Tag Archives: Brazil

6. Brazil

Psrhea, Sports,

What Went Right?  Even with a more tactically disciplined 4-5-1 formation — which played more like a 4-4-1-1 linkup — that got away from the traditionally elegant 4-2-2-2 they’ve historically played, Brazil still managed to employ it in a way that was “La Joga Bonita”. Extraordinary service from the flanks, and not just from the two midfield halves, but also from the fullbacks – and the two fullbacks put paid to the fact that any Brazilian player can score from anywhere. Attacked with both directness and flair; Brazil was the best in the tournament at making the Route One work. Pretty decent aerial ability for most of the tournament. The two front men were as good as any in the tournament, frequently getting behind the backline, getting on the end of very good service, and taking quality shots on target. The forwards were so good at finding space in the penalty area that opposing defenders frequently found themselves having to take them on one-on-one and, predictably, getting broken down by their omnipotent ball skills. Because their backline has surprising size they played with a certain physicality this side had not shown in past World Cups, making sure their opponents knew they were going to take people on. Surprising defensive positioning, reading of the game, and aerial ability in the back, and they were able to shut down opposition approaches on the flanks. For most of the tournament Brazil did a really good job of keeping the opposition from getting into the box with any regularity.

What Went Wrong?  This side had a surprising and disturbing idiosyncrasy of getting the lead and then mailing it in from there. Even thought they never dropped back in defense in numbers, but it’s as if they would get a lead, let their defenders handle the ugly stuff, and then relax going forward with the notion that whoever they were playing just wouldn’t put up much of a fight thereafter. The synthesis of this probably germinated from their coach, Dunga, having done such a good job of instilling a defensive backbone in them that they mistakenly figured that one goal early and maybe a second one late was enough. As good as they were at taking set pieces they were surprisingly bad at defending them and in the end it really, really mattered. Most of all, the one person they identified as their talisman just never got off the schneid. Outside of Dani Alves Brazil got surprising little from their bench.

Who Stepped Up To The Plate?  Target man Luis Fabiano and linkup man Robinho took a backseat to no other forward tandem in this tournament. Kaka was a key provider just behind the two forwards. Maicon was one of the two or three best fullbacks in the tournament and has earned every accolade as one of the best there is, while his counterpart on the left, Michel Bastos, didn’t contribute nearly as much in attack but was just as proficient in the back. Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva were their usual stout just in front of the backline, but what made them both invaluable was their ability to contribute both distribution and added scoring going forward. Lucio and Juan were a vast improvement physically over previous center back tandems. Why it is they couldn’t get Dani Alves on the pitch for every game is beyond me.

Who Didn’t Show Up?  Julio Cesar, their goalkeeper touted pre-tournament as one of the best in the world, was just so-so. As much as I admired Lucio and Juan for their reading of the game and their renewed physicality, when it came time to defend set pieces they just plain stunk. Brazil expected Kaka to be their Messi; he was just as disappointing.

How Was The Coaching?  What it is we’ve come to expect from Dunga these last four years. Considering he was one of the greatest elegantly creative players in Brazilian football history, Dunga belied his playing philosophy and as a coach instilled a decidedly European backbone and mentality into this side defensively without sacrificing the elegant dance that is instinctive. It actually worked for the most part. What must be noted is that however increasingly accurate the Dutch were getting with their passing and offensive buildup in the quarterfinals, it was set pieces that did in Brazil, not the run of play. Dead-ball strategy, both in attack and defense, had become one of the main strengths of this Brazilian side since Dunga took over. However, against the Dutch, it cost them the match. Can’t really blame Dunga for that. But you know how Brazilians are: “We didn’t win because we didn’t play our Beautiful Game so the coach must go.” Not much you can do about that.

Did They Finish Where They Were Expected?  Do I really need to answer this?

Now What?  This is Brazil. They’re going to win international tournaments no matter who coaches them and what approach they take. They get the next World Cup in 2014. So understand something right now: On home soil they will be under the most extreme amount of pressure like they’ve never been before. They have no choice but to lift that trophy in Rio de Janeiro, no matter what it takes.

