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Portugal x Luxemburg – Match Review

June 4th, 2006 | By: Luis Paulo | 8 Comments »

Portugal x Luxemburg This friendly match us one very important thing: Portugal must change its midfield. It was supposed to be Portugal’s strength and yet they could no create one single play during the first half. Neither Maniche nor Costinha helped the offense. Playing against a team with so little offense power, they should try to go a little further on the field. I say Tiago and Petit now. Deco wasn’t in a fine day also. He missed most of the pass that he tried. We watch the entire first half just to watch Pauleta missing a goal after Miguel pass and the Luxemburg’s striker heading the ball on the post. About there, I felt asleep.

However I woke up. I woke up when I heard “Gooooooaaaal” on TV to see Simão scoring with only 27 seconds on the 2nd half after Postiga’s shot. I stay awake to see that Simão and Figo were the best on the field and most of the plays happened on the left wing (where Figo played on the 2nd half).

At the end, the impressions that left to me were:

- You cannot play with Costinha and Maniche anymore. They lack consistence due to their lack of games on this season. You might be able to play with one of them but not both. At least Petit should be starting on the team.

- Pauleta must appear more during the game. If the ball is not getting there, he should go back and try to get it, even though he won’t be close to scoring from there. If he stands still he will be easily marked.

- Portugal must play by the wings. God damn it, we have 5 or 6 wingers on the team, why they insist trying to make plays on the middle?

- Figo is back on his best shape. He ran a lot during the game and his movements made spaces so the team could play. He was on the right wing on the 1st half and on the left on the 2nd one.

- Portugal has 23 starters. There are so many great players sited on the bench. Scolari cannot be afraid of using them.

- Even though I said before that I wouldn’t cap Simão for the World Cup, yesterday he made me swallow my own words. The team changed its attitude after he got on the game.

PORTUGAL
Ricardo, Miguel, Ricardo Carvalho, Fernando Meira(Ricardo Costa 58’), Nuno Valente, Costinha(Petit 46’), Maniche(Tiago 68’), Figo, Deco(Simão 46’), Cristiano Ronaldo(Hugo Viana 70’) e Pauleta(Postiga 46’).

LUXEMBURG
Joubert, C Leweck(A Leweck 57’), Hoffman, Reiter, Peters(Lombardelli 90’), Strasser, Joachim(Huss 87’), Carlos Ferreira, Remy, Mutsch e Schnell(Ferdespiel 71’).

Tags: friendly match, Portugal, review

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Comments

By steven | June 4th, 2006 at 9:06 am

so do we think this match has had any affect on wether portugal can win the tournement or not guys??4eg has it knocked there confidence?? and do WE all still think they can win it or not?? its certainly made me think a little but then again it was only a freindly and we did still win 3-0, the real business starts next week and i think the performances will improve. go on portugal!!!

Posted from United States

By Nelson | June 4th, 2006 at 9:13 am

I was athe the game in Metz, and the only man who made me fear was Fernando Meira, he does not seem secure.
Maybe due to his big size, he will be useful againts teams very physical like germany for instance ? But he is my only fear at the moment…
I am waiting for your comments Luis Paulo.
Nelson from Brazil, I am in France at the moment.

Posted from France

By Portuga80 | June 4th, 2006 at 9:40 am

This was a good match and im very happy Portugal won but i think the Lux. team are a bunch of hackers who were trying to injure a few players.

Viva Portugal.

Posted from Portugal

By Dan Lourenço | June 4th, 2006 at 11:59 am

I agree with your thoughts on Costinha, but not Maniche. Maniche may not have had an awe-inspiring game, but he did manage a shot here and there, one of them which forced a very good side from the Lux. keeper. Maybe Maniche shouldnt be started but I think he’d be a great sub early in the second half if someone’s not getting the job done…

I was worried about Miguel’s passing and Ronaldo’s temper. Very happy to see the relief and joy on Figo’s face when he scored that goal, I think that will help his confidence…

Posted from United States

By Luis | June 4th, 2006 at 1:03 pm

The midfield is a concern. It just didn’t work for us yesterday. However, there won’t be many teams that play us with 9 men behind the ball. Most teams will have more of an attacking mindset or at least a good counter attack. I agree on the Pauleta comment. If the ball doesn’t come to him, then he should go to the ball whenever possible. We did get our wingers going half the time but with Ronaldo losing his concentration, our most potent weapon was ineffective. There is still time for improvement and I think when the real matches start, we’ll see a different Portugal. If not, then I’m afraid the round of 16 is all we’ll see. I still believe. Força Portugal!

Posted from United States

By Luis Paulo | June 4th, 2006 at 2:47 pm

Nelson, we cannot judge Meira for 1 game. Specially one against the weak luxemburg. But Scolari can put Caneira on the team. So, we don’t lack replacements

Posted from Brazil

By O Grande Trinco | June 4th, 2006 at 6:25 pm

Overall good preparation game, i was happy that there was no injuries afterwards, IMO Luxemborg were a little too aggressive in their tackles for a friendly.

I agree with midfield criticisms on 2 fronts, Costinha/Maniche didn’t seem great, Maniche needs to be much more 2 way in this role. The issue I think is Costinha / Maniche pairing doesn’t bring enough of the passing game, either the dangerous long pass or the short pass, although Maniche has a great shot, I think Petit does have a broader offensive skill set. Secondly Deco was a bit off, he made some nice deep passes but didn’t create anything in the zone, maybe playing a deeper role in Barcelona he is still adjusting to being more full blown playmaker now for NT. We will need him to step up, but if not the FIGO/SABROSA/RONALDO was good…very good Sabrosa and especially FIGO, they were attacking the box excellently.

So who will play do the Trino? Maniche/Petit seems possible…but Petit still scares me sometimes with his tackles, no red card tackles please, please please! The trinco role is big question for Scolari leading up to Angola IMO

By Pedro P | June 6th, 2006 at 4:34 am

I agree with some of what’s been said. And I do have a view on the midfield issue.

I think what we saw is that Costinha is perfect when the team needs to go up front in their usual way – the wings. He stays with the central defenders and the Right and Left back also pull up. Figo + CR, Deco slashing it apart, etc… Loved to see Miguel being more of a winger than Figo himself.

This didn’t work against a team with everybody behind the ball (and very rough for a friendly – maybe it’s cos POR wore black). And IMO, it doesn’t usually work. That’s a chronical problem with teams like Portugal or The Netherlands, who support a lot of their game in the wings and only one striker. I also believe POR needed, since a long time, some type of alternative. And I guess they are finding it.

On the second half the whole team pushed more through the centre. Also, although I liked to see Figo, he didn’t seem too fit, or at least, he lacked legs for the wing… Deco, which had taken the day off, went out and the whole team improved with Figo in the core and Simao on the wings. C Ronaldo also didn’t do much. With this set-up, the midfield acts much better without Costinha – a less mobile element.

In short, I believe in our classical play, Costinha is essential, with any of the others. For a more ofensive game through the middle, than Petit, Tiago or Maniche can do the trick.

A final word for C Ronaldo, my true concern. This guy is starting to get the “star-complex”. A lot of players will just get close to him and try to squeze a foul…

Posted from Netherlands