[Tiago Xina]

In my opinion

Players out: Argel, Pesaresi, Julio cesar, Jankauskas, Andrade, Fernando Aguiar


Players in:Ricardo Rocha, Caneira, Simão, Marco Ferreira(Setubal), Cristiano(Beira Mar), Carlos Fernandes(Farense) and Nuno Gomes.

 

[LuisPedroCat]

Fernando Aguiar renewed his contract. Júlio César is probably going to leave Lisbon and Benfica needs 4 centre backs: Pinto, Caneira, Argel and Rocha. I doubt Argel will go out this season, just if someone else signs. Pesaresi and Andrade will go out. Toni and Armando as right backs and Cabral or even Caneira in the left side (I don't know if Ribeiro will be promoted or if Cristiano has really signed in). If Jankauskas stay it doesn't mean another centre-forward don't need to come. Every good squad needs 4 quality forwards (Mantorras, Sokota) and 2 more, Jankauskas and Fehér (who I believe will come). Castanheira is coming but he isn't a direct replacement for Zahovic, maybe it would be better to have Roger in pre-season to see how they deal with it because we lost a lot of points for not having decent replacements. Another big priority it's a winger (right or left): Carlitos is not very regular and, counting on Simão's buying, we need another quality regular winger. Also need another goalkeeper.

 

[Tiago Xina]

I dont think we need another goalkeeper. We have Moreira, Paulo Lopes, Nuno Santos, Nuno Marques. We have to stop spending money in players that we already have enough.

Some people talks about Peixe, and Paulo Sousa too as possible transfers to Benfica.

Would you accept the returning of a player that resigned with Benfica, thinking only in himself?

Or do you think that that is all erased of benfica´s fans mind?

 

[LuisPedroCat]

That's crazy. In the next post you're saying Benfica must get Bossio back to not spend money. Paulo Lopes, Nuno Marques and Nuno Santos - None of these has quality to be in Benfica; about the keeper situation, I've talked in other thread in the Benfica forum.

Peixe is almost a certain, Paulo Sousa it's very difficult to happen. Andersson is probably leaving to England.

 

[Guest]

Has Castanheira signed? I know Rocha has and Christiano apparently has. Nuno Gomes has admitted on several occasions he would like to return to Portugal and if Benfica can afford him lets get him in. If we can offload Mantorras we will have some cash to work with. How is Sokota doing? he showed early promise and could go far i think. I would love Feher to come and everyone here seems to think he will so great.

Hasnt Nuno Santos left?

 

[Tiago Xina]

Of all the keepers that you have talked only bossio sucks. We dont need 3 or 4 class golkeepers we need one, and that, we already have.

If you buy Yannick, are you going to make Moreira a sub again, or you going to spend 600 thousand contos in a goalkeeper for him to stay in the bench?

I think we dont need to transfer Mantorras to get Nuno Gomes. Fiorentina is going to be relegated anyway. And they dont pay him his wages for a wile.

 

[Guest]

Mabye they need a go. I dont know what they are like but your right if they are good enough reserves why spent more. I didnt say we needed to sell Mantorras but i thought we would be able to get more players in.

 

[LuisPedroCat]

"Of all the keepers that you have talked only Bossio sucks." Have you seen Paulo Lopes already? Do you know who Nuno Marques is and do you want him to be bench of a near 20 year old keeper? Nuno Santos is a mid table keeper as Paulo Santos, for once, people need to understand what's the difference from a decent and a good keeper. Nuno Santos (loaned out to Beira-Mar) had good exhibitions for Setúbal (he was even taken to Leeds) but he failed in all matches he played for Benfica; he's very insecure and misses a lot of crosses, although being agile (the majority of 1st division keepers are agile and have other qualities, but the main difference is in crossing interceptions and a lot of them miss this). In mid table clubs, these kind of keepers save 6/7 shots for match and concede a few per match. From those 6 shots they can get spectacular and important saves which are then praised by all press and named as potential bigger clubs signings. When they reach there you see they don't handle pressure, they fail in the less situations they are involved and the team loses a lot of points for that. In top teams you must have 2 good goalkeepers to compete themselves to increase their form and skills. Yannick is the best goalkeeper in Portugal and Moreira shouldn't have the accomodation of being the nº1. Don't worry with Yannick's price or are you forgetting Filipe Vieira built and owns Alverca (club and city conditions!)? There could be a probable player exchange.

