About an hour into their cagey, uninspired efficiency in opposition to Switzerland on Monday, hundreds of expectant Brazilian soccer followers at Stadium 974, and the tens of millions watching at residence, absolutely had one thought on their thoughts: “Can they do that with out him?”
Neymar – at present out with an ankle damage he sustained in Brazil’s first recreation – has been anticipated to information his nation to World Cup glory for the higher a part of a decade. Now in his maturity, he has turn into probably the most essential cog in a system filled with vastly proficient gamers touted as favourites for the title in Qatar. For all of the drama and subsequent criticism that appears to magnetically observe him round, the prospect of taking part in the remainder of this match with out Neymar could possibly be problematic for Brazil.
European-style construction
Ardent followers of Brazilian soccer wouldn’t be completely satisfied to listen to this, however this staff is extra European in taking part in type than it has ever been. Many of the expertise on show has been honed at elite European soccer golf equipment versus the futsal grounds of their residence nation, and coach Tite is unmistakably influenced by European techniques.
Versus the one and two-touch passing, dribbling expertise and trickery most related to the Selecao, this can be a staff that emphasises creation of area greater than aptitude, with a strong defensive construction, a scientific strategy that has been nicely examined by lesser-talented groups in South America that wish to defend deep and hit on the counter-attack.
The strategy could be reliant on Neymar, barring the plain menace he holds along with his generational expertise. Enjoying a deeper function than his common ahead place permits him to create area. There are few gamers on the planet which might be higher dribblers than him, and even fewer who’re higher at drawing defenders.
When Neymar receives the ball deep, he dribbles previous midfielders with ease and attracts defenders to shut him down, forsaking loads of area for gamers like Vinicius Jr., Richarlison and Raphinha to run into and create attacking menace. When he’s off the ball, Neymar is roaming everywhere in the empty areas and drawing defenders to mark him, once more creating area for fellow attackers to maneuver into.
How they fare with out him
Over the previous 18 months, Brazil have been in unimaginable type, hardly trying stale or dropping a recreation within the build-up to this match.
Emphasising on a couple of ends in isolation shouldn’t be precisely indicative of a staff’s performances, however it’s not a mere coincidence that within the few video games the place they’ve stuttered, it was with out the involvement of their star man. Two of their three attracts in World Cup qualification got here with out him, the identical after they rested him in the one recreation they didn’t win within the run-up to their closing defeat to Argentina within the Copa America final 12 months, drawing 1-1 to a defensively-sound Ecuador.
Brazil’s Neymar grabs his ankle after an damage . (REUTERS)
In opposition to Switzerland, Brazil finally gained 1-0 due to a second of inspiration from Casemiro, however they seemed devoid of inspiration going ahead for a majority of that recreation.
Neither Brazil nor Neymar had been at full tilt of their 2-0 win in opposition to Serbia, but it surely was usually the talisman due to whom they broke open the sport. The primary aim got here after Neymar acquired previous two midfielders on the half-turn and drove with the ball into Serbia’s space, finally taken on by Vinicius whose shot was parried into the trail of Richarlison. Earlier, it was his promising drive into the ultimate third that led to drawing a yellow card for Nemanja Gudelj, who was later substituted to not danger a crimson, which affected the stability of Serbia’s deep defence and allowed Brazil to realize a foothold as the sport wore on.
The substitute
Already by way of to the Spherical of 16, Tite will possible not danger Neymar of their subsequent recreation in opposition to Cameroon. Even when he returns within the latter levels of the match, there are query marks over whether or not or not he will likely be absolutely match.
A lot of the stability in Tite’s staff is constructed round Neymar stitching the play between midfield and assault that it’s arduous to level at one participant to switch him particularly. However Brazil haven’t any dearth of expertise on their bench.
In opposition to Serbia, Lucas Paqueta moved additional ahead to occupy that function as Fred was known as as much as the midfield, a transfer that didn’t fairly work. Paqueta was subbed off at half- time for Rodrygo, going for a extra conventional 4-2-3-1 with 4 clear-cut attacking gamers which did look a bit extra promising.
The difficulty with that system, nevertheless, is that every of the attackers discovered it extra pure to both keep huge, or make runs in behind the defence, none of whom would occupy area centrally or draw defenders deep to create area behind them. If Neymar is to be out for longer than anticipated, Gabriel Jesus might play a much bigger function on this staff, possibly changing Richarlison as a striker who likes to come back deep to obtain the ball and replicate a few of Neymar’s ball-carrying. Tite might even strive a two-man strike drive at occasions, with Raphinha and Vinicius staying huge.
Changing Neymar is not only about changing his expertise, however about changing the function he performs which is so essential for the attacking philosophy of his aspect. Tite will want him again and firing, or get that substitute proper, on the enterprise finish of this match.