South Africa Match Observations: Quarterfinals, Part I

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Some random observations after the Quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup:

Netherlands 2-1 Brazil: Both teams looked to put together sustained passing buildup through the center early, while Brazil further looked to established their physicality. You be sure that with both these teams you are going to get great ball skills. Unlike Slovakia, Brazil did a much better job of taking advantage of the soft center of the Dutch midfield and backline as Felipe Melo sent a long through ball directly to the front to Robinho who one-timed it passed an approaching Martin Stekelenburg to get Brazil quickly on the board within ten minutes. As a result the tempo on both sides went up as both teams opened up and attacked vigorously. The Netherlands began to find space and make diagonal runs in the Brazilian half. Brazil exhibited a mental toughness most of us didn’t think they possessed. Surprising transitional speed by Brazil, who were able to transition back in numbers on defense even on Dutch counterattacks. Better shots on target by Brazil. The Dutch were making headway into the attacking third, creating free kick opportunities and taking cheeky set pieces. After the half the Dutch did a better job of curbing the Brazilian attack by challenging their patient buildup in midfield. Brilliant equalizer by the Netherlands as Wesley Sneijder gets on the end of a back pass from Arjen Robben on the right flank and sends a nice looping long ball into the goal mouth that keeper Julio Cesar couldn’t get on the end of because he was being interfered with my Felipe Melo. To their credit Brazil did not panic, continuing their patient sustained passing. Clearly Brazil was rattled, though, as the Dutch played with a lot more confidence and got into the Brazilian penalty area with regularity. A Dutch corner resulted in a score on a Sneijder header in the box. After that Brazil lost their discipline and composure. Felipe Melo’s cheap foul in the 73rd minute resulted in a red card, leaving Brazil with only 10 men and dooming any hopes they had of evening the score. For the first time ever Brazil lose when leading a World Cup game and go out in a most uncharacteristically ignonimous way. The Dutch pick the right time to finally get by Brazil in the World Cup. It’s too bad either one of them either side had to go home at this stage. In the end, the Netherlands deserved this.

Uruguay 1-1 Ghana a.e.t. (4-2 p.k.): Two entirely different approaches to football on display in this matchup: Uruguay’s tactical discipline and direct counterattack and Ghana’s athleticism, speed, explosion and individual achievement. Good anticipation by Luis Suarez, who managed to beat the Ghana offside trap on several occasions and get on the end of service to take quality shots on goal. Early on Ghana’s rearguard was less organized than in previous games, and keeper Kingson seemed to be suspect in net. Fantastic creative linkup play by Diego Forlan, going back to the half touch line, bringing the ball forward and finding open players in space (specifically Suarez) in the final third. A couple of quick strike opportunities primarily by Kevin Prince Boateng and Asamoah Gyan almost got Ghana on the board, and even though they were content to let Uruguay maintain the majority of possession, Boateng and Gyan got more confident attacking the final third, stretching Uruguay’s defense. Ghana was able to use their speed to stretch Uruguay’s midfield and defense so much that Sulley Muntari shot on goal from about 40 yards and scored in first half stoppage time. Confident if not refined direct attacking from Ghana in the second half as both sides went back and forth, neither spending a lot of time in the middle third. Forlan finally gets Uruguay level with a laser shot on a direct free kick that swerves in from 25 yards that Kingson totally misjudged. Both teams attacked with abandon then; Uruguay more on the counter, Ghana more or less taking advantage of open space and hoping for a defensive mistake. It just became a function of which defense would bend but not break. Much better attacking and quality shots on goal in extra time for Ghana, who got into the box with regularity and made Uruguay work to keep the ball out of their own goal. A handball in the Uruguayan net led to a gift penalty kick in the 122nd minute of extra time for Ghana and the win with no time left, but the golden opportunity was lost when Gyan missed a rocket of a shot off the crossbar. It’s too bad this game had to go to penalty kicks; both teams deserved better than that. After that, you just knew because of karma that Uruguay was going to make it through. A cruel exit for Ghana, who have only themselves to blame for failing to go through to a place no team from Africa has ever been in the World Cup (and still hasn’t).

