Pre-match: Portugal vs. Sweden 2010 World Cup Qualifier 28/03/09

Discussion in 'Portugal: National Teams' started by F.P.F.4life, Feb 15, 2009.

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  1. Quaresma

    Quaresma New Member

    Aug 1, 2003
    Steeltown
    yah but doesnt mean querioz will start him.

    like vs albania, he played danny on the wing with quaresma and nani on the bench and played 3 CM's instead.

    if danny played in the hole it could have made a difference
     
  2. quinas1139

    quinas1139 New Member

    Sep 18, 2007
    NJ & PA
    If I remember correctly, Danny & Ronaldo started on the wings but for most of the 55 minutes that Danny was in there, Ronaldo was up front with Almeida and Danny was roaming around behind them.

    And the 3 CM's only lasted 55 minutes, then you had Nani & Quaresma on the wings and Ronaldo and Almeida up front for about 40 minutes.
     
  3. dipluso

    dipluso Member+

    Jul 19, 2005
    CT
    Given the fact that CQ only called one striker (Almeida) I suspect he's considering putting Ronaldo and Almeida up front. Alternatively, he'll play the usual 4-5-1 and have Ronaldo move to sole striker when Almeida is subbed for some other winger.

    Either way, it's a disaster. We have zero evidence - zero - that Ronaldo can play up front, alone or a support striker. In fact, we have plenty of evidence that he doesn't know how to play the position - in addition to the times we have tried it on the NT, all you have to do is check out the 1st half of Man. United's last game defeat against Fulham where he was paired up with Berbatov to see how much less effective he becomes as a striker.

    I've said it before and I'll say it again - people want to make Ronaldo into a striker, but he's not one. Not yet at least. If coaches are so keen to make him into a striker, he should spend the off-season playing and learning the position somewhere else. At this point in the competition, we really can't afford these kinds of learn-on-the-job experiments.

    -Alex
     
  4. Bengoechea

    Bengoechea Member

    Jul 28, 2005
    São Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Completely agree.
    Let Cristiano Ronaldo play where he know how to plays, where he became the best of the world
     
  5. santos6

    santos6 New Member

    Feb 25, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    See the tricky thing is Ronaldo became the best in the world in a free role, he had no tactical responsibilities. This year is Man U is shaped up slightly different so he has stuck to his flanks more then last year.

    Also Ronaldo is best in the transition, the quick counters where he gets isolated 1v1, this is another thing that we don't do well on the NT, I can still see Queiroz saying "rapido, pa rapido, tenha de que ser MAIS RAPIDO!"
     
  6. Sinstar

    Sinstar Member

    Aug 2, 2008
    Canada
    Club:
    FC Porto
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Ronaldo needs to be played in his right damn position.
    He is NOT a striker.
    I think if we can handle Ibra we can win the game. Don't concede goals and bombard the hell out of their net.
     
  7. santos6

    santos6 New Member

    Feb 25, 2007
    Toronto
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Ibra isn't playing....
     
  8. addz90

    addz90 New Member

    Feb 23, 2009
    Australia
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    I think he'll sub in Edinho for Almeida in the second half, Edinho is supposed to be quick and he can finish
     
  9. Benfica4Life

    Benfica4Life Member

    Feb 16, 2006
    Providence, RI
    Club:
    SL Benfica
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Im willing to try any striker other than Almeida. It's worth a shot.

    Your right hes not a striker and he plays much better as a RW. But the fact is. if you can use Ronaldo as a ST and still have an excellent player to play as RW (Quaresma or Simao since he can play either side), might as well go for it if you dont have a decent striker. Ronaldo never seems to perform well with the NT regardless, even at the RW position.


    2 words... Thank God!

    Im confident Portugal will get the win, but it most likely won be pretty at all. then again, the points are what matter at this point. Sweden without Ibra is well, pretty bland. Portugal has to come out with an offensive lineup. There wont be much of an offensive threat from Sweden since Ibra is the threat and creativity of the team, but that doesn't mean we can sleep on them. One counter-attack goal and we're screwed.

    1-0, maybe 2-0.
     
  10. Joelzinho

    Joelzinho Member

    May 23, 2005
    Montreal!
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    I think you guys are underestimating Sweden here. They still have a number of good players and offensive threats. Yes there's no one on Sweden like Ibra, but they still have... Larsson, hes old, but hes clinical. Elmander, very much an offensive threat, Svensson, and a very good midfielder in Källström.
     
  11. jec1

    jec1 Member

    Sporting Clube de Portugal
    Portugal
    Aug 27, 2004
    Los Angeles ATM
    Club:
    Sporting CP Lisbon
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Yep! I pick Sweden to win 2-0. Portugal are not an elite team and they'll underestimate the Swedes, you can bet on that!
     
  12. Joelzinho

    Joelzinho Member

    May 23, 2005
    Montreal!
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    I think Portugal will underestimate them, but I do not think we will lose 2 - 0. However, the key to this game is who scores first. I say again, Portugal must score 1st. If we accomplish that, we will win the game.
     
  13. Joelzinho

    Joelzinho Member

    May 23, 2005
    Montreal!
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    "Deco recuperado e Nani confiante"

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    http://abola.pt/nnh/ver.aspx?id=161188


    http://goal.com/en-us/news/1956/eur...portuguese-doctor-declares-deco-is-good-to-go

    Edinho + Nani Interview

    http://ww1.rtp.pt/desporto/index.php?headline=37&visual=17&article=181207&tema=21

    Don't know how to take this. I wanted to see Danny. I like Deco, but he nerves me sometimes. When hes playing well, generally the entire team does. When he is off, the team struggles, and we often are hesitant to take him out...

    I guess this means that we won't see Danny in the starting lineup though.
     
