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Brazil-England Preview

November 11th, 2009 | By: Duvel | 25 Comments »

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Brazil v. England
Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar
November 14, 2009, 12:00 ET
TV: Fox Soccer Channel, other links

First the injury report. Doni, Juan, Luisão, and Ramires are all injured coming into this match. Yesterday, AC Milan’s Thiago Silva earned a well deserved call-up to replace Luisão. As previously mentioned, Fábio Simplício replaced Ramires. Robinho and Julio Baptista are just coming back from injury and I am not expecting them to be part of the starting XI.

Saturday brings us the highly anticipated match against one of our biggest threats for 2010: England. As almost always with the Seleção, this match is being played outside of Brazil in Doha, Qatar so Nike can attempt to sell kits to the folks in all white pictured above. I am really hoping we get a good look at Michel Bastos, and some of the other newcomers to the team.

England manager Fabio Capello has called a very strong squad, but is without Steve Gerrard, who is battling fitness issues, and Rio Ferdinand, who has been in poor form lately. Liverpool right back Glen Johnson is also out with an injury.

England is a strong side no doubt about it. Wayne Rooney is a world class forward. Frank Lampard is as steady as they come in the midfield. Ashley Young and James Milner have become outstanding players, borderline stars.

I think the loss of Glen Johnson is a big one for them. If Wes Brown gets the likely start at right back he’s going to have a difficult time with whoever is playing left back for Brazil. On the other side of the pitch its the same story. I think Maicon could have a massive day against Wayne Bridge. Long story short, I’m anticipating our wing backs to be very influential in this outcome of this match.

Another thing England will need to prove is their ability to deal with the Brazilian counter attack. I don’t believe England is going to have the pace to successfully neutralize it.

Brazil:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Doni (AS Roma)

Defenders: Maicon (Inter Milan), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Fabio Aurelio (Liverpool), Michel Bastos (Olympique Lyon), Lucio (Inter Milan), Thiago Silva (AC Milan), Juan (AS Roma), Naldo (Werder Bremen)

Update 11/12: Fabio Aurelio is now out with a muscle injury, but Doni is now fit.
Update 11/13: Dunga has added Cris, a defender for Lyon to the team today.

Midfielders: Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos), Elano (Galatasaray), Julio Baptista (AS Roma), Felipe Melo (Juventus), Josue (VfL Wolfsburg), Lucas (Liverpool), Fábio Simplício (Palermo), Alex (CSKA Moscow), Kaka (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Robinho (Manchester City), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Nilmar (Villarreal), Hulk (Porto), Carlos Eduardo (Hoffenheim).

England:

Goalkeepers: Ben Foster, Robert Green, Joe Hart

Defenders: Wayne Bridge, Wes Brown, Gary Cahill, Glen Johnson, Joleon Lescott, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock

Midfielders: Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Tom Huddlestone, Jermaine Jenas, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ashley Young

Forwards: Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney

Update 11/12: According to ESPN, Frank Lampard is out with a thigh injury he picked up today in training.

Prediction: Brazil 2 – England 1

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Comments | Add your comment

By Seth | November 11th, 2009 at 11:40 pm

Gooooo England!

By jzlim11 | November 12th, 2009 at 1:37 am

I guess the starting line up should be as below:-

Maicon – Lucio – Thiago Silva – Fabio Aurelio

Elano – Gilberto Silva – Felipe Melo

Kaka

Luiz Fabiano – Nilmar

Hope to see Hulk and Bastos get into action in second half.

Posted from Malaysia

By Black Matt | November 12th, 2009 at 9:53 am

jzlim11 that lineup looks good to me. Excited to see Thiago Silva get the start, though obviously Juan and Luisao are key players.

By sandrahn | November 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am

video fantastico!!

Posted from United States

By Bruno Romani | November 12th, 2009 at 2:47 pm

Fabio Aurelio is out!

By Duvel | November 12th, 2009 at 4:25 pm

Yep…http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Noticias/Times/Selecao_Brasileira/0,,MUL1376956-15071,00.html

I guess this means Dani Alves or Michel Bastos are starting at left back.

Posted from United States

By Black Matt | November 12th, 2009 at 4:36 pm

Felipe Melo may be out too, according to this: http://tinyurl.com/ycno3wl

Injuries stacking up for both sides

By Ricardo Joseph | November 13th, 2009 at 7:55 am

Dunga will start with this team:

Julio Cesar;

Maicon, Lucio, Naldo, Michel Bastos;

Gilerto Silva, Felipe Melo;

Daniel Alves, Kaka;

Nilmar, Luis Fabiano.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Ricardo Joseph | November 13th, 2009 at 7:59 am

And he will use a 4-2-2-2 formation.

Posted from United Kingdom

By Thomas | November 13th, 2009 at 8:04 pm

Michel Bastos really isn’t a defender. He used to play at left back, but hasn’t really in the last two years. What do you guys think of Cris?

Posted from United States

By CeCe | November 13th, 2009 at 8:18 pm

Here’s the lineup (from Globo)
Julio César,
Maicon, Thiago Silva, Lúcio e Michel Bastos;
Daniel Alves (Elano,) Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo e Kaká;
Nilmar e Luis Fabiano.

