[Ola]

IT'S OBVIOUS COELHO HAS NO BLOODY IDEA WHAT'S HE DOING!
SO LETS GIVE HIM A HAND
wHAT STARTING LINE UP WOULD START FOR PORTUGAL'S NEXT GAME?

 

[Paulo]

Well i think we should rest the players and give the others a run out.
-----------Quim-------------
Xavier--Beto--Litos--RGeorge
-----------Sousa------------
Conceicao--Costinha--Capucho
-------Pauleta---Sa---------

HEY , this is a pretty good side for our bench except Xavier and Sousa who need to get a game to get going.

Tell me do the yellow cards get cleared after the group stage.

 

[Dani Portista]

Line up vs Germany

--------------Quim--------------

--Xavier----J.Costa--R.Jorge---Dimas--

---------------Sousa---------------

--Capucho---Costinha---Conceicao---

--------------J.Pinto--------------

--------------Pauleta------------

I wouldn't rest too many players as if we lose morale might drop and we don't that happening....but if we lead 2-0 at half time...fair enough..we can bring on a few young players like Litos, Vidigal, Nuno Gomes who still have few caps and need as much experience as poss.

 

[Game Rod]

I agree he lets most some of the players rest, but without losing. Portugal has already won the group, but if they lose the game bad, it could affect them to the quarters with Belgium or Turkey.

The yellow cards are valid for the rest of the tournament...

 

[RedEagle]

IT'S OBVIOUS YOU OLA SHOULD BE COACHING THE SELECT TEAM! I MEAN YOUr WISDOM IN CHALLENGING COELHO'S DECISION MAKING IS BEYOND REPROACH, AS YOU CLEARLY ARE THE GREATEST MANAGER IN THE WORLD AFTER THE MATCH!

Why can't we just support our team, they are 2-0 and in the quarter-finals. Man you make it sound like we're Germany or something...

 

[Ola]

Red Eagle

Last time I checked this is a forum to express one's ideas.
If you don't agree w/ mine fine, but I would appreciate if you didn't get personal and cute w/.

I do support Portugal mate. Hello! I still do have a right and a duty to express my opinion.

Don't get personal, that's all I ask!

 

[SLB]

How can u say that coelho has no idea he is the best manager we have had in years, actually he's the best manager I can remember, better than oliveira.
If it wasn't for his tactics we probably wouldn't have won against england, his 5 in midfield with 2 defending and 3 attacking was a stroke of genius and the english didnt know what to do as for romania you cannot change a winning formula and i think the costinha substitution was another great managing decsion.
As for my line up for germany
Baia
Xavier, Beto, Costa, Rui Jorge
Sousa, Costinha,
Conceicao, J.Pinto, Capucho
Pauleta
But including we dont play figo who already has a yellow card and rui costa who is pretty much irreplacable. Bais is also irreplacable but needs match practice. I dont mind whichever team coelho puts out and if he wants to put out the first team then thats for him to decide, I hope he doesnt play figo or rui costa because it might backfire but again its coelh's decsion.

 

[Bulletproof]

Wow, Going off the rails on the crazy train!!!...You go OLA and express your opinion! I might not like it but I'll defend your right to say it! It feels good for once that I'm not getting the sarcasm thrown at me! But obviously Coelho is doing something right we are undefeated! So if it ain't broke don't fix it! But I do think Pauleta should get a go in there he has plenty of energy and can score some goals!!.....Viva Portugal

[Edited by Bulletproof on 18-06-2000 at 21:55]

 

[ST]

Coelhos tactics won the England game for us. Period. I dont want to see Secretario again though, too much offense and not enough to show for defensively. Abel Xavier is our man.

The main thing against Germany is that we dont loose. Its important to keep the good morale and momentum going. Also, I dont want too many changes to the lineup as the team needs to get their game going again after the lame Romania game. Put in Conceicao for Figo, who has a yellow card. Paulo Sousa should get some game time too, to get into the tournament. Rui Costa should get 45 minutes to regain the touch ha had against England. I also think Pauleta should get the chance up front.

