Hulk has been a player that has always been hard to describe and rate. Is he good? Is he overrated? Is he a mix? This IS a guy who has scored bulldozers from thirty yards. This IS a guy that can whip a ball in from the wing. And unlike most of this Brazilian team, he is very strong and doesn't get knocked off the ball.
The striker situation has been an issue that Scolari refuses to address. Neymar always papered over the cracks, striking when his country needed him and allowing Fred Flinstone to just coast through these matches. With now Neymar now gone and with little hope of Fred rediscovering the powers of Ronaldo and Romario, Scolari needs to look at who he has at his disposal.
Hummels and Boateng looked comfortable against France. But it was a French team that maybe forgot they were one down and had to ATTACK. That German duo can mark Fred in their sleep, but having to deal with the power, directness and tenacity of Hulk will throw them off. He would cause them problems, and if Hulk can just find a few yards and unleash a shot....that may be sweet PIE for Brazil.
Let's play the other side of the coin. Hulk has never really played as a striker. His role for Zenit and for Brazil has been as a winger, so to switch to an unknown role seems like it would logically backfire. But, does Hulk ACTUALLY play as a winger? No, he doesn't. Just like Cristiano, they are wingers as a starting position, but like to cut inside and ATTACK. Hulk has all the attributes of a center forward and so it would not be THAT much of a risk to put him there.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. The reality is the most dangerous attacking player that Brazil have is Hulk. Fact. So surely, you want your most potent threat in the middle of the pitch, not out on the wing. If not, Germany will not have to worry about defending, and can concentrate on trying to get the goals they need to win the game.
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HH
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