New Selecção Guaranteed To Frustrate Us Like Every Other Selecção

Man, we´ve got 4 points out of 3 matches plus a home defeat, which we didn´t have in years. I´ve seen this movie over and over and I´m missing Scolari already.

Posted from  Netherlands

to Pedro: Yes 4 pts out of 9…but we’re third so not all is lost…
Besides Denmark\Sweden will take points off each other & hopefully, and eventually, we’ll overtake’em.

Posted from  United Kingdom

iff we play well and everything falls into place their nothing toworry about, we’ll be their, but i know what you meen about missing scolari

i’m just glad they didnt lose. couldnt find a live feed of the game, but i watched the highlights on tvgolo.com and from what i saw the sweedish dominated the game. i never thought i’d say this, but i’m happy with a draw from this match. lets just hope they get the W against albania, and we’ll see from there.

was anyone else surprised by the starting lineup? no danny and/or quaresma to start?

Posted from  United States

Yeah Christian, I was very surprised…I would put Quaresma over Nani(in the starting 11) any day.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Not all is lost…
But drawing at home to a direct opponent is already bad. Loosing is a disaster… Specially when you had it in the bag already…
Or, seen from a different angle, a home draw against Denmark, would have us right now topping the chart, the three of us on 5 points, we’d have the best goal average and SWE and DEN wouls still have to play… That’s the whole difference… Now we must run after the compensating result PLUS we are obliged to beat Denmark away and also SWE at home. And only 4 points out of 9…

Posted from  Netherlands

Well there’s always Euro 2016, with 24 teams instead of 16 we’ll guaranteed to be a part of it! (I hope)

WE have a very overated team. What a bunch of losers.

Posted from  Canada

…i think we were obliged to beat Sweden/Denmark anyways

& Why wasn’t Postiga in the squad?
I heard he’s been doing well in Sporting

Posted from  United Kingdom

Well, we are obliged to win always. But winning at home, specially against a direct opponent, is always a must. That way you have some margin for mistakes when away, etc…
Postiga is doing so-so in Sporting. But he´s just been Liedson´s substitute.

It´s just that with Scolari, the team played under a restraining jacket, almost always the same guys, but we didn´t make so many stupid mistakes. With Queiroz we might get a nicer game, more new and young faces, play well for 90 mins and loose in the last minute…

To be honest I´m not a big fan of having 24 teams rather than 16 in a Euro – I think it´s just Platini doing a bit of politics and the overall level will go down. I can´t wait to see an ever thrilling Luxembourg-Germany, in the quarter finals…

Posted from  Netherlands

Manny Fernandes and Raul Meireles are starting???? And Nani and Quaresma are on the bench? Ugh, Quieroz is killing me! I actually like Manny but I dont see him starting over Nani & our favorite Cigano.

Posted from  United States

Pedro: Even if you don’t like it you have to face the truth at this rate Portugal won’t qualify for any tournament except for Euro 2016 because of the 24 teams rule.

draw, at home versus 10 man Albania. This is just retarded.

When does Quieroz get fired? Tomorrow? Next Week?

Posted from  United States

I can’t understand this. Where is the mongrel win-at-all-cost attitude?

My other favourite national team (Australia) was able to put 4 past a team that were there only to defend. Reason: coach and tactics are spot on!

Snap out of this Portugal!! Maybe the only way to learn a lesson is to miss out on 2010. Perhaps they rate themselves too highly?

Posted from  Australia

Not sure what everone else is thinking , but at this point the only way i see them qualifying is if Figo comes back out of retirement again to help them qualify like he did in 2006 . They’re probably on the phone with him already trying to get him to come back but it’s very unlikely that he’ll do it .Even at his age he can stabilise the wing position much better than Simao , Nani , or Quaresema .He makes everyone around him so much better. He and Ronaldo have great chemistry on the pitch. He would take so much pressure of him and open things back up again , not to mention he might be the only who could help to impliment whatever the heck it is that Queiroz is trying to get across.

Posted from  United States

Figo? Might as well bring back Eusebio, at least he could score.

João, I’d rather not see Portugal going to a Euro16, than going to a Euro24 and not even get out of groups.

Paulo, Portugal hasn’t snapped out of it already since 1580…

60 something attacking movements, against less than 10 from the world football potentate Albania, at home, against a 10 men team, with players like CR, Quaresma, Danny and Nani, and no goal scored, I think says it all…

We have 10 matches to go and 5 points out of 4 matches…

Posted from  Netherlands

I blame Greg, it’s all his fault for the self-fulling prophecy of the headline for this posting…just kidding.

