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International Break Papers over Cracks in Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Brazil Side
Published: October 19, 2013
But are the expectations realistic for the Selecao?
Ten victories in the last 11 games and two wins in the latest international week have put home fans in a bullish mood as the opening day of the 2014 World Cup draws ever closer.
Triumphs over South Korea and Zambia, however, merely serve to paper over the cracks in the squad and does Scolari's men little favour in preparing them for the summer extravaganza.
The Selecao may enter the tournament as one of the favourites, thanks to their Confederations Cup success in the summer, but they face fierce competition from usual suspects Spain and Germany.
Not to mention the conditions that will favour South American nations, and a resurgent Argentina look to be a potent threat in Brazil along with Colombia, Chile and perhaps Uruguay if they overcome Jordan in the playoffs.
But before they can even think about winning it all, they have a few problems to remedy first in the lead-up to the tournament.
First is the poor form of Zenit St Petersburg star Hulk.
The ex-Porto forward has been in woeful form of late for the Selecao, to the extent that even Scolari—a known admirer of Hulk's talents—found it necessary to haul him off at half-time against Zambia.
With the likes of Lucas Moura, Bernard and Ramires all waiting in the wings, Hulk cannot afford to rest on his laurels for much longer.
By the time the World Cup comes round, we could be seeing a different name on the teamsheet lining up alongside Neymar and Oscar in the attacking trio behind a lone striker.
Plenty of Selecao supporters would dearly love to see Lucas Moura or Bernard play on the right wing ra...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
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