Last season Ronaldinho was the best Brasilian offensive player in Milan and in Europe. He carried the Milan team. I would say he probably still is the best player in Milan. People here tend to forget too fast. I agree that he been a disappointment in the selecao and sadly his chance for redemption should have been in the WC. My only other comment is that more power is needed in offense especially against the Argies.
I'm all for a brand new Seleção, out with the old and in with the new but I do think Ronaldinho deserves another chance, he still has alot of gas left in his tank, he's one of of the best players in Milan and under the right system could work for the Seleção.
It looks like Argentina will stick with Batista as their new coach. Odd record - they defeat Spain 4-1 but lose to Japan 1-0. Well, this is the biggest game for Mano Menezes' new-look Brazil. When will the Argentine call-up take place?
spain had an experimental side and went to argentina as a way to get votes for 2018 world cup. for the japan game - i imagine a flight to japan is more taxing on the body physically and mentally than flying back to argentina for a friendly... i would expect argentina to stick with their team of veterans as they are focusing on the copa america. brazil is more focused on 2014 it seems, plus players like lucio, cesar, maicon don't need the international caps at this point. the younger boys are benefitting tremendously from these last few games...
UNDER CONSTRUCTION - is the sign I see. Every Brazilian WC winning side had at least one top ********ing whack forward. And I mean someone with WPOTY form...an expialidocious Sphaireus.
Yes, I see why the Argentines are building a team for 2011's tournament which they'll host. For them it's a question of pride and urgency - they haven't won a senior-level title since 1993 and as Copa America will take place in their country, they absolutely must win it and the pressure will be high. Therefore it makes sense for them to bring a team that is based on their 2010 World Cup team, although for their sake I hope Sergio Batista doesn't make the terrible tactical choices Diego Maradona made. I would have liked to have seen Lucio, Julio Cesar, and Maicon back at least for this game - because, in large part, they have plenty of experience and have all defeated Argentina. But as the goal is to have a team for 2014, it's understandable that Mano Menezes excluded them. We do have Thiago Silva for the back line, so I'm not too worried about the defense. I am sure the team Mano brings to Argentina in 2011 will be a championship-caliber side - we won the 2004 and 2007 Copa Americas as well as the 1997 and 1999 editions, and were 2nd place in 1995. It would be nice to keep this streak going; it'd build morale to win a title and it'd be extra sweet to win it on Argentina soil.
i wonder what the sentiment is for Mano bringing an all-youth squad to the copa america vs a mix of veterans and youth? if i remember correctly, the sentiment in 2007 was that people were hoping dunga would get canned after the copa america b/c of his unorthodox selections and style of play and winning the title was bittersweet... how probable are maicon/lucio/JC to make it to 2014? if i were to bet money on the copa america - watch out for Uruguay. if there is anything the brasilians have against their favor is the lack of experience from the youngsters; i have a feeling the argentines are going to choke b/c the pressure will be too much for them and they still lack a proper midfield. i really wonder what attacking mids brazil will end up sticking with b/c there are simply too many options and each option is a unique case of its own...
In 2004, Carlos Alberto Parreira brought a mostly young team, without the stars from 2002's World Cup title campaign. Those "kids" included Adriano and not much was expected from them. The team beat Argentina in PKs after a dramatic finish, so as we say in Brazil, "foi lucro ganhar." I don't think Lucio will be in 2014. Julio Cesar and Maicon, maybe. Cafu played in 1994, 1998, and 2002 (2006 he was way too old but he went anyway). I want the title, but I'm not gonna be heartbroken if we don't take it as we are going to go with a developmental side.
Im hoping for this against argentina: -----------Victor Dani----TSilva---Alex----ASantos -----Elias-----Sandro--------- Neymar---Robiho---Coutinho -----------Pato I'll be surprised if that wins, but if it does- it would be awesome
I'm not quite sure about Maicon to be honest. He's had a bad season so far and I think this season may already be a wash for him. And by 2014, he will be like 32 or something. Personally, I would focus on Dani Alves and Rafael. Brazil has recently used the Copa America as a developmental experiment, as youve pointed out. I dont expect anything different here. But I hope to see some of the guys back -- especially JC, Elano, Fabiano, and Nilmar.
I hope to see at least these guys you named in 2011. Brazil has enough talent in all its positions to win the tournament, but going only with youngsters may not work just because it worked in 2004. If only to ensure a balance. Regardless of the results, Mano can then permanently phase out the "elders" eyeing 2014.
