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CL R1 Benfica x Hapoel (Tue, Sep 14th, 19:45)

2K views 39 replies 10 participants last post by  benfiquista 
#1 ·




After 3 league defeats in 4 games, this is the time for Benfica to show up. I'm confident we will.

Carrega, Benfica!
 
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#5 · (Edited)
Some info about your opponents.

Hapoel are a very orgenized side... I would usually say they got a weak defence, but it seems like thier coach is finally starting to understand that, and is gonna replace the good-for-nothing CB(and captain) he's been insisting on with a preety solid one, and he's gonna play a more defensive minded RB over the Israeli Marcelo he usually has, although this new RB can't really do nothing with the ball.


Players you should look after in this game other then Enyeama the GK that I think most of you know him :

Douglas Da-Silva - number 3- CB(26 years old)
This guy is just a great CB and i'm suprised Hapoel managed to keep him tbh.. he's tall, strong, preety fast, and very reliable and very hard to pass through, and great in attacking set pieces.. really an all around CB.. the anchor and heart of thier defence, considering in the last couple of years the other guys in Hapoel defence didn't know how to defend, the work he made trying to cover thier endless mistakes, that is nothing but amazing.. I know Schalke offered 4 milion euros for him in the summer but it got rejected, and i'm sure bigger offers will come in the winter transfer.


Gili Vermouth - number 14 - attacking midfielder(25 years old)
A real live-wire.. the ball is glued to his feet, very quick and sharp in his movement, and has a fantastic dribble.. he's where most things start from.. plays on the right side, but usually roams in all of the pitch and it's very common for him to start his dribble from the middle and sometimes even reach the 16 yard box..
his downside is he is very fregile and thin, and he struggles against fast good defenders who give him a little bump.. but still he's the man you want to close down, if you do that - Hapoel attack will be alot less threatning.


Itay Shechter - number 9 - striker(23 years old)
he's thier star player together with Vermouth.. he's been injured recently and was only declared fit yesterday.
A very fast and very tough and strong striker.. he might not look strong but looks can be deceiving.. this guy can brush even the toughest defenders off while running and dribbile with the ball and more then stands his ground.. he got great controll and a good strong shot with both legs and is very explosive.. can create a goal out of nothing, and for me atleast it will be really intresting to see him against David Luiz... what I love about him is he fears no one and he plays his game like he's playing under his house with his friends.


A few more importent names and numbers to mention are the defensive midfielder Avihay Yadin(number 26), the other striker Ben Sahar(number 11), and attacking\central midfielder Eran Zehavi(number 16)

Hapoel usually plays 4-4-2, but theres alot of movement in thier game and it shifts alot to a 4-5-1 during the game too with Shechter playing wider to the left.

Overall I think if you guys will play your quick link-up plays with Coentrao and Maxi mainly from the wings you'll be able to break thier defence, especiely from Maxi side as the thier leftback sucks defensivly.

But I will say this, I won't be suprised if Hapoel gets a draw or a win tbh...if your guys will think this is gonna be a walk in the park they'll be in for a suprise..Hapoel will come to score and won't try park the bus and steal a goal..

probable lineup :

------------------------------Sahar---------------
-------------Shechter-----------------------------
-Zehavi--------------------------------Vermouth---
---------------------------------------------------
----------------Yadin--------Rocchi----------------
---------------------------------------------------
-Ben Dayan-----Douglas------Fransman----Bonder--
----------------------Enyeama--------------------

As I said, they're making 2 changes in theier defence, with Fransman and Bonder, so thats not a great thing, but overall like I said they're an orgenized and well coached side.

Goodluck! :)
 
#6 ·
Thanks for your input, Stanko 05. Much appreciated. :)

I don't think Benfica will be underestimating Hapoel, not with Jorge Jesus. This game will be taken very seriously, especially after the disastrous start to the season which I'm sure you've heard about already. Sadly, the attendance will be far from impressive tomorrow.

I'm counting on a win because I know how strongly everyone at the club will be wanting to turn things around tomorrow. If Hapoel manages to score first, however, I really don't know...
 
#8 ·
Quick translation of Jorge Jesus's words. It sucks, I know, but it's 1 minute of work. ;)

"Hapoel is not a name with pedigree in Europe, but it's a team that I know because I had to analyse them. And it's one of the formations that I wanted to avoid in the draw."

"Regardless of the value of the opponent, Benfica will get better as days go by and tomorrow we'll play a good game. In the league everything is to play for and tomorrow's game is completely different. It's a competition Benfica is on because of its own merits, due to the fact that we are the champions."

"Emotionally and psychologically the players will be more focused because this is the first game of the group. We have the quality to go through to the next stage and we must win games in order to achieve it. There are players who are here for the first time, much like myself, and they want to be well. They're very motivated, because this is not just the reward for being champions, this is the biggest stage of european football."
 
