Going into his first World Cup as Brazil coach, Tite is looking for some rhythm. It's the one thing, surprisingly, he thinks his team is short of. So Tite will use the upcoming friendlies against World Cup host Russia and defending champion Germany to find a proper No. 10, someone who can play at the heart of the midfield and keep his orchestra in sync.
"To use a samba concept, I need a rhythm-maker," Tite said recently. "Even if that player is not in his top form he will be brought in because the team needs that." Beijing Guoan's Renato Augusto has been Tite's first-choice No. 10 so far but hasn't inspired much confidence that he can lead a team that is among the favorites to win the tournament for a sixth time.
With Neymar out injured, there's even more room for experiment, and players like Willian, Philippe Coutinho and Fernandinho could be tested in more than one position. Here is a look at the main issues that Tite has to sort out ahead of the World Cup.
GOALKEEPER
CENTRAL MIDFIELD
STRIKER
BACK-UP STRIKER
BACKUP DEFENDERS
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