Nations League - Game #3 - Hungary v. Greece (Olympic Stadium, Athens) - October 12, 2018

[Dean97]

3 minutes ago, Argy said:

Slowness is a big problem. Not only with our individual players, but with team pace and distribution. We always seem to slow down the pace to an almost still level by taking too much time with the ball or by making the lazy back pass way more often than needed.

Yeah true. It doesn't help having a slow Bakasetas on the wing either. I saw how Fortounis tried to put him through and stopped running. Anyone else would have gotten to it. 

Some players might be in form but there are some that are not talented enough to move the ball around effectively from midfield. Kourbelis and Zeca are an example. We need players that are creative in midfield that play smart passes. We also need faster and more technical wingers and this is where Fetfatzidis comes in. 

[Dean97]

I also agree that Skibbe's bad tactics and formation is the reason why players like Pelkas and Kourbelis don't perform that well in the national team as they for their clubs. That's on the coach. 

[georgelaz]

how does his tactics effect kourbelis though? kourbelis was really good that game he did with boucha. this game he wasn't as much of a force. 

[Chris Tsamados]

We need to play with two strikers and just take more shots at goal, that'd be a start.

[La Mendel]

*with a hypocritical expression on his face* Maybe Skibbe isnt that bad.

[La Mendel]

First half was crappy indeed. Kourbelis was bad, Bakasetas worse. Pelkas did nothing. No wonder Mitroglou was invisible for a long time, Fortounis had to help the defenders yet he was the only one who was sometimes threatening.

Before the second half, when I saw Tziolis standing beside the fourth official I literally buried my face. To be fair, he was not that bad. He won several headers and his performance was better than that of Kourbelis. Tsimikas was really great with that cross before the goal and a single chance was enough for Mitroglou. Excellent finish though, he towered over that defender.

Last 25 minutes were shaky but our defensive display wasnt half bad. We even had several opportunities (Papastathopoulos, Christodoulopoulos) but we couldnt score. And in the last minute came Bakasetas (the single really crap player in the starting XI which was okay btw). But for the referee, he would have given a penalty away. This guy must be kicked out of the squad. Some days ago I thought even Aravidis (who plays for OFI now) would be a better squad inclusion than this guy. He cannot score. He gives away too many balls (think of the yellow card of Sokratis). He is slow. He cant make any dribbles. His focus is below average.

Barkas 6 - Bakakis 6, Manolas 7, Papastathopoulos 8, Tsimikas 6.5 - Zeca 5.5, Fortounis 6, Kourbelis 4.5 (Tziolis 5.5, 46th) - Bakasetas 3.5, Mitroglou 6 (Bouchalakis 0, 93rd), Pelkas 4 (Christodoulopoulos 5.5, 78th).

[georgelaz]

 

[georgelaz]

nice idea

Barkas 8 (clean sheet) - Bakakis 8, Manolas 8, Papastathopoulos 9, Tsimikas 8 - Zeca 5, Fortounis 7, Kourbelis 4 (Tziolis 7, 46th) - Bakasetas 4, Mitroglou 8 (Bouchalakis 0, 93rd), Pelkas 4 (Christodoulopoulos 7, 78th).

it was a good defensive display. our midfield barely offered any chield till tziolis went in so considering hungary was rawdogging us all night you gotta give our backline credit and also our fullbacks for being the main attacking threat. bakakis winning headers out there

it's a clean sheet win. i'm happy

Edited October 12, 2018 by georgelaz

[La Mendel]

You were more generous with the defenders. After all, you may be right. They didnt concede and saved Skibbes ass and our asses.

Barkas was indeed very solid. He caught everything: crosses, free kicks, shots. There were no rebounds.

[georgelaz]

it was a defensive masterclass overall. 3/4 on yellow cards by 20th minute and remained steady. Sokratis getting all ball multiple times in the box with slides

people say we don't play pretty but defense is an art as well and I was entertained. of course i'm biased cuz i'm a ethiniki fanboy though. i'm used too our heart attack games literally went down to the wire. gerasa 10 xronia

Edited October 12, 2018 by georgelaz

[Argy]

What really bothered me is that Skibbe was seconds from subbing Mitroglou for Koulouris. His midfield was once again impotent and gave Mitro no service at all, yet Skibbe opted to sub in a lesser striker to receive the same service. Both Tziolis and Koulouris decisions were scary bad, all while Lazaro and Fetfa were on the bench. Skibbe just seems to be reading the game wrong. 

[La Mendel]

Maybe he thinks: "lets make a change, perhaps something will happen". No one can be that stupid though (on second thought).

