Robinho's Absence From Ghana Friendly Throws Stars Wide Open For Brazil Formation

Robinho will miss Brazil's friendly against Ghana on September 5 due to a groin injury. The injury to the AC Milan striker sets up a constellation of mouthwatering formations for Mano Menezes and the Selecao. Given Robinho's absence, Mano may decide to play a 4-2-2-2 instead of a 4-2-1-3, with Ganso and Ronaldinho behind Neymar and Pato. Another option would be for Mano to stay with his favored 4-2-1-3 formation by dropping Ganso from the starting line-up, and playing Ronaldinho behind Neymar, Hulk and Pato or Neymar, Leandro Damiao and Pato. Alternatively, Mano could retain Ganso in midfield and push Ronaldinho into the center forward position between Neymar and Pato or Neymar and Hulk. A three pronged attack of Neymar, Ronaldinho and Hulk would keep Hulk in the right winger position that he plays at FC Porto.

Here's a summary of the Brazil line-up options, where AMF refers to attacking midfielder and F stands for Forward:

4-2-2-2 formation:

(1) Ganso (AMF), Ronaldinho (AMF), Neymar (F), Pato (F)

4-2-1-3 formation:

(2) Ronaldinho (AMF), Neymar (F), Hulk (F), Pato (F)
(3) Ronaldinho (AMF), Neymar (F), Damiao (F), Pato (F)
(4) Ganso (AMF), Neymar (F), Ronaldinho (F), Hulk (F)
(5) Ganso (AMF), Neymar (F), Ronaldinho (F), Pato (F)

Ronaldinho has been in blistering form for Flamengo of late, scoring goals most recently against Avai, Internacional and Atletico PR. That said, the web is buzzing about Ganso's one touch strike against Sao Paulo this week, in which the youngster played a one two with Alan Kardec to send a sublime left footed rocket into the roof of the net. Add to all this Leandro Damiao's sensational form for Internacional and The Hulk's hunger for a place in the Brazil starting line-up, and it's easy to see how Mano faces a tough set of choices against an attack oriented Ghana team. Ghana's Black Stars may be without striker Asamoah Gyan due to a thigh injury suffered in Friday's Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier against Swaziland.

Germany Secures Historic 3-2 Victory over Brazil in Friendly

Germany 3 - Brazil 2
Gottlieb Daimler Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany
International Soccer Friendly

Goals:
Schweinsteiger, Germany, 61st minute (penalty)
Gotze, Germany, 67th minute
Robinho, Brazil, 71st minute (penalty)
Schurrle, Germany, 80th minute
Neymar, Brazil, 90th minute + 2

Germany scored their first victory over Brazil since 1993 in a thrilling match where the hosts dominated possession and exposed the mediocrity of the Brazilian national football team under coach Mano Menezes. Germany's 3-2 win belies the way in which they controlled the entirety of the game even though Brazil improved significantly in the second half. Brazil were decimated in midfield and reduced to a handful of counter-attacking opportunities from which they were fortunate to convert two goals given their overall lack of possession. In the 61st minute, Bastian Schweinsteiger scored Germany’s first goal from the penalty spot after Lucio was judged to have fouled Kroos in the box. Minutes later, Mario Gotze scored his first international goal after a passing triangle featuring he, Klose and Kroos enabled him to become the recipient of a through ball from Kroos. In his debut match for his country, Gotze rounded Julio Cesar with skill and composure to give Germany a 2-0 lead after 67 minutes.

Mano Menezes started Ralf for the suspended Lucas Leiva, and Fernandinho for Ganso. Both were highly ineffective in midfield and hence, two goals down, Brazil resorted to their time honored tradition of attacking down the flanks. Dani Alves steamed into the box to encounter a foul by Phillip Lahm that earned Brazil a penalty kick. Robinho calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-1 in the 71st minute, but the Germans were not to be fazed by the display of life from their opponent. With ten minutes remaining, Schweinsteiger showed more hunger for the ball than Andre Santos by winning the ball in the box and passing it to the vacant Andre Schurrle, who sent a rocket of a shot into the roof of the net to make it 3-1. Neymar pulled one back for the Brazilians in stoppage time but the victory deservedly went to Joachim Lowe’s young German team.

Coming into the match, Mano Menezes shrugged off Brazil’s failure to win more games under his tenure by noting that the team had never been dominated in play, even amongst their losses. The match against Germany, however, marks the first time Brazil were thoroughly taken apart by their opposition in recent memory, the 2010 World Cup included. Mano talks a good talk but his squad selections have been inconsistent. Brazil fans should expect the Selecao to accumulate more losses as long as the coach plays roulette with the midfield by changing the line-up in almost every game.