Ah well. At least they’re playing poorly now so that if they end up not making it I’m not all that surprised/let down. I think I would write off soccer all together if they were doing well all the way then blew it in their last game or two and didn’t qualify. The amazing thing is hearing people say “Don’t blame Quieroz”. He blew it for WC 94, and he’s on the verge of doing it again for ‘10.

On another note, I know its pretty crazy but I sort of agree with bringing back Figo. This team NEEDS leadership. Ronaldo is nowhere mature enough to bring that to the table. Deco and Maniche do a solid job, but they need someone like Figo to get them to play together and play well. I know he’s old and he probably could only be effecitve for 45-60 minutes (if that) but he might be more of answer than anyone else Quieroz could call up.

Lastly, Hugo Almeida should no longer start. Nuno Golos or Postiga should be starting. Almeida is just a big body right now blowing too many golden opportunities.

Posted from  United States

You know if you are going to bring back Figo, you might aswell bring back Nuno Valente…
Those two were awesome in 2006.

I cannot believe I’m typing this…
Last thing I thought about when I saw this teamsheet was to bring someone back.
They are all “name” players…

But anyways
I’m off to watch Portugal highlights of Euro 2004 & World Cup 2006…aahhh to good’ol days

Posted from  United Kingdom

Oh yeah…
Queiroz shouldn’t have this job. He has never suceeded on his own…EVER!

Posted from  United Kingdom

I cant say I’m surprised by the result. It happens. People are quick to point fingers but here is the reason why we drew 0-0 at home against a team like Albania. Its the evolution or (lack of evolution depending on how you look at it) within the top teams. 10 years ago teams like Albania had no hope of getting any points against a top 10 team in qualifying. This is because they were physically weaker, their training methods outdated and generally they were tactically ignorant/sheltered/retarded. Economic boom, availability of info and globalization in general is the reason most of these countries have caught up to the times and really can get pretty good results against great teams with the catching up they have done in last 10 years. You can see this in all the top teams, rarely now do they klobber weaker teams like in the past. Theres so many more upsets these days. Now that said said, the top teams/coaches should hold some blame for not maintaining their advantage and they clearly have not sought to push the boudaries of what the football of tomorrow looks like (there are a few that do) and bringing back old-style players and coaches (beckhams and figos) will only exacerbate the problem. Queiroz is a revolutionary of 90’s and not the new millenium. His style is overplayed and easily replicated/adjusted for.

Posted from  United States

From Peter and Chris: I’ve been watching football as long as I can remember and following the Portuguese national set-up. I never remember them losing or tying a team like the likes of Albania at home, which was in Pot 5 for qualifications. There is an issue within the team that needs to be resolved. In my opinion, Carlos should be fired – not tomorrow, not after we don’t make it to the 2010 World Cup…I mean NOW!!! Let’s not make the same mistake as England with Steve MacClaren in the EURO2008 qualifications. Mind you, I do think Carlos is a nice guy, but IT DOESN’T MATTER – reaching the 2010 World Cup should be our major priority!

PS. On team selection, please do not call up Nuno Gomes, who cannot even get a starting position with Benfica. Dani should have replaced Deco for the game against Sweden and Albania, not playing the wing during the Albania game. Moutinho should have played in Maniche’s (Holland killer) position and the holding midfielder should have been Fernandes.

Posted from  Canada

guys—-what happened to Portugal?

you are in a very difficult positions and losing those kind of points against teams like Albania seems very hard to believe but Carlos Queiroz is the main responsible. With Scolari those kind of results would never have happened but I think Portuguese players are overrated.

Maniche, Deco, Simao, Nani, Ferreira are not top quality. They had their days and a lot of luck but they are not that great. And in defense Pepe is a laugh, many say he is a great defender but for me he is useless. The only top player is Cristiano Ronaldo and even he is not as good as everybody says. If he is well market he doesn´t know what to do and in many important games he has failed big time. A great player like Maradona, Pelé or Cruyff win games on his own but Ronaldo doesn´t have and will never have that.

It is a pity Portugal is in this kind of position but without passion and spirit nothing can be achieved.

OK, just a little something to forget about the poor matches…
P.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57DDs5FEJPg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kho8j05U-o&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeOhPR_0×8E&feature=related

Posted from  Netherlands