So, that was a great game wasn’t it? It would have been better for me if I hadn’t learned who won before I watched my taped version!

So, let’s analyse what we can learn.

Firstly, take your chances, the USA had 2 shots on goal and produced 2 goals, amazing start to the game. Great early ball in from Spector and a somewhat lucky finish from Dempsey’s left knee. The ball into the box made the goal, so let’s teach our players how to knock in quality balls like that into the danger area.

Second goal from the USA was a beauty in so many ways. That’s how to hit a team on the break, quck, accurate passing, running at speed from Donovan, great ball from Davies and a great finish from Donovan, 2-0 up, dream start…..now what do they do ??

I was impressed by Brazil as they went 2-0 down but it did not phase them. Chelsea were 1-0 down in 26 seconds in the FA Cup Final, but they didn’t let it get them either. Good teams know how to play to their strengths and know that they have players in their team who can turn it around, enter Luis Fabiano!

What a piece of individual brilliance from him as he brought Brazil back into the game. The USA came out in the second half flat footed and lacking concentration. In this case, get the ball to your attackers as quickly as possible and have them test the mental resolve of the opponent, Brazil did this and it turned the game around.

The second Brazilian goal came about as Kaka demonstrated how to take a player on in the box using pace and putting the ball forwards and across the defender thus cutting him off, almost impossible to defend against.

The third goal could have been avoided with disciplined defending. Why do some teams not put a defender on both posts at corners? Blackburn tried this under Mark Hughes and it cost them dearly. If the USA had marked both posts, marked their men in the box, there would not have been the third goal conceded.

Tactically in the first half Brazil were relying on Robinho being on the left, coming in on his right and attacking the defense. The problem with this is that Robinho did not have space created in front of him by the forwards, as a result, they all kind of got “clogged up” in each other’s space.

Enter Daniel Alves as a makeshift left back. This caused Spector problems, so now more space was created. Then Kaka joined in and started drifting out to to the left and now caused real problems. This opened up space, allowed Robinho to move around more freely and gave Spector a real problem.

So, well done to Dunga who made this tactical change.

All credit to the USA, losing 3-2 in a major final to Brazil is nothing to be ashamed of. They turned their tournament around and left with their heads held high.

As for Brazil, they wanted this win as demonstrated by their emotions through the game. They kept to their game plan, used their individual brilliance when needed, kept their composure and made it happen.