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Scouting Portugal

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After managing to see off Sweden in the play offs Portugal were one of the last teams to book a place at this summer’s World Cup. Here we assess their prospects, key players and likely line-up.

Likely line up

Patricio
Pereira – Pepe – B.Alves – Coentrão
Moutinho – Veloso – Meireles
Nani – Postiga – Ronaldo

The only doubts are probably the fitness of  Nani (11 appearances this season in the Premier League) and Postiga.

Ones to watch

Patricio – 15 clean sheets in 29 games this season  for his club Sporting, 10 clean sheets from 29 matches for Portugal (all time). Excellent record from club and country on penalties, 9 saves from a total of 33. Remember he saved an Alonso penalty in the Euro 2012 semi-finals.

B.Alves has an excellent goal threat from set-pieces with 9 goals in 70 matches for Portugal.

Pepe has notched 3 goals and 1 assist from 54 matches. He will probably be pricier but could be worth it for his recovered ball point potential (for ex: average 8 rb/g in UCL fantasy this season).

Moutinho is on every set-pieces, except the direct ones that Ronaldo takes. And has a great assist potential (20 from 66 matches) from open play also. He is also solid on through balls and long passes.

Ronaldo…there is not much more that can be said about the current World Player of the Year. He should be one of the first names on your Fantasy World Cup team sheet.

Young prospect

William Carvalho – first season for SCP, 29 matches with 4 goals. He is a deep lying mid and could play instead of Veloso (D.Kiev). If he does, will be a machine of recovered balls. Only played recently for senior Portugal side, 2 appearances (1 from the bench). Could be the new Yaya Toure  in a couple of years.

31 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Beavis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    Nice article mate, thanks.

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  2. Mílanista
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    Alves could come in handy, thanks PeMaia.

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    1. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Thanks Milanista.
      Depending on the price Bruno Alves could be the one to have. Pepe and Coentrão will surely be the ones with the hefty price tag just because they play for Real Madrid.

      Attack its all about Ronaldo, but again, depending on the price, Moutinho will be a sneaky differential.

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  3. jam
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    what wc game are people going with, mcdonalds?

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    1. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Yep. I will. I think its the one. Also similar to the UEFA CL format.

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  4. Mull
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    Great article. Very concise and tells me pretty much everything I want to know.

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    1. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      That was the point, Mull.
      We all know Ronaldo its the one, but i just wanted to advert people that, depending on price, there could be a good differential in this Portugal team.

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  5. oroycielo
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    where i can play FANTASY WC?? when start the game to pick up the players?

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    1. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Probably in 2 weeks, when squads are finalized.
      It will be the McDonald's one.

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  6. edgardavids
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    William Carvalho is very good technically but not as gifted as Yaya Touré to share a similar role he will be deployed as Defensive Midfielder 100% sure.
    He is indeed a recovering machine and a very good passer but for fantasy football is not what you are looking for because his play is predominantly in his own half.
    He will be one of Portugal stars and I can guarantee that Portugal without William in the starting 11 will have a huge drop of quality offensively and defensively because he will help the CB pair much better than Veloso and he can free Moutinho of defensive duties.

    The front 3 is a complete doubt, it will be Ronaldo + 2. If I were Bento I would choose Quaresma and Danny on the wings with Ronaldo upfront. But unfortunately Bento is very stubborn and they are not even certain to travel to Brazil.

    Keep out of the likes of Postiga and Almeida if they got called, they are just horrible.

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    1. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Edgar,

      Agree with the William vs Veloso part.
      But knowing Paulo Bento, the front three will be Ronaldo plus Nani/Varela or Postiga/Almeida.
      Fantasy wise, and if we just can pick 2 players from one team, its all about Ronaldo so no sweat there.

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  7. SneakyPete
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    Carvalho can play CB as well and Veloso won't be dropped. He is very important player for Portugal

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    1. Konig Luther
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      carvalho will not go to WC... Problems with manager

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      1. edgardavids
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 12 months ago

        Which manager? Paulo Bento gave him his first call up to Portuguese NT and he participated in 2 out of 2 games after he established himself as Sporting CP most influential player

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      2. edgardavids
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 12 months ago

        You are messing up William Carvalho with Ricardo Carvalho now I understand it

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        1. Konig Luther
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 12 months ago

          yep, just because he said CB,

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    2. edgardavids
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      WTF tell me just one single time Carvalho played at CB!
      Veloso is very good technically but lacks the physique to impose himself in the middle of the park at the DM position, Portuguese NT needs a real anchor man like Carvalho.

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    3. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      We all know that William its better than Veloso, but Paulo Bento (like Scolari) likes to have a steady group. So Veloso will be the deep lying mid.

      M.Veloso can be a threat from set-pieces, some direct fk's and corners.

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  8. Aaron Ramessi - Straya
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    brilliant stuff mate...moutinho is very underrated, a top top player

    just wondering what you think of neto and rolando, and whether they may get a look in possibly

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    1. edgardavids
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Neto is overrated
      Rolando has lots of experience and a very good aerial ability

      But the CB pair will always be Pepe - Alves you will only see other CB playing when there is the need to defend a result

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    2. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Aaron,

      Neto/Rolando/R.Costa are back-ups. Only in case of injury.

      Neto could, in the future, be an important piece of Portugal team.
      But, like Danny, not if he stays in Russian Football.

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  9. Demí
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    Who was that young guy in the U20 World cup everyone was linked with? Attacker. Does he have a chance?

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    1. edgardavids
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Bruma who plays currently at Galatasaray? Serious injury...

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    2. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      No. ACL on a game with Galatasaray

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    3. Demí
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Ouch, sorry to hear that.

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  10. King Nil Miss ✩
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    Fonte should be called-up!

    #justiceforjosefonte

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  11. edgardavids
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    #saveourfonte

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  12. edgardavids
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 12 months ago

    No Danny, no Adrien. What a crap
    30 player squad: Goalkeeper- Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Beto (Sevilla), Eduardo (SC Braga) e Rui Patrício (Sporting); Defender - André Almeida (Benfica), Antunes (Málaga), Bruno Alves (Fenerbahçe), Fábio Coentrão (Real Madrid), João Pereira (Valência), Neto (Zenit), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Costa (Valência) e Rolando (Inter); Midfielders - André Gomes (Benfica), João Mário (Vitória FC), João Moutinho (Mónaco), Miguel Veloso (D. Kiev), Raul Meireles (Fenerbahçe), Rúben Amorim (Benfica) e William Carvalho (Sporting); Forwards - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Éder (SC Braga), Hélder Postiga (Lazio), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas), Ivan Cavaleiro (Benfica), Nani (Manchester United), Rafa (SC Braga), Ricardo Quaresma (FC Porto), Varela (FC Porto) e Vieirinha (Wolfsburg).

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    1. Margarido
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 12 months ago

      Paulo Bento 23:

      GK's - Patricio, Beto, Anthony
      Def's - Pereira, Pepe, Alves, Coentrao, Costa, Neto, Antunes, Almeida
      Mid's - Moutinho, Meireles, Veloso, William, Ruben, A.Gomes
      For's - Ronaldo, Nani, Postiga, Almeida, Varela, Quaresma

      I guess 20 of those are right.

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      1. edgardavids
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 12 months ago

        I hope Rafa gets Gomes place as he can play as AMC and all other Midfielders are MC or MDC.
        I also prefer Éder up front instead of Postiga (lets laugh a little about his fitness and condition)

        Danny, Adrien, Cédric, Mané and Bébe the big ones left out of the squad IMO

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      2. Konig Luther
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 12 months ago

        one of Postiga or Almeida will not go this rime

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