Mano Menezes Announces Brazil Squad for Germany Friendly

Mano Menezes named one of his trademark, experimental squads for the Brazilian national team's friendly against Germany in Stuttgart on August 10. The Brazilian coach dropped Elano, Sandro, Jadson, Luisao and Adriano and replaced them with Fernandinho, Luis Gustavo, Renato Augusto, Dede and striker Jonas. Once again, Mano omitted Kaka and Ronaldinho from the national team. The Hulk marked another surprising omission given Brazil's problems scoring goals at Copa America. Predictably, Mano's squad prizes youth over experience, but it fails to address the lack of cohesion in Brazil's midfield that resulted from Mano's 4-3-3 formation. Copa America illustrated how Ganso needs help running the Brazilian midfield. Moreover, the tournament embarassingly revealed how the three pronged strike formation of Pato, Neymar and Robinho failed to pose more of an offensive threat than two strikers. Brazil may be better off returning to a 4-2-2-2 formation with Lucas and Ramires behind Ganso and Renato Augusto, who in turn lie behind Robinho and Pato. Kaka and Ronaldinho would have been strong choices to field against Germany alongside Ganso, but Mano has once again opted to select young players that are likely to bring speed and vitality to the squad. All in all, the squad selection represents a highly courageous move on Mano's part to stick with his conviction to renovate the Brazilian national team at precisely the time when he badly needs a victory to shore up the security of his position as coach.

Brazil's squad for the August 10 friendly against Germany is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Victor (Gremio)

Defenders: Andre Santos (Fenerbahce), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Inter Milan), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dede (Vasco de Gama), Lucio, Thiago Silva (AC Milan)

Midfielders: Lucas Leiva (Liverpool), Ramires (Chelsea), Fernandinho (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ganso (Santos), Elias (Atletico Madrid), Lucas (Sao Paulo), Luis Gustavo (Bayern Munich), Ralf (Corinthians), Renato Augusto (Bayer Leverkusen)

Forwards: Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Fred (Fluminense), Neymar (Santos), Robinho (AC Milan), Jonas (Valencia)

Copa America: Brazil beats Ecuador 4-2 through Pato and Neymar braces

Brazil 4 - Ecuador 2

Brazil beat Ecuador 4-2 in their final Copa America group match to set up a mouthwatering quarterfinal clash against Paraguay. Mano Menezes replaced Dani Alves with Maicon in a move that changed the complexion of the team and the Brazilian offense in particular. Maicon's blistering runs down the right flank effectively gave Brazil another attacking midfielder to supplement Ganso in setting up Robinho, Neymar and Pato. The Selecao started gingerly but began to find their footing after Andre Santos curled in a visionary cross to the center of the box which the onrushing Pato headed into the back of the net. Pato latched onto Santos's cross with all of the majesty and power of a true Brazilian center forward in the number 9 jersey. Scarcely 10 minutes later, Ecuador's Felipe Caceido equalized with a low shot that Julio Cesar let slip through his hands in what amounted to a huge goalkeeping blunder. Neymar put the Samba boys back in front minutes after the break by collecting an assist from Ganso and calmly slotting the ball to the keeper's left to score his first goal of the tournament. But the Ecuadorians refused to lie down while the Brazilians, correspondingly, found it difficult to contain Caceido. The Ecuadorian striker buried another low shot from near the edge of the box to make it 2-2 in the 59th minute.

But from then on, Brazil unleashed a magnificent display of its international experience and goalscoring strength. Pato poached a Neymar shot to score Brazil's third goal and then Neymar completed a brace by one-touching a Maicon cross from the far right to make it 4-2. Mano should be delighted with the fight of his team and the way in which Ganso is gradually finding his place at the heart of the Brazilian attacking midfield. Robinho almost scored on two occasions, once in the first half in which he hit the post, and another in injury time where his goal was judged offside, both times from Maicon assists. After three Copa America matches, the Brazilian team is finally beginning to gel, with the key against Ecuador stemming from the additional space created by the marauding full back Maicon. Maicon stretched the Ecuadorian defense and created more room for the strikers near the box. The Inter Milan right back appeared fresher than Dani Alves and made a compelling case for his inclusion in the starting line-up in Sunday's challenging quarterfinal match against Roque Santa Cruz and Paraguay.

Goals:

Brazil: Pato (28)
Ecuador: Caceido (37)
Brazi: Neymar (49)
Ecuador: Caceido (59)
Brazil: Pato (61)
Brazil: Neymar (72)

Line-ups:

Brazil: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Thiago Silva, Andre Santos; Lucas Leiva, Ramires, Ganso; Robinho, Pato, Neymar

Ecuador: Marcelo Elizaga; Neicer Reasco, Norberto Araujo, Frickson Erazo, Walter Ayoví; Oswaldo Minda, Christian Noboa, Michael Arroyo, Edison Méndez; Christian Benítez, Geovanny Caicedo

Brazil Squad Against Paraguay: Will Mano Menezes Juggle His Line-Up?

