Brazil-Estonia Recap; Thoughts on the Season

Brazil 1 – 0 Estonia

This was not the most riveting of matches. Apparently Kaka got lost walking through Tallinn before the match and needed a police escort back to the hotel. That basically summed up this trip and this match. Dunga said his primary concern was not the team performance but rather, “Our main concern was for no players to suffer injuries, in the whole 90 minutes.”

The Estonians played with a good deal of pace, and their team and crowd were enthusiastic the entire evening so I will give them credit. Brazil on the other hand looked like they were ready to leave Estonia upon arrival. Normally I give individual ratings for each match, but for a friendly like this the whole team deserves a collective 6. I’m not upset or surprised by the performance by any means. It was hard for a fan of the seleção to be excited for this friendly.

I was disappointed not to see Dani Alves at left back at all in this match. Clearly the more recent options at left back have not performed well, and Alves was forced to save the day at this position on a couple of occasions. This would have been a good opportunity to give him a run out on the left from the start of the match. I thought more subs in general should have started, particularly Nilmar, who looked great while on the pitch. Felipe Melo looked to be in pretty good form yesterday, aside from one bad tackle in the second half.

From here it’s onto Argentina for the September 5th qualifier. It’s always a match to watch when Brazil and Argentina play. It’s an even better match to watch when Brazil has the opportunity to bury Diego Maradona’s coaching career with a result in Buenos Aires. I wouldn’t mind Brazil simply securing a draw so Maradona will continue to coach, and thus Argentina will continue to stink.

With the start of the club season about approaching I thought I would take a moment to discuss who is poised have strong seasons and who needs to have one. One player I think who will do very well is Nilmar. He was a force at Internacional. His previous European adventure took place at a very young age, and was in no way an accurate indication of the type of player he will become. Villarreal is a great club, and always challenges for a top 4 finish in Spain. I think Nilmar will have a tremendous amount of success this campaign.

Four players who have a lot to prove this year are Lucas, Denilson, Julio Baptista, and Ronaldinho.
Lucas will have the early opportunity to replace Xavi Alonso at Liverpool. This could be a make or break season for him at Liverpool. If he can reach his potential he would be a viable option to replace Gilberto Silva. However, at this point in his career he has been a huge underachiever.

Denilson got a great deal of playing time last year at Arsenal, but his performances could not secure a permanent spot in Arsene Wenger’s midfield. A more consistent and improve season from him would help make a case to push for Gilberto Silva’s spot as well.

Last season’s performance at Roma left a lot to be desired for Julio Baptista. Many viewed him as a disappointment. Yesterday he looked a little rusty as his timing and accuracy were off. You know he has all the talent to succeed. I think he will breakout this season and be a major contributor to a darkhorse Roma side.

Last, but certainly not least, Ronaldinho. This is more than make or break for him in a particular team or league. This is make or break on a career. No one has been a bigger disappointment, in terms of decline, this decade than him. With Kaka gone, AC Milan and Silvio Berlusconi have put all their eggs in this basket. If he does not succeed, nor will Milan, and his place in the seleção will be permanently finished.

These are just five names, but there are many more who I will be watching to have good campaigns. Pato, Marcelo, and Robinho all need to do well. It should be a interesting year, with many looking to shine in order to make the trip to South Africa. If there is someone else I missed and that you want to talk about, I’d love to hear it on the comments board.