How Silva's absence may affect Brazil
In the aftermath of Brazil’s quarter-final win over Colombia, wild celebrations were interrupted by the devastating news that Neymar had been ruled out for the rest of the Word Cup. Having been stretchered off late in the second half, the host nation’s talisman was adjudged to have broken his vertebrae and effectively the hearts of millions in the process as well, Brendon Netto writes in Goal.com.
As Brazil’s chief attacking threat and the poster boy for this year’s tournament, Neymar’s absence is an immeasurable blow to his side. Such was the impact of the news that it eclipsed the fact that they will be without their captain and leader when they take on Germany in the semi-finals.
Thiago Silva was almost heroic in his efforts to keep James Rodriguez and the rest of the Colombian side from finding an equalizer. In doing so, he picked up a yellow card for his troubles, one that sees him suspended for the clash against Joachim Low’s troops.
If Neymar is Brazil’s most potent weapon in attack, their skipper is the very foundation of their defense. In footballing terms, you could say that the experienced defender, renowned as arguably the best center-back in the world, is just as important to his side’s chances as the Barcelona forward.
The focus then shifts to the man who is likely to replace such a stalwart in defense. Many would count Brazil lucky to have that man be Bayern Munich’s Dante, an experienced center-back who’s won pretty much everything in club football over the past two seasons.
Having joined the Bundesliga giants from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012, Dante has won 8 major trophies since. Bayern have maintained an excellent defensive record in that time with the 30 year-old at the heart of it.
Dante is certainly accomplished enough and has all the necessary credentials to slot into the Brazilian starting eleven effortlessly. Having plied his trade in Germany for the last six years, he has a good understanding of the Selecao’s opponents, particularly with regard to his Bayern teammates.
While his familiarity with the Germans is certainly an asset, it’s his compatibility with his own back four that could be up for debate. How he functions alongside his central defensive partner David Luiz is probably the chief concern.
Paris Saint-Germain’s summer recruit is erratic in defense. His contribution can vary from the sensational to the naïve. He could pull-off a dramatic goal-line clearance or score a scintillating goal but he could also fail to track his marker or needlessly stray into midfield.
However, in Silva the former Chelsea defender had a defensive partner who understood his tendencies, valued them and most importantly, accounted for them. As the more experienced of the two, Silva is often found sweeping up behind Luiz.
They complement each other as Luiz takes the initiative by being the first to come out and close down or tackle a forward. He’s also the one who often carries the ball out of defense and is generally the more dynamic defender. Instead of their contrasting personalities clashing, Luiz and Silva have blended together perfectly.
That’s why it’s not just about replacing the individual for Dante but recreating a successful dynamic with Luiz and therein lays the problem. The Bayern man may be a solid defender and competent at reading situations but he is nowhere near as fast as Silva. If he’s going to cover for Luiz on a regular basis, his lack of pace may be a problem.
Brazil’s defense has been far from convincing in this tournament. They’ve been all over the place at times but have had Silva regularly putting out fires at the back and keeping them in games. Is Dante capable of fulfilling such a challenging task?
The defender can look at his former Bayern teammate Luiz Gustavo’s return to the fold as a blessing though. He has anchored Brazil’s midfield and gone someway to mitigating the assault on their vulnerable defense.
Germany may not be as quick and direct as other sides and while that may suit Dante, their fluidity, quick passing and movement is sure to torment the rest of the Brazilian defense. The central defender may lack the direction Silva provided his teammates and the calming influence he had over them. Ultimately, his leadership and guidance may be too big a loss for Dante to make up for.
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