Gill Vicente 2 Benfica 2

First game of the season and the first game in the Portuguese league, Gil Vicente hosted Benfica in their first game back to the Primeira Liga.

The Team from Lisbon looked promising after a being busy in the transfer market, a good run in the Champions League qualifier and the fact they were playing a newly promoted side could count for a lot to start the season well.
Not too long into the game, 7 minutes to be precise, new boy Nolito Scored his début goal after combining well with Ruben Amorim, and on the 20th minute Saviola made it 2-0.

Hugo Vieira made it 2-1 before the half finished. Lainoel made sure Gil Vicente got away with a point in the 75th minute.

From a club promoted the tactical change from Paulo Alves when the team was losing was one of 'nothing to lose' he threw an attacking player seemed to have changed the team a bit or at least show some tactics.
Benfica lacked tactics, lacked conviction and command.

Similar to the end of towards the end of last season when no real command or interest from some players or even the manager seemed to motivate the team into maintaining a level of superiority in games.
Today Benfica showed the same level of management, Going 2 goals up, the attacking plan stayed the same, no changes or provisions were made to the fact Gil Vicente had created and opened our defence three times inside 10 minutes, the fact the goalkeeper had to be called into making 3 good saves, and still no change in at least keeping control of the game.
Benfica as usual seemed to pull high on to the pitch and lose the ball, no real defensive play was required from the central or wide players.
When the second Goal went in.. Mr Jesus almost if not at all lost his commanding voice, failed to administer new tactics, its as if there was only Plan A and hope Plan B is the opposition cant play.
Happy with Benfica's direct and attacking play but very unhappy with the defensive and decisive play, also the lack of command and conviction failed us as usual.

Benfica second string shambles

Benfica have nothing to play for in the league and with a game on Thursday away to PSV in the return leg, it was another chance for Jorge Jesus (from the stands) to swap the entire starting 11 and throw in Benfica’s second team.
I tuned in to see a match, in the back of my mind I thought, ‘’it won’t be a pretty game, but let me see the boys’’ after all they seemed to produce some football against Portimonense a while back.

Little did I know I was in for a shock.
As a Benfiquista I would not generally be happy to tune in and watch my team.

But we all as supporters have the right to criticise when the performance is below par, when the team does not push for the win or even strive to produce the necessary performance even in a loss.

But when that loss is due to a very large number of players, being paraded as the second option or the long term replacement to some of the 1st eleven, not performing or just simply relying on the name Benfica to win a game, it’s a bit hard to swallow.

I agree we can’t fully expect to change the full eleven and win matches week in and week out, no team will take the full eleven one day and be able to beat the likes of Sporting, Porto , Braga and in Europe.

But when players are asked to come in and beat a team like Naval (no offence intended) they should be good enough, they should work hard enough, show desire, commitment, and passion.

We have to look at Arsenal, FA Cup is where they showcased their talent, and they brought on a squad of young players, whom played to the same standard as the established eleven.
Manchester United brought on an almost changed squad for cups and with the youngsters performing well.
Why? They had all intentions on showing the Gaffer they deserved their place, they showed passion and won games.

Last night in the squad there were players unable to even show they were worth the few and wages paid out, the arrogance of walking on to a pitch and not putting enough effort was shameful and somewhat disappointing to even watch.

Why is it important to perform? Well for the simple fact that when this happens again, no one will tune in, the stadiums will be half full if not much less. Why would anyone travel to watch a miserable performance from the second string that we already know won’t give their all or at least a few faces that did not perform to the standard of the eagle.

But that said, bring on PSV with a full squad.

We are Benfica- NOT FOR SALE -

On the night where many players in red shone, the question will be raised from Socios and Supporters, when the group of players are more or less likely to be sold on to bigger clubs in Europe.

The likes of Fabio Coentrao, Aimar, Cardozo and Co are all on the wanted lists of the big teams.

With Portuguese football on the rise again, perhaps we should think about keeping some or most of the talent at home, make the league a force for Europe.

Why should our talent such as Coentrao go to Germany or Spain? I gather he is more then happy at Benfica, so seeing him in the red and white of Bayern Munich or the white or Real Madrid will not give me the same joy, unless he is wearing the red or Portugal.
Why should we not attract the TV audiences that the English Prem or the Spanish league do?

Benfica need to keep hold of Salvio, lets spend a little, be the club that buys big when the player is worth the money, and Salvio definitely has proven he can make a difference therefore worth the money.
Sign contracts early when we know a player is good to show the rest we mean business.

The investment on another keeper is also something we may need to look at, we spent big on Roberto, whom so far has been hit and miss, a decent back up should make him work harder.

We only have to look at Gomes the Tottenham keeper, a player that until he had no decent challenger was conceding silly goals.

Benfica should at the end of the season fight this temptation to make a bit of money, and establish the dominance of Portuguese football by creating a squad to consistently win trophies.

