A three-part podcast this week concentrating on the weather, re-gained form and tough draws.
In part one we focus on three games which were hit by terrible atmospheric conditions this weekend. Firstly, there was the shambolic game played out between Rio Ave and Belenenses that finished goalless. Then there was the 1-1 draw between Leixões and Braga played on a pitch which looked like a tractor had ploughed a course through the centre of it. Finally, Benfica and Académica just about managed to play 70 minutes in half decent conditions before the game turned into farce. Benfica’s 4-0 victory brings out deserved praise for Cardozo and Saviola from the pair of us.
In part 2 we look at Porto’s return to form after their convincing 4-1 win at Guimarães. We also discuss the mixed fortunes of Sporting, who return to their winning ways after six games without a victory. We also give a full description of one of the most surreal goals in the history of football. And there’s news of Cristiano going AWOL at Paços, while Mitchel van der Gaag’s all-powerful Marítimo go from strength to strength.
Finally, in part 3 we give our opinion on Portugal’s group for the World Cup in South Africa 2010.
Please keep you comments coming. We’ll be back next week for more Portuguese football analysis in English.
Thanks for listening,
Steve and Phil
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Great podcast once again guys. It was a great joy to hear some praise for Maxi Pereira from you guys because he is one of my favourite players on Benfica and its hard to take the abuse that’s given to him sometimes! All joking aside, He will be named, in my opinion, Benfica player of the year for the way he never stopped fighting last season. I hope he will stay at Benfica for more seasons because he is the first right back in a while that has been consistently great since Miguel had that position years ago.
In my defence, Mark, I think I’ve always praised him for his effort and fight. What he hasn’t got a great deal of is skill, but he makes up for that with commitment.
Disagree strongly with Phil here. Maxi’s got fantastic ability on the ball, it’s the one thing that keeps his head above water in professional football. He’s a great guy, as committed as they come but he is without doubt one of the slowest full-backs in the league (I would be very interested to see a 100m sprint between him and Laranjeiro of Liexões).
However, he has a far better understanding with Ramires than Ruben Amorim, and I think his short passing play with Ramires and Saviola on the right wing has been one of Benfica’s greatest strengths this season. But his lack of pace will always be his downfall, Benfica have conceded 7 goals this season and I can pinpoint at least 3 of those points as moments where Maxi has been done for pace or reaction.
I hope he scores a blinding goal for Uruguay in the WC á la Maxi Rodgrigues for Argentina in WC 2006 and he gets a big money transfer to another club in the summer where he earns an obscene amount of money for the next five years. I’ve warmed to him a lot, especially last season, but basically he’s slow and it’s one aspect of a player’s ability you just can’t improve easily.
Jeremy Persaud posted this on last week’s podcast,
“Hey Guys – I just wanted to clarify the statement that steve made – when he asserted that Bruno Alves is Portugal’s only great player. How do you measure greatness? – he certainly was very good in Portugal’s final push into the world cup finals but is capable of such gaff’s as passing the ball to Rooney allowing him to equalise last season, and being out of position when Anelka scored in CL round 5 against Chelsea.
You have to say that everything that Carvalho has won – at club level and his consistent performances for the selecao, would certainly put him in the frame for greatness? And if Ronaldo transfered his club form to international level, would greatness beckon? Just food for thought.
A question for both Phil and Steve – if you were Portugal manager, which three uncapped players would you take to South Africa and which three would you leave behind?”
Hi Jeremy, the errors you mention by Alves were all in the CL. You and I could both produce a huge selection of incredible moments produced by Cristiano Ronaldo in the CL, for example, his headed goal against Roma or his incredible free-kick against Marseilles yesterday. However, he doesn’t produce these great performances for the selecção whereas Bruno Alves’ performances for the selecção have been incredible and utterly decisive for Portugal.
It’s unfortunate for Alves that he made that gaff against Man Utd (I’m almost certain the player out of position for Anelka’s goal was Rolando). I’ve always been a big critic of his due to his aggressive and unpleasant nature, however in the recent WC qualifying campaign I grew to realise he was possibly the one player Portugal could rely on to perform outstandingly in every single game (Carvalho imo has been found wanting at set pieces for Portugal, Alves on the other hand has to be one of the greatest headers of a ball in world football).
Ronaldo’s problem is that he’s known as the best player in the world, but against international class defenders he struggles, you can go way back to Ashley Cole’s performance against him in 2004. I’d like to be proved differently, but at international level I don’t believe Ronaldo can raise his game beyond what we see at club level and this is something the greatest players of the world can do.
Of absolutely uncapped players, three obvious players stick out:
1. Ruben Micael – if he’s included, and he fits in, Portugal could get to the final stages of the competition.
2. João Tomás – He’s old but he’ll score goals at any level.
João Tomás has four caps for Portugal
2. João Pereira – Nowhere near as good as Bosingwa, but a better bet than Miguel or Paulo Fereira.
3. Targino – early days but his incredible pace and skill could be a real shock to the opposition.
To leave behind:
1. Paulo Fereira – old
2. Duda – so many better options,Miguel Veloso, Fabio Coentrão, César Peixoto
3. Hugo Almeida – crap
And, as mentioned in this week’s podcast, Varela, who has proved consistently good in attack and as defensive cover down the right-hand side.
3 players to leave behind? Easy:
1. Edinho
2. Edinho
3. Edinho
Regarding Paços v Nacional tonight, any team in Portugal who has an outfield player wearing tights deserves to lose with as much indignity as possible.
Not seen any games this weekend but WOW! Look at that table, the Porto cat is amongst the pigeons.
Sporting below Rio Ave, there’s no way Vila do Conde could host European games, that’s bonkers.
Any chance of an update of what on earth is going on at Boavista? Cheers!
Boavista update done, just editing the podcast before I upload it.
Benfica have signed another striker guys.. which surely spells the end of Keirrisons time there and also possibly calls Weldon’s future into doubt?
His name is Alan Kardec and he’s from Vasco. Bit of a prospect really but hasn’t really done much in Brazilian football other than represent the Under 20 national team. I guess he will presumably be used as a sort of target man.
Thanks for the heads up there, Matt. In fact Steve mentions Kardec in the 14/12 podcast.
Phil
There’s mention of Boavista on the 14/12 podcast, Carlos … plus a (tentative, sorry) namecheck for you!
Meanwhile, Vítor Paneira has taken over from cuddly but apparently useless Jorge Madureira as coach.
I have a good feeling about this.