May 2013
4 posts
3 tags
Hope Lives
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
The result was far from surprising. Despite the efforts of Santos’s players and coach to convince fans otherwise, everyone knew that the club’s sixteen game unbeaten run was an illusory standard to hold up. Santos in its current state is a shadow of a team, and Corinthians exposed that in stark detail. O Timão should have put the game away in just the...
3 tags
Beneficiary of the Gods' Favor
That is the only possible explanation for Santos continuing to go unbeaten despite playing like a drunkards week in and week out. Another soporific, undeserved win extended the club’s unbeaten streak This time it was over Joinville in the Copa do Brasil. Santos should have lost, but a goal from Durval from a set piece taken by Marcos Assuncão put Santos in the driver’s seat ahead of...
3 tags
Necessary Drama
[Photo Credit: lancenet.com.br]
The quarterfinal against Palmeiras was a game Santos should have won in ninety minutes. Instead, a late equalizer meant the team had to progress after a penalty shootout. The shoe was on the other foot in the semifinal against Mogi Mirim. The home side dominated the encounter, and should have put Santos to bed long before Edu Dracena’s late leveler. Once...
3 tags
Unnecessary Drama
It was a nail-biting end to the first quarterfinal of the 2013 Paulistão. When the smoke of the penalty shoot-out cleared, it was Palmeiras who wore the mantle of despondency as Santos advanced to the semifinals. Rafael was the name on everyone’s lips after his two penalty saves, but he shouldn’t have even had the chance to be the hero. Santos had enough opportunities to put the game...
April 2013
6 posts
3 tags
Shifting Gears
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
It may just be a coincidence, but since the “Esse Time Não Me Representa” campaign, there has been a new spring in Santos’s step when the team takes the pitch. The third occurrence of this phenomena was on display in the Vila Belmiro on Sunday. Goals from André and Cicero gave Santos a win over Penapolense, but the performance still left much to...
3 tags
Siege
The return leg against Flamengo-PI in the Copa do Brasil was strange. Santos dominated the entire game, and should have scored a fair number of goals above the two that did hit the back of the net. However, some poor decision making got in the way. Based on this information, the obvious conclusion appears to be that Santos played well, but it isn’t that straight forward. It was a matter of...
3 tags
Neymar Sinks the Battleship Barbarense
[Photo Credit: Denny Cesare/Agência Estadovia via Globoesporte]
There was no cause for optimism going into Santos’s clash on Saturday with União Barberense. Another woeful display from Santos against Flamengo-PI saw to that. The only thing that had changed since that encounter was an online photo blog by the club’s fans to effectively disown the team in its current state....
3 tags
Meltdown in Teresina
The plan for Santos’s debut in the Copa do Brasil was simple: fly to Teresina, and beat Flamengo-PI by at least a two goal margin to reduce the two legged affair to one game. That didn’t go so well. Santos did get a two goal lead, but proceeded to throw it away. In the end, Neymar and co. were lucky to leave with a point. Santos is still the heavy favorite given the two away goals, but...
3 tags
A Multitude Condensed to a Single Point
Santos’s game last night against São Caetano was defined by its wasted opportunities. Attack after attack went begging from Muricy Ramalho’s charges throughout the ninety minutes as the visitors hung on for dead life. In the end, a Neymar freekick was needed to save some of Santos’s blushes against the nineteenth place team in the Campeonato Paulista. The 1x1 draw left Santos in...
3 tags
A Likely and An Unlikely Hero
When it comes to Santos winning games, the name Neymar popping up is as surprising as the sun rising. Against Oeste he was on the score sheet again after a four game hiatus. However, that goal was unable to secure a win. It took another source to give Santos all three points. The tale of the tape will show that Cicero scored the winner, but it was Durval who was the true hero. It was the...
March 2013
7 posts
3 tags
Turning a Win into a Draw
[Photo Credit: Lance!/Ivan Storti]
The sparse crowd present at the Vila Belmiro on Thursday night was treated to yet another spectacle outlining all that is wrong with Santos at the moment. The return of Neymar and Montillo helped Santos to score two goals, but defensive lapses gave Mogi the opportunity to snatch a draw. It was a deserved draw for the away side based on the pattern of play....
3 tags
The Circle of Torture
Sunday’s derby between Palmeiras and Santos showed two teams in a similar yet different type of limbo. Palmeiras have a defined way of playing which governs how they defend and go forward. Their only problem on Sunday was ineptitude in front of goal. Santos on the other hand had no defining characteristic, and continued to produce lethargic football in attack. The team’s defensive play...
