Benfica..... From portugal 2 portugoal!!!!

Do you reckon i can achieve my 5 year target?

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January Results & Review


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Going into 2010 i was hoping that this year would bring trophies, our first game would be in the Portugal League Cup against Rio Ave. Confident i would win i put out a half-strength team. In the end a 2-2 draw wasn't too bad but i will be giving them both barrels when i play them next in the league.


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This game was vital as it was the first league game of the calender year. After drawing 2-2 in the cup i told the players to go out and get me a win. The team controlled the game and we picked up the three points with two set-pieces. A good start to the league campaign and hoping we can push on from here and climb up to the top.


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Another cup game, and with games coming quick in succession i decided to make nine changes, two were enforced due to the African Cup of Nations starting. My second - string team were that poor i made a triple sub at half time and talisman O.Cardozo stooped low to convert a well worked a corner. This result didn't disappoint me too much as our priorities were in the league.


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Back in the league and another chance to pick up some points. Things started brightly with Kerrison scoring inside ten minutes. Things, however took a bad turn when high up the field Luisao gave away possesion and with men over we were punished on the counter attack. This result annoyed me a little to say the least. Two points dropped.


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Once again another cup game, and once again a loss. This cup i was planning to keep with the second-string but because we drew S.Lisbon i was determined to get a win over our rivals. Yannick from Lisbon was once again on target as we lost by one goal. Out of both all cups we must surely give 110% in each and every league match.


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This cup game was for nothing as we could not qualify. A boost did come however in the way of J.Saviola, The Argentina striker freshly back from injury netted the only goal in which was a low key event.


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The last game of the month saw us taking on our feeder team. I was keen on a victory to keep our unbeaten run in the league going. 4-1 at half time was impressive and wanted more in the second half, unfortunately we was unable to add to the score but our opponents nearly escaped with a point!, a thrilling game but i was glad to finish with all three points still intact.


Review of the Month

I have to say things in 2010 have started moderately. Defeat in the cups is neither here or there but to not come out with maximum points in the league disappointed me. My two signings however showed some great performances with A.Konko who i signed in November only playing one game before jetting to Africa. hopefully My two signings an spur the team on and we can claim that 1st place.
 
February Results & Review


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My aim for this month was to get a maximum twelve points out of twelve to sustain a serious title challenge. My first game was against a difficult team who had a good home record. The result a 2-1 win pleased me and my defensive tactic seemed to have an affect on our all round display.


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With my defensive tactic seemingly working well, i worked on converting our chances, the tactics worked wonders. 4-0 and well deserved. it was patient passing and we only made seven chances but managed to put over half of the chances away.


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Two games, two wins and looking for three in three against a Leiria team who were a good defensive unit. Despite this the 1-0 victory was another victory and confidence was at its highest this season. These three wins however would all be for nothing if we could not win our next game and complete a clean sweep of the month.


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The fourth game and fourth win. i was so pleased with this performance and i am pleased with myself for finally looking like i have completed the jigsaw.


Review of the Month


A brilliant February with four wins, eleven goals and only one conceded. With the three clean sheets Quim has stepped up when needed and J.Saviola back to full fitness has started to hit form at a vital point in the season. I feel that if this form continues into March and even into April, Our aim of 1st place can be achieved.
 
I really good layout

I am eagerly following :)
 
March Results & Review


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Coming into March and with a long unbeaten run and seemingly the right pieces of the jigsaw i named an unchanged side for the third match in succession. My team once more put a good display in and we got the 2-0 result we deserved. D.Luiz has recently came good and has put in a few world class displays and at the moment he is a rock in the heart of my defence.


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In what was a close fought affair, O.Cardozo was the man who would separate the two teams. Another win and incredibly another clean-sheet. Quim and the back four cannot be praised enough.


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With two injuries and a suspension to deal with, i approached this game with a little less optimism then i would. It took seventy minutes for J.Saviola to break the deadlock but horror was to come when for the first time in over five hundred minutes we conceded. 1-1 and demoralised. Two Points dropped.


