Former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood is a fan of Chelsea forward Joao Pedro but has a concern right now.
Pedro has been a revelation under Liam Rosenior, scoring his 18th goal of the season against Wrexham in the FA Cup over the weekend.
However, Sherwood is not envisioning a great summer for the striker at this year’s World Cup.
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Tim Sherwood doesn’t think Chelsea star Joao Pedro will play for Brazil at World Cup
It is not a decision that he would back, but Sherwood is pretty convinced that Pedro is not going to get a significant number of minutes with Brazil at the World Cup.
Instead, the 57-year-old thinks they will go to Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison.
Astro Supersport pundit Tim Sherwood
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Speaking on Sky Sports, Sherwood said: “He’s an outstanding all-round player, and it’s incredible that he probably won’t play for Brazil. That just shows you how much quality they have in the forward areas.
“I mean, Richarlison will be ahead of him in that Brazilian squad. He shouldn’t be, in my opinion, but it depends how the manager, [Carlo] Ancelotti, wants to play.”
Richarlison has led the line for Brazil at recent tournaments and has quite a good international record. In 54 caps for the Selecao, he has scored 20 goals.
However, with the form that Pedro has been in this season, while Richarlison has been battling with the rest of Tottenham to avoid relegation, it would be a surprise if he did not get the nod to start in Brazil’s first game.
At this point, Pedro is the most logical option to start up front for Ancelotti’s team. Rosenior is getting the best out of Pedro, and Ancelotti has to try to do the same.
Joao Pedro and Richarlison compared
Without a doubt, Pedro is having a much better season than Richarlison. In 39 appearances, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man has scored 18 goals, with 14 coming in the Premier League.
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As for Richarlison, he has half of his compatriot’s tally after playing 34 matches. In the English top flight, the Spurs star has netted eight times.
Being a centre-forward, especially now, involves more than scoring goals. That certainly applies to anyone who has to lead the line for Brazil.
They have to be technical, able to link up play and even dribble past defenders. It is the Brazilian way.
Pedro can do all of those things and score. There is no way he is going to be a bench player at the World Cup unless his form between now and the end of the season falls off a cliff.
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