Finnish striker Joel Pohjanpalo is on an eight-match scoreless streak. Expert Mehmet Hetemaj explains why Pohjanpalo was sidelined from the opening.
Joel Pohjanpalo experienced a rare fate on Sunday when the coach Eusebio Di Francesco didn’t pick the striker in Venezia’s starting line-up against Napoli in Serie A football.
Pohjanpalo had been in the opener in every game of the season before Sunday, and the last time he had started on the bench for his club team was a little over a year ago. He got on the field for the last 20 minutes, when Venezia narrowly lost to Napoli with goals 0–1.
Pohjanpalo told after the match To the Kymppipaikka sitethat it was a matter of the coach’s tactical choice.
– I am completely fit, so starting on the bench was the coach’s tactical choice. This is how the matter was explained to me, Pohjanpalo told Kymppipaika.
Pohjanpalo, who scored four goals in the early season, said that the matter will definitely be reviewed before next Saturday’s game.
– We had a good win below, but this is how it is. The coach makes the decisions and we go according to them. Of course, this was a bit of a strange situation, because I actually started on the bench for the first time in two years when I was in full playing condition, Pohjanpalo said.
Faster player
Italian Serie A and Venezia were reviewed by the following expert Mehmet Hetemaj says that Venezia went into the match with a different tactic. It was already known in advance that Venezia will have to defend from deeper and its only chances are to an increasing extent in counterattacks.
– In them, “Jolle” is not at his best. The tactical change was clearly visible in the selection of players, because he was replaced by a faster player, says Hetemaj.
Pohjanpalo’s goalless streak has already grown to eight matches, and the previous game situational goal was at the end of September. According to Hetemaj, Pohjanpalo has had a few places, but the former professional soccer player reminds that Serie A is among the four best leagues in the world. Because of that, the goalkeepers are also of better quality.
However, Hetemaj hopes that Pohjanpalo would be fed more and with better quality.
– If there are concentrations, they will come from somewhat bad places. It has been difficult for them to continue and decide situations towards the goal. If you wish for something, it would be more focus balls.
Not with Pohjanpalo’s strengths
Hetemaj sees that Pohjanpalo playing in Serie A has looked good from the beginning. The attacker has not participated in the playmaking, but has been in the box as a target player.
– Of course, the attackers live off their goals, but I think Pohjanpalo has been able to manage the few balls well.
Hetemaj would like Pohjanpalo’s strengths as the main player to be taken into account even more in the way they play. Venezia coach Esebio Di Francesco receives praise from Hetemaj, but the Italian wants to attack as much as possible along the ground with passing combinations.
– Pohjanpalo has played them well, but maybe we don’t talk about his strengths.
No big conclusions
Hetemaj does not draw any further conclusions about peking. He reminds that Pohjanpalo is the captain of Venezia and still his team’s top scorer.
– Yes, Eusebio Di Francesco is aware of this. I don’t think we should draw conclusions based on this one match.
– Yes, Pohjanpalo will continue to be the first striker whose name is put on paper in home matches where Venezia is basically able to create situations.
In the same breath, Hetemaj reminds us that nothing is certain in football.
– Even if you are the captain, no one has an opening position as automation. If Venezia starts playing well without Pohjanpalo, then of course he can start matches as a substitute. However, I wouldn’t jump to any big conclusions about it.
Promoter Venezia is currently second to last in the relegation zone in Serie A. Pohjanpalo’s teammate Jesse Joronen started the season as a responsible goalkeeper, but since the beginning of October, the Serbian second-knee top defender has made saves between the posts Filip Stankovic.
Simpeläinen’s only minutes in recent months have come in Huuhkajie’s shirt in the final match of the Nations League against Greece.