4 tags
Givanildo Saves The Day
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
With Neymar on international duty, the big issue going into Thursday night’s game against Mirassol came down to who would fill his shoes. Patito, Felipe, and Miralles’s feet were smaller than was required. Fortunately, Giva’s were big enough on the night. He struck his first and second goal for the club to secure a come from behind win for...
3 tags
An Ode To Adriano
Like any title winning campaign, Santos’s road to a third Copa Libertadores title was decorated by memorable moments. Goals like Elano’s long range freekick, Danilo’s howitzer against Cerro Porteño, and Neymar’s opener in the final come to mind, as well as Rafael’s goalkeeping masterclass against Club América. Of course, in terms of overall displays, Neymar’s...
3 tags
More of the Same
Last Saturday evening saw the rematch between last year’s Campeonato Paulista finalists on the calendar for twelfth round. However, only one of the teams has a chance to return to the final as Guarani are languishing in the lower depths of the table. Predictably, the significant difference between Santos’ league position of that of the visitors was nowhere to be seen on the pitch....
3 tags
The Aura of Defeat
[Photo Credit: santos.com.br]
No, Santos didn’t lose to Atlético Soracaba over the weekend. No, it wasn’t a draw. A goal from André was enough to clinch all three points after Montillo’s opener was rendered obsolete by Tiago Marques’s superb finish. It’s the way the victory was achieved that sticks in the craw. Atlético isn’t even in Serie D, and yet the...
3 tags
Clássico of the Disinterested
[Photo Credit: santos.com.br]
The end of the first game of the year between Santos and Corinthians was marked by boos permeating the air from both sets of supporters. 0x0 draws need not be boring, but this time the scoreline was a succinct summary of the game’s action. The difference between either team’s apathy was stark. Corinthians clearly had both eyes on their midweek...
February 2013
5 posts
3 tags
Lady Luck's Favor
[Photo Credit: santos.com.br]
Unsurprisingly, Santos showed no sign of emerging from the slump that the team has been in since the start of the year against XV de Piracicaba. This lack of drive and purpose somehow failed to result in another defeat as two goals from André were enough to secure a comeback victory against the team from the interior. It was an undeserved win on the balance on...
4 tags
Pathetic
In early 2011 Adilson Batista was coach of Santos. The lethargic football the team produced soon saw him packing his bags. Two years later, his replacement, Muricy Ramalho, has Santos playing the same standard of football. The latest debacle this year was last Sunday’s lost to Ponte Preta. The use of a new 4-3-2-1 formation failed miserably as Ponte easily claimed a 3x1 victory. It’s...
3 tags
The Carnaval Blues
Last weekend was Carnaval time in Brazil, and Santos was definitely in a celebratory mood. A “home” game on Sunday against Paulista in the Pacaembu was sure to bring out a huge crowd, and a win would go over nicely as an appetizer for the celebrations to follow. That plan went awry quite quickly. Santos lost 3x1 on the back of a dismal performance. The humiliation meant that Ponte...
3 tags
A Point Out of Nothing
With Neymar, Arouca,and Montillo off on international duty, it was going to be interesting to see how the team coped with their absence away to Linense. That didn’t go too well. The home side thoroughly dominated the fixture, but a controversial penalty converted by Miralles was enough to give Santos a point. The 2x2 draw combined with other favorable results meant that the top of the...
3 tags
El Matador
All the talk coming into the first San-São derby of the year was the return of Ganso to the Vila Belmiro to play against Neymar for the first time. After the game, neither player held the spotlight. Miralles’s time on the bench up to this point belittles his status as the best striker in the squad. In his second start of the season—this time in his correct position—he showed...
January 2013
15 posts
I Am Cícero
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
The new signing that has been getting most of the press is Renê Júnior (or Yaya Renê as he is being called), but another name has been quietly building its stock in the eyes of Santos fans. Since his arrival from São Paulo, Cícero has been showing that his departure from O Tricolor was clearly not talent related. The versatile midfielder has already established...
Salvaging a Draw
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
A result like this was coming. Santos’ two wins this season were far from convincing against teams that who play at a lower level than Serie B. Up stepped a side currently plying their trade in the second division in the form of Bragantino. They showed exactly how out of form Santos is at the moment. It took a last minute penalty from Neymar to save a point...
3 tags
Copinha Champions!
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
Twenty nine years and three days ago, Santos were crowned as champions of the Copa São Paulo. That team sat undefeated on top of Brazilian youth football as the best of twenty-four participants. Many things have changed since that day. For one, the competition today is a bit bigger. This year a whopping one hundred teams from across the country battled for the...
