Match 45: Portugal x Brazil

That type of logic does not work too well. You cannot say that Chile beat Switzerland and Switzerland beat Spain, thus Chile will beat Spain. Football doesn't work like that. If it did, then betting on games would be very easy right? Just look at the first match and then put all your money on the winner in the next matches. It is not mathematics. So, Chile hasn't even played Spain yet. I'm not sure how you're basing your odds against Portugal on what you've done to Spain, when you haven't done anything to Spain. Who knows what the Chile/Spain result will be. Perhaps Spain beats Chile 10 to 0? I have a feeling that Spain is going to have a very easy time with Chile. Because Chile plays right into the hands of Spain. All the possession/attacking really struggle against strong defensive teams that like to attack on the counter. This is not Chile. I actually think that Chile will have an easier time against Brazil than against Spain.

As for talent level, no way. Spain is by far the most talented team on the planet and it is not even close. Brazil have a lot of chemistry together which is why they play above their talent level.

That said, you are waayyy overestimating Brazil. They are good, but not that good. And you are underestimating Portugal. Remember that in the last world cup, Brazil was out early while Portugal made it to the semi-finals of the world cup!

 

CQ has done a flip flop again. Here is how we are going to lineup according to the Portuguese Media.

Ferreira -- Carvalho -- Alves -- Duda
----------- Pedro Mendes ---------
------ Tiago ------------ Veloso ---
Danny ------- Liedson ------ Ronaldo

Personally, I don't know what to take from this. I am not sure if hes trying to rest player such as Fabio, Miguel, Raul, and Almeida, or again if he is tinkering with the lineup.

For me, I don't mind seeing Danny, Veloso or Liedson in the lineup. But to see Paulo Ferreira in place of Miguel, AGAIN, when Miguel has been so much better just seems odd, and increasingly frustrating. Brasil will torch that side.

I can see why Fabio is being rested, we are going to need him. The same can be said for Raul, but its not a big drop off and Veloso offers more creativity on the ball with his dribbling and passing.

but erk...Ferreira in for Miguel AGAIN really frustrates me. I don't understand the move at all...

 

I don`t need to prove that this is what happened in the refered games, because it did. Its the reason why we are in a better position than Spain, as this results were produced. Of course the outcome of any particular game doesn`t respond to "logics" nor a mathemathical reasoning, and the same goes for any human endeavour. This facts can`t make any prediction, since the game really has to be played. What makes me think it is possible, are precisely these results, the fact that my team is playing well and due to these results we are in a better position than them (they have most of the pressure).

Another facts: in Europe, Spain is the actual Champion, not Portugal, or did they draw in the final match ?, also Spain classified to this World cup as first of its group easyly, while Portugal ended up second, and had to play a match-up against another team, my conclussion, Spain is better than Portugal. Next fact, in previous friendly matches, Brazil has knocked Portugal very harsh, even harshly than when Chile has played against them. All of this allows me to supose that you are more accesible than Brazil to us, who has beated us repeatedly almost the same as you. I repeat again, you are not by no way an easy rival, numbers do favour you, but as what is in the paper and the presence of world figures, you appear to have a more powerful team, but, what happened to Italy against Slovakia ? didn`t Italy appear in the papers as more powerful than Slovakia ?. If you want to, maybe I should remind you other matches of this world cup, where the diference among the players of the teams were huge and the so called weaker ones were victorious , like say Germany-Serbia, France-Southafrica, the same Spain-Switzerland, and these are only victories and nothing said about the draws that don`t respond to any logic too, but it does confirm that what is in the paper is not decissive. That`s one of the beauties of Football, at the end anyone can win. In my case, I trust my team and I think we are going to come out victorious out of this one. If not, well its a game and after their extraordinary performance in it, I`ll still be happy with them (but I still believe that the last word from us in this worldcup is not yet written).

in your opinion, which differs from mine, you believe that Spain are the most talented is respectful, but I don`t see any Spanish players playing in Brazil and the numbers of them playing in other countries are very few, while its full of Brazilians everywhere, including Spain as well, for me this is conclussive in relation to talent. Btw, you`re statement about Chemistry among the players is lots more figurative then my assertion about logics and maths. I can`t imagine them mixing up with Oxigen or Uranium or other elements........ p, small joke , no offence intended).

