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(10-04-2026, 07:58 AM)Sniffer Dog (Admin) Wrote: I got home from church just 5 minutes before kick off.
Turned on my lap top and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the team sheet.
I quickly tuned into my streaming site and after 10 minutes I said to her indoors that we are going to get a proper hammering here.
So pleased how it all unfolded though and I was well happy at the end of the match.
All to play for at the WFCG next week.
Bring it on.
We massively got away with it, that comedy own goal definitely helped. I just hope we play a stronger team for the hone leg.
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Thoughts
Good result but got away with it. Play like that next week, we will lose.
Porto are a very good team, moved the ball far quicker and better, found so much space at times, Gomes is excellent.
Credit Vitor for trying something different in formation but didn’t agree with the team to try it with. With Anderson out Sangare should have started, would have been better with Williams and Aina too, would have offered more both defensively and attacking.
To play both Morato and Abbot in a 3 was again wrong IMO, Abbot isn’t ready at this level.
Ndoye was OK. Bakwa tried but was a liability with losing the ball, seems to have a poor touch at times.
The double No10 could work in theory but we haven’t found a way yet, wouldn’t ditch the idea but ideally this is what you try out in pre season not at the business end.
Good to see Woody back but didn’t look properly fit.
Ortega did well, should be a priority to extend contract in summer.
Porto is a lovely and welcoming city.
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(10-04-2026, 08:00 AM)wassy04 Wrote: (10-04-2026, 07:58 AM)Sniffer Dog (Admin) Wrote: I got home from church just 5 minutes before kick off.
Turned on my lap top and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the team sheet.
I quickly tuned into my streaming site and after 10 minutes I said to her indoors that we are going to get a proper hammering here.
So pleased how it all unfolded though and I was well happy at the end of the match.
All to play for at the WFCG next week.
Bring it on.
We massively got away with it, that comedy own goal definitely helped. I just hope we play a stronger team for the hone leg.
This weekend's results might shape that decision.
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You could say Porto got away with it after having that goal disallowed from Jesus. Replays showed the keeper fumbled it before being touch by Jesus and goal should've stood.
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Am watching it back on tv in the hotel breakfast room (in Porto). Not as bad as it seemed in the ground. We held our own, rode our luck a little but this was a performance without a number of first teamers.
First half we were way too open and at times committed 6 or so forward every attack.
Loved abbott despite his tiny part in the goal we conceded. Wonder what we will be like when he gets his chance - seem well stocked with him, milenkovic, Cunha and bindon to come back (assuming Murillo goes).
They are a decent side, like to create overloads and play the triangles. Intricate quick passing that we struggled to deal with.
Just got to 62 mins - goalie rolling around holding his head like he’s suffered a hammer attack.
Need a stronger ref 2nd leg. They were rolling around on the grass for 98 minutes.
All to play for.
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The omens are good.
Evangelos Marinakis Olympiakos were the last team to beat Porto at home in Europe.
They also beat Aston Villa in the semi final when they won the Europa League.
Panic on the streets of London
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Just a question really of more modern thinkers than me. Why do defenders attempt 45 yard back passes? How does his team benefit from his clueless failure to construct a forward pass? It seems to have become a norm as does the idea that keepers should wander around outside the penalty box. I'm not convinced that BC would tolerate either!!
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(10-04-2026, 09:33 AM)GentlemanBob Wrote: Just a question really of more modern thinkers than me. Why do defenders attempt 45 yard back passes? How does his team benefit from his clueless failure to construct a forward pass? It seems to have become a norm as does the idea that keepers should wander around outside the penalty box. I'm not convinced that BC would tolerate either!!
The idea is you keep possession and build again.
I was always coached to make sure if you passed the ball back to the keeper, the ball was played wide of the goal, so if the keeper messed up, the worst that would happen would be to conceed a corner.
BC was an arch exponent of passing back to the keeper, he encouraged it, particularly in the big games.
It came in handy for drawing opponents out of their half and creating space, it also helped run the clock down.
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GB its the negativity now in current day football, used to be entertainment now its just about stopping the opponent from scoring and hoping to score from set plays and the worst thing is that MOST teams seem to play that way!!!!!!
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Chatting to the taxi driver on the way back into the airport, he reckoned there were estimated to be nearly 5,000 Trickies in Porto!
He felt they deserved to win and will beat us in the second leg, he was surprised by our lack of press as it’s well known that they struggle when that happens.
Personally I’m feeling cautiously optimistic this morning, interesting to read that Villa were apparently terrible and won 3-1 but played their strongest team. I would take a draw on Sunday if offered it but it feels like three games where we can’t afford to lose any of them.
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(10-04-2026, 10:28 AM)Username Wrote: Chatting to the taxi driver on the way back into the airport, he reckoned there were estimated to be nearly 5,000 Trickies in Porto!
He felt they deserved to win and will beat us in the second leg, he was surprised by our lack of press as it’s well known that they struggle when that happens.
Personally I’m feeling cautiously optimistic this morning, interesting to read that Villa were apparently terrible and won 3-1 but played their strongest team. I would take a draw on Sunday if offered it but it feels like three games where we can’t afford to lose any of them.
Interesting as we tried to press in the first 10 minutes and got carved apart! Hopefully with a full strength defence next week this will be more effective.
Three home games in a row, is three wins in a row too much to ask for?
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I just can’t see it personally, we can but dream
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