Felipe Melo who personifies Dunga's experiment provided its hypotheses and its conclusive proof: It did not work.
Melo, who if one remembers was high on Wenger's wish list last season, played with absolutely no skill. He was responsible for an own goal and then red carded. An outcome as predictable as the setting of the sun.
Now the CBF has its choice- will they accept this as proof that on the world's biggest stage Brazil failed. The Selecao went out in the last World Cup in the quarterfinals which set off Dunga's course correction. He will be deemed to have carried it too far.
Full marks to the Oranje who came back - Wesley Sneijder like he did in the CL finals, stamped his class in this match too. He might consider this as one of his crowning achievements. They meet the winners of the Ghana vs Uruguay match. Europe 1, South America 0.
Fair enough and I appreciate your clarification and willingness to always respond to arguments on the merits. I say this since, looking back on my comment, it comes off more aggressively than I meant it. Anyway, I think we actually agree on our assessment of him as player.
Jesse G., - Melo's problem has been this lack of mental control. Dunga had to take him out of the Ivory Coast game before halftime because his game had degenerated into a series of retaliatory fouls. His career at Juventus has been marred by the same lack of judgment. Elano's injury was a big blow - he has infinitely more skill. But yes, this was a heat of the moment assessment and Melo is not a bad player- he was quite good at the Confederations Cup and as an Arsenal supporter he was a big transfer target for Wenger.
"Melo … played with absolutely no skill."
Whoa there cowboy, this is probably the overstatement of the century. Sure he had a total meltdown on the red but the own goals was in name only since it was Julio Cesar's error that led to the goal; that ball was going in even without Melo's slight touch. Secondly, to say Melo played with no skill is preposterous given that it was his brilliant and perfectly weighted through ball that ripped the Holland team to shreds and set Robinho up for Brazil's goal. I agree that Melo had a pretty bad game overall given the way he lost his head and put things out of reach for his team by dropping them to ten men but, although I frequently agree with you and often love your analysis, you are just dead wrong on this one.
DUNGA SHOULD BE FIRED!!!!! I AGREE HE DID EXPERIMENT WITH THIS TEAM...HE HAS NO EXPERIENCE COACHING A TEAM EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL SAID BEFORE WORLD CUP THIS IS THE WEAKEST BRAZIL TEAM EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DUNGA HAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE PLAYERS...HE SHOULD OF RESOLVED THIS ISSUE AND PUT ON RONALDINHO, ADRIANO, ALEXANDRE PATO ETC.
DUNGA YOU WILL DEFINITELY GET FIRED FOR GOOD!!!!!!!!
is the blog manager dutch? or is it someone without a clue of the true spirit of the game. please stop interpreting the game without a heart. it was a big surprise that Brazil held their cool till the end and dint break out physically. if u truly have a heart.you could please blog again giving a better light on Brazil. even i hated it when dunga played a more defensive team. but the Brazil team never EVER lose their samba style whatever coach they have.its so impossible for them to play defensively.i cried wen Brazil lost. not because I'm a Brazil supporter, but because the game is losing its beauty with every world cup.I'm sure u will blog again throwing light on the dutch foul play which can be justified and rationalized as strategy.....but is it the true spirit?....question yourself....u could blog better....