So Italy has won the World Cup. It pretty much says a lot about one of the most disappointing WCs of all time. What if the authentic Brazil (anything but the Parreirish Brazil that showed up in WC06) played the Italian team that won the tournamet. What do you think would be the result?
Italy drew with France who beat Brazil. Not that simple though!! You can do it 2 ways - pick an 11 from our 23 to beat Italy, OR pick an 11 irrespective of if they wwere in or out Os 23. Also, there is an argument that the World Cup died a little (if you can DIE a little) after we went home prematurely.
Wishful thinking. There were many things wrong with the Brasil team during the cup, but to be honest there were many things wrong with the players before the cup began. The team had done exactly what france did back in 2000-2001 - they peaked too soon. For Brasil, it was 2004-2005. They won the World Cup, Copa America, Confederation's Cup... just as France had done four years before. And then the players were out of shape, in bad form, and not really on the same page. And on top of that, the players didn't look particularly hungry at all. So it's tough to say. What would qualify as an 'authentic' Brasil team? Making changes to personnel? Even then, changing Roberto Carlos and Cafu, you've still got the problems with un-inspired play from Ronaldinho Gaucho and Kaka who didn't really generate a lot of offense. Replace Adriano with Robinho, and maybe that makes a difference. But I think it's time ot look at it, learn from it and move on. No matter the changes, teams would have been gunning for Brasil as they were the champions. No match would've been easy and IMO the team didn't have that extra fire to prove that they were the best this time.
i thought at the beginning of the tournament that there were only two teams who were capable of beating us with our best line up--mexico and italy. i mean, we had a pretty good line-up in the confed cup and mexico still beat us...and they showed that they can play defensively and have some good scoring chances against argentina in this cup. and well, italy. a stellar defense and you throw in some counter-attacking and physical play...we'd have a really tough time. i'd put our odds at winning that game at about 50-50.
i dont think we peaked to soon as the wrong players were being played, no Robinho and Cicinho along with an unfit Ronaldo is a team which is not at its peak, comparing the confeds and copa america with this team is irrelevent as all teams were different with many key players not on this team that started the majority of the games, that Japan lineup was the close to what the Brasilian team should of been like
Not only that. The most important figure in the final ... Materazzi. He committed the PK, scored Italy's goal, and got Zidane sent off. Man of the match. That says a lot.
I'd say we would have a better chance than against France because eventhough their defense is good, their midfield is not as stiefling as France's and their players are not as physical. Our players would have had some space to work. Plus, when the Italians atttacked, they did it with numbers.
the main problem with brazil was first cafu and second roberto carlos. their inabilities is what exposed brazil because they are suppose to be the two main pillars of brazillian football. you have to know that they are required to play active role in all first third second third and last third of the field.Their movement and positioning provide extra men in midfield and forward, and they retreat very quick to also defend. This is how brazil has been able to dominate world football in recent history. Nowadays u see many european teams trynig to adapt the idea but they dont do it with the perfection of brazil. Without that element ,the midfield and forward becomes frozen. No matter who plays in midfield or forward, they are not going to be able to perform without the left and right back advancing and playing the passing game. To prove my point, compare with the games without cafu and roberto carlos. In confederation and in the game against japan, every body in midfield and forward sprung back to life. Even against france, when cicinho came in brazil, you could see a big change, you could notice ronaldinho, kaka,adriano and even robinho springing back to life again. the right side was super active while the left side of roberto carlos still struggled. Cafu and Roberto Carlos play the most exhausting position .With thier age and milage considered,it was wrong to even select them in the lineup. especially Cafu.Most people could see this from the very first game against croatia.