Reports out of Brazil are that Gremio is willing to offer 3.5mm and their young promise Jhonatan to Benfica for Diego Souza's pass. As you may recall Gremio has been struggling to come up with the 4mm Benfica is asking for, even going as far as taking on a investment partner who is "shelling" out 3mm of the 3.5mm offer. Benfica has not budged with their figure and Gremio has tried everything possible. The head of Benfica's prospection, Rui Aguas, observed Gremio's Junior team not too long ago and Jhonatan and Wagner were the players that were made note of. Jhonatan is an 18 year old forward that was part of the senior team towards the end of the season for Gremio, he is also part of Brazil's u-18 National team, and is one of the most promising players coming out of Gremio's feeder system.
Benfica is obviously counting on this money for January. It's a shame, i'd really to see Diego Souza come to Benfica, Benfica only has to gain with his return. For one he has become a more mature player and is very far from the player who was once part of Benfica's squad, on a more farsighted observation, this player will most likely be the captain for Brazil's Olympic team in this summers Olympics, just think of how much he is going to go up in value if he has a great tournament. Even if he doesn't have a good summer tournament, there are plenty of teams in Brazil that want him. Benfica can use a player like Diego in their squad, the thing is that they will need to give Gremio every chance to acquire the player, if they want to keep the player. It's a waiting game until Wednesday.
Read the news article by expanding the whole post.
From Globoesporte.com
Clube oferece Jhonatan por Diego Souza
Atacante de 18 anos serviria como parte do pagamento para compra do volante ao Benfica
Destaque das categorias de base, o atacante Jonathan, de 18 anos, deve ajudar a manter Diego Souza no Olímpico. A direção do Grêmio concordou em ceder o jogador ao Benfica como parte do pagamento dos € 4 milhões (cerca de R$ 10,2 milhões) exigidos pelo clube português pelos direitos federativos do volante.
A resposta do Benfica à proposta gremista é esperada para quarta-feira, dia 2. O Grêmio teria oferecido o atacante Jonathan e mais € 3,5 milhões (R$ 9,1 milhões). Deste montante, € 3 milhões (R$ 7,8 milhões) viriam dos cofres da empresa que se propôs a fazer uma parceria com o clube, com o objetivo de lucrar com uma futura venda de Diego Souza.
O Benfica manifestou interesse em dois jogadores das categorias de base do Grêmio. Além de Jonathan, o zagueiro Wagner também interessa aos portugueses. Ambos foram observados de perto pelo olheiro Rui Águas, em dois jogos do Grêmio na Copa Paulo Rogério Amoretty. Mas o Grêmio só concorda em ceder um jogador.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Time's running out on Gremio
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Looking Ahead - January Preview
The new year is just around the corner. "Ano Novo, Vida Nova" is a Portuguese expression that means - New year, New Life. For Benfica it's no exception, having "cut" 9 players from the squad, Benfica is looking to get a fresh start with the new year. There's a lot of anticipation around the January transfer window and what players will be coming in, Benfica needs at least 3 players to strengthen the squad, in order to be competitive in the 3 competitions they are still in - Bwin, Portuguese Cup and Uefa Cup. With that being said, i wanted to look ahead at the month of January, a month that will prove to be a momentum builder for the rest of the season.
Benfica starts off the new year playing the very last game of the first half of the season. Having cut the Porto lead to 7 points, Benfica needs to start off the year strong, as they need to continue their pursuit of first place. January is a very important month, not only because Benfica fans will get a chance to see how the new additions will fit in and how much stronger they will make the team, but also because Benfica has a chance of gaining more points on Porto.
Here's Benfica's Schedule for January:
1/5 - Away at Vitoria de Setubal
1/13 - Home against Leixoes
1/20 - Home against Feirense (Portuguese Cup)
1/27 - Away at Guimaraes
The first and last games of the month are the more difficult ones. Setubal has only lost one game for the Bwin and are currently 5th. Setubal eliminated Benfica from the League Cup and they are having a very good year. If Benfica can get past Setubal, they will definitely send out a message - the championship is far from over.
The second game of the month brings Leixoes to Lisbon, Leixoes tied Benfica in the first half of the season, a game that dictated Fernando Santos' sacking. Benfica is a very different team from the team who played Leixoes in the beginning of the season, will prove that at home.
A week later Benfica will play Feirense, a second flight Portuguese team, for the Portuguese Cup in a game that will most likely see some of the less used players getting a start. The last game of the month will be another tough game, Guimaraes. Guimaraes is currently 4th place and is having a hell of a year after just being promoted from the Vitalis League. If Benfica can win these games they will be in a very good position to gain on Porto.
Porto has a couple of complicated games in January, hosting Braga and coming to Lisbon to face Sporting. Definitely an opportunity there for Benfica to win some points.
Looking right below, Sporting has an even more complicated schedule in January, playing 2 more games than Benfica and Porto. Those 2 games are part of the Carlsberg Cup, a competition that Porto and Benfica crashed out of.
So, as you can see, January is a very important month for Benfica. Coming out of January on a high, will also give the team momentum, as February will bring back European competitions, with Uefa Cup.
Obviously the biggest thing in January will be the new players. Luis Felipe Vieira has told the media that Benfica are only interested in players that have the ability to break into the starting 11. Benfica will not buy players just to buy them.
In my opinion, Benfica needs the following positions to be strengthened - Forward, Right Mid/Winger and a Left Back, maybe an attacking midfielder with "9-slot" characteristics. Here are some of the players that have come to light as Benfica targets:
Soldado - The very seldom used Real Madrid striker, was one of Benfica's targets before the season started, but his acquisition/loan never really materialized. With a new window of opportunity, and the player's mind set on getting playing time at any cost, Benfica might be able to get Soldado, if Real gives their okay, as the player might be too expensive to buy.
Dica - The Romanian attacking midfielder has been talked about for a while now, the best player of the Romanian league would love an opportunity to play at a better league, but as of right now, there are no developments in the negotiations.
Fred - The unsettled Brazilian forward has been made aware by Lyon's coach that he is not part of the teams second half of the season plans, and is currently looking for a club where he can play. He has expressed that Benfica would be an interesting option but so far there hasn't been anything concrete.
As far as the left back position goes, there hasn't been any word from the Benfica camp or the media as far as a target. There were news about Hertha's Gilberto, but they seemed to have died down since Hertha gave the player what he wanted. Jorge Ribeiro's name has been in much of the media's speculation, but there hasn't been any indication from Benfica that would confirm these rumors. I've been following Guilherme, a Brazilian left back who was playing for Vasco(see the post below this one).
On other fronts, Gremio has until Wednesday to come up with an offer for Diego Souza.
Benfica is asking for 4mm for Souza's pass and Gremio has only been able to come up with 3.5mm . There's a possibility that Benfica might agree to the deal if some of Gremio's young talent is included in the deal. For the first time this week, i read Diego claiming that he would consider returning to Benfica, in my opinion we should have another look at this player. He had a great year, which earned him an Olympic team call up, I think he would be very useful playing the box-2-box role.
January is also CAN 08 month - the African Nation's Cup will take place between the middle of January and February. Benfica will most likely lose Binya to the competition. Camacho has brought up Fellipe Bastos from the Juniors to have a good look at him. If you recall, Benfica bought Fellipe Basto's a month ago, and being that he is only 17 years old he was going to play for the juniors, but because of Petit's injury and Binya's one game suspension, Bastos has been working out with the Senior squad.
