Ronald KowMan's deconstruction of Benfica

Lucky Devin

7 goals in 3.

Yes but Kow-Man is like a kid with a new toy, every time he gets a new player he has to put him in the XI in the very next game. When he got Miccoli and Karagounis they played the very next game, when he got Moretto he benched Quim in the very next game.

The funny thing is Benfica went 8 games conceding 1 goal (they won 9 games in a row) with Quim as their keeper for 7 of them, meanwhile Moretto conceded 4 goals in 16 games for Vit-ria de Setobal but once Moretto arrived Quim was benched and Moretto took over and it's been "Frango City" in the last 3 weeks.

Keep in mind I'm not questioning Moretto that much but he was in synch and mechanized to play with Setobal's defence (who play much deeper and differently than Benfica's) much like Quim was with Benfica and switching keepers is the ultimate sin in football and truth is Moretto isn't syncronized with this Benfica defense.

Keep in mind also that Quim was champion for Benfica last year, he was with Benfica during a 7 game winning streak and in many of those game he played injured and sacrificed himself by doing so and then as soon as Moretto arrives he is benched just like that. To say this did not go down well with Quim or his teammates is an understatement.

Check the typical XI that won Benfica the title with Trapatonni last year and see the recent XI.

No Quim No Miguel No Dos Santos No Ricardo Rocha No Manuel Fernandes No Mantorras.

I'm not saying some of the new players aren't better but it's too much of a shake-up

title hopes very

I said and I continue to say this is the most balanced Benfica XI in the last decade, every position is covered but Kow-Man plays players off their best positions and benchs good players and fields bad ones etc.

Here's Kow-Man's usual 7 (okay, 9) deadly sins:

Plays Nelson a right-back as Benfica's left-back. Plays Alcides (a tall centre-back) as right-back. Benches the more experienced keeper Quim over Moretto. Benches Manuel Fernandes over the dreadfull DM Beto Plays Laurent Robert as right winger Plays Manduca (a left-winger) as attacking centre-Midfielder. Plays Geovanni (a 2nd striker) as right-winger. Play Nuno Gomes (a creative forward) as single striker Plays Luis My guess is Vs Liverpool Kow-Man will bench Leo and Nelson and start with 2 centre-backs (Ricardo Rocha and Alcides) as full-backs and Vs an English team this does make sense as adding height to your full-backs is wise when playing teams who relly on long-balls and corner kicks so much plus the physical stature of Liverpool's players as you don't want a couple of midgets like Leo and Nelson marking a Peter Crouch in the box.

Benfica's defensive line Vs Liverpool in my "guesstimation" will be:

Ricardo Rocha---Anderson---Luis If I'm right you owe me a diet soda.

I would field Moretto Vs Liverpool but I have no idea if Kow-Man will.

I honestly don't care, when it comes to Liverpool and Benfica as we say here in Portugal "May the devil come and choose for himself".

I'm a fan of the quartet of Hyppia, Carragher, Alonso and Hamann so maybe I'll cheer for them.

Mind you, I thought Man Utd would have smahsed Benfica at the Stadium of Light and I and EVERYBODY else couldn't believe it when Benfica won and I certainly thougth Benfica has less of a chance Vs Man Utd than this Liverpool.

Mourinho claims Liverpool will play attacking football VS Benfica. We'll see.

AndrZ