Bruno Moraes hails experienced squad, says Gul and Moffi need time | OneFootball

FC Porto is no longer displaying its usual goal-scoring prowess and has even been surpassed by Estoril in the number of goals scored in the Primeira Liga. In the two most recent matches, they secured victories by the narrowest of margins, against Nacional and Rio Ave.

Despite leading the Portuguese championship, the blue and white team has only the fifth-best attack, with 44 goals scored, behind Sporting (59), Benfica (49), Sp. Braga (48), and Estoril (46).

To analyze the loss of offensive effectiveness, Desporto ao Minuto spoke with Bruno Moraes, former FC Porto striker.

“It’s true that FC Porto hasn’t been scoring as many goals as at the start of the season, but it’s also true that they’ve suffered some injuries, like now with Samu,” the former striker began by explaining.

After assuring that this ‘crisis’ “is not worrying,” Bruno Moraes highlights the defensive solidity of the Dragons and admits that this drop in offensive production “can happen to a team that is competing on several fronts.”

“FC Porto hasn’t been as effective as usual and as the fans like to see, but the truth is that they have defended very well, they’ve balanced the game. Even by scoring just one goal, sometimes, in a match, they manage to get their points in the same way as if they had scored more goals,” he continued.

“It’s a team that hasn’t scored many goals, but has been very competent defensively,” he pointed out.

The former player believes that, “if they maintain this defensive consistency,” the players who will have to take on the attacking role due to Samu’s injury will “have more opportunities to break free and manage to be more effective.”

FC Porto more conservative in search of stability

Although goals have lost prominence, Bruno Moraes emphasizes FC Porto’s excellent defensive organization, having conceded only seven goals in the Primeira Liga this season. Across all competitions, the blue and whites have conceded 18 goals in 36 matches.

“FC Porto has prioritized, in a positive way, defense and has been more pragmatic and conservative at times. They even give up more possession to play from there. However, the truth is that they have been a team that gets results. It’s a mature team,” he commented.

“Is it more important to score goals or not to concede?”

Bruno Moraes posed this question when analyzing how FC Porto has been deciding matches. He recalled the team’s more aggressive start to the season and admitted that, although they can no longer play that way at this stage, the team “also hasn’t been conceding.” The Brazilian also points to the possibility of managing the result as part of the strategy.

Confident that this is just a passing phase, the former player foresees a return to offensive output if the team maintains its consistency. He also highlighted the need for time for players like Deniz Gul and Moffi to integrate.

“I think the goals will come back, especially now that players like Deniz Gul and Moffi have more opportunities to integrate into the team, but they need some time to make the most of it. Sometimes it happens quickly, but other times it takes longer,” he said.

Mature and balanced squad

The current assistant coach of Fafe praised the Porto squad, also noting the importance of departures and arrivals in the last transfer window.

“The squad is balanced and the last transfer window was important to guard against some possible situations, like that of Samu,” he stated.

To conclude, Bruno Moraes expressed confidence in FC Porto’s ability to compete for the title, stressing, however, that the fight will be “tight until the end because direct rivals are close.”

“I think they can maintain their consistency until the end. It’s difficult, but it’s important to keep the levels of commitment and concentration in every minute until the end of the games,” he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.