Original post can be found at www.talkingtothedoll.com

Benfica continued their season opening victory drought with a tie against recently promoted Rio Ave. For the 3rd consecutive year, Benfica could not get maximum points on their opening game and start off the season at a disadvantage in relation to their direct rivals.
Photo Credit - Miguel Rio(AFP/Getty)

It could have very well have been the continuation of last season, and this summer been just a dream in my imagination, but it wasn't. But that is not the direction in which i am going to go, instead I am taking into consideration that this is the beginning of the season, and the team is yet to reach optimal form. Similarities to last season? there were many, but if you take into consideration that, this is the first game of the season, and that the team, as well as the technical staff underwent a serious revamping, then there's probably nothing to worry about.

On to the game.

Quique's first 11:
Quim in goal; Maxi, Luisao, Katsouranis and Leo as the back four. In the midfield, it was Yebda in a more defensive role, while Carlos Martins, Amorim and Urreta assumed transition play roles. Up front, it was Aimar supporting Cardozo.
Nelson was the player that was chosen to not dress, perhaps anticipating his transfer to Betis.

It was a usual windy night in Vila do Conde, but if the wind wasn't enough there was also humidity in the air, which gave way to the moving in of fog into the area.
Benfica started the game strong wanting to take control of the game, but they soon came to the bus stop, where the Rio Ave bus was parked. Rio Ave defended well behind the ball and positioned themselves in a compact formation, a compact formation that would tighten up in their defensive third, cutting off passing lanes and giving very little room to the attacking Benfica players. Benfica's lack of objectivity and speed, failed to penetrate the Rio Ave defensive scheme. Only with long distance attempts by Carlos Martins was Benfica able to reach the Rio Ave goal. On the right Amorim seemed too retracted to create any type of danger, and Maxi, for as much as he tried, could not provide any type of incentive for his side mate to join him in the attack. Benfica controlled possession, at a medium pace, but it was the missed passes that took away from the game flow. Rio Ave even had the first opportunity at Quim's goal, an opportunity that was met by a close range Martins shot at the other end, following a insistence play from a corner. Martins, who had been Benfica's offensive spark, had to be subbed in at the 28th minute mark, shortly after he collided with Yebda, when both went for the same head ball. Martins looked stunned from the collision, and would end up giving way to Fellipe Bastos.
With Martins out, Benfica resorted to their left side, where Urreta and Leo, were finding ways to penetrate the final third, but their incursions would often result in clearances or corners. It was from one of those corners that Yebda hit the cross bar with a header, 36 minutes had gone by, and it was Benfica's most clear cut chance to open up the score sheet. The half would come to a close, and even though Benfica had had most of the initiative and control of the game, they were far from total domination. Cardozo had 1-2 touches on the ball the whole half, and Benfica's sloppy play seemed to be their biggest adversary. The defense was not challenged that much in the first half, but Quim was called to make a few important saves, that kept the score leveled.

Quique came out of the locker room with changes made, and a new tactical model. Nuno Gomes came in for Amorim, while Aimar dropped to the left side, pushing Urreta to the right side of the midfield, turning Benfica into the classical 4-4-2, if you will.
8 minutes into the half, Quim made a very difficult save, which resulted in a corner. From the ensuing corner, Rio Ave would go up on the scoreboard; after saving an unopposed header in the heart of the six yeard box, Quim could do very little to defend a loose ball that was scrapped away by the Rio Ave man.
"If you don't score, you'll get scored on", that saying couldn't be truer, and despite Rio Ave doing very little to be up on the scoreboard, they took advantage of an opportunity and capitalized. The Rio Ave goal seemed to have woken up Benfica, and 1 minute later in a level of play, that up until then, was unseen, Benfica scored. The play originates from a quick combination on the right side, in which Aimar combines well with Urreta, who crosses the ball into the box that ends up in front of Nuno Gomes, after the keeper couldn't fully put it out of danger. At the right spot at the right time, Nuno Gomes brought Benfica level.
After the goal, Benfica turned to the offense, and established dominance. With Aimar on the left, Benfica became more dangerous. I've written on this blog that I feel Aimar plays much better when he is facing the goal, not with his back to the goal. Aimar's combinations with Leo, and inward incursions seemed to give Benfica an unexplored attacking avenue. Balboa came in at the 70 minute mark for Urreta and seemed to bring the right side the same type of dynamic and aggressiveness that was going on on the left, but Benfica still wasn't able to serve Cardozo or Nuno Gomes in the danger area to create clear opportunities. Aimar became more dangerous as the game approached the end, he was clearly obstructed from a ball inside the box, the ref interpreted the play differently. In my opinion, it was a penalty, but the way the play developed it could have gone either way, it would depend on the refs criteria, so Mr Xistra waved play on. The last opportunity for Benfica came also from the feet of Aimar, who after combining with Nuno Gomes, saw himself in tight quarters with the goalie. The Argentinean missed the dink, and the opportunity to snag the 3 points slipped away. The game would come to an end and Benfica saw another season opener win slip away.

