Vojvoda demands more after Santos defeat, slams Athletico-PR pitch | OneFootball

Juan Pablo Vojvoda lamented Santos' lack of effectiveness in their 2-1 defeat to Athletico-PR on Thursday, during the third round of the Brazilian Championship. The coach stated that the Peixe had opportunities to decide the game earlier, but since that didn't happen, he chose to close the team in the final minutes. The strategy, however, did not work, and the rivals scored the winning goal in injury time.

“We started the match below what we should have. In five minutes, we already committed a penalty. Then the team woke up, we started playing ball and managed to equalize. The second half was balanced. We had clear chances. This type of game has to be killed. You have to be effective. When we are not, we need to close the game. We had 90 minutes to win, if we couldn't, I put a line of five at the back and two fast players up front. That was my strategy, my reading,” he analyzed.

“We conceded goals at the beginning and the end. We have to correct this, a correction of attention, to be alert from start to finish,” he added.

Controversial Changes

Already in the final stretch of the second half, with the score still at 1-1, the Argentine took out forward Rony to bring in defender Basso. However, the Hurricane's goal came precisely from the area where the defender was.

“Basso, I wanted to close the match. I don't know if he had a direct intervention in the goal. Let's be fair. Are we analyzing history or today's match? I'm analyzing today's match. History enters another realm,” said the coach.

Vojvoda also explained the inclusion of Lautaro Díaz, another criticized player who gained more minutes in Curitiba. He also came in during the final stretch.

“It's not nice to talk about specific players. I defend them. Lautaro hasn't been a starter. Today he came in for 10 or 7 minutes. Rony was worn out. I left a line of five at the back and two up front. Lautaro is fast, he attacks spaces. What other players with these criticisms, to play away, with spaces, at speed do I have? I don't know if it was a game for Robinho Jr. He's more about dribbling, with a closed defense. In this type of game, it's Lautaro, Rony... That was the reason for Lautaro. I understand everyone, but I don't point fingers. Everyone makes mistakes,” he analyzed.

Poor Pitch

The artificial pitch at Arena da Baixada drew criticism tonight. After Neymar complained on social media, Vojvoda also commented on it.

“I think Atlético-PR has one of the best stadiums and training centers in Brazil. Today the pitch was worn out, it wasn't good. This is not good for the athletes' health. The ball didn't roll. It's the wear and tear of the years. It's not my intention to enter into a confrontation. I saw that the club has the capacity, has a good structure, but the pitch is below compared to other years,” he said.

Besides Neymar, Gabigol was also absent for Peixe against Athletico-PR. The forward is another who doesn't like artificial pitches.

“We are looking for the best physical condition for Gabriel. We are talking with the medical department. This type of pitch does not favor his physical condition. He has minor pains and could add to it. It was a recommendation from the medical department,” concluded Vojvoda.

Standings Situation

With the result, Santos remains with only one point in the Brasileirão, in 19th place, in the relegation zone. The team has two losses and one draw in Serie A.

Next Santos Game

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