Fernando Santos announces Portugal’s World Cup playoff squad

In fairness William Carvalho has been in good form for Real Betis and Danilo will likely be centre back ahead of Inacio should Fonte or Pepe be unable to play as Fernando Santos isn't one to take risks like handing an inexperienced central defender his first cap in a world cup play off.

Arguably the player of the season in Portugal, you mean Ricardo Horta, right? I think there's some bias here.

Vitinha has been very influential in the last 3 to 4 weeks and that's about it, but when you see Ricardo Horta, he has been influential from day 1, both in the league and the Europa League.

I know Vitinha plays much lesser games than Ricardo Horta, but let's not kid anybody here. Just look at their stats. Currently, Ricardo Horta has 15 goals in the league compared to a mere 2 goals by Vitinha. And in terms of assist, Ricardo Horta has 3 compared to 1 by Vitinha.

Still, the national team is stacked with very talented players and I don't think neither Ricardo Horta or Vitinha are worthy of a call up right now.

No Dhazer, I meant Vitinha, who has been player of the month already 3 times this season, and who is Porto's midfield maestro. He has not been influential for a few weeks, he has been Porto's engine since he got regular playing time in mid-September.

I can concede that you make an excellent point about Ricardo Horta and Braga players being less visible to the Seleccao. I agree Horta has had a breakout season, and arguably, has been exceptional for quite a few seasons.

But saying Horta deserves selection over Vitinha is inaccurate since they serve very different roles. Horta is a winger or 2nd striker and Vitinha is a classic #8 who has #10 characteristics as well. I would say his game is most similar to a Luca Modric, whereas Horta is closer to a Neymar type in positioning and goal-scoring.

If you were to say Horta should have been selected over a useless addition such as Bruno Fernandes, I could get behind that for sure.

I hope you’re joking about Raphael Guerreiro being a “reliable deep defender”! He only operates well in a wingback position. You surely haven’t watched Dortmund these past few seasons if you’re calling on him to be a deep defender. He’s exposed defensively quite frequently actually. Found too far forward just like TAA for Liverpool. Going forward however, he’s a real threat, his productivity and stats back that up. If we play in a back 5, which I’ve been wishing for years now, I agree he should start. In a back 4, Mendes should start. He’s had experience with the NT, plays regularly for PSG, and he’s been extremely important for them this season. He’s 19 yes, but he’s made 8 CL appearances this season, and a bunch of others in Ligue1. Alphonso Davies’ was just a baby when he picked apart Barcelona and won the CL with Bayern. Leading up to that season, I remember going through Bayern forums and seeing how unhappy some fans were with early involvement and called on Lucas Hernandez to play LB. Of course over time they eventually warmed up to him, especially once the trophies started rolling in.

If we refuse to hand some chances and appearances to the hard-working young players coming through our ranks, we effectively stick to Santos’ philosophy.

The German, Bundesliga league is far superior league than the French Ligue 1.

The Bundesliga is aggressive tactful with quality.

The only difference between the two is that the Emir of Qatar has brought in the best players from different continent but there isn't any competition within the Ligue1.

Rafael is a tactful, robust intelligent and with experience player, playing for top league in the world, whereas Nuno is an inexperience player playing with a bunch of top class players so you will definitely SHINE.

Players playing with national need to have all the good attributes with guns firing from all directions with rich experience.

PORTUGAL DO NOT REQUIRE BABIES AT THIS JUNCTURE, this isn't a friendly to teach baby's.

Knowing very well its a DO or Die match, a FINAL to reach the WC and Portugal has ageing CB.

NUNO need to be breast fed at this point of time and so Diego Dalot.

Last championship match Diego Dalot was bird watching conceding a goal against Atletico Madrid.

Again, I watch Dortmund most weekends (huge fan of Haaland and Reus) and when Raphael has been fit, he has not defended well, plain and simple.

He’s caught out VERY FREQUENTLY. Did you watch the first leg against Rangers? If you didn’t, watch a highlight pack or the match and look how he and the Dortmund backline get burned. I want to reiterate, I think Guerreiro should start only in a LWB OR LM position. Otherwise, Nuno deserves to start.

He surely couldn’t have been a huge part in the Sporting side that won their first Liga in over 20 years if he’s just merely a baby?

I want to leave my argument on the defensive solidity of Mendes and Guerreiro here:

(According to FBref scouting reports in comparison to all LBs in Europe’s top 5 leagues)
Nuno Mendes per/90:
Pressures: 13.97
Tackles: 2.57
Interceptions: 2.09
Blocks: 2.78
Clearances: 1.18
Aerials won 0.43

Guerreiro per/90:
Pressures: 9.85
Tackles: 1.83
Interceptions: 1.67
Blocks: 1.17
Clearances: 1.09
Aerials won: 0.19

Possibly everyone on this website must be doing exactly what you been doing watching Portuguese players across continent, so its nothing new.

When you compare players like to like, you first need to compare the league they play in.

Is the BUNDESLIGA at the same level as Ligue1 - A BIG NO.

If Rafael plays in Ligue 1 he could be called the best left back in Europe because he better than all the LB in Ligue1. Rafael will be having the best STATISTIC.

So Portugal Selecao needs experience players to play the two knockout games not baby's like Nuno.

REALITY - PSG should have represented LIGUE 1 in the last eight of UEFA Championship.

PSG is the richest club in Europe with BEST STARS NEYMAR, MESSI, KYLIA, SERGIO RAMOS, Di Maria etc Where is the team?

SO WHEN YOU COMPARE A PLAYER, COMPARE THE LEAGUE because statics change based on the opposition you encounter in the league.

HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED RAFAEL AND NOT BABY NUNO

Guerreiro is not great at defending, especially in 1v1 situations, sorry, that’s plain and simple, statistics and highlight packs prove it (not to mention the samples and examples from the CL group stage/EL R32).

I agree that the bundesliga is better than the French league, but Guerreiro’s defending stats leaves him in about 40th percentile of Bundesliga fullbacks for the statistics mentioned above.

Guerreiro played in Ligue1 for Lorient until after our Euro triumph in 2016 actually, and you’re right, he was perhaps the best LB in Ligue1! But he was just a BABY.

He did extremely well for us and has ever since then. He’s evolved as a player, and has effectively become a LWB/LM, and has excelled in that position. If this was 2016, I’m sure I would be arguing for Guerreiro to start on LB and you arguing for Eliseu to start because Guerreiro was just a BABY.

The differences on this page make it entertaining, and I love to break down and suggest/analyze tactics, opinions on who we think should start.

Let’s hope whoever starts in that LB position plays well and gets us to WC2022.

Great point:
1) we know that this coach will go conservative - meaning 4 defenders and 2 defensive midfielders - Neves will not get the start, so Moutinho and William/Danillo.
2) This coach doesn't have a plan - it's like the NY Knicks no offensive plan, all ISO.
The problem with this game is that Turkey knows full well what Serbia did to us and they have a plan to succeed. This coach has no idea how to implement a plan to stop what Serbia did or what Turkey is going to do. Our saving grace will be if we play a team game and feed Ronaldo. Feed Ronaldo.