Not being able to play as a team has always been a weakness for Brazil. The country also expects them to attack and play other teams off the park. It's a team that always has superstars, and those superstars want to have their moments, and a coach that doesn't allow that doesn't last long. Meanwhile teams like Japan put the team first and aren't too proud to focus on defending.

But, the bigger issue this time is that Brazil is a really aging squad lacking decent players in some key positions. Their main GK plays for Liverpool. Their CBs play for Arsenal and PSG. Their central midfielders play for or just left big European clubs. But, their fullbacks were major weaknesses. One is about to turn 35 and left Juventus a year and a half ago after barely playing in his final year, and he's mostly a CB not a fullback. The other is a 32 year old who has been playing in Russia for the last 7 years. Brazil used to have world class fullbacks. Marcelo, Dani Alves, Roberto Carlos, Cafu, etc.

Age was also an issue. Despite having 2 teenagers in the squad, the third youngest player was 25, and they had almost as many over-30 players as they do under-30s. They were the 6th oldest team at the World Cup, and 3 of those 6 didn't make it out of the group stage. Only 2 of the 6 were reasonable contenders, Brazil and Colombia, the other one that made it out of the group was the surprise story of the tournament Cabo Verde.

So, I don't think it was really that Brazil played too many tricks. They always do that, and they frequently win. The problem this time was that their aging squad lacked good fullbacks which put them under pressure when opponents could get down the wings.

Nah football is football. You play it with your foot and a ball, however you see fit and within the rules. Shenanigans are Brazil's trademark, they have always been. Stop trying to europeanise football.