Exactly. For these reasons this friendly will be extremely difficult for Brazil. Brazil is playing for the future, Argentina right now. Another reason to be afraid is Batista is the new coach. His Argentina plays different than the all out style of the past 8 years, which Brazil has had no problems with. The exception to Brazil's recent mastery of Argentina was Batista's 2008 Olympic team; it defeated Brazil by slowing things down and not leaving space for Brazil to shred Argentina (the usual result). This should be an interesting clash of "new" styles.
also keep in mind that for the olympics - argentina had several SR level players on the squad: Riquelme, Messi, Mascherano and Aguero were already established players on the NT by the time the 2008 olympics came around. that was another advantage they had in my eyes. the key for brasil to beat argentina is to prevent the argentines from maintaining possession - chances are, they will probably go with mascherano, banega and pastore as the midfield. if you guys take pastore/banega out of their element, then argentina will have a tough time. since JRR left the NT - their midfield has been in disarray. their defense is full of holes already with the likes of heinze and demichelis, if brazil can attack and go right at heinze and demichelis, good things will happen...
Argentina is always a difficult opponent, although as you've said my team has mastered and owned Argentina in recent years. Take note that Brazil owned Argentina under a few years of them being coached by Marcelo Bielsa (the 2005 WCQ in their country excepted), under Alfio Basile, and most recently under Diego Maradona. It would not be pleasant if Brazil were to lose, but I'm not worried. As I wrote earlier, we Brazilians made a radical break with Dunga's tenure (a tenure I now defend and for which I'm mostly grateful). For this fixture, the Argentines are bringing 15 of the players they took to South Africa. And of these, 7 will be at least 30 in 2014 (Tevez, Diego Milito, Mascherano, Heinze, Demichelis, Samuel, and Andujar). From these, I only foresee Mascherano and Andujar as very probable 2014 players, and Tevez as a possibility as he'll be 30. Looking at the players who were not in S. Africa and who were capped for the game vs. Brazil, only a few will be 30 or older in 2014: Gabriel Milito (34), Burdisso (33), Pareja (30), and D'Alessandro (33). The rest (13 players) will range between 26 and 29 - prime age for a World Cup. While yes, this Argentine call-up is an older and more experienced squad than Mano Menezes' team, it's also got a mixture of youth, and those young players can theoretically form a new Argentine NT foundation Batista can build upon. Brazil's call-up for this match is much younger... here are the players and how old they will be on their birthdays in 2014: Jefferson 31 Victor 31 Neto 25 Alex 30 Andre Santos 31 Daniel Alves 31 Rever 29 Thiago Silva 30 David Luiz 27 Rafael 24 Adriano 30 RG10 34 Lucas 27 Douglas 32 Ramires 27 Elias 29 Sandro 25 Philippe Coutinho 22 Jucilei 26 Robinho 30 Alexandre Pato 25 Neymar 22 Andre 24 13 players will be in their 20s in 2014, and of these, 6 will be 25 or younger. 5 (Elias, Ramires, Jucilei, David Luiz, and Rever) will be between 25 and 30 - still quite young enough to play a World Cup. And the biggest contrast between this squad and Argentina's is that in this roster, only one player is currently 30 or older: RG10. Everybody else is in their 20s. Some of them were actually born in the early 1990s! This is how young this team is. So, while it'd definitely be unpleasant to lose and pleasant to win, Menezes is very clearly taking a long-term outlook here. I repeat that the onus to win this game and to win the 2011 Copa America is not Brazil's - rather, it's Argentina's. It will be an interesting game - Menezes is beginning to show he's an uncanny scout, as he has been "fishing out" Brasileirao players that Dunga most probably would have kept outside the NT.
Ronaldinho was outperform by 38yr old Inzaghi who does not even a quarter of the skill and talent Ronaldinho has. Absolutely lazy ass performance from him. Thanks Mano
Yeah, Ronaldinho is delighted to be back in Brazil squad, you can see it in his perfomances. He is very hungry. NOT. I only can hope that Mano called him to give Ronaldinho a nice end of his selecao carreer against Argentina. And then calling up hungry younger players.
Well then he was in good company with Zlatan and Christiano Ronaldo... In first half he at least gave Zlatan a good scoring opportunity. Ramires and Alex Costa had worse performance in their CL game...
I think Mano only called Dinho up for a publicity stunt..you know as in try to sell more tickets and that sorta junk. I doubt he'll be called back after this. Dinho being used for the $$$. Way to pimp him out CBF.
If you have a computer you should be able to open it! Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the document, if you don't have an adobe reader, use google.