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| Monday, 08 November 2010 23:26 |
Off with his head?Jorge Jesus under fire after heavy defeat Twenty-four hours after Porto’s trouncing of Benfica, with Eagles fans still in a state of shock, Marco Pereira asks, “Is Jorge Jesus ripe for the exit door?”
It’s the day after the Classico and while FC Porto fans are, rightly, still radiantly beaming over their emphatic victory over Benfica, the Lisbon’s club’s supporters are still licking their wounds trying to figure out what transpired at the Dragao. Just a year ago it was the exact opposite for Benfica as the Aguias were hotter than hell and inflicting the sort of treatment to teams in the Liga that they themselves suffered last night. So where did all go wrong?
Forget departed starsMany point to the losses of Angel Di Maria and Ramires, not to mention the inclusion of Roberto as goalkeeper, as the main culprits for Benfica’s woes this season. Here’s a little reminder - get over it! Di Maria and Ramires have long been gone and the club knew that they were going to be leaving for quite some time before deals were struck with Real Madrid and Chelsea, respectively. These players got on with their careers and so should Benfica.
Despite the loss of Di Maria and Ramires, the team is still much the same personnel-wise. The back four of Maxi Pereira, Luisao, David Luiz and Fabio Coentrao is unchanged, as is the defensive midfielder, Javi Garcia. So why did it fail so miserably last night (or this season thus far)? Do these players no longer understand their roles? Did they forget how to communicate with one another? Or is it the coach?
Liverpool mistake repeatedSome think that Jorge Jesus has over-extended his welcome at the Luz and are using last night’s result as the straw that broke the camel’s back. Employing David Luiz at left-back (not a role that is unfamiliar to the Brazilian) was what did Benfica in. The defending champions were already three goals down before Jesus decided that a change was needed. But why do it in the first place when that experiment failed so miserably in the Europa League quarter-finals last season against Liverpool? Why tinker with the defence? What is frustrating for the Benfica faithful is that Jesus did not learn a thing from last season’s tie against Liverpool or from the first encounter between these two clubs when they met in the Supercup – and herein lies the problem.
As much fun as it was for many to witness Benfica claim the national title in the cavalier manner they did last season, the true challenge is what do you do for an encore? Many coaches and players, regardless of the sport, will tell you that winning a championship is less difficult than retaining it. Yes, Benfica are regarded as a top target for any team in Portugal every season, but are much more so after disposing teams they way they did last season en route to their 32nd championship – teams don’t forget.
Theoretically, last night was the acid test – 7 points back of the team you’re trying to catch and a win would have condensed that to a mere 4 points, placing immense heat on the backs of your rivals. Instead, what ended up happening was Benfica fell back a further three points, now trailing by an even 10 points and we’re only in November.
Humiliating
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I had predicted a 2-0 loss for Benfica but clearly Jesus went out and thought he was going to walk on water like his namesake, but quickly drowned in his on refuse.
Many great comments made along the way.. E Gomes I appreciate your thinking and agree for the most part but disagree with JJ.
Even last season you saw me complain about his inability to manage. He had a team to destroy last year and he backed into most of their wins. They could've had Queiroz managing last year.. and they would've won more.
See, the difference between a great manager and a poor one, is that a great manager just is. A poor manager is always trying to impress others with his abilities.
Why is it that you go into the most important match of the season and decide that you have to demonstrate your brilliance by playing everyone out of position or play non-starters.
Clearly JJ made his point.. his brilliance was shining for all to see. Clearly a master technician who inspires others to great results.
The original Jesus walked on water this one floats like poop.. I christen you "Jorge the Floater." Please refrain from demonstrating such skill in the future because your brilliance scares us.
Now E Gomes and the others who said we can't fire him right now are right.. but his replacement should be lined up for as soon as the season ends (Paciencia would be good, but they should hire Mourinho from Real..lol ok we know that isn't happening).
Benfica has not only done a poor job of buying players.. (they prefer to buy 20 in hopes one will turn out instead of spending more on 3 or 4) they also have done a piss poor job at hiring managers. The Floater is to blame for quite a few players, but we also have to look at Rui Costa who shares some of the blame with Viera also.
Roberto, Peixoto, Cesar, are all Jorge's logs..