Exciting month coming up, no doubt.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
On the Guilherme Track
With Miguelito's sale to Braga in it's closing phases, Benfica sees themselves with 1 left defender in the squad. Gilberto's deal seems to have fallen through the cracks, at least for this January, Benfica is left in a delicate situation. Certainly 1 left back is not enough, especially, when the left back you have, and a mighty good one, is 32. I'm pretty sure Maxi can play left back, last resort Luis Felipe, but Benfica will have to buy a left back as soon as the window opens.
The Left Back seems like a rare breed, the national team has recently had problems adding depth to the position. Benfica has had their own problems over the years finding the right man for the job. They seem to have found the right man in Leo, but between failed contract renewals and family problems, Leo seems to be headed down the unsettled path. The fans are starting to criticize Benfica's directive for not resolving the situation, expressing support for Leo, but the truth is - If you are not on the inside, you really don't know what is going on. Unfortunately some of the public knowledge comes from what the media feeds you, which sometimes can be very far from the truth.
I've been following Guilherme, a left back from Brazil, i first posted about him here . Just a quick background, Guilherme is a 19 year left back that broke into Vasco da Gama's first squad this season, even winning the starting left back job towards the end of the campaign. In the middle of November Guilherme's pass was bought by MDF, a sports investment group and Guilherme's future seemed to pass through Portugal.
Just this past week the player was signed by Tombense (Brazilian II Division), the player will not play for Tombense this season, however, one of Tombense's biggest supporters is the agent Eduardo Uram, who currently represents Porto's Ibson(currently on loan with Fluminense) and Espanhol's Jonatas. According to the news article the player's agent is currently studying several offers from undisclosed clubs, but his destiny will most likely be Portugal.
By signing with Tombense, the player associates himself with a club and loses his sole affiliation with just the investment group(at least on paper), Investment groups are often frowned upon by FIFA and they are even unlawful in England(Tevez case).
I'm sure this is not the last we've heard from Guilherme. As i've said before, it wouldn't surprise me if this player ended up at Benfica, especially with Benfica's current situation.
Miguelito signs with Braga
Returns
Zoro was Benfica's first acquisition for the new season, arriving on a free from Italian "powerhouse" Messina. Zoro was referenced as a powerful center back that could play on the right as well. Zoro played 300 minutes in the Carlsberg Cup, picking up 2 yellows in 3 games. Marc Zoro never seemed to even be a second choice for Camacho, he was unfortunate to be hurt during the beggining of the season, and missed a clear opportunity to prove himself and grab a starting job, during the time Camacho had no one to play center back, but the Junior Miguel Victor and Katsouranis. The only memory I'll have of Zoro is his incredible miss that allowed Setubal to send Benfica out of the Carlsberg Cup. Zoro is one of the players with the largest salary in the squad and refuses to go on loan if his financial situation detiorates, although immediate playing time will increase his chances of being called up for the CAN by his country.
Andres Diaz arrived at Benfica along with with Di Maria, in a deal that looked like 2 for 1. Despite being part of the world champs u-20 Argentinian squad, Diaz never really impressed many people at Benfica. He got limited time in the Carlsberg Cup, never really showing anything more than average skills. He is currently being sought by some Argentinian teams, and wether he will be sold or go on loan still remains to be seen. Depending on what the player currently makes, Benfica should give him another year or two to see what comes of him. Obviously, if he was called to the u-20 there might be something there but needs time to develop.
Bergessio came to Benfica from Argentina's Racing, he was received with a lot of expectations, labelled as a strong, workhorse second striker. Bergessio was the player that dissappointed me the most. He couldn't seem to catch the right break, and every time he was given an opportunity, which were plenty, he failed to capitalize. He was given plenty of minutes to convince Camacho, with minutes in the Champions League, the Bwin and the Carlsberg Cup. Even when the team tried to "carry" him and put him on the right track, he would fail miserably. Many Benfica fans, including myself, wanted to see this player do good but Bergessio never turned out to be the player that people had expected him to be. The memory that stands out the most, is his game against Boavista. He came in on the 79th minute, of Benfica's Boavista trouncing, and was given the chance to score Benfica's 7th goal from the penalty spot. The Benfica players convinced Bergessio to take the penalty, hoping that with the penalty he could somehow get out of his bad funk, but Bergessio ended up missing the penalty, in what it was a mirror of his short Benfica career, opportunity and opportunity wasted. Perhaps he didn't have time to adapt, and ultimately falls victim to the fact that one of the sectors Benfica needs to strenghten is the one he plays in. He vows to vindicate himself to the fans and the club upon his return. He has several clubs interested in him in Argentina, and at this time he will most likely be sold, rather than loaned.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Benfica News 12/26/07
After the Christmas holiday, all of the Benfica players will report to training on Thursday 12/27. Few news happening over the the holiday
- Real Madrid's Soccer "strongman", Pedrag Mijatovic, has announced that Soldado will not be going anywhere, especially on loan. Soldado had been personally contacted by Camacho and hoped that he could get the playing time he needs to impress National Team coach at Benfica. Soldado has played very little at Real and would be open to an opportunity which could offer him valuable playing time.
- Rodriguez's representatives will be looking for Benfica to activate their priority clause and acquire the Uruguayan winger from PSG. Rodriguez is currently valued at 5mm Euros, but his representatives are confident that this value can be brought down during negotiation talks.
- Leo has manifested his desire to stay at Benfica, before leaving to Brazil, claiming that if it was up to him, that's where he would be playing next year. In the meantime, Leo also requested that he be excused until the end of this weekend, in order to follow his father's surgery, a request that Benfica denied.
- Gremio has put together a 3mm counter offer for Diego Souza, Benfica is currently asking for 4mm. Gremio is also including 2 players to be chosen by Benfica from their development program
- Benfica is closely following 2 Vasco da Gama youngsters, Phillipe Coutinho and Alex Teixeira.
Coutinho(forward)15, is being hailed as the next Messi, and already has both Manchester United and Real Madrid offers. Benfica currently has an agreement protocol with Vasco da Gama, which would give Benfica first "crack" at these youngsters, but because Coutinho is only 15, he is unable to sign a profesional contract.
Unless Vasco can convince Coutinho to sign in February when he turns 16, Benfica will have very little chance to get this player as Real Madrid will most likely snatch the youngster by negotiating directly with the boy's father and agent.
Alex Teixeira(attacking mid), 17, is currently under contract at Vasco and has been hailed as one of the best youngsters at his age level. A deal for Alex could include Diego Souza, who Vasco has shown interest in, but await Gremio's decision.
- Metz, from the French premiere, has shown interest in Marc Zoro. Metz is currently in the relegation zone and hope to strenghten their squad in order to avoid relegation.
- Fellipe Bastos, will be training with the senior squad this week. Fellipe Bastos signed with Benfica last week, and is destined for the Junior team, but due to Petit's injury and Binya's suspension, Camacho wants to have a close look at the Brazilian U-17 international, who plays in the defensive midfield sector.
- There was a nice article on Freddy Adu in Yesterdays Washington Post. click on "read full post" to see a full transcription.
Here's a trancription of the article
"By Jason La Canfora
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
"On his own, Adu has grown"
Freddy Adu's bedroom is a mess. Like any other 18-year-old coming home for the Christmas break, the teenager has stacks of video games next to the television and clothes strewn across the floor, eliciting a stern glare from his mother, Emelia.