Individually

Quim - 8
Maxi - 7
Luisao -7
Katsouranis - 7
Leo - 8
Yebda - 7
Amorim - 6
Martins - 7
Urreta - 7
Aimar - 7
Cardozo - 6
Fellipe Bastos - 7
Nuno Gomes - 7
Balboa - 7
 

 You can find my full blog at www.talkingtothedoll.com

With the first game of the season a mere 5 days away, It's time to take a look at the squad. Benfica currently has 27 players on their squad, 2 more than what Quique had originally stated he wanted to work with. The transfer window closes on August 31st, and it's very probable that(at least)one more player is yet to come.

The Luis Garcia saga continues, as he is Quique's number one choice, but I believe Benfica currently has a plan B and a C, in case Garcia fails.

Keepers - Quim, Moreira and Moretto.
In my opinion, a well rounded trio, as any one of them can be a starter. Quim is currently the best Portuguese keeper, and it'll be tough to beat him to the number 1 spot, but both Moreira and Moretto will be working hard to deserve a shot.
With the League Cup and the Portuguese Cup, Quique might very well give both backups a chance. With the realistic possibility of being Portugal's number 1, Quim knows he needs to continue to work hard and perform the same way he did last year, judging by the Inter game, Quim seems to be close to that level. The big question for the goalkeeping sector is, who will be #2? Not who will be the starter.

Defenders

Left side - Leo and Jorge Ribeiro
Leo is without a doubt the best left full back playing in Portugal, let's hope he remains injury free, and that he continues to be the great professional he is. Certainly with the contract renewal issue out of the way, Leo can concentrate on what's most important - the team.
Jorge Ribeiro is his back up, and in my eyes the only thing he brings more than Sepsi is experience. His actions towards Benfica in the past, have a big part of the fans against his acquisition. He has a long road ahead of him, first to be a worthy substitute, secondly to make peace with the fans.

Right Side - Maxi Pereira and Nelson
The right side of the defense is Benfica's weakest position, Nelson was plagued by injuries last season, Luis Felipe was just atrocious, and now there's Maxi, who plays right back for his national team, but is far from being a stellar player. Nonetheless, Maxi brings a bit more consistence to the right side of the defense, he might not be your modern wing back, but when it comes to defending, he gives a solid contribution.
Nelson, who continues to fight back to full health, will need more consistency in his game if he is to be the starter. His quickness and good services from the touchline, make him the ideal right back, but his oscillating performances bring vulnerability to the position.

Center - Luisao, David Luiz, Sidnei, Miguel Vitor and Edcarlos
Along with the right side of the defense, the middle was one of the sectors that lacked consistency, and the solidity of years past. Luisao is the leader of this defense, and one of the team leaders, but his last year was probably one of his worst years since he's been at Benfica. He will need to remain injury free and focused on Benfica if he is to be a starter.
David Luiz is coming off a debilitating foot injury, and is still lacking competitive rhythm, he can very well grab the starting spot next to Luisao, but I very much doubt he will be ready to go this Sunday. He needs a bit more time.
Sidnei is the new face, he will need to go through his adaptation period, before he can start. He has considerable talent and is still young, he will emerge some time this season.
Miguel Vitor is Benfica's formation product, the only promoted Junior to make the squad. His chances will be scarce and far between, but making the squad should serve as encouragement to continue to work hard. He did get some starts under Camacho, last season, when Luisao and David Luiz were hurt, so he is no stranger to pressure and starting, he was also tested at right back during the Guimaraes tournament. Edcarlos is not at the same level as any of these players and he should be one of the players cut before the 31st of August. If his poor performances last season weren't proof enough, he cleared up any doubts with his pre-season performances.
Also able to play in the center of the defense is Katsouranis, who will most likely fill in until David Luiz is competition ready.