Castanheira belongs to Veiga and is very likely to sign. I think his deal was done together with Peixe in January. Nuno Gomes will be rumour till August so I won't talk about that. Sokota is recovering from a serious achilles tendon injury.

 

[Guest]

Is he any where near fit?:hopefull:

 

[Aguia Vermellho]

Sokota will not be fit until the next season! Achilles due take a while to mend. It's like tearing the ACL.

As I see it, Bossio is crap! Moreira is fine. He is learning the hard way and will get stronger with time. Just give him a chance.

Our forwards next year are Mantorras, Sokota, and Jana. Simao will be back. In addition, we may make a play for Nuno Gomes but I am hearing he may be playing for AC Milan next year because of Rui Costa being there.

Needless to say, we do need another forward. I can't believe we gave up on a young Mawete but oh well.

Oh yeah, here's another name on loan I believe...Sabry!

 

[LuisPedroCat]

Yannick would cost €750.000 (more or less 150 mil contos) in money plus a few player exchange, and not €3M (600 mil contos). You'll need to wait to see if Jankauskas will stay. It's not sure, yet because Real Sociedad wants more than €3M. Mawete is a good player but "não tem fibra" (como se costuma dizer) and he's been a big disappointment. I believe in him, but he has to play more in another 1st division club (loaned out would be better for him) to understand the way things are. I confess the Sabry talk still makes me laugh!

 

[Aguia Vermellho]

Yeah, you're right. The Sabry thing is always funny. Mawete is young though and he will shine. He only came on a few times for Benfica and at the end of the game. That's really not much of an opportunity yet he still managed to score a few and bee productive.

We happened to our days of Magnussen and Thurn. Oh yeah, Artur "The Crook" Jorge happened!

 

[LuisPedroCat]

I've never liked much of Artur Jorge as coach but one thing I'm sure about his stay at Benfica: Do you think it was he who decided to bring 20 new players to Benfica in 94/95? He got some wars with players like Paulo Madeira, Vítor Paneira, etc... but if you watch closely, in that season happened a quite similar thing to what is happening now. An unique agent building a squad of his own. It was Manuel Barbosa with Gaspar Ramos (as you now have José Veiga and Filipe Vieira). Then Damásio fell and Manuel Barbosa began a court fight with Vale e Azevedo.

 

[Aguia Vermellho]

Actually LPC, you make a great point. I know it wasn't all Arutr Jorge's doing but at the same he did make some sketchy decisions on who to field while the gods high on up racked us with debt. Those are two explosive activities that lead to failure.

Now, is there corruption in Portuguese Football? Of course, just like any other country. Do I think Louis Felipe Vieira is doing the same thing Ramos and Barbosa did? It's too early to tell. One things for sure, Joao was dirty pig and there's is evidence he smuggled dough. That's not to say others haven't but maybe they did a better job of concealing it!

 

[Bier]

The best would be IMO if we could keep the team together nearly as it is now and just buy a goalgetter. Nuno Gomes is the first option for that, Derlei the second and Jardel ... very unrealistic ... the reason behind my view is that I found out that a new line up year by year does not work.
My dream line-up next year:
Moreira
Argel; Julio Cesar; Caneira
Tiago; Ednilson
Simao; Zahovic; Miguel (or Drulo :undecide: )
Mantorras; Nuno Gomes

Believe me, a goalgetter would make the diference.

 

[LuisPedroCat]

Even yesterday, a newspaper said Filipe Vieira is missing 500 mil contos to Fisco. He's co-owner of a tyre association in Pombal and some people already guaranteed he has been jailed some years ago for transfer money from his partners to his personal account. There are many more stories of him told in weekly newspapers (Expresso, Independente...). This guy is no jewel.

 

[LuisPedroCat]

Arrieta plays in Chaves and he's a Spanish defensive midfielder. He´s the best scorer of the club.

http://infordesporto.sapo.pt/Futebol/IIdiv/20012002/jogadores/jogador.asp?ID=21490&EQ=130

In the start of the season he was told to sign Sporting and now "Calciomercato" said he could join Benfica. He has wages in delay.

I never saw him playing, I though he was forward but it seems is a defensive midfieder.

 

[Guest]

Arrita eh? Hes got a good name way! A goal getter would solve a lot of our problems how many times have we drawn this season? Too many and often because we cant grab the crucial goals.

 

[LuisPedroCat]

I've now confirmed he's a centre forward as I thought before and not a defensive midfielder as I read these last days. He is Basque.

 

[Guest]

Whoops my original post made little sense! Still are we looking to sign him?