Speculation abounds that Mano Menezes, coach of the Brazilian national football team, will change his starting line-up for Brazil’s pivotal Copa America match against Paraguay on Saturday. Mano is likely to stick to the 4-2-1-3 formation and squad that he fielded in Brazil’s goalless draw against Venezuela. On Wednesday, Mano replaced Ramires with Lucas and Robinho with Elano in training sessions that suggested that the Brazilian coach was dissatisfied with Robinho and wanted to supplement Ganso with another creative midfielder in the form of Elano as opposed to a defensive, holding midfielder such as Ramires. Mano refused to disclose the line-up for the match against Paraguay to the press, noting that the squad would be released just before kick-off. The most likely change would be Elano for Ramires, which would give Brazil a 4-1-2-3 formation, with Ganso and Elano behind Neymar, Pato and Robinho. Elano’s inclusion would take some playmaking pressure off Ganso and provide another badly needed conduit between the midfield and the strikeforce. Moreover, Elano plays alongside Neymar and Ganso for Santos and can claim national team tournament level experience through his contribution to Dunga’s World Cup squad. But Mano is unlikely to change the balance of the team and, if anything, is more likely to push Ramires into more of an offensive midfield role rather than displace him in favor of Elano. The other vibrant possibility is that Mano will pin down Andre Santos on the left flank and release Dani Alves to supplement the Brazilian attack even more so than usual.

Players to watch:

Alexandre Pato

Expect Pato to assert his authority and trek back into midfield to retrieve the ball in the event he’s not getting the service he needs.

Paulo Henrique Ganso

Needs to have a lifetime performance in the number 10 jersey. Should now be back to full form and fitness with two competitive games under his belt.

Dani Alves

The heir apparent to Robinho’s throne as captain of the Selecao will need to step up and take control of the match if Ganso cannot live up to expectations in midfield.

Copa America: Brazil Play Disappointing 0-0 Draw Against Venezuela

Brazil drew 0-0 against Venezuela on July 3 in a disappointing match for the Selecao that highlighted, once again, its inability to convert high percentage chances into goals despite a bevy of opportunities. The attacking trio of Pato, Neymar and Robinho threatened convincingly throughout the first half. Pato hit the crossbar on the half hour mark and Robinho was unfairly denied a penalty after slipping a ball by the keeper that was blocked by the shoulder of a lunging Venezuelan defender. Disappointingly for Brazil, Paulo Henrique Ganso failed to assert his authority on the game, and consequently the offensive initiative resulted from Neymar, Pato and Robinho returning into deep positions and running at the Venezuelan defense, or else through wide play from Dani Alves and Andre Santos. Just before the half, Neymar missed a golden opportunity given some space in front of goal but he curled the ball high of the top corner of the net. It was the first time that Pato, Robinho, Neymar and Ganso played together since the Brazil-USA friendly in the summer of 2010, and while Brazil sparkled with some of the offensive vision and fluidity of the game against the USA, it lacked the clinical finishing that has begun to plague this revamped, post-World Cup 2010 team. Pato was clearly the most dangerous and nimble footed of the three strikers, but he lacks the international experience and gravitas to take charge of the offensive component of the game, as does Neymar. Herein lies Brazil's quandary as a team loaded with promising young talent without a heavyweight striker to put the ball in the back of the net. That said, Mano is famous for building diamonds out of the rough as he did in Brazil with Gremio and Corinthians from 2005 onwards. Mano is also a master tactician and it will be interesting to see what adjustments he makes in advance of the crucial game against Paraguay on July 9. Expect the same squad with Neymar and Robinho positioned deeper, behind Pato, and thereby playing the attacking midfield role as a complement to Ganso until the Goose begins to find his fitness and form.

Shirt numbers:

Pato: 9
Robinho: 7
Ganso: 10
Neymar: 11

Brazil Copa America 2011 Line-Up and Formation in Pictures

Brazil's likely formation against Venezeula on July 3:













Picture source: http://connect.in.com/

From left to right:

Goalkeeper: Victor (or Julio Cesar)

Defense: Andre Santos, David Luiz (or Lucio), Thiago Silva, Dani Alves

Midfield: Lucas Leiva, Paulo Henrique Ganso, Ramires

Strikers: Robinho, Neymar, Pato

Note the positioning of Pato on the right and Robinho on the wide left with Neymar in the center. Paulo Henrique Ganso, circled, will be expected to run the midfield and dictate the tempo of the game.

Brazil to Play Ultra-Attacking Formation at Copa America

Brazil's coach Mano Menezes has confirmed that Brazil will play a 4-2-1-3 formation against Venezuela with Paulo Henrique Ganso behind Neymar, Robinho and Alexandre Pato. For purists of Brazilian football, this is a dream, ultra-attacking formation that essentially fields four attackers in front of two defensive midfielders in the form or Lucas and Ramires. The question raised by this formation is how much room Mano will give the full-backs Andre Santos and Dani Alves to roam forward and contribute to the attack. Mano's formation represents one of the most offensive Brazilian line-ups since the World Cup championship team of 2002, where Ronaldo spearheaded the attack behind Rivaldo and Ronaldinho in Luiz Felipe Scolari's famous 3 Rs combination. In 2002, Ronaldinho acted as the playmaker with complete license to come forward, knowing that his back was covered by Gilberto Silva and Kleberson, two of the best defensive midfielders in the world. In the 2011 Copa America, the main Brazil player to watch will be Ganso and his ability to dictate the tempo of the game. As a creative playmaker, Ganso is slated to inherit the role played by the great Socrates in 1982 and 1986. Brazil have sorely lacked a creative midfielder since Socrates, even though Kaka assumed that role but failed to dominate the position in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. But if Ganso can stop and start games the way he has for Santos, Brazil could well emerge as a serious contender in Argentina at the 2011 Copa America, particularly if he has the courage to go forward and pose a threat on goal as well. The other player to watch is obviously Neymar, but we should expect him to be well complemented by Scudetto champions Robinho and Alexandre Pato of AC Milan.

