That a boy Phil looking forward to more of your posts. Hopefully Nelson O can become a clinical finisher that both Benfica and Portugal will be able to rely on. He missed some vital oppurtinities for Benfica last game.

I fully agree that they timing of these matches are horrible. If any Porto or Benfica players get injured in any of their various international matches, you know the fans will be crying foul if their team loses this Friday in the classico.

I heard that while they were going to cut back the end Aug friendlies they were going to format the current schedule so that there are less one off matches and more back to back matches so national team coaches can have more time with their squads.

Personally I think its better playing 9 matches in which more of these are back to back vs. 12 random matches. A coach can work/train with a team over a longer period to get a better feel for their talent and squad formations.

I agree with almost everything you said.

Nelson Oliveira is a complete striker. Almeida's got physicality, Postiga's got technical ability and finesse, but they don't have much else in their games. Postiga does tend to play very well for the Seleccao, but I still think that Bento should give Nelson Oliveira the start tomorrow. Give him 60 minutes or so to play with the likes of Ronaldo, Nani, and Moutinho. Let's see what he can do. Like you said, Nelson's the complete package, but since he's still only 20, he is far from a finished product. However, I still think that he can do great things for the seleccao now if given a chance.

With regards to Fernandes vs Meireles, I agree that Fernandes' decision making is or was his achilles heel. However, since he has seemed to work incredibly hard on improving the mental aspects of his game, I believe that he can be a more useful member to the starting 11 than Meireles. Like you said, Meireles has been the most consistent player for us since the last Euro, but he isn't as talented or well rounded as Fernandes. Manny's much better technically and physically while being just as good, if not better at the technical aspects of the game.

Hopefully Bento gives Oliveira and Fernandes a chance tomorrow. I'd also like to see Hugo Viana and Paulo Jorge get a call-up before Bento picks his final squad, but that looks unlikely.

Good points about what to look out for. To me its obvious and Paulo Bento is a straightforward man and he sees it as well. Nelson Oliveira is the most talented striker in the group. Plain and simple he can do things with the football, that the other two cannot. He is vastly more dynamic, skillful, faster, and physically gifted. In the past we've tended to play Postiga for a more technical link up play, and we've tented to play Almeida for a more physical robust presence up top in the play. The two strikers GLARINGLY lack the traits of their opposite counterpart. Postiga shows no physical strength in asserting his presence whatsoever, and Almeida is a bumbling clumsy wasteful striker. We have all watched Nelson Oliveira play and we can all see that Nelson is the total package, and while he is not the finished article yet, he is gifted as a complete striker! He has technique, and strength, AND he has great speed which neither Postiga or Almeida have. I thank God that we have gotten a striker in the mold and caliber of Nelson Oliveira, and even more so at a time like this when he can come into a team that is blessed with the best wingers in the world alongside him. I am completely convinced that the trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nelson Oliveira, and Nani will be a magical trio! In my mind Almeida is not even worthy of any starts any more, he's had his chance and wasted farrrr too many, and like I noted in a previous post, to bring the best out of Ronaldo he needs to be paired with a complete mobile striker who can not only score, but can also assist as well! This is why Postiga for me is better than Almeida for the national team, and the statistics and the results show just that! Postiga plain and simple is an enigma. His club career is horrible, but for some reason, when he plays for Portugal he transforms and plays 110% and actually plays well! I respect Postiga for this and I actually admire his heart for Portugal and he is a player that is clearly technically gifted and has good skill, vision, and finishing abilities. His weaknesses are his lack of pace and power. He is a good striker for Portugal, but we now have another option and that man is incredibly more gifted in every department of football and that man is Nelson Oliveira! To me it is a gift from God, that we've gotten a truly top class caliber striker (while still young) to compliment the greatest wing forward ever in the game in Cristiano Ronaldo! Cristiano Ronaldo will be able to play at his full speed if he is playing with Nelson Oliveira. Nelson has the speed to play with Ronaldo and Nani to combine to form devastating potent counter attacks, if we should need to. Ronaldo is a beast on counter attacks and having a striker that can not only keep up but match that pace alongside him, will be phenomenal! And also Nelson has the skill to actually take players on one on one and beat players on his own, and in so doing drawing more defenders to himself which would free up space for Ronaldo and Nani, and Nelson also has vision and is a good assister/passer of the ball! I would definitely start Nelson as my first choice striker and I think Paulo Bento will do it as well! In regards to the midfield, Veloso is the man for the defensive midfield starting spot, with Meireles and Moutinho completing the midfield trio. The three of them are simply world class technically and can dominate possession in the field against any team. They are all superb passers of the ball as well with great vision, and they all have good footwork and skill as well. The three of them have formed a great partnership and I would leave it just as it is, regardless of Chelsea's struggles. I am however happy that Manuel Fernandes has made it back onto the national team, and I hold him in high regard! He is a top class midfielder without a doubt! The problem for him has been his whole career , is trying to do too much , trying to hold onto the ball too long, at times, over complicating it in the midfield which is an area where you generally want to keep it classy. He also for years has misunderstood his role, and as a holding midfielder or box to box midfielder you cannot away possession cheaply in the middle of the field against the run of play (like he is notorious for doing time and again) because it will leave your team unprotected, vulnerable, and most likely to concede a goal which most times happens. That has always been his problem. Its not a matter of whether he lacks the skill, or the ability, or the physical quality athleticism etc, because he clearly has all that. Its been his mental maturity, game decision making, and tactical awareness, that have been keeping him down for years! Finally in Besiktas he seems to have ironed out most of the mistakes in his game and he has been playing very well and seems to be a much better wiser player now. I admire that and I'm happy for him, BUT I still don't trust him 100%. I definitely want him on the team, but as a substitute not as a starter. Meireles has class and technique and all but less skill than Fernandes, but in all the areas i just mentioned Fernandes lacking, Meireles is vastly superior! Meireles is renowned particularly for those very traits! He is a very key player for the national team as he has been for yearssss! Sure Chelsea are going through their struggles, but Meireles is not to be blamed for all that as some idiots are trying to make it. Chelsea has NUMEROUS issues in their defense and attack that are damning consistently. Anyway, I think we should remember that Raul Meireles has been Mr. Consistent for the national team over the last 3 years and he has been a leader in the midfield for us time and again! His vast experience and leadership in midfield are priceless and for that reason I would continue to start him, with Veloso, and Moutinho completing the trio. My first midfielder off the bench would then be Manuel Fernandes.

Unfortunately it's looking like Lewandowski is going to miss the game due to injury. Hopefully both nations will be going with their strongest XIs, Poland definitely will. I will be looking forward to seeing Piszczek vs. Ronaldo/Nani.

Veloso, Moutinho, Meireles would always be my preferred midfield lineup so I'd like to see him stick to that.
The Selecao has needed a good new striker for years so it will be interesting to see how Nelson Oliveira shapes up.