Stephen Eustaquio

[Obinna]

10 minutes ago, DeRo_Is_King said:

Frankly, I think the Porto fan reactions are overblown. Many people are saying Stacks, Galeno and TAREMI need to go. It's crazy. The team is currently third with three wins and one draw this season. Look, I didn't watch the game, but it obviously went sideways today. It's one game. From what I'm reading, these fans are way over the top. 

Eustaquio, Galeno and especially Taremi are some of the teams most important players. Pepe is Pepe, don't know how influencial he is nowadays, but he's a legend. I didn't watch the game either, but it's ironic the most important guys are getting shit on. That really does make it sound like fans were just frusturated and therefore overreacting about those specific players because the standard with these guys is typically high. Maybe it's like being overly harsh on Insigne or Bernadesci for having crap games? I mean Taremi in particular that guy is outstanding. He's scored so many goals for Porto. 

[DeRo_Is_King]

2 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Eustaquio, Galeno and especially Taremi are some of the teams most important players. Pepe is Pepe, don't know how influencial he is nowadays, but he's a legend. I didn't watch the game either, but it's ironic the most important guys are getting shit on. That really does make it sound like fans were just frusturated and therefore overreacting about those specific players because the standard with these guys is typically high. Maybe it's like being overly harsh on Insigne or Bernadesci for having crap games? I mean Taremi in particular that guy is outstanding. He's scored so many goals for Porto. 

Agreed 100 per cent. I think the issue with Taremi is the slow start. He currently has no goals in the first four games. But as you alluded to, he's averaged almost 20 goals a season in the past three season. 

[DeRo_Is_King]

OK. Here are the highlights for this debacle:

So, it appears Porto produced the only chances of substance in the first half, despite not having an SOG. Taremi even scored, but it was slightly offside. The brainfart came in the second half, followed by a saved penalty and Porto eventually equalized. 

Looking at the stats, Porto also had much of the possession. We'll have to monitor the situation to see what kind of lineup is fielded next time out. Hope Stacks doesn't lose his starting spot. 

[Stryker911]

They have now scored 3 stoppage time goals. Without them they would have 2 draws and a loss in 4 games. Dangerously close to a disastrous stsrt of the season. I can see why the fans would be concerned.

[DeRo_Is_King]

56 minutes ago, Stryker911 said:

They have now scored 3 stoppage time goals. Without them they would have 2 draws and a loss in 4 games. Dangerously close to a disastrous stsrt of the season. I can see why the fans would be concerned.

Close is one thing. The fact is they won three of four games. Could they do more to win more comfortably? Sure. And that has been made clear.

But saying most of the starting 11 should change based on the first few games is going too far, and there are many fans out there who are voicing this position. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

I think the real problem is they lost the league last year, by not too many points. And with a team that should have done better. So fans are expecting them to stay with the leaders at the top and show they can win it this season. 

I watched most of the Rio Ave game and they were not at all in control, the rival took it to them in many phases, and they did not show dominance. But the results have come regardless. Fact is, they are at the top of the table more or less and Benfica is not ahead of them, so they should calm down soon. 

[DeRo_Is_King]

Whatever the case, we better hope Eustaquio's mid-game exit isn't a sign of things to come. I'd hate to see our most important midfielder fall out of the 11 with his club. If that happens and continues, it might be worth looking for a new one. 

Edited September 4, 2023 by DeRo_Is_King

[GasPed]

1 hour ago, DeRo_Is_King said:

Whatever the case, we better hope Eustaquio's mid-game exit isn't a sign of things to come. I'd hate to see our most important midfielder fall out of the 11 with his club. If that happens and continues, it might be worth looking for a new one. 

A new most important midfielder or a new club for that midfielder? 

[Obinna]

10 minutes ago, GasPed said:

A new most important midfielder or a new club for that midfielder? 

Must be a new club. Nobody is on the horizon to match or surpass Eustaquio. Closest is Kone and he's had a challenging start to the season with Watford.

[DeRo_Is_King]

2 minutes ago, Obinna said:

13 minutes ago, GasPed said:

A new most important midfielder or a new club for that midfielder? 

Must be a new club. Nobody is on the horizon to match or surpass Eustaquio. Closest is Kone and he's had a challenging start to the season with Watford.

Yes. I meant a new club. 

[PiedPilko]

He really hasn't looked the same since the World Cup. They're letting him be a 6 now, but his passing is off and his runs seem imprecise. 

[Kadenge]

16 hours ago, PiedPilko said:

He really hasn't looked the same since the World Cup. They're letting him be a 6 now, but his passing is off and his runs seem imprecise. 

This. Staq was killing it at Porto prior to the WC and scoring goals to boot. Then got injured at Porto and don't think he was fully recovered when he got to the WC. A brilliant performance vs Belgium and then the injury vs Croatia. His form dipped for Porto on his return and got outplayed by Kone in NL vs Honduras. Didn't play well  vs Panama & the US. He's got a great work ethic and I'm sure he will regain his form soon.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Kadenge

[InglewoodJack]

I think we’re worrying way too much here. For one, he still played very well after the World Cup- he scored two League Cup goals, started the second leg of the Inter CL matchup. This season, he’s been a starter in all four of their matches, he played 90 in 3 of them, and last week, when he was subbed out at half, the whole team wasn’t playing great, they needed a change and tried out the new kid they bought from Boca this summer who per his stat sheet didn’t exactly have a remarkable debut to his Portuguese career. 
 

