Thanks to the Scottish immigrant named Thomas Donohoe, who introduced football to Brazil, we have witnessed not only the greatest football players of all time but a unique and distinctive football style that amazes hundreds of millions around the world. Even to this day, Brazilians are key players in the top European football clubs. However, Erovnuli Liga has never been famous for having quality Brazilian players throughout its history. One that stands out from all the Brazilian players who have played in Georgia before is Jovino Flamarion Filho, playing for Dinamo Batumi since 2017 (short stint at Rotor Volgograd on loan).
In 2022, Flamarion had a wonderful season at Dinamo Batumi. In 29 games, the Brazilian managed to generate 10.48 xG and score 19 goals. In fact, his overperformance on xG (+8.52) was the highest in the league. That stat alone explains why his finishing was in the 96th percentile. Flamarion had the third most goals per 90 (0.77), just behind Kvaratskhelia (0.95) and Gabedava (0.80), and his 50 deep completed passes ranked him second to Camara (58). Nevertheless, his defensive contribution should not be left unnoticed. Flamarion’s final-third ball recovery and high-zone pressing efficiency were especially remarkable, placing him in the 96th percentile for both actions. The Brazilian was efficient in a lower block as well - the 81st percentile in suppressed crosses suggests how big of an impact he had while engaging in defensive actions on the flank.
source: SciSports
However, a year before this magnificent season, Jovino Flamarion received Georgian citizenship, and on that note, below we are going to list the reasons why Flamarion should be called up to the Georgian national team.
Reason #1 - Lack of options
Since the Georgian national team has a lack of options up-front, it’s logical to try and find a solution in that area. For now, it’s obvious that the two main candidates for that position are Budu Zivzivadze and George Mikautadze, however, if we talk about certainty, the striker’s position is the least certain out of all positions in the Georgian national team. If Flamarion was a left winger, then it would have been a totally different scenario, simply because of the fact that the three most promising attackers in the Georgian national team - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giorgi Chakvetadze, and Zuriko Davitashvili - can all play on the left wing.
Reason #2 - Finishing ability
Obviously, when we talk about a striker, the first thing that comes to our minds is goals. Therefore, it is specifically this skill that is the most appreciated by coaches and scouts, and what’s a better way to measure finishing ability other than analysing the player's expected goals (xG). Flamarion overperformed his xG (10.48) by +8.52, scoring on 19 occasions. Such overperformance once again proves that Flamarion does convert chances that do not seem like “big chances” and makes scoring goals look too easy, which is a huge treat for the national team.
Flamarion's goal distribution in 2022
Reason #3 - Flexibility
Another important characteristic of modern players is their ability to play in different formations and different roles. Flamarion fits that system really well, as he can play alone up-front with 2 wingers on his side and also in a pair with another striker. Flamarion usually played in a conventional 4-3-3 as a striker accompanied by two wingers. In the beginning of the season, these two wingers were Kvaratskhelia and Davitashvili, who are also key players of the national team, so the chemistry between players on the club level could transfer to the international level as well. When playing in a partnership with another striker, usually these strikers were either Pantsulaia or Lobjanidze. Both of these players actually have the same playing style as Budu Zivzivadze, so if Willy Sagnol ever decides to start with a conventional 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 formation, he could easily pair Zivzivadze and Flamarion, where Zivzivadze would be more of a traditional striker, while Flamarion will try to find the gaps between the defensive and midfield lines. Actually, one of the most underrated skills that Flamarion possesses is his ability to break the defensive lines either by dribbling, passing, or exploiting half-spaces.
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