On air: Are we finally seeing the real Brazil?
Post categories: World Cup 2010,ÌýWorld Cup Have Your Say
| 06:28 UK time, Tuesday, 29 June 2010
This topic was discussed on World Cup Have Your Say on 29 June.
From the dismal to the dazzling; the torpor to the torpedo.
Having played out - and this is not hyperbole - one of the against Portugal, Brazil found a bit of rhythm against Chile and gave their South American neighbours a .
And the goals, when they came, were sprinkled with the flair so associated with the celebrated sides of the past.
In particular, the second, which featured Luis Fabiano rounding the keeper following Robinho's run and a sublime touch from Kaka, was vintage stuff.
However, Brazil were only able to break so swiftly because Chile had committed so many men forward. In setting up the second and third goals, Robinho and Ramires respectively had so much space to run into they could have set up a country.
The suspicion is that the Netherlands will be nothing like as accommodating when the two face each other on Friday.
The 91Èȱ¬'s Mark Lawrenson remarked after Brazil's second goal that the team had "hardly played" during the first half - and yet had managed to get themselves two goals up.
And their coach :
We have to improve in all sectors of our play. Chile played exceptionally well with a lot of possession and they passed very well but Brazil were able to maintain a balanced control.
His selection of Gilberto Silva is almost a defining issue for Dunga. The Panathinaikos man has been lambasted in the Brazilian media for only passing sideways, making his a kind of roving midfield set square.
His presence has continued to attract complaints that the side are solid but with no ambitions to be expansive.
And in comparison to their great rivals Argentina, Brazil are still nothing like the same attacking force.
Their game against the Mexicans on Sunday night was pretty even until Tevez's first goal, which should never have been given - but after that they played some fantastic stuff.
And Tevez's second was a strike any player in the world, regardless of nationality, would be proud of.
Was the Chile match the blueprint for Brazil to come - or just a one-off? Does it indicate Brazil are genuine challengers for the crown? Or are Argentina now playing more like Brazil than Brazil?