Midfield
Defensive - Yebda, Binya, Kastouranis, Fellipe Bastos
Katsouranis is the prime candidate to the defensive midfielder position. His positional flexibility and experience make him a great utility player. With Katsouranis most likely starting the season in the middle of the defense, Yebda should be the second choice to start. Strong on the ball, good vision and good aerial game, are some of the traits that make Yebda a serious candidate for the spot.
Binya's talent is well known by everyone, but the Cameroonian, lacks a certain consistency for the position. His endless stamina make him a great defender, but his aggressiveness and his lack of passing accuracy, at times, can be a bit frustrating and can throw off the team's rhythm. With Petit's exit, Binya secured a spot on the squad, but we'll have to improve if he is to get the starting job.
Fellipe Bastos, shows considerable talent for his age, but is still inexperienced, perhaps he can emerge some time during the middle of the season.
Jorge Ribeiro can also play defensive midfielder

Right Side - Balboa, Ruben Amorim.
Last year's nonexistent right midfield, gets a breath of fresh air this year with Balboa, and Amorim.
Balboa is a pure winger, while Amorim is more of an interior player. It'll all depend on how Quique sets up the team, although he started Amorim on the right in most recent games, he can very well change the tactical set up. Balboa has shown talent at times, but continues to be an enigma, as to what he can really do. Perhaps as the season goes by, he will become more comfortable and more confident.
Amorim had been this pre-season's biggest disappointment for me, up until recently. He is more of an interior player, although he can do nice things on the right. Let's hope the fact that he is a Benfiquista since birth does not weight too much on his mind.

Left Side - Reyes and DiMaria.
Just like last year, Benfica's left wing will be where most of the offensive damage will come from. With the arrival of Reyes, Benfica has more than compensated for the gap left by Whoredriguez. Reyes is world class, and can play the left wing probably better than any other player currently in the Liga Sagres. Let's hope he can give Benfiquistas many reason's to cheer.
DiMaria has become an overnight sensation with his performances in the Olympics. Media outlets reported that both Chelsea and Real Madrid had their eye on the Argentinean. Benfica acquired DiMaria's pass in its totality last week. Let's hope when he comes from Beijing, his ego does not affect his focus. He can very well have a spot in Quique's 11, as both, he and Reyes can play on both sides, even though they both favor the left. Let's wait and see how he returns from Beijing and if Quique will take advantage of his good moment of form.

Attacking - Aimar and Carlos Martins
Aimar is Benfica's #10, enough said. It'll be up to Quique to use him where he feels Aimar can contribute the most. In my opinion, he is not as effective playing behind Cardozo, as he is coming forward from the midfield. Time will tell where he will fit in the best.
Carlos Martins, is Benfica's "box-to-box", he is our transition man, and if he stays healthy and keeps his head on his shoulders, he can do great things for Benfica.

Forwards - Nuno Gomes, Cardozo, Makukula, Mantorras and Urretavizcaya.
Clearly an overcrowded sector, taking into consideration that Benfica has only been playing with one true forward.
Cardozo is the front runner to the position, having scored 20+ goals last season and looking very confident, Cardozo comes into the season well rested, and with the adaptation period behind him. He has scored in the last 3 games he has played in, and shows even more promise than last year. It'll be tough for anyone to steal the spot from him, under normal circumstances.
Team captain Nuno Gomes, is in a difficult position and can very well start the season riding the pine. He has been in clear decline these past couple of years, and has to be feeling that time is running out. If anyone will get a chance it'll be Nuno Gomes, what will he do with his opportunities, will ultimately seal his fate. Makukula has worked hard all pre-season to remain at the club, as he knows that if another forward arrives he is on his way out. He has been linked to moves to England as of late, and will most likely end up either there or in Spain.
All pre-season i have been writing how Urreta's flexibility could be his biggest argument to convince Quique to keep him. He has basically played every single position in the offensive trident, and every time he has shown spark. His quickness and his recklessness to engage a 1-v-1 situation have made him a mainstay in Quique's 11s. He still lacks some decisiveness on the last touch however, but it'll come with time. Don't be surprised if he shows up on the right wing on Sunday. Lastly Mantorras, everyone knows that Mantorras is more of a psychological help than a physical help. He played a total of 214 minutes(season + pre-season) last year. I know that Benfica has an obligation towards this player, but isn't it time that Benfica defines his situation?
How many minutes will he play this upcoming season, with everyone that is in front of him, + another forward that's yet to come?

