Switzerland Day 3

With the third day of camp in the books, a new question to an old issue arises, the medical front gives us mixed news, and JJ's first starting 11 takes shape.


The biggest story to emerge out of camp seems to be who the starting goalkeeper will be. While JJ has given us plenty of clues as to who will be where in other positions, He's kept us guessing as to who will be in a goal, as all three keepers have been used with a very high degree of randomness in team scrimmages.
The front runners have to be Quim and Moreira, but i wouldn't discount Moretto.

I could never understand Benfica's intentions to acquire a keeper, in my opinion Benfica is very well served in the goal keeping department, acquiring a another goal keeper in detriment of one the three just seems like a waste of money.
Both Moreira and Quim have the talent to be(and have been) national team keepers, while Moretto, although spotty at times, can hold his own, and has enough talent to be number 1.
It'll be interesting year for both Quim and Moreira who are in their last year of contract and come January can consider their options.

Moreira has long been hailed as the future of Benfica's nets, a product of Benfica's youth system, Moreira dealt with serious injuries in the previous 2 seasons, but had an injury free season, and played 15 games out of a possible 44 for Benfica last season.
Although he started last season as #2, he captured the starting job right before the half way point of the season, after a less than stellar phase from Quim. He was relegated to the bench in the last third of the season with no justifiable reason, but emerged as a starting keeper in the last two games of the season, at a time the league was already decided.

Quim on the other hand, has been Benfica's #1 for the past 3 seasons. However this past season we witnessed a bit of inconsistency from a player whose trademark is consistency.
Considered by many the best Portuguese goal keeper going into this past Summer's Euro, Quim was finally able to be Portugal's number #1 after Portugal's Euro debacle and Scolari's step down.
During his brief period as Portugal's number one, Quim entered an unrecognizable period of form both at a national level and at a club level. Perhaps feeling the pressure of finally being Portugal's number #1. Quim's performances at a national team level carried on to Benfica and he ended up losing his starting spot to Moreira.
Despite losing his starting job, Quim was still the keeper that played most of the games, having played 23 out of a possible 44.
He regained his starting job after an impressive performance in the final of the league Cup, and was Benfica's starting keeper in the final stretch of the season.

Moretto should be happy that he is starting on level terms with the men who have blocked him from a starting job last season. Last year he came into pre-season a bit late and Quique might have already made up his mind as to who the starting keeper would be. He could probably start for 10 teams in the Liga Sagres, and JJ should be happy with the depth he has in the goalkeeping department.

Although a bit too early, these two games should give us some insight as to stands where.

In the medical front, Balboa made his camp debut this past Friday, as he joined his team mates in training, although under observation from the medical department. Sidnei and David Luiz continue to recuperate from muscular injuries, splitting their time between the hotel and the 3rd session of the afternoon, where they both warmed up with the team, but did specific work for the remainder of the session.
Joining the injury list was Ruben Amorim, who has been diagnosed with a myalgia, and could not participate in Friday's training sessions.

As for the rest of the team, this Sunday's starting 11 seems to be taking shape. With the only doubt remaining in goal, the team should be very close to the following - Maxi on the right, Roderik, and Miguel Vitor in the center and Shaffer on the left. Shaffer emerged on the team that seems to be starting one, although it's not clear whether he has beaten Sepsi for the job.
In the midfield, Yebda should be the main candidate to be in fromt of the defence while on the two sides of the diamond, Carlos Martins and the DiMaria seem to be the front runners, as well as Aimar on the top side of the diamond, Up Front, Cardozo and Saviola.

This saturday's sessions have been cut to one, as the team will travel in the afternoon to Sion, where they will play the locals.