By Johonna | November 14th, 2009 at 1:19 pm

And Fabiano misses the freakin’ penalty! YIKES!

Posted from United States

By Ken | November 14th, 2009 at 1:23 pm

Apart from Cesar & Doni, is there anyone else can be considered contender for Brazil GK?

Posted from Singapore

By jibi | November 14th, 2009 at 2:08 pm

brazil won!! kaka wasnt at his best http://www.southamericanfutbol.com/2009/11/friendly-brazil-prove-too-strong-for-england/

By Joel | November 14th, 2009 at 4:44 pm

England’s team wasn’t there best. No Johnson, A.Cole, Gerrard, Lampard or Ferdinand. Brazil played a B Team and deservedly won easily. Shame England couldn’t show Brazil what they really had. Would of been a great match.

By airjaff | November 14th, 2009 at 5:33 pm

that was one borrrring match. Ive alway thought luis fabiano was rubbish, i dont get the big deal with him, whenever ive seen him play there is nothing that stands out… Very boring player

By annonymous | November 14th, 2009 at 5:38 pm

Fabiano isnt rubbish. watch the brazil argentina match. hes a great finisher. or watch any of his games with sevilla this year

Posted from United States

By Thomas | November 14th, 2009 at 7:32 pm

How was Bastos?

Posted from United States

By Black Matt | November 14th, 2009 at 11:40 pm

That “rubbish” player is Brasil’s leading goal scorer, and far and away our most consistent attacking threat. He missed a penalty. Big deal. rather he do it now than in South Africa.

Solid match. I think if England’s “A” side HAD been there, we still would have won, as Brasil would have played that much harder.

By Bruno Romani | November 15th, 2009 at 12:20 am

that “rubbish” has a goal average greater than ronaldo with the national team….

By annonymous | November 15th, 2009 at 2:35 am

that “rubbish” player also has 10 goals in 13 games with sevilla this year not counting his international goals. nothing boring about a player that scores and celebrates goals

Posted from United States

By Pachet5@hotmail.com | November 16th, 2009 at 3:25 am

Doni shouldn’t be in the selecao in the first place,we have Diego Alves (Almeria,Spain) i don’t watch him play every sunday but when i do he always impress me,Rubinho(ex Genoa now with Palermo) had 2 great seasons with Genoa but he’s been doing thing a la Dida lately but still when he’s on top of his game Doni is no match,Helton is Helton but he’s playing in Portugal(no disrespect to people who enjoy watching the portuguese league) Heurelho Gomes is actually doing OK at T. Hotspurs it’s just that Dunga tend to stick witht the same players,Doni is actually not 100% fit….
what’s going with Kaka lately? i think the situation at Madrid start to affect him even when he plays for the selecao,huh? i hope i’m wrong,would Diego miss out on a second World Cup after Pareira left him out of the squad back in 2006(well at the time he wasn’t enjoying his best season with Porto) now it seems like Dunga is going to do the same to him again,gave the guy another chance to prove himself

Posted from United States

By Bruno Romani | November 16th, 2009 at 3:36 pm

the two other goalies have to be marcos (palmeiras) and vitor (gremio). those guys playing in europe are terrible, except for diego alves.

By Pachet5@hotmail.com | November 16th, 2009 at 8:39 pm

well,that’s just your point of view,Marcos is too old so i don’t think that’s not gonna happen i think you mean Victor the only reason Dunga called him was because Doni wasn’t avalaible and needs more experience i don’t hink he’s going to South Africa neither,i would like to know whatever happen to Diego Cavalleri(Liverpool)and the one who used to play for Valencia he’s on loan at Xeres i think…anyway the word terrible is kinda strong to describe them i mean they are first choice keepers at their respective clubs for a reason plus some of them even won some titles with their clubs so….

Posted from United States

By Bruno Romani | November 18th, 2009 at 2:36 am

Doni and Rubinho have been fired from pretty much every club they played in Brazil. When Doni went to Europe, he was playing for Juventude (team now in second division). the reason? no big club wanted him. I never trust players who do not have a career in Brazil – no matter the position they play.

Helton and Gomes belong to the same category: unstable. they play one good game and 3 crappy ones.

Cavalleri is on the bench for Liverpool, and could be a good choice for the future. Renan (the Valencia one) as you noticed, remains and unknown (and to be honest, never seem to be selecao material)

Now, the reason for Marcos and Victor. The two are the best goalies in the Brasileirao (some may include Flamengo’s Bruno, but he’s totally unreliable) and the two have great talent. Besides being a great goalie, a world champion and having tons of experience, Marcos is incredible asset for the group. He is the type of player that aggregates just by being around. Victor is the opposite of Marcos in a way. He is young and should go to the cup as the third goalie to get experience for the next cup (just like Julio Cesar sat on the bench for Dida and Rogerio Ceni in 06).

Since Julio Cesar is the best keeper in the world at the moment, and no other goalie is a real challenge for him, having Marcos and Victor is part of a bigger plan. Not only the 90 minutes of a game.