In reference to estimation of potential rivals, I try to never underestimate anyone, since I don`t want others to underestimate us, its simply a matter of giving and receiving respect for and from anyone. In reference to Brazil, they are our usual "slayers" (ha, ....I was just thinking on this trash band when writting, so I used their name here), honestly I believe that anyone that plays good (football, that is) can beat them, but we, we are doomed. If we (Chile), ever has any chance to reach higher positions in this cup, we need help urgently against them, somebody else has to take care of them for us, cause if we face them, it will be like hearing the same scratched record over and over again, goal after goal, defeat after defeat....

Good bye my friend, I got to go and get some sleep (its 3:30 A.M. here in Chile). May tomorrow or a little later be a happy day for all of us. Greetings...

 

The issue about Spaind is that:

1- They have, currently, the best championship in the world
2- Their midfield is the one from Barcelona, that plays automatic, very fast and beautifullly.
3- They have some top quality forwards like Villa, Torres and Matta.

Their strenght is their hability to make short and quick passes, getting to the opponents area very fast. But they are not invincible, as Switzerland proved.

Brasil is a much more techinician team, and more organized than it used to be. But it isn't capable of playing as fast as Spain.

 

(still around, I guess I am not going to sleep much)
One small detail, in Barcelona, their midfield is nothing without Messi, and he`s not in Spains team, they are like a lot of specialists capable of opening a door, but Messi is the key. No key, no open door..... They sure missed the lack of this key against Switzerland, and unfortunately Messi can`t be replaced by no one else, at least not at this moment, maybe in the near by future, but not now.

(post edited): don`t get yourself confused. Dunga makes Brazil play as more technician, reason why they critizice him back in their home country, but most of Brazilian players when unleashed, can make explossions of pure talent, reason why everybody loves to have them around. The problem is that in modern Football, talent doesn`t win Championships, teams do. (unless of course you have in your team, 11 fully talented players, as what Brazil had from 1957 to 1970, reason why they won 3 WC, and weren`t able to win in `66, due to unfair play of opponents, who literally "destroyed" their players. That was a talented team, not Spain nowdays)

 

Chile are my favorite team of the tourney. Incredible to see them play. Spain better watch out.

 

Pretty simple, REST!We won't have to worry about 2012 cause PF is a goner.

 

I have to disagree with that. In my opinion, Xavi and Iniesta are much more important because they are the players that recover balls and organize the game. Messi only brings the technical superiority at front. In fact, is the same way that Portugal doesn't depend totally on Ronaldo. The proof is that we qualified withou Ronaldo scoring any goal and making major assistances. And we can say that Argentina didn't win the three games just because Messi.

 

We're not through yet, what the hell is CQ thinking? NK were dead tired against Portugal and will be more so now. So I see the IC scoring quite a few past NK. If we can score 7, Ivory Coast certainly has the firepower up front to do the same against a tired North Korea. AND they will be going all out from the get go.

It's also not impossible that Brazil puts 3 past us. How much do we want to risk?

 

Maybe I was excesively categoric in my post about Barcelona`s functioning, without Messi, I can give you that, but I do feel that if Spain had Messi up in front, they`d be unbeatable.

 

O Jogo has this line-up:
Eduardo;
Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Bruno Alves e Fábio Coentrão;
Pepe
Tiago Raul Meireles;
Cristiano Ronaldo Liedson Duda

 

brazil should use the substitutes in this match. even this eleven won't be beaten by portugal.

 

Wild guesses from the media...we'll just have to wait and see.

 

http://aeiou.expresso.pt/portugal-com-tres-surpresas-frente-ao-brasil=f589748
From publico.pt:
Eduardo; Ricardo Costa, Bruno Alves, Ricardo Carvalho e Fábio Coentrão; Pepe, Raul Meireles e Tiago; Danny, Cristiano Ronaldo e Duda.

Wow. Just wow.