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Greekaroos

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Everything posted by Greekaroos

  1. Greece should be well prepared having played Bosnia & Herzegovina in WCQ recently. Croatia just like Bosnia & Herzegovina have a very dangerous, big striker whom is good in the air, two world class playmakers but if there is a weakness it might be their defense.
  2. I feel Greece will be more comfortable again Croatia’s style rather than more direct style of Denmark.
  3. European World Cup play-off draw: Northern Ireland v Switzerland Denmark v Republic of Ireland Croatia v Greece Sweden v Italy The games will take place on a home and away basis, with the first legs between 9 and 11 November and the second legs between 12 and 14 November.
  4. Probably Gekas when he scored all five goals in Greece’s 5-2 win over Latvia in a 2010 WCQ match?
  5. Greece to play either Italy, Switzerland, Croatia or Denmark in play offs...the draw takes place on Oct 17... Seeded: Switzerland, Italy, Croatia, Denmark. Unseeded: Northern Ireland, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Greece
  6. TOROSIDIS CITES TRIP DOWN UNDER AS GREECE’S TURNING POINT Greece captain Vasilis Torosidis said that last summer’s trip to Australia was the turning point in helping the team recover from the shock of missing out on Euro 2016 and qualify for the World Cup playoffs. Michael Skibbe’s team booked their place in the playoffs following a straightforward 4-0 home win over whipping boys Gibraltar on Tuesday which saw them end their Group H campaign in second place and go through as one of the best runners-up. The unseeded Greeks will now enter next week’s draw and face one of European football’s big guns in the playoffs which will take place next month. And Torosidis, who scored the first goal in the 4-0 win at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium in Piraeus, says the key to Greece’s consistency in this campaign was a soul-searching trip to Australia to play two friendlies in the summer of 2016. “The poor performances before that time when we failed to qualify for the Euro (2016) was not normal by our standards,” said Torosidis. He added: “The defeats to the Faroe Islands, without underestimating our opponents, were something unprecedented for us. We closed that chapter though and sought to move on. During that trip to Australia we all sat down, players and coaches, as well as the administration, and did a lot of talking and solved a lot of issues.” Greece visited Australia for two friendlies in June 2016, losing one match against the Socceroos 1-0 while winning the other 2-1, before returning to embark on what has been an impressive qualifying campaign for Russia 2018. “We know we will have a difficult draw,” said Torosidis of the upcoming World Cup playoff draw. “All the teams are very good at this stage; let's just hope we avoid Italy,” he added. “We have shown what kind of team we can be during the last few months and we are almost there.” For his part, coach Michael Skibbe said he doesn’t mind who Greece are paired with in the draw, which takes place next Tuesday, October 17. “My goal since taking charge of the team has always been to qualify for the World Cup and I think we’ll make it through the playoffs,” said the German. “I don’t have a particular preference in terms of the team we will face. I’m just happy that we’ve made it and let’s see next week who we will be drawn with,” he added, before highlighting the unity in his squad as a key factor. “If you don’t play as a compact unit then you can’t do it. We’ve been successful because we do just that. Everybody is playing their part and playing for the team.” “I think it’s been a very impressive and professional qualifying campaign from our side. Although we had some poor results lately drawing at home with Estonia and then losing to Belgium but in the end this point we got against Estonia was still important.”
  7. I’ve been critical of Tziolis for at least the last 7 years but for once I thought he played his defensive midfield roll quiet solidly against Cyprus. Forgot about the goal he scored but I thought he shielded the defense very well. His passing game wasn’t creative but he kept the ball moving towards the more creating/attacking players. In saying that I hope we see Zeca & Siopis against Gibraltar.
  8. For anyone in Australia with Foxtel wanting to watch the full match replay between Cyprus v Greece go to WatchESPN formerly ESPN3 using your Foxtel username & login. http://www.espn.com/watch/
  9. With only the match at home to Gibraltar remaining for Greece in Group H if we look at Greece’s 2018 World Cup campaign, the Estonia match at home (0-0) was by far the biggest disappointment. The one & only loss for Greece against Belgium at home was probably it’s best performance. Belgium away along with Bosnia & Herzegovina away are usually impossible places for even the best to win & Greece got draws in both & possibly very close to winning both.
  10. In Australia the USA & Canada you will never have a problem getting the telecast of Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland matches.
  11. This match is a good opportunity to get rid of any rustiness or lack of confidence in front of goal. Scoring goals can become a habit & if players like Mantalos, Donis etc can put away a couple goals, although against Gibraltar it can help mentally.
  12. Hopefully Scotland don’t win away to Slovenia tomorrow & then Greece can focus on Gibraltar & the play-off. There are a few more results that can help but it would good if Slovenia don’t lose to not have to wait.
