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EL-QR2-L2: PAOK FC - Lokomotiva Zagreb (23-Jul-15, 20:00 GR)


pash

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PAOK.jpg vs LokZagreb.jpg

 

 

MATCHUP:   NK Lokomotiva Zagreb - P.A.O.K. Thessaloniki

COMPETITION: Europa League - Qualifying Round 2 - Leg 2 

DATE:   23-July-2015

TIME:    20:00 GR (19:00CET, 13:00 EST)

CITY/STADIUM:   Thessaloniki - Toumba (28,703)

REFEREES:  Carlos Miguel Taborda Xistra

TELEVISION:   Novas Sport 2 (Greece), Arena Sport 1 (Croatia, Sebia, FYROM, Bosnia) 

 

 

The second leg approaches. Thanks to the goal from Mak, we are still in this. Let's hope the crowd at Toumba gives them a proper welcome.

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Let me know if any of the above info is wrong and I will update. Unsurprisingly, I am a poor replacement for Blackhawk.

 

 

First thing's first - who's going to play? I'm assuming we'll again see the 3-CB defense, and with Lucas possibly in contention, we might see a 3-5-2 as in the below:

 

 

                      --Olsen--

        --Vitor--Costa--Poungouras--

                      --Kace--

   --Kitsiou--Pelkas--Charisis--Mak--

             --Lucas--Mistikidis--

 

Not so sure about that third CB, since the only trio that Tudor has consistently played includes Vitor/Costa/Tzavellas. But frankly, Tzavellas has to go (and I hope Arnesen and Tudor have figured that out by now). I also don't think we need two DMs (especially with how poor Tziolis is), and frankly we have nothing to lose at this point - we need goals, damn it, and lots of them.

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That's actually quite a nice 11.  The back 3, pfft, they scare the s%$#! out of me, but how can I not be scared of our defense after the last 6 months.  From Kace onwards, it's quite a nice selection.  Kace, Pelkas, Charisis and Mistakidis.  Would Tudor play so many youngsters together in such a critical game ?  Having said that, Kace isn't a youngster.  He's a full senior player now.

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Our problems in the back have remained for three seasons so far, but surely the TD will try to remedy this.

 

Of that group, it's not just Kace who has experience at this point - Mak, Lucas, and Kitsiou are all old hands by now, and Pelkas at least got a few dozen appearances last year. I think for once, we might actually have some depth in the midfield - apart from DM, where Kace is literally the only option we have that isn't horribly out of shape or just plain bad.

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Pash, you are not a poor replacement. You rock!!

Referee will be the Portuguese Carlos Miguel Taborda Xistra. Do not know him, although he apparently has led the bye-bye game of the Netherlands against Ghana just before WC 2014 according to wiki.

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Good job pash while I enjoy my trip in your neck of the woods.

I would like to see Rat in you lineup. I think Tudor needs to play four defensmen. I don't think we have players for 3-5-2

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Thanks fearless leader, hope you're enjoying yourself. Today was one of the most miserably humid (and hot!) days I've seen in years. 95 degrees with 75% humidity? No, thanks.

 

 

I know people prefer Kitsiou to Skondras, but I think in a 4-person defense, Skondras is still the better option. Thing is, if Lucas plays, then he's also a better option than Kitsiou. Below would be my picks, in that case:

 

                        --Olsen--

        --Skondras--Vitor--Costa--Rat--

                  --Noboa--Kace--

             --Lucas--Pelkas--Mak--

                    --Mistikidis--

 

If we're going back to the 2 DMs, at least Noboa should be able to play there with Kace. Would still give the start to Pelkas over Charisis, as I think it would be a shame to not see him start.

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So it sounds like they're talking about a 4-4-2 as in the below. I think the only thing I can say about it, is at least it doesn't have Tzavellas in the lineup.

 

                        --Olsen--

        --Kitsiou--Vitor--Costa--Rat--

                  --Tziolis--Kace--

          --Pelkas--           --Mak--

                 --Lucas--Salpi--

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I think Salpi should be, at best, a sub (but it sounds like Tudor does not agree). My guess is one of Mistakidis or Koulouris. Mistakidis is a second striker and winger (so essentially, he's Pereyra) who has been training since the beginning and has been doing well, while Koulouris is a CF who only just rejoined the team.

 

Personally, I'd pick Mistakidis and use Koulouris as a possible sub.

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Thanks fearless leader, hope you're enjoying yourself. Today was one of the most miserably humid (and hot!) days I've seen in years. 95 degrees with 75% humidity? No, thanks.

                   

 

Yes it was hot and I was running around and sweating with my son at Brown University, as opposed to the day before when it was only 75 degrees and I was at a Newport beach. Wish I could have switched the two days. Back home now, but will be back in RI in two weeks. Thanks to Bajewy for all the info on what to do in the area. Hopefully in two weeks I might be able to visit his establishment.

 

As for the game, I don't know how much Tudor can trust Lucas to start him. Will Lucas give his all? I am kind of worried about this game. Lokomotiva seems to be good only at counter attacks, so we need to watch our defense (hence the 4 man defense line) . After all all we need is a 1:0 score to advance. The longer we will go without scoring the harder things will get for us. Consider also the hot weather, and the players might be dropping like flies after the first 30 minutes.   

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Blackhawk, in my mind the whole problem with the team is you can't trust any of them to perform on any given day.  Our players are so up and down.

 

I would say the only player you know what you're going to get is Kace.  That's it.  You know that say 8 or 9 out of 10 games, he'll perform at a given standard.  All the rest, and I mean all the rest, you don't know what you're going to get.  Some are obviously better than others in terms of their consistency, but honestly, it feels like a roll of the dice a lot of the time.

 

Will Lucas play if selected ?  Hold on, let me roll some dice and I'll give you an answer .... ;)

Edited by Bananas
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Tudor stated today during his press conference that Lucas and Noboa will not start, but I see both of them getting playing time depending on the scoreline.

 

I think we will see something like this:

 

 --------------- Olsen --------------

 Kitsiou -- Vitor -- Costa -- Rat

 ------ Tziolis ------- Kace ------

Mystakidis -- Pelkas ---- Mak

---------------- Salpi ---------------

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Didn't he say Rat and Noboa were the ones that weren't starting? Still, the above is an improvement over last time. I hope Mistikidis takes this chance and runs with it.

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I actually don't mind it Blackhawk.  Or I should say, I'm happy to try it for a while.  Our normal 4-2-3-1 wasn't exactly uber successful and we were leaking goals like crazy.

 

The system in and of itself means nothing.  How attacking or defensive it is depends on the midfield.  If the 2 wingbacks and the 3 in the middle play close to the defensive line, then it's a defensive system.  If they are instructed to generally not track back, then it's attacking.  Like any system, it's fluid and it all depends what happens in the game.

 

It's like when I see line ups of teams when they play say Barcelona or Man Utd.  And the opposition are 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1, but once the game starts, the opposition are more like 4-6-0 with 4 in the backline standing at the "D" of their box, and the other 6 players 3 metres in front of them.

Edited by Bananas
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