3 tags
The Towers of ReNêymar
[Photo Credit: santosfc.com.br]
Choosing a MOTM for Santos fans is a task that is often the equivalent of breathing. It’s at the point where a leaf should be taken out of Placar’s book, and Neymar should be declared ineligible for the award. Working from that basis, Renê Júnior was the highlight of the 3x0 win over Botafogo-SP. He didn’t score or get an assist, but his work at...
3 tags
Neilton Goes Nuclear
[Photo Credit: santos.com.br]
The nucleus of the current Santos Copinha squad was the same group of players who participated in the tournament last year. One of these players is Neilton. In last year’s edition of the competition, the comparisons with Neymar were abundant. This was not only in relation to his playing style, but the identical crime against haircuts that they both sported....
4 tags
Off To A Running Start
[Photo Credit: santos.com.br]
The way the first official game of the new season unfolded was no surprise. In addition to the issue of working off the holiday sluggishness, the team had to adjust to five new players in the starting XI. It all turned out for the best thought as Santos walked away with a 3x1 win against São Bernardo. One game played, three points gained. The defense of the State...
3 tags
Gabriel Saves
Santos’ configuration against Náutico seemed to be right one, but it failed to reproduce its productivity yesterday when confronted by Grêmio Osasco. However, while the outfield players failed to live up to the show that they put on two days ago, Gabriel was still vigilant. The young goalkeeper made several key saves during normal time, and was not at fault for the equalizer that eventually...
2 tags
So It Begins
[Photo Credit: santos.com.br]
Last night’s friendly in the Pacaembu gave Santos’ fans their first glimpse of the team’s new face in action. The visage was pleasing to look at. The new look starting XI jumped out to a 2x0 lead in a energetic first half before handing the baton off to the reserves. Two more goals were added in the much more pedestrian second phase to...
3 tags
The Comeback and The Rout
Santos’ displays in the group stage could be described as lukewarm at best. There were critical problems going into today’s first knockout round encounter, and the feeling was that if they weren’t resolved, Santos would be going home early. I think it’s safe to say that almost all of the solutions were found. Náutico grabbed a surprise early lead, but Santos roared back...
2 tags
Training Game
The first action of Santos’ season occurred behind closed doors at the CT Rei Pelé yesterday. Although there were no cameras, Globoesporte did a live blog as the game progressed. Guarani-MG was easily dispatched 5x0 with goals from Cícero, Bill, Rafael Galhardo, Victor Andrade, and André. The minnows had their chances but were denied by the sharpness of Rafael (first half), Vladimir, and...
3 tags
Into The Knockout Rounds
Going into the last group game of the Copinha, Santos’ place in the next stage was already booked, but there was the goal of getting top spot. That was reached with a 0x0 draw against Corinthians-AL. A lively first half in which the post denied Santos three times gave way to a deflated second where Corinthians were dangerous on the counter-attack. After three games the team hasn’t...
3 tags
Stéfano Yuri Downs São Mateus
The man whose name is an homage to the great Alfredo di Stéfano was given the start after his impressive cameo in the first game. He repaid the coach’s faith by scoring the only goal of the game to give Santos their second win, thus securing passage from the group stage. Largely however, Stéfano and most of his teammates - Lucas Otàvio being the only exception - failed to impress. The...
4 tags
An Uninspiring Debut
Santos’ first match of the 2013 Copinha isn’t one that will stick in the memory. The team struggled to impress despite dominating most of the game against Remo. The torrential rain was a major factors, but there is much room for improvement before the next encounter. Despite the poor display, 3x0 was the final score as Stefano Yuri’s late cameo secured two late goals.
Ir could...
4 tags
The Copinha Draws Near
[Photo Credit: Terra Esporte]
The biggest youth tournament in Brazil begins tomorrow. One hundred and four youth teams from across the country have descended on the city of São Paulo to begin the journey towards the coveted prize. Out the 100 contestants, there can be only one standing on January 25. Is that the Highlander theme song I hear?
Santos will be located in the city...
4 tags
Santos 2012 Season Review
Introduction
2012: the 100th year of the existence of Santos as a football club. 2012: a year in which Santos won two more trophies. 2012: the year that promising much and delivered very little.
Here I sit with my pen hovering over a page my laptop open as the Earth prepares to begin a new cycle around the Sun, looking on what 2012 was for Santos Futebol Clube. I don’t think...
December 2012
5 posts
2 tags
The Case of Robinho and Nenê
[Photo Source: gazetaesportivo.net]
In 2002, two players who were mirror images of each other pulled on a Santos first team jersey for the first time. One was a fresh-faced, right-footed 18 year-old attacker from the club’s youth system. The other was a fresh-faced left-footed 21 year-old attacking midfielder who was bought from Palmeiras. The latter, Nenê, only stayed at the club for a...