Brazil draw 0-0 against Netherlands in Goiania friendly

Brazil drew 0-0 against the Netherlands in a friendly match that was rife with goal scoring opportunities but devoid of cases where the ball legitimately hit the back of the net. Mano played a 4-3-3 formation with Lucas, Ramires and Elano in midfield and Neymar, Robinho and Fred as attackers, in front of the expected defensive combination of Andre Santos, Thiago Silva, Lucio and Dani Alves. Holland’s Ibrahim Afellay had two golden opportunities for the Dutch in the opening half that were saved by Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar. Moreover, Robin Van Persie missed the opportunity to direct an aerial ball on target soon before the half time whistle. Brazil, meanwhile, had opportunities in the first half from a Ramires goal that was deemed offside and later, a long range Ramires strike that narrowly missed the top left corner.

Brazil dominated the second half as Neymar, in particular, began to impose his authority in and around the box. The Neymar, Robinho and Fred combination caused the Dutch defense problems early in the second half, but the Brazilian strikers simply failed to find the back of the net. Neymar had a number of shots on target saved by Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul and, meanwhile, Robinho and Dani Alves pressed the attack for Brazil as well. Robinho’s strike curled toward goal after bouncing off the keeper’s feet but it was cleared off the line by Joris Mathijsen, away from the onrushing Fred. Brazil continued to attack but to no avail, with Ramires ultimately earning a second yellow card for a foul on Arjen Robben roughly ten minutes from time that resulted in his ejection.

For Brazil, this match represented a phenomenal display of defending from Lucio and Thiago Silva, two of the best center backs in the world. The second half witnessed some inspiring attacking play from the Selecao that would have created a bulge or two in the back of the net had it not been for a combination of luck and Tim Krul’s remarkable goalkeeping. Clearly, 4-3-3 is the formation for Brazil as it renders it very difficult to mark the combination of Neymar, Robinho and another striker, whether it be Fred or Leandro Damiao. If Mano ever has the luxury of fielding Paulo Henrique Ganso in a 4-2-1-3 combination, with Lucas and Ramires behind Ganso, Brazil is likely to win more matches against top 20 opponents. The other option is to bring on The Hulk as the center forward to replace Fred. But these are tactical questions that are easy for a journalist to make and much more difficult for a coach to implement in practice when he has to consider the culture of the team and its ethos on and off the field. Clearly, what we are seeing here is a lightweight Brazil team doing as best as it can given the talent at its disposal, though struggling to pull its weight against heavyweight contenders such as France, Argentina and the Dutch. Neymar had several high percentage chances that a more experienced Brazilian striker would have buried in the back of the net. If Brazil loses against Romania, Mano may have no option but to call upon the services of The Hulk to obtain more conversions from the Brazilian attack. Overall, the team looks like it is learning to find each other and create space and opportunities. The Selecao now just needs some quality strikers that can create a bulge in the back of the onion bag when given space in the box.

Brazil v. Netherlands 2011 Friendly: A Preview

Although Brazil play Netherlands in an international friendly on June 4 in Goiania, Brazil, football fans should understand this is anything but a friendly, particularly from Brazil's point of view. The match stakes a tremendous amount of professional pride for the Brazilian national team given their humiliating 2-1 loss to the Dutch in the 2010 World Cup quarterfinals last summer. Furthermore, Mano Menezes has yet to demonstrate his ability to win big matches against the best teams in the world. With players like Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Robin van Persie, the Netherlands rank well within the orbit of France and Argentina, the two teams that handed Mano his only losses as coach of the Selecao. Expect Brazil to attack from the opening whistle and put the Dutch on the defensive through a bevy of early scoring opportunities and conversions. Mano is likely to play one of two formations:

4-3-3: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Lucio, Thiago Silva and Andre Santos in defense, Lucas, Ramires and Elias in midfield, and Robinho, Neymar and Leandro Damiao up front.
4-4-2: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Lucio, Thiago Silva and Andre Santos in defense, Lucas, Ramires, Elias and Elano in midfield, with Neymar and Robinho up front.

Mano has recently preferred a 4-4-2 so that's we should expect, although everyone would like to see a 4-3-3 or even a 4-2-4 at some point. What's clear is that the back four and Lucas and Ramires are basically pencilled into the starting line-up. From there on, it's anyone's guess although Mano has favored Elias in the past and is likely to leverage the understanding between Elano and Neymar that has carried Santos to the Copa Libertadores final. To win convincingly, Mano needs to win by more than a one goal margin so he will somehow have to open the floodgates for the likes of Neymar, Robinho and Elano to put the ball in the back of the net. In recent interviews, Mano notes that Dani Alves functions as another attacker, so one option would be to pin down Andre Santos and let Alves attack down the right flank to complement Neymar on the far left. Bottom line: expect Brazil to go all out for a convincing win, beginning in the first half, particularly given that the match is played at home.

