Brazil 2 – 0 Australia

ok folks – hello from San Diego – first, I am 46 years old and saw as a 10 year old the Brazil 70 team play. I had moved from here to Germany where I learned about football, and fell in love with Brazil of 1970 and they have been my team since then. I stayed in Germany through 76 and of course watched the 74 cup where Brazil was not right – I was an Ajax fan and liked the Dutch as a Euro team but still wanted Brazil to win. All the years between 70 and 94 brought us all heart ache. Every cup has its stories – 82 defenese lapse vs. Italy, the fix in 78 with Peru choking it up…etc, etc. I saw the 94 semi and the final in the Rose bowl in person as all our hearts were lifted – watching Pele with tears in his eyes as Baggio kicked a field goal (us football play meaning high and over the frame)
Fast forward to today and I want to offer this view in the light of history. Brazil have always had trouble with defense. Therefore I think it is best that they were tested early. Remeber all these players play agianst each other in Europe so it is different than in the 70’s or the 80’s even. [in germany in the 70's they could only have 2 foreign players on a team - now everyone is foreign]. Most of the aussies play in england, crotia has many german playing members on it. Look at the amount of Dutch coaches and even the Brazil cup winning coach with Angola!! These are different times for sure.
These teams gave everything they had to beat Brazil which would leave them with very little in the knock out stage. And they still could not beat them!! Ze roberto is fantastic!!! Where was he in 82? That is what we needed to have happen so that the team can toughen up and get stretched a little. The last thing they need is 6-0 (watch – Brazil WILL beat argentina in the semi)
As for Ronaldo…he has not run, not even close to what Henry did today. Henry seems ot be at his peak and it makes a huge differnce when there is movement by the striker – if Ronaldo would run that would be special. Maybe he is trying to do it like Romario did. But without Ronaldo running it seemingly makes the team bog down. The team probably feels it has to feed him the ball so it slows the offense down, funneling the ball to wherever Ronaldo is…but…even with 3 people on him he had control enough to find Adriano – who had 2 people on him – and they finished!! 2 on 5 and Brazil still scored!!! Aussies had 8, 9 people around the box all day…Remeber the Aussies are all in the premiership – unlike the US who play in the MSL – a minor league at best. They are a mid level team – better than the US and better than a tunisia or saudi. or even the French now. Is there a way to have Robinho and Ronaldo on with Kaka and Adriano? At least for 60 minutes in the hopes of Ronaldo’s goals and then sub out for a more mid field or defensive player?

Ronaldinho needs to play the role that Pele played in 1970 – being the orchestra leader letting others have the goals – he will get his too – but if he can gather up the ball on defense and make the transition into offense to get the ball in the flanks and space for others to run to – I think that is the best for this cup. Any ideas? It seemed today his passes were just missing.
Japan is the perfect team to play next since they will not be able to defend and have to play loose. They won’t be able to sustain and I think it could be 3 or 4 goals for Brazil – maybe more. But Brazil have to much class to embarass a team – unlike Aregntina. By the way – look for Eucador to beat Germany this week!!
I hope you excuse my historical references. Lets not put so much expectation and hype on these players – thay are not perfect. Finally, how much body fat percentage does everyone think Ronaldo has? 10% at most…that’s not fat in my book. He has been hacked and tackled with force for years – like Pele in 66. This is a marathon. We need to be patient, have hope and pray for the joy that is to come!!! SEXTA CHAMPION!!

Posted from  United States

Also, let’s not forget that every World Cup Brasil has been an undisputed favourite with a teams full of stars they end up missing out on the biggest prize. So, watch out.

Parreira knows this well, so I can’t wait to see what he will try in the Japan game. Ronaldo will start and get his goal for the record, then get substituted again.

The key is to peak at the right time and not getting burned too early, that’s why there’s plenty of time for the Brasilian team to get a lot better. My guess is that they are only at about 80% (max) of their potential.

Posted from  Australia

ronaldo & brazil played better, slowly but steadily they will get into top form.

NOW I AM SURE THAT THERE IS NOTHING TO EXPECT FROM BRAZIL THOUGH OLD CARLOS BELIEVES THAT THEY ARE THE ONLY FAVOURITE OF WC 06.

ITS REALLY PITY. IF AUS HAD TAKEN THEIR CHANCE NO WAY FOR BRAZIL.

Posted from  Nepal

hmm bascially i think that ronaldo had improved slightly but still dun get to see the real ronaldo 4 years
ago. I really hope that he wil be back to form and win the best player of the year again.. btw Brazil did a wonderful job with australia although it is a difficult match.

Posted from  Singapore

I was definitely not impressed with Brazil and the 2-0 win was more than flattering. It was most unfortunate that Australia did not have one, and only one, great striker of the ball, because Australia would have been 3-0 at halftime. For the great Brazil to defeat Australia only 2-0 is either a sign of a nation who No.1 status is way off, or that Australia is a far better team than many expected and deserve far greater praise. Brazil’s luck will run out in this World Cup long before the final.

Posted from  Australia

I think Brazil did much better in this match than in their first match. Ronaldo should be left on the bench as he is of no use. But other than that i think my boys are doing Grrrrrrr8!!!!

Chakan: he’s a bit right. One of the important things to remember on the whole Ronaldo/Robinho debate is that Ronaldo is a forward who plays alongside Adriano; for both to work, they can’t bump into each other and have to run a lot on the goal area to be efficient. When Robinho replaces Ronaldo, he plays more like an forward-midfield than just a forward, that’s why Adriano is left alone on the goal area (as a pure striker), and Robinho is the one running behind him and connecting passes. Adriano has told the press more than once that this is how he likes to play; it wouldn’t work with Ronaldo because he would have to retreat back a little and keep running and making passes instead of waiting to score a goal. So yes, it’s more than just replacing one with the other; there’s a whole new offensive tactic when Robinho comes in.

