Neymar-Dependence And Inexperience Threaten To Derail Dunga and Brazil
By Curry Goff
If you’re a Brazil fan looking for some consolation after last night’s debacle, keep looking because it’s not here.
With two games under their belt in this summer’s edition of the Copa America, Brazil find themselves in a less than desirable position heading into their last group game.
More from Copa America
- Reflecting on Lionel Messi’s Copa America triumph
- Roberto Firmino and Gabriel Jesus proving they can play together
- Colombia open Copa America with dominant win over Argentina
- Neymar injury forces Brazil star out of Copa America
- Chile, the champion no one cared about
Sitting on three points, missing your star player, in a three-way tie for first atop the group; not exactly where the pre-tournament group favorites wanted to be at this point.
Sure, they beat Peru in their first match; that much is true. You can’t exactly say it was the fashion in which they wanted to do it, though. The Peruvians scrapped their way to 2-2 through 90 minutes, only to see the brilliance of Neymar sink them in stoppage time. Without question, the final score flattered the Selecao.
Unfortunately, their World Cup rematch against Los Cafeteros last night didn’t quite go to script. With a hint of revenge, the Colombians sent a shock through Group C with their impressive 1-0 win over the Brazilians. And honestly, this one could have been a lot worse with the way that Brazil was playing.
When you’re out to avenge last summer’s…umm…letdown, you’re not hoping for the start that Brazil has made. What exactly is to blame for the lackluster performances so far under Dunga in the Copa?
Neymar Dependence
In both of Brazil’s games, they have looked too reliant on one game plan: give Neymar the ball on the left wing and let him work infield and produce magic. That’s a fantastic game plan when Neymar is playing like he did against Peru. You end up with a goal and a magical assist from the Barcelona maestro.
However, when you come across a well-drilled team like Colombia who knows how to break an opponent’s backbone (too soon, Brazil fans?), you end up frustrated, exposed, and leave without any points.
Carlos Sanchez all but eliminated Brazil’s attacking prowess by shutting down Neymar time after time. And the problem for Neymar is that, unlike when he plays for Barcelona, the weight of the attacking impetus is all on his shoulders with this current version of the Brazil squad.
The problem with that is that when things don’t go his way, Neymar gets rather childish. He lets his opponents (and the referee) get in his head unlike when he is in Barcelona. Unfortunately for Brazil, such petulance lends itself to verbal spats and, in this case, yellow cards. Last time I checked, yellow cards turn into red cards after you count to two.
Lack of Experience
Outside of Dani Alves, Neymar, and Thiago Silva, the other eight players in Brazil’s starting 11 last night had an average of just over 15 international caps each. In other words, outside of those three players, Brazil fielded an incredibly inexperienced lineup.
Inexperience isn’t always an indicator of defeat. Many players have come into this Brazil squad with little international experience and proven their worth. Take Diego Tardelli and Willian as prime candidates of such.
The problem with inexperience is that when game plan number one goes down the drain, you have to adjust on the fly and make something else work. Part of that responsibility falls on the coach, but a good part of it falls on the players.
When Neymar can’t carry the load, you have to improvise. When you go down 1-0 in the first half after expecting the roles to be reversed, you have to have a plan b and execute it. That execution and improvisation comes from experience, which this Brazil team is lacking.
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Tactical Ineptitude
If you’re Dunga, you have to know that Colombia is going to try and shut down Neymar. They did the same thing in the World Cup. You have to provide Neymar with outlets and options in case he is smothered by the defense.
By replacing Tardelli with Firmino in the Colombia match, Dunga only accentuated their tactical reliance on Neymar by effectively making him the only number 9 on the pitch. With Tardelli alongside Neymar in attack, Brazil has another player that can venture forward and make runs deep into the final third. Firmino, unfortunately, is not that type of player.
Their final group match will be Dunga’s chance to prove the statement he has categorically denied up until this point: that Brazil is NOT too reliant on Neymar. Unfortunately, it will be out of necessity rather than convenience. With Neymar out of the lineup, it’s sink or swim time for Dunga and Brazil.