Brazil v. Netherlands: A Brief World Cup History

Brazil and the Netherlands have played four times in the World Cup, namely, in 1974, 1994, 1998 and 2010. On all four occasions, the intensity of the clash has matched a World Cup semi-final irrespective of the stage of the tournament in which the match took place. Brazil won in 1994 and 1998 while the Dutch came out on top in 1974 and 2010. With the exception of 1974, Brazil have typically played their traditional, attacking formation in contrast to the total football of the Dutch that relies heavily on teamwork and positional awareness of the challenges faced by teammates all over the field.

1974: Netherlands 2 - Brazil 0

1974 featured remnants of the great Brazil team of 1970, with Jairzinho and Rivelino but without the great Pele. Playing in Germany, Brazil were a ghost of the team that had lifted the Jules Rimet trophy for the third time four years earlier in Mexico. The first half featured rough play on both sides. Dutch players Suurbier and Rep fouled Brazil’s Pereira, Krol fouled Valdomiro, Ze Maria fouled Cruyff and notably, Brazil captain Marinho Peres elbowed Neeskens in the face when the referee had his back turned. The first goal came from a Dutch free kick. Van Hanegem played the ball to Neeskens who in turn passed to Cruyff. Cruyff spotted the racing Neeskens and served up the ball on a platter for his teammate in the center of the box. Neeskens lobbed the Brazilian goalkeeper to give the Dutch a deserved 1-0 lead. In the second goal, Cruyff latched onto a cross from Krol to beat the Brazilian goalkeeper at close range.

1994: Brazil 3 - Netherlands 2

The contest in 1994 took place in a different football era entirely. Brazil had failed to win the World Cup for 24 years. Intent on winning the title with the surfeit of talent at his disposal, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira fielded a cautious, tactically aware side that focused on winning at all costs. But for all of Parreira’s conservatism, World Cup 1994 marked the heyday of Romario and Bebeto and the quarterfinal match against the Netherlands in the second round proved no exception. In the 52nd minute, Romario broke through a tangle of defenders and tapped in a pass from Bebeto to open the scoring. Minutes later, Bebeto latched onto a magnificent through ball from Branco, rounded the keeper and scored before launching into his unforgettable “rock the cradle” celebration with Romario and Mazinho. The Dutch brought the score level through goals from Dennis Bergkamp and Aron Winter before Branco settled the affair with an extraordinary free kick from 30 yards that sunk the Dutch, and embellished South America’s reputation for spectacular curling balls from set pieces.

1998: Brazil 1 - Netherlands 1 (Brazil wins 4 -2 on penalties)

1998 marked yet another epic battle between the Dutch and Brazil in the semifinals in Marseille. The game had been deadlocked for the first 45 minutes with Edgar Davids going head to head against Carlos Dunga. But in the first minute of the second half, Ronaldo finally broke free. Rivaldo threaded a glorious ball behind Jaap Stam to which Ronaldo latched on and dispatched past Edwin van der Sar scarcely seconds after the whistle had blown. Ronaldo singlehandedly continued the attack with some nominal help from the overlapping full-backs Roberto Carlos and Cafu but failed to convert a bevy of high percentage chances due to excellent defending and solid goalkeeping. However, Dutch coach Gus Hiddink was quick to spot the weak link in the Brazilian defense in the form of their aerial vulnerability to corners, high crosses and long balls. In the 87th minute, KIuivert headed home the equalizer and took the game to a thrilling 30 minutes of extra time and penalty kick shoot-out. Brazil goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel saved two penalties as Brazil won 4-2 in an emotional shoot-out that left Mario Zagallo in tears on the field after the victory.

2010: Netherlands 2 - Brazil 1

In 2010, Brazil encountered the Dutch in the quarterfinals yet again and entered the match appearing well on their way to yet another World Cup title, improving with every game and finding ways to unleash their star striker Luis Fabiano. True to the story line, Robinho put Brazil ahead after 10 minutes to score his first goal of the tournament as Brazil continued to press the attack throughout the first half. The Dutch keeper parried Kaka’s curling strike to keep the score at 1-0 going into the first half. In the second half, Arjen van Robben’s histrionics unnerved the Brazilian defense as the Dutch began to play rough and disturb the composure of the normally unflappable Brazilian team. Wesley Sneijder scored twice in the space of five minutes and from then on, Brazil unraveled in conjunction with a red card to Felipe Melo in the 73rd minute.

