Gabriel (No 8 Benfica)

Glasgow Rangers (Sco)

Glasgow Rangers (Sco)

Well-Known Member
He doesn’t deserve any more credit than Kamara or Davis, but I thought this guy looked a cracking player last night.

One of the Brazilians, just checked out Wikipedia and he’s not a regular by any means

Anyone else impressed by the other Benfica players?
 
I think people would do well to remember their squad cost in excess of €100m, and Rafa Silva & Pizzi are regulars in the Portuguese national side.

Both of them were very good even if Pizzi didn’t start. Nunez won’t last very long there either as he’s been rampant since he joined Benfica.
 
KGR98 said:
I thought they were passive until Pizzi came on and changed the game him and Nunez and to a lesser extent Rafa Silva were the threats the rest looked average
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All their players were better than average. We made them look passive and average with our shape, work rate and discipline.

Unfortunately it just wasn't sustainable at that level for the full 90 minutes. They had two shots on target and managed to score two goals, that's a sign of the quality they possessed and that we managed to snuff out for most of the night.
 
KGR98 said:
I thought they were passive until Pizzi came on and changed the game him and Nunez and to a lesser extent Rafa Silva were the threats the rest looked average
Click to expand...

Pizzi changed the game for them, they started playing with a lot more pace and purpose when he came on. We were starting to tire by that point which will have helped him but he was a standout.
 
They supposedly rejected a bid for him from Arsenal.

Benfica spent horrifically summer, which is unusual for them. Their signings have been terrible so far.
 
prenzlauerbear said:
They supposedly rejected a bid for him from Arsenal.

Benfica spent horrifically summer, which is unusual for them. Their signings have been terrible so far.
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For the money they could have got 2 younger, hungrier centre backs than Vertonghen and Otamendi.

Experienced though they are there is a reason 2 EPL clubs binned them.

They have conceded goals all over the place in this group so far.
 
I thought Pizzi was their best player when we played them in Lisbon and was delighted when he was substituted after Otamendi was sent off.
It just shows their strength in depth that despite all their injuries/covid/suspension problems he didn't start the game last night.
 
Wasn't he replaced by Phil Collins?

I lost track of all the substitutions.
 
Obviously they have some really gifted players but our lads made them look ordinary until the last 15 when they had to go for it .
After their crazy spending spree, they are not even top of their own league .
Small team in europe :p
 
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KGR98 said:
I thought they were passive until Pizzi came on and changed the game him and Nunez and to a lesser extent Rafa Silva were the threats the rest looked average
Click to expand...
i wasnt worried until Pizzi came on, he seemed to score every week last season (kept an eye on portugal last year).

i did think they were technically very good all over the park. and seemed to go up a few gears in the last 15. their passiveness was probably down to our shape holding firm then the legs going a bit towards the end.
 
Silva was excellent in both games that touch in the first half to get away from Balogun was superb and it was a superb recovery from Balogun.

Darwin Nunez and Pizzi as well they're awfully poor at the back but middle to front they're very very good.
 
Always too focused on what we are doing to notice the opposition, unless it's a stick on like Neymar which would be hard to miss.
Will give the game a 2nd watch for sure, also be interested to watch the Braga highlights against Leicester's millionaires. Remember Paulinho from last time and Fran Sergio who scored the 1st screamer at Ibrox. Definitely a market there at the right price, that could be reciprocal also because when Porto and Benfica are paying £20m for strikers and £10m+ for midfielders they should be looking at Kamara and Morelos
 
Rafa Silva gave me the fear each time he got the ball, smashing player. Wasn’t too impressed with Everton or their CF Seferovic. The biggest difference was the quality they were able to bring on like Pizzi.
 
Definitely a class team, genuinely believe that adding Goldson into their team - they become a top, top team.

Midfield to forward they are frightening. Over the two games however, Rangers overachieved and made them look fairly ordinary in large spells
 
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They targeted bornas side of the pitch the whole game, think it was Rafa silva? Borna just couldn’t stop him, same for when pizzi came on, he changed the game for them.
 
I wanted to like Gabriel because is a tall, strong, left-footed centre midfielder. I just liked the look of him at first glance. But he didn't actually play that well, gave it away several times.
 
Pizzi, Rafa, Nunez & Grimaldo are the only ones from Benfica who I know are a good step up & should be at better teams.

Could maybe through the German striker & Weigl into that also.
 
Honest opinion? I thought he was poor. Slow on the ball wanted an age on it, wasteful, Kamara made him look a total mug for the yellow card. Him and the other centre mid were not great. Game changed when Pizzi came on and Silva picked up better possession.
 
I love a centre mid.

Thought Gabriel was bang average, last night.

I haven’t seen much of him at all, though.

Not sure you could judge him as anything more than average, on last nights viewing.
 
dunn1872 said:
Rafa Silva was outstanding. He reminds me a bit like Isco of Real Madrid. Ball just seems to stick to him.
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Rafa and Pizzi have been getting the most stick off their fans this year as well. Over the last 2/3 years they have been outstanding for Benfica, since 2020 though I think they have went downhill domestically.
 
Glasgow Rangers (Sco) said:
He doesn’t deserve any more credit than Kamara or Davis, but I thought this guy looked a cracking player last night.

One of the Brazilians, just checked out Wikipedia and he’s not a regular by any means

Anyone else impressed by the other Benfica players?
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They have a tap they can turn on for Brazil players.
Five in the first 23.
two other South American
eight Portuguese
two german
two french
two Belgian.
 
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