 

[RedEagle]

No cheap shot here mate, nothing personal either, just expressing my opinion on your post with a little humor that's all. I mean you question Coelho's strategy and his starters after the match, that's just too easy to do...And if you are posting your opinion which I continue to encourage you to do, you should at least expect some feedback on it.

Coelho has this team in the quarter-finals...how you can call him a "nob" is just beyond me, that's all....

 

[Marco]

I think that Coelho made a lucky call with Costinha. What I did not like was that Costinha was brought on for Rui to preserve the tie rather than go for the win. That kinda got me and the other denizens with which I was watching the game with angry. Insults were being thrown at Coelho like wildfire. I like the confidence he has given the players but sometimes...this guy.....anyways...the bottom line in that we won and I'm happy. I want to win in the Germany game to raise our FIFA ranking and to keep our morale high. We have to watch out for Deisler though...he is a very good young talent.....hmmmtalking about Germany and saying the word young....something is wrong with this picture...

 

[Razor]

I respectfully disagree - I think putting Costinha in was a good move. Although it looked like a tie, can you imagine what would have happened had we lost in the final minutes? People would be complaining that we didn't preserve a tie. Instead, we'd have just 3 points, we'd be tied with England for second, and Romania would be leading with 4 after the day was done. By playing for the tie, Portugal's guaranteed a share of first place (tied with England at 4), but would go through on head-to-head (with the win over England). Overall - I think it was a solid decision, even if we'd all like to see the win. Portugal wasn't the only team who played "not to lose" in the second matches throughout the tournament, with only 14 total goals combined in all the second fixtures.

For the record, Coelho admitted they were lucky. His quote was something along the lines of, "I didn't put Costinha in there to score a goal, I put him in there to preserve the tie."

As far as the next lineup - I think you have to sit Figo. There's nothing to win and everything to lose if he were to get a second yellow/injured. Same for Rui Costa. I think Sousa should get some playing time; if he looks good, maybe start him in the quarterfinal - if he looks rusty, then we stick with Vidigal instead (who I think has played pretty well). I'd sit Joao Pinto, who seemed to really get banged around versus Romania, and start Nuno Gomes and Pauleta up front - just make sure Sa Pinto doesn't take a swing a Coelho for sitting on the bench . I'd keep Baia in, as he needs the work. Conceicao should start, too.

Looking ahead - I think we may have caught a break missing Italy in the next round. What do you guys think?

 

[RedEagle]

Right now it looks like Portugal will get Turkey. I think Portugal can beat Turkey, and possibly land in the semis against Holland. As for tomorrow's game, expect a relaxed Portugal with no stars and still play a beautiful game. I think I would start Sa, Pauleta and Nuno, with Sa playing in JVP's spot. The loss does not matter so why not put on an offensive show, or at least try??

As for Coelho's moves, the draw was the important thing, and he rightfully played for it and got the win instead. It's a sign that Championship teams win, even when they're not at their best.

 

[Dani Portista]

Rest Figo!

It's not even an option - Figo MUST NOT play ANY part in the Germany game. He is on a yellow card and if he misses the Quarter Final showdown with Turkey it could be potentially disasterous.

We have already won the group and with his temprement he should not be risked against a man-marking team who could draw out fouls from us and we may pick up a few yellows vs them.

At the moment both Abel Xavier and Carlos Secretario have injury problems. Therefore Conceicao should start.

 

[f_rog]

I have to agree with Dani, give Figo a rest. And we will need him agaist turkey, as for the rest of the squad, i'd put in some fresh players I.E. Beto, Sousa, Pauleta, Capucho, Costinha, Quim and Conceicao.

But i'd still like to see Nuno Gomes up front. It seems like all of portugals other strikers play too deeply. Nuno Gomes is the only one you see stay up front. Something I haven't seen too often with a portugal team. When Sa Pinto came on for Nuno Gomes agaist Romania, he dropped in so far back it seemed like he was playing a midfielders role. When balls were thrown forward there was no one there.

I'm not a big fan of Gomes, but at least he adds something to the side.

f_rog (long live portugal)