Quinta-Feira Question Time: Who’s the (or more like ‘your’) Starting XI?

Good team, sounds very likely to be the team that will play (except Petit for Meireles, and Ricardo for Quim). I think Scolari will go with Almeida, he’s scored goals, and Gomes is better coming on as impact.
Personally however, as I’ve said elsewhere, i’d go with this 4-4-2 (which can be seen as a 4-2-2-2 depending on the how you want to define the midfield):

Almeida, Gomes
Simao, Veloso, Deco, Ronaldo,
Ribeiro, Carvalho, Pepe, Bosingwa
Quim

Posted from  United Kingdom

Almeida
Quaresma, Ronaldo
Deco, Moutinho, Meireles
Ferreira, Carvalho, Pepe, Bosingwa
Quim

I like Simão as a sub (for Quaresma) which is why I didn’t start him…same for Nuno Gomes. Jorge Ribeiro can come on for Ferreira as a sub but i wanted to start ol’ Paulo because Scolari seemed really confident in him (wasn’t he the only one to be named before the official list came out?). I’m worried about Carvalho though because hasn’t he had injury problems a lot this season? Same with Deco…I just hope they all stay healthy between now and the Turkey match.

Quim as GK…maybe Scolari will surprise us? ha

Almeida
Quaresma, Ronaldo
Deco, Meireles
Veloso,
Ferreira, Carvalho, Alves, Bosingwa
Quim

That’s my line up barring any injuries. I agree totally with Andrew. Gomes and Simao are much more effective as impact subs. Simao is instantly effective coming off the bench. Quaresma needs to get into the flow of the game more.
I like Pepe but I think defense is as much based on chemistry as it is talent and Carvalho and Alves play better together than Pepe and Carvalho.
Also I would only play Deco if he is 100%. He’s usless at even 90%, just that kind of a player. So if he’s not ready then Moutinho is the only replacement for Deco.
Of course I would beg, plead, bribe (whatever it takes) to get Rui Costa to come back for one more stint! I wouldn’t start him but I’d use him in situations where Deco’s not being effective etc or last 20 min of a game. He’d be invaluable on the bench just for support and as a calming effect on the young guys…

Posted from  Canada

We are in trouble with this lineup.

Posted from  Canada

I cant beleive you all still think Deco is a impact player. HE will be very dissappointing.

Posted from  Canada

How would you lay the team out TIM?

Posted from  United States

Tim your right in calling Deco a non-impact player. But that’s not his job, we have impact players. His job is to service our impact player and exploit other teams defenses and or weaknesses.
The bottom line is we really don’t have a better option in his position. Like Greg said, what do you propose?

Posted from  Canada

CR Almeida Q

Deco Meira/Raul Veloso/Raul

Ferreira Pepe Carvalho Bosingwa
GK-flip a coin!

Posted from  Canada

Ceasar, everybody in PT feels the same way towards Rui Costa. He´s one of our all time best players. He doesn´t have 90 mins in his legs anymore, but he still has de luxe 45…

Anyway, here´s my (yet another)11: Ricardo, Boswingwa, Carvalho, Alves, Ribeiro; Petit, Veloso (or Meireles), Deco; CR, Almeida, Quaresma (or Nani).

There´s an issue on form, regarding Petit, Gomes and Deco.

I´d take the gamble on Almeida and if needed put Gomes in.
When we can´t use Petit, we still have Veloso, Meireles and Meira has played there as well.

Deco is instrumental, I think.
Could be nice to see a more offensive, or mobile, midfield. Moutinho and Deco together, or one of them plus Ribeiro. This guy has played very well in midfield also and scored some goals…
OR
CR, Almeida, Gomes, Quaresma, Deco, Veloso…

Posted from  Netherlands

Hmm…only get ridiculed? Thats alright, I’ll give it a shot.

How about a crazy formation where we just accept the fact that our strikers stink and our wingers rock?

Simao Ronaldo
Quaresma Nani
Deco
Veloso Raul
Ferreira Pepe Carvalho Bosingwa
Ricardo/Quim

Two inside wingers, two outside wingers with Simao and Ronaldo the best goalscorers on the team playing further up front and inside.

Of course, then you wouldn’t get the impact of throwing on Nani/Simao on later in the game, but hey, if this works maybe the attack can supply enough goals and the defense can keep them out to not let it matter.