  14. Sinstar

    Sinstar Member

    Aug 2, 2008
    Canada
    Club:
    FC Porto
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    I hadn't thought of that, and seeing as we don't really have any outstanding strikers that might be a valid way to do it.

    All we need is someone who can finish. Spain has Torres, England has Rooney, German has Klose and Podolski, and yet all we seem to have are wingers.
     
  15. dipluso

    dipluso Member+

    Jul 19, 2005
    CT
    I don't know about you guys but I am a whole lot less confident about this game than Nani. Why?

    This is our starting line-up: A mix of players who are:
    a) injured
    b) semi-injured
    c) just-returned-from-injury - hardly played in the last month
    d) off-form - not a starter on his team
    e) off-form - starter but negative contribution and/or team in a low.

    Eduardo: e
    Bosingwa: e
    RCarvalho: c
    Pepe: b
    Duda: b
    Ronaldo: e
    Maniche: d
    Meireles: Maybe the only guy who is 100% - will he be a starter?
    Simao: e + personal issues
    Deco: a
    Almeida: e

    Alternates:
    Nani: d
    Quaresma: d
    Tiago: ?
    Danny: e? form questionable (just started his season)

    I mean, almost everybody is either injured, partly injured and/or played poorly in teams that have played poorly in recent weeks. Added to that, these players have yet to play well as a group, they will be nervous (do or die game), and coach is nervous (by temperament and for his job).

    I don't remember how Dragao has been for the NT in previous games. I am hoping the home crowd will be positive, supportive, even if things are going badly.

    I hope I'm wrong, but the team is in shambles. CQ better pull a rabbit out of his hat for this game or he's done.
     
  16. dipluso

    dipluso Member+

    Jul 19, 2005
    CT
    This doesn't make sense. We lose a lot more by playing him out of position, even if that brings Quaresma into the picture. Bottom line: Our biggest weapon is Ronaldo in a free-roaming wing position. Moving him to striker totally neutralizes that. He becomes average at best. He hardly touches the ball and he becomes frustrated. Meanwhile, we'd have Quaresma on the wing - "excellent"?! In potential only. In reality, Quaresma is a streaky, nervous kid whose performances are completely unpredictable. When he plays well it's all good, but when he plays badly, wow, it's a freaking horror show. He just gets more and more nervous until he can't hit a cross if his life depended on it.
    So, I have an idea - we have a bunch of mediocre strikers - they can do as well as Ronaldo up top. Put them there and hope they can bundle in a rebound when Ronaldo does what he does best - from the wing.
    To use a baseball analogy - if you're going to get beat, at least don't let it be on your third best pitch...
     
  17. nbstriker8

    nbstriker8 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 10, 2008
    new beige
    Club:
    SL Benfica
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    amen to that brother. put simao on one wing and ronaldo on the other, and i guess hugo up front considering nuno isn't even on the roster. i really dont like hugo at all but what else does portugal have, orlando sa will be good comin in at about thirty to twenty mins left but i don't think he can preform well the entire game, considering he rarely gets that chance in barga. put danny behind the striker and that should be enough attack to score a couple goals.
     
  18. Benfica4Life

    Benfica4Life Member

    Feb 16, 2006
    Providence, RI
    Club:
    SL Benfica
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    Duda will be our starting LB and Pepe will be our DM. AND Deco WILL START!
     
  19. Quaresma

    Quaresma New Member

    Aug 1, 2003
    Steeltown
    ----------------Eduardo-------------------
    ---------Carvalho------Alves---------------
    Bosingwa-------------------------------Duda
    ---------Pepe---------Maniche---------------
    Ronaldo--------Deco------------------simao
    --------------Almeida-----------------------

    Thats our lineup.

    I wish Andrade never got injured..Alves is good, but quickness exposes him and with Andrade we had the best of both worlds.

    Nothing would have ever gotten past the Carvalho-Pepe-Andrade triangle defensivly.
     
  20. Chess_Panther

    Chess_Panther Member+

    Apr 29, 2007
    Porto, Portugal
    Well, to whatever guy that was in Porto by tomorrow wanting to watch the game...the cheapest ticket is 10 euros behind one of the goalies.
    My friend was supposed to buy me one yesterday but idk if he was successful though :p


    Off Note:

    And tonight is Boavista - Benfica, a friendly game sponsored by Portugal Telecom that bought all seats for the game and is selling 2 euros each in return.
    Obviously, this is meant to financially help Boavista.
    I'm there!

    The game will be aired by BenficaTV.

    http://www.ojogo.pt/Directo/Noticia...utboavistaslbjogoantecipado_200309_119891.asp
     
  21. dipluso

    dipluso Member+

    Jul 19, 2005
    CT
    What time is the game tomorrow? The first page of the thread doesn't say.
    Thanks. Alex
     
  22. quinas1139

    quinas1139 New Member

    Sep 18, 2007
    NJ & PA
    The game is on at 4:45 eastern time.
    The times are always on the TV thread on the main Portugal forum page.
     
  23. dipluso

    dipluso Member+

    Jul 19, 2005
    CT
    Thanks for both. Didn't realize that. Cheers -Alex
     
  24. Joelzinho

    Joelzinho Member

    May 23, 2005
    Montreal!
    Nat'l Team:
    Portugal
    I am glad that we will see Duda at that LB spot. I am a little unsure about Deco, Pepe, and Alves, and the respective positions that they will be playing in.

    Goal.com has predicted we lose 1 - 0, conceding from a set piece.
     
  25. quinas1139

    quinas1139 New Member

    Sep 18, 2007
    NJ & PA
    Seems like Pepe has been playing as DM during the practices.

    Goal.com can kiss my arse :p
     

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