Pepe: Calmer than a boy from the beaches of Maceio...oh wait!

Yeah, I line of...

Bosingwa -- Pepe -- Carvalho -- Miguel would be incredibly strong and also one lineup that I would prefer as well. I definitely think this team has more talent then the Euro 2004 team, but the 2004 was much more organized.

 

in euro 2004 we had rui costa to light a fire under decos ass.

This year we have no one.

We are far far weaker in midfield.

petit in place of costinha in his prime?

oh God.

Veloso is slow as hell too, not like costinha on 04 who him maniche and deco were like the three musketeers in midfield, everyone know what the other was at all times without even looking, sublime protection for the back 4 and superb movement and pressurization of the other team.

Deco is also in horrible form due to injury riddled first half of a season.

 

Petit won't get the start in Euro. Veloso has proved a much better player.

 

and veloso isnt the safest option in that position due to his lack of mobility, besides didnt you hear scolari lash out at "certain players"?

Miguel, deco, and veloso.

He said hes keeping an eye on them, that their minds arnt giving the priority to football, but to partys, and that some of them are 3/4 pounds overweight.

Petit will be starter i bet, hes one of scolaris favourites.

 

Veloso's quicker than you think, I just don't think he's the solid, tough dmid that we need behind the #10 and the box to box mid. He was good in the U21 Euro, since then he's dropped in form, hopefully he'll turn it around.

 

In defense of Miguel, I saw him play last week and it seemed as if he lost some weight and was playing well.

Deco doesn't look in good shape considering the fact that he came out yesterday saying he would pretty much like to leave Barca after the season is over. However, who else do we have to play there at this point. We need his experience, hopefully he's motivated.

Veloso has fallen off a bit lately courtesy to Sportings dismal form. However, I'm sure the lad can step it up. Manuel Fernandes is going to start playing for Everton so Veloso better watch his back.

 

Nice to see Pepe w/ a Portugal flag around his neck celebrating R. Madrid's Title today.

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/photo;_...f3d1aaa466d203c-getty-fbl-esp-real&prov=getty

 

that shows class and proves something to the portuguese pepole where his heart lies

 

lol cannavaro is holding a portugal flag too

 

sorry for digging up this thread but Pepe deserves better. He's been 1 of Portugal's best player and people are already saying he forms the best CD duo in the Euro w/ R. Carvalho. Here's what he's got to say about that:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-europortugalpepe&prov=reuters&type=lgns

NEUCHATEL, Switzerland, June 16 (Reuters) - Portugal’s Euro 2008 central defensive partnership of Ricardo Carvalho and Pepe cannot be regarded as the best in the world until they have won a title, Pepe said on Monday.
“For us to be considered the best of the tournament or the best in the world, we’re going to have to win something together,” he said of the partnership which has helped Portugal reach the quarter-finals.
“Ricardo is a great defender but it is not only with him that I have a good partnership,” he told reporters.
“I have no problem pairing up with Bruno Alves or Fernando Meira,” the Brazilian-born 25-year-old said, suggesting the reserves in the squad were also up to the task.
This might not have seemed the case when Alves played alongside Pepe in the second-string side that lost 2-0 to Switzerland in Portugal’s final, meaningless group match on Sunday.
In that match they renewed a partnership they had at Porto before Pepe left for Real Madrid a year ago.

OTHER OBJECTIVES
Pepe, who has six caps, said speculation as to the true strength of Portugal’s squad was understandable after Sunday’s defeat but Scolari had other objectives.
“The most important thing was to give match rhythm to those who had not played in the other matches,” he said.
“The quarter-final will be decided by small details so it’s important for us all to be prepared to give our best on Thursday.”
Portugal’s opponents for the quarter-final in Basel on Thursday were going to come out of Monday’s night’s final Group B matches involving Germany, Austria and Poland.
Pepe said Portugal would be able to continue in the knockout phase with the same attacking tactics that saw them through the group stage.
The attack comprises a three-man midfield of ball-winner Armando Petit and creators Deco and Joao Moutinho and a trident up front with wingers Cristiano Ronaldo and Simao Sabrosa either side of Nuno Gomes.
“We can continue to play that way because the team has some great players,” he said. “But it is the great team spirit that tips the balance.”

 

A couple of my Italians friends have agreed. Even stated that Pepe is the best CB in the tournament thus far.

I hope he continue with his form.


I still wonder why one would ever leave Maceio though?

 

Pepe says Brazil's loss to Paraguai yesterday means nothing to him:

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/maiseuro/noticia.php?id=962939&div_id=1391

«Quer que eu seja sincero? Eu nem vi esse jogo. (Risos) Para mim não tem significado algum. Estou bem onde estou, as pessoas tratam-me bem, sou feliz naquilo que faço. Tenho amigos que jogam na selecção brasileira e fico triste por eles, pois quero o melhor para os meus amigos, mas para mim não tem significado nenhum», afirmou.

Na conferência de imprensa desta segunda-feira, Pepe confessou ainda que optou consciente pela cidadania portuguesa: «Vim para cá bastante cedo. Fiz praticamente a minha carreira toda aqui em Portugal. É bom passar despercebido no Brasil pois é um país bonito, mas com níveis de criminalidade muito alta. Prezo muito a segurança da minha família.»

Mesmo sentindo-se português, Pepe ainda tem ligações bem fortes no outro lado do Atlântico: «Tenho familiares que vivem no Brasil, como é o caso dos meus pais. Eu fiz uma opção na minha vida que foi viver em Portugal e jogar pela selecção portuguesa, pois achei que devia retribuir todo o conforto que os portugueses me deram quando cheguei. Mesmo quando estou de férias fico em Portugal. Fiz a melhor opção, mas gosto da minha cidade no Brasil e no país tem pessoas que gostam de mim.»

 

He has been huge thus far. Cant argue with that.

 

Maceio boys!

 

LittleJoel, looks like it might be time to start a new thread for this Maceio boy...

 

Its true, 42 pages. But I wanted to keep it going, I love the title.lol

 

Pepe has been class very good in the tackle and anticipation and he's VERY QUICK.

 

His quickness was the first thing that I noticed when he held down the 3 man back line for Porto 2 years ago.

 

This guy really cared...I think more than some of our Portuguese players...

 

Yeah I must admit Pepe was THE guy who had that look in his eye when we went 2 down he still had BELIEF, I have really taken a liking for this guy, great personality and great footballer.