I have discussed in depth how I believe Marcelo has developed as a leader over the past seasons, and a good example of how ageing seems to have positvely chilled him down is the expressive reduction of red cards in key moments of the game in an abrupt anger burst out.
Altough Felipe Luis is perhaps one of the most qualified immediate subs of Brazil, Real Madrid's LB has developed a few game changer tricks which can be pulled out of his wrists such as the shot outside of the box using the right leg. We have seen beautiful and importante goals like that in the last years in his Real Madrid life. This is where he is more skilled than Felipe. Atleti's LB Felipe is perhaps a keener defensive tool, as he is taller and more used to holding back and protecting his talented team players like Griezmann and Carrasco running through the wings. Altogether, Marcelo's eventual absence is a bigger risk in terms of leadership and team confidence than technically.
On a final note about the left back, it's important to point out that Marcelo isn't as bad defending as many people are "parroting out loud". He is a good LWB and at times, LW, especially when Ronaldo is floating back and forth from the box, but IMO he isn't as good defending precisly when he is out there attacking. When we considering the (rare) moments that Real Madrid is on a completely defensive mode, holding on a few minutes of a key match before the final whistle finally comes, the point is he is a good defender. He isn't the tallest or the strongest, but he can do a decent work protecting spaces and trying to recover the ball.
Neymar is a different case and IMO it's far easier to imagine what his potential absence would look and feel like to the South American team. Altough Coutinho has played an equally importante role in creating chances, Neymar is the symbol of this generation and he is also a "good friend" of the entire group. I don't think that we need many lines to go into the matter but to put it as simple as possible for foreigners: Several Portuguese-speaking sources (journalists, celebrities, friends, former team mater, former coaches, etc...) describe Neymar as a very friendly caracther. The Spanish press often times like to be "overly creative" and by that I mean invent rumours of fights of all kinds. There might have been issues during his Barça time, that's not the point, what I'd like to perhaps let people know outside the Brazilian Portuguese speaking world is that Neymar is a far less toxic person than people at times assume. Actually, Brazilians at times backfeed from the Spanish media's show (which followed him after he moved to France), in the form of rumours that he could return to Spain and other stuff.
Neymar and Marcelo are living different situations: Neymar's foot seems healed, and Marcelo is a big doubt. I'd like to go into the other injury situations
Danilo seemed to be destined for a good world cup, I particularly don't like a few aspects of Daniel Alves as a pseudo leader and IMO his absence could be discussed in terms of effect (neutral, negative, etc). Fagner is MILES BEHIND Danilo in terms of quality and career path. Danilo is more experienced, and was much more fit than his sub. The Right back "line of sucession" has also been discussed in previous posts
Douglas Costa has a good abillity to fill in spaces in the midfield and his passing skills while rushing forward through the middle is something Brazil could particularly benefit from in a moment they are facing diverse challenges comparing to those lived in the "before world cup" scenario. He could be really good and his injury came at a horrible timing. He could have been in the peak of his adaptation to the team by the semis or finals and that simple won't happen, regardless if he comes back to the squad at all or not.
I think Brazil has a big dependence on Coutinho, not only because he makes Neymar better by offering him an option to one-two movements, he is a big threat when shooting and he is in top form. I believe Liverpool's life could have been much different had he remained in UK, mainly because of the momentum involved (That's not exactly breaking news but my point is he ended the season in top form and helped Brazil qualify to the WC's Round of 16)
Also, he wouldn't exactly be stuck in a small club forever, it wasn't his big chance of a lifetime, IMO he was completely drunk by the colours of Barça and if you consider precisely the 2017/2018 club season, it's fair to say it was a stupid choice. In a way, he seems to have arrived "hungry" at WC in a way he might not have been had he lifted UCL trophy (only conjecturing a little here)
I won't discuss the replacement of each position but it's interesting to have a look at what I believe wouldn't hurt them much...
GK spot is crucial in a KO stage and IMO Alisson doesn't look as much solid as you would expect for a Brazilian Selection regular and the beautiful things Taffarel (Brazil's GK coach) always says about him that he is "clealry above" other Brazilian GKs. I find the statement open for debate and many question that in Brazil too. IMO he is no 100m EUR material, not a name to arrive at Real Madrid and become shirt #1 without a fight with Navas. In other words I don't really understand the hype of "potentially the most expensive GK in history". He is a good GK, I'm not saying he's horrible. I think his WC is better than De Gea's for example, but I'm not sure he is the best by far in Brazil and I simply don't believe he could be more expensive than Courtois or Neuer EVEN if you consider their ages. Period.
Willian And Gabriel Jesus are not having the WC everyone expected and their absence wouldn't be a nightmare scenario if you consider a potential formation change, which definitely could be good for Brazil (not a major one, but some...)
CBs seem to be having a decent time. I'm ok with Thiago Silva / Miranda. Never been a fan of Marquinhos as a regular, IMO the CB needs experience and they offer that ALTOUGH I definitely don't like Thiago Silva as a capitan for other reasons. Experience playing their own role doesn't exactly translate as leadership in a broader sense. CB is a kind of position which tends to allow leadership to arise easier as CB demands positioning to be correct from team mates and the way the CB asks for that could help the team to organize itself. Thiago is a great CB, but not a good capitain for reasons you can find in older posts...
Happy Trading!
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