Scolari’s 23 – Defenders

April 14th, 2006 | by: Luis Paulo |

Let’s keep choosing our 23 favorite Portuguese players to be at the World Cup this year. Now, is time to choose the 8 defenders. Who should replace Jorge Andrade?

Here are some options. Feel free to add anyone you like.

Ricardo Carvalho, Fernando Meira, Miguel, Nuno Valente, Marco Caneira, Paulo Ferreira, José Nunes, Ricardo Rocha, Beto Severo, Pedro Emanuel, Jorge Ribeiro, Tonel, Zé Castro, José Antonio and Frechaut.

My choice will be very conservative. On the left-back I would choose Valente and Caneira who can also play as a central defender. On the right-back, Miguel and Paulo Ferreira, they are clearly the best option. On the central defense, Ricardo Carvalho and Fernando Meira would be the logical choice while José Nunes and Ricardo Rocha would be my second option once he could play as a defensive right back like he did against Barcelona.

Who would you choose?

You can also choose who should be the goalie.

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Comments

By Luis | April 15th, 2006 at 2:09 am

Miguel
Carvalho
Meira
Valente
P. Ferreira
Caneira

+2…help me out people.

Posted from United States

By Pedro P | April 15th, 2006 at 10:24 am

I believe Scolari will end up taking Miguel, P Ferreira, Carvalho, Meira, Valente and Caneira. At least…

I have no clue who the CD’s substitutes will be. I also don’t know who Ze Castro, Jose Nunes and Jose Antonio are…:-) I also believe neither Beto nor Frechaut will go.

Tonel has been playing good with Sporting. R Rocha made a brilliant 1st game against Barcelona. The 2nd a bit more shaky – it was his 2nd time as right back He does CD and also LB. Was a competent “police” to Ronaldinho – never easy. But I have no clue who the CD subs will be… Till now it was clear: Meira the 1st sub, if something goes wrong Caneira would do it both as LB or CD. Now, I’m in the dark…

Posted from Netherlands

By mohannad | April 15th, 2006 at 12:47 pm

hi…
world cup is best sport that make people agree about somthig and make them be togather
and I thing that brazil is the best team, and it will win the worldcup

Posted from Serbia And Montenegro

By Luis Carlos | April 16th, 2006 at 5:28 pm

1. Caneira
2. Miguel
3. Nuno Valente
4. Ferreira
5. Carvalho
6. Fernando Meira
7. Jorge Ribeiro
8. Ricardo Costa.

From what I heard Pedro Emanuel was thinking of playing with Angola, is it true??

You don’t need to find someone for Andrade, he wasn’t that good, he wasn’t going to be in the starting eleven.

The 4 starting defenders where and are:

Valente (left side) Caneira and Carvalho (Center) and Ferreira (right).

C’ya.

Posted from Mexico

By Luis Paulo | April 16th, 2006 at 5:40 pm

Pedro Emanuel was borned in Angola but he left there when he was a still a child. So he has a chance to either play for Angola or Portugal.

By Nelson | April 17th, 2006 at 1:05 pm

My selection => the 23 players :

- Goalkeepers : Ricardo and Quim
- Defenders : Ricardo Carvalho, Fernando Meira, Nuno Valente, Miguel and Paulo Ferreira, Caneira, Ricardo Rocha, José Nunes
- Midfielders : Deco, Luis Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Maniche, Petit and Rui Costa, Hugo Viana, Quaresma, Luis Boa Morte, Tiago
- Strikers : Pauleta and Postiga, Nuno Gomes

Posted from Brazil

By Nelson | April 17th, 2006 at 2:00 pm

Jorge Andrade’s loss will be huge for portugal, make no mistake he was the best player on the pitch in the loss to Greece before he was injured. It is going to be up to Carvalho to shoulder the burden on defense.
We need to have the best defender, offensive skills are not needed if Pauleta does his job. BTW would anyone be offended if we went with a 4-4-2, with Nuno Gomez and Pauleta on the pitch at the same time?

Posted from United States

By Nelson | April 17th, 2006 at 2:02 pm

sorry Gomes not Gomez, I should know better

Posted from United States

By Pedro P | April 17th, 2006 at 2:24 pm

Scolari is a fan for stability. But also for versatility, as if you want to be a champion, you have to be better than “the other”. In this line, I believe he’ll always start with THE SAME 4-3-3 line-up.

Nevertheless, we’ve all seen him make drastic changes in the course of a match. Putting 2 strikers is no novelty. He even put Deco and Rui Costa together in the macth against England.

Also, time and again he screams to the pitch, telling CRonaldo to pull up, when Figo will make the cross and act as a 2nd striker.

In the momment of truth, he’ll (Scolari) do WHATEVER in order to win. And the players know they must be prepared to adjust to whatever the game turns out to be. But not at start.

Posted from Netherlands

By filipe | April 20th, 2006 at 10:24 pm

j. andrade’s absence is quite a problem; so is the fact that costinha is not playing for his club, although that is a question of the midfield; assuming that we play in 4-3-3, then 8 is probably the number; in light of these factors, i feel pedro emanuel should be selected; it would be far from me to suggest his selection given the possibility of him joining the angolan side; i simply think he is very well prepared; although third-choice at the time, he was an important player in porto’s trajectory in winning both uefa and champions league; additionally, he is captain of porto, most probably the next champion of the portuguese league. given the options, he has experience at top level football, and has proved himself at this level. he does has the problem of not having played for the national side with scolari, and not belonging entwined with the spirit of the national side; but he is a mature player, and i think adaptable given his experience. in any case, i will not question the choice of a coach which has been world champion and took portugal to the final of the euro; everyone makes mistakes, the difference is that he had created the leeway for a certain understanding, even if this is not always the generalized sentiment in portugal.

Posted from United States

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