A Not So Super Benfica

First game of the season, and first lost trophy of the season. Not much can be said about this loss, no alarms need to be sounded, and yes even Roberto managed to stay off the radar.
Truth be told, we just didn't show up for this game. No need to find excuses, or say that the team is tired, and that we should have had a pk called in our favor, don't bother. When the team returns to the Caixa Campus they will know very well what they need to do, and JJ will make the proper corrections for the team to be ready for the start of the defense of our title this coming weekend.


# Photo AFP/Getty -


I have to say i wasn't surprised by JJ's decision to go with the 4-4-2, i can't even say i didn't understand his decision to go with Peixoto, but can follow his logic.

The 4-4-2 is a more concise formation,more solid, but only with the right personnel, this 4-4-2 missed Ramires terribly, while on the left both Coentrao and Peixoto can defend, the same doesn't apply for Martins, which explains why Varela, had a field day down our right side.
But let's start at the beginning, JJ lined up - Roberto in goal, Amorim, Luisao, David Luiz and Peixoto in the defense. Airton in front of the defense, Coentrao, Aimar and Martins. Up front the all too familiar duo of Cardozo and Saviola.

Before getting a real feel for either team's game plan and tactical set up the scoreboard was already working. 3 minutes in and Benfica conceded the first goal of the game. A slight touch by Martins from a corner at the first post was enough to throw Benfica's zone off, and leave a man unmarked inside that same zone. Point blank header, no chance for Roberto. Suffering a goal 3 minutes in, will change any team's game plan, suffering a goal this early is also enough to spur the team into some sort of a reaction, but that wasn't Benfica's case.
The team was almost unrecognizable, and could not get a handle on the game, sloppy passes and no significant ball posession let porto have the upper hand for most of the first half. It wasn't until the 20th minute that Benfica had their first chance on goal, on a shot by Martins, this first initiative would open up Benfica's best period of the game, and the team finished the half clearly with the game's reigns in their hand, but without a goal to show for. Poor passing in the final third, lack of involvement by Cardozo, and not enough ball circulation were all things i saw, things that i hadn't seen yet this season.

With Benfica finishing off the half a lot better than how they started the game, i expected JJ to make a few adjustments, inject a dose of confidence, and see the team mount a comeback, but it wasn't to be. The same eleven came out, and nothing new in their game, the team came out nervous and anxious, and without real solutions to turn the result around, or even to shutdown what porto had been so successful doing.
At the hour mark JJ made his first substitution, bringing in Jara for Aimar. While Jara showed the will to want to change things, it seemed that the same lack of accuracy and ball control by the team as a whole, prevented our front line from getting more of the ball. porto would get their second at the 67th minute, from a play that Benfica right side was unable to defend against all day, this time they capitalized.
At the 69th minute, JJ was forced to pull Luisao as the captain complained of an injury, Sidney took his place. Different faces but the apathy continued, missed passes, forced long through balls, and the inability to make anything happen. In his last substitution JJ took out Coentrao and put in Gaitan(77th) the move seemed illogical, and i'm still trying to understand why didn't Peixoto come out? Weird.
More weird was JJ's body language and silence on the sideline which can almost be interpreted as a sign of conformity, and of helplessness in this game.

porto celebrated like they had just won the league title, and they were the just winners. Curious speech from the Mourinho Clone claiming that this was a win of revolt, for the injustices the club was subject to last year. Glad to see he's already drinking the cool aid.

With the season just a week away, time to lock ourselves in the Caixa campus and get ready. I'm sure some serious reflection will be made about this game, and the proper adjustments made. It's urgent that we find a replacement for Ramires, and if it's not too much to ask, why not a left back/winger, while you're at it, i'm more inclined towards a left winger,as Coentrao should be our left back. Peixoto can serve as back up.

I read in a blog , and this might seem one for the conspiracy theorists out there, that JJ purposely lined up that team in that disposition so that Rui Costa could see that the team's deficiencies, particularly at the right mid, and left mid positions.
It's a ridiculous theory, but nevertheless a curious one.

1 week to prepare, i'm sure we will comeback and start in our familiar fashion, as last night we were unrecognizable.