I have said before when Ronaldo retires we will be going back to the days we’re we are struggling to qualify and it’s starting Ronaldo No legs left to carry the team
Wow ! Are you kidding me? What is the saying? 'fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice and...'...you know...choking and Portugal, sad to say, has become synonymous ! Wtf ! This is becoming habitual. Such awesome , skilled players, I don't know what is it ? don't shoot me, BUT have to say Portugal still has that small team mentality, so weak mentally ! We have seen this now, over and over again, Serbia, Spain, there were others games...just frustrating, because they are so good , but yet so bad. You all know what I mean....
Oh, I wish this was not true, but sadly I think will be the case. Country of 3 million in Uruguay will beat us yet again , not because they are better, because they are not, talented, but not better, but because they are wired differently. Mentally strong. Charrua, or 'fire in belly' is their motto, while we fold like a cheap suit in critical moments, sad to say.
Saw the starting lineup and knew there was not going to be anything cohesive. The manager doesn't know anything else we won't change. He only knows one way to play and will pigeon hole the players into that strategy every game. No matter the players available to him or who the opponent is.
This is the best talent pool Portugal has ever heard but sure, once a totally past it player retires, they're done for.
Great point. Some of his fans are just in denial. I didn't want to believe he wasn't the same this season either. It's right in front of our faces. I hope he rebounds but it would be understandable if he didn't. He's pushing 40. Contrary to popular belief, he is only human after all. If his manager was watching these performances, i think its a safe bet that he remains on the bench at United and if that happens, it's hard to imagine him being match fit for the World Cup but Santos will continue to start him anyway.
If you're going to waste a roster spot on Ronaldo, at least use him in a manner that he can still be efficient. Throw him on as a late sub or if we're desperate for a goal (although honestly I think even in that capacity he's finished). You don't have him be the focal point of your attack and play every minute no matter how bad he's performing. And stop playing Bernardo Silva on the ********ing wing. He's been the best player any time he's started in midfield.
How do you lose that game ? At home, only needing a draw, late stage of game, you are well aware of situation because having being burned before late in games is fresh on the mind , with critical WC moments coming up so you know this is a good test run...yet....they blew it again ! ... Hard to fathom...
Didn't happen. We have more class than them and always will. We lost to the country that BOOED our anthem in Sevilla. This loss stings.
That's what happens when your country and FPF are tin by the big red propaganda machine (Benfica) and Jorge Mendes. Your federation has been sold out. This is why I won't invest a single second of my time watching these clowns.
I will say this even though it kind of pains me to do so, even though Italy is shit right now, and mano a mano Portugal is a much better team imo, but Thank God for North Macedonia doing us a solid, or I don't think Portugal even has WC participation to look forward to right now. We would surely find a way to #$%@ up that Italy home game to qualify. Until they prove otherwise, my lack of faith in them in critical moments will just continue, this is not 1 or 2 fluke instances now, this is a pattern of choking / folding developing in critical moments. They better find a way to shed this because they are gaining a reputation for it.
Everyone talking about players, when the integral issue has clearly remained the same: SANTOS: Third game in a row where we lost, when only a draw was needed...all 3 at home: 2020: 1-0 vs France 2021: 2-1 vs Serbia 2022: 1-0 vs Spain 3 wins in 3 international tournaments, total. With the squad we had, shameful. The visible insanity of watching us play like Tondela at the Luz or Dragao or Avalade again, and again, and again, and again: Vs Uruguay in 2018 vs Belgium in 2021 Vs Serbia in 2021 Vs Spain in 2022 Just when you believe he learnt his lesson and played Bernardo in CM/CAM, he shifts him back outwide, nullifying our best player. Ronaldo at his form, and age, playing 90 minutes is a definition of a joke with Leao/Felix on the bench. Joao Mario coming on as a sub with the likes of Felix/Leao or Nunes/Vitinha waiting to come on...Bruno Fernandes and William were shocking in that second half for the most part and should have been removed, shifting Bernardo inside and adding an attacker and midfielder. Santos has ruined the best generation of players we've had since 2000, by the time he's gone most will be in the twilight of their careers. It's absolutely agonizing to think about.
The game changed after the subs and Santos response was fking horrible. Portugal will beat Ghana and korea but we will lose to Uruguay and lose to the first good team we meet in the knockout rounds .
Bento wasted Ronaldo's prime years, and Santos is wasting the rest of the teams prime years (Bernardo, Cancelo etc) This exactly, beyond tactics we play with a small mentality
How? How the hell does William start? Or is even on this team? How? How the hell did Mario feature in this game? Both of these guys careers ended 3 years ago and yet here they are. Spain offered nothing all game until nandinho decided to put Mario out there to turn the ball over and be a pylon. It's pathetic that our most skilled generation lost to a mediocre Spanish side who can't beat anybody anymore all because we decide that after 60 minutes the best thing to do is throw the ball down field and wait to be attacked. The same shit as Serbia... Well actually every game just the ones you get stung (usually the important ones) is the ones you Remeber. But really its no shock. We all knew Santos would never learn from Serbia, France in nations league... Hell Turkey were going to qualify for the world cup if they didn't miss that penalty at the end of the game. The only one that never learns is Santos and it's because he feels there is nothing to learn. The fact he says he plays every game to win when there is an exact point in every game where the team littetally stops passing and pressing and starts standing like goalies is no fluke or coincidence. That's game plan. And that game plan should only exist (if ever) when you are winning by 3 with 10 mins left... Not by 2 and not by 1. And not anytime longer than 10 minutes... Yet nando does it for entire halves at times and no matter how many times is burnt still thinks that's the way to go. World cup is going to be an exit at the group or vs Brazil in the first knockout. We will dominate and dazzle the opposition fail to convert many chances then decide to stop running and playing and lose. Ronaldo doesn't have it anymore, ten haag made sure of it by benching him. Playing non stop kept him going. There is no bigger killer then retirement and it shows in his touches and decisions. Imagine finally having talent beside Ronaldo and watching it waste for 5 years because we 'owed it' to Santos to never let him go? It was a shame in 2018 as it continued to be a shame in 2020 and 2021 it is a shame now that this coach is allowed to destroy the team and have us play like cowards because the team played like lions in France despite his wishes to draw every game.