Neymar brilliant but also baffling in our Brazil v Costa Rica talking points

Matt Jones - Editor 19:52 22/06/2018
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  • The struggles of the elite nations at the World Cup continued as Brazil laboured in their 2-0 victory against Costa Rica.

    Philippe Coutinho was the hero for the South Americans, scoring the crucial opener and simultaneously breaking Los Ticos hearts beyond 90 minutes.

    Neymar added even later gloss when he tapped in with virtually the last kick of the game to put Brazil on the brink of the knockouts and send Costa Rica home.

    Here, we look at the talking points from the game:

    NEYMAR IS NOT A KID ANYMORE

    Neymar was notoriously off-colour against Costa Rica.

    Neymar was notoriously off-colour against Costa Rica.

    Neymar is a nuisance to opposition defences, with his sublime skill and scoring ability. But in this game he posed problems for his own team rather than Costa Rica in a display laced with immaturity and profligacy.

    Fans and analysts will point to his eye-catching ability and goal that likely seals passage into the knockout stages. But for all his charm and tricks, one of the game’s greatest talents too often allows misbehaviour to outshine his magic.

    He was fouled more times (10) against Switzerland than any player had been felled in an opening World Cup match since England’s Alan Shearer (11) against Tunisia at France 98.

    But that doesn’t tell the whole story of a player who buys so many cheap, often unwarranted fouls, because of who he is.

    The penalty that experienced Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers initially awarded for the slightest of tugs on Neymar by Bologna’s Giancarlo Gonzalez was prime prima donna behaviour from the Paris Saint-Germain player, who has been even more over indulged since arriving in the French capital than previously.

    He was then booked moments later for petulantly punching the ball away when another call went against him.

    Normally he can block out the bad side of his game with the brilliant, but even that was missing here.

    Statistically he endured a nightmare day. Dispossessed a mindblowing nine times and registering five unskilled touches (both not only team, but game highs), his pass accuracy of 89.8 per cent was also fourth worst for Brazil.

    And while he ended on a high with the second goal, lest we forget he earlier wasted Brazil’s best two chances when ballooning over just before the hour and curling wastefully wide too.

    Neymar is now 26. Such childish behaviour is not becoming of one of the game’s greats.

    MIGHTY MINNOWS

    Cristian Gamboa (r) typified Costa Rica's tenacity.

    Cristian Gamboa (r) typified Costa Rica’s tenacity.

    Defeat was particularly harsh on Costa Rica, who head home in the knowledge that they played their hearts out and made Brazil look distinctly very average for long spells.

    That will provide no comfort currently to Oscar Ramirez and Co, however, who deserved far better for their efforts in Saint Petersburg.

    They knew they would have to withstand a Brazilian bombardment with the myriad brilliant players at Tite’s disposal – but they were far from all out defence for 90 minutes.

    After a gritty opening they ventured forward and grew in confidence as the first half wore on – buoyed by a first shot on target from their opponents registered only in the 40th minute – and again in the second as Brazil and their superstars became visibly irked.

    Keylor Navas was a rock in goal, with the Real Madrid stopper and his defence stoic throughout and deserving of a draw. Had Celso Borges buried his fizzed effort into Alisson’s bottom right corner after 13 minutes, they might have even had a lead to defend.

    Cristian Gamboa, whose charge down the right led to that glorious chance for Borges, typified Los Ticos’ tigerish tenacity.

    Three tackles from the underused Celtic man who had a 100 per cent tackle success rate in their opener against Serbia, in addition to two interceptions and one block. Gamboa would later brilliantly prevent Coutinho a certain goal with a goal-line clearance.

    As it was, their finals foray ends in the group stage four years on from their resplendent run to the quarter-finals, with only a heartbreaking tale against Brazil to tell.

    WILLIAN LEFT TO COUNT THE COSTA

    Woeful Willian was hauled off at half-time.

    Woeful Willian was hauled off at half-time.

    Tite opted for the tried and trusted method and remained faithful to the attacking trio that started the 1-1 draw with Switzerland – despite an abject second-half performance.

    But a woeful display from Willian saw the Chelsea man hooked at half-time, and the Brazil coach is sure to bring Douglas Costa into his starting XI for the final Group E clash with Serbia after making a huge impact off the bench.

    Willian’s pass accuracy of 83.3 per cent was the second worst in the Brazil team after Gabriel Jesus in the opening 45 minutes, while he was dispossessed three times. Only Neymar (five) lost the ball more in that period, but the nation’s prodigal son is hardly likely to be dropped, despite his own heavily mixed outing.

    Costa was the very antithesis of Willian in the second 45, vibrant throughout and delivering a delicious cross which Neymar tucked away to seal the three points.

    He had 11 more touches (46) and contributed three key passes to Willian’s unsurprising tally of zero. His five dribbles were also three more than Willian managed – in fact he led Brazil in an attacking display that struck fear into Los Ticos.

    Before the World Cup there was talk of Willian joining Manchester United this summer, which Red Devils fans won’t be particularly enamoured to hear. A 29-year-old winger in decline. He is still a sublime talent but lacks the deadly dynamism of his younger days.

    There will surely now be a shake-up in attack for the Serbia game – likely to be a showdown for top spot. Costa has played himself into contention while Willian is left to count the cost of two ineffectual displays.

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