Without a doubt Portugal's most important game since Euro2008, and in some ways it's even more important than that. I am actually confident we've turned a corner. Recent squads have had a depleted, and out of form look about them. This is the first squad I can remember for ages where I look at each player and think "He'll be up for it".

There is talk of Queiroz adopting the 4-4-2 which proved a success against Liechtenstein. It would take huge guts but it seems the players preferred it, and it gave us much more of a cutting edge. Against Liechtenstein he played Simao as the 2nd striker behind Almeida. Almeida will obviously not play. I am in 2 minds about it, mainly because I'm not sure how the likes of Deco and Simao (as Ronaldo is back) would fit in.

I didn't see the Liechtenstein game but from the personnel it looks like Queiroz adopted a diamond rather than a flat 4-4-2. Only possibility I can see would be:

-------------------Eduardo
Bosingwa------Alves--------Carvalho------Duda

-------------------Pepe

------------Maniche-----Meireles/Simao

-------------------Deco

-------------Ronaldo-----Liedson

With Simao you have a more attack-minded player there which could work. It'll be interesting to see what Queiroz decides on. My bet is he'll start with the normal formation to begin with.

You'll never beat the Poulsenator.

Your team looks very attackingly lop-sided Big game for Portugal. Where is the goalkeeper from?

Not with Meireles instead of Simao, which is what I mentioned. Pepe, Meireles and Maniche are industrious players who get their foot in. The other 3 ahead of them are the types of player you'd expect in those positions.

Goalkeeper plays for Braga. Don't have too much of an opinion on him, but he does well for Braga.

A rough/concise translation from O Jogo

There's no going back. Portugal will abandon the 4-3-3 highly used since the beginning of the Scolari era to bet on the 4-4-2 used in Iosango against Liechtenstein. And with no wingers, he will be looking for 2 centre forwards. One of them may well be Liedson, the Brazilian who now has a portuguese passport and who is preparing to be the 6th player to be naturalised to play for Portugal after the presence of Celso Matos, Lucio Soares, Pepe, Deco e David Julio, the last a south-african that played in the 60s. The debut of "The Light One" may happen on Saturday in Denmark but probably off the bench.

You can understand Queiroz' reasoning. With the return of Cristiano Ronaldo who missed the Liechtenstein friendly with illness someone had to leave. Hugo Almeida was the one, through injury after scoring 2 goals in Vaduz. The exclusion of the WErder Bremen forward has made selection easier for Queiroz, which means it's likely only 1 change will be made from the team of the 12th August. Ronaldo, who will get the armband again, seeing as Nuno Gomes will be on the bench, will have Simao up front for company. The Atletico Madrid attacker was man of the match against Liechtenstein with assist for all 3 Portugal goals. Excluding him would be unjust and exclude his talent for speed, creativity and shooting ability.

Deco will assume the the most attack mindded midfield player, playing in just behind Simao and Ronaldo. In the midfield. The other midfield slots are likely to go to Tiago and Raul Meireles, which works well as they will play in the same positions as they do for their clubs. It means there will be a bigger concentration of portuguese players in midfield, increasing the team's capacity to win the ball back. Pepe's role in this will be vital. Used to playing centre back, he's adapted well to the anchor midfield role, and the positive results have appeared. In the 4 games he's played as a DM, Portugal have conceded just 1 goal, in Albania, after beating Finland 1-0, 0-0 draw with Sweden and 2-0 win over South Africa.

Pepe does need to correct some of hsi decisions, and curb the instinct to get forward so much, but the security he offers is obvious. In some moments he could even act as a 3rd central defender, which may well happen frequently against Denmark. Pepe's inclusion means the team also gain more height in an important area with 2 strong headers of the ball behind him in Carvalho and Alves. And on the wings, 2 very attack-minded full backs will have license to get forward, something which was not always possible with 2 wingers.

http://www.ojogo.pt/25-195/artigo818756.asp


Hmmmm....so he's going with:

---------------Eduardo
Bosingwa---Alves-----Carvalho----Duda
---------------Pepe
----------Tiago-----Meireles
--------------Deco
----------Ronaldo--Simao

I don't like the choice up front. He is basically shoe-horning Ronaldo in because he's Ronaldo and Simao is undroppable based on his current form. I honestly feel Ronaldo should be on the bench. We play more as a team without him. Against Liechtenstein (I know who it is but even so!) we played more fluidly in attack than at any time I can remember and should have scored 8 - point is the chances were being created at will. Ronaldo is too selfish for the Seleccao, he plays in the same way he did at Man Utd in his first 2 years there. Just runs with the ball and doesn't look up because he wants to be the glory boy.

