Scolari’s 23 – Forwards

My 23 are
Goalies :
Starter :Ricardo
Subs: Quim and Bruno Vale

Defense:
Starters:
Miguel, Carvalho,Meira,Valente
Subs:
Ferreira,Nunes,Carneira

Midfieders:
Starters:
Costinha, Maniche,Deco, figo, Ronaldo

Subs: Petit, Fernandes,Rui Costa ( will be asked to return to FPF) Quaresma and Simao

Forwards:
Starter: Pauleta
Subs Nuno Gomes and Postiga

Posted from  Canada

Check this out, Luis

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-57/artigo546558.htm

Posted from  Netherlands

I believe the usual fwd trinity will go: H Postiga, N Gomes and Pauleta.

Looking at Kennedy’s choices, I only disagree in what follows:

1) I believe Tiago is sure to go, no matter what.
2) I believe Rui Costa won’t go, no matter what.
3) What does it mean Rui Costa will be asked by FPF? Is the FPF who choses the players now…? I can see we don’t even need to worry anymore about picking a coach…

Does this mean that a guy who publically quits 2 years ago, on the very eve of the final, on public TV, who doesn’t play at his club, who never had any type of contact again with Scolari or FPF, who is only mentioned in the press on the 1st of April 2006 (I was in Portugal in this particular week – sorry Luis Paulo, maybe I’m wrong but this is what I believe in) will be asked, above all others?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d STILL love to see him on our bench. I wrote it a million times – Rui Costa, even today, even on the bench, it’s a luxury not everybody can afford… Can’t do 90 mins but can deliver 45 or 30 LUXUARY minutes, the best anybody can find in this world.

But is this how it works…? Nobody in Portugal even remotelly talks about him for the NT anymore – there aren’t even rumours, which says enough (for me, but maybe I’m totally mistaken).

For the rest, it’s the eternal question of Quaresma vs Boa Morte… If Scolari is to take Quaresma, why did he time after time called Boa Morte? And seldemly called Quaresma?

Again, if Quaresma had convinced me, man, no questions about him… Admitedly, the Quaresma/CRonaldo duo will be one of the most destructive ever. And this will be the wingers duo of the future. I have no doubts. But we are still in the present…

Are we to put our money in nothing more than a promisse of something unlikelly? Or put the money in somehting also not bad, that at the end of the day is likelly to deliver more? Or at least SCORE more…

To be 100% honest, if he goes and not boa Morte, I might feel it’s unfair for Boa Morte – I believe he deserves it more, but I won’t care much. Scolari is the man, he has his reasons. But I DO like to “stirr the pot”…

Posted from  Netherlands

O.K replace R. Costa with Tiago.
I just noticed that Scolari has dropped R. Costa name in the media a few times and it is hunch that I have that Rui Costa will return.

Now that you mentioned it Tiago may automatically drop Quaresma off the list if R. Gomes does returns. I beleive the decision will be made to ask him to return but he may decide to remain retired from NT.

Posted from  Canada

Rui Costa and not R Gomes .

Posted from  Canada

Here’s my three:

Pauleta
Nuno Gomes
Postiga

Can’t really see any others at the moment. I wish I had a better view of the up and comers. Kennedy or Pedro might be able to shed some light on them for us.
I know 2 years ago our U17 won the U17-EC and we had a couple of standout players but I’m sure they are still to young to step up to the plate.. Soon I hope.:-)

Posted from  Canada

About the “future strikers” I honestly don’t know much about. I foresee a dark age after Pauleta retires. Nuno Gomes is probably not enough.

Hugo Almeida (I think this is the guy) was an option but long time ago. Truth is I don’t know much abut him.

If we’d only produce as much strikers as we do midfielders…

Posted from  Netherlands

I seem to recall a young kid called Viveros or somthing?? Not 100% sure though.
Seems to be our “Achilles Heal”, strikers! Some day we have to produce a Klinsmen, or a Ronaldo, maybe a Shevchenko?? It’s only fair, right?

Posted from  Canada

is there a posibility of rui costa coming back to NT team for the last time?

Posted from  Singapore

The chances of R Costa coming back are a long shot at best I think. One thing for sure, we’ll know in about 2 weeks when the team roster has to in..

Posted from  Canada

Portugal’s main problem at the moment are the forwards. If Pauleta gets injured in the first game, and the coach then decides to rest N. Gomes as a precaution after the first 2 matches, then they will have big problems against Mexico.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Portugal’s chronicall problem IS the strikers… In 1996 (EC) we took Sa Pinto as the striker – he’s natural place is in front of the midfield.

