artetas_biggest_fan
Player Valuation: £6m
Keep everyone fit they look red hot favourites. They have kinda gone back to the 2002 style (albeit that team played 3-4-3), very solid defensively through the middle, great attacking full backs, and a quality front three.
In 2002 Silva and Kleberson sat in midfield as the two defensive players, this team Casemiro, Fernandinho and Paulinho are the midfield three (all three are essentially defensive midfielders, Paulinho only marginallly more attacking). Central defenders in both sides are a similar level. Both teams difficult to break down through the middle.
The attacking threat out wide in both teams comes from the full backs (wing backs in the case of 2002), 2002 team had Cafu and Roberto Carlos bombing down the wings, this team has Alves and Marcelo. Both front threes can win a match on their own. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo to Neymar, Coutinho, Willian (or Jesus etc.).
Brazil tend to change their style when bad results happen (happened after the 1980s when their flamboyant football of Zico, Socrates, Falcao, Careca etc went unrewarded), they tightened up with a more pragmatic approach led by Dunga in central midfield (despite winning that team is not appreciated at all in Brazil due to the style). They tightened up again in 2002 as a consequence of being cut open and have done so again for this tournament after the hiding from Germany.
I think they should tweak this side though as that current midfield three is too defensive. Take out Paulinho, shift Coutinho back and put him just behind the front three, they have more creativity in midfield and with Casemiro and Fernandinho more than enough defensive cover in behind.
