Benfica’s coach challenges players like Prestianni, Sudakov, and Schjelderup to improve their numbers: Attacking players have to reach double digits in a season. Anything less than that is for midfielders and centre=backs.
José Mourinho, Benfica’s coach, speaking to reporters after the 2-1 victory over Alverca at the Estádio da Luz:
What does Benfica need to do to transform control into tranquility?
“Scoring goals. There are players who, by nature, have a knack for scoring. Anísio has a knack for scoring. He’s blessed. He arrives, heads the ball, and scores. There are other players who don’t score many goals. I’m trying to change that in our more offensive players. The goal that Schjelderup scored today is one that I love, because it’s a tap-in , a touch on the ball, but it’s about following the play, having the ambition to score, and being greedy. We don’t have many greedy players. On the contrary, we have many players who don’t like sweets. The sweets are right there, and they don’t go for them. I like greedy offensive players, and we don’t have many with that DNA. Look at the statistical history of these attacking players of ours: how many goals have Prestianni, Sudakov, and Schjelderup scored in their careers? We’re talking about very good players, who are improving in many aspects of the game, but we need to improve our numbers. Attacking players need to score more than nine goals. They need to reach double digits in a season. Less than double digits is for midfielders and centre=backs who only get there occasionally.
Regarding what Rafa offers in comparison to Sudakov
He provides more depth than Sudakov. Sudakov drops deeper than him and gets involved in the game in central areas. During the first half, I wondered if Sudakov wasn’t missing to continue our attacking play, but he’s not making good decisions in the final third. Rafa provides more depth and gets forward more often. In the second half, there’s a chance he gets into the box and deflects the ball onto the post. He gets there in those kinds of situations. Playing them both together is an option for us. Sometimes there’s a tendency to say that when one player is there, the other isn’t. A big team needs this, and I think that next week, against Aves, we might also have Lukebakio, who will give us a different kind of game.