Benfica-Braga: Positives and Negatives

Benfica's win on Sunday against Braga was a much needed boost as the overall team production looked much more stable. Things are looking up and I truly believe Jorge Jesus when he says that the 2nd half of the season will be much more consistent.

The psychological blow that Braga has taken with its losses to Porto and Benfica, as well as the beatings they've taken in the Champions League, have effectively left them out of the race. This, of course, is just my opinion. They're only 8 points away from Porto and it's still too early to tell how this will all end up, but I don't see them making the same type of run they did last year. The defensive organization that allowed them to contend last season is now much more permeable. While I'm at it, let me add that Sporting is out of contention as well. A 10 point deficit isn't one that a team as emotionally scarred as they've been these past few years can overcome. They continue their inconsistent ways, still losing a lot of points to smaller teams. It's a 2 team race in my book...unless Guimaraes can continue their good results and be this year's Braga.

But back to Benfica. Here's a short list of pros and cons I've taken from Sunday's match.

PROS:

1. Aimar proved that he's a playmaker that is VERY difficult to stop when he's in form and physically fit. It's a shame that a player with his ability and vision was never able to put it all together as a complete player due to his fitness. He lost most of his career to injuries and bad luck but he's still one of my favorite attacking midfielders to watch. I don't care that he's 30, he can still deliver the goods with superb passing and organizing the team's attacking movement. The play where he cradled the ball with his chest and served Saviola was world class.
2. The fact that Carlos Martins wasn't named to Portugal's World Cup squad was already an aberration. The fact that Ramires is gone has only been good for him, allowing more playing time and influence on the team. He uses both feet extremely well, as shown in the ferocious left-footed shot that gave Benfica the win in this one.
3. I'd like to think that hustle and pressure allow you to win games when things don't always go as fluidly as we'd like. I love that Jorge Jesus has implemented a philosophy of high intensity in Benfica's approach to defending. This allows the team to win back the ball while the opposition is on their heels. High intensity and pressure is a topic I'd like to go a little deeper into in a blog entry of its own coming soon. It's one thing Benfica does very well and has somewhat maintained from last season.
4. Fabio Coentrao returning to left back is the best adjustment that could have been made going into this game. As I said in my previous post, Cesar Peixoto becomes a liability at this position. There's no reason to change last year's defensive formula, considering the options we currently have on the squad. Fabio is a defensive warrior and is much more dangerous offensively when he supports the offensive play coming from farther behind, though Leandro Salino DID play a great game in limiting Fabio's adventures up the left flank.
5. Alan Kardec is really promising. He might not have Cardozo's cannon for a shot, but I love how he positions himself to win loose balls and win his position against the defender. He's only 21 and has the world ahead of him. The potential is there to be a more complete player than Cardozo. Kardec is very fast and agile for his size, especially compared to Cardozo's slow-motion sprinting. Once he gets playing time more consistently, we're likely to see this guy explode to the point of making the Brazilian national team in a couple of years.

CONS:

1. The amount of goals that Saviola has been missing lately is cause for some concern. Players naturally go through ebbs and flows in form and he has certainly seen better days. It has also looked like he looses way too many balls to the opposition. A lot of times, a player not being in form is very much a psychological block. Taking an extra second to think the play out and determine the best course of action can make all the difference between a successful attacking play and losing possession. Even some of his off the ball runs have seemed a little uncharacteristic.
2. Benfica got a scrappy win, which was the fruit of their high intensity approach. The passing game and team web that must be created on the offense is still not as fluid as it should be. There are still a good amount of lost balls due to inaccurate passing. The play is much more funneled to the middle of the pitch. Gaitan and Carlos Martins aren't natural wingers, so their tendency is to pull the ball in. Funneling the game down the center can limit creativity and help the opposition in closing gaps. Di Maria opened a lot of passing lanes last season and I think the team still misses that.
3. I love Javi Garcia. He's definitely the best defensive midfielder we've had in years but he can still improve in terms of cutting passing lanes.