But this is no ordinary scene, as haphazardly clustered amid the tower of boxes is a golf game autographed by Tiger Woods ("Keep kicking butt," reads the inscription) and the garments on the floor all bear the crest of famed European soccer club Benfica, with Adu's name and No. 30 on the back.
Christmas came a little early for the Adus this year, as the teenager came back to Rockville for the first time since leaving Major League Soccer for Benfica in late July, returning bearing gifts for family and friends. Adu proved a quick study in one of the world's premier leagues, earning playing time from the outset and becoming an important substitute for Benfica by chipping in goals and assists. Perhaps more importantly, he says he is at ease with the Portuguese language and lifestyle, and his love of the game has never been greater.
"It's just been amazing the way things are going right now," Adu said while reclining in the office of the house he built for his mother after turning pro with MLS. "Hard work and believing in yourself, I think it can take you a long way.
"I know there are some people out there who already wrote me off before my 18th birthday, and there were some hard times and reading those articles and things like that. But I've been able to survive that -- for now -- and I know there'll be some times when I'm not playing great and there will be some articles that won't be pleasant.
"But I think I got a lot of the hard part of my development out of the way and I'm working hard and I've found something that works for me. I'm in a place where I'm really wanted and where I'm treated well and my teammates have accepted me and I've found coaches that bring out the best in me. It's been a blessing."
The last six months have been a whirlwind for the Ghana native, whose family immigrated to the Washington area in 1997 after winning a green card lottery. Burdened with the expectations to be the "savior of American soccer" from roughly age 12, Adu endured what some considered to be a less-than-scintillating four years in MLS -- including his first three seasons with D.C. United -- before his strong outing in the Under-20 World Cup last summer cemented European interest in him.
He entered MLS at 14 and struggled for a regular starting spot during his time with United, clashing at times with authoritarian coach Peter Nowak, who now coaches the U.S. Olympic team and assists the men's national team. In hindsight, Adu considers the experience in MLS to have been ideal conditioning for Europe. He says he learned valuable lessons about professionalism and maturity, with his missteps and growing pains lacking the overwhelming media glare that comes when playing the world's game in Europe.
"Sometimes me and Peter didn't always see eye-to-eye," said Adu, who had a long heart-to-heart with Nowak in October before playing for the national team in Switzerland. "But that made me grow up, some of the mistakes I made and especially when I went to media and said some things, it's something I should have taken care of in the locker room.
"Some mistakes I feel like I made as a 15, 16-year-old obviously I wouldn't repeat now, because I learned a lot from it and it helped make me a better person and player and I'm benefiting from it right now to be honest with you."
Indeed, Adu has made no waves in Portugal since moving to Benfica on a $2 million transfer fee and signing a five-year deal worth about $1.25 million annually. He embraced his nescient status and prepared to earn his roster spot, even though a frenzied throng of fans awaited his initial arrival at the Lisbon airport.
Benfica is a consistently strong club within Portugal's top division; the team is a distant second place in the standings behind FC Porto at the winter break. Benfica was vying for qualification into the Champions League -- the most prestigious club tournament on the planet -- when Adu began training, but just two weeks later he entered a qualifier against FC Copenhagen in the 37th minute and earned praise for his play and composure in that victory.
The club's coach, who played a role in Adu's procurement, was fired in August after just two games, however, and Adu steeled for another period of adjustment. He gradually won over new coach Jos¿ Antonio Camacho, a dictatorial taskmaster who has coached Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. After a few weeks out of the lineup, Adu scored his first goal during a Portuguese tournament on Sept. 26, tying the game in injury time with a penalty kick.
"I went in and, wow, played 45 minutes in that game," said Adu, who is averaging one goal for every 60 minutes played. "And it was my first minutes since that Champions League qualifier and I went in and played well. I played very well. I was really surprised and I ended up topping it off by getting the game-tying goal and us winning on penalty kicks and after that I was like, 'This is it.' That was the turning point for me. It was like, 'I can play, I've got the talent to do this.' It's all about working hard and having confidence."
Three days later Adu, whose younger brother, Fro, just completed his first season for the George Mason soccer team, appeared in his first Portuguese League game. He has made regular late-game appearances since, often with the game on the line.
Troy Fitrell, a Washington native and assistant to the U.S. ambassador to Portugal, attends most matches, and said the applause and standing ovations for Adu are matched only by the salute to midfielder Rui Costa, one of Portugal's all-time legends, and American flags are waved in earnest at home matches, a rarity in Europe these days.
"Average fans start shouting 'O Americano' shortly after halftime at most games, when, sadly, Benfica is usually scoreless," Fitrell wrote in an e-mail. "When he starts to warm up they start cheering in a way they never do for Angel DiMaria, Nuno Gomes, or the other strikers."
In October, Adu scored two goals in an eight-game span and also became the youngest American to appear in a Champions League game as Benfica defeated Scotland's famed Celtic at home. Adu is also the youngest to play for the U.S. national team.
"It's hard for American players to earn any kind of respect in Europe," Adu said. "So I had to prove that I belonged to be there and I can make a difference."
Fitrell wrote that after Adu's third game-winning goal for the club the papers were filled with headlines like "The American Hero" and "Freddy Saves Us Again." The next day Fitrell had 40 e-mails congratulating him on Adu's success, "as if I had anything to do with it," Fitrell wrote. Fitrell's favorite post-game message came from a Communist Party member of parliament there, which read simply: "I love America."
Adu said he spends as much time as possible hanging around Benfica's stars; sublime playmaker Rui Costa, rumored to be a candidate for team presidency in coming years, has become a cherished mentor. Adu said his teammates have embraced him wholeheartedly, taking time to give him pointers and suggestions. He spends as much time as possible at the training facility and found an apartment in a ritzy part of Lisbon tucked between a resort and the U.S. Embassy, of great comfort to his mother.
Emelia visits every six weeks or so and stacks his freezer with home-cooked food, including his Ghanaian favorites, and for a few days this week both her boys are back under her roof. Adu, who earned his first start for the U.S. national team in a defeat of South Africa last month, leaves Thursday to return to training with Benfica, where he is navigating the responsibilities of independence with the rigors of elite soccer.
"In the United States there were so many people around Freddy that it was just convenient to let people do things for him -- friends, relatives, coaches, parents, agents, publicists," said Arnold Tarzy, his close family friend and former coach. "Over there he's on his own and it's made him do more regular stuff -- learn how to handle money and pay bills and things like that.
"It makes you grow up and be a lot more responsible -- not that he was ever irresponsible -- but he just has to pay attention to things everyone else normally has to. He's had to act completely like a self-sufficient adult, and I think it's made him a better person and it's made him more focused and businesslike about what he does."
Keeping a tidy room back in Rockville, it seems, will have to wait.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Christmas
In the name of Talking To The Doll I'd like to wish all my visitors a Merry X-Mas, Hoping that Santa Claus brings every single one of you everything you hoped for.
Saudacoes Benfiquistas
Alfredo Fumacas
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Breaking Down the 4-2-3-1
The 4-2-3-1 is by far Benfica's most used tactical formation, Camacho has favored this formation ever since he arrived, and despite the alternative, 4-4-2, being a formation that has brought Benfica a certain degree of success, Camacho persists on using the 4-2-3-1. I'd like to take a minute to explore the 4-2-3-1 and how Benfica uses it.