It still amazes me how he rated Roberto & Cesar above Quim and Moreira.. and to add insult to injury at Braga he also sent Eduardo on loan. Clearly this guy has no clue about Goalkeeping talent. Sure Roberto has blocked a couple of shots, but in the air he is worse than Ricardo was.. as graceful as a turkey trying to fly.
What pains me the most is people who talk about Luis poorly.. sure he is underperforming.. but he hasn't played at LB since early last year.. and also during Kinky Flowers era.. he is a better LB than he is a CB.. but if you haven't played there in a long time.. then maybe it is not a good idea to get a run out against the best team in the league.
If you are going to experiment with this positioning do it against the weaker teams.. not against the best. Sidnei who rarely plays against the bottom feeders gets rewarded with a start against the top club.
The Floaters squad selection was border line insane.
I disagree totally with having 3 central midfielders that are poor defenders it creates havoc for the back four.
Peixoto, Aimar, Gaitan, Salvio, Kardec who are average at best are getting loads of playing time.
Meanwhile Airton, Jara, Weldon who look like semi-decent players get none.
Then you keep Sidnei around and Roderick.. but Miguel Vitor who was sound as a pound gets shipped to England, or Mak gets sold for nothing.
Add to that the Floater.. turned down Simao's return.. for the crap he has on the wings. I am usually not a fan of rehashes.. but in this case Simao would've been a massive improvement over the Floater's crew.
Like another poster suggested JJ is tactically inept and he makes it easy for decent teams to destroy his masterplans.
This Porto is a good team.. but with the right Manager last years Benfica would've trumped this years Porto. Although with JJ at the helm.. it is like taking candy from a kid on crutches with a sledge hammer.
Also at this point I would like to bring up the minority of classless douche bags that come on here and berate others after a loss. You have no class.. or else you would be making constructive criticisms.
Truth is if Porto or Sporting had douches like you in their squads they wouldn't have ever won anything. Unfortunately people like you losers bring down your teams results (A few that spring to mind: Blew Olliver U * Tom- Ass * Sour Puss).
Like the golf balls littered on the field.. in the stands and on the message boards stood little babies looking for attention, if that was England the cameras would've caught everything.. and besides a jail sentence the card holder would've been banned for life. Too much to ask for in the Portuguese Drama league.
So in closing I would just again like to congratulate the Porto team and their true blue fans on a great victory, even without the Floater we would've still lost that game.
He just put the exclamation on the result.. resulting in a greater victory and in our case a bigger Loss/Loser-Floater.
Through thick and thin, I stand by my team and coach. There's a lot to play for still. Let's give JJ the chance to work this out, he deserves that much.
Forca Benfica.
So give him more time and see what Benfica can achieve this season.
I agree with jon/usa's comments. We basically have three guys sitting in the middle of the field with no one going wide.
Coentrao and Maxi are the only guys pushing wide and they are defenders.
Last season bith DiMaria and Coebtrao pushed wide and worked together. When Maxi went forward Ramires was there to get his back.
This season, Gaitan and Martins stand next to Aimar and Martins has nobodys back defending.
You also have to admit that Saviola, and Luis are having awful sasons. Maxi and others were also slow to return, due to the World Cup. Aimar has also disappeared, but how much is that due to not having any space to operate.
You have question Jesus tactics for the match, but lets give Porto some credit. They played a great game.
My biggest concern was that Benfica was unable to match Porto's intensity. And by that, I don't mean tackling or fouling. You could see it from the opening, that Porto wanted it more.
I admit that a draw at the Dragao, would have satisfied me, but a 5-0 drubbing is embarassing.
Fire Jesus? No.
But the team has to start playing more cohessively on the field.
We still haven't found our way on the field. That's alarming.
As humiliating as it was let’s not forget that under Jesus we played some of the most exhilarating football we've played, in years!!! So steady on, let’s give the man a bit more time.
I've been here for dealing with my conscience, trying to resist the temptation of easy metaphor, but the truth is that I'm weak. Now, after having been announced to the seven winds as the messiah, after being dragged behind crowds of the faithful to hear his sermons, having been called master and even after getting literally raise the dead, Jesus looks doomed to crucifixion.