Ridicule away

Gomes
Quaresma - Cristiano Ronaldo
Deco - Petit - Miguel Veloso
Bruno Alves - Ricardo Carvalho - Pepe - Bosingwa
Ricardo

Posted from  United States

People are nuts, especially most Barca fans who hate on the guy. Deco is an incredibly important player. Only someone that dosen’t understand the game and it’s need for fluidity and cohesiveness in order for an attack ever to come to fruition dosent get that u just need dudes like Deco. he used to give me like 5 heart attacks every time he played against sporting…
im not usually a URL guy but this one is one of the best edited you tube compilations ive ever seen…

http://youtube.com/watch?v=k6KJ6OppyjU

Posted from  Canada

I agree with LusoCanuck, Deco is class. and anyone who saw the champions league semi-finals must have seen that he was second only to Messi in the Barca team, and if anything, it’s better that he’s finding his fitness and form now, so he will be fresh for the tournament! There’s 12 players on your team Nelson, but i’ve often wondered why he doesn’t just put 3 out of the 4 wingers up front with a free role…sexy football

Posted from  United Kingdom

I too agree that Deco is a key player but I’m kinda worried about his mental state right now. He got whistled during Barca’s loss last weekend and now has declared his intention to leave. Deco (among others) seem very upset with Barca’s fans and the overall declining quality of the team, so I hope he can get over that and be ready to give 100% for Euro…and if he can then look out!

Andrew…sounds like incentive to me!!!

Posted from  Canada

If you look at key players in our tournaments, they rarely perform at the same level during qualifying. Deco stepped it up big time for last euro and the wc, but he was absent a lot or didn’t really give it his all for the last two years.

Nuno Gomes (if he plays) usually steps it up for the tournaments too. I dont know but I think the team we’ll see in a few weeks will have a completely different mentality than the one that showed up for Italy and Greece.

@ Viega, I got ridiculed for the wrong reason lol. I threw on too many defensive midfielders, but I like your idea of having 3 wingers switching it up freely.

Posted from  United States

Rumours bout Arsenal following M Veloso… http://www.ojogo.pt/24-85/artigo717839.asp

Posted from  Netherlands

Nelson from NYC agrees with Nelson
No Strikers
Ronaldo Simao Quaresma
Petit Deco Veloso Moutinho (should be Maniche)
Miguel Pepe Carvalho Bosingwa
Ricardo

Our best offense in my mind,

Posted from  United States

Sorry one to many mids. Drop Moutinho and play a modified 4-3-3 With Veloso as the Trinco and Simao and Deco feeding Ronaldo and Quaresma

Posted from  United States

Hugo Almeida
Quaresma - Cristiano Ronaldo
Deco - Raul Meireles - Miguel Veloso
Paulo Ferreira - Ricardo Carvalho - Bruno Alves - Bosingwa
Quim
i would take out raul meireles and put nani there and take ut quim because ricardo is the best goaly in portugal!

Posted from  Canada

I would take Hugo over Gomes. Nuno just cant finish like he used to, Hugo is big and strong, provides a presence in the box. We have so many playmakers already, i would like to see Hugo be striker and pound in balls provided by the wingers.

Ricardo in net gives me nightmares….

Maniche not going is still a mind boggle, how many huge goals has he scored over the last euro and wc?? Oh well…

Posted from  Canada

I’d have…

Nuno Gomes

Simao - Cristiano Ronaldo

Deco

Petit - Miguel Veloso

Paulo Fereira - Ricardo Carvalho - Fernando Meira - Miguel

- Quim

My prediction at least for the June 7th UEFA EURO 2008 inauguration game against Turkey:

-Quim
-Bosingwa, Bruno Alves, Ricardo Carvalho, Paolo Ferreira;
-Petit, Miguel Veloso;
-Quaresma, Moutinho and Cristiano Ronaldo
-Nani

I think it’s time Quim gets his starting position. He’s the goalkeeper best in shape at the moment. Bosingwa as ‘lateral,’ Carvalho the untouchable ‘titular,’ Ferreira at least one game in the EURO 2008.
I don’t think Simao has his position guaranteed, with Quaresma breathing down his neck. Time for the new generation to play more minutes. Unfortunately no leader like Figo in the team this time around. However, I bet Scolari would keep choosing Ricardo in goal, Nuno Gomes as forward, Simao instead of Quaresma.