William Carvalho

[LostLegend]

Looks like he was told to stand off and try and shield the defence by blocking the centre of the pitch forcing Spain to pass out wide.

It's no good chasing down and closely marking players like Isco, Silva and Koke in the middle as they have the speed and technique to make any player look like 'piggy in the middle'

Better to stand off and be a physical wall and block the central passes to Costa.

It doesn't look pretty, but it worked and he did the job well. Despite them conceding 3 goals, it has to be said that 2 of them were absolute blammos!

Interested to see how he plays against teams they are expected to dominate.

 

[sageyefc]

There's a reason he's still playing in the Portuguese pub league at the age of 26.

 

[toffeejack]

Or be stuck with another lemon,to add to the collection.

Meh, somebody would buy him, he starts for Portugal, hardly a Cuco Martina.

 

[Jebus_lives]

There's a reason he's still playing in the Portuguese pub league at the age of 26.

You could equal say there's a reason he's a mainstay of the Portuguese national team that has won the European Championship 2 years ago and has just drawn the with World Cup tournament favourites.

 

[sageyefc]

You could equal say there's a reason he's a mainstay of the Portuguese national team that has won the European Championship 2 years ago and has just drawn the with World Cup tournament favourites.

Would say it's more down to the lack of quality options in there. Let's be honest that Portuguese side is massively overrated, take out ronaldo and they're basically Stoke, sit back hope to nick a goal

 

[degsy]

I've seen tortoises move quicker.........

Nailed on signing then, given Silva's all action game plan

 

[sageyefc]

Meh, somebody would buy him, he starts for Portugal, hardly a Cuco Martina.

why haven't they already

 

[bring the ghost on]

I think fan confidence and expectation are rock bottom after the last few transfers windows, we naturally expect every player to be a complete flop now.

He looked decent yesterday in an underdog side, very tough to play a DCM role against Spain with their high possession game.

 

[MickA]

Slower than plate tectonics.

Looks like the PL is the least suited league for him but obviously Silva far better suited to make that call.

 

[davids]

Meh, somebody would buy him, he starts for Portugal, hardly a Cuco Martina.

To be fair Cuco is far more mobile and after watching last nights game would protect a back four with a fair bit more purpose.

 

[davids]

Nailed on signing then, given Silva's all action game plan

Made for the high pressing game.

 

[toffeejack]

To be fair Cuco is far more mobile and after watching last nights game would protect a back four with a fair bit more purpose.

Yeah ha, I'm no fan of carvalho, I just think there's a lot of freebies we should be jumping at this summer from a business profit pov. Every transfer is a risk.

 

[COYBL25]

Meh, somebody would buy him, he starts for Portugal, hardly a Cuco Martina.

Hopefully West Ham.

 

[Jebus_lives]

why haven't they already

Cost?

Arsenal were constantly in for him, as the team crying out for a defensive midfielder, but instead Wenger decided to go cheap or youth and it failed.

I don't think he's a world beater but at playing the simple, no nonsense pass and break up style he looks a classic example. I think we are in greater need of a creative midfielder though.

 

[nsno-chris]

Snippet from a report, says it all. Anonymous

In the centre of this blustering World Cup match, William Carvalho could be seen loping gamely after the twinkling feet of Isco. This was exactly the sort of game in which a defensive midfielder such as Carvalho was required; it was also the sort of game which blew right past him and left him barely necessary.

As the match wore on and Spain created more, Carvalho became harder to spot. When Diego Costa fired several shots away in the second half, Portugal’s water-carrier splashed on to the scene a little too late.