PBP Thread: Match #19, Portugal vs Morocco, 20 June 2018 [R]

Well Portugal got the job done. Not a great performance, but they'll take it anyways.

I'm not sure it's worth reading too much into Portugal's performance. There are concerns, but the overall performance might not be a problem. They didn't need the win. A draw would have been satisfactory and Portugal were looking to reserve themselves. They didn't want to overextend themselves in order to go the distance further in the tournament. They started strong to avoid Morocco catching them flatfooted and were rewarded with a goal. Those first 15 minutes were the most decisive of the game. Portugal got the goal they needed and that left Morocco with a mountain to climb.

I think Portugal do have a concern with Pepe, however. I didn't catch a whole lot of the game, but I saw Benatia's header in the early minutes after Ronaldo's goal. If not for a smart save by Rui Patricio, Benatia would have scored. Pepe looked really soft and I don't think he's up to scratch anymore to this level. He can still organize the team and use his experience, but he's now at a physical disadvantage, at least against strong players. This could be a concern against the likes of Cavani or Dzyuba.

Another concern is that Portugal were on the back foot against a side that resembles Russia in many ways. The difference being that Russia have shown they can put away chances. It's difficult to say if Russia can compete against opponents of Portugal's quality. We'll see in the match against Uruguay. In any case, Portugal will need to begin to raise their game by the last 16. They won't get away with performances like today by that point.

 

Love the anti Portuguese sentiment, means we must be doing something right!!!

All respect to Morocco, fans were incredible at the stadium, wernt quiet for the whole 90mins, even gave Ronaldo some Messi chanting banter. Team deserve better, they played good football in both matches and we're the better side in both matches. Need to find a cutting edge in the near future.

Portugal were terrible, the worst performance I've seen from them for a very long time, but I'll take points over moral victories, we had plenty of moral wins in the past and won nothing, stuck in the friend zone.

 

can you admit your team is plagued with divers and cheaters, and that you got lucky vs morocco? if you do i will have respect for you for being truthful.

 

Well there's no anti Portuguese sentiment in my part,good for Portugal.I've made a statement on why some people think Portugal is considered a big team when clearly it's never been,stats and consistent participation in world cups,reaching semis ,finals and winning cups ,is what makes a teams a "big" dog and it's something Portugal has yet to reach,no anti Portuguese sentiment.just facts,enjoy your win.

 

If there ever was such a thing as a one man football team - Ronaldo sure is doing a good job of proving there is

 

Ronaldo saves the ball?
Ronaldo defends?
Ronaldo crossed the ball to himself?
Ronaldo passes to himself?

man, he scores goals.. thats his job.. theres 10 other players that are preventing his goals from being meaningless.

Definition of a 1 man team.. Egypt..

 

It's pointless replying to this thread, since many posters just intend to troll, probably for reasons that have nothing to do with football. That's ok to be biased, personnally I highly dislike latin american teams with mexico topping it all. Nonetheless, I have better things to do than going commenting on their teams, I prefer focusing on mine. People who have stuff going on always have better things to do than trolling.

 

A team is not a big team in a tournament. It either is or isn't a big team.

 

we are not arabs
it's like calling Jamaican people saxons just because they speak english

 

Really?

Portugal won the Euro 2016

"Fake news" @whothe&(&(%74cares

See how that Works

 

I do. And I'm OK with it as long as you stop bombarding me with your crap team

 

Second tier European Champions, better than First tier Euro 2016 finalists. We are for sure second tier.

 

unlike Iran ?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco

Official Language : Arabic - Berber
Ethnic Groups : 99% Arab-Berber , 1% other

but i apologize for offending you in any way , didn't know saying someone is Arab is considered an offense these days

 

The Best I can offer you is maybe we Will only Play one more game

If we do get through a Uruguai - Portugal game would be War of the Dark Lords

 

Nah, save your offer for gullible people. I'm not at the market to buy crap

 

Portugal simply doing the job is the right answer plus Cristiano have made a big difference individually on the pitch.
Morocco has better players (Ronaldo excepting), dominated the game and produced much better football but lost because they don't have the best finisher.

 

Why aren't you posting in the romania forum? It's over here in case you're looking for it https://www.bigsoccer.com/forums/romania.1135/

 

Cause Romania is NOT at the WC (because they are sh1t). Duh!

 

Not true. Goalie's can stand on their head, you can be Spain vs the US in the '09 Confed Cup semi's, generate what, 27 shots, and still lose, or Belgium vs the US in 2014 and force what 15 saves from Howard, and yet it's a draw in regulation and if we'd brought Donovan instead of MLS lifer hack Wondo, that last minute chance is likely finished, and we win despite being played off the field.

I understand what you're saying, re: scoreboard, and there are teams who, just flat out lack a finishing edge, and it's a part of their make up and overall quality or lack thereof as a team (I think of South Korea circa 2001-2006: really a very good team, but they couldn't finish to save their lives and the sample size was large enough across five years to suggest it wasn't a 1 game fluke, it was a systemic problem). That being said, teams can play better than other teams and lose, it happens all the time, in all sports, especially in soccer, where scores are harder to come by then in any other sport.

 

That's wikipedia and I'm not offended, there is nothing wrong with being Arabs we just aren't. I was only correcting something inaccurate.
There have never been an immigration from Arab peninsula to Morocco, we just got a version of their language the same way Senegal got French and Nigeria got English. Also on a side note Maltese people are better at understanding our so called Arabic language than the Saudis.

 

As a Portugal fan I am most disappointed with only one goal, goal differential will decide this group.

Spain had tikitaka, Moroccoshad a physical press, we withstood both. As usual WC games come down to one mistake, often by a really experienced player. I hope we can avoid that misfortune for a few more weeks.

 

Red card. Thank god. This guy was getting annoying. Yeah take your own advice. Be humble. Sit down.

 

Can I please have your respect.
Pretty please

 

This thread needed some clean up, it was turning in to troll central. I'' stick to the other one from now on.