[Ellada2004]

43 minutes ago, La Mendel said:

First half was crappy indeed. Kourbelis was bad, Bakasetas worse. Pelkas did nothing. No wonder Mitroglou was invisible for a long time, Fortounis had to help the defenders yet he was the only one who was sometimes threatening.

Before the second half, when I saw Tziolis standing beside the fourth official I literally buried my face. To be fair, he was not that bad. He won several headers and his performance was better than that of Kourbelis. Tsimikas was really great with that cross before the goal and a single chance was enough for Mitroglou. Excellent finish though, he towered over that defender.

Last 25 minutes were shaky but our defensive display wasnt half bad. We even had several opportunities (Papastathopoulos, Christodoulopoulos) but we couldnt score. And in the last minute came Bakasetas (the single really crap player in the starting XI which was okay btw). But for the referee, he would have given a penalty away. This guy must be kicked out of the squad. Some days ago I thought even Aravidis (who plays for OFI now) would be a better squad inclusion than this guy. He cannot score. He gives away too many balls (think of the yellow card of Sokratis). He is slow. He cant make any dribbles. His focus is below average.

Barkas 6 - Bakakis 6, Manolas 7, Papastathopoulos 8, Tsimikas 6.5 - Zeca 5.5, Fortounis 6, Kourbelis 4.5 (Tziolis 5.5, 46th) - Bakasetas 3.5, Mitroglou 6 (Bouchalakis 0, 93rd), Pelkas 4 (Christodoulopoulos 5.5, 78th).

Good assessment. Pelkas has been disappointing in these matches his decision making with the ball is awful at times. With Bakasetas I got so pissed when he gave the ball away in the 1st half and forced Sokratis to eat a yellow card. Does Skibbe not have a better option than him? 

[Boxou]

i see people being dissapointed with pelkas, perhaps you just realised he's not winger but an AM?

[georgelaz]

35 minutes ago, Argy said:

What really bothered me is that Skibbe was seconds from subbing Mitroglou for Koulouris. His midfield was once again impotent and gave Mitro no service at all, yet Skibbe opted to sub in a lesser striker to receive the same service. Both Tziolis and Koulouris decisions were scary bad, all while Lazaro and Fetfa were on the bench. Skibbe just seems to be reading the game wrong. 

yeah really good point I'm a goof for forgetting that.

he should've subbed on fetfa/laz if we weren't scoring

[J1078]

This has been an ongoing trend with this coach, he consistently reads the game wrong and makes the wrong subs at the wrong time and today was no different we just happened to get lucky and win. I understand we had some injuries and that’s fair but today’s problem was our wingers Bakasetas who I can’t stand and Pelkas, these 2 struggled badly and the change should have been Laz and Fetfa. The fact the Skibbe didn’t address that problem at the half but instead subbed in Tziolis was mind blowing. The second problem was he thought by subbing off Mitro for Koulouris that would once again address the problem.. he has a real lack for reading the game.  I’m glad we won but this was a dreadful performance and nothing to be proud of.. Even when we win Skibbe shows his horrible coaching abilities..

Edited October 13, 2018 by J1078

[georgelaz]

yeah bakasetas and pelkas were invisible. we were lucky that tsimikas and bakakis did all the heavy lifting offensively. they were sooo far up the pitch at times

still was a really good defensive work. they only had 1 shot on goal and 69% passing. they also had 5 yellow cards.

Edited October 13, 2018 by georgelaz

[kbxk508]

Tziolis coming on was a good decision. Scibbe was getting ready to sub Mitro and he scored. To be fair Mitroglou looked like he didn’t want to get injured out there, but he’s got class and talent. Tzimikas debut is a huge plus for the team. The result was the main thing and the team should go to Finland with some optimism and confidence.

We do need more of a goal threat from Fortounis, Bakasetas and Pelkas. Christodoulopoulos and Tziolis could be starters in the next match.

[Chris Tsamados]

 

[Rockafeller Skank]

Yesterday's match is the reason why Bakakis was not called up when Torosidis could play.
Stop overreacting for fuqs sake.

Some players spend their whole life in GSL because this is their level. Some players (even fetfa who didnt even myrise the ball in Italy) are scouted and bought by teams in the top 5 championships because they have something else.

Happy about VLachodimos entrance in the team, not so happy with Barkas. 

Tziolis was miles better than Kourbelis because yesterday we wanted his passing and not his marking. Kourbelis is good and WAS good away at Hungary when the Hunns were pressing but yesterday they were just expecting a 0-0 draw.

Fair result the win but we played crappy.
Mitroglou is love.

Bakasetas outdid himself and I liked him yesterday, probably our best attacking mid of the 3.

Tsimikas too many mistakes not sure if one assist is enough for his εξιλέωση. But it was his first game with the NT I guess anxiety and not knowing the team help. He really became better at the 2nd half probably got the hang of it.

