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In the End - The Final Balance

July 9th, 2006 | By: Luis Paulo | 10 Comments »

The World Cup has ended for us. The final balance was positive. After 40 years we are once again between the top 4 teams in the World. However, there is a taste of how could it be if he had won in our mouths. I’m proud of what we did and you must be too. In 2 years we’ll look for the title at the Eurocup, knowing that we can achieve it.

Let’s see what did work out right and what didn’t at this World Cup.

What didn’t work out at all;

- Defense’s left side: It’s was our Achille’s tendon. It was the easiest way for any team to achieve our goal. We couldn’t trust Meira at all and Valente didn’t keep the good work that Miguel was doing on the other side.
- Pauleta: He only scored once in 7 games and scoring was Portugal’s main problem at this World Cup. I never thought he was a great goalscorer but I didn’t think that I wouldn’t even listen to his name on the games either.

What could be better:

- Deco: He didn’t play poorly but we expected more from him, didn’t we? Maybe he wasn’t at his best shape, trying to recover from a injury and be ready to play the World Cup, but he wasn’t the same Deco as he used to be.
- Simão Sabrosa: He did great in some games and missed everything he tried in others. The only thing he lacks is consistence.
- Cristiano Ronaldo: Ok, I might be overreacting. He played very well in some games, specially the lasts ones. However I expect him to make that great play that would decide the game but he didn’t. Maybe my standards for him are a little high.

What work out great:

- Miguel: I didn’t expect that at all. Along with Zambrotta, Miguel was the best RB on this World Cup. He was a very powerful weapon at the offense without ever leaving the defense unguarded. Doesn’t look like he is never tired?
- Figo: I couldn’t ask him to do any better. He Portugal’s main player on every game, even playing with a small injury. Figo says goodbye to the NT on the best way he could, playing like a top player that he always was. Figo, we’re going to miss you.
- Maniche: He didn’t start very well but his game grew during the competition and once again he made the Tournament Team. Maniche was important on the key moments.
- Ricardo: He wasn’t the goalie of the Tournament. He even failed on Schweinsteiger’s first goal but he did great on that few moments that we really needed him. Could he do any better on the penalties against England?

Now it’s time to renewal but let’s keep the team’s bases. We need to find a striker who could deliver on the important moments. We need a replacement for Figo and Quaresma might do just fine. He got the talent for it, he only needs more consistences. João Moutinho, Bruno Vale, Manuel Fernandes and so many others that are yet to appear might have their chances. South Africa, here I come.

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Comments

By steven | July 9th, 2006 at 3:28 pm

i think your a little harsh on fernando meira i thought he was excelent throughout the tournement, any1 els agree?? so with jorge andrade coming back we now hav great options back there. i agree strikers are needed, maybe almeida, varela, vaz te, along with gomes and postiga surely we hav sumthing there with themlot for euro2008 and southAfrica2010. Last point i think a new formation is needed to try to get the best out of the strikers, maybe 3-4-3, 4-3-3 i duno, its sumat 2work on anyway.
ps is this blog goin 2b here after the world cup, for like euro qualyfying??

Posted from United States

By Ricardo | July 9th, 2006 at 4:31 pm

we need at least two people who see nothing but net, single minded…one motive, solid finalizers. i think we have a great midfield, i mean we could pass the ball for 90mins if that was expected of us, our back line is solid when we all are fit, we went into this last game missing very key players not to mention jorge Andrade who is an authentic wall back there and whose presence in the tournament was sorely missed.
we NEEEEEEED STRIKERS nooow…should be the coaching mantra for the future.
obrigado a portugal aos adeptos e bloggers…memorias e orgulho.
em rumo ao futuro. oleeeeeeeee portugal ole - portugal ole - portugal ole

By brittany | July 9th, 2006 at 5:14 pm

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/met.html

common guys vote for portugal.. Italy is almost aheaad of us..

Posted from United States

By brittany | July 9th, 2006 at 5:30 pm

I went to that website.. Every one keep posting dislikes to them.. Mainly say they are bias..

Posted from United States

By gwen_german pride | July 9th, 2006 at 5:47 pm

brittany
what is that vote for?

By gwen_german pride | July 9th, 2006 at 5:49 pm

nevermind
i voted.

By Trent S. | July 9th, 2006 at 10:26 pm

I too think Meira did a fine job, Steven. Entering the tournament I was really worried that the difference in the defense without Andrade would be noticeable, but Meira played very well. He was all over the place making plays, just like Carvalho.

He had a couple scary moments against Iran, but after that he was solid.

On the other hand, I was a little disappointed that Ronaldo couldn’t threaten the goal a little more. I think he could have been a bigger factor if he had somebody to get the ball to once he draws defenders, but Pauleta was nowhere.

I imagine we’ll plug Nuno Gomes and Simao into the starting lineup for Euro qualifying in September. We’ll be fine. I really hope Scolari stays so he can integrate some of the young blood into the team without sacrificing points or qualification.

Posted from United States

By Lis | July 9th, 2006 at 11:20 pm

For me Fernando Meira was a happy surprise!
In the end think he and Ricardo Carvalho made an astonish double!

Euro2008 here we go!

hope to see Nuno Gomes play a lot more!

Sempre Portugal!

Posted from Portugal

By minhoca | July 9th, 2006 at 11:25 pm

pauleta was up there alone and easy for their defense to mark… wasn’t all his fault but scolari’s for not putting someone else up there with him

Posted from United States

By Pedro P | July 10th, 2006 at 2:12 pm

Hello LP,

agree with the positives. Not so much with the negatives…

I mean, Pauleta didn’t really function against FRA (and ENG). Scolari should have put Nuno Gomes, but unstead he put Postiga - also not very brilliant.

Nuno Valente played some very strong games. Can’t blame him for not being so much attack oriented as Miguel, nor for not being as good as Miguel doing it. Keep in mind left-back is traditionally an extremelly dificult position to find anybody at all capable…

C Ronaldo did much better than people say. I also miss those individual plays, scorching defenses and setting the crowd on fire… But it’s the WC and in those moves people called dull and unbrilliant, there were always 3-4 defenders around him… So, they were actually quite good. Maniche was superb, so was Ricardo Carvalho and Miguel… Some of the best overall in the WC!

Only the striker failed… With a proper one there, POR would have beatten France and gone to the Final… A

ll in all, I think POR did very well!!!

Posted from Netherlands