Maybe follow the footprints of rivals FC Porto whom don’t sell in massive numbers or build a new squad every year.

Consistency in squads is something adapted in Premier League team, top clubs keep top players, the likes of Manchester United buy 2 players and sell fringe players, Chelsea and Arsenal are the same.

Would we not be a greater squad with the likes of Ramires, David Luis, Di Maria, still in the squad? With the addition of the new faces then I am sure Benfica would dominate the league and even Europe.

We have the beautiful stadium, we have the greatest supporters on the planet, a team that can fight the title and win it every year is what it’s needed.

Let’s keep it big, lets make it great…. We are Benfica.

Benfica President attacked and the FC Porto scum

Someone not too long ago rightly asked me ''why do you refer to FC Porto as pigs'' my main answer was just the fact I grew up knowing them as pigs, the attitude of the club and its supporters is shameful, violent and damn right life threatening.

I will say this, many clubs across the world have violent fans, there is always a group that cause trouble, and Benfica fans are no exception. 

The club has its own hardcore mob that has been dealt with in the past, and have somewhat scaled down from its approach to violence.

But the scale of FC Porto supporters goes well beyond fans match day violence, and something that will have to be dealt with but the authorities.

As we know FC Porto have their own registered support group that has to account for its member’s acts, after all, you can’t legally accept membership for violence (unless you are an MMA licensed fighter).

The acts after last nights game could have easily caused the death of Benfica’s President Luis Felipe Vieira, the president was driving behind the Team bus when his windscreen was hit by a sack of stones causing the driver to be assisted by paramedics with Luis Felipe Vieira being treated for injuries to his hand and face.

A little over a week ago Benfica's Vice-President was attacked outside a restaurant in the city of Porto by two masked men, and told to never speak against FC Porto or suffer a repeat.

The constant harassment from the 'Pig corral' at any given time a SL Benfica team, be it football, handball, volleyball or basketball, they travel to the dirty mud, are given the dirty treatment.

So in short to my views of the FC Porto mob, I truly believe they are directed and if not so, they are encouraged by the actions and reactions to these incidents from the King pig himself, a Mr Nuno Pinto da Costa, a man so corrupt and with no little regard for anything but his gain. A man walking on water even after being proven to have brought Portuguese football to its knees only to be allowed to carry on presiding over a club that without his money and power and influence (in bribery more often then not) would frankly not have struggled to be where they are now.

With the club releasing a statement on their website (probably in the hope they wont be attacked on their travels to Lisbon) it might be a little too late.

Para sempre BENFICA (Benfica forever)

P.Ferreira 1 Benfica 5 Nuno Gomes shines

Pacos De Ferreira 1 Benfica 5

Benfica managed a sweet victory against a team that have so far been doing well in the league, the team from the Porto region however failed to apply the early needed pressure on Benfica, and inside four minutes, Javier Cohene seemed to catch Javi Garcia on the head and a penalty for Benfica, with Cardozo bravely stepping up to make it 1-0.
On the 13th minute after a team passing move, Gaitan connected well with Aimar, who put the ball past a helpless Cassio for 2-0.
the Eagles went ahead again on the 25th minute when Nico Gaitan from 35 yards out placed the ball on the top left corner with almost no pressure, and with such ease that he hardly felt like celebrating.


Pacos managed to grab one back when new boy Carole (yes its a boy) uknowigly directed the ball into his own net.
The team from the north finally got some grip on the game and pressed Benfica until the half time, managing to go close a couple of times, and forcing Roberto into some magnificent saves.
in the second half was a similar performance with the hosts finding the gaps, and creating chances with Benfica equally wasting them.
on the 77th minute with the introduction of Nuno Gomes the Reds looked a bit more capable upfront with the crowd cheering on and screaming for the man, and it didn't take long for the Benfica 'old boy' to get off the mark, and on the 82nd minute from the second attempt at goal.

Nuno Gomes made it 4-1 and then after playing off the last man on the 90th he finished for 5-1.

A performance that started well for Benfica, but died soon after the 3rd goal, and with some chances not being finished, the team had to count on their long serving striker to come off the bench and show some established strikers how to finish.

I for one would love to see Cardozo in games like this perform better, despite scoring a penalty, the Benfica hitman has failed to fire the bullets with the same accuracy that he had last season, and at times looking lazy.
Jorger Jesus for the tough man he is, should learn to accept that, despite having players like Kardec on the bench and an under performing Cardozo, sometimes an old head just knows better, as he has shown in the last 2 league games.
The tactics were about right but somehow the team were lacklustre in the middle part of the game, at times the leadership from the back isn't felt upfront.

But a happy day for any Benfica fan, a good over all win to ensure that 'Os Andrades' will not win the title in our back yard when Benfica will 'roast' FC Porto for the next round of the Liga Zon Sagres.