WCQ: PORTUGAL x Russia - June 7, 2013

That assessment is about right IMO,

 

Personally a handball like that shouldnt be called. It had no intent what so ever. Coentrao was in the middle of a slide. The commentators pointed out this exact point as well.

 

I liked the new blood inserted into the line-up. Shame that injuries need to force Bento to make these obvious changes to our line-up. Neto was amazing, really looking forward to seeing his future at the NT, however with Pepe coming back its highly doubtful he will see first team football for the NT. Vierinhia was also very impressive, but much like Neto, with Nani back in form I don't see him having a starting place. Raul Miereles is a ghost, his time with the NT is done for me, at least in a starting role. He can't hack it at full steam for 75 minutues anymore. Maybe he needs to get injured as well for Bento to realize the young Portuguese talent in the ranks that can play as well as him.

Got to give credit to Postiga. I have always liked him. Very slow Striker, but somehow he finds ways to score goals and gets little admiration. The man is a warrior.

Ronaldo had an iffy game, had a few good runs that were wasted due to our scrub mid-field being to slow to react. Sometimes when I watch Ronaldo play for Portugal the guy is going at 100 mph while everyone else is going at 50. Amazing talent, if only he had the help. Luis Figo had rui costa and Pauleta.....Ronaldo has a half interested Nani....Great.

 

I don't think that matters. It's clear the ball was blocked by his arm, and while travelling into a dangerous position - that's why great defenders don't stick their arms out.

Wouldn't you award a penalty if he was the last defender and it were going into an empty net instead?


Concerning the rest of the match, both Neto and Veloso saved us. Neto, quite clearly why, and Veloso due to his world class free-kick delivery - don't underestimate how incredibly good that was. It's a shame that's about the only thing he does great.

Meireles was, indeed, awful, and none of the three Braga players selected are fit to take his place, or Veloso's. Here we go again... Fernandes should be played in front of Moutinho. Paulo Bento, though, quite clearly wants to deploy a midfield with all but workhorses, but that doesn't cut it in most matches since we have a dire need of creativity. Creativity isn't just making a trick on a one on one. It is, actually, much more than that when a player decides to ignore conventions and make a run or, especially, pick a pass no one had seen coming. Decisions that actually change the flow and movement of the team as a whole.

Don't forget that we only scored from a set piece.

 

Mostly in agreement but Ronaldo should slow down, if you are the only one going fast then it is up to you to adapt, have said this before when Ronaldo retires we will play better football, don't like the Real Madrid Mark II Portugal it is ugly.

 

Coentrao has got handball calls against him all season, he does leave his arms exposed and then has recourse to the it is a natural movement defense, personally, I don't buy it as it happens too often and at Real the referees started penalising him for every handball because of his reputation.

 

I didn't think the first 30 was that good. And comparing with the Spain game from last year is not appropriate. Completely different performances. Yesterday we pressured well and controlled those thirty minutes but nothing out of this world. Against Spain, our tactical plan worked which was to deny them any real chance at goal, but we didn't even have a game plan that was set on ending it in 90 minutes... which is why we probably deserved to lose the way we did.

 

Fernandes should be in the squad, everyone knows that, but its clear at this point something happened between he and PB lead. Tiago shouldn't have retired early as well, the guy still starts for Atletico Madrid. I wonder what caused him to retire at only 29?

Anyways, with Joao Carlos and Joao Mario coming up Meireles' days are numbered.

Veloso is good on the ball, but as a number 6 his defensive attributes and awareness are lacking.

Excited for our wingers again: Ronaldo with Bruma/Nani/Veirinha is good. Hopefully Nani either works his way back at Manchester United or goes to a team like Juventus instead of ********ing Monaco or Galatasarray...he has outrageous ability, speed, a deadly cross and passing range on his day...just needs to find consistency.

And finally, our centreback situation seems to be slowly improving after the Carvalho fiasco

Tiago Ilori, Luis Neto(if this single performance wasn't an abomination), Bruno Alves, Pepe.

Cedric, Joao Cancelo offer two other outlets at RB..Joao Periera wasn't too great yesterday either.

Lets hope they get good starts to next season so players like those mentioned above get chances to cement themselves in the national team. It would vastly improve our squad.

 

And still no world-class, or close to it, striker in sight

 

Ya..that goes without saying.

It's a running joke at this point

 

Postiga scored in his last 5 games From a failed promise to a late bloomer add that with an impressive goal tally at Real Saragoza (14 goals just in La Liga) who happened to get relagated, then that is a pretty impressive season. not to mention Marca has him joining La Liga club Sevilla FC on Monday.

 

Coentrao very lucky....seems prone to handballs lol

 

Actually, and fortunately, referees no longer judge these situations based solely on intent, as it would be rather unfair if a clear goal-bound strike were to be blocked by an unintentional arm sticking out - to use the example in its most extreme case (Hence my question, Wouldn't you award a penalty if he was the last defender and it were going into an empty net instead?).
Another tangible example would be full-backs jumping to block crosses with their arms flapping around.


Of course I understand the decision by the officials - it was clearly unintentional - yet, I find it indubitably wrong.


Mas sim... Adiante.

 

Glad to get the win/points, but Russia was unlucky not to get a draw. Assuming we get in, I'm curious to see how the squad plays in the WC. I was pleasantly shocked by how hard they pressed in the EURO.

 

There is a reason Fernandes is playing in Turkey despite his talent.

If he's as much of a _____ off the field and in the locker room as people say, I wouldn't have him on the roster either.

 

He's a succession of underscores off the field?



In all seriousness... Who actually says that?

 

If you think that was really only Mourinho's 3rd good game for Portugal, then its just further reinforcing the fact that you are a tool

 

Once the 9 second place teams have been determined, to decide the 8 best you don't count games against teams that came in last place. This is because Spain/France's group has 1 less team, so you need to make it fair to them.

So, assuming we'll get 6 points out of our games against the last place team, you can subtract 6 points from our total.

So let's hope Northern Ireland comes in last place, that way only 4 points (assuming we beat them in NI), gets subtracted from our total, rather than 6.

It's explained here, and gives an updated look at it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification_(UEFA)#Ranking_of_second-placed_teams

The other problem is that you don't want to just get by. You want to be one of the stronger 2nd place teams, because France, England, Croatia, Sweden, Czech Republic are all likely 2nd place teams. I'd rather face Albania or Hungary than any of those guys.