All and all, a much better squad than last year. While last year we spent lots of money and got players that were virtually unknown, this year, for the most part, the acquisitions are well known players - Aimar, Reyes, Amorim, Martins and Ribeiro. Then we got Balboa, who was part of last year's Real Madrid team, and Yebda, who despite being an unknown, is a young player who was part of France's U-20 national team.
The biggest unknown is the 19 year old Uruguayan, Urreta, but he has already proved that the money Benfica spent on him was well worth it, as he is a player with considerable talent and a large margin of progression.
Let's see how the team performs under Quique, new methods, new ideology, it always takes a bit to get going. SO far the team has shown gradual improvement with every outing. They will not have that much time to improve as the porto clash comes right in the second round.

Benfica's acquisitions this year have been well thought out, and have been within the club's financial limits. Rui Costa has been instrumental for this to happen and so far he has done a great job in his new position.

You can find my main blog at www.talkingtothedoll.com

With all the players having returned from their vacations it's time to start taking a look at the squad and Quique's desired number - 25.
Despite the squad being far from being closed, we can already start seeing a nucleus group and a "bubble" group.

The Squad is currently 36 players deep, Quique is working with 35 players(Dimaria is away), but 2 of them seem to already have "marching" orders, Andre Carvalhas and Miguel Rosa, both players have already been announced to be going on loan to Rio Ave and Estoril respectively, but up until Sunday, were still with the squad. Here are the other 33:

GOALIES
Quim, Moreira, Bruno Costa

DEFENDERS
(Right)Nelson, Luis Felipe.
(Center)EdCarlos, Luisao, Miguel Victor, David Luiz, Zoro.
(Left)Leo, Sepsi, Jorge Ribeiro.

MIDFIELDERS
(Right)Maxi, Nuno Assis, Balboa.
(Center)Binya, Petit, Fellipe Bastos, Amorim, Carlos Martins, Aimar, Yebda, Katsouranis.
(Left) (DiMaria)

FORWARDS
Makukula, Cardozo, Dabao, Nuno Gomes, Urreta, Mantorras

Also working with the squad are Juniors Joao Pereira, Abel Pereira and U-16 player Nelson Oliveira

These players make up the 33 players that have not been "cut" from the team.
Assuming, that all 3 Junior players are going back to the formation teams, we are left with 30 + DiMaria = 31.
Taking into consideration that Benfica wants at least 3 more players, the number is back up to 34, 9 more than the number established by Quique.

The 3 players yet to come will most likely be a left midfielder and an immediate impact forward. As far as the third one, it'll depend a lot on what goes on and who figures in Quique's expendable list.
For example, Katsouranis has expressed the desire to leave, if Katsouranis leaves, Benfica will most likely be going after a center back, which is most likely the position in which Katsouranis would be playing this coming year.
I think out of all the sectors that position could really use a bit more of depth, and with Katsouranis leaving that would be the most obvious "hole" to close. One other possibility, and this has been talked about by the media, is another goalie, which makes absolutely no sense to me. Codina was the name talked about, but Benfica has taken a couple steps back as the Real Madrid keeper is too expensive for what Benfica wants to spend. Besides, with Quim and Moreira both healthy, we would have similar situation to last season's. Let's keep the youngster Buno Costa in as the 3rd keeper, and if that isn't an option, Moretto, who is a Benfica player should be taken into consideration. It makes no sense to spend a mill on a keeper, give him a high salary, only to see him sit disgruntled a la Hans Jorg Butt.


ON THE BUBBLE

Luis Felipe - Probably the most detested player by Benfica fans on the squad. With Balboa at right mid, Maxi would automatically be slotted for the right back position, hence pushing Luis Felipe out.

Zoro - Didn't impress last season, and even figured on the "to loan" list at the halfway point, it'll be hard to believe that Zoro can convince Quique, but you never know, and that's why he is on the bubble plus his high salary would make him a great candidate to go on loan.

Miguel Victor - After being on loan at Desportivo das Aves for the second half of the season, Portugal's U-20 captain is looking for a spot in this year's squad, his youth and top level inexperience would be the only thing that could see him go out on loan again, the talent is there, and his loan would greatly depend on whether Benfica brings in a center back or not.

Sepsi - With the arrival of Jorge Ribeiro and Leo as the best left back in the league, Sepsi will most likely be on the outs, unless Quique decides to use him to add depth to the left midfield, it's always an option.

Binya - Was an important part of last season's squad, filling in for Petit when he was injured, but this year the competition is much tougher. Ruben Amorim, Yebda, Petit, Fellipe Bastos, are all players that can play that position, and Binya will most likely end up being very useful to whatever team he goes to, he is still young and can still learn a lot from a loan experience.

