Benfica - Estrela da Amadora Preview

Benfica plays their last game of the year this Thursday against Estrela da Amadora. Estrela is currently 12th in the Bwin with 13pts coming from their 2-4-7 record. Benfica will be looking to finish off the year on a high and stop a 2 game losing skid for the Bwin. Camacho's men can't lose any more points to Bwin leaders Porto, who have opened a 10 point gap to second place. Benfica will also need to ward off Sporting who are now 2 points behind Benfica in third place.



Camacho has called the following players:

Keepers: Butt, Quim;
Defenders: Luisão, Léo, Luís Filipe, Nelson, Edcarlos, David Luiz; Midfielders: Katsouranis, Binya, Maxi Pereira, Rui Costa, Nuno Assis, Cristián Rodriguez;
Forwards: Nuno Gomes, Di Maria, Adu and Cardozo.

Petit is currently affected by a muscle strain and Camacho can't count on him. Edcarlos makes his return to the game roster.

4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2?

Playing against a weaker team it would be wise to go with 2 men up front. Binya or Katsouranis would take on the D-mid role, while Rui Costa would be the classic 10. Maxi is better suited for the 4-4-2 formation as he can provide help to defensive midfielder. The 4-4-2, seems to be better suited for Benfica, not only from an attacking stand point, but also because Benfica is currently lacking players with the right characteristics to play the 4-2-3-1. I think Camacho knows this, but he will once again go with his favoured 4-2-3-1.
Possible starting 11:
Quim in goal. Nelson, Luisao, David Luiz and Leo will be in the back. Binya and Katsouranis will be in front of the defense, while Rodriguez, Rui Costa and Maxi will be the attacking midfielders that will support Cardozo. It would not surprise me too see a new face on the right for Maxi. Someone with more speed and more of an attacking bite. DiMaria would be Camacho's first choice, he would bump Rodriguez to the right, as DiMaria is clearly more effective on the left. The other option would be Freddy Adu. Defense is not one of Freddy's strongest points but he offers great versatility by being able to play on either the left or the right, without much a change in performance levels. For once i'd like to see him play more than the usual 10-20 minute spans he has been given, maybe this will be the night.

In either formation, this is a game Benfica must win. Benfica needs to finish the year with a convincing win. There's one more round of the Bwin to be played after this one before the league reaches its halfway point, and Benfica needs to enter the new year with clear intentions and signs of wanting to chase Porto the rest of the way. There's no doubt that the January window will bring changes, as Camacho has already confirmed the possible entrance of 2-3 players, players that will undoubtedly be starting 11 caliber. We'll just have to see how these players will fit in, how much the team will improve, and how the players, currently fighting for a spot in the starting 11, will respond to the challenge . In the meantime, a strong finish of the year is imperative as it would make every Benfiquista's X-mas better, mine included.


Loose ones:

The Cesar Delgado saga, seems to have come to an end, with the Argentinian chosing Lyon as his destiny. Money talks and Benfica's 3.5mm weren't even close to the amount Lyon offered, not to mention that Lyon is still in the Champions League, an attraction for any player.

Gilberto's Transfer as also gone cold, as Hertha presented the player with an attractive enough offer to make him rethink his exit.

Omar Bravo is the name that now comes out of Mexico as one of Benfica's January acquisitions. The forward's current club, Chivas, has manifested that the 3.5mm that was offered for Delgado would have to be upped, if Benfica were to take the player. Personally i'd avoid Mexican players. Not only because of the the Kikin experience, but also because these players require time to adapt. Benfica needs an immediate impact player.

Lastly, there was a report that Benfica might be thinking about changing their emblem. I think this is the most absurd thing the club could ever do. The emblem is synonymous with the club's image and mistique, it should never be changed. The club denied publicly denied that report.