Positioning and Functionality
The 4-2-3-1 is a system that is aimed at midfield control and fast counter/transition game. There's no change when it comes to the back four, the changes start in the defensive midfield zone. Two players sit right in front of the defensive line in this system, one of them(#6) is responsible for defending, recuperating balls and creating turnovers, while the other(#8) is the attacking starting point. The "8" will also defend but his main objective is the transition game. The transition man is the player that will look up and lead the team out of their half into the attack, he is what you'd call a box-2-box player, responsible for helping out defensively as well as offensively.
The 3 midfield players ahead of the defensive midfielders, are positioned higher than your typical midfield 3, their positioning is clearly an offensive one, this positioning allows for the side backs to advance more freely and get in to the attacking third. The 2 flank players, play very close to the sideline, often being the favorite target of the transition man. The 2 flank players need to be very fast as they will often be the ones who will try to penetrate the final third with speed and quickness. Being close to the touch line adds width to the build up game, and frees up the middle of the field for the team to push up as a block.
The player in the middle(10) is the "playmaker", he is the one that organizes the attack in the oppositions' half, he too, is a target for the transition man, although he is often better covered by the opposition's zone defense than the flank players. The "10" also has the mission of supporting the lone center forward, and will look for spaces between the oppositions defensive midfield and the defense to make a play. The support to the center forward is done in the form of providing a target for the center forward to play the ball back once the team comes into the attacking third, the center forward will have numbers against him and needs to hold the ball. The playmaker's positioning in this system is absolutely crucial as he is the link between the transition man and the attacking players. Too much room between himself and the center forward, will make the center forward an easy prey for the defense. In essence, once the ball comes into the final third, the playmaker is responsible for, not only running the offense but also to offer support to the attacking players. For that he will need to be close to the attacking line in order offer another target to, a more than likely, uneven numbers situation.
The center forward has two basic roles in this formation. The first one is to offer a target for crossed balls into the box from the flanks. The second one is to hold the ball and serve the oncoming midfielders, whether they are coming forward on a counter or they are getting behind the defense.
The center forward role can also change based on the players characteristics. A faster player will benefit from his quickness in the form of making runs into space hence getting away from their direct marker.
Offering a target in different areas of the attack, will not only help the center forward get away from the 2 central defenders, but it will also free up the center of the field for another player to slide in, where the numbers might be more favorable. A quick player will often facilitate the "10's" mission as he can drop into any area of the attacking third to offer himself as a target, but the mobility will often result in the lack of an attacking presence in the penalty area. The more mobile player, will have to know how to balance his mobility with his box presence.
Benfica's 4-2-3-1
In Benfica's 4-2-3-1, Petit takes on the "6" role while Katsouranis is the "8". Rui Costa is the playmaker, while Rodriguez and Maxi are the players on the flanks. If we follow the model i described above, we can tell right away that Maxi is not the right player for the right flank, as he lacks speed and offensive spark. He does provide another defensive player to the midfield, but for this system that is not needed.
As far as personnel goes Maxi is the only player that does not have the right characteristics to play on the wing. Di Maria would be better suited for the wing position, as his characteristics are a perfect fit for this system.
The lack of speed on the right is not the only down fall of this tactical system, Rui Costa's positioning often affects Cardozo's performance, as there's often too much space in between the 2. I think presently Benfica is very dependent on Rui Costa. Rui Costa will often come back to get the ball, and he is often times the transition man. By being the transition man, he leaves Cardozo unsupported, and very easy to defend against. Why not drop Rui Costa into the transition man and put someone else in the "10" position? The answer is simple - Rui Costa does not have the stamina to be a box-2-box midfielder, he also does not defend as well as Katsouranis. So we are left with a Benfica team that is currently bastardizing the 4-2-3-1, Katsouranis has not assumed the transition man role, and Rui Costa is forced to move away from Cardozo in order to transition the team into the attack. When the team changes to a defined 4-4-2, Benfica is a lot more dangerous, Cardozo is more effective as he has a player supporting him in Nuno Gomes. The midfield seems to have more room to play, as a result of the playmaker not dropping back too much, leaving room in the middle, and the team is able to impose a favorable flow of game.
It's a tough situation, as Rui Costa is the fans' darling, but Camacho needs to either tactically set up around the current abilities of Rui Costa, or use the right personnel in the 4-2-3-1, in which Rui Costa could be very helpful, but only with a good box-2-box midfielder.
Hopefully the January window will bring some of the pieces that Benfica needs, and we will see how Camacho sets up the team.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Uefa Cup Drawing
Continue Reading..
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Benfica 3 - Estrela da Amadora 0 - A Tale of 2 Halves
Benfica finishes out the year with 3-0 win over Estrela da Amadora, putting an end to their Bwin 2 game losing streak. With the win, Benfica solidifies second place, and continues their chase of leaders Porto.
Camacho repeated the starting 11 from this past weekend's loss against Belenenses, with the exception on Binya being in for the injured Petit. Quim was in goal, Nelson, Luisao, David Luiz and Leo were the back four. In the midfield it was Katsouranis and Binya in front of the defense, while Rodriguez, Rui Costa and Maxi, supported Cardozo up front.
4-2-3-1 -vs -4-4-2
It's hard to think that after Saturday's poor performance, Camacho wouldn't make any changes to the line up, but he didn't. Sticking to his 4-2-3-1 with Binya coming in for the injured Petit, Benfica started the game in the same fashion as they ended the Belenenses game, slow, inimaginative, without offensive solutions. Not a very good start, for a team who has title hopes and needs to put on a strong run if they ever expect to fight for the title. Once again the defensive midfield seemed to be unable to provide passing lanes for Benfica's build up game and Benfica could not get a good flow of play. Rui Costa often dropped back to initate Benfica's offensive game, leaving Cardozo as an authentic island, unsupported and surrounded by "sharks". It wasn't all bad, Benfica did have a couple of chances in the first half, with both Cardozo and Rodriguez having good chances, but these chances were few and far between, the real problem lay in Benfica's inability to establish any sort of game flow, and although Benfica didn't deserve to be up on the scoreboard at the half, they did have most of the initative in the first half; but their lack of consistency and organization was reflected on the scoreboard at the end of the first 45 minutes of play.
Camacho didn't wait long and had Both DiMaria and Nuno Gomes warming up before the half even ended.
The same 2 players came in for Rui Costa and Nelson. Nuno Gomes joined Cardozo up front, while DiMaria went to the right wing, with Maxi dropping into the right defender slot. It didn't take too long for the change to be noticeable, the midfield was now touching the ball around, up front there were combinations and Benfica seemed like a whole different team then the one from the first half. It wasn't too long before the change would bear its fruits, after Binya hitting the crossbar with a well placed shot, Benfica would get on the scoresheet in the 52nd minute. Rodriguez headed a Binya long throw to put Benfica up. The Cameroonian's long throws are a real weapon for Benfica, as Binya can easily reach the penalty spot from the sideline. Rodriguez took advantage of the throw to score his 4th goal for Benfica. Di Maria, despite playing in his less favoured side, turned out to be a real headache for the Amadora defenders, utilizing his speed. Di Maria, turned out a good performance and provided the offensive spark Benfica needed on the right side. Nuno Gomes was also being a factor, playing closer to Cardozo, and combining with the midfield, to establish the game flow that Benfica had been missing. Even Cardozo benefited from having someone closer to him, playing a more relaxed and accurate game, often creating room for himself. Benfica's domination was clear and Benfica created several chances, Benfica was a more dangerous team, the midfield controlled the game with Binya assuming the offensive transition game, the Cameroonian played well, although he still needs to work on his passing accuracy. Benfica's dominance would once again payoff, this time from the p.k. spot. David Luiz suffered a clear foul inside the box and Cardozo stepped up. Cardozo equaled Nuno Gomes' 5 goal Bwin tally with a well placed hard shot, 71 minutes had gone by. Freddy Adu came in for Rodriguez in the 83rd minute, in time to see Nuno Gomes' score Benfica's third, his 6th for the Bwin, after another good combination play on the right from DiMaria, who assisted the Nuno Gomes's tap in.
