Part 8: Brazil vs. Argentina – Player Analysis
Zenetti was phenomenal while being on the right for the Argentineans as he helped the team by making runs forward and crossing the ball in towards the strikers and also by getting a grip over Robinho and Ronaldinho who constantly tried
to be a threat. Even though Robinho was not outstanding for the Brazilian side but Ronaldinho was definitely at his best as he had to prove his “comeback.” Javier Zenetti constantly stopped the attacks from the right flank and was definitely a menace for the
Brazilian side who simply had no way to get past the Inter Milan player.
It was Gabriel Ivan Heinze on the left flank and operating as a full back for the Argentinean side. There is definitely not a single better left back than him and the Argentinean defender who was able to score the first goal for his country
during the FIFA World Cup 2010, was able to impress and was simply outstanding on the left flank. However, with Daniel Alves being on the right flank for the Brazilian team, it was definitely impossible for him to keep up with the pace of the Barcelona man.
Gabriel Heinze was able to cut off the threat from Robinho but whenever Daniel Alves tried to make his way down his side, he always found it easy to get past Heinze.
Despite the fact that defensively Heinze was not very strong because of an outstanding performance by Daniel Alves, it is true that he was quick enough to make a run forward to help the strikers in putting those crosses into the danger
area. One of his crosses actually deflected off the Brazilian goalkeeper and found Gonzalo Higuain but the move was later waved offside because the Real Madrid striker could not really position himself perfect; the reason why he was substituted during the
second half for the Napoli striker Ezequiel Lavezzi.
If there was one player who was expected to do wonders with the Argentinean team, it was the newly signed Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria. The youngster showed great form for the Los Blancos and was scoring a lot of goals while playing
under the Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho. Sergio Batista decided to play him as a left winger in the Argentinean team just like he played in Real Madrid.
However, Di Maria was just out wide and could not really help the team with his quick feet and barely contributed in the midfield. He found himself being dispossessed often and gave the ball away very easily. Angel Di Maria was not impressive
at all and it was Daniel Alves who got the most out of him and won the ball from him almost whenever the Brazilian full back approached him. Even though Di Maria was not extraordinary under Sergio Batista, he still managed to flick a pass towards his Real
Madrid partner Gonzalo Higuain; however, Higuain found himself offside again and could not really score the goal that the fans were there to see.
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