Vasco identify the 'villain' behind the crisis, draw up emergency plan | OneFootball

Vasco enters the most important week of the year with the mission of picking up the pieces after a disastrous final stretch in the Brasileirão. The coaching staff led by Fernando Diniz conducted a thorough diagnosis of the recent problems and identified that the crisis revolves around three fundamental pillars: offensive inefficiency, defensive fragility, and, most importantly, emotional instability. To overcome Fluminense in the semifinal of the Copa do Brasil, the club has outlined an “emergency plan” that goes beyond what happens on the pitch.

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The blackout in attack and Vasco's relaxation

The numbers don’t lie and they are alarming. Vasco failed to score in six of the last eight matches, becoming a predictable team that is easy to mark. The exception was the unusual thrashing of Internacional. Internally, there is an understanding that there was a “natural relaxation” among the squad after the team reached a safe points tally in the national championship.

This behavior, combined with a physical decline, resulted in a passive team that watched their opponents play. The strategy of resting the starters against Atlético-MG was precisely aimed at “resetting” this mental state, seeking to recover the hunger to win and the focus that had disappeared in recent weeks.

“Zero Mistakes” and the confidence gap

On the other side, the opponent is experiencing the opposite. Fluminense comes into the match unbeaten in seven games and with high morale. To balance the duel, the order at CT Moacyr Barbosa is “zero mistakes.” The defensive system, which suffered from positioning errors and lapses in concentration, has been working exhaustively on compactness.

Regaining confidence is the master key. Diniz knows that, tactically, the team has potential, but he needs the players to believe in the game model again. The fans will do their part by being the majority at the Maracanã, but the answer needs to come from within, with an immediate change in attitude to turn the crisis into fuel for qualification.

Rayan is the hope for goals – Photo: Matheus Lima

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