Scolari named new Brazil coach

Gil wrote:Leiva isn't good enough. Sandro, Paulinho, Hernanes and Luis Gustavo are all guaranteed spots.

The only one that comes close to that list is Luis Gustavo.

Paulinho and Hernanes are different players.

ynwa wrote:

Gil wrote:Leiva isn't good enough. Sandro, Paulinho, Hernanes and Luis Gustavo are all guaranteed spots.

The only one that comes close to that list is Luis Gustavo.

Paulinho and Hernanes are different players.

^ Yes, but Scolari plays Hernanes in the midfield pivot, so Leiva is effectively competing with him too. I'd think that Paulinho, Luis Gustavo and Hernanes have guaranteed spots in the WC squad. Sandro could be displaced by someone if Paulinho limits Sandro's game time at Spurs. Then there's Ramires who can also play in the pivot. I don't think Scolari is hugely concerned about what types of player he puts in the pivot. He subbed Paulinho off for Hernanes at the Maracana. Anyway, I think the chances of Leiva putting together a season deserving of a call-up are not good.

Lucas, since his return from injury, has not recovered fully and is still not playing to his potential. Good performances this season and he might make the cut, though obviously he will be a fringe player.

Coutinho has a solid chance. He was impressive in the half season he has had and if he continues those performances this season, he'll make it.

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Lucas, since his return from injury, has not recovered fully and is still not playing to his potential. Good performances this season and he might make the cut, though obviously he will be a fringe player.

Coutinho has a solid chance. He was impressive in the half season he has had and if he continues those performances this season, he'll make it.

All of his impressive matches were against scrub teams though. That said if he can maintain that level across a whole season against better opposition he'll have a chance.

ExtremistEnigma wrote:Lucas, since his return from injury, has not recovered fully and is still not playing to his potential. Good performances this season and he might make the cut, though obviously he will be a fringe player.

Coutinho has a solid chance. He was impressive in the half season he has had and if he continues those performances this season, he'll make it.

I don't know if Lucas will make the cut or not; I haven't really watched a lot of Brazil lately and I don't know how they line up. With that said, he is still doing a very solid job for Liverpool. Even after missing half the season, he had the most interceptions in the league. He was also key in helping us win a lot of games by holding the midfield and letting Gerrard help out the final third. He did a very solid job overall and was one of our better performers in the last month of the season and actually looked like he was coming back to form. So I don't have much worries with Lucas' performances.

With that said, I think Leiva has a better chance than Coutinho. Coutinho has far too much competition with Brazil having a lot of attackers at their disposal all at a similiar age, and of course they're going to need some experience as well. Leiva and Gustavo are the only real defensive midfielders Brazil has to choose from; and Gustavo will potentially have limited game time with Javi Martinez at Bayern Munich.