Review of the Month

March was good but not excellent. seven points, but we really needed nine. We still have a unbeaten record to protect but, our winning run has came to an end. We must kick off another winning run if we are to get 1st. With only six games left we must target at least five wins. In our last six games we play FC Porto and league leaders Sporting Lisbon.


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April & May Results & Review


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With six games of the season left i knew that i would need to pick up every possible point if i was to pip S.Lisbon to the title. My first game of April was against Naval, a mid-table team but also a decent well organised outfit. A good 3-1 win ensured i was still in the title race but i was doubt a blow, when star right-back A.Konko was injured with a suspected broken toe and would be out for up to six weeks.


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This game was absolutely critical if i was to catch S.Lisbon. Before the game they was five points ahead and i knew that if i won all i would need is S.lisbon to lose again and i would jump ahead of them. The match as it turned out was a pure tactical victory on my behalf. The 1-0 win really excited my fans and were dreaming that maybe, just maybe would could steal the title right at the end.


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Knowing my team hadn't lost in the league since November i told my team to go out and get the win for the fans. They duly ablidged with a win which kept the pressure on Lisbon, Unfortunately though lisbon never slipped up and i needed to win the next game.


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After this game my Title hopes had nearly evaporated as we were held 1-1 to a team we really should of beaten. We found our selves five points behind the leader with two games to play. It was imperative win our next game though and secure Champion's League football for next season.


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Win Lisbon wrapping up the title the day before, the game against FC Porto was the game to decide second place. if we won we go into second with one game left. A brilliant 3-0 win and goals from form front men J.Saviola and O.Cardozo meant that unthough the title had gone and we wouldn't have a trophy to hold, we would be playing Champion's League football next season.


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The last game of the season and a perfect chance to finish the season with an 19 game unbeaten run in the league. A second-string team put in a good display as Record signing D.Buonanotte and attacking midfielder A.Di Maria scored to give the team a 2-0 win.
 
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Second best in the land last time around, Manager Desmond Pugh will want his men to go one better this season. But are they capable of the big one?


How Did Benfica get on last season Well, Desmond Pugh targeted 1st place, but after finishing 2nd, its safe to say that his target wasn't met. An early exit from the Europa League was disappointing but qualification for the Champion's League was a boost for morale.


So what's changed during the summer? Benifca have signed Argentina Ace J.Riquleme, and Spanish wonderkind S.Canales to add flair and creativity to an already talented midfield. The other signings were less high profile with Maniche returning to Portugal.


How have the team done in pre-season?
three wins and a draw seems pretty good form, An early Champion's League qualifier was won easily 7-2 on aggregate, with CFR Cluj in the way of qualifying for the group stage fitness and form must be good.


What do Benfica want this season? If improvement is the name of the game, Benifca need to pip S.Lisbon and FC Porto to the title. The Benfica manager didn't seem to bothered with the domestic cups last season, but the Champion's League will be treated very seriously indeed.


But will they get it? It's a tricky one, but this could be the season Pugh wins his first trophy. It is doubtful to be the Champion's League but the Liga Sagres could be won this season.



Strongest Line-up

GK - V.Enyeama
RB - A.Konko
LB - A.Boka
CB - D.Luiz
CB - Luisao
CM - P.Aimar
CM - A.Di Maria
CM - D.Buonanotte
AM - J.Riquleme
CF - O.Cardozo
CF - J.Saviola



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good luck mate liga sagres is always tricky since there sporting can actually win games XD
 
August Results and Review


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So the opening day.... With such aspirations for the season ahead i was determined to go out and show the rest of the league i meant business. Things started badly when Right-back A.Konko came up for a set-piece and after jumping for a header landed awkwardly and dislocated his shoulder (he's out until October now!). Things then went from bad, to catastrophic when we conceded after half hour. I was preparing myself to let the team know how i felt when new signing J.Riquelme scored a curling shot from the edge of the area. We went to half-time with momentum on our side, and after the break we were camped in their half and consequently we scored two goals in the space of five second half minutes with another debutant S.Krvtsov scoring the third with a bullet header. J.Saviola would score the fourth with the opposition out of sorts. A good win and despite the injury and goal conceded fans and players alike were smiling into the next game.


