I have more confidence in any of you leading the squad than Ronaldo who tries to disguise his poor individual performance with accusations of poor quality in the team. With a guy leading a group of men like this, I will be surprised if we're able to even beat Ghana by a goal difference of 2. By the way he stormed to the locker room, I am pretty sure that in his head it is the team's fault. And he always make sure that he is not included in it.
In all respect if you were Ronaldo you wouldn't be pissed Nani is rubbish now Eder is a RW playing CF Coentrão is out as is Postiga Not hard seeing how frustrated he is and he is risking alot
I hope Germany wins 3-0 ad we win 2-0 Than they would draw lots And I hope portugal becomes the first team ever to progress based in drawing of lots Than we beat Belgium with anti football And eliminate Argentina on penalties and end the messi parade If that happened this would be the most trolling thing imaginable
He is risking a lot? Who cares? Who isn't in that squad? This is what I am complaining about. That speech was criticizing a lot of things to excuse his poor individual performance. And then tops it by saying that he wouldn't need to be in the WC and subject himself to this. You find this behavior acceptable for a captain? Not only he is demoralizing the team even more, he is obviously trying to save face. And he has no reasons to when he had a few chances against the US. He was just poor. He can't claim that he is doing us a favor when he has been a non decisive factor in the final stages of a WC.
We won't win with ronaldo Only way I see us winning is with a good all around team with no mega stars and being coached by a guy like mourinho
He's frustrated but what can we do? He did play injured and gve it his all Thing that bothers me more is tooting his own horn about being a euro champ with Real Madrid. Lol big deal Real Madrid were champs 9 times before and will win again without his help. I wish portugal was able to retain it's top players , once they leave and become stars in foreign teams, marry Russian or Swedish super model whores they think they are above portugal . Just like Figo who barely talks bout sportng anymore . We need a true Portuguese team again .
... Or if we treat our megastars like any other member of the team.. Like hazard is for Belgium or Robben for Holland.... Just one player. Instead of constantly forcing play through one player
You gotta move Ronaldo to striker, that way Varela can help defend. Ronaldo can't track back and wasn't even trying to switch wings yesterday since he can't run. Let him be up top, and then pull from side to side drawing defenders to allow the opposite side wings to come in. Even wounded he will be double teamed, so have him pull defenders with him and if they don't follow then give him the ball.
would love to see us go through with some miracle. but based on whats been happening and Bentos tactics, that is highly unlikely. I can still see us getting a tie or even losing this match. If I were Bento I would do a complete overhaul and allow William, rafa,and neto to play from the beginning. But obviously is he retarded and wont do that.
Nani and Eder had a better game then Ronaldo....let that sink in for a minute. He is a petulant cry baby who is no leader. What leader you know takes zero responsibility for the team and blames everyone else? With lines like "If the rest of Portugal played like me we would be World Champions by now" how can anybody want to follow him? Z is right, Portugal would be much better if we didn't have Ronaldo. It would force everyone else to step up and play for each other. Instead of play to not piss off one guy flailing his arms around at everyone when HE misses. That or if he had enough humility to be just a member of the team and not the focal point. But his ego won't allow him. The team crumbled after one bogus PK call (One that we would never get called for) and he did nothing to show that he wanted to get back into either game. If he was hurt (which I doubt) I didn't see him struggle out there.
What do you want him to do. He could have done a Franck Ribery and stood home. Bottom line we are going to win. Everyone is down on these group of guys. They got screwed on that PK against Germany. I saw worst fouls get no yellow cards on this tournament and Pepe get a red. These guys are playing their hearts out they are not at the level of the 1986 clowns who over bonus checks and the 2002 group who conducted themselves like a bunch of jerks against South Korea. This team fought to the death in the 2nd half against Germany and didn't quit last night. I'm not counting them out and they are not a disgrace in my book. Everyone knows how wounded Portugal are and they are gaining respect.
I have faith in humanity. After seeing William come on to control the midfield like he did, I have no doubts that Bento will start him. No doubt. If he doesn't start him, he is borderline retarded because he can't even observe and react properly.