3-0 was the final score in a game where the 4-4-2 "defeated" the 4-2-3-1. It's very clear that Benfica is better "equiped" to play in the 4-4-2 at this time. The 4-2-3-1 is a very good sytem, but you have to have the right personnel in order for it to function properly.
Benfica heads into the holiday break with a lot to figure out. January market is right around the corner and Benfica needs to sign their targets as soon as possible. 2-3 players is what Camacho needs in order to better the squad. After signing these players, Camacho will need to sit down and figure out how he's going to set up the team. It's very possible that he will stick with the 4-2-3-1, but for that he will need at least one player to make the system more effective. On the other hand, the 4-4-2 seems to be the system in which Benfica plays best in. With the new players coming in, what will be Camacho's options?
The new year brings the final match of the first round for the Bwin, a very difficult match against Setubal, a team that has only lost one game for the Bwin. Benfica will need to come out firing on all cylinders with the new year, they can't afford to lose anymore points to Porto, for that they will need to put together a very good domestic winning streak, and hope that Porto will slip.
The Uefa cup is also at stake, and despite having a very accessible adversary in Nurnberg, Benfica will need to be consistent, if they want to have any type of longevity in this competition.
The Portuguese Cup is, at this moment, the most realistic domestic trophy for Benfica, and even though Camacho will, most likely, give playing time to the less used players, Benfica still need to have a strong showing.
Saudacoes Benfiquistas and a Merry Christmas to all my readers
Alfredo Fumacas
Photo Credit FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images
Benfica News 12/21/07
Few brief news:
Leo and Benfica were unable to reach an agreement, with the wages being the the issue, not contract lenght. The player's representatives returned to Brazil, but not before they voiced their displeasure with Benfica's directive and their lack of respect for the player. If Benfica want Leo, they will have to travel to Brazil to negotiate. Benfica claims negotiations are not closed and will negotiate with the player in due time.
Today's "A Bola" reports that Fred from Lyon might be on the way to Benfica. The forward is not currently happy at Lyon, where he seems to have fallen out of favor with Lyon's coach.
Lyon, however, has rulled out any type of loan for the player, claiming that they will only listen to buyout offers. Lyon bought Fred in 05 by the sum of 15mm Euros, at the time where the Brazilian was the hottest thing in Brazil.
It would be a great buy for Benfica, but i very much doubt they will have the cash to buy this player. Remember that Lyon is the possible destination for Cesar Delgado, a player that Benfica chased but could not make a convincing enough offer for Cruz Azul to take them seriously.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
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.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Uefa Cup - Possible Adversaries
Continue Reading..
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Belenenses 1 - Benfica 0 - 2nd Loss of the Season.
Benfica suffers their second loss of the season, second straight for the Bwin. After losing to Porto 2 weeks ago, Benfica loses again, this time to Belenenses, and see the gap between them and, Bwin leaders, Porto increase to 10 points. Despite having won two games in between these two losses, Benfica see themselves in a losing streak domestically. It's still early to consider the league lost, but if it was already an uphill battle, the gradient just increased.
On to the game
No surprises in the starting 11, Camacho fielded his best four backs in Nelson, Luisao, David Luiz and Leo in front of Quim. In the midfield, Katsouranis was back next to Petit's side while the attacking midfield line was composed of Rodriguez and Maxi on the flanks, while Rui Costa played in the middle. Cardozo was the lone striker. Your habitual 4-2-3-1 if you will.
As i had mentioned in my preview, it wasn't going to be an easy game for Benfica, Belenenses has a very good team, with skilled players, that can create alot of problems if they are given the time and space to play. It was that space that was conceeded to Belenenses that allowed Belenenses to finish the half with close to 70% of percentage against Benfica's 30 something. Once again Petit and Katsouranis were very innefective. It is beyond me, how a team with 2 defensive midfielders can't control the game, and most of all, allow for the opposing midfield to touch the ball anyway and in any direction they please. One of Benfica's mistakes from the first half was giving Belenenses too much respect and allowing them to play while Benfica limited themselves to stay in front of the ball. The other crucial mistake was the lack of build up from the defensive midfield pivots. Benfica could not get any type of transition game through Petit and Katsouranis, instead they used and abused of the long ball which was the easiest to defend for Belenenses. Perhaps the long ball was the only choice being that Belenenses' men were playing a very tight zone, something that could have been evaded with a lot of movement in the midfield in the form of "checkbacks" to the player with the ball. Belenenses created a few opportunities and could have very well gone into half time with the scoreboard in their favor. Halftime rolled around and Benfica had done absolutely nothing with the exception of a shot from Rui Costa, right around the end of the half. Changes needed to be made for the second half, players needed to come out with a different attitude, and the work rate needed to increase, if Benfica wanted to win this game. Benfica did come out more offensive in the second half, trying to control the game but the midfield seemed to be too populated like in the first half with Benfica's men being watched closely. Benfica's incursions were coming from the defensive line, with David Luiz often bringing the ball into Belenenses half of the field, a clear sign the midfield players were allowing themselves to be closed down. Camacho made a double substitution at the 64 minute mark, Nuno Gomes came in for Maxi and Di Maria for Katsouranis. Rodriguez, who was sub par on what he has accustomed Benfica fans to, moved to the right while DiMaria went to the left side. Nuno Gomes stepped into the 9 slot while Rui Costa dropped back into a more central position. Personally i tought the defensive midfielder for a forward substitution should have came right at half time. It was clear that there were too many players in the middle of the field, and this was limiting Benfica on what they could do offensively, there was no room to maneuver in the middle. With the double substitution, the game opened up and Benfica became more dangerous, with Rui Costa taking control of Benfica's game and slicing the defense with precise passes to Benfica's wingers. The game was wide open and Belenenses took advantage of Benfica's all out attacking posture to launch a quick counter that would put them up on the scoreboard. Weldon ran down the line with Luisao in pursuit and cut inside leaving Luisao behind to put the ball past Quim, 71 minutes had gone by. Benfica had their best opportunity when Cardozo "shinned" a perfect cross from Di Maria that allowed the keeper to make an easy save. Adu came in for Rodriguez in the 79th minute but Freddy is fresh out of miracles, and honestly, 11 minutes is an unfair amount of minutes for Freddy, who could very well have been brought on sooner, as he seems to always change the complexion of the game, I'm still wondering why Camacho is the only one who doesn't see this.