#9 ·
Sure thing guys anytime :)

I read an article today in Israel talking about Saviola as the key player.. it's like they didn't even bother watching Benfica play before writing about them:palm:

Btw I was reading it was raining today or yesterday.. any idea if it's gonna rain tomorrow during the game? would suck as both teams like to move the ball..
 
#11 · (Edited)
Really? i'll go look at the paper again maybe I was wrong lol.

Edit: it did say in the last sentence : "Rain is expected today, tomorrow will be hot" - maybe I misunderstood it and he tried to have a little word game in refrence to the game then, no idea :D

And defently Hapoel goal will be to score first.. last game in the playoffs they didn't really tried to hold the ball and went on the counter.. but against you guys I think they will have more chances to pass it around so it'll be intresting to see.

Btw it seems like Hapoel coach Eli Gutman is planning to start with another defensive midfielder instead too.. from his approach it seems like he's gonna try close the gaps between his players and make it hard on you guys and playing a bit more defensive - defenetly not the style Hapoel usually plays.. I think it will work for your benefit if thats the case, cause like I said you can't defend the quick one-twos your fullbacks play and it will slice Hapoel defence.

The new expected lineup is changed.

I'm a bit dissapointed cause I was sure he'll stick to his gameplan no matter what like he did last year in the Europa league(they reached the last 32 finishing first in thier group ahead of Celtic and Hamburg) - but it looks like he's scared and wants to play it safe.
 
#14 ·
Nice work by Stanko summing up well:thumbsup:

I agree with you, Hapoel has one style of play and if they play differently from it they will surely lose. Even if Gutman fields another defensive midfielder Benfica is a fast team and will brake through. If we have two forwards (Shechter and Sahar) who are perfect duo that complete eachother and Vermut and Zahavi holding the ball in midfield would be the good solution to keep Benfica away from goal.
 
#31 ·
On paper, David Luiz, Luisão, Fábio Coentrão and Maxi Pereira are definitely CL material. Why we're so fragile, I don't know, but it's not a question of lack of quality.

I agree, Stanko 05, they were certainly unlucky tonight. I wasn't overly impressed with Hapoel because I wasn't impressed with Benfica either. Last year we would have scored 3 or 4 with relative ease. Thanks for your wishes, but it seems that we still have a long way to go.

The positive note is how our midfield became a lot stronger when Rúben Amorim went to the inner-left to replace Gaitán. The game became pretty much under control after that. Is he our Ramires? Probably not, but he's the best we got.
 
#22 ·
Open game and a fair result so far, even though a draw would be more fitting to the first half.. Shechter is making me proud handling Benfica defenders and doing his thing, and so is Vermouth.

Benfica is doing a great job exploiting the misscoordinated Hapoel defence(with 2 new players in the lineup), by luring them up then give through balls to the 2nd line players that are making the runs.. thats very risky and could and in my opinion would give them another goal is they keep trying.

Hapoel could feel a bit cheated cause there was a clear penalty by Luisao, and a very doubtfull one by Coentrao on Shechter.. Ben Sahar is obviusly in some pain, cause that through ball Roberto beat him to is not like him.. he's very fast and usually get to these balls with ease.. won't be suprised if he gets subbed even at the half.

And Roberto remembered he is a goalkeeper! :D his timing sucks for Hapoel.
 
#23 ·
Oh and btw, is Maxi injured or something?

Cause like I said before and like you saw in this half, Hapoels leftback don't know what defence means.. Maxi would just rape him there.
 
#26 ·
A good result. 2nd half better than the first. Hapoel was a bit unlucky with a strong shot to the crossbar. The away goal that didn't happen is huge for Benfica.

That's not a bad side, them Hapoel peeps.
 
#29 · (Edited)
A deserved and just win for Benfica.

Maxi prooved in the 2nd goal what I ment..... Coentrao in the 2nd half was fantastic.. but was caught off guard defensivly quite a few times, same as Luizao who couldn't handle Shechters speed.

Whats the deal with Cardozo btw?... was quite a scene during the game with him.

Was a great chance to Hapoel to suprise here.. with better luck they might have, but they didn't in the end.. at home they'll look like diffrent team and play with much more confidence tho..thier midfield today was really horrible... and they obviusly didn't have enough stamina for 90 minutes.. they practicly fell off thier feet from the 70 minute or so with lots of people walking back to defence instead of running.

Congratulations for the win and goodluck comming back to your old self:thumbsup:
 
#30 ·
Cardozo's workrate has been put in question by the fans, and rightfully so if I might add. When he decided to celebrate the goal the way he did, benfiquistas were furious at him for the nerve of insulting them when he had just scored the easiest goal in his life, whilst still performing badly once again. He has no right to insult the crowd, but at least he redeemed himself and apologised after the game.
 
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