Starting XI

I WOULD MAKE 2 ADJUSTMENTS TO YOUR PICKS; IF I WERE CHOOSING THE TEAM. I WOULD PROBABLY RELACE FERREIRA WITH MIGUEL AND PETIT WOULD BE REPLACED WITH COSTINHA. cHAO .

DID YOU GUYS SEE CANADA UNDER 20 BEAT BRASIL UNDER 20. I DO NOT THINK THAT WAS BRASIL BEST UNDER 20 TEAM NONETHELESS IT WAS A GREAT GAME.

Posted from  Canada

i would also throw costinha in the mix, however i am very partial to nuno gomes i would like to see him start a game.

Posted from  United States

I have to admit that there were some good options left out of the squad that i think would have made the starting X1 or atleast a half time replacement option. HOwever since we can not roll back time, I’ll have to say my BEST XI as:

Ricardo
Miguel, Meira, Carvalho, Ferreira
Figo, Tiago, Deco, Simao
Pauleta, Ronaldo

On another note.. WTF??? is up with Portugal’s preparation? Where are the friendlies?

have you seen Mexico’s friendly line up?

They have/will have played:

Paraguay: Mar 29
Venezuela: May 6
Congo: May 14
USA: May 21
FRance: May 27

And Portugal?? CaboVerde? hardly a WCUP preparation.. if you have any news to add about our prep please respond.

Cheers to all and Forca PT!

Walt
LiveSoccerTV.com

Ricardo
Miguel Meira Carvalho Valente
Petit Maniche
Figo Deco Ronaldo
Pauleta

Posted from  Brazil

ricardo….ferriera, nuno valente…meira..carvalho…costhina and maniche….figo, ronaldo, and deco, pauleta

Posted from  United States

A high number of highly demanding friendlies will not necessarily mean better preparation… Each case is different and the timings, and needs, of each team are not the same for everybody.

I believe both Petit and Tiago will pose a major competition to Costinha and Maniche for the midfield.

B Vale is going cos he’s the U21 goalie – the idea is to start preparing the young players to the WC scenario and pressure.

I don’t imagine Nuno Gomes on the starting 11, unless something funny/weard happens. I do expect to see him jumping from the bench and scoring, rather frequently.

I also don’t imagine in any game, in any ocasion, Scolari putting 2 strikers at the same time. But I do imagine a scenario where a winger gets replaced by a midfielder (e.g. Figo by Tiago) and the remaining winger to play more upfront, as “half striker” – CR or Boa Morte can do this very well.

I am, though, extremelly curious as to we’ll see Deco together with Hugo viana. I never saw them at the same time and it could be interesting to see the outcome…

More about the preparation on:

http://www.ojogo.pt/22-91/artigo554434.htm

Posted from  Netherlands

Thanks for your comments Pedro P, i still feel that going into the world cup and facing teams like Mexico and Iran should require some specific preparation such as playing teams of similar style. Ideally playing a team like Ecuador or Chile or Uruguay would have been ideal to get the players used to a Mexican / Latin American style of football, where there is alot of agression and skill at the same time. I think Iran is also a very skilled team however mostly individually, i play with iranians in pick up soccer and i get a sense that their is alot of creativity in that soccer culture, however how they respond as a team is yet to be seen, but i would not take them lightly.

I am not a coach, and i have trust in Scolari, however i see other teams having serious friendlies in preparation to the World Cup and i see portugal with Luxemburgo and Cabo Verde, and i don’t see an opportunity there.. only maybe for scolari to test more player combinations.. but this should really be defined by now.

Cheers
Walter
LiveSoccerTV.com

Posted from  Canada

Gomes, I dont agree. With less then a month for the competition, it’s not time for a real test for the team. Take Brazil as an example. They will play against an amateur team and New Zealand. And I can tell you for sure that the Brazilian fitness will be one of the best in the WC. After the though season, the players needs recovering. If you play agains Uruguai as you said in your example, there could be some injurie’s lost on the team due to the hard game played by the uruguaians

Posted from  Brazil

I agree with the statment that the friendlies right now should be for sharpness and getting some players game fit.
The testing should all be done by now and you don’t want a tough team because teh dangers of an injury would be there.

Posted from  Canada

I might be wrong, but playing “easier” friendlies just before the big thing is somewhat of the brazillian school. I also agree that it makes no sense to put players under exagerate pressure at a time what they need is to get 100% and their heads on their shoulders.

Also the “team buiding”. Look at Brazil – there’s very little change in the 11/23 (correct me if I’m wrong, LP), WC after WC, and the changes are always “sustained” and carefully planned.

This is a clear rupture with the mentality of bringing the theorically best 11, at a given moment. This is also why I believe Quaresma didn’t go. A coach needs to know what he can count on.

Although Brazil’s talent is above any possible argument, it’s in these things they make the difference. Again, I might be wrong, but I believe this is something Scolari has brought. And I am more than happy, because the level of professionalism has clearly increased.

There are a lot of people in Portugal who either don’t agree or fail to see this. Democracy is democracy but I’m quite sure, when Scolari leaves, a lot of people will miss him more than they think today…

FORCA PORTUGAL!

Posted from  Netherlands

Pedro, just one think. There is no much planning on team’s renewal in Brazil. This year was not tipical. Everythink went just right for the Brazilian. Anyway, Parreira capped 86 players during this 4 years to choose the best 23.

Anyway, there was a TV program yestarday where many Brazilian coaches were saying why is so important to play “easy” friendlies when so close to the competition. And some players who plays in Europe were saying that the Brazilian fitness is usually better then the European one and they were explaining why.

Posted from  Brazil

One more thing. It’s very important to choose the group and play with it during many competitions. Of course, you can do it everytime, but it’s important to do it when you can. It helps the team’s chemistry. Brazil is using pretty much the same players since the Confederations Cup.

Portugal did pretty much the same. There’s been really small chances since the Euro04 and that’s a PRO for Portugal

Posted from  Brazil

[...] Luiz Felipe Scolari is a wise man. Everyday, before training, he reads our blog looking for the best opinions. On Monday, I gave you my 11 starters, with Paulo Ferreira, Petit and Tiago instead of Miguel, Costinha and Maniche and guess what. They were among the starters on the train in Evora. [...]

Posted from  United States

Here’s some nice (and I guess neutral) views on mentality and other stuff…

http://www.maismundial2006.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=686853&div_id=2714

Posted from  Netherlands

Is it just me that thinks simao shud start instead of figo?? surely he shud start ahead of figo, in a 4-2-3-1 formation. ricardo-ferriera-carvalho-meira/costa-valente-tiago/maniche-petit/coshtinha-ronaldo-deco-simao-pauleta. also why does no1 think portugal can win the tornument?? although this maybe a good thing, yes??

Posted from  United States

hi not sure if you guys are interested but I found this competition for the world cup that is paying $2,500 US to the winner for their world cup picks. its free to enter
here it is for those that want to give it a try
http://www.121s.com/viewtopic.php?t=8315
cheers!

Posted from  Australia