  13. Below is Greece’s full roster for the qualifiers against Cyprus and Gibraltar Goalkeepers: Giannis Anestis (AEK), Stefanos Kapino (Olympiacos), Orestis Karnezis (Watford) Defenders: Vassilis Torosidis (Bologna), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (B. Dortmund), Kostas Manolas (Roma), Panagiotis Retsos (Bayer Leverkusen), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (Hamburg), Kostas Stafylidis (Augsburg), Giorgos Tzavellas (Alanyaspor) Midfielders: Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Olympiacos), Andreas Samaris (Benfica), Giannis Maniatis (Alyanspor), Alexandros Tziolis (Al-Fayha), Carlos Zeca (FC Kobehavn), Dimitris Kourbelis (Panathinaikos), Kostas Fortounis (Olympiacos), Petros Mantalos (AEK), Giannis Gianniotas (Real Valladolid), Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (AEK) Forwards: Dimitris Diamantakos (Karlsruhe), Kostas Mitroglou (Marseille), Tasos Bakasetas (AEK), Tasos Donis (VfB Stuttgart)
  14. In the next few weeks, Lucas Villafanez will obtain his Greek citizenship and will be eligible to play for the Greek national team. Lucas Villafanez has openly stated that he would like to follow Carlos Zeca’s footsteps in obtaining Greek citizenship and to play for Greece’s national team. The Panathinaikos man is in the tail end of the naturalization process (started in 2014) as his paperwork is expected to be completed within the next two weeks. Once Villafanez officially becomes “Greek,” it will be up to Greece coach Michael Skibbe if the 25-year old will earn a call-up to the Ethniki. The German coach, however, has openly expressed his belief in Villafanez’s potential and his call-up to the Greek team should not come as a surprise. The Panathinaikos man can play both as an attacking midfielder, but also as a winger, a position that Greece currently has limited options in. Villfanez’s official neutralization process will not be ready in time for Greece’s next games, which are scheduled for October 7th and 10th, but if the Ethniki qualifies for the World Cup qualifying playoffs in November, Villafanez will likely be available for a call-up. Although Villafanez was born and raised in Argentina, his maternal great-grandfather was from Piraeus. The youngster has played for Argentina’s youth national teams and has played in Greece since 2014. For two seasons he played at Panetolikos before signing with his current team, Panathinaikos in 2016.
  15. Greece can only come out with the same intensity as in their last match against Belgium where although they lost, played very well & could of easily won if the luck didn't go against them. The rest ain't in their hands but with a bit of fortune could go it's way. In my opinion Belgium will thump Bosnia whom remember are playing without supporters & in most of the other groups the 2nd & 3rd place teams play each other.
  16. Greece travel next to Nicosia to play Cyprus away on 7 October 2017 needing a win & hope that Bosnia & Herzegovina don't win at home to Belgium.
  17. Donis will trouble most defenses but isn't a 15-20 goals a season player that will be much more valuable playing together with Mitroglou rather than having the defenders put most of their attention on him. I'm confident Greece will get the results against Cyprus away & Gibraltar at home but let's just hope Bosnia don't win both of their matches.
  18. I don't believe Donis would be as affective in the number 9 strikers position as he is when used in the 2nd forward/winger roll similar to what Karelis or Salpingidis used to play. Greece have to be very tight defensively at the back & in the midfield & hope for a goal or two by I don't whom if Mitroglou is out. Stafylidis cracker from a distance because I reckon Kyriakos Pap would have more or a chance scoring than Vellios or Diamantakos at the moment if he was given the strikers duty. One positive for Greece is that Belgium only know one way to play & that is direct & attack, attack, attack which means at some stage(s) Greece will get chances to score on the counter attack.
  19. Greece has built a reputation of producing world class defenders, ever since Euro 2004. Lucky to have Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Kostas Manolas & now Panagiotos Retsos being part of Greece's national team & with their ages between 19 & 29 we should have a few more good years of all four available.
  20. As long as he can stay fit & healthy he will score goals in just about any league. Especially in the Ligue 1 where just like in the Portugese Primeira Liga it is more attack oriented.
  21. He also owns Granada where Karnezis was on loan during the 2013/2014 Spanish La Liga season but now have been relegated down a division. Hopefully Karnezis can get a decent amount of matches under his belt at Watford & most probably get a permanent contract if he helps then stay in the EPL. It's not going to be easy with Gomez being a regular part of the team in the last couple of seasons.
  22. Lack of world class strikers. Without Kostas Mitroglou Greece have nothing up front. Seriously 0-0 at home to a team like Estonia whom Belgium thumped 8-1 & Bosnia & Herzegovina 5-0. Theofanis Gekas used to fill the position when Mitroglou was injured & although missed many chances always had a great goal ratio at club or international level because he was hungry for goals & would get into goal scoring positions. Now we have s****!
  23. With this match against Estonia so close to the match against Belgium you will probably find that Greece will need to use a different midfield or formation for each match. Samaris might be used as a 2nd half substitute against Estonia & have him fresh & ready for a huge battle in the midfield against Belgium.
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