Alan Brazil: I would have scored a lot more goals at this World Cup

The World Cup has convinced me of one thing.

I’m certain I’d score more goals if I was playing these days. We’re being told this tournament in Brazil is the most exciting of all time.

It’s certainly very open and we’ve seen the ball hit the net plenty of times.

The goals-per-game ratio in the group stage was the highest since 1958. But I’m not convinced that’s because we’re seeing an outbreak of brilliant striking play.

Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller and Neymar are leading the charge for the Golden Boot, but we already knew they were top-quality forwards.

Others are grabbing goals because the defending might be the worst we’ve ever seen at a World Cup.

Those in the back line don’t seem to be able to cope with the way the game has evolved. Rule changes and refereeing guidelines have almost removed tackling.

Tough defenders like Italy’s notorious Claudio Gentile a man who said football wasn’t for ballerinas simply couldn’t take part in this World Cup.

He’d probably be sent for an early bath after his first challenge. The man who sums up the modern approach to composing a defence is David Luiz.

He has just been transferred from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain for a fee of £50m. That’s a staggering amount of cash for a man who really can’t defend.

He’s a ball-playing centre-back for Brazil and can be effective when striding forward and delivering a long pass. But don’t rely on him to stop the opposition when they get within 20 yards of goal.

As long as a defender has pace and can head the ball, he can make a great living these days.

Those who aren’t blessed with speed seem unable to develop a technique for tackling that won’t inspire the referee to blow for a foul. My best haul of goals over a season was 28.

I’m sure I’d have scored a lot more if I was playing under the modern rules. I certainly wouldn’t have been injured as often because defenders wouldn’t have be given the leeway to boot me a couple of times during the first 15 minutes.

The only way I can see the goals drying up at this World Cup is if teams get a little cagier during the knock-out stages. I’ll be interested to see if that happens because it could help teams like the USA.

They don’t have outstanding individuals but they show tremendous commitment and togetherness. People say the States won’t prosper because they turn out athletes rather than footballers.

Well, they’ve got further than England in this World Cup! I can’t help but feel they’ve shown Roy Hodgson’s boys what can be achieved when you really believe success is possible.