Mano Menezes Announces Brazil Squad for Netherlands and Romania Friendlies

For a brief World Cup history of Brazil v. Netherlands, see:

Brazil v. Netherlands: A Brief World Cup History

Brazil coach Mano Menezes announced a 28 man squad for Brazil’s June friendlies against the Netherlands and Romania. Brazil play Netherlands on June 4 in Goiania and Romania on June 7 in Sao Paolo. Mano plans to trim down the 28 man squad to 22 players by June 2 for the 2011 Copa America. Robinho returns to the Selecao after having been excluded from the friendly against Scotland. AC Milan Scudetto champion Alexander Pato joins Robinho and Neymar in the list of options up front while Mano continues to ignore Porto’s Hulk in favor of Leandro Damiao, Nilmar and Fred.

In the midfield, Ronaldinho and Kaka have been ignored in what could represent the twilight of their international careers given the explosion of youthful talent into the Selecao’s midfield since Mano took over the helm of the national team from Carlos Dunga last summer.

The June 7 game against Romania is intended as Ronaldo’s farewell game.
Paulo Henrique Ganso will be considered for the 2011 Copa America squad in light of the progress of his recovery from a recent thigh injury sustained during the Copa Libertadores.

Goalkeepers:
Victor (Gremio), Jefferson (Botafogo), Fabio (Cruzeiro), Julio Cesar (Inter)

Defenders:
Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Inter), Thiago Silva (Milan), David Luiz (Chelsea), Lucio (Inter), Luisao (Benfica), Andre Santos (Fenerbahce), Adriano (Barcelona)

Midfielders: Ramires (Chelsea), Sandro (Tottenham), Lucas Leiva (Liverpool), Elano (Santos), Thiago Neves (Flamengo), Henrique (Cruzeiro), Jadson (Shakhtar Donetsk), Elias (Atletico Madrid), Anderson (Manchester United), Lucas (São Paulo)

Forwards:
Robinho (Milan), Alexandre Pato (Milan), Neymar (Santos), Leandro Damiao (Internacional), Nilmar (Villarreal), Fred (Fluminense)

Congratulations to AC Milan on Winning the Scudetto

We extend our congratulations to AC Milan for winning their first Scudetto since 2003 - 2004 and the days of Andrei Sevchenko, Kaka, Nesta and Maldini. This year marked an extraordinary team effort featuring attacking, stylish soccer marked by notable contributions from three Brazilians: Pato with 14 goals, Robinho with 12 goals and Thiago Silva, with one goal and the distinction of anchoring the Rossoneri defense. We commend Kevin Prince-Boateng, Gattuso, Seedorf, Nesta, Ibrahimovic, Ambrosini and the entire team more generally. The remarkable thing about Milan's victory is they won the Scudetto without a classic number 10 playmaker in the role played by Ronaldinho. Boateng played the closest thing to Dinho's role, but he did his fair share of defending as well. The key to Milan's victory came from strong defending and goals flowing freely from Ibrahimovic, Pato and Robinho in varying degrees of form and fitness throughout the season.

Robinho's goal moves AC Milan closer to the Scudetto; dedicates victory to newly born son Gianluca

Robinho scored a crucial late goal for AC Milan to give them a 1-0 victory over Brescia and send them eight points clear in Serie A. With Pato out injured, and Ibrahimovic sidelined because of a red card, the Rossoneri started with the strike partnership of Cassano and Robinho. Cassano and Robinho both had multiple opportunities to score throughout the game, but a combination of poor finishing and fine saves from the Brescia keeper kept the scoreline at 0-0 until the 82nd minute. With less than ten minutes remaining, Seedorf dispatched a long range pass that found Cassano on the right flank. Cassano, in turn, found Robinho bursting forward down the left, diagonally heading towards goal. The Brazilian coolly controlled the pass from Cassano and slotted the ball behind the diving keeper to score his 12th league goal of the season. After the match, Robinho dedicated the goal to his recently born second son, Gianluca: "A crucial goal which is worth the Scudetto. I am overjoyed and I dedicate it to my son. Playing alongside Cassano isn't difficult. He is extremely skillful; we had already played together at Real Madrid and now we are playing very well. We really need to improve in front of goal, though." AC Milan now sit eight points clear of Inter, who won 2-1 over Lazio, with four games remaining in the season. Napoli dropped to third place after suffering a 2-1 loss to Palermo.

Brazil 1970 captain Carlos Alberto critical of Mano Menezes's revolving door selections

Carlos Alberto, the right back who scored the memorable fourth goal against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final, announced his belief that Mano Menezes has introduced too much variability to the Brazilian national team. Alberto, the captain of the legendary Brazil World Cup squad of 1970, noted that no one knows the line-up of the Brazilian team from match to match and that the coach and the CBF need to rotate the squad in a more gradual, systematic fashion. Carlos Alberto's remarks reignite the debate about Mano's performance as coach and whether the Selecao is headed in the right direction toward a World Cup victory in 2014. Speaking at a the Soccerex European business forum on April 1, Alberto remarked:

"We have a very good generation of players now, it is a new team, but to win the World Cup you need experience too.

Spain have showed that to everyone and Germany also have young players but they have the experience now because they have played at one World Cup. In my opinion, we should have the team now... but the coach and the federation are changing the team in every game and I do not agree with this.

We should have one team, maybe change one player or another player. Ask anyone in Brazil to name the lineup of the Brazilian team, nobody knows... so we are wasting time.

