PT 1 - 2 PL: Poland wrecks Scolari’s math

noooo waaay…!!!!!!

Posted from  Indonesia

portuguese midfield looks out of sorts..ronaldo and simao have to give better balls to nuno gomes..

Posted from  Singapore

Poland deserved the victory but there’s no excuse for the lousy play Portugal made… They really, really played poorly.

One unexpected - and I wonder why it was unexpected - early goal and they shook. A second briefly after and they looked like disoriented teenagers… Of course nothing came out alright afterwards… Defense was awfull… The only one playing decently was Ricardo! And nani, and I also wonder why Scolari only send him in late in the second half…

One final word to the polish (right back) #4, who managed to irritate me more than he actually did to CR. Although he tried nothing else, in 90 minutes…

Anyway, today is a new day and congratulations to Poland…

Posted from  Netherlands

We loose again, in qualifying games, 8 years after last time…

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=721920&div_id=1194

Posted from  Netherlands

It’s really time now to worry about that qualification. They are truly not allowed now to make any more mistakes.

The Poles did deserve winning, that’s clear. But I really felt sorry for Ricardo, poor Ricardo, he always has to watch his team loosing and can’t do anything against it. He was as great as usual, as great as the best goalkeeper in the world has to be, and he was not able to help it.
Nani also showed a good performance, and I was desperately waiting for Scolari to send him in - the coach’s work was not good either that day.

It was really amazing and worrying to see how undisciplined they were after the early goal, no-one knew what to do, how to react, and sometimes they seemed to forget where the Polish goal was…

I’m hoping for a revenge now, because my friends in Poland sent me very gleeful e-mails and I was starting to lose my belief in the NT last night.
The match also showed that the only person we can really trust on is Ricardo Pereira (and N Gomes, in some way). And maybe it’s time to think about Azerbaijan - if this team is really so weak. Belgium beat them 3-0, too. And the Belgians don’t play perfect football, really.

Posted from  Austria

I didn’t see the game, but from what I’ve read I guess we would have to lay most of the blame at the coaches feet - no? His job is preparation and motivation - if they fell apart after that first goal - it doesn’t speak well for preparation…

And I love Scolari, don’t get me wrong…

Anyone know why Maniche didn’t start? or come in sooner?

Posted from  United States

Scolari does indeed deserve some criticism. He opted for Petit to better contain the Polish counter attack. I’m not so sure why he made the choice, I would have started Maniche. He’ll take some heat in the press for this no doubt.

Untortunately, I can only comment based on what I’ve read. RTPi let me down yesterday. They didn’t broadcast the game in north America becuase of some stupid licensing restriction with Setanta PPV, no doubt.

Posted from  United States

I don’t think we should just start aiming our fire at Scolari. The team played bad in general, not just this or that player. Then it becomes a global feeling and nothing comes out right, from anybody.

Notice that this was a standard feature of our team, at least along the years… At dispite of everything, everybody is allowed to have a bad day. What gets me crazy is that they all KNEW Poland was gonna be strong, considering their evolution in the 4 matches they played. PLUS they were home…

Should Maniche have started in place of Petit? Scolari says Petit was in better form than Maniche. He should know… But theorically, Maniche would allow for a better transport from midfield to attack - Deco was completelly blocked and soon stoped delivering anything. That transport never really existed yesterday evening. We were totally dominated by a team anyone could see wasn’t better, but still totally outplayed us.

“Everybody” kinda demanded an earlier sub to put Nani in before. I must say that Tiago helped, like Nani, like Maniche. So Scolari did well in the subs. The timing is questionable, though…

I must also say that had that first goal gone in before, I also believe the whole team would’ve start performing better and reorganize. But it didn’t happen like this…

A Costinha / Petit duo is good if you have to face hard midfield battles, with not a lot of chances for a much technical play.

I also think it’s about time to start bringing in MORE from the U21, for the front spots: Vaz Te, Varela, Yannick. They are very young still, so no matter the talent, they just need tough games under their belts. I also thought it was a good idea to place CR at the centre with N Gomes. Although he’s not a striker, it’s also about time portuguese wingers do a bit more than just dribble their way towards the line and deliver nice crosses. They are supposed to shoot and also score. It was clear that when the team needs an option other than to play through the wings, that is, to base the attck on gaining the line and crossing, that option isn’t there. In that sense, Nani was good, cos his place is between the midfield maestro and the front men, a bit like Ronaldinho, sometimes going on the wing and making the diagonals possible. So, somewhere along the lines of the “old” structure of the team: one holding mid, 2 wingers, 1 #10, 1 striker and ONE magical, very loose, attacking mid - Joao Pinto, in his days. Of course, this leaves the team exposed, but hey, if you’re 2 down and don’t have strikers, and if the holding mids aren’t holding anything…

Posted from  Netherlands

I have yet to see the game due to TV rights etc…

Can someone lay blame on defensive issues, the lack of consistent centre-backs has been an issue….ie. was R. Rocha a tool again?

