Once upon a time, Brazil were the most feared football time in the world. The very sight of that yellow and blue jersey brought fear to any player that had to face them. They had some of the greatest individual talents that the sport has ever seen. Ronaldo, Rivelino, Rivaldo, Robinho, Pele, Zico, Romario.
How things have changed...
As Brazil now go up against Argentina, for the first time in all the years I have spent watching football. Brazil will be going into the match as firm underdogs. Even without Messi, Argentina are enjoying a period of having the very best talents that they have ever had, whilst this is without doubt the weakest that Brazil has ever been. Anything can happen in football, I get that. But if we go based off the talent on both teams, it is very overwhelming in Argentina's favor to win this match.
What really irks me, is that Brazil don't actually have to be like this. You cannot tell me that with the sheer amount of people that live in the country, these are the best eleven players you can find. It's scientifically impossible that Kaka is in the top fifty list of the best current Brazilian footballers. So why the team has to look so average is not an issue of there being a barren spell of talent, but rather the coaching and scouting team not working hard enough to get the talent that is needed.
It's actually embarrassing watching Dunga's Brazil. When you know what you should expect from the nationthat invented Joga Bonito, it baffles the mind seeing the same country employing a defensive counter-attacking philosophy. That is a tactical system that Brazil should never ever play. It's against their soul, spirit and mentality. So then you might say it's all about winning, and whatever tactic brings out a win is sufficient. But club football and international are both very different.
At a club, you have different nationalities, and thus different cultures of football. So you have to change the way your team plays based on the players you were able to buy. Having four creative players in your team and playing a defensive game is stupid, and thus possessing a physical team and forcing them to attack would also prove futile. However, in the international game, you will always have people of the same culture being in the team. The way a German interprets football is the same for every other German. You may have more attacking Germans and more defensive ones, but when put in a team, they play in a German way.
That is why an attacking Italian team can never work and a defensive Brazilian can't either. The players may change for a country but one thing that must not, is its footballing identity. That is exactly what Dunga is doing and it will only end in failure. Brazil are not built in a way to play badly, hardly having possession and stealing a game on the counter. If they take that to the World Cup, I will guarantee you that they will get beat. People point to their 1994 win where they weren't that entertaining to watch. But people forget the flair and chemistry Bebeto and Romario had in that World Cup. They may not have been as adventurous as the 1982 team, but Romario played some memorable football at that cup as did Bebeto. They were by no means as defensive and negative as this current Brazilian setup.
Brazil may escape with a victory against Argentina, but in the long run, it's about winning the World Cup. Against Spain, Chile or Germany and even the up and coming France, I don't see Brazil doing well against them in the direction that Dunga has them heading. The only solution is for Dunga to be sacked and never allowed to coach Brazil again, and for there to be more faith given to the younger players who have shown in the World Cups that they do have the talent, but only lack the coaching and direction.
Brazil must move away from this defensive darkness which is not who they are.
HH