We need a 3 pointer vs the Finns otherwise the Hunns enter the run as well. A draw vs Finland away only benefits the Hunns. Take the 3 points vs Finland and end up first after the October window. Hopefully November we ll have Stafylidis and Donis healthy and have a Left flank as well, and maybe Retsos in RB? Surely better defensively than anyone else.

The fact that we re missing so many players and grabbig points is only positive.

Thank god noone remembers I said Imma post my face if we win.

[Boxou]

Samaris, Stafylidis and Karelis are much needed for us but they're out of form lately and this has killed us in many aspects. Galanopoulos should get promoted in the senior team, perhaps Limnios as well. Lykogiannis, Retsos, Mantalos and Torosidis are valuable alternatives while Donis and Lazaros are crucial. Vlachodimos should debut soon. 

Overall it looks unrealistic to expect a full squad any time soon. 

[J1078]

If we didn't have Mitro as invisible as he seems a times we would hardly ever score any goals so he is needed on the field. In order to get the most out of Mitro we need to play with 2 strikers in order to free up space for him. This is a no brainer as right now he is so easy to defend and suffocate by other teams. a second striker would free up space for him. When healthy we need to have Donis on the wing and I would love to give Fetfa a look just to see what he can do. For me Bakasetas should be our very last resort the guy always disappoints and is not worthy of a starter or even second sub call. Zeca is a no brainer as the kid has heart and his Hussle and pressure he puts on opposing teams can force turnovers.. I guess for now it has to be Kourb with him even though he struggled yesterday. Bakakis pushes the play and joins the rush which I like and Toro should be coming on only for no more then 30-40minutes. You can here from Socratis post game interview he thought his team played like sh.t...  Anyways we somehow need to go into Finland and get 3 points to pretty much right off Hungary and make it a 2 team race between us and Finland to see who finishes first. A loss on Monday and Finland wins the group.. 

[Chris Tsamados]

I'm sad to say but I think it's highly likely we're lose to Finland on Monday. 

 

We just can't turn our possession into goals. 

[georgelaz]

next game I want to see

            mitroglou

lazaros fortounis fetfa

        zeca   mantalos

tsimikas sok man bakakis

            barkas

basically just play real wingers rather than baka/pelkas. kourbelis is good but he just had an off game imo. Is mantalos injured or can he play?

mantalos as a cm would be good he actually defends very very hard and has everything needed to be a box to box. He will cause the opponent so much difficulty and drag defenders out of position so that our front 4 can be creative with more space.

lazaros not afraid to take a shot so almost like a second striker and fortounis/fetfa/mantalos opening space creating shots. mitro just a strong powerful target man.

we can then sub in toro for bakakis for 30 mins and lazaros (tho i'd do donis for lazaros but not available so I guess pelkas is best compromise for now)

we are the best team team in the group we just need to pump up our attack so we can score. If we can get a lead we're impossible for 80% of teams to beat. That's why I think mantalos at cm is the difference maker

If we staf, samaris, retsos, donis are in form I'd start them all for sure. (maybe not on retsos cause I like bakakis's work rate attack wise whereas retsos is more defense oriented).

we miss samaras/karagounis a lot cuz those two can create something out of nothing. I think lazaros/mantalos are the modern equivalent

Edited October 13, 2018 by georgelaz

[J1078]

1 hour ago, georgelaz said:

next game I want to see

            mitroglou

lazaros fortounis fetfa

        zeca   mantalos

tsimikas sok man bakakis

            barkas

basically just play real wingers rather than baka/pelkas. kourbelis is good but he just had an off game imo. Is mantalos injured or can he play?

mantalos as a cm would be good he actually defends very very hard and has everything needed to be a box to box. He will cause the opponent so much difficulty and drag defenders out of position so that our front 4 can be creative with more space.

lazaros not afraid to take a shot so almost like a second striker and fortounis/fetfa/mantalos opening space creating shots. mitro just a strong powerful target man.

we can then sub in toro for bakakis for 30 mins and lazaros (tho i'd do donis for lazaros but not available so I guess pelkas is best compromise for now)

we are the best team team in the group we just need to pump up our attack so we can score. If we can get a lead we're impossible for 80% of teams to beat. That's why I think mantalos at cm is the difference maker

If we staf, samaris, retsos, donis are in form I'd start them all for sure. (maybe not on retsos cause I like bakakis's work rate attack wise whereas retsos is more defense oriented).

we miss samaras/karagounis a lot cuz those two can create something out of nothing. I think lazaros/mantalos are the modern equivalent

I thought mantalos was injured anyways.. so he is not even an option for Monday’s game..