Post game analysis: after Sion

Todays victory showed Benfica continue to progress.  The players are learning the defensive and attacking processes very well and this is promising.  It was nice to see Maxi get into such good form so quickly.

Defense:  Eliseu played much better than he did against Ajax.  It is looking like he should start at left defence but Benito will be a solid backup.  The central defenders performed amply but it was against fragile opponent and thus not a real test.  In any event, its unlikely Sidnei will remain on the team anyways and Cesar will be a backup to Luisao and Lisandro.  On the right side Benfica had solid play from both Maxi and Joao Cancelo - who switched to the left side late in the game.

Defence is shaping up to look like this: Maxi, Luisao, Lisandro, Eliseu.  Backups - Cancelo, Benito, Jardel, Cesar.

Midfield: Excellent play there again today.  Another underpeformance from Salvio, but a marked improvement for Bebe who showed good speed, presence and playmaking ability.  I wonder if JJ may consider playing him upfront beside Lima given the underperformance of Lima and the uselessness of Cardozo.  Joao Teixeira continues to show maturity above his years.  He continues to struggle with his finishing despite the goal that he required to tries at to score.  Andre Almeida and Ruben Amorim showed the quality we are used to despite still finding their physical form.  Ola John again played well but could have played better.  His decision making needs to improve or the risks he takes could backfire against better opposition.  Talisca continues to progress and will be a viable alternative to Enzo.  Midfield should look like this:

Salvio, Andre Almeida, Enzo Perez, Gaitan.  Backups: Bebe, Ola John, Joao Teixeira, Ruben Amorim, Talisca, Pizzi.

Attack:  Though he has not yet scored, Lima is still in form and will start.  Derley, while showing flashes of raw skill is not looking like a clear choice to play alongside him yet.  He missed two glaring header opportunities today.  And they were situations where a forward must finish.  Nothing to do with fitness, knowing the system, etc.  Clear scoring opportunities.  Missed.  Nelson Oliveira is showing why he failed to impress and earn playing time at: Benfica, Deportivo (Spain), Rennes (France) and now back on Benfica again.  He just isn't good enough.  He reminds me of Miguel Rosa and Bernardo Silva - two players which Benfica fans hype up without merit just because they are portuguese and formed in Benfica's youth squads.  Sure Miguel Rosa looked decent playing for the B team in the second division.  But if you listened to the Benfica fans that blindly cheer for any young portuguese player, you would think he was the next Figo.  He isn't.  He is rotting away fighting for playing time at terrible Belenenses.  He will never be a big player and never play on a big team.  My position is that Bernardo Silva is the exact same.  And its looking more and more like Nelson Oliveira belongs in that category also.  He showed nothing against this weak Sion side.  How many more opportunities must he have?  He needs to be cut..  That leaves a problem because Cardozo is increasingly revealing how useless he has become.  Derley is failing to live up to his promise thus far, though his speed and good passing will still make him very useful upfront alongside Lima even if his finishing remains weak.  Jara may be in the hunt for a spot but Jara starting is not how you attack a Championship Title.  This is why I earlier suggested JJ may want to try playing Bebe upfront alongside with Lima to see what results

The starters at this point look like: Lima and Derley.  Backups should be: Cardozo, Victor Andrade, *Bebe.  Though I think Cardozo should be sold and with that money a forward should be acquired to replace him.

Tomorrow's game will be against Bilbao but due to the sequence of games yesterday and today as well as on Aug 2 and 3rd, players will play based more on saving the better players for the tournament in England.  So it will be less introspective than todays match.  That said, the team is showing a marked improvement and with Enzo added this week should be firing on all cylinders for the Supercup.