We are confident we are going to have a good team for the World Cup with players like Neymar, Lucas, David Luiz, Pato, we have a team for the next two World Cups. But I am afraid they are not getting the experience."

Alberto’s comments echo a "Bringing Back the Beautiful Game" article about inconsistencies in Mano’s midfield titled "Brazil's Midfield Under Mano Menezes". The midfield aside, the most glaring squad selection inconsistency concerns the team’s strike partnership. Mano has rotated Neymar, Robinho, Pato, Leandro Damiao, Nilmar, Coutinho, Ronaldinho, Andre, The Hulk and Renato Augusto with no semblance of coherence or stability. That said, no one can say with confidence who amongst these players can put the ball in the back of the net at the international level on a consistent basis against some of the best defenders in the world. Pato and Neymar are the obvious candidates but this partnership has yet to gel and demonstrate results. The Hulk’s splendid form at Porto renders him an attractive candidate for a three pronged attack. The Hulk certainly has the presence to muscle through defenders in a way that transcends the capabilities of Neymar and Pato. Leandro Damiao constitutes yet another wild card that Mano may elect to play in the event of injuries or an efflorescence of form from the young Internacional striker.

Pato brace puts AC Milan in the driving seat in the battle for the Scudetto

If the Rossoneri do go on to win the Scudetto this year, one thing is certain: no one will say the feat was attributable primarily to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Swede who happens to have won seven consecutive league titles in the last seven years. Brazilians Pato and Robinho have added pace and clinical finishing ability to the Milan attack, and nowhere was this more apparent than in Saturday's derby against Inter Milan. Pato, above all, showed why he deserves a place amongst the top 10 strikers in the world by demonstrating immaculate composure and positional awareness to score the first two goals for AC Milan that sent them well on their way to victory over Inter. In the first minute, Robinho ended up parrying the ball to Pato after failing to get around the keeper. Pato, in the number 7 jersey, made no mistake in burying the ball in the back of the net. In the 62nd minute, Pato got away from his markers once again and headed in a cross from substitute Flamini to give AC Milan a virtually unsurmountable lead, particularly given the red card that had been awarded to Inter's Chivu in the 53rd minute. Antonio Cassano sealed a 3-0 victory from the penalty spot in the dying minutes but it was Pato, complemented by threatening plays from Robinho that settled the victory for Massimiliano Allegri's team to give them a stranglehold on the 2010-2011 Scudetto.

Pato and Robinho Out of Scotland Friendly: Neymar and Damiao In

Mano Menezes has called up Internacional striker Leandro Damiao for Brazil's upcoming friendly against Scotland given the recent ankle injury sustained by Alexandre Pato in last weekend's match against Palermo. The 19 year old Damiao, who has scored 13 goals this season, represents the latest new face to Mano's roster since the former Corinthians coach took charge of the Selecao last summer. A recent muscle injury to Villareal striker Nilmar means that Damiao may join Neymar up front in what represents one of the most inexperienced strike partnerships Brazil has represented in the past few years. The absence of Pato, Robinho, Nilmar, Ronaldinho and the Hulk presents Scotland with an intriguing challenge for Scotland coach Craig Levein given that Neymar and Damiao have never played together and hence will be difficult to scout. Menezes commented that the selection of Damiao additionally enables him to work with yet another player young enough to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.

For more on the history of Brazil v. Scotland, see:
Brazil v. Scotland: A Brief World Cup History

Mano Announces Brazil Squad for Scotland Friendly

Mano Menezes announced a predictably surprising roster for Brazil's March 27 friendly against Scotland that omitted Robinho, Ronaldinho and Kaka, but recalled World Cup stars Maicon, Lucio and Elano. Citing an immediate need to prepare a squad for the July 2011 Copa America tournament in Argentina, Menezes noted that his squad selection was consistent with his larger philosophy of giving experience to new players and preparing for the possibility that Kaka and Ronaldinho may not be in full form and fitness for the 2014 World Cup. Neymar replaces Robinho up front while Sao Paulo's Lucas has received his first call-up to the national team after a sparking performance in the South America U-20 championships. The midfield features a mouthwatering combination of Liverpool's Lucas, Ramires, Sandro, Henrique, Elias, Elano, Renato Augusto, Jadson and Sao Paulo's Lucas. It will be anyone's guess as to who Mano starts in midfield given the creative power of Elano and the ability of Sao Paulo's Lucas to come forward and score goals. One has to give Mano credit for sticking with his guns and replacing, almost carte blanche, Dunga's midfield quartet of Kaka, Elano, Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo. The immediate sense we get from this squad selection is that Mano has opted to go with 2 strikers and some kind of attacking midfield combination wherein one or more midfielders has the license to come forward and score goals.

