That has been the evidence throughout the first year of the Mano Menezes reign, and it was clear once again in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Paraguay, where only a late goal from substitute Fred saved the team from defeat.
For all the fluidity of his movement Alexandre Pato is unable to offer the same type of penalty area platform. Mano Menezes must surely be regretting his decision to leave Leandro Damiao out of the squad – he has an excess of players to fill the position on the right of the attack, but only the injury prone Fred to carry the fight in the penalty area. Fred will surely start on Wednesday against Ecuador.
But it would clearly be unfair to blame all of Brazil’s problems on the lack of a target man striker. There are other issues – indeed, watching from the stands in Cordoba I was continually reminding myself that this is a team still in the process of formation.
The principal change that Menezes has made since taking over is in the centre of midfield, with the replacement of the Gilberto Silva figure, assuming the defensive responsibilities of a third centre back, with an all rounder such as Lucas Leiva, capable of offering much more in possession. It is a switch that goes against the direction that Brazilian football has taken over the last 25 years, with the perceived need to free the full backs to fly forwards. And it is clearly going to take time for this change to be properly assimilated.
Paraguay highlighted the problem. They surprised not with their selection, but with their formation. Going in to the game it was clear that one of the key battles would be between Daniel Alves and Paraguay´s whippy left winger Marcelo Estigarribia – it was a duel won by the Paraguayan. The surprise was that Roque Santa Cruz, supported by the rotund little Nestor Ortigoza, worked so hard to shut down Andre Santos on the other flank. It allowed Enrique Vera to line up in centrefield alongside Cristian Riveros, giving Paraguay a block down the middle of the field that Brazil found hard to penetrate.
It is here that Lucas Leiva needs to do more, to keep demanding the ball, to mix up long and short passes and take charge of the midfield. He needs to play the first ball in the midfield triangles. It is a key role, and not an easy one to play – and the Liverpool man did not do it well enough against Paraguay.
Alongside him Ramires may not be to everyone’s taste. But he does get through plenty of work. He helped out Daniel Alves against the threat of Estigarribia, and also made a contribuition with his shuttling runs – Brazil’s goal started when he committed the Paraguayan midfield with a powerful surge.
The goal was also an illustration of the value of little partnerships. Brazil’s best football in the first half came from quick combinations between Ganso and Jadson – something that was lost after the break when Jadson was replaced.
The key idea beind the change was to protect Jadson from a red card. He had received a yellow and a couple of minutes before his goal he came close to picking up another. But the introduction of Elano was also designed to help out in the marking of Estigarribia. This was a conclusive failure, as seen by the ease with which Elano was turned by the Paraguayan winger in the build up the equalising goal. Brazil lost out with the change – Paraguay won a little victory there for having forced Menezes to remove a player who, in flashes, was posing problems to the opposing defence.
The most important change, though, was the introduction of Fred – not because the Fluminense striker is some type of genius. But because a target man striker is a very useful thing to have. Without a genuine number nine a team is obliged to play perfect football – and that is something that the current Brazil team are – unsurprisingly – not able to produce.
But they still might be good enough to win the Copa America. They have drawn their first two games. But then so have Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. The last time the Copa America champion started out with two draws was all the way back in 1922. The winner then? Brazil.
