ohsee wrote:
mate wrote:
This is my favorite WC since 1982. Lots of good games. Drama. Thrills.
And by and large, I think the 2 best teams are in the final. I'm always reluctant to say a team deserves to be in the final, but Germany and Argentina have shown the best overall quality over 6 games amongst the competitors.
BTW: The Brazilian team of 1982 got unlucky. They basically dominated every game. Enzo Bearzot after the 1st round ironically asserted that Brazil was going to win the WC, more easily than in 1970.
Italia rose to the occasion. They played some magnificent football. But Brazil made some catastrophic errors. But Italia also got away with bloody murder. They absolutely leveraged lenient officiating, committing disruptive foul after disruptive foul...things that would have gotten Gentile sent off within minutes today. For me, Italia, as good as they played in that WC, got lucky, as opposed to Brazil seriously lacking something.
In my view, Brazil really came undone in 1986. Platini and France beat them straight up. With Maradona magic eliminating them in 1990, that's when the jogo bonito discussion really started to grow louder. Even so, Brazil managed to produce fine players and teams, but with an adaptive physical edge, up to 2002.
Maybe this shock will bring some jogo bonito back? Maybe Brazil will overhaul their development, leagues, and inter league competition? Why can't we see a 2002 Brazil, the complete package?
Cheers, Mate
mate, you are wrong. Brazil lacked a center forward and a goalie in 1982. Serginho was basically another Fred, though he did score a couple of goals. Waldemar Perez was simply the worst of the lousy goalkeepers Brazil had up to that point. They were also too attack minded: Junior was not a full-back, and was more interested in ranging the midfield, eschewing defending. Given that Junior was constantly out of position, and that Toninho Cerezo and Falcao were not real DMs, what Italy did to them was inevitable. It was a well-planned and executed ambush, and it gave us the best game of that WC.
Ohsee, Brazil still played great for the most part in that tournament. They beat Argentina decisively 3 - 1 in 2nd round play, whereas Italy beat Argentina 2 - 1. Again, Italy HACKED up young Maradona. So did Brazil a bit, prompting Maradona to go crazy and get his red card.
I agree with you that Serghinho and Perez were not world class, but on an otherwise world class team...quite unlike this current outfit...I still think they got unlucky against the Italians. When tied 2 - 2, Brazil still was offensive minded, refusing to close up shop and take the draw they needed.
I truly believe it was the series of WCs of 1982, 1986, and 1990 that really prompted Brazil to abandon a pure jogo bonito approach. But they didn't lose this entirely either. 1994 and 2002 Brazil has wonderful football, even if they also were capable of grinding it out and playing defensively.
These guys today? Jokers! Brazil, just like Germany in 1998, need a total overhaul. I'll say it again: I believe it must start with reinvigorating South American club football.
As the game has evolved, European top teams benefit most by having football dominated by La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and EPL. The leagues of Turkey, Greece, and Holland are no slouches either. The big Europeans especially are helped by concentrating a nucleus of players at a few clubs...honing a NT style, amidst the best globally.
Meanwhile, South American players leave earlier and in greater number than ever. In a game of thin margins, I believe this is making the difference. It's enough where the big Europeans will win consistently...save for a special great one like Messi, the type of player whom can potentially trump everything I just spoke about.
Anyway, I believe Brazil can restore itself. With Jogo Bonito. And with ruthless, cutting edge tactics. Again, I'm thinking 2002. The 3 Rs. Roberto Carlos. Cafu. Lucio. Wow! What a team that was!
Cheers, Mate
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