"Young fresh legs vs pacy Africans? That sounds absurd" - Paulo Bento "Change our attitudes? No No, we just need the results to change" - Raul Meireles "If the rest of Portugal played like me we would be World Champions by now" - Cristiano Ronaldo "I play for Benfica and am Portuguese, national team please" - Andre Almeida "I sucked, then was good for a while, now I suck again" - Moutinho "I am hot" - Nani
players who chose to play in Turkey and Russia for the money above glory are not going to sacrifice themselves for the national squad 100% Sorry Meireles fans, I saw an old man with no legs last night get beaten by younger faster yankee legs. Ghanaians are even faster
William Rafa and Neto should have been no brainers after that first German game. Postiga and Alves both hurt got starts instead. Meireles, Veloso, Moutinho never have looked like a solid core midfield. Meireles has been crap for a long time, Veloso non existant and Moutinho hit or miss. The USA game should have seen that trio broken up considering how poor they were vs Germany. I suspect no changes to the lineup unless Meireles is "injured" much like Andre Almeida, and Rui Patricio.
End of the day after all the injuries and bullshit we have to go through we are still alive and have a chance an actual chance to progress from this group We had a mess out there yesterday and the best team the yanks ever assembled ever failed to win and we had better pass completion shots and shots on goal then they did and they somehow beat Ghana on our day backs to the wall we go balls out and crush the shit out of any team just like North Korea just like Bosnia just like Russia on 2006 We will advance I believe we will and call me crazy most people here already had us out but no we still here and this is where Portugal wants to be Do you think Germany and the USA won't play hard because they will and guess what we know that Ghana.will and when they attack with their crosses straight to Alves feet BOOM counterattack football What Ronaldo said will light that fire under their asses including his own Last nights comments were a direct shot to Nani and nani knows he has to go bighe is playing for his career out there
Alright, so who's haircut was worse: Nani or Ronaldo's? I mean, Nani had some weird stars shaved into his head and Ronaldo had a dyslexic "Z" shaved into his head (like he did it himself against the mirror and forgot to compensate for the reversal reflection). Did they just watch "Cool as Ice" and tried to out-do Vanilla Ice? If I knew how to post images I'd post all three of these clown haircuts. Now back to analyzing the game...
I used to be a Meireles fan. But the past 2 years haven't at all convinced me. He is done and looks like a 37 year old playing out there. He is slow and looks like he has lost all his sense of ball control. Veloso too hasn't look his self and looking like he is heading down the same path as Meireles. William has a lot going for him
Visitor from the USA board... Well, I know you guys are disappointed with results thus far. Just know, as a USA fan, yesterday's game was a disappointment. Hoping you guys take the game to Ghana. You never know with soccer, that goal differential might not be as bad as everyone thinks. You just never know... That second spot could go to Portugal, Ghana - or possibly the USA. I'm just hopeful you guys take the game to Ghana.
Of course Bento won't make any changes. He photocopied his starting line up for all 3 games weeks ago. To make a change would actually involve him doing anything besides looking lost.
Too many excuses for Ronaldo. He operates with impunity and I'm tired of hearing he is pretty much underserving of being stuck with Portugal. His constant head hanging and arm flailing when something happens he objects to from his teammmates is shameful behavior. If anything he should be setting an example. Yet his play is atrocious. He was walking and standing around in a 1-1 match in the World Cup. That's unacceptable. Look at his dribble at the edge of the box where he dribbled five yards in front of himself and lost the ball. What about that shot from the right wing that was 10 meters wide and into the stands? His free kick launched ditectly into the crowd? His dive looking for a penalty when he could've stayed with the play? Like I said in the other thread he lacks any creativity what so ever. He cannot beat defenders anymore, he tumbles to the ground at the slightest contact and his decision making leaves a lot to be desired. How many times does he drop back to collect the ball only to make a one touch back pass? He runs all the way back to his own half to back pass? Why is he not turning and taking on defenders? These days he is completely reliant upon world class passing. We lack those skill players. His ability to create for himself has passed him by and that frustration seeps into the game evident by him feeling it necessary to shoot low percantage shots and falling over constantly. He has the skill to be a world class setup man with his passing and he refuses to put any trust in his teammates. He has been abysmal and I'm looking forward to a new era. The problem is he will go back to scoring hat tricks vs Granada for the next two years and we will put our future on hold to appease Ronaldo in 2016.
Yes, Nani had a somewhat good game but you know what pisses me off, his TO ratio. How many time has he given the ball up? He needs to be more aggressive. Ronaldo does care but there's too much pressure, way too much. Also, I believe Germany will win against USA. They want to make a point. Portugal, as always, make their own destiny doing it the hard way. It ain't over till it's over.