A bad start

A. Oliveira needs to stop picking his nose on TV. The tactics, or lack there of, used in this match showed that you can’t win with long ball kicks. The midfield play was horrible. I’m afraid the coach is the weakest link on this very talented U21 team.

Posted from  United States

And I’m terrified that he might replace Scolari if he leaves after the WC.
That would be our worst nightmare come true..

Posted from  Canada

It’s not the same A.Oliveira from 96 and 02, Ceasar!

Anyway, just read the chronicals on the match (didn’t see it), and guess what… Apparently, we had the best players together, who couldn’t play together at all…

I guess there couldn’t be a more clear example of why Scolari is not creating the “Scolari Club”, as they are saying in Portugal, but the full importance of a building a top to bottom TEAM! After all, with guys like Quaresma, Nani, Moutinho, etc, on the pitch, they should have scored at least once, right…? And guess what more…? FRA put 3 attacking guys and controled the game with 3 strikers… So, in theory, we should have, right…?

I rest my case and only hope the kids are able to beat Servia and M PLUS Germany! They are good enough, they deserve it, it’s in Portugal and so do we (POR never won the U21 I think).

Posted from  Netherlands

Your right Pedro, I thought it was the same Oliveira from 96 & 02.

But the points you made about the team we have at the u21, and I also read the play by play notes, are very valid.
I can’t believe that France with the 3 striker system controlled the play like they did?? They had 60% possesion if I remember correctly. How can that be with the talent we had there and the system they played, irregardless of the score?? Coaching!

Posted from  Canada

I hope they can come back, although they must now play SM who also comes from a defeat and after that against Germany. I imagine Germany is never easy and have no clue to SM’s real strength.

It is a pitty if they dont, cos these kids are good.

I don’t know if it is coaching. For me it was the “excuse” to say that a collection of players don’t necessarily make a strong team and that Scolari insists a lot in this issue. Moutinho, Nani and Custodio should be able to do something more, as they are Sporting’s midfield… And Quaresma IS very good. The newspapers also say FRA played very good, so…

Posted from  Netherlands

France did play very well, but PT wouldn’t resort to the long ball game unless they were told to do so. How can a team with an exceptional midfield fail to control a game against a team playing with 3 strikers? We have to stop making excuses for situations like this. Football is a game of collective strategy with moments of individual brilliance, not the other way around.

Posted from  United States

All valid points . Let me add my opinion to this topic. The style of play that portugal plays at every level is based on cohesion, creativelity and ball possesion with 1 or 2 players ahyving the liberty to de-stabilize a defense and create opportunities.
The team was only named a week a go thanks to Scorali. The senoir sqaud needs a few weeks of preparation while the under 21 only get a week. Some of the other team use a conter attacking system which is easily to implement than our style of play.
The under 21 team is a great team, they need to find a leader that will establish himself and I hope that it will be Nani. Moutinho is great but there is no BITE to him and Quaresma is the playmaker and needs to be left to concentrate on playing his game.
We need the team to spend more time together as a group and their roles will be defined not on paper but on the field.
I still believe given the talent they will manage to put it together and win a few games and possibly the title.
We can not seen to beat France and Italy on a consistent basis. They have our number. I know that the under 21 beat France a few months back to qualify for the tournament but in general these team kick our ass at any level.

Posted from  Canada