Finally saw two Benfica games from start to finish:
Reading 0-2 Benfica
Benfica 3-0 Nice
Benfica 5-1 Fulham
Everyone is going bonkers about the speed and intensity of this team. Myself I am worried about two things:
1. Physically speaking, I see no way a team can handle such a demand, pressing 90 mins of the game with no real intelligence, game after game, and at the same time having a relatively short squad. I predict lots of physical issues with the players, mid-season;
2. Tactically speaking, our defense is not very strong, neither we have a GK that knows how to handle the space in front of him. I predict opponent teams will quickly adapt to this and put long balls behind our defense like butter, on the counter attack. Specially on a Portuguese League where 80% of the teams play with 11 players behind the ball, losing time constantly and constantly waiting for the counter attack.
I am more apprehensive than anything at this point. This seems to me kind of a naive/romantic manager, that your regular football fan likes: lots of running after the ball, lots of nerve, but little brains.
PS: I understand this is not the correct topic for this, was just finishing the ongoing conversation. Will revert to the correct thread next time.