[!@#$%!]

the reason brazil looked great today was because they finally allowed themselves to play freely on the offensive.

it helped that chile is not strong on defense and went on the attack from the start, leaving brazil spaces to do their thing. chile was forced to do that, and it was an uphill climb which eventually defeated them.

chicka-- reason brazil kept attacking is not a moral but logical one-- folding back on defense would play to the chile's strengths, i.e., attack (bielsa is famous for his offensive game). so the best way for them to protect their advantage was by increasing it.

then again, man to man, each brazilian player was better than its chilean counterpart, so in the end it was a matter of sheer "weight". they played qualifiers in the same group (CONMEBOL) and chile could not beat brazil-- it hasn't in 10 years.

i'm looking forward to elano's return, who remains benched due to injury. i hope his bones aren't fucked or something, he's been great.

a brazil-argentina final would be specfuckingtacular, by the way.