Previewing the Copa http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/America-c38390 candidates – Analysing group B: Special Feature (Part 1)
With the Copa America competition set to take place in Argentina in July 2011, let’s take a look at the teams in group b which are Brazil, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ecuador-c2889...
Brazil
Defending champions of the competition, Brazil are struggling to retain their footballing identity at the moment. In last year’s FIFA 2010 World Cup, the Selecao were knocked out at the quarterfinals stage despite being favourites
to win the competition. Brazil flattered to deceive as Netherlands defeated them in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/South-Africa-c757 by two goals to one after the Brazilians had scored first in the opening forty five minutes.
Nonetheless in Copa America on hostile turf, Brazil will find it hard to maintain their continental supremacy. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 and Argentina are standing in their way but Brazil historically have been an outstanding footballing outfit.
The current Brazilian crop may not be as creatively blessed as some of their predecessors but this Brazilian squad is European in its approach towards football. Brazil won the last Copa America which was held in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Venezuela-c3039 as they bested a profligate Argentinean
side in the final by beating them 3-0.
Back then, Lionel Messi had not matured as a player whilst Brazil had the likes of Kaka and Ronaldinho in their squad. Now both the players have been omitted from their senior team squad for the 2011 Copa America. In http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Total-c40747, Brazil
have won the Copa America eight times which is less than the 14 titles each held by Argentina and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Uruguay-c3035.
Goalkeeping
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Julio-Cesar-c19961 will be Brazil’s first choice goalkeeper in Argentina in Copa America. The Inter Milan shot stopper won the UEFA Champions League with the Italian giants in 2009-2010 season but his form dwindled in the 2010 FIFA World
Cup. However the experienced campaigner has now recovered both his confidence as well as his form as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 Milan won the Coppa Italia in the 2010-2011 Serie A season. Cesar was a target of harsh criticism from Brazilian fans in the aftermath of their defeat
to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753 in the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup but all of that seems to be water under the bridge now.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Defence-c38904
This is Brazil’s strongest department. The five time World Cup winners are blessed with the presence of Lucio and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Thiago-Silva-c34903 in the midfield region. Both play in Serie A but both are different to each other in a way that they
complement each other. Silva is a more aggressive defender whilst http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604 man might just get the nod for Copa America considering
his impressive season in La Liga. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Marcelo-c23554 usually plays as Brazil’s left back and the Real Madrid defender brings balance to an incredibly strong back line with his forward surges which provide Brazil with width.
Midfield
Perhaps Brazil’s weakest area with no Kaka, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lucas-c22528 Leiva will start for Brazil as
a defensive midfielder but all the eyes will be on Ganso who was included in the squad. The Brazilian playmaker is seen as the next best thing in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Brazil-c2858 football therefore he will be the main creative influence from the centre of the park.
Strikers
Hulk, Robinho and Neymar will be the stars of a new look Brazilian attack. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Robinho-c31382 saw resurgence in his career after securing a move to Italian football with
A.C Milan. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Argentina-c2841 but it still remains to be seen whether
the defending champions will come out on top once again...
To be continued in part 2...
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