The appointment of Felipao is laden with symbolism and patriotic gesture. I want to say that Tite was a more suitable candidate but that’s assuming that football reasons were the basis for the decision (if true, Tite’s merits would be incontestable). Besides, I’m not sure that the Brazilian NT is the ideal next step for Tite in his career.

Away from the game, what do you think of Felipao being selected to manage the selecao? given the range of names that were thrown around, i wold have personally gone for Abel Braga, maybe even Tite is the CBF actually waited till 2013. my point is, do these coaches get enough respect? i heard they call them “boleiros” in Brasil, which in my opinion is disrespectful, atleast for someone like Braga who I have followed since his Internacional days, and very closely so at his spell with Al Jazira. Watching the Libertadores and now the CWC, i got to appreciate Tite’s tactical mind as well. what’s your opinion on this?

Andre Rocha has been doing an amazing job with Olho Tatico over at globoesporte.

Thanks for those valuable observations.

You’ve seen more of Liverpool and Tottenham than I have so far this season! But from what little I’ve gleamed, it doesn’t surprise me that Liverpool are taking time to adapt as a functioning collective to Rodgers’s ideas: as you said, the gaps and the inconsistencies will be present during the first few weeks.

In the case of Spurs, I think it’s more a question of AVB not having the players at his disposal while the Modric saga goes unresolved. They’ve just secured Adebayor’s services, which of course concretises some things in attack, but I don’t believe that the 4-2-3-1 we saw on the opening weekend is indicative of either the shape nor the character of the side that AVB has in mind. I honestly cannot see AVB persisting with Bale as an inverted winger-cum-second-striker for much longer; the Portuguese coach must be just improvising until his midfield regista and his forward line have been settled. Then I think we’ll see the true incarnation of his Tottenham.

the ball was played out of the defence with minimum fuss (and pressure), but the players seemed to be positionally intelligent, applying a “salida lavolpiana”. by the 35th minut i was almost going to say “i have never seen Gerrard play so intelligently”, but he quickly proved me wrong. it will take time, but it’s looking OK so far. the pressing from the front is a ood sign, but even that isn’t executed at its best from a collective perspective.

The system may work well in Europe, but i see the same gaps between the lines (mostly between midfield and defence) that the bigger teams know how to exploit. once pressed at the back, they still aren’t comfortable enough to exit the defensive phase.

I’ll try and catch another Tottenham game (saw vs Valencia, wasn’t impressed) to get a better idea on how AVB is applying his ideas.