To sum it up, not a good performance from Benfica tonight, who lost fairly, to a well organized Belenenses team that took advantage of Benfica's passiveness to assert themselves in the game. The first half ended up dictating the game's "motif" if you want to call it that, with Belenenses believing they could very well come away with the 3 points by playing an unhibited game. It's hard to comprehend the team's performance in this game, several players were rested, the team was coming off 2 important wins and seemed poised to finish up the year on a positive note. What went wrong? Lack of motivation? Looking towards holliday break perhaps? With many players returning to their countries to spend time with their families. No one can really say, both Rui Costa and Petit admitted to a terrible team performance in their post game interviews. One more game coming up this thursday against Estrela da Amadora, let's hope the team can finish the year on a high note.
Photo - AFP/Getty Images
Friday, December 14, 2007
What If?
I just happen to stumble upon a bit of news out of Brazil. It seems that a group of investors, MDF, has bought the pass of Vasco's 19 year old left back, Guilherme. According to the article Guilherme's most probable destiny is Portugal. Guilherme was one of Vasco's 07 revelations. He earned the starting left back towards the end of the season. What if Benfica sealed Leo's contract and brought in this youngster as Leo's understudy? Seems far fetched?
Continue Reading..Thursday, December 13, 2007
Belenenses - Benfica Preview
After a much needed period of rest, Benfica gets back into the flow of things with a visit to Belenenses. The two Lisbon teams meet in the 13th round of the Bwin, Belenenses is currently 9th, with 15 points, while Benfica is 2nd with 25 points. Belenenses has a very good team and will offer Benfica a real challenge. Benfica will need to continue their winning ways in order to continue their pursuit of Porto. Benfica bounced back from their first defeat of the season in the Bwin with 2 wins. Benfica beat Shakhtar in the Ukraine to clinch a Uefa Cup spot and they beat Academica this past weekend to go forward in the Portuguese cup.
Camacho has called the following players:
Keepers: Butt and Quim
Defenders: Léo, Luisão, Luis Filipe, Nelson and David Luiz
Midfielders: Katsouranis, Bynia, Maxi, Rui Costa, Adu, Petit, Cristián Rodriguez, Nuno Assis and Di Maria
Forwards: Nuno Gomes and Cardozo.
Possible Starting 11
Quim will once again be in goal after sitting out the Portuguese cup game. In defense, we will see Benfica's strongest back four, Nelson, Luisao, David Luiz and Leo. Katsouranis and Petit will be in front of the defense, with the Greek being the box-to-box man, providing support for the 3 attacking midfielders. Rodriguez will be back on the left wing, while Maxi will be on the right. In the middle it'll be Rui Costa supporting the red hot Cardozo.
This is clearly Benfica's base squad, one could argue for Di Maria to play on one of the wings, especially after having played well last weekend in Rodriguez's absence, but Rodriguez's favorite side is also the left. In order for them to both play, their changing of flanks would have to be seamless, and their contribute should remain positive no matter what flank they play in, and right now, there's too much of a Di Maria drop in performance when he goes to the right. Something that could very well be changed with time. It's hard to sit Di Maria when he appeared to be gaining confidence and building good form momentum, but, collective effort comes first.
As a Benfica fan, you have to feel good about Benfica's chances going into this game, after a whirlwind of a schedule, with games every 3 days, Camacho finally got a chance to rest key players like Rui Costa and Katsouranis. He can also count on Rodriguez who did not play the past 2 games, after picking up an injury against Porto. Team's rested and at full strenght, Quim seems to have recuperated from the knee injury he picked up in training earlier in the week and Leo also seems 100% from the mild concussion he suffered against Academica. I am expecting a hard fought game, evenly matched, with attacking third efficiency being the key for Benfica. Benfica's midfield has struggled at times in the past couple of games, they will need to be very sharp and make minimal mistakes. Finishing and midfield precision are my keys to this game. Let's hope that Cardozo continues his scoring streak, in what will definitely be a sign of him coming into the "Matador" role he came labeled as, upon his arrival to Benfica.
2-0 Benfica
Leave your own prediction, starting 11, and keys to the game in the comment box below.
On a side note, Benfica extended David Luiz's contract through 2013, and added a 50mm clause.
Benfica News 12/13/07
Continue Reading..
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Cesar Delgado By Hours
Benfica News for 12/12/07
Taking a look through the major Portuguese Sport online Dailies:
Portuguese Cup drawing - Benfica drew Feirense at home for the 5 round of the portuguese cup. Feirense is currently 12th in the Vitalis League ( Portugal's second flight). Porto drew Desportivo das Aves, which will have Romeu Ribeiro, Miguel Victor and Dabao in their squad by the time the game takes place, January 20th.
Quim's back in practice. Benfica's #1 trained without limitations this morning and will be ready for this weekend's clash against Belenenses.
Miguel Victor will play with the Juniors for a couple more games before joining Desportivo das Aves in January. Benfica's junior coach, Joao Alves, requested that Victor give his contribution to the junior squad after losing a few of his defensive players to injuries. Victor played this last weekend, and will play another 2 games for the junior squad before going on his loan.
Binya has been called by the Cameroonian national team to play a friendly against a Galiza select squad. This is another game where Otto Pfister will have a chance to look at players before making his CAN 08 roster official. Binya might very well be on this roster list, which would mean that Benfica wouldn't be able to count on Binya for at least the month of January and some of February.
Benfica is trying to acquire the rest of Cardozo's pass from Newell's (20% = 2.2mm). Bergessio is most likely going to be included in the deal for the buyout in the form of a loan or even a sale. Benfica is also trying to acquire the other 20% of DiMaria's pass from Rosario Central.. just a quick explanation of these percentages that are usually left on the table. Buying clubs do this to cut the price, agreeing to leave a percentage of the players pass with the team they bought the player from, what this means is that any future deals involving the player would guarantee the first seller a percentage of the sale, in this case 20%. This is clear move by Benfica to secure future talent, while anticipating to make money with these two players, buying the 20% would naturally maximize Benfica's return.
Cesar Delgado, remains quiet as far as his move to Benfica goes. The player told the Mexican media he would not talk about the move until it's official. The player also denied having any kind of agreement with Benfica. Also in the race are Lyon, Palermo, Olympiacos and Espanhol.
here's a clip of Delgado
Leo's representatives are in Lisbon this week to discuss contract renovations with Benfica. Brazil's Fluminense is following the meetings very carefully as they would be Leo's next home if Leo and Benfica fail to reach an agreement.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
And then there were 27
It's Official, Desportivo das Aves' president has just confirmed the loan of 3 benfica players. Romeu Ribeiro, Miguel Victor and Yu Dabao are the players who will be at the service of Desportivo das Aves come January 2nd. Desportivo das Aves is currently 14th in the Vitalis League (2nd Division) and will hope that all 3 players can help the team from being relegated.
Miguel Victor, got the most playing time from all three, he filled in at center back when Luisao and David Luiz were hurt alongside Katsouranis. Miguel Victor played 253 minutes in official games, which included one start in the Champions League. He showed that he has enough talent to be a serious candidate to a roster spot next year.
Romeu Ribeiro, was used as a back up defensive midfielder, when Petit was injured and accumulated 48 minutes from the appearances he made, mostly at the end of games, when Camacho needed and extra unit in midfield.
Yu Dabao, played 169 minutes in official games, all of them for the Carlsberg Cup, despite being one of the most valuable players in last years Junior League, Dabao wasn't able to convince Camacho that he is ready for the Senior team.
