Opinion – Tostão: Top European teams have difficulty beating averages

The difference between Brazil’s game against Japan and the duel with South Korea was the harsh marking of the Japanese, sometimes with many fouls, especially on Neymar. It was a good test. That’s what will happen in the Cup.

Tite used, during the match, the tactical options that he intends to use in the World Cup. The team started without a striker, with Neymar and Paquetá forming a pair in the center. Then, Richarlison entered, and Paquetá went to the left, in place of Vinicius Junior. Finally, with Fred’s departure, Paquetá was pushed back. The question remains about the best tactical alternative. Tite also used Militão as a defender, on the right, thinking about an emergency in the World Cup.

In recent days, with the exception of Portugal, which drew with Spain and thrashed Switzerland, the best European teams did poorly. I doubt whether they, who use friendlies to experiment, play the new Nations League as an official and important competition or as a friendly.

The top European teams have, for a long time, been finding it difficult to beat the mid-sized teams, even in important games. Croatia is runner-up in the world. Italy is not going to the World Cup, and Portugal almost missed out. France, in the last Eurocup, was eliminated by Switzerland. This is a warning for Brazil, which, in the group stage, will face two medium teams from Europe, Switzerland and Serbia.

In all competitions, medium and small teams evolved in defensive positioning and in the execution of counterattacks. Over time, has the importance of collective play increased or would there be an approximation in the individual quality of the teams?

There are also other inverted situations, such as inferior teams, in Europe and Brazil, pressing and dominating the ball against the greats, as Fortaleza did in the victory over Flamengo, at Maracanã.

There is also an excess of games in Europe, which only happened in South America. De Bruyne complained a few days ago that he hasn’t taken a full vacation in eight years. Millionaires have bought the clubs and spread the broadcasts to new media. Most athletes like it because they earn more. As a result, the performance of the players and the quality of the matches worsen.

Tite and the coaching staff know, in detail, all the opponents and have already thought of all the options. The problem is when an unexpected fact arises, a striker, like Lukaku, moved to the right, accompanied by the defender, leaving the defense uncovered, for the arrival and completion of De Bruyne, as in the elimination of Brazil in the 2018 World Cup.

The difficulty for large teams to beat small teams also occurs in the Brasileirão, this year even more balanced. What will happen from now on? We do not know. You can only know the beginning and the end. The path is foggy.

“In the game, we want to win the world. In the end, only have conscience in peace. Between one point and another, history.” (Jose Paulo Cavalcanti)

On Friday, the 10th, the Pernambuco lawyer and writer José Paulo Cavalcanti takes office at the Brazilian Academy of Letters, in Rio de Janeiro. José Paulo, among many activities, was a member of the National Truth Commission, which investigated the crimes of the dictatorship from 1964 onwards. He wrote beautiful books, such as “Fernando Pessoa, almost an Autobiography”, awarded in Brazil and around the world, about the life and work of the great Portuguese poet.