Brasil play so bad, i think they win cause Australia play rugby and no football.

Sadly…Italy will knock Brazil out in the round of 16. where is the team of 1982? )-:

Posted from  United States

Brazil are slowly getting on track. Ronaldo always does better under pressure and he needs more time to be decisive. He will do so when no one actually bets a penny on him. Robinho is a weapon that works better when the other teams are already tired, in the 2nd half of the game. That’s when the players get exhausted and are not ready for a such strategic change. It has always been like this. When Robinho starts from the beginning, the team does not respond so well. Parreira is right giving Ronaldo chances. Maybe Japan will be the last one, but I doubt he replaces Ronaldo for Robinho. Juninho Pernambucano is a better alternative in this case, pushing Ronaldinho a bit more advanced.

Posted from  Brazil

last game with the real fantastic four was against argentina with robinho, kaka, ronaldinho and adriano, didnt it work??? plus if robinho were in barcelona the way barca play, ppl would say him is the new “pele” cuz him got much more skill then ronaldinho about dribling and him sure has the same skills as controling the ball, not that i agree that him would be the new pele, but ppl would sure say that, in santos ppl was already talking about that….

Posted from  Brazil

Hey Brasil fans, your team is not perfect but they’re great, stop complaining about them. What do you want robots?
A couple were arguably a little lazy, but they put a LOT more in than they put into their Croatia opener and kept some to spare. Brasil have a lot of very serious soccer to play this month – these aren’t the matches to waste oneself on.
Australia is not a big name team but they worked very hard in making this game very difficult, frustrating and at times scary for Brasil, I reckon you should be grateful for that because that’s a warm up fitting for a world champion team and what Brasil needed. Brasil’s job now is to go on and play some great soccer for us …
So stop whinging and get behind them.
^J^

BTW Yes it is Australia’s first time in the World Cup (since I was born anyway) … is there a problem with that?

Posted from  Japan

Well, it looks like we may well have a repeat of 1982 here.

Italy barely survived the opening round and moved on with the goal differential and then played Brazil and beat them .

Now it is not the same teams but the history is there, Brazil tends to step up thier game during the Knockout phase but anything can happen.

Well congratulations and good luck to my Brazilian friends.

Posted from  United States

I was dissapointed in the game Brazil Vs Australia. I was expecting more from the Brazillian team. They playing like the game is not even for real. Ronaldo got Sloppy, ronaldinho got sloppy. they need to shape up fast if they want to win this world cup. because there’s a lot of teams gunning for their spot. we got France, Germany, Argentina, Ecuador, Spain. they have been doing well and looks like they might a shot at this world cup. Brazil needs to shape up and start making impressive wins or face the consequences. Also what’s up with Rivaldo not playing in this world cup

Posted from  United States

Have you noticed that people from countries such as India or Pakistan root against Brazil?
what is the connection there? The guy from Nepal: start a kid soccer team in your yard, would you?

I’ll make a prediction right here in the Brazilian blog.

Argentina will win this year’s World Cup, without a doubt.

All teams look ordinary but Argentina is simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!

And I am not Argentinean, I AM KENYAN.

While almost everyone is trying to score goals (and this includes Argentina as well), Argentina is playing beautiful football.

THese guys move like a well oiled machine and don’t seem to force it. They have the cohesion, have quick, short, shrewd and crisp passes and they are in sync!

That is what football is.

Brazil had a great team in 2002. Today, they can only yearn for those days. Your game against Croatia was lucklustre. It was lackadaisical and I’ll not talk about your hero Ronaldo.

Game 2 against Australia was quite good. You improved. Let’s hope that like wine, you get better with age.

Personally, I’d love a Brazil/Argentina final and obviously, as a fan since 1986, I’ll be rooting for Argentina as usual.
Theirs is more than a soccer team. It is football clinic. It is byuuutifuuuuul!

Good luck!

Posted from  United States

Brazil=Got owned by the socceroos.

Posted from  Australia

btw eva its not our first time in the world cup

Posted from  Australia

Aussie Brett Emerton played his best game yet for the Aussies against Brazil, and deserves a mention (I’m Aussie). He’s the fastest player on the pitch for Australia, and after not playing so hot against Uruguay and Japan, played a magnificent running game with lots of 1-2 passes down the wing to gain the Aussies the ground they needed for their chances. Hopefully Viduka and Kewell will score against Croatia, they deserve theirs as well. COME ON AUSSIES!!!!!!

Posted from  United States

i seriously dont think robinho should play. he’s better off on the bench. he’s whole attitude towards winning the game is good. but he doesnt have the team-spiri thing within him. he has alot more to train. ronaldo shoudl stay in. he can play better than robinho. take his performance on the match with australia. the way he passed the ball to kaka by flippin the ball over himself. it shows tht he’s still able to play soccer. i dont see robinho playin like this. he should stay as a substituts. he’s better off like tht.

Posted from  Singapore

**team-spirit; should; subsitute;

Posted from  Singapore

I am only 11 & I want Brazil to win the cup but sereously the r playing CRAPPPP i

Posted from  Canada

Before the Brazil-Australia game, some person read a speech about “I Love Brazil”. Can someone tell me where to find it, please? Thanks in advance.

Before the Brazil-Australia game some person read a speech about “I Love Brazil”. Can someone tell me where to find it. PLEASE

Posted from  United States