I personally would stick Liedson in instead and put Ronaldo on the bench.

It won't happen - if it backfired Queiroz would be hung drawn and quartered but i guarantee he would drop Ronaldo if he wasn't the golden boy.

In saying that, Ronaldo is still capable of winning a match by himself. The problem is, if as always, he doesn't play well, not only does he become useless but he severely affects the fluidity of the team as well.

good luck,hope some of them show up to play

Cheers mate. They have to. One thing's for sure, this game will separate the winners from the losers. It's Denmark as well, who will make it very tough particularly in the middle with the 2 Poulsens who are like dogs of war, so the mentality has to be strong.

I must admit, I am more confident than I have been in a while, until I saw Simao and Ronaldo up front, neither of which are really centre forwards. One of them only should be the 2nd striker. The other slot should go to Liedson or Nuno Gomes...we'll see what he does

you lot qualified yet?

There are two Poulsens

Good luck to Denmark.

Yes, Jakob and Christian, both will play as tough tackling DMs. Am assuming they're not related

Hey guys,

Im from Denmark, but live in London at the moment, and I was wondering if you know of any pubs that show
Denmark-Portugal?
Im going to see England-Slovenia before, so the closer to Wembley the better. But I guess there wont be that many, so anyone in central London will do.

Hope you can help

Danish Dynamite!

Miguel would be a good person to ask as he lives in London too. I'm sure London has its fair share of Portuguese bars too...

I live near Wembley and you'll struggle to find one near Wembley, and if they do show it it will probably be in the background with the sound off, so you'll probably have to hop on a train somewhere

If they were related i'd be more scared

They should get Stig Tøfting back to fuck you up

Hmm the closest place is Sport London Benfica on Harrow road but it's a restaurant and you'd have to book a table.

Cafe Kick in Clerkenwell will almost certainly show it and it's a cool place as well with table football (I might even go there to watch it).

Other than that you'd have to go to Stockwell, a.k.a. Little Portugal where there are about 5-6 portuguese cafe/restaurant/bars that will always show it. Camden has some places also on Plender Street as does Portobello Road.

I hope its a draw, especially at 11/5!!

POrtugal will win, I'm confident. I think we've turned a corner

Draw I say.

Denmark win for sure..

I think for the next 7 days, just for fun, we have to support each other's teams. So I will support Arsenal and England and you support Portugal and Liverpool in the Prem. Let's try it, it could be fun. Deal?

now that would be hard

Okay thanks, ill see if I can find any of those, maybe ill see you at Cafe Kick..
Hope it will be a good game(for Denmark)

Mikkel

Denmark
Andersen; Silberbauer, Kjaer, Christensen, Jacobsen; Rommedahl, C.Poulsen, J.Poulsen, Jorgenssen; Bendtner, Tomasson

Portugal
Eduardo; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Alves, Duda; Pepe, Tiago, Meireles, Deco; Ronaldo, Simão

Very tempting.

Will have a watch to see how Denmark play Bendtner. He probably won't score but I hope he does well.

Avon get your crystal ball out and give us a prediction.

it's must win for Portugal, Denmark haven't been themselves lately either

1-2

1-0 Bendtner

You couldn't make it up

Typical. Portugal were dominating, and deserved to be in the lead, and then they give up a goal just before half-time.

According to BBC:

A magnificent goal from the Denmark v Portugal game from... Nicklas Bendtner! The big Dane controls a cross on his chest and, quick as a flash, crashes in a screaming half-volley into the roof of the net.

Still haven't solved their striker problem then

Plays well in good teams

Should have been a Portugal penalty just before the Denmark Goal.
Ronaldo cross handled out for a corner by Ander Møller Chrisensen.

And Portugal really dominated the first half, Denmarks 3rd choice goalie (Stefan Andersen) making a string of brilliant saves as his defence struggles to cope.

Some goal from Bendtner tho! Swats aside his marker, controls on the chest, and half-volleys into the roof of the net.
Class!

Liedson on.

Denmark are playing better in the second half.

Reverse psychology.

Punani comes on.

So many chances wasted, time running out...

Ronaldo fk goes over.

This will be like ENG and Euro 2008 qualifying, surely they'll score soon...

was that the time M was laughing and saying how shit we was because we never made the euros

that number 9 cheated to get that free kick..

Match being played in one penalty box atm.

Beeeeautiful Irony.

fucking hell fakeboys playing, just seen him.......

shit 1-1

fighting over the ball like kids.

portugal tied?