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There is tag football. Sometimes they are unfair, typical of prejudice. In other circumstances they describe reality. If you look at it without fundamentalism, it is indisputable that there are styles. Alfaro is a coach who seduces with his ability to work, knowledge, and the words he says. And a specialist in defending, in making the rival uncomfortable with the reduction of spaces. It’s part of their sometimes unbalanced balance. Then, for a rigorous analysis, you would have to consider who your players are, the context of the matches, the scenario and the strength of the rival. In other words, it is more questionable to lead a huge team like Boca and choose a triple 5 with Soldano as 8 to play against River, than to retreat with 9 players in command of Costa Rica in the debut of a Copa América against Brazil. In Boca he got the bill all together at the end, when he was eliminated from the Libertadores, when he declared that he wanted to spend more time with his family, or when he logically intended to go to the Colón theater without sounding irresponsible. Issues of a club that is a world in itself. In his new team, after excellent work in Ecuador, the story is different. It was tough for him when he started the cycle with two losses. It was difficult for the players to assimilate his tactical order, his physical rigor. People looked askance. Until they beat Honduras 3-1, qualified for the Copa América and kissed a flag. There he bought them all. Free way to make yourself credible inside and outside, plant a 5-3-2 very close to your goalkeeper, double marks and, with the Soldano plan of 8, extinguish the stars of Brazil with a historic tie. Not even the most lyrical of their fans will be angry because the team fulfilled only one facet of the game.
It is a merit to defend well. Sometimes it is underestimated, but it has to do with the coverage of spaces, with tactical distribution, with attention and ability in one-on-one situations. Or two against one, because Alfaro tried throughout the game to redouble his marks on the sides, because where Vinicius and Raphinha wanted to break lines. With the success of creating a line of 5 to take advantage of a narrower field than usual: the routes are shorter and the margin for leaks is reduced. Between Quirós and Mitchell they swallowed up the Real Madrid winger. The duo of captain Calvo and Lassiter clipped the wings of the Barcelona left-hander. That’s where Brazil’s deficit comes in. Vinicius was a shadow of the player who fights for a Ballon d’Or. A nice heel in the area that Rodrigo did not connect well is not enough for him. He was so exposed that he left the field with the game 0-0. The best player on the team does not come away with a tie. Rodrigo did not contribute to his imbalance either. If Brazil’s forwards do not break a game in which they have 90 percent possession, it is difficult to place them as candidates, even though we must never forget that they are Brazilian and usually go from least to greatest. In this context, other shortcomings were also revealed. Dorival’s changes, mainly Endrick, seemed late. The game was going away and the coach did not touch the bench. There was a lack of intelligence to try more often from outside the area when Costa Rica’s defense was sunk next to the safe Sequeira. In fact, this is how the play came about in which Paquetá moved the left post and two other dangerous approaches. If you can’t get to the bottom of the goal, you have to take it out of the area and kick.
Brazil was missing a 9. A finisher. A player who would drag the center backs when he couldn’t get off balance with the dribble. Manchester City, the team with the most passes in the world, ends with Haaland. In Messi’s National Team debut, the debut goals were scored by Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez. In their last match, Kross and Gündogan’s Germany lost to Switzerland and tied in the 92nd minute with a cross for Füllkrug. This version of Brazil that has not recognized itself in its own mirror for months did not have that variant when its ideas were diluted and the clock took away its lucidity. The only play that ended with the ball inside the goal, with a possible goal from Marquinhos, ended up annulled with lines as confusing as some in the Argentine tournament… In those minutes it even hurt the Brazilians to see Neymar in the stands, the wasted crack. Although he got used to playing (badly) without him due to a torn ligament, it is logical that he will always be missed. The now Al-Hilal player from Saudi Arabia had all the attributes to be the best in the world. From his appearance at Santos, to his time as Messi’s partner in Barcelona or his first emergence as a star soloist at PSG. At the time it was smart not to move the crown from Leo’s head, to share the court and locker room in harmony. But then Ney did not decide to go for everything. A little because of his taste for the good life, a little bit because of his competitive spirit and also because of injuries at important moments, his selection always hurt him. He even allowed himself to take a happy photo for his friend Messi after Argentina became champion of the 2021 Copa América at the Maracaná.
In a few days it will be seen if Brazil improves its game, even though it was the only one that sought to break zero. If he can seduce Ronaldinho. The genius who knew how to wear the number 10 of the five-time world champion, Messi’s older brother in Barcelona until he left his throne to him, was critical a few days ago. “It is a sad moment for anyone who likes Brazilian football. It’s hard to find the energy to watch the games. I have followed football since I was a child and I have never seen such a bad team. There is a lack of love for the shirt, a lack of determination and most importantly: a lack of football. “I’m not going to watch any Copa América match or celebrate any victory,” he declared, according to the statements that were released, someone who usually shows his teeth more as a sign of joy than anger. That panorama, that streak in Qualifiers in which they lost with Uruguay as a visitor and with Argentina as a local, was taken advantage of by Alfaro’s Costa Rica. The coach himself explained that in the halftime talk the players asked him how he saw the team. He responded that if he had to tell them the truth, he thought they were going to lose if they didn’t get out of the depths a little bit. It is difficult to sustain Brazil like this for 90 minutes, to the point that they almost scored a goal against a header. But the team redoubled its effort in the end, had minimal possession in some plays, a stopped ball, made two substitutions in extra time to continue oxygenating the fight and in the end won 0 to 0. The only label that matters to Alfaro. The other one can hardly be taken off.