Nuno Assis - Assis seems like a man out of place on the right wing, he was not able to put a consistent 90 minutes together last season, and seems to be going to waste on the outside of the midfield. With Aimar and Martins entering the squad, he finds himself, once again, Blocked from his natural position. There are talks about him going back to Guimaraes on a loan.

Yu Dabao - With the forward line being over populated, Dabao sees himself running out of room again. Just like Miguel Victor, he was on loan at Desportivo das Aves, and it seems like he will be going on loan again, especially if Benfica signs the forward they have been hunting for.

Urreta - Unless Quique feels he can add depth to the attacking line, the Uruguayan U-20 will most likely be going on loan for the season.

Mantorras - In my opinion Mantorras should go out on loan. He claims he can play the 90 minutes, yet Benfica rarely starts him, choosing to have him come off the bench. He is the eternal substitute. I know that he has some kind of a pact with LFV, which almost makes him untouchable, but at this point, Benfica really needs to evaluate whether Mantorras can be useful to the team and to what extent. A loan period could serve as that evaluation.

Makukula - Came in last season by the hand of Camacho, and quickly dug himself into a hole, he went from being called to the national team to riding the pine at Benfica, which ultimately cost him the call up to the Euro, off course this isn't anyone's fault but his own, when he failed to impress Camacho then Chalana. He has been working hard, and Benfica's 4m and change investment in him, might be the deciding factor on him staying.

So here are the 10 players who, in my opinion, are on the fence. Their chances of making the squad are dependent on the players yet to come, and the possible exit by Katsouranis, who at this point, is far from having every club in Europe knocking at his door, not to mention Benfica will not let him out for a supposed 10m.
Both Quique and Rui Costa have stated that they only want players that want to be at Benfica which would make a Katsouranis loan move a more viable option.

Benfica will play BlackBurn Rovers this Friday for the Guadiana tournament, in a game where Quique will start "tightening" up the squad to his liking. Benfica will teh play Sporting 2 days later, so expect to see 2 distinct but balanced 11s with the starters going more minutes then they went against Estoril.

I'm also pretty sure the squad will go down in numbers by the time the team travels to Algarve for this weekends games.

With the game having little meaning for Portugal's aspirations, i will leave you with the starting 11 I would chose.

I would keep Ricardo in goal, for one, he's level of fatigue is nowhere close to the rest of the starters, and in case of a goalie, the more reps you get the better it is for you, especially when Ricardo seems to be lacking some confidence, off course if Quim was there, it would be a different story.

Miguel is Bosingwa's natural substitute, his arrival at camp in less than ideal physical conditions deterred him from fighting for the starting position.
In the center of the defense, I would keep Pepe, to solidify the sector. I'm not saying that Meira and Alves wouldn't be a strong tandem, but i just think that it would be ideal to keep at least one of the starting center backs in the line up, this also helps him gain minutes along side of Meira and in front of Ricardo. If you recall, Pepe had very little minutes for the national team up into the start of the Euro. I would rest Carvalho, not only for the reasons i just mentioned, but also because Carvalho has had a much arduous season than Pepe. In for Carvalho it'd be Meira, it would seem odd that a player that played the entire 06 WC would take a seat on the bench in a game where Scolari will rest the majority of the players. On the left, i'd give Jorge Ribeiro the start to get a feel on how he would fare, Ferreira is not a true left back, Ribeiro is, give him the minutes and see how it goes.

In midfield, Veloso for Petit, as Petit is a workhorse and needs that all important rest, Veloso is his natural substitute. Meireles has already seen minutes, I'd put him in Moutinho's spot and move Moutinho up to the 10 slot. Despite being one of the players that works the most, and that has the most minutes of the 07/08 season in his legs, Moutinho is young and can handle it, besides, with Deco most likely sitting, who else could play that role?

On the wings, Nani and Quaresma would be my choice, i'm sure they will be Scolari's also. Up front Hugo Almeida would get the start for me, as he will need minutes, as he is always the first candidate to come off the bench, when Portugal requires an extra forward, let him get the minutes, and hopefully build some confidence.

All and all, Scolari's 11 might not be too far from this one. But don't think that Scolari won't issue a warning to these players. Against Georgia most of these players, played in the second half, and Scolari was not happy with their individualistic play. Another display of that sort, in this valuable opportunity, can very well relegate one of these players to eternal sub for the remainder of the tournament.

Memories of Sergio Conceicao's 3 goals against Germany in Euro 2000, in a game that had very little meaning for Portugal come to mind. Who will rise to the occasion?