No plan B: why Rossi's mistakes worry Flamengo | OneFootball

Rossi has become a questioned figure at Flamengo and divides fans’ opinions

Flamengo’s undisputed starter, goalkeeper Rossi is going through a spell of distrust from the rubro-negro fans. Recent mistakes in decisive plays have opened the door to questions about the No. 1’s performances, even with the goalkeeper publicly downplaying it in a press conference.

However, more than just a brief and temporary rough patch, this instability could cost Flamengo dearly right at the business end of the season. After all, every point carries huge weight in a tight Brazilian title race. In the Libertadores, it goes without saying, since every game is knockout.

Why is Rossi’s form a concern for Flamengo?

Goalkeeper mistakes rarely go unnoticed: they usually turn into goals, dropped points, or elimination. Therefore, each of Rossi’s errors weighs disproportionately on a match’s final outcome, even when the team controls the game from start to finish.

In addition, insecurity when coming off his line or dealing with crosses tends to shake the team’s mentality. As a result, center-backs and full-backs tend to play more tensely when they do not fully trust the goalkeeper, which increases the risk of mistakes in other positions.

Does the lack of reinforcement increase the risk?

Flamengo does not see Andrew as a direct competitor to Rossi and is also not looking for a new goalkeeper on the market. So the club is putting all its chips on the starter’s natural recovery, without a more competitive Plan B in sight.

Because of that, any new run of mistakes would leave the squad without an immediate and competitive alternative to stop the problem in goal. However, this confidence from the board can also be read as a vote of confidence in the goalkeeper’s recent track record at the club.

Is the clash with Botafogo a decisive test?

This Sunday’s game (30) against Botafogo works as an X-ray of the situation. A solid performance would help cool the criticism, while another mistake would reinforce the doubts at a crucial moment in the title race.

Therefore, the result of the match could define Flamengo’s pace in the direct battle for the top spot in the Brasileirão. That being the case, Sunday’s game carries more than just three points: it also weighs on the goalkeeper’s confidence.

In any case, three years as the undisputed starter show that Rossi has already proven his value to Flamengo at other times. However, maintaining that same confidence amid inconsistency requires the goalkeeper to quickly regain his balance.

If the mistakes persist, Flamengo runs the risk of paying a heavy price right in the most important stretch of the season, when there is virtually no margin for error. In that scenario, the entire team is put under pressure to make up on the field for the mistakes that appear in the buildup from the back.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.