It would not surprise me to see at least 2 of these 3 players break into Aves' starting team. I'd say that both Victor and Ribeiro have enough talent to stay at Benfica, however the positions they play in are very deep at this time. Dabao was just not ready, let's hope he will continue to mature and gets enough playing time to develop into a very good player for Benfica.
Benfica News December 11,07
Marc Zoro's name is part Ivory Coast's preliminary roster for the African Nations Cup (CAN 08) to take place between the 20th of January and the 10th of February, the event is taking place in Ghana.
Quim left this morning's practice with a knee injury. He will be evaluated tomorrow.
Rumours of a couple of players being tied to Benfica are surfacing. The first one being Cesar Delgado, a twenty six year old Argentinian forward who currently plays for Mexico's Cruz Azul, the club's president has publicly denied any negotiations between benfica and Cruz Azul. The other one is Christian Benitez, an Equatorian young promise who plays upfront. He just finished representing Santos Laguna in the Mexican league. His agent has confirmed contacts from Benfica, and told the Equatorian media that there is an offer on the table that they are currently looking at.
Marcel, who was on loan at Gremio has been let go by the club, he will however remain in Brasil as his future will most likely go through another loan at another Brazilian club.
Luis Felipe Vieira just came back from a quick trip to Argentina, apparently he is trying to by cardozo's pass in it's totallity. Benfica only owns 80% of Cardozo's pass currently.
Benfica just signed a 17 year old Brazilian to a 3 year deal by the name of Fellipe Bastos. Bastos is a product of Botafogo's development program, having represented and captained Brazil's U-17 team that played in this years Pan-American games. Bastos is a defensive midfielder but can play in any central midfielder position. He will integrate the junior team under Joao Alves' command.
Apparently, January it'll be the end of the Benfica line for Bergessio, the player has already been informed by Camacho that he will be one of the players being cut from the squad. the Argentinian is currently studying several offers and will most likely return to Argentina. Andre Diaz will most likely have the same destiny.
Cristian Rodriguez made his full return to training today.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Benfica 3 - Academica 1 - Cardozo Double
Benfica goes forth in the Portuguese Cup with a 3-1 victory over Academica. In a game that on paper wasn't as easy as Sporting's and Porto, Benfica came out to win and despite fielding a revamped 11, Benfica did enough to control the game and to justify the end result
Camacho started the following players:
Butt in goal, Nelson, Luisao, Edcarlos and Leo in the back. Petit and Binya in front of the defense, DiMaria, Nuno Gomes and Assis in the midfield, with Nuno Gomes playing in the 9 slot. Cardozo repeated his start from tuesday.
Butt, as expected, started in goal, it is customary for the #2 keepers to get the start in cup games, and this was no different. In defense, i was suprised to see Edcarlos, it's a clear attempt from Camacho to keep Edcarlos in the fold, after all, David Luiz could have very well played, and was not one of the players that needed rest. Personally i would have kept the back four intact, as their consistency and gelling is built on the minutes they spend together, nonetheless, Edcarlos needs the playing time and needs to be rotated in order not to lose too much competitive rhythm. Binya and Petit played side by side and alternated their forward runs. I really couldn't make a strong evaluation on their (Binya and Petit) collective performance, but Bynia seemed at times out of synch, which is acceptable for his first time out with Petit. In the attacking third, I was surprised to not see Rui Costa, but at the same time glad that he got the rest. Di Maria proved once more that he is a lot more productive on the left wing, with a strong performance. Assis played on the right but was not as involved in the game as Di Maria. Nuno Gomes supported Cardozo upfront in detriment of Rui Costa and both Benfica's game and Nuno Gomes' game suffered from Rui Costa's absence. Benfica's for not having Rui Costa to assume complete control of Benfica's offensive game, and Nuno Gome's was affected for not having Rui Costa on the field. Nuno Gomes in the the position that he played in, is very different as to when Rui Costa plays in that position, and that is because of the distance that exists between the 2 other central midfielders and himself. Rui Costa comes back to Benfica's defensive midfield to build Benfica's game, which is not something Nuno Gomes is able to do. Nuno Gomes needs a true center midfielder, finding him in the spaces or on check backs, in order to be effective, without Rui Costa, Nuno Gomes struggled.
On to the game
Benfica started well, showing signs of wanting to resolve the game quickly, Edcarlos' header hit the post after a Di Maria corner, it was the first sign of danger from Benfica. Benfica continued to dominate wasting a few opportunities, one of them, with Nuno Gomes and Cardozo playing a never ending game of 1-2s, with Nuno Gomes forcing the last pass when he could have very well have gone to goal. Benfica's pressure and game domination, ended up bearing its fruits at the 40 minute mark when Luisao headed the ball into Academica's goal following an Assis corner. Benfica's goal was something that most people we expecting due to the offensive soccer the team was playing. Cardozo ended up sending the team to half time up two goals, after he scored his 8th goal for Benfica. A good combination play, that was initiated by Leo, when he came out of the defensive line to start a counter, which ultimately ended up with the same Leo making a superb pass to Cardozo, who in stride, beat the Academica goalie with a nice goal.
In the second half Benfica had to substitute in for Leo, after Leo was stretchered off from a head to head colision, Luis Felipe came into the left, it wasn't too long before Academica tried to assert themselves in the game, coming out strong and creating several opportunities. Academica's inital pressure ending up rewarding them, after a turnover by Benfica's transition, N'doye took his chance on a very long shot and would eventually beat Butt, who could have done a lot more with that shot. The goal gave Academica hope and their players started thinking if they continued pressuring they would eventually get the equalizer, Benfica was having problems taking control of the midfield, and that was making the team look a bit nervous. At the 75 minute, Camacho substituted Di Maria for Adu, in an attempt to refresh the left side, The first time Adu touched the ball he almost scored on a low shot that passed inches from the goalpost. Cardozo added to his tally in the 86 minute after persistent play from Benfica, with Assis "fetching" a ball close to the corner flag, to pass back to Nuno Gomes, who served Cardozo's header to perfection. The goal would finally put the team and the fans at ease. The final whistle sounded, but not before Mantorras had a chance to make an appearance, subbing in for the much cheered Cardozo.
Good win for Benfica in many expects, the obvious one is the advancing to the next round, the other ones are the resting of important players and giving time to players who need to be in the rotation. Rui Costa, Maxi and Katsouranis had a well deserved rest, and it'll be 12 rest days before they are in action again. Edcarlos, Binya and Assis, are players that need to rotate into the starting 11 as they can be called on at any time and need to keep somewhat of a competitive rhythm. Leo seems to be fine, he suffered a mild concussion and left the stadium in his own car but as a passenger, i'm sure he'll be better observed tomorrow. Just one last thought to conclude, i think Adu could have done a lot better than Nuno Gomes, not only does he play the nine position better, he can also play in the 10 slot, as he possesses good technique and is very quick. I await patiently for Adu's start in his natural position, i'm sure the wait will be well worth it as he is definitely being groomed for that spot by Camacho.
Highlights
Friday, December 7, 2007
Benfica - Academica - Portuguese Cup Preview
It's the 4th round of the Portuguese Cup, and all of the teams from Portugal's top flight will make their debut in the cup this weekend, except Boavista and Maritimo who have a bye. Benfica drew Academica de Coimbra, a team they played and beat 3-1 almost 3 weeks ago in Coimbra. Not a very good initial draw for Benfica, drawing another Bwin team, but, for a team that has its sights on their 25th Portuguese Cup, Benfica has to beat every team in their path, no matter who they are.