Sure he had an insane run of form leading up to the World Cup- I think we’ll see more of that once Porto really gets rolling, which they will soon enough, but I would not be worried about his position on the team whatsoever. I think if he leaves Porto, it’ll be for a better club, but I also don’t think he’s going to leave them any time soon. 

[Corazon]

40 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I think we’re worrying way too much here. For one, he still played very well after the World Cup- he scored two League Cup goals, started the second leg of the Inter CL matchup. This season, he’s been a starter in all four of their matches, he played 90 in 3 of them, and last week, when he was subbed out at half, the whole team wasn’t playing great, they needed a change and tried out the new kid they bought from Boca this summer who per his stat sheet didn’t exactly have a remarkable debut to his Portuguese career. 
 

Sure he had an insane run of form leading up to the World Cup- I think we’ll see more of that once Porto really gets rolling, which they will soon enough, but I would not be worried about his position on the team whatsoever. I think if he leaves Porto, it’ll be for a better club, but I also don’t think he’s going to leave them any time soon. 

Wasn't he always voted player of the game in one of the earlier matches this season too?

[Obinna]

37 minutes ago, InglewoodJack said:

I think we’re worrying way too much here. For one, he still played very well after the World Cup- he scored two League Cup goals, started the second leg of the Inter CL matchup. This season, he’s been a starter in all four of their matches, he played 90 in 3 of them, and last week, when he was subbed out at half, the whole team wasn’t playing great, they needed a change and tried out the new kid they bought from Boca this summer who per his stat sheet didn’t exactly have a remarkable debut to his Portuguese career. 
 

Sure he had an insane run of form leading up to the World Cup- I think we’ll see more of that once Porto really gets rolling, which they will soon enough, but I would not be worried about his position on the team whatsoever. I think if he leaves Porto, it’ll be for a better club, but I also don’t think he’s going to leave them any time soon. 

I wonder if it's almost unfair to compare his form leading up to the world Cup versus afterwards.

Think about the mental edge and focus a player would have in the lead up to the World Cup. Especially a Canadian player and what that means as opposed to a player from a country that regularly participates. I feel that Eustaquio was one of those guys whose form was in part down to it being a World Cup year. He was (and still is) in his prime and clearly growing in confidence because he was finally settled in Porto after a loan where he had to prove himself.

I think he was feeling himself and was in flow during that stretch and by contrast the current period is more like a hangover. World Cup has passed and is still quite far away, plus the new feeling of finally being an established "Porto" player is gone and maybe some of the edge too.

This is all me speculating and using my imagination to explain the difference in form. I haven't watched his matches yet this season either so take it with a grain of salt.

[DeRo_Is_King]

For the record, I am not personally bothered by Eustaquio's current form, nor do I think he should move at this point. 

The concern I have is Porto fan perception and the pressure on Conceicao to start Alan Varela over Eustaquio.

[BearcatSA]

Form is temporary but class is permanent.  He'll be back on track soon enough.

[Bigandy]

Whats with the doom and gloom on staq? He was MOTM less than a month ago, and is starting regularly. He was subbed out early for one game and now it seems like the board is thinking his form has gone to trash. 

[dyslexic nam]

55 minutes ago, Bigandy said:

Whats with the doom and gloom on staq? He was MOTM less than a month ago, and is starting regularly. He was subbed out early for one game and now it seems like the board is thinking his form has gone to trash. 

Yeah I didn’t want to jump in since I haven’t tracked his every move this year but was surprised to see any talk whatsoever about a possible move.  He is playing at an elite European club (“Top 5” be damned) and has seemingly locked down a spot in central midfield.  Guys will have ups and downs over time but he is a beast.  He will sort it out.   

Edited September 5, 2023 by dyslexic nam

[InglewoodJack]

5 hours ago, DeRo_Is_King said:

For the record, I am not personally bothered by Eustaquio's current form, nor do I think he should move at this point. 

The concern I have is Porto fan perception and the pressure on Conceicao to start Alan Varela over Eustaquio.

Is there actual pressure or just fans on Twitter? Porto fans are always going to be insane just like any big clubs fans. If anything, they should have pressure to start Steph if for no reason other than they should sell him as early as possible to give Varela + Gonzalez more time to play, since they’re younger and could probably go for more in a few years. 

[Obinna]

Maybe we are the insane fans worried over whether he'll lose his spot 3 games into the season!

....as if Porto won't play another +40 games which he can get into 

[DeRo_Is_King]

@InglewoodJack @Obinna @dyslexic nam 

I'm not advocating for a move, nor am I criticizing his form. Stacks is a top-three player for us and is normally very consistent.

But the fans are upset (the things being said out there are vile, actually), and the coach subbed him out at half. Let's just see if he starts next match and go from there.

[Unnamed Trialist]

He tries to do too much in too many games. Loses his position. Doesn't hold his spot as a team player even if the game he's having is discreet, impatient to get the ball. Then isn't ready to make the sure decision with it. His coach needs to convince him of what he's there to do.

This nervous play, his and the team's, isn't good for them.

I have tickets to see Porto up the hill in the Olympic Stadium on November 28…

[DeRo_Is_King]

Eustaquio on the bench along with many other regular starters vs Estrela de Amadora today. Currently 0-0 in the 18th minute. 

Edit: Wendell and Taremi subbed on inside the first 15 minutes.

Anyone watching or can provide context to what's going on? My understanding is Estrela was awarded a penalty in the sixth minute, but it was called back after a VAR check. 

Edited September 15, 2023 by DeRo_Is_King

[narduch]

Subbed on in the 70th minute of a 1-0 win.

They play Shakhtar Doneskt on Tuesday in Champions League