4 tags
The 2002 Brasileirão Title Revisited
[Photo Source: santosfc.com.br]
Ten years. It has been ten years since Santos’ eighteen year drought of major trophies ended. It has been ten years since that day that produced another tangible marker of Santos’ place in the upper echelons of Brazilian football. That fateful December day, eleven players stepped onto the Morumbi pitch wearing the famous black and white kit. Ninety...
4 tags
Lucas Otávio
[Photo Source: Santos FC’s Flickr account]
The diminutive defensive midfielder with the sonar-esque range of passing is progressing wonderfully.
Remember the name.
4 tags
Neymar Makes History
Earlier this week at the Brasileirão end of season awards (known as the Silver Ball ceremony), a historic event occurred After accruing an average rating of 7.12 for the year from Placar (perhaps Brazil’s most prestigious football magazine), Neymar received the “honor” of being labelled hors concours. To put it simply, he will no longer be in the running for the top end of...
5 tags
This Is The Way The Season Ends
[Photo Credit: Ivan Storti/santosfc.com.br]
As far as season ending games go, Santos x Palmeiras was an immiscible mixture of exciting and boring. The goleada that every Santista wanted threatened to rear its head in the first half as Neymar grabbed a brace and an assist. However, it went back into the murky depths in the second half which was a non-event. In the end, Santos had three goals,...
November 2012
5 posts
3 tags
Santos' Rule Of Two
Two there should be; no more, no less. One to create, the other to finish.
Pelé and Coutinho
[Photo Credit: lance.com.br]
Pita and Juary
[Photo: globoesporte.com.br]
[Photo Credit: portogente.com.br]
Diego and Robinho
Neymar and Ganso
If you have no idea where the inspiration for this came from, here it is.
5 tags
The Damp Clássico
A clássico with nothing else but pride on the line for both teams is still often expected to throw up some excitement. Corinthians x Santos was not one of these games. The home side dominated for most of the game even with six starters absent, but Santos could have snatched all three points. A win seemed to be on the cards until Muricy Ramalho decided to test the amount of pressure the...
10K For Such A Day
[Photo: santos.com.br]
Saturday’s encounter between the Vila Belmiro between Santos and Figuierense held as much meaning as a babbling baby. Promoting a game between an already relegated team against one who lost interest weeks ago must be the stuff of nightmares. Surprisingly though, a crowd of little over 10,000 people showed up to watch. I doubt they went home feeling that they got...
5 tags
Oh Well
There were a lot of factors in Santos’ favor. Atlético-GO were being forced to play a home game all the way in Brasilia, which meant that Santos fans (and Neymar fans) far outnumbered their supporters. Add their confirmed relegation from the week before (something that was never in doubt to be honest), and the pendulum would be accused of being a Santista. On the other hand, the Atlético-GO...
5 tags
Demolishing The Fox's Den
[Photo Credit: santos.com/br]
After being burned in the past two weeks, I was my usual pessimistic self going into Saturday’s game against Cruzeiro. The recent struggles of Montillo and co. were known to me, but I was sure that Santos were just as bad. I was wrong. Cruzeiro were an utter shambles, and Neymar punished them with the wrath of Zeus. He grabbed a hat-trick and an assist in...
October 2012
9 posts
4 tags
Torture
Apparently Santos played a game against Naútico last night. Apparently I watched it. I remember a 0x0 scoreline, and I have a slight recollection of a performance almost as bad as the tripe the team produced against Ponte Preta. Luckily, the technique I developed to destroy nightmarish memories is working well. Only five more games left until the end of the season. Cruzeiro are up next.
Moving...
3 tags
Neymar's Response to DIS
A DIS não pode falar nada a meu respeito. Eles deveriam ficar quietos. Têm um percentual dos meus direitos, é verdade, mas não mandam nada na minha carreira. Quem fala sobre o meu futuro são somente eu e meu pai. Peço que vocês acreditem em mim. Quero ficar no Santos. O dia em que eu decidir ir embora vocês ficarão sabendo por mim ou pelo meu pai, por mais ninguém.
DIS can’t say...
3 tags
Regression
Grêmio 1x1 Santos
Santos 1x1 Internacional
Botafogo 0x2 Santos
Santos 2x0 Vasco
Santos 2x2 Atlético Mineiro
An away win without Neymar, two draws without him for most of the 180 minutes, a win against the team in fifth, and a draw against arguably the best team in the country. All commendable displays by Santos in the last couple of weeks. Now we come to yesterday’s result.
Ponte Preta...