Defenders:
Dani Alves (Barcelona)
Maicon (Inter)
André Santos (Fenerbahçe)
Marcelo (Real Madrid
Lúcio (Inter)
Thiago Silva (Milan)
David Luiz (Chelsea)
Luisão (Benfica)


Midfielders:
Lucas (Liverpool)
Ramires (Chelsea)
Sandro (Tottenham)
Elias (Atlético Madrid)
Elano (Santos)
Renato Augusto (Bayer Leverkusen)
Jadson (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Lucas (Sao Paulo)
Henrique (Cruzeiro)

Forwards:
Alexandre Pato (Milan)
Neymar (Santos)
Nilmar (Villarreal)
Jonas (Valencia)

France defeat Brazil 1-0 in friendly as Benzema shines and Mano's midfield struggles

France defeated Brazil 1-0 in a match that showcased Brazil's lack of quality strikers and creativity in midfield. Coach Mano Menezes opted for a midfield composed of Hernanes, Lucas, Elias and Renato Augusto in a classic 4-4-2 formation with Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Andre Santos in defense, and Robinho and Pato up front. Mano gave the number 10 jersey to Renato Augusto of Bayer Leverkusen. After soaking up some early pressure from the 5 time World Champions, France began to settle down in the early stages by finding ways to release Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. In the 9th minute, Bacary Sagna combined with playmaker Yoann Gorcuff to give Benzema a chance on goal but the France number 10 shot just wide. Pato, Robinho and Alves threatened for the Selecao in the first half but narrowly missed the target or failed to capitalize on minor rebounds from French keeper Hugo Lloris. The match changed dramatically in the 40th minute when Brazil number 11 Hernanes attempted a kung fu style play on a ball bouncing near Benzema's chest and made contact with the French striker. The referee promptly issued Hernanes a red card and all of a sudden, Brazil were put back on the defensive. In the 55th minute, Jeremy Menez ran down the right flank and crossed over the face of goal to Benzema who promptly tapped the ball in to give France a 1-0 lead. Menez's assist and Benzema's goal eerily recalled the 1986 assist from Rocheateau to Michel Platini to give France the equalizer that enabled them to progress to the penalty kick shoot out that ousted Brazil in the quarterfinals of the World Cup in Mexico. Brazil threatened episodically for the rest of the match, but were unable to put together any impressive combination play in midfield leading to high percentage strikes on goal. Moments after Benzema's goal, Julio Cesar saved Brazil from incurring a 2-0 deficit with a spectacular save from a Benzema header. Just after the hour, the Inter Milan keeper came to Brazil's rescue again to stop another threatening shot from Benzema.

After the match, coach Mano Menezes remained defiant about his selection of a young squad and the inexperienced midfield combination: "The red card had a major influence. In the second half things changed with us being a player down. It would be easy to hark back to Kaka or Ronaldinho, but that's not what we are about. We are looking to the future, to 2014 when Brazil will host the FIFA World Cup."

But for all of Mano's investment in renovation, his youthful squad has now suffered consecutive losses to Argentina and France, casting strong doubts about Brazil's continued place amongst the top 5 footballing nations in the world. Meanwhile, the French curse continues as the Selecao continue to struggle against a French national team that knows how to pin back the Brazilian full backs and create a maginot line in midfield. Whether under Aime Jacquet in France's 3-0 victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final or Laurent Blanc in the February 9, 2011 friendly, Les Bleus conceded the occasional defensive lapse, but for the most part took the attack directly to the Brazilians in a case of the student (France) teaching the master (Brazil) a lesson about attacking football.

Robinho, Pato and Ibrahimovic take AC Milan closer to the Scudetto

Robinho continues to make his mark on Italian football by scoring a crucial goal in the 58th minute against Catania to give AC Milan the lead minutes after Marc van Bommel received a red card. So far, Robinho has scored 7 goals in Serie A and has formed a crucial leg of a triumvirate Rossoneri attack featuring Alexandre Pato, who has scored 8 goals and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has 13. Much of Robinho's success should be attributed to the power of Ibrahimovic, who draws defenders in his wake in deep positions, thereby freeing up space for Robinho and Pato to demonstrate their speed and clinical finishing ability near the goal mouth. In the match against Catania, Robinho opportunistically dispatched a carom from an Ibrahimovic free kick. After a disappointing season against Manchester City last year and a mediocre World Cup in South Africa, Robinho is close to the best form of his career under coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Rivals Inter Milan came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 against Palermo thanks to 2 goals by the recent acquisition Pazzini and a penalty from Samuel Eto in the 76th minute. AC Milan are now closing in on the Scudetto but Leonardo, coach of defending champions Inter Milan, retains hopes for the title for the Nerazurri as articulated in a recent interview. Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, the Brazilian stressed of Inter remaining consistent and noted how other teams will invariably drop points as the season progresses:

"Consistency is the most difficult thing in sports. You can lose a game but the important thing is to control the situation after a defeat. Our loss in Udine (against Udinese) is not crucial for the league title. Our aim was to start well after the winter break in order to be in the group of teams that will fight for the scudetto and we are among those sides. In the long run, all the other teams will also lose games.''

Since taking over as coach of Inter Milan, Leonardo can claim 5 victories and 1 loss in what constitutes a dramatic turnaround for a championship team that lost its faith in coach Rafael Benitez in the first half of the season.