/ 2 July 2010

A shot of botox might restore beautiful play

A Shot Of Botox Might Restore Beautiful Play

Both Holland and Brazil will be entering Friday’s World Cup quarterfinals at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth like fading beauty queens.

In parts the two teams still possess radiance, but there is an inescapable sense that both need a touch of footballing botox to resuscitate their traditionally fabulous aesthetic appeal, deflect attention away from the hardened features in their game and really get fans swooning at this World Cup.

Brazil’s play, while marvellously incisive — especially during their 3-0 win over Chile in the round of 16 — has lacked the joga bonito (play beautifully) edge. The Dutch, while comfortably winning all their matches in the tournament so far, have not replicated the Total Football philosophy ingrained in their sporting DNA. Both have been efficient, ruthless but not the prettiest girl at the party.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben admitted as much after Holland’s 2-1 round of 16 defeat of Slovakia: “We didn’t play our best game today but in the end it’s about winning … and hopefully we will save our best match for when we need it,” said Robben.

His comments were pretty much a cut-and-paste of Dutch Wesley Sneijder’s comments after their 2-0 victory over Denmark in their opening Group E game at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.

It’s an “entertainment debate” that Holland coach Bert van Marwijk is not unaware of, but the pragmatic coach has insisted that using the Dutch player’s technique “to control a match and give opponents little space” is a formula to ensure victory.

“Obviously we would like to see all these aspects [control and beautiful football] converge in one match. Another aspect when you want to win … is that Dutch football is characterised by our typical arrogance. But it is when we are too arrogant that we lose, so I think we have done a good job [in containing our arrogance],” said Van Marwijk.

Instead, he said, Holland had the “mentality and focus” to succeed in the tournament.

Both coaches have cited defensive strategies by their opponents as reasons for their teams to be patient and work openings rather than light up the fireworks from kickoff.

It’s a view echoed by Brazilian midfield lynchpin Gilberto Silva after a gritty 0-0 draw with Portugal in their final Group G match in Durban last week: “[The football you saw] is what you can expect from Brazil if all the teams play from behind like you saw today.”

Dunga, who captained Brazil to their World Cup victory in 1994 — under former Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira to end the country’s 24-year wait for the trophy — has been mouthing similar sentiments to his Dutch counterpart about control and aggression being the platform for beautiful football.

He has been criticised for using too many defensive midfielders in his team, denuding it of flair and creativity.

And he has, in captain Lucio, a totemic figure and a street-fighting defender who honed his abilities in some of football’s darker alleys. The Inter Milan defender is as comfortable bottling up attackers — as he did Cristiano Ronaldo in Durban — as creating goals: witness Juan’s opening goal for Brazil against Chile and Lucio’s obstructionist role in ensuring his fellow defender was able to rise to the ball unimpeded by Chilean markers.

Lucio’s ability to keep Dutch striker Robin van Persie quiet will be vital to the outcome of this quarterfinal, as will be the ability of the rest of the Brazil defence to bottle up Robben.

Holland has been using the patient build-up and swift diagonal through-ball to players like Robben effectively in this tournament. One weapon they have used sparingly, though, is Eljerio Elia, the Hamburger SV attacker who electrified his team during several substitute appearances.

Elia, was philosophical about his chances of inclusion: “When you hope that you are in the selection, it’s a disappointment [when you’re omitted]. I’m happy that I make my minutes in the tournament and that I can be important for the team,” he said.