Brazil vs. England: What Scolari Must Do to Restore World Cup 2014 Dream

Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will no doubt have left the Maracana a very confused man Sunday night, having watched his side come back to claim a late 2-2 draw against England in a game that they had dominated for long periods.

For all their possession, and indeed shots on goal, there was still much to improve about the Brazil display throughout the encounter. They had been all over England in the first half, but it was easy to surmise that their advantage had been due, largely, to English deficiencies.

While the likes of Oscar and Neymar were supplying the side with good movement in forward areas, England were finding it relatively easy to guard the edge of their own area. They couldn't keep the ball, but they were never too perturbed by the Brazil attack.

The second half brought initial improvement from the Selecao in the shape of Hernanes, but the lack of a holding midfielder opened up space for England to attack and contributed to the loss of two goals.

It was a game of ups and downs for Scolari and his side, but he will now have a better idea of where things must change if Brazil are to challenge at the Confederations Cup this month and ultimately the World Cup beyond that.

Central Midfield Balance

A number of issues were raised in this department during Sunday night's game, but two points stood out in particular.

Firstly, if Brazil are to compete with the best in world football then they need to find room for Hernanes in the centre of midfield. Secondly, if they are to remain with just two players in that area of the pitch, the other player must be an out-and-out holding midfielder.

The difficulty, therefore, is that there would be no place for a Ramires or Paulinho figure in that setup.

Scolari, though, has shown a clear intent to play his 4-4-2 variation that has featured in recent games, during which time the best midfield pairing has been Hernanes alongside Gremio's Fernando.

While 21-year-old Fernando then sits deep and distributes the ball from the base of midfield, Hernanes is free to conduct the attack. The combination of the duo, along with Oscar in a more advanced role, would give Brazil excellent technical qualities in the centre of the park.

At the World Cup, where ball retention will be so important, this could well be the Selecao's best option. Paulinho could then be used as an impact substitute from the bench—depending on the circumstance.

Use the Best Available Attacking Options

It is becoming ever more clear that Zenit forward Hulk is not making the required impact in a Brazil shirt. He can often look clumsy and indecisive around the area, leaving the fans frustrated at his continued presence in the side.

He has, though, made a significant impact in the past as a substitute. Late in matches, he is able to quickly adapt to the pace of games and make an impact with his sudden addition of speed and power into the attack.

It is debatable, also, as to whether Hulk is even one of Brazil's best forwards at present.

Many would prefer Paris Saint-Germain youngster Lucas Moura on the flank, and there can be little doubt that the former Sao Paulo star has been the better of the two in 2013. Atletico Mineiro's Bernard is another player who could make similar claims.

For the fixture with France next week—Brazil's final pre-Confederations Cup outing—it would be nice then to see Lucas given a trial run in the role.

With Oscar and Lucas supporting both Neymar and a central striker, and a technically strong central midfield installed behind that unit, Brazil would then have both pace and skill in abundance in attacking areas.

When it comes to choosing a central striker, Fred appears to be in position by default. A fully fit and rejuvenated Pato, though, would give Brazil a whole new dimension. That, though, may be wishful thinking.

Settle Nerves and Restore Confidence

Brazil's biggest obstacle at present is their own mentality. With just one win under Scolari in 2013 against an understrength Bolivia side, a loss in confidence is understandable. They must, though, work past these difficulties if they are to succeed.

Restoring belief will be the coach's most important task over the next 12 months, but a task they can only succeed in if they can pick up results.

At the moment, Brazil are a timid imitation of what the players they have on show could be. In the heat of competition, with an expectant crowd, the pressure on their shoulders is only set to increase further.

It is in this respect that Scolari will earn every cent of his sizeble paycheque, ensuring that his side know what they can achieve, while also giving them the freedom to do so. Given the intense spotlight they will be under, it's an unenviable task.

Brazil have slumped to 19th in the FIFA rankings due to their lack of competitive fixtures, as well as poor results in recent friendly fixtures.

While that may be unrepresentative of their true strength, the Selecao are yet to beat a full-strength side from a traditional footballing power in the present four-year, World Cup cycle—a great concern for all involved.

All is not lost, though, and a good Confederations Cup would certainly do much to calm the nerves ahead of next year's main event.

An important few weeks lie ahead, but the missed opportunities of Sunday will weigh heavy on the mind. A good performance against France next week is now more important than ever.