Ted Hughes wrote:From the comments I'm reading, I find it hard to believe that ANY of you praising Brazil have actually watched many games involving the current Brazil side. You're all in for a bad shock & dissapointment in the world cup unless they get a very favourable draw.
Their most consistant players are the defenders & goalkeeper. Agree that he's better than England's but very few of the other players are good enough for a top European international side & imo even half decent European sides (not fucking geriatric Italy!) will hammer them in real games. Their biggest danger is from headers at set pieces at the moment. Sad to see. Perhaps they'll unearth some new players but unfortunately I doubt it.
Argentina btw are much worse. Better than Brazil going forward but worse than Hull at defending. Any decent international side would beat them at the moment (everyone is!), they have no defence + half their best players don't even play thanks to Maradona.
Ted, I have watched all the games that have been shown of the South American Qualifiers on Sky Sports, and yes have seen possibly 8 of the Brazil games there and other games that they have played.
I will agree that this isn't the best Brazil side that there has ever been, but they are still far too good for England, what this Brazil side is, is hard to break down and hard to beat, they don't give anything away and for once are solid at the back, but lack the flair and excitement under Dunga that they have had under past managers, even though they have flair players (Kaka, Robinho, Elano, Diego etc).
Dunga has got the side playing the game, the way he used to play it, methodical, hard grafting and workman-like, but they still have that clinical touch to kill sides off when they chance presents itself.
They have beaten sides like Argentina (who are not crap, but managed by someone who is), Italy (World Champions), Spain (Euro Champions), Portugal (twice put England out of major comps), and they also beat the minnows.
England JUST beat the minnows of World football, we played France, LOST, Spain LOST, Portugal LOST, Brazil LOST and about to lose again to them, we are alright until we meet someone who is worth a damn in football, a good side with quality players of their own, I could have picked 11 people off the street and they would give any of our group colleagues a game and probably beat them, lets not get carried away like the press will and have done, they have again set themselves up for the fall.