His call-ups have seemed really fishy/suspect to me, and I had no idea he was a reserve. Theres $ changing hands somewhere along the line.
But why replace our most consistent player? Adriano is hardly good at defense my god have you watched Barca this season?
Adriano will most likely start this time because Marcelo is injured. In the long run Marcelo contributes way too much for our offense to be dropped, LBs of his caliber are so rare nowadays that I'd rather adapt the team to his defensive flaws than use a LB that is better defensively but not so great up front. Adriano is still a very useful sub though. He is pretty much decent at everything, defending/attacking on BOTH sides... A versatile chess piece.
Well Joao Havelange has joined the bash Mano sweepstakes. He called Mano a moron! LMAO. http://www.sambafoot.com/en/news/37977_former_fifa_president_slams_mano_menezes.html
Sure he has had some fishy call-ups but Guiliano is not a reserve in his team, and You also has to look at a players performance for a longer period. He was good in Internacional and in youth teams for Brasil. Marcelo has been great offensively but a real liability in defense, the main reason for that left side to be horribly wide open in the Olympics, playing like a junior player and now Mano is opting for more defensive backs like Leandro Castan and Fabio Santos to balance the team better.
Marcelo has actually looked very good defensively for Madrid. It was like a light came on last year midway through the season. I'd say a lot of that defensive liability on the left side at the olympics was due to no one marking in the midfield. I wouldnt put the blame solely on Marcelo. I agree with making the back more defensive though. You cant have both Marcelo and Alves in there, imo.
I'll take your word about him not being a reserve. That's what I have heard from other people, so it may not be entirely true. As far as looking at his body of work, it's not any more impressive than any other player Mano chooses to neglect -- Hernanes, Shaktar Brazilians, etc. I have more of an issue with him calling Thiago Neves than I do Giuiliano. First of all, Castan is a centerback and a centerback only. He has rarely seen any time at LB. Mano called him because Dede was struggling and now hurt for the rest of the year. I wouldn't say Fabio Santos is good defensively. He just plays on a team where the fullbacks aren't asked to push forward as much in support as most Brazilian teams do. They also have the best DM pairing in the league, who IMO, have been the true stars of that team. Fabio Santos was garbage at Gremio and he has been OK at Corinthians. I don't even think Corintianos really rate him. I would have much rather seen Filipe Luis.
I did say mainly, not solely, but it was close enough. You need to have players that can cover for that, and there was Sandro and also Juan/Thiago Silva needed to take care of that as well but the whole team was too exposed defensively. It was impossible to cover for that kind of irresposible defensive work, better to only have Neymar and Hulk, changing sides and collaborating in the wings. Marcelo was killing the whole team balance, he needs to get a whole lot better if that would work and he just has not enough decisionmaking abilities. Juan got a whole lot of criticism in the Olympics and he has been surprisingly good in Inter. David Luiz however continues to be very shaky in defense, I hope Rever gets more chances. I meant mainly tactically or as You described players that play more as just left backs and not as much laterals Leandro Castan did play as left back against Japan and David Luiz also can play in that position.
What about Mario Fernandes, anyone know how good he is doing over in Russia? At least he is playing regularly but I guess he still is considered too unexperienced... and CSKA surprisingly went out of Euro league already in qualification... Otherwise I thought he perhaps could have been a more potential call than Fabio Santos?
Mario is playing very good, unfortunately he did broke his nose in the match yesterday, although he will probably play in special mask, not missing any game. His attacking runs are incredible and very helpful. CSKA had some problems in defence although, until the midfielders adjusted to his play and began to secure his position when he got forward. His excellent technique is also helpful in defence, as he is often able to stop an opponent attacking move in a way which saves the ball possession for CSKA. I can not compare him to Fabio Santos because I never have seen the latter playing.
Yes, they can play those positions. Any player could PLAY any position. The question is can the play it effectively for a number of games. Castan was only deployed as a LB in an emergency situation. It's not like he is Gabriel Heinze, who was able to play a good CB and LB. I don't think you would want Castan or David Luiz to start at LB from here on out.
Thanks for the update. I think it'll be difficult for Mario to get a call because when he was called, he snubbed the NT. If Mano left out Hernanes, etc off the team for a while, I can see him doing the same with Mario. Mario is still a right back, correct? He played there and CB at Gremio. Fabio Santos is a LB, so there really isn't any comparison.
In CSKA he played only at RB position so far, yes. Beside some extraordinary injury/suspension problems, I don't think he will be played as CB in CSKA because we have plenty other CBs and putting Mario in this position will prevent him from using his attacking runs on the wing. BTW if I'm not mistaken, Vagner Love was not called even once to the NT after his return to Flamengo? Is it known why? Many CSKA fans wished Vagner to fulfil his dream of returning to the NT and we thought that after returning to Brazil he will be quickly called up...
I don't think Mano has ever called him up, even while he was at CSKA. I have always liked Love at the club level, but I must admit, he used to frustrate me quite a bit when he played for the NT under Dunga. Also, to be honest, I'm not sure how deserving he is of a call up. He has been hot and cold throughout the whole year. He has had a couple of games where he just didn't have any luck (missing easy goals, hitting the post multiple times, etc). He would score 5-6 goals in 3-4 games, and then go 6-7 games without scoring. I would attribute some of his struggles to the fact that Flamengo just isn't a good side this year. We lack any creative players to give Love an opportunity to score. Most of the time, his opportunities are created on his own. If we can get some new management for next year, we may have a better squad to help Vagner get a call.
What's interesting is that Mano spent two years searching for the perfect 9 for his formation when we struggled with injured Pato and bad form Damião, yet now that Luis Fabiano, Fred and the like are in top hot form he drops the 9 and use a false nine formation instead! It's working so far so I'm not complaing, but the irony is strong in this one.
In Manos defense Fabiano is always injured and if he picked Fred people would complain like crazy especially as a starter.
Mano selection sometimes make me laugh good ... at least he "thinks" he tries ... haha I dislike Marcello attitude ... but for the Brazil team, I agree he has always been good .. so far
Adriano looks to be out http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/3277...o-set-to-miss-three-weeks?source=breakingnews
Just bought my plane tickets and the tickets for the game anybody around here are going to the game? Also hopefully with adriano getting hurt mano calls mario fernandes he's a good fullback doing great in the russian league []__[]
I think Mario Fernandes won't feature in this game or ANY game under Mano until he makes that phone call to him. To pull out of a squad - and only the second time you have been called - as a young man for "personal reasons" takes some explaining.
Mario Fernandes is NOT a LB. I do not know why you insist on him replacing Adriano, who would have been played at LB.
Who said he was? Adriano played RIGHT back in the recent games x Iraq and Poland and it was in that context the other gut mentioned Mario Fernandes (and note: we named only 3 full backs/laterais in the squad x Colombia because Adriano covers both positions) Anyway, Hulk looks to be out http://globoesporte.globo.com/futeb...-zenit-e-da-selecao-por-ate-duas-semanas.html
I'll be there with a few friends I'll be coming in late since we have to drive from 3 hours away. Where you sitting?