EN World World Cup blog

[johnsemlak]

The chinks in Brazil's armor were its unwillingness to retire older players.

A lesson to be learn: big-name stars do not a team make.

The thing is, there was much of the same discussion in France about Zidane--I met multiple french supporters who said France played better without him. Then Zidane delivers two of the best games of his career vs Spain and vs Brazil.

I certainly would think Brazil ought to have a young player who can replace the 36-year old Cafu, but I have to say I thought Cafu's fitness has been impressive--he seems to be up and running deep into the matches, as far as I recall. Plus the savvy, experience, and leadership he brings to the team. That must have been a difficult decision for the coach.

Problem is, I think that Brazil didn't just keep one old savvy player--practicly half the team was in that category.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A lesson to be learn: big-name stars do not a team make.

As we Americans have noted with the recent performance of our NBA pros playing Olympic Basketball...

 

[Klaus]

The thing is, there was much of the same discussion in France about Zidane--I met multiple french supporters who said France played better without him. Then Zidane delivers two of the best games of his career vs Spain and vs Brazil.

I certainly would think Brazil ought to have a young player who can replace the 36-year old Cafu, but I have to say I thought Cafu's fitness has been impressive--he seems to be up and running deep into the matches, as far as I recall. Plus the savvy, experience, and leadership he brings to the team. That must have been a difficult decision for the coach.

Problem is, I think that Brazil didn't just keep one old savvy player--practicly half the team was in that category.

What physical fitness? He barely ran during the entire Cup, and the main attribute of a side player (sorry, don't know the actual English term for the position) is speed. In France match, Cafu was playing in the midfield, forcing Zé Roberto (a true warrior) to fill that void.

What savvy and experience? He constantly got blindsided by opponents, forcing the defenders Juan and Lúcio to work overtime to cover for him.

What leadership? All he could think of was which record he would break in this or that match, how he'd be the first captain to lift the Cup twice, etc. The team was fragmented, and barely spoke to each other during the matches.

The players had to become a team, under a single leader. Without a decisive leadership among them, the coach should have filled up that position (something Scolari did well in 2002). But Parreira was too placid, too apathic to take charge.

 

[jaerdaph]

Well, Brazil needed a little lesson in humility. Actually, it's probably more accurate to say it was my Brazilian neighbors here in Astoria who needed that lesson. Every time Brazil one a game, they would take to the streets with an inpromptu parade (as if they had already won the World Cup), and have loud parties to three in the morning shouting "BRASIL! BRASIL!" over and over again. Let's just say a whole bunch of us had some good natured fun last night driving around shouting "VIVE LA FRANCE!" and waving French flags by all the Brazillian bars and shops, blasting Xavier Cougart's "Brazil" over the speakers.

It was all in good fun though - we love our Brazilian neighbors here in Astoria, who are all very nice and a lot of fun to hang out with.

 

[Morrus]

Re. England vs. Portugal...

Without Rooney, Owen or Beckham, Sven should have just saved everyone the bother and given up. What was on that pitch was not the England team. Not a single striker was involved in the English penalty shootout phase. I knew we were lost, and so did the commentators.

I admire the remaining English players for mangaging to hold off a full team when at 10 men, without any of their star players. They did a good job.

Sven was the weak link in the English side. He's gone now.

As for Beckham resigning... I don't agree. The role of the English Captain (and this is different for other teams, but not all) is to be the "face" of the team. He was better at that then Sven was.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I don't know if its just coincidence or a lot of practice playing a man down, but every game I've seen England play a man short, they've won or tied, with the exception of this last match.

Perhaps they need to play a little cleaner football, but its clear to me (at least) that you can't count them out when they're playing short one.

 

[johnsemlak]

In the penalty shootout I think a little too much has been made of the English strikers failing; the Portuguese keeper, Ricardo, saved three of the penalties. He also got a bt lucky guessing where the English strikers would shoot. The portuguese strikers actually missed the goal completely twice--The English goalie Robinson didn't make a single save.

 

[Jdvn1]

Neither am I, but there aren't really enough games played in the Cup to get a solid handle on any team's "average".

That's why you look at games before, but around the time of the World Cup. Teams play international games relatively often.

 

[Klaus]

In the penalty shootout I think a little too much has been made of the English strikers failing; the Portuguese keeper, Ricardo, saved three of the penalties. He also got a bt lucky guessing where the English strikers would shoot. The portuguese strikers actually missed the goal completely twice--The English goalie Robinson didn't make a single save.

And to think Ricardo used to be ostracized in Portugal, and it took Scolari's stubborness to place him as the main goalie.

 

[Jupp]

And to think Ricardo used to be ostracized in Portugal, and it took Scolari's stubborness to place him as the main goalie.

Wasn't Ricardo the goalkeeper that scored a penalty in the Euro 2004 against England?