1. Costinha should be our starting trinco. He's cleaner than Petit, and better offensively. Granted Petit is better on set pieces....ok maybe not..this is a tough choice...who ever is on better form. 2. Joao Manuel Pinto, Fernando Couto, RUi Costa, Luis Figo, Pauleta, Rui Jorge....boa viagem! 3. Hugo Viana (Portugal best player at the moment BY FAR), Nuno Gomes, Helder Postiga, Costinha, Capucho, Paulo Ferreira, Simao, Quaresma...etc....OLA!!! I've said it once and I'll say it again! We need to clean house! Bring in all the kids and let that debacle team from Korea go away! The kids in the second half looked better than the old rejects did....ALL FREAKING YEAR! Viana is something special. I reckon he'll go on to do wonderful things for club and country...so let him play dammit!
Don't be so quick to jettison all of our star players. JMP, yes. The rest should stay. PortoMarco, for some reason, you have problems with guys like Figo and Rui Costa, but they still deserve to be there. Figo-Simao-Costa had some nice exchanges that resulted in good scoring opportunities for Portugal. Do you really want to replace Figo with Capucho? Are your blue-and-white glasses blinding you that much? I liked the 3x4x3. When Jorge Andrade returns, someone will fall out of the backline (Couto?).
Hugo had a couple of brilliant plays today. That pass he made down the left wing to Boa Morte was a thing of beauty. He is not flashy, but he makes the right passes accurately and truly understands where to be at all times. Playing in England is only going to make this kid that much more tougher.
After the way they played in Korea, yes i want to jettison all of them! I never said Capuch should replace FIG, I think Simao did (there goes your blue white classes comment into the trash). In the second half I saw a hunger, eagerness, heart and desire in the players that I have not seen since....EURO 2000! And I like that! A lot!
Simao and Figo were on the pitch TOGETHER. Capucho came in at the half to replace Figo, and Boa Morte took over for Simao on the left wing. Did you watch the game? For once and for all, forget how Figo played in Korea. He was playing on one leg. To base any judgement on how he played in Korea is just plain ignorant. I agree with the spirit of the team in the second half. Remember, though, that these players were working their asses off to show AO that they in fact should be considered for future call ups. The first team played reasonably well against England...not great, but not a bad effort on the road against a formidable opponent. The England goal was pure class between to club teammates -- Bowyer and Smith.
why do people defend Figo like he's the almighty? Is he immune from criticism? Fir crying out loud, he contemplated the team because of the "bad press", does that not speak volumes for his character?
[Porto Marco you got the nerve to pick on my favorite player on the Benfica team Joao M. Pinto, he was perfect today, no goals were scored on Ricardo. You don't want me to starter pick on Vitor Baia leave my Benfica players alone. We did poor at the World Cup because we didn't have any Benfica players on the team, in the WC 66, 86 Benfica players were the heart of the Portugal team. I am proud of Simao, Petit, JM. Pinto and Nuno Gomes.
His statements were borne of a season of frustrations, and that is all. As for his character, I look at the fact that he was on the pitch in Korea, despite being a shadow of himself, as testament to his character. While the Ronaldos of the world were 'easing' back into club play, Figo came back very early from a damaging ankle injury and worked his ass off to be there for his country. That says a lot about character.
Frank, Benfica would have had Simao on the seleccao if he did not get hurt. None of the other players deserved to be called in.
Did you guys watch the game on TV? The radio announcer said that Joao Manuel Pinto will be in future call up's for the national team>
It could have been said, but I did not hear it. JMP is going to have some real competition in winning future callups when Andrade, Litos, Caneira, etc., all get back up to speed.
and you got the nerve to pick on my all time favorite players--Jorge Costa, Secretario and Baia--? Whats the difference? PS-JMPs job was made easier because Viana made certain that the ball never left England's end.
I repeat guys the players from Benfica, Porto and Sporting will take priority, over the Meira's, Caneira, Hugo Leal etc. It didn't change since 1950.
Infordesporto's reaction to Figo's performance: Negativo Figo pouco Real Ele foi a grande desilusão do Mundial, em grande parte devido a problemas físicos, mas começou a presente temporada a um nível elevadíssimo ao serviço do seu Real Madrid. Ainda na estreia da Liga espanhol, ao início desta semana, Figo mostrou toda a sua classe e foi mesmo considerado o melhor em campo. Por isso mesmo esperava-se uma exibição de gala no Villa Park... mas ela não aconteceu. Figo lutou, fintou e jogou... mas não brilhou. Fica para a próxima.
You're right, Marco....let's take him out to the pasture and shoot him. He was fair today....probably deserved about a 6.
If Figo's play this afternoon is the only negative that the experts from Infordesporto took from today's game, then Portugal is getting back on track.
dude Im not saying he's a bad player, Im just saying he's not the player he was at Barcelona. I don't think he has that ability to take it up a notch like he used to, maybe he does...I certainly hope so!!!! I hope to god he proves me wrong and when he does I'll be first in line to eat crow. My stance in this debate is that I see no point in starting him when he's not the player he used to be over players who are younger and filled with more vigor. In addition, I don't see why we, the portuguese people, should consistently defend him when he performs poorly.
We do to.. But we cant just get rid of FIGO and R.costa.........with them and all the younger players in Euro 2004. well have a hell of a team
Got that right. And by the way what formation did portugal use in Euro 2000? Cause it seemed to work for them..........
Baia, Fernando Couto, Rui Costa, Figo, Joao V Pinto, will bring respect and experience to the youngesters.