It came into the headlines yesterday by some who claimed to be his apostles and is to serve as further atone for the sins committed by others, but probably still has a long way to fulfill the calvary. With ten points behind FC Porto of AVB at the 10th game, with a rout which has to resonate for years on their backs and no prospect of a miracle (or corruption case) to deny the evidence of the superiority of main rival, Jesus only might want the calvary to end soon. However, in the shade, there are some who wash their hands. They always wash their hands and is almost sin or anti-5LB to criticize them. Curiously always disappears on worst times, even though last saturday he said with strength in the headlines that 5LB is the best portuguese club. Now what? Very difficult to defend the honor of a coach which offered some illusion in the past year? But it is also funny as they try to devalue the FCP overwhelming victory, speaking only of tactical "mistakes" by JJ. As we saw, Coentrao as LD with Hulk sneeze he falls. This not to mention the fantastic Cesar Peixoto as LD. Weren't D. Luiz and Coentrao the best defenders on portuguese league? Of course JJ made mistakes, but on the whole that is explicit who is the strongest team.
The show must go on.
JJ made a mistake of course, but don't sack him now. Do you want to sack coaches every season after every defeat? Do it please. 17 years - 18 coaches in Benfica. what a shame
Simple.
JJ hasnt shown that he can take this team to the next level.
Tactically he has no idea.
We all know that those two would not do anything to stop Varela, Hulk and Falcão. Be honest people.
according to the result against porto,,i would like to say to JJ..that you're not good at experimenting the squad..when you do it.you're as suck as the dead man Queiroz
Luiz as LB is the same with Ricardo costa as RB when portugal meet spain in World cup..hahaha
I do blame Benfica in poor planing for the replacements in DiMaria and Ramires. Yes we should "get over it" but you can't over look the huge roles they played in last years success. Benfica is now dealing with what Porto went through it last year.
It takes a while to intergrade new players into a team (ei Beluschi) and a club can't expect immediate top performances from these guys.
To the Portistas who are saying "excuses, excuses", I'm only pointing to contributing factors. Porto is playing outstanding and may not suffer a loss this year. Its tough to say they shouldn't be champs if this happens. However, the season is still young and Porto's depth will be tested. Benfica should be looking to bring up the young lads to build for the future.
Our Strikers(Cardozo and Saviola) are still with the team, but injuries and poor performances have plagued this dynamic duo. Roberto has gotten a little better recently, but I still think that Eduardo would be a much better option. Our Defense is also the same and when you look at the back 4, you'll see some very talented players especially Coentrao.
JJ has continued to use the very agressive 4-1-3-2, but with very different players in the midfield. Javi Garcia is the holding midfielder and Gaitan, Aimar, and Martins play behind the strikers. This trio of attacking midfielder is in my opinion the biggest problem this team has. Gaitan is not a winger so he tends to drift in towards Aimar and So does Martins. Therefore we have 3 players trying to do the job of one. We then have no one on the wings which causes Coentrao to push up in order to use the flanks which leaves gaps the defense.
it looks like this
-------------------------Cardozo-----Saviola----------------------------
--------------------Gaitan----Aimar-------Martins----------------------
Coentrao--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Garcia-------------------------------Maxi
-------------------Luiz---------------Luisao------------------------
This incredibly narrow midfield is a recipe for disaster against any quality team like Porto. I would rather have us use an attacking 4-3-3 like Porto, but we still lack the individual quality of last season.
Hopefully we'll get some great some great players and even a great coach for next season...
I do not want another manager at this point and I fully support him. If next season we have some improvements and the team is still in the CL I’ll be happy. I hate it when clubs rotate managers every 1 to 2 seasons.
Yes, yesterday's game was not tactically Jorge Jesus' game . First, why gamble with the defence. Your defence has not let up any goals in five straight league matches and you decide to change it up. Sidnei barely plays, David Luiz is not customed to LB and Coentrao is prolific at that position. WHy change it? Also, why didn't saviola play. If it was a tactical decision... that would be really bad.
Overall I think that Jorge Jesus could not be held fully resposible for his team's unsuccessfullness (lol is that a word). The players such as Gaitan, Roberto, Jara, Peixoto and kardec need to step up and help their team. Cheers!