In 2000 this was already said:

http://slam.canoe.ca/StatsSOW/BC-SOW-LGNS-POR2000CAP-R.html

This is how it ended…

http://footballmundial.tripod.com/uefa/uefa_2000.htm

Can’t get enough… Man, the match against ENG was something out of this world. 4 years later, the same match was also hugelly dramatic! But I diverge…

Posted from  Netherlands

Yes I can still vividly see Xavier touching the ball, and there went all our hopes!!! We had everything we needed that EC, except the luck and France had it in bushels full.
See, now I’m sad again.:-( Great…

Posted from  Canada

[...] Big Phil still needs some help selecting the forwards (Portugal Blog) [...]

Posted from  United States

Pauleta, N. Gomes, Tiago. The only way Rui gonna see the game is if he buys a ticket. Tiago was too good as a reserve in Euro 04 (England Match) to not be selected.

Posted from  United States

Damn I did it again! Postiga, not Tiago. I really need to get my bench guys straight.

Posted from  United States

3 Goalkeepers :

Quim (SLB) / Baía (FCP) / Ricardo (SP)

8 Defenders. :

R. Carvalho (Chelsea) / M. Fernandes (SLB) / P. Ferreira (Chelsea) / N. Valente (Everton) / Miguel (Valencia) / Beto (Bordeaux) / Caneira (SP) / F. Meira (Stuttgart)

9 Midfielders :

Petit (SLB) / Tiago (Lyon) / Costinha (Dinamo) / Maniche (Chelsea) / Figo (Inter) / Deco (Barça) / R. Quaresma (FCP) / J. Moutinho (SP) / C Ronaldo (MU)

3 Forwards :

Pauleta (PSG)/ H. Postiga (FCP) / Luís Boa Morte (Fulham)

Posted from  Brazil

All bullshit conflicts aside, Scolari will take only those he feels offer the team a strategic option. Constantino offers some interesting possibilities.

Goalkeepers:

Ricardo, Baia, Quim

I was against taking Baia for a long time, but I think I’ve changed my thinking on this. Ricardo makes me want to pull my hair out and we need solid backup. No question mark players on the bench. Right now Scolari doesn’t have the luxury of letting politics get in the way of winning the Cup. Baia offers experience and, on the whole, better decision making over Ricardo. The question of tensions on the bench as a result of Baia being included is rather stupid. In the end, it’s up to Scolari to build unity. Baia means something in Portuguese football. He is the perfect example of a winner with more trophies to his resume then any one else. Portugal will need all the winners it can get both on the bench and on the pitch!

Defense:

R. Carvalho, F. Meira, Caneira, P. Ferreira, Valente, Miguel, M. Fernandes, +1

I don’t really know others well enough to finish this one. What can we say? Carvalho is critical. He, Caneira and Meira will have to hold the last line. Miguel, Valente and P. Ferreira to defend and push the ball forward. The key for the defense will be playing time together prior to the tourney.

Midfield:

Deco
Figo
C. Ronaldo
Maniche
Costinha
Tiago
Boa Morte
Petite

I say Boa Morte over Queresma. As Fulham’s captain, he’s used to seizing the moment. Great direct player with a nose for goal. He certainly offers more experience in a tough situation. The question is how quickly will he adapt to the team.

Forwards:

Pauleta, H. Postiga, Gomes

Up front, Pauleta has to deliver and often. Postiga and Gomes can both destabilize a defense and get you that critical goal.

Posted from  United States

my 23:
i assume the formation 4-2-3-1 instead of 4-3-3 with one player in front of the defense; i prefer two players in front of the defense which are technical, and besides, costinha is without club, and maybe it is not the best idea to put him in the worldcup; i might be wrong, and besides, any 23 is ok with me! but still, an opinion is what is asked and here it goes; oh, i prefer pedro mendes to petit, and carlos is, in my view, a good third option for goal; it is a pity cesar peixoto and jorge andrade are injured, i would replace caneira and either fernando meira or pedro emanuel in central defense.

vitor baia (porto)
carlos (steaua bucharest)
ricardo (sporting)

miguel (valencia)
paulo ferreira (chelsea)
ricardo carvalho (chelsea)
fernando meira (stuttgard)
pedro emanuel (porto)
nuno valente (everton)
caneira (sporting)

maniche (chelsea)
tiago (lyon)
pedro mendes (portsmouth)
manuel fernandes (benfica)
deco (barcelona)
joao moutinho (sporting)
ricardo quaresma (porto)
simao (benfica)
luis figo (inter)
cristiano ronaldo (man. united)

helder postiga (st. etienne)
pauleta (psg)
nuno gomes (benfica)

Posted from  United States