Analysis: Flamengo is in a new formation and performs better under the command of the Dome | Flamengo

But what has changed in three days?

Just as it was not possible to say that Flamengo de Dome would be reactive just because of the way he beat Santos, it is also good not to get excited about the win over Bahia. But it is undeniable that the performance shown in Salvador is what everyone expected with the arrival of the new coach.

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One huge contributing factor was the change in tactical training. Dome gave up the 4-3-3 that he tried to display in the last games and took a 4-2-3-1 team onto the field.

The play reorganized the main offensive pieces: Everton Ribeiro returned to the far right – with the luxurious assistance of Isla – and stayed close to Arrascaeta, completely at ease as a focused midfielder, in what was, perhaps, the main draw of the Dome. Pedro Rocha, on the left, gave the necessary amplitude to open the Bahian defense.

– I think Arrascaeta plays better behind the striker than on the side, Everton does not lose balls and can play very open towards the inside, especially when he plays against Isla, who is very offensive – Dome said at a post-match press conference.

Reuniting Everton and Arrasca was something that was demanded in the last games. Both are the players with the greatest technical repertoire of the squad and, when they meet, they make Flamengo better. In the process of getting the team right, Dome managed, for the first time, to allow them to speak on the field, and the result was a far more fluid attack compared to other games.

With the well-coordinated attack, the goals came easily. The two from Arrascaeta were the result of beautiful exchanges of passes. Everton did magic with a beautiful kick. And Pedro completed the score with a clinical shot and an opportunistic shot at the exit of the Bahian ball.

The marked pressure reappears, but the defense needs adjustments.

When talking about Pedro’s first goal, it is important to mention another aspect that the fans saw again: the pressure mark at the opponent’s ball exit. Pedro’s play was emblematic, but Flamengo’s position was noticeable at other times in the game and turned out to be crucial for the red and black display.

On the other hand, the match showed that the defensive phase still needs adjustments. Bahia’s three goals came from avoidable plays: in the first and third, there is mainly a lack of coverage from the midfielders in the area. The second was a more individual failure by Gabriel Batista than by system.

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The expectation is that the team can better coordinate this pressure mark so that the defense suffers less when the rival manages to overcome the front line. To be able to play this way, it is necessary for the attack to be effective in hunting down opponents, preventing the defenders from being exposed.

In this process of adjustment between Dome and the cast, the game had a positive balance. The most important thing was to be able to detect changes in the way of acting.