How the new Brazil is taking shape and why Cunha is key

How the new Brazil is taking shape and why Cunha is keyPublished2 minutes agoCommentsThe World Cup is taking shape - and I am happy to say the Brazil team is too.It looks like Carlo Ancelotti has found his best XI and we have improved and gained momentum and confidence with each game of the group stage.We are getting better at the right time and we have to be, because Japan will be a big challenge in the last 32.It feels like we are on track, and a big part of that is down to Matheus Cunha. He is the key to a lot of what we are doing so well.It is quite funny to be saying this because usually the Brazil public expects a classic number nine to be leading our attack, and Cunha is different to what the fans are normally looking for. He is more of a nine-and-a-half. Someone who can play like a nine, but also a 10 to link play and create for others.So he is not like Ronaldo, Adriano or Romario, some of our great strikers of the past 30 years, but because he can also score goals - he has three so far at this tournament - he is not a playmaker, either.Instead, he gives the team something that Brazil have maybe never had before, in terms of a centre-forward anyway.To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.This video can not be playedFigure caption, Cunha scores twice as Brazil beat Haiti'Brazil did not know who our best number nine was'In some ways, Cunha reminds me a lot of my old Liverpool team-mate Roberto Firmino in the way he is always dropping deep, and giving the defender marking him a doubt about what to do.If the defender follows him, it gives more space and freedom to Vinicius Jr and Rayan. If the defender leaves Cunha, then he has time to play between the lines, get on the ball and look for passes or shoot.Cunha seems very happy and comfortable with his role, including the defensive side of it when he starts the press or plays almost like a number six in front of the midfield, and it seems to be working for the team in terms of th...