World Cup watch – Cruyff criticises dull Brazil

After watching an exciting end to the Champions League and Barcelona pipping Real Madrid to the title with the highest ever points title, after all the waiting and expectation, the World Cup has been a big disappointment.
Players have failed to perform, matches have been slow and depressing, while the refereeing also appears to have suffered. It has all been summed up by an ultra-defensive Brazil who are looking strong but at the same time likely to send you to sleep.
“I would never pay to watch this Brazilian team play,” said Cruyff, “they have talented players but they play in boring style and are not very interesting. It is an embarrassment for the fans and the tournament as they are one of the teams that people have come to see.”
While in the past Brazilian stars like Pele, Socrates and Romario have stood out at World Cups, this year the players likely to be remembered are defender Lucio and keeper Julio Cesar. Coach Dunga has certainly done well in building a team in his image.
Of course it hasn’t only been Brazil, England came to South Africa with plenty of expectation and now there is plenty of analysis at what went wrong – was it Capello or Rooney? Were the players generally not interested or were they simply not good enough.
Rooney’s former team-mate Ronaldo also might as well not have turned up. People could be forgotten that the 90m euro player was actually on the pitch as Portugal limped out against a Spain style who did the minimal to win.
Argentina offer the most hope for entertainment with Messi, Tevez and Higuain showing their skills on the pitch while Maradona is always good value for money for his reactions on the sidelines. They play Germany this weekend but while they are favourites to win there are question marks over their defence and especially Dimechelis so don’t be surprised with an upset.
The main reason why the World Cup has been a disappointment is that fans are now used to watching Champions League football and a higher level of competition with the best players in the world together, but also the players have gone to South Africa clearly tired and feeling the strain after a long season. One element that can be addressed is the bringing in of technology to decide contentious decisions and it seems as though Fifa are finally listening to reason.
Finally the biggest positive so far for Barça fans has been the form of new signing David Villa who has been banging the goals in for Spain