Camacho has called the following players:
Keepers: Butt and Quim;
Defenders: Luisão, Léo, Luis Filipe, Edcarlos, Nelson, David Luiz;
Midfielders: Binya, Rui Costa, Di Maria, Petit, Nuno Assis;
Forwards: Adu, Mantorras, Nuno Gomes, Cardozo and Bergessio.
Looking at the call up list 3 obvious absences pop up - Rodriguez, Maxi and Katsouranis. Rodriguez has not yet fully recuperated from his injury, Maxi and Katsouranis get the well needed rest. The Greek did some light jogging in practice this morning, in what it seems to be an effort to recuperate strenght.
It's tough to say whether Camacho will give more playing time to the less used players, but i would bet on a few fresh faces in the starting 11. I am almost positive that Butt will start in goal, as far as the rest of the squad, the defensive back 4 should stay the same, the more reps the same 4 get together the better it is for them as a unit. Nelson will be at right back. Binya will be next to Petit. It'll be the first time Binya and Petit play together, this will give Camacho an idea on how Binya and Petit play together and what spaces they will occupy during the game. In order for 2 defensive midfielders to form a good tandem, they must complement each other, they can't be covering the same areas of the field, and they must function in a teeter toter sort of way - one up, one down during Benfica's offensive transition. While Katsouranis and Petit know each other's tendencies, Binya and Petit only know each other from practice. I'd be curious to see what kind of results it produces and how they distinguish themselves from each other. Binya can provide more stamina and more physical strength in the midfield. I'd be curious on how this will affect the team's game, for one thing, with Binya in the midfield, Petit won't have to cover as much ground, letting him be more supportive of Rui Costa. The other thing to be seen is whether they line up side by side or if Petit will play in front of Binya. In the attacking third, it would be nice to see Rui Costa get a rest, but that's not going to happen against Academica. Rodriguez's did not fully recover yet, so it'll be Di Maria on the left wing, on the right wing, Assis seems to be the strongest candidate for the spot , while upfront we will most likely see Cardozo again. With the 2 goals on Tuesday, Oscar seems to be gaining confidence towards hitting full stride, It would make no sense to halt his momentum. I'm also hoping for Freddy Adu to get some more playing time, he scored the 3rd goal in the previous meeting between Benfica and Academica. One can make an argument for his start on the right wing, but despite Freddy's willingness to play anytime, anywhere, this is not a position he feels the most comfortable with, although it would be interesting to see. For one thing with Binya and Petit in the midfield, the 2 wingers have more freedom to attack. Di Maria on the left and Freddy on the right, now that's crystal ball a sight, if you ask me.
With Benfica having finished their very busy cycle of 2 games a week, you have to wonder how much gas does this team have in the tank, and how well has Camacho recuperated the team, mentally and physically. Benfica can't afford to come out flat, they need to take control of the game from the get go. After a hard fought, emotional win against Shakhtar, the team must continue to work hard and build up on the progress they have made so far. They need to have a balanced, high level performance and put away the chances that are created, the earlier the better. Academica felt that they could have come away with a tie in the previous match, they will surely be moralized to have another go at Benfica. Despite the doubts on what starting 11 Camacho will field, the biggest question is - who will start for Academica in goal?
A quick look at the starting 11 that played Academica back on the 24th of November
Quim - Luis Felipe, Luisao, David Luiz and Leo - Binya and Katsouranis - Assis, Rui Costa and Di Maria - Nuno Gomes. If Benfica plays with the line up i'm anticipating, it'll be 4 new faces, how different will it be from the last time these two team met?
Trimming the Squad
With the January window fast approaching, Benfica will be trimming their squad from 30 players to just around 22. Here are some of the players that will be on their way out on loan and their destinations:
Fabio Coentrao - Nacional da Madeira (Bwin)
Miguel Vítor, Romeu Ribeiro and Yu Dabao - Desportivo das Aves (Vitalis League)
Andres Diaz - Estrela da Amadora (Bwin)
Zoro - ?
For the young players, it'll be a welcome challenge as they will most likely see more playing time and will be picking up valuable experience in the process. As for Zoro, he seems to be the odd man out. He has failed to make an impression on Camacho, and currently the central defender position is very deep. Zoro's agent is currently trying to place the Ivory Coast international in a team, hoping that he can still impress his national team coach to be called to the African Nation's Cup, to be held early next year.
These are 6 players that will definetely be going off in hopes they can impress Camacho for next season. Camacho is looking to pick up a minimum of 2 players when the transfer window opens up, his priorities are an attacking midfielder that plays on the right as well as a forward. So with these 6 players gone we would see the squad back to 24 players which is a closer number to what Camacho wants the squad at, with the possible acquisition of 2 more players, Camacho will see himself cutting a minimum of 2 more players. More news will come out of the Benfica camp in the next 2 to 3 weeks.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Portuguese Cup - The Trophy
With Benfica playing their first game of the Portuguese Cup this Sunday, I wanted to post about the most beautiful piece of Portuguese "Silverware", the Portuguese cup. I have translated the information about the trophy of the Portuguese Cup for you. The original text can be found on the F.P.F. ( Portuguese Football Federation) site .
The Trophy | |
"The Trophy is a jewel in silver and wood. Originally the trophy inhabited the office of the president of the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) and goes as far back as the old Portuguese Championship. Now, with the change of location of the Portuguese Federation headquarters, it can be found right at the headquarters entrance, protected by a glass case. The trophy is the original trophy from it’s inception, and proudly displays all the winners since the1921/22 season: the first five winners are displayed right below the main body, the rest are displayed clockwise on the wooden base. “We had the notion that the Portuguese public did not know that there were 3 identical trophies, and because of that, we started to display the original Trophy in the final game”, explains the Federation’s Vice President, Amandio de Carvalho. “In the beginning the trophy would stay in the presidential tribune, now it stays next to the pitch surrounded by securities” Carvalho adds. The trophy has 2 less valuable, but well traveled replicas. One of them keeps the “mother” trophy company in the Portuguese Federation headquarters and goes back to the 30s and it can’t be handled by the players. In the inaugural final where Academica defeated Benfica 4-3, it only got to The original trophy has several unique details. Besides the above mentioned plates with each winners name, it also has a plate with the engraving of “F.P.F.A, Portuguese Cup (Táça de Portugal). The acent over the “a” is not a mistake, it was how the word “Táça” or Cup was spelled. Underneath the columns, in a round manner, the 5 caravelles are inscribed, it is an homage to Portugal’s era of Discoveries, The theme is repeated above the columns with another 13 caravelles, all in different styles, two of them incomplete, due to their close proximity to the handles. Above the caravelles we can see the 5 “quinas” ( a Portuguese symbol for the cross of Christ) Over the handles there are small spheres called “esferas armilares” this symbol goes back to King Manuel's reign and it represents a scientific model of the universe. Along with these spheres there are crosses of Christ that fully represent the Portuguese. Throughout the years the the trophy has been subject to asthetical up keeps in order to preserve its original condition, if you look closely you’d never tell it’s a piece that is 80 years old. | |
Original Dimensions Replica | |
Photo from http://www.fpf.pt/portal/page/portal/PORTAL_FUTEBOL
