Ah wonder boy ... will this hasten Neymar's move to Europe?
Nope, his inability to make "instant" decision was highlighted. He was caught in possession to often in critical position on the field. Maybe he need to go to a reserve team or on loan to a spanish team to develop his decision making ability. Right now he could not even replace Malouda or Kalou, much less for a Drogba. Even Sturridge, is ahead of him tactically.
Maybe this comes from the strategy employed by the coach to deal with Barcelona, however, in idividual situations he was very lacking of the sophistication, spontainiety, and decisiveness on the ball. To put out all that money on a "potential" top player is kinda hard in these times (also you can thank Robinho, Vela (?), etc for this).
Elan, I too think you're being harsh. But first let me say, in the interest of full disclosure, that I stated the following on another thread with respect to Neymar:
I am on the verge of being the heretic in this Neymar worship .. for a couple reasons, but I'll reserve comment until I see this sequence in total context. Meantime, I'll say what allyuh watching dey is the irreverence of youth and youthful exuberance, not genius.
But before ah get there, permit me a lil unfinished business ... on the same thread from the quote above, Dinho went:
...
The difference for me is that you can't overlook the tactical value of an in-game beat like that, or class it the same as something like a backheel penalty.
When Neymar carry them 2 men down in that corner and deal wid dem, is one of 2 things happening after.. Them men will back off of him not wishing to get twist up again, or they will come in wild to try to teach him a lesson. What this does is give Neymar an advantage because he has won the individual battle against his opponent, and in addition he has upset the other team's defensive formation.
I have no issues with a team running up goals.
Now a backheel penalty in my opinion is just assness with no tangible value to the game, but that is just the way I see it. I respect that others appreciate that.
That was in September. However, in July he went:
Let Neymar stay whey he is or, let him go Real or one ah dem other teams.
Based on what I see so far, it have no way that nashy lil "starbwoy" youth going and survive in England.
All he wanna do when he get de ball is beat, like he feel is Eddie Hart. No amount ah beat go cut it in the EPL, i prefer we bring in a proven clinical finisher like Falcao and run with that than try to pay all dat money for Neymar and then hope he grow a brain.
Yet, for some reason he had difficulty digesting the notion of youthful exuberance.
[Dinho ah know yuh could handle yuh stories, so come wid it ... ah just inserted that to contextualize what ah about tuh raise wid Elan]
Elan, yuh raise nuff interesting points ... I'll start at the last one.
1. Good point regarding Vela and Robinho. I won't quibble ... but I think not only has Robinho's redemption been more successful than Vela's ... Robinho circumstances were more related to temperament and acculturation than to a mismatching of price with pedigree. Not to mention actual accomplishments and individual accolades in which the gap between Vela and Robinho might also be distorted. Anyhow, like ah say ... credible point.
2. Ramalho's tactics: agree with Observer that the counterattacking expectation they had got hit for six ... whatever they tried proved futile ... Santos attempted to play like I've seen them attempt in the past ... but lehwe recall that they were not convincing in the away leg of the Libertadores final ... and at home, some of the personnel on the field were notably different from what Ramalho used in the World Clubs final game (for instance, it was Arouca's hard work that assisted in exploiting Penarol in the Libertadores ... I doh recall him being on the field in this final ... also Elano's substitution was effectively meaningless ... whereas, Elano was prominent v. Penarol as a starter ...)
Plus, Borges was off (this man had a head of steam in recent months but he couldn't convert or combine with Neymar effectively in the final of this tournament ... go figure, it ent only about Neymar). Borges converting anyone of of those opportunities could have changed the status quo of the game.
3. Now down to the nitty gritty ... Neymar is a finisher ... de fella can finish ... he wasn't a finisher in the final of this tournament, but I've seen enough of him to know he is a finisher ... ah cyah tell yuh what accounted fuh him being off on the day ... but the psychological component seems to have been a factor. I cyah mash up de man resume on just this showing. Yuh cyah throw de baby out with de bathwater.
I agree he was not decisive ... I think he wasn't his
instinctive self ... Neymar is a rhythm player and well ... Santos had none, but he kept trying to get some minimal reward out of the game even at 3-0 (almost manically too for pride) ... In the past I've seen him change a game against the run of play ... he might have been feeling the pressure to perform for Pep and Mourinho? and the eyes of others.
4. He doh need no reserve team ... he could be a factor on a major team ... if Lukaku could be at Chelsea ... who is Neymar?
