How Does Dunga Replace Neymar for Crucial Copa America Clash?

After much toing and froing, it has now been finally established that Neymar will now only be suspended for one game for his two yellow cards and dismissal at the end of a fraught match with Colombia.

That means Brazil’s brightest light will be missing for the vital encounter with Venezuela this Sunday, where Brazil need a result to be sure of progress to the quarter-finals of the Copa America. Peru’s 1-0 win over the Venezuelans last night (Thursday) means all sides are tied on three points from two games. This group has been far from the walkover many envisaged.

Previously, Dunga had the kind of selection dilemma all managers dream of. His team, while not playing particularly scintillating football, were picking up wins, not conceding goals and players who came in to replace first-choice starters performed so as to make the boss step back and think.

How the coin has flipped. The coach now has a true headache on his hands as he strives to build an attack capable of providing the firepower to propel Brazil forward in the continental competition.

Never mind the issue of whether Brazil can perform without Neymar—just who is going to replace him for the most crucial contest of Dunga’s second reign in the Selecao dugout?

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There are four main options at the manager’s disposal to take Neymar’s place. The most like-for-like replacement would be Santos forward Robinho, whose inclusion in the squad is as the direct reserve to his Barcelona counterpart.

However, the 31-year-old did not feature in either of the friendlies against Mexico and Honduras, and is yet to play a minute of the Copa America thus far. Dunga may also have in the back of his mind the last time Brazil went with the substitute bearing the most similar characteristics to Neymar; Brazil were obliterated 7-1 in the World Cup semi-final by Germany, young winger Bernard barely able to get a sniff of the ball, the midfield left horribly exposed.

Philippe Coutinho could also enter the fray. When the Liverpool playmaker came on against Colombia, the side had a more threatening, penetrating edge, and he, alongside Willian, have added another dimension to Brazil’s midfield outlook.

Coutinho has only been missing due to a thigh injury, and, according to an edition of Brazilian sports daily Lance, he is now fully recovered and fit to start on Sunday. Should Coutinho start, it will be an enormous burden on a young player taking his first steps in international football, without doubt his biggest test to date in a career that promises so much.

Nabor Goulart/Associated Press

Alternatively, Dunga could opt to pair his two line leaders, although this seems the most unlikely scenario. Both Diego Tardelli and Roberto Firmino have so far flattered to deceive, and have only served to highlight the gaping hole at the top of Brazil’s attack where the likes of Ronaldo, Romario and Careca used to send shivers down the spines of opposition defences.

Tardelli was resigned against Peru in the Copa America opener, although his intelligent diagonal run did open a vast gaping space for Neymar to run into and head home the equalizer. Firmino, meanwhile, could still be scarred thanks to his glaring miss on 58 minutes against Colombia, with the gaping goal at his mercy.

Jorge Saenz/Associated Press

Finally, there is what might be described as the “wild-card option.” Young Shakhtar Donetsk forward Douglas Costa, while not being the best Brazilian player at the tournament, has quite possible been the most encouraging in terms of realising his potential for the future. He took his winning goal at the death against Peru extremely coolly, when players of a lesser temperament would have snatched at the chance in a blind panic.

Whichever decision the coach reaches, Friday and Saturday will prove to be decisive days for Dunga and his coaching staff. It should be remembered this is a Brazil side already missing Danilo, Marcelo, Luiz Gustavo and Oscar.

Now, they are without their protagonist, and with an enormous amount at stake it is a call Dunga cannot afford to get wrong. On Thursday, only the reserves trained, and Fred, who has started the first two games, was among them, while Tardelli remained in the hotel with the first team.

But at such a crucial juncture in this journey, surely you must go with the form man. The most obvious choice is Coutinho, who is doing his utmost to challenge Oscar for the playmaking role in national colours.

One last, small point to ponder: Without Neymar and David Luiz on the bench, who does Dunga give the captain’s armband to? Right now, there are an awful lot of questions for the coach. He is running out of time to come up with the answers.