What we learned from the Marseille game

After watching this game, I am excited as Benfica supporter for several reasons.  First, a quick glance of some key points I took from this game:

1. The new players are learning the system, routines and methods the coach wants them to.

2. Joao Cancelo and Joao Teixeira should stay on the "A" team.

3. Artur is not even good enough to be the backup for this team.

4. Cesar, Benito and Talisca were very smart signings.

Starting from Goal, Artur is just awful.  He is way overpaid at 700k euros and is a liability all the time.  I would rather see him leave the team than stay in a backup role.  He is terrible.  It looks certain that Argentine starting keeper Romero will join the club this week.

In defence.  Sidnei reinforced how awful he is.  He needs to leave town.  Cesar once again impressed.  Very solid signing.  I think JJ needs to let him and Lisandro Lopez rotate in a 3 some with Luisao all season to prevent the fatigue we saw at the end of last season.  At right back, Joao Cancelo again showed his natural talent.  He still has a lot to learn tactically and mature in his decision making.  But the kid belongs on the "A" team and should be the backup to Maxi along with Andre Almeida.  At left back, Benito had another solid showing.  He too will improve with the pre-season and he will gain the little bit more tactical discipline he needs.  He will compete with Eliseu for starting job but is a very capable backup in the worst of scenarios.

In midfield, Rubem Amorim helped reinforce my urging of other benfiquistas to have calm because we still have much talent and he is one of them.  After just two days of training after vacation he showed quality, maturity and vision as he always does.  Joao Teixeira showed quality once again.  I think he should stay on the "A" team at least until Fejsa gets back.  He is too goof to go back to the B team.  This kid is the real deal.  Talisca once again showed technical quality and his decision making was again noteworthy.  Solid performance.  Gaitan is, well Gaitan.  Enough said.  As for Ola John, he still has issues with positioning sometimes but I think JJ will work that out of him.  He will probably be the number three winger behind Gaitan and Salvio but if he needs to start he can.  Jara showed some decent plays in the brief time on the wing that he played.  Candeias is a player we know has quality from watching him at Nacional, but he is showing poor form.  At this stage he may need to step up or risk being loaned this season.  Pizzi and Sulejmani are both hurt and both better than him.  The winder position will crowd him out of any playing time unless he improves dramatically.  My contacts with lawyer David Dasilva indicate that more big signings may be forthcoming .

At Forward, Derley and Lima will definitely be the starters.  I don't think we lose quality substituting Rodrigo with Derley.  Yes Rodrigo scored a great goal against Porto last year but lets be realistic he only scored 10 goals all year for the starting forward of Benfica.  Derley scored on Maritimo.  Derley is just as fast, quick footed, and possessing the killer instinct.  We will be fine with him and Lima upfront. Cardozo once again was totally useless.  I hope the club can sell him and get something for him.  Nelso Oliveira showed one good play but he had the misfortune of having to ajust position after Jara's red card.

As for Victor Andrade and his debut, you can see as soon as he touches the ball that he is a natural with very high quality.  Of course he comes from Brazil where the tactical quality and positioning is the worst in the world so he will need to learn how tight marking and fast closing spaces are to be approached in europe.  He needs to stay on the team and be worked every day by JJ.  He is gonna be a gem !

Bernardo Silva - as I keep stating, he does not have the quality to play on the "A" team.  Just like everyone rooted for Miguel Rosa when he was on the B team, this guy is not the real deal.  Benfica fans get over sentimental sometimes and see things with their heart rather than their eyes.  This guy has no place on the A team.  He is very small.  When players are that small they must compensate for that with EXCEPTIONAL talent.  He is a good talent, but far from exceptional.  I think Benfica should stop wasting time with this player and loan him out to Belenenses or something.