It’s been a month since the São Paulo state championships kicked off the 2019 season and coach Scolari is clearly using the competition as a means to try out formations and players, in addition to making sure they all get a shot at the starting eleven. Even the goalkeepers are in the carousel, swapping every game. Obviously, not ideal for finding the mesh or the strongest starting eleven, but that’s beyond the point. Short-term results are not what our commander is interested in at this point.
Palmeiras’ streak reads RBB 1-1 Palmeiras; Palmeiras 1-0 Botafogo/SP; São Caetano 0-2 Palmeiras; Oeste 0-1 Palmeiras; Palmeiras 0-1 Corinthians; Palmeiras 2-0 Bragantino; Ferroviária 0-0 Palmeiras. Naturally, the home defeat to our rivals left supporters in a fit. Howling increased further after yesterday’s lame draw, featuring Goulart’s reasonable debut but Borja and Carlos Eduardo missing clear opportunities. Lazy, uninterested, shameless, worthless are some of the many adjectives overheard in the last few days, people apparently forgetting Palmeiras have bagged three national titles in four years and that last year’s Brazilian championship squad basically remains intact: an achievement in itself, considering the intense courting, particularly from China.
After seven games, Palmeiras head their group on 14 points. Santos have the best overall campaign so far: 15 points, one game short, playing Guarani tonight. Upcoming Saturday, Palmeiras receive Santos at the Allianz Parque. A victory, and the dust will settle. Not that Scolari is seriously feeling any pressure… Yet. The unrest is best quenched in its bud.
Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!
ANYTHING PALMEIRAS 