Venezuela 2 Brazil 0- Shame Runs Yellow and Green, The Beginning of the Demise of Our Game and Style

The industrialisation of our football, our decision to place efficiency over skill and our emphasis of caution over the love and exuberance of the Brazilian culture have cost our game and style over the last few years. Slowly the beautiful game is becoming a myth something which only happened in the past but is no longer a characteristic of Brazilian football.

The loss to Venezuela highlighted many of our fears, plus also highlighting our frailties in dominating the pitch. The loss against Venezuela be it a friendly or not shows the Brazilian team is in a bad place at this present moment. The team does not know its identity, the coach doesn’t know if the squad should play a Brazilian style, or European style (more European at times with dopey), but a real Brazilian would know that Brazil plays its own style and doesn’t mirror its self on another way of football. But the saddest thing of all is the players do not hold the same love and respect for the Yellow Jersey as the Brazilian fans. This is what precisely happened against Venezuela, we lost our identity and the players showed no heart. Dunga started with a 4-3-1-2, which changed into a 4-3-3 at times. The personnel changed to Doni, Daniel Alves, Luisao, Thiago Silva, Henrique; Gilberto Silva, Elano, Anderson; Robinho; Adriano, Pato. A tight Formation with no width plus combined with the fact there is no playmaker for Brazil, oh yeah and the players didn’t bring their heart and respect proved a disaster waiting to happen.

Venezuela a country which only recently has started to improve at football (used to be the South American whipping boys) showed our players up through love and admiration for their colours. Brazil never got going in this match, Venezuela played fast and ferocious of the break whilst Brazil pondered and created nothing like usual (need a play maker fucker). Add to that the fact that Brazil’s defence never looked as if they have trained together once (probably didn’t know each other’s name) and that Luisao is the slowest ass to get back or read an offside trap (again another European influence, have you ever seen Brazil play for offside). Daniel Alves again looked lacklustre and Henrique was out of his depth (ye against Venezuela, that’s means not a call up for a while in my book). With the midfield being so badly conducted by Gilberto useless Silva (was a terrific player) the whole midfield pack was a shambles and provided no protection to the back four Elano and Anderson (did try and push on and force the issue) looked a bit lost playing in a formation I reckon Dunga probably threw out minutes before the players left the dressing room. By having such a deep midfield Brazil were trying to work a moment of magic to win the game (pretty pathetic tactic), only problem was with no width and supply the forwards couldn’t get in the game. Adriano was particularly isolated up front and constantly had a barrage of red shirts covering him. I am not commending him on a good game far from it, he was poor in inserting himself into the match and being the emperor we all knew (Had one of those overweight Inter style performances), it’s just this was entirely his own fault rather more of the teams overplay. He did hustle for possession and get dirty in the box putting a back heel wide, but I don’t think he is fully back to where he was three years ago, (about 60% emperor and 40% of what we have seen last year at inter). Venezuela let Robinho tinker around the penalty and knew that he was playing to deep to influence the match against a very well and drilled defensive blockade, (9 in the box at all times defence). Pato seemed dynamic and his young spirit tried to pull him through the game but no supply and poor overall team game hindered he involvement (did seem more dynamic then Adriano) There was though a hint of good play but from Adriano playing a threw pass to Diego who should’ve scored, but then trying a bicycle kick which hit the post. It should also be noted when Brazil switched up to 4-2-2-2 they looked much better.

This loss should single to Dunga that his tendency to put caution above attack has affected the players approach to playing for Brazil (already sucked remember WC 2006?) The players don’t understand what to do on the pitch which shows poor management and passing of commands to individuals. Dunga did though have a lot to say after the match, you can make your own judgements on his views;

“A positioning mistake caused the first goal and another one caused the second goal. In the second half, Brazil played very well, and Venezuela did not have many chances.”
“Ideally, you want to maintain the same team, but we have to try new players, and these players are just returning from vacation. I saw a lot of good things. We have good players but it’s always good to have a chance to see other players.”

“Every loss hurts, you always want to win, but there is not that big a gap between Brazil and Venezuela as there was 30 years ago. In 1993, Venezuela had some amateurs playing for the team, but now they have good players and they can control the rhythm of the game. They played well in Copa America last year and have been playing well in qualifiers.”

In actual fact all Dunga is really telling me is he can’t accept a loss against a minnow. Don’t blame the players fully (they are to blame) blame your tactics and your lack of experience, and if Brazil did play better in the second half they should’ve comfortably won and made millions of chances, no cutting edge no goal, no playmaker no rhythm, no soul no love, these were the problems with this match and this team.

Against Canada we played badly against a better outfit we were pounded (imagine if this was a super power). The beginning of the decline of football could slowly be upon us and this can only be a good thing. Brazil has to look inside its soul and look at its identity, you know like a cross dresser, they dress up like a woman but deep down they know there a man. Only till they realise this then they can be back to their old self. Maybe with a demise we may see the emergence of artists who run the midfield and return to the essence of the beautiful game. The soul of Ginga, Brazilian football only seems to run through the veins of Robinho, Maybe for the rest this team the national team is only a fashion show, but we shall see.