Posted from  Canada

IMO, no matter which possible flaws R Rocha might have (of course a lot of people are now saying that none of this would have happened if Tonel was in his place, or Raul Meireles in Petit’s place, etc), he’s been at least competent and it wasn’t his isolated fault. It wasn’t Costinha’s or Petit’s fault the fact that neither of them did the right thing in the first goal. I’d say the team just didn’t work. Sometimes it’s 10 minutes like this until everything gels and both teams fit eachother, sometimes it’s chaos and disorder like yesterday. Sometimes you play very well and still loose and sometimes you play bad and win. I mean… Let’s just hope it’s not a trend and that matters will be straightned. 2 years ago, days after drawing 2-2 with (the always difficult) Lichtenchstein, Portugal also thrashed a more difficult Russia 7-1. So…

Posted from  Netherlands

http://www.eurosport.com/football/euro-2008-qualifying/2006-2007/sport_sto983343.shtml

Posted from  Netherlands

I have faith they will come back.
Luis…as for RTPi, i understand. I left work early and nothing!! Pissed!

Posted from  Canada

I nearly lost my job because I went home without saying anything to watch the game and in my job it’s not very good to go and leave things alone. However.

Pedro, I like the comparison with Ronaldinho. And I’d really love to see Vaz Te playing in the next matches.

BTW, Luís Figo presented his new book yesterday. You can read his words about it here:

http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=24233&L=en

And the day before yesterday Figo signed a Christian Blind Mission’s project that aims to fight global blindness.

http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=24222&L=en&IDINI=24241

Posted from  Austria

Hi Carlos. Hope you’re not unemployed by now…

Nani is in a good moment now. I feel he should have gone IN much before, last wednesday against Poland. It was from his feet the killer pass to CR (which he failed to put to use) came from.

Let’s hope SCP beats Estrela (Estrela da Amadora - away) this sunday, and Bayern next wednesday… ;-).

Posted from  Netherlands

well although poland aint that good .. every team in europe these days is not bad .. even georgia are a good fast side … that being said even in the next couple yrs portugal will lose some players due to age, i think C ronaldo ill be good enough to hold portugal on its two feet. hes the next big thing in football, and the one to follow him is GIUSEPPE ROSSI… all remember that name.

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Posted from  Australia

Very upset that portugal lost, Though the Polish goals were very good.
I too didn’t see the game because the programme I watch them from on my computer was being particularly slow….
But in the highlights…Portugals defending was really poor.

I don’t understand why so many big European Teams (Italy, Spain, Portugal etc) are faring so badly in the qualifiers…

Posted from  United Kingdom

Italy play good ya’ know… but you can say Spain was playing sooo badly….

Posted from  Indonesia

It’s the Spanish coach and the very young players that make Spain lose.
Italy has managed to avoid total crisis and I like their way of playing a lot… however, there’s still two years’ time to the EC and we’ll see how they’re doing…

Your forum is nice, insearchoffootball… But I think you’ll have to do some more advertisement.
The problem is that such fora usually fail very early, but I’ll try to get some people to sign up…

Posted from  Austria

but i think Spain lost to Sweden because Spain coach’s Aragones didn’t use Raul in thar match…

Posted from  Indonesia

Yes, that’s one reason. Figo’s friends should never be ignored…
Aragones is highly unpopular at the moment, but I wouldn’t say it’s all his fault. The players’ morale still has to improve a lot. The loss against France in the WC was not necessary (and probably our Portuguese squad would have beaten Spain).

Posted from  Austria

Nani impresses Bayern:

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-238/Artigo585502.htm

I hope he (or anybody else) scores tomorrow against Bayern…

Posted from  Netherlands

Hey Luis;

Who do you predict will be playing up front come Euro 2008?

Posted from  Canada

OK - since there are new posts, can I get a shout out for our 3rd string Chelsea keeper? Impressive to step in, under that pressure as the thrid keeper in a heated rivalry and hold it together… some more evidence of the tuga invasion on england

Hilario showing some grit of his own. Chelsea is looking for another goalie to cover the demands of the EPL and the Champions League, but Mourinho is known for sticking with his players when they show the right stuff.

Posted from  United States

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-260/artigo590348.htm

Posted from  Netherlands