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Hearing the Champion's League music as the team lined up sent shivers down my spine. I sent the team out with two main objectives. 1. Control the game. 2. Don't concede. My team sent out a warning to the opposition when A.Di Maria fizzed a shot from around thirty yards crashing off the crossbar. However it wasn't until the half hour mark where we would capitalise, when last season's top goalscorer O.Cardozo looped a header over an on rushing goalkeeper. Half time came and went and on the sixty-second minute J.Saviola scored to put the game firmly in our court. The disappointing part of the game would come in stoppage time when we conceded from a corner. 2-1 and the opposition came away with a vital away goal, the second leg would be integral to our aspirations.


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First game way this season and new signing S.Canales scored a beautiful free-kick within thirty seconds to stun the home crowd and send our fans into raptures. Credit was due to the home team though as sixteen minutes later they would equalise in similar fashion. We got the win though with two well worked goals and after two games we had got two wins. good start and we had not lost in the league for twenty-one games now.


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The all important second leg was to be an end-to-end game with both teams hitting the woodwork an incredible six times each. With their away goal the opposition went into the gaming knowing a 1-0 win would send them through, and in first half stoppage time they got their goal. At half time i told my team to have no mercy and to go all out attack. Unfortunately Left-back A.Boka got the wrong end of the stick because after grappling an opponent from a cross, he threw the player and when one of the players stepped in he... how do i put this... (oh yeah head-butted him!!) out of his way and was duly sent off. This incident was not took lightly as i was to fine him two weeks wages (Flippin' Idiot). I made a double sub as i knew i needed to score and within sixty seconds of being on the pitch Kerrison scored to put the score 3-2 on aggregate. Both teams put all their efforts into the rest of the match, but it ended 3-2 to us and i was so elated that we had qualified for the Champion's League group stage.


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After the shift put in to get the result against Cluj in the midweek game i was afraid that this vital game would come to soon for my players but credit to them as we secured a twenty-second game undefeated in the league. P.Aimar would put us in the lead but a player who always seems to score against us (Yannick) equalised to end the game all square. A good result in fairness still unbeaten this season


Review of the Month August saw us play five games and to see us not lose gives me great happiness. we played three vital games and we played really well. I am intrigued to see how long we can actually go unbeaten in the league. the club record is 30 consecutive games unbeaten and that is a milestone i would like to achieve. September sees me play three league games and two champion's league games, exciting times ahead.

CHAMPION'S LEAGUE GROUP:
Manchester United (ENG)
FC Copenhagen (DEN)
SK Rapid Wien (AUT)
 
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Di Maria's has been in the papers for having *** with a girl in a car wash!!!

Personally i am appalled with his behavior and am undecided whether or not to sell him after these exploits.

Please help me to decide???

Sell or Stay?
 
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September Results and Review


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A ace start to the month saw me defeat academica 4-0 away from home. it has to be said also that we hardly got going, so on another day it could of been seven or eight!!


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My first game in the group stage in the Champion's League was a home game against Austrian Champions Rapid Wien. A solid and creative display saw us dominate and score three slick, skillful goals and even though i was happy with the result, my ten point target out of six games was still a distance away.


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Our brilliant start to the season continued, as Maderia were washed away by a brace by O.Cardozo which was equally matched by J.Saviola. On the negative side the goal we did concede was from a set-piece which ticked me off a little.


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My next game was against a newly promoted side which i knew little about. However i did expect a win from my team, and they duly delivered with a 2-0 win. Winning every game so far in the month gave my great confidence in my team.


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My second game in the CL saw me pit my wits against Kobenhevan from Denmark. A tense first half, turned into an end-to-end second half with us take a two-nil lead however complacency and great play by the opposition saw us squander our two goal lead to end up at the end of the game level at 2-2.


Review Of The Month September saw us stay unbeaten and although we threw away a two goal lead in the last game, all in all it was another good month. The controversy surrounding A.Di Maria in the papers has put a sour taste around the month.
 
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