Analysis: Performance cracks the last four need to fix

0 is the number of losses for all the teams appearing in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals.

LONDON:

The whole of Brazil has been riding the crest of a wave of excitement throughout this most wonderful of World Cups.

As the Selecao have progressed through the tournament, so has the sense of this being a special year manifested.

However, now is probably the time for a reality check. To strip away all of the passion and fervour and take a long, hard look at what was, in truth, a fairly lackluster performance against Colombia.



Despite eventually prevailing and booking themselves a spot in the semi-finals, the cracks are beginning to widen for Brazil with the loss of both Thiago Silva (through suspension) and Neymar (fractured vertebrae).

But let’s look back to the Colombia game for a moment or two.

Both teams had set up with an attacking 4-2-3-1 formation, and we potentially had one of the most exciting World Cup match-ups on our hands. That notion was quickly dispelled due to a somewhat controversial refereeing performance.

Star-of-the-tournament James Rodriguez was clearly the danger man, but with Fernandinho doing a particularly good hatchet job on the youngster, he was never really able to stamp his indelible mark on proceedings. Incredibly, every single tackle went unpunished until after the hour mark.

Even Juan Zuniga’s tournament-ending tackle on Neymar didn’t lead to a booking.

Once again Fred, Oscar and Hulk were hugely disappointing and did little to impress up front. Without Neymar to unlock a miserly German defence that has only conceded three goals all tournament, the potential difficulties in attack are obvious.

And at the back too, Brazil still look far from settled.

Maicon for Dani Alves was an obvious pre-game switch but the former’s better days are also behind him. The craft and guile of Thomas Muller or Mario Gotze down his side will ensure that his appetite for bombing forward is reined in.

Further, the loss of Silva could be detrimental to any aspirations of progress given the superior aerial presence that the Germans will bring to the party.



Mats Hummels showed against France the sort of set-piece quality Joachim Low’s side possesses, and in Toni Kroos they have a supreme architect of the dead-ball delivery.

The blend of hard-nosed professionalism and occasional flamboyance that Low has instilled within his side is just about perfect, and they also retain the ruthless edge that is in keeping with German traditions of tournament football.

For the hosts to have any chance of stepping out at the Maracana next Sunday, their play has to be measured and diligent, and quite at odds with the ‘samba’ football their adoring public will demand.

Argentina disposed of the ‘dark horses’ Belgium with their most accomplished performance in the tournament to date.

A fabulous early goal from Gonzalo Higuain bought them an advantage which Marc Wilmots’ side rarely looked like challenging, to the disappointment of thousands of Brazilian fans in the stadium.

Javier Mascherano once again provided immaculate support in front of a defence that looked edgy whenever the lightning-quick Divock Origi moved into the danger areas.

That surely won’t have escaped the notice of the Dutch and against the counters of Memphis Depay and Arjen Robben, Argentina could struggle again in this regard.



As expected, Lionel Messi was subjected to a thorough and prolonged examination of the more physical rigours of the game with Marouane Fellaini especially guilty of some extremely crude challenges.

It wasn’t really a surprise given how the Belgians had set their stall out throughout the tournament.

Eden Hazard in particular has been kept very quiet, and perhaps this isn’t how Marc Wilmots envisaged his World Cup campaign would turn out.

The loss of Angel di Maria to a thigh injury could be crucial to Argentine hopes of overturning a Dutch side under the peerless Louis van Gaal.

Argentina look a much more balanced outfit with the Real Madrid man in situ and although they’ve coped without Aguero, losing Di Maria will be a step too far.

Alejandro Sabella may have to look to a slightly different approach than that which he has employed previously, but whichever tactics he settles on, it will take something special to outwit Van Gaal.

Taking off your number one goalkeeper to have him replaced just for a penalty shoot-out was a mark of genius.

It is likely that it will be down Argentina’s left side that the game will be lost.



Arjen Robben has been a constant thorn in the side for opposition teams throughout the tournament and even though the officials are wise to his often quite embarrassing antics, it hasn’t stopped them from allowing the wide man to heavily influence proceedings.

In his defence, Robben has been the go-to man in all of the games so far, but it is a crying shame that he continues to taint his excellence in possession of the football with a propensity to hit the floor at the slightest contact.

Zabaleta can expect another busy night on the opposite side too. Robin Van Persie will peel off into the areas he patrols when required and Wesley Sneijder should provide additional support, forcing either Mascherano or Lucas Biglia out of the centre.

Much continues to rest on Messi’s shoulders but his struggles of late have centred around a lack of space within which he can work.

Nigel De Jong is out of the rest of the tournament through injury so Georginio Wijnaldum will take up a similar role to opposite number Mascherano in trying to stop Messi from either playing the killer ball, or moving forward with menace himself; an unenviable task.

Stefan de Vrij, Ron Vlaar and Bruno Martins Indi need only continue to persevere with the studious defensive work ethic that has served them so well throughout the tournament, and seen the Dutch concede just four times on their way to the semi-finals.

The first goal is crucial; if the Dutch score it, then expect Van Gaal to use of all his tactical nous to deliver the Oranje’s second World Cup final in succession.

The writer is a European football journalist. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2014.

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