Next: Brazil

(following from the last post) ... So, to Brazil, our next match. I don't think we'll see Wilkshire (I hope) in the starting 11 again, nor Kennedy at all. I think goalkeeper Kalac might get a go, mainly because he and Schwarzer were so closely tied for a starting berth and because of the extent to which Shunsuke Nakamura's goal was Schwarzer's fault. Perhaps Kalac's extra height and arm-length might have got to that kick. So my 11 will be a 4-4-2 formation:

Kalac
Moore, Neill, Chipperfield, Emerton
Culina, Grella, Bresciano, Kewell
Viduka, Aloisi

It is hard to know how to line them up as I'd like to see Kewell play more in the middle. However, we need people on the wings and who do you put there? Sterjovski is just too raw for Brazil. My tip is to improvise with Culina out there on the right. It may be a 4-2-2-2 lineup with Culina and Grella in defensive "holding" midfield roles and Bresciano and Kewell in forward, wide-pushing midfield roles.

I can see us playing a more defensive game but when we do attack, trying to use Aloisi's run off Viduka (he badly needed a Aussie-Rules style crumbing-forward against Japan). I think we might see as substitutes:

• Sterjovski maybe for Kewell,
• perhaps Wilkshire late in the game for Emerton or replacing Moore if he looks like getting a second yellow card and
• - though I'd like to see Archie Thompson for one of the strikers late in the piece - you'd have to bring in Cahill for either Culina or Bresciano depending on who is tiring in the heat or gets a yellow card.
  

The heat will be stifling so hard-running subs will be most useful.

Tip: my heart says 1-1, but I genuinely think it will be 0-1 Brazil.