing a team that he knows is worse has on a player ... It's very difficult for the 11 guys on your team to get it into their heads that they need to win a little more quickly than just wait for it to happen," he assessed. The criticism gained even more weight when he remembered a specific play in the match against Central Córdoba: Arrascaeta's second shot, which for Leifert symbolizes the team's level of inattention.

"Yesterday, Arrasca 's second ball shows that he has a certain carelessness. That's what happens when you're facing a team that you know is worse than you. You become careless unconsciously. Arrogance comes unconsciously," he added. For the journalist, the problem is mental and individual. Players who tend to make mistakes were below average, trusting that they could change the game whenever they wanted. Their confidence, however, bordered on arrogance — and cost them important points.

The draw that tasted like defeat against Central Córdoba , in the interior of Argentina, had an immediate effect behind the scenes at Flamengo . The crisis has set in after yet another poor performance, with the growing risk of another international fiasco of enormous proportions.

CLASSIFICATION IN THE LIBERTADORES

The continent's most expensive team is obliged to win the two remaining games , both at home. And they need to improve their goal difference. If they don't beat LDU on Thursday, the 15th, they could be eliminated from Maracanã. And the ideal is to beat the team from Quito by two or more goals.

The football department detected that, back in May, he was not in good physical condition. That is why Arrascaeta missed a great chance right after opening the scoring. He had no legs after the run and kicked weakly, according to the club's professionals.

Director José Boto demands, especially from the coach, and Filipe Luís listens to the Portuguese. However, this has not had any practical effect, as the coach continues to stick to his ideas, even at a delicate moment, which may require some flexibility.

SEARCH PLAYERS

It is worth giving the squad a boost of health , given the obvious conclusion that a team that doesn't run, doesn't win, no matter how much quality it has. The idea is to count on new players, with legs, including going to the market in this half of the year.

At the same time, football asked president Luiz Eduardo Baptista, known as BAP, to have "real" fans at the games, who would support the team "on their backs". In practice, a suggestion along the lines of: reduce ticket prices and bring people to support the team.

Flamengo 's immediate goal is to lick the wounds of the bad result in Argentina and beat Bahia on Saturday at Maracanã. Obviously, it is known that a defeat in the Brazilian league game would naturally compromise the preparation and everything that will involve the duel with LDU.

The 1-1 draw with Central Córdoba, away from home, in the Copa Sudamericana, brought to light once again the level of pressure on some players in the Flamengo squad. One of the most negatively mentioned by fans on social media after the final whistle was full-back Ayrton Lucas, directly involved in the play that resulted in the goal for the Argentine team.

In the play in question, the number 6 appeared late in the defensive reorganization and was unable to cut out the cross that found Gastón Verón free to score . The image went viral and added to a sequence of matches in which the player has been inconsistent, despite having the confidence of Filipe Luis.

FILIPE LUIS SAYS ABOUT EVERYTHING

The repercussion was quick. On different platforms, fans expressed frustration with the full-back's performance, demanding more attention and commitment. Criticism of Ayrton , however, was not isolated. Other names such as Gerson, Bruno Henrique and Léo Pereira were also mentioned as below expectations.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FLAMENGO

The atmosphere of pressure has been growing among the red-blacks, especially due to expectations regarding the team's international performance. With a star-studded squad and high investment, the fans have little tolerance for recurring mistakes — especially defensive ones. Ayrton Lucas, who had a good moment in the second half of 2023, has not yet managed to repeat the same level in 2024.

There is a visible discomfort with the spaces left behind and with the decision-making in attacking plays. Against Córdoba, in addition to the defensive error, the full-back also wasted some good chances to build up play on the left. This is not a new situation. Since Filipe 's arrival, left-back has been a position that requires adjustments. Ayrton is the natural starter, but he has not been a shadow in the squad since Matías Viña's injury. The Uruguayan, who had been prepared to rotate and even compete for the spot, has not yet returned to training.