Sporting (9pts) - Porto (11pts) today
My prevision on the teams:
Sporting:
-------------Rui Patrício
Cédric--Sarr---Maurício---Jefferson
-------------W. Carvalho
--------J. Mário-----Adrien
Nani---------Slimani-----Carrillo
Porto:
------------Fabiano
Danilo--Marcano---Indi---A. Sandro
-------------Casemiro
--------R. Neves-----Herrera
Óliver---------Jackson-----Brahimi
It will be an exciting game, both teams had some unexpected draws against minor teams, Porto drew their last 2 matches so both teams need to win to avoid seeing Benfica gaining a very good early lead on the league.
Sporting plays at home and that´s always a big advantage in games like this, on the other hand Porto has a much better team (not saying this because I´m a portista, it´s my actual opinion).
This game may mean the return of Oliver to the team after 3 weeks out injured, I like the guy, a lot, but not on the wing and I´m not too excited when we play with this midfield and both Oliver and Brahimi as wingers, the explanation is simple. First off I don´t like Casemiro, I think aside from when the game gets physical he´s only average such a huge difference from when Fernando played there. Herrera keeps on being the Herrera from last season, run run run run run run and that´s pretty much it, he´s no good on a short passing game we play I guess it´s obvious to everyone by now, R. Neves is a huge surprise just 17 and he has been doing very good so far, but it´s still very far from a finished product. This trio is very similar (Casemiro and Herrera are good physically but not so much on the positioning and passing) R. Neves is a much technical player and a good passer but it´s better playing from behind. That makes the midfield very concentrated on the defense, it lacks that offensive option that Oliver could fill IMO, a guy who could move the ball forward with his vison and passing and offensive projection.
Now on the wings, Oliver naturally has a tendency to cut to the inside all the time both when the team is without the ball and when we are attacking, that leads to space for the full back to attack even though it reinforces our center midfield, it leaves the team dispositioned.
Brahimi also has the tendency to cut to the center which leads to a us not having the game open enough as usual.
Sporting defense is very weak, particularly the CBs, the full backs are good offensively but the can´t defend well enough, this can be where we may decide the game.
Porto defense isn´t great either, specially with Marcano (who only played 1 game for us) and Indi who´s a new player on the club, the never played together, so there´s always an uncertainty by itself. Danilo and A. Sandro are also much better on the attack they will face both Carillo and Nani who are very fast and skilled players with Slimani up front there´s when they are stronger. A. Sandro was injured and only played like 3 games so far that also a bad sign.
Keep an eye on João Mário if you see the game, this guy is only starting to appear and I do like him.
Well, lets see how this goes.
__________
Quaresma will play instead of Óliver,
I know it´s the guy birthday but it´s a HUGE gamble, oh well let´s hope he´s inspired because if he´s not I´m seeing him being sent off, this new coach benches him a lot.
