2012/13 Season Review: Bad Luck or Bad Decisions?

INTRO RANT

I must admit, not to sound dramatic but from the week of Benfica losing to Porto and then traveling to Amsterdam and losing in the Europa League final I began to lose hope. I did not want to talk to anyone nor speak of the events that took place between Saturday through Wednesday. I have no problem admitting that my predictions of Benfica winning 3 titles during the 2012/13 season did not follow through. My biggest problem right now is not accepting defeat but I have questioned my faith in Benfica. Well, not so much Benfica but the organisation and the people who are making decisions that are affecting the organisation.  

As much as I love this team, it is very frustrating to watch this team at times. I compare my relationship towards Benfica as one of a parent to a child. If the child makes mistake does the parent stop supporting and loving that child? You the parent at the moment are disappointed and a bit frustrated with your child but through thick and thin you will love that child no matter what. That is exactly how I feel about Benfica. Frustrated at times but loyal through thick and thin.

By the time Benfica played their final game of the year losing in the Portuguese Cup Final to a 9th place Guimaraes and lost 2-1, I was too numb to feel. I laughed and went home. 

WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG?

Let's face it, when we tied Estoril 1-1 in front of 60,000 fans at home on a Monday that was our title decider. It was not losing away to FC Porto in the 92" Benfica did not give Estoril the benefit of the doubt and this tie will go down in the history books as the result which cost us the league 3 years in a row to FC Porto.Not to beat this with a dead horse because while I was crying for the past 2 weeks everything has been said already. Benfica underestimates smaller teams, which is a mentality that got them into a lot of trouble this year. By underestimating Estoril, they lost the league and by underestimating Guimaraes they were unable to win the Portuguese Cup a title which Benfica has not won in 9 years. 

When it came to losing to Chelsea in the European Cup Final, Benfica played a great game and have nothing to be ashamed of. Anyone who watched the game saw how great they played but because they could not score in the first half it made it very difficult to take charge of the game. Who would of thought that Chelsea would score a header in the 92" to win the title. Perhaps a Lima / Cardozo duo to start would of produced a better result during the first half then Rodrigo / Cardozo? 

JJ PROJECT ENZO & PROJECT MELGA

I hope I will not be eating my words next season when I say right now that at this very moment that I am sick of Jorge Jesus. I understand that he is the 15th highest paid coach in the world and to some degree the guy is responsible for Benfica's impressive European performances over the last 4 years, however, JJ (like most coaches) has a massive ego. He enjoys challenges and implementing change. For example, JJ's biggest success throughout the 2012/13 season was his adaptation projects of Enzo Perez and at times Lorenzo Melgarejo. If JJ was getting a grade on adapting players, Project Enzo would get him an A+ and Project Melga would land him a C (a pass but there is room for improvement)

During the January 2013 transfer window Benfica were in talks of purchasing a much needed left back. Almost daily there were reports of players such as Angel (Roma), Ziegler (Juventus), Eliseu (Malaga) and several other names floated around. Benfica have been without a quality Left back since Fabio Coentrao departed to Real Madrid. When a team exposes a weakness ( In Benfica's case it was the left back position) another team will use that to their advantage. The irony in all of this is that even though Melga was adapted into this position, it was a much a better improvement then when Benfica had Emerson previously.

ANOTHER 2 YEARS OF JJ

It was announced on June 4, 2013 that Jorge Jesus will be Benfica's coach for another 2 years. If he lasts until 2015, JJ will be Benfica's longest running coach since the end of the second world war. It is rumoured that JJ will have a more influential role as Benfica's coach. For example; he will have more of a say as to who comes and goes at the club. This can go both ways for JJ. If the suggestion and moves benefits Benfica by winning them championships, then he looks like a genius but if his judgement fails then not only will it cost Benfica championship titles but it will cost JJ his job.

Many have also brought up the point that if Benfica get off to a bad start in the upcoming season, JJ should and will be fired by Christmas time. In the event that JJ is fired not only does Benfica have to find a replacement half way in the season (never a good result) but Benfica will have to pay out the remainder of his contract. I guarantee that if results and success are not met throughout the 2013`/ 14 season, the socios, and fans will not only want JJ removed as coach but LFV will be blamed for another failed season.

Where I do give JJ credit is that he is great at developing players. With players such as Andre Gomes, Andre Almeida, Enzo Perez, and to some degree Lorenzo Melgarejo all making names for themselves this year at the helm, we can't help but to credit some of their success to JJ's development. 

JJ RATING

So on a scale from 1 - 10, JJ gets a 6. Benfica came close to winning 3 titles during the 2012/13 season but could not finish. The season was not a total bust there were a lot of great moments but going into FC Porto with 1 point down, needing a win or a tie was wishful thinking since Benfica has beaten FC Porto only 3 times in the last 20 encounters in FC Porto.

As much as I enjoy bashing the FC Porto organisation, the reality is that they always have a great team. Since the 1999-00 FC Porto have won 9 League titles and Benfica have only won 2. FC Porto have won two UEFA championships,Benfica  only this year made it to the final in 23 years. Although corruption is evident in the FC Porto organisation, (We all remember 2006 APITO DOURADO the same year Juventus and AC Milan were punished for match fixing in the Serie A, whereas FC Porto was not, also what about the ghost penalty kicks given to FC Porto on the last game of this year`s season against Pacos De Ferreira, I can go on and on) FC Porto are always organised and prepared for change at the club within the club before change happens, whereas Benfica struggle to figure out simple details like for example; they knew JJ`s contract was up why would you wait until the season was over to renew his contract? On top of it,Benfica won nothing this year, not even the not so important League Cup (They lost to Braga in PK) is there a game plan to improve for the upcoming season?

On the June 11, 2013 episode of the Talking To The Doll Podcast, we will be handing out player awards. Here are my picks:

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Ezequiel Garay

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Eduardo Salvio

MVP Nemaja Matic

REVELATION / SURPRISE Enzo Perez

MOST IMPROVED Nico Gaitan

BUST Jardel

NOTEABLE MENTIONS Lima, Ola John, Artur, Urreta, Andre Gomes, Andre Almeida