The fact that the team had three managers over the course of the season is never a good sign on how that season went. And Moreirense got a pretty tough one, having escaped just narrowly. In the end, and for the second consecutive season, it was Petit to arrive in the last third of the season to (sort of) save Moreirense from relegation, again.
The season started really badly for Moreirense who could only get one win in the first 14 rounds. Coach Manuel Machado resisted only the first ten, but Sérgio Vieira was not able to get an immediate impact. Moreirense eventually improved, and under Sérgio Vieira Moreirense could get at least three wins and four draws. That however was not enough, clearly, as Moreirense continued below the relegation line, so the already habitual “savior” was called. Petit has been an expert in taking teams out of trouble in the final third of the season, having done it two seasons ago at Tondela, and last season with the very Moreirense.
The fact was that Petit did it again. It was not that Moreirense improved that much, as Petit picked the exact same amount of points that Sérgio Vieira did. However, not only some of Moreirense’s wins in this final third were in crucial matches, they got helped but the fact that some of their opponents were having a rough time in the meantime. Petit’s good run of three wins without defeat between rounds 29 and 31 was decisive, as Moreirense got into a comfortable position on the table. Comfortable enough to resist to a dramatic end of season, where Moreirense lost all three games, but still managed to survivor thanks to the combination of scores in the other matches.
The midfielder on loan from neighbours Guimarães, Tozé, was the best unit on Moreirense’s side, during the whole season. Strangely, the playmaker had some hard times to get into the first team at first. With Manuel Machado, he was mostly a substitute option, while with Sérgio Vieira Tozé started to play more as a wide forward/winger, and only slowly was set up as the main playmaker of the team playing right on the centre of the attacking midfield. Holding midfielder Alfa Semedo was a good revelation and showed a huge potential that should get him a better contract in the near future. Jonathan showed very safe hands and was a pleasant debutant on Portuguese league. Wingers Arsénio, Bilel and Zizo had a somewhat irregular season, but when on a good day, each one of them proved to be a threat to any opponent.