A decidedly good day of football!

— daveydoug

South Africa Match Observations: Round Of 16, Part III

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Some random observations after the First Knockout Round:

Netherlands 2-1 Slovakia: Positive beginning from Slovakia, who play the flanks but use a more controlled build-up down the wings as opposed to getting it quickly forward like most teams utilize the wings, using more of a midfield 4-4-2 approach that morphed into a 4-2-4. It worked early on as Slovakia got better shots on goal. Arjen Robben was back for the first time this tournament to work the football version of the triangle attack with Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie. Dirk Kuyt put in some surprisingly good service into van Persie from the left flank. Solid passing by both sides but no real urgency early until Robben took a long pass from the back from Sniejder through the middle, broke down three defenders and sent a lazar shot from 20 yards to pop his cherry in this World Cup (van Persie was very instrumental on this goal; his run just to Robben’s right gave the Slovakian defense enough of a pause to cause a space for Robben to shoot). The Dutch defense was very comfortable as long as Robert Vittek was the only threat up top that was getting behind them. After the goal the Dutch became much more confident, getting much more sustained attacks in the final third. Slovakia’s approach was very two dimensional, playing the ball on their feet and not getting very aerial. The Dutch still aren’t making very effective use of the center of the field, looking to use the flanks and switch play extensively. Robben was certainly making up for lost time, taking fantastic chances on goal. On the few occasions that Slovakia built up an attack through the center they got off some good shots on the goal, where Martin Stekelenberg came up huge to save Holland’s bacon. When Eljiro Elia came on the Slovakian backline was finally stretched thin, as Dirk Kuyt took a free kick behind the Slovakian defense, kept his cool, with a deft touch sent a pass into the box for Sneijder to get on the end of and finish. Slovakia played very composed all game long, never playing with any urgency even after getting down 2 goals. Stekelenberg made of stupid foul in the box for a Slovakian penalty, which was converted by Vittek in injury time, but it was only cosmetic. Clinical win by the Dutch. Madd Props to Slovakia for playing a well-disciplined tournament for World Cup minnows.

Brazil 3-0 Chile: You knew that two attractive attacking sides were going to fly around the pitch in this fixture – neither side disappointed. Chile was going to try to use the flanks a little more than their counterparts with a more direct attack. It took until just after four minutes for Brazil to finally get out of their own half – so solid was Chile firmly in control on the attacking end early. Great ball movement by both teams as both moved the ball all over the field on the attacking ends, but you just got the sense that Brazil was slightly better at an attacking buildup than Chile. A Slightly quicker counterattack by Chile, although it lacked a certain quality and inventiveness. Chile was actually able to find space to get into going forward but Brazil did a great job of anticipation and reading of the game to get in front of Chilean passes going into space. Way too many corners allowed by Chile, which is dangerous against a team as good at them as Brazil. It finally mattered, when Juan got on the end of a great cross by Maicon and headed it home. Upon scoring, Brazil began to counter with speed. A counterattacking triumvirate of Robinho to Kaka’ to Luis Fabiano resulted in their second goal moments later. Chile lost all semblance of discipline and shape after that. It became academic after that. We all talk about the otherworldly skill of Brazil, but head coach Dunga has put together probably the biggest, tallest and most physically aggressive team the side has ever had. Chile didn’t give up, having a real go at the Brazilian end, but you knew Brazil was going to take advantage of the gaps created by Chile sending numbers forward (a score by Robinho proved that). For all Chile’s offensive flair they only scored 3 goals in four games, so clearly they are more bark than bite. Brazil is hitting on all cylinders right now – this is clearly the time of the tournament they live fore – but so is the Netherlands, so the quarterfinal between the two at the very least should be entertaining.

— daveydoug