Comments on: Sub 21 Above Selecção AA… Barely.

By: Pedro

Pedro — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:38:36 +0000

It’s not about the match, but just check this out…

http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=780878&idCanal=1252

This is also why I like Scolari…

About the match, I’d say Moutinho got himslef a ticket to Euro 2008, but maybe I’m wrong… I would also not be surprised to see Jorge Ribeiro going as well. Not so sure about M Veloso or Carlos Martins, which doesn’t really solve our problems…
Maybe, just maybe, one day we’ll see 2 strikers + CR, rather than the classic lone striker + 2 wingers – this just happens cos we have the best wingers in the world and arguably the most avergae to mediocre strikers… The 4-3-3/ 4-5-1/ 4-2-3-1 doesn’t happen by accident…

By: OGrandeTrinco

OGrandeTrinco — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:58:19 +0000

Oh yeah, no way can Ricardo be blamed for the goals. They were near perfect kicks each time. If anything, perhaps the wall didn’t jump as high as they could, but certainly not Ricardo’s fault.

By: OGrandeTrinco

OGrandeTrinco — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:56:40 +0000

One of the guys who may have reclaimed his spot is Miguel. If Bosingwa can play on left, he may be moved there. Only other player who deserves to have earned their spot is Almeida.

Gomes should not start, bring him in as a second striker late in games only. He is a black hole when passed to, unless he is in the 10 yard strike zone.

The key will be in midfield puzzle. Petit/Maniche are aging and probably past their time. That said, I think Maniche can still do it. Deco has not been in form, Moutinho is his backup, meh. Defensive midfielder is up in air. Veloso is too young and his tackling ability is debatable. Meira is quasi out of form here. Chemistry is not present. The Mourinho Porto core of Maniche Costinha Deco was great, getting an equivalent partnership will decide Portugals fortunes in the Euro.

By: simon

simon — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 23:18:11 +0000

I think you are a bit rough against Nuno Gomes… dude’s not the best of striker but its not like you have some world class alternative on that position… and he scores a goal every now and then, and seems to play better at important games. Dont you have any good oldies around who could jump in again? Isnt it possible to talk Pauleta over? Or Joao Pinto or Joao Tomas?

By: Ceasar

Ceasar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:31:06 +0000

Pretty ironic that for a nation that produces midfielder’s in aboundance and that are coveted all over europe that we haven’t got a real backup for Deco (a converted Brazilian)?

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 20:17:21 +0000

Deco hasn’t played well for the NT since the WC and has been injured on and off for the past year or so at Barca

I’m not saying the way Viana plays now (I actually don’t know, I don’t get to watch much of the Spanish league)

But he was the hottest prospect in Europe not so long ago…I heard that the lack of playing time and playing out of position at Newcastle ruined him but I don’t know much about that

As of right now, the only backup to Deco that we have is Moutinho, assuming that Carlos Martins doesn’t come back

By: Ceasar

Ceasar — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 18:39:36 +0000

How about a Dutch formation? 3-4-3
We have to accept that we are going to let in some goals. So put one of the full backs up into mid and that allows us to go with a 3 front line something like

Bosingwa-Carvalho-Pepe
Veloso-Riberio
Simao—–Deco
Quaresma-Almeida-Ronaldo

LusoCanuck – When was the last time you say a healthy/fit Deco? And like Gomes he’s not a spring chicken any more. My son has told me that the problem with Deco on the NT is that he’s not playing the same role he does on Barcelona. He’s played out of position. Maybe if we get him to play the same position??

By: LusoCanuck

LusoCanuck — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:57:26 +0000

Hugo Viana is on loan at Osasuna, but still belongs to Valencia…I strongly disagree that when both are fit, Viana is even comparable to Deco. And I’m a SCP fan, so I am partial to Hugo, but come on!!! a fit Deco should be the default choice.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:03:07 +0000

Something like

Bosingwa — R. Carvalho — Pepe — P. Ferreira

——————–M. Veloso——————–

R. Quaresma ———- Deco ————— Simao

———-C. Ronaldo ————-H. Almeida

This way we could have two big guys up front….plus the flanks would be tremendous, as Bosingwa is ridiculously fast and P. Ferreira is prone to trekking up to make a cross every once in a while

I personally don’t think we need two trincos…nor the 3 center back option that we play when F. Meira is in

By: Nelson

Nelson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:56:16 +0000

Also, I know that Ronaldo is probably the best winger we have on the team…but seeing the way he scores goals at Man U and our excess of wingers I think a viable option could be playing 2 of either Simao, Quaresma, or Nani on the wings with the other coming off the bench and playing Ronaldo up front

Not his favorite position, but if he scored goals, then I don’t think anyone would complain