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If soon to be 34 year old Sokratis is our best CB, god help us... Also, Baldock wasn't even Greek 2 days ago, and we are acting like he's Trippier. He isn't better than Lyratzis, at least not in my opinion. Tzolis hasn't played meaningful first team minutes in months. Based off of potential he is, but right now I wouldn't start him neither.

Quagliata is our first official signing of the transfer window, interested to see his ability and how much Lucescu will use him.

I thought we played well in the first half but took our foot off the gas in the 2nd half. We always play back passes, they have to stop playing it safe all the time. Also when we are up 1-0 we should keeping going instead of trying to slow the game down. This always happens. Siopis had a good game today. If it wasn’t for him being full of energy and working hard our midfield would be way worse than it already is. Bakasetas scored which was great so I can’t complain about him even though I’m his biggest critic. We won because of his goal. Bouchalakis needs to sit on the bench the guy gives the ball away and is very slow. I’d put Alexandropoulos in his place next game. Happy to see Limnios back in form. I thought Mavropanos and Hatzidiakos did well. Tsimikas and Vlachodimos are always great. But we need to provide better service and work with Giakoumakis more. This is where our wingers and midfielders are responsible. Also I have to point out. Greece is playing its 3rd, 4th and 5th best players in each position. Apart from Tsimikas, Vlachodimos and Giakoumakis, we are not playing our best players in the other positions for various reasons. Manolas and Sokratis are our best CBs but are not playing, Baldock our best RB only played 5 minutes, Alexandropoulos and Galanopoulos our best midfielders didn’t play, Fortounis our best CAM didn’t play, Masouras and Tzolis our best wingers didn’t play. So we are really playing our actual bench and reserve players instead. It’s crazy to think about.

Limnios has always had the defensive side of the game down pat. He tracks back and supports his full-back and its why coaches like him. Limnios biggest challenge is his attacking play and more specifically when he doesn't have space to use his pace he can be rendered ineffective due to his lack of dribbling ability. Good to see he had a hand in the goal but again once he beat the defender diving in, he had space to work in. Never the less, I have been encouraged by the season he had in Holland and am curious to see if he's learnt a new trick or two. I didn't see the game but good to win especially away to one of the trickier road trips in the group. Must back it up, Kosovo will be plucky as they always are. Wonder if Poyet will rotate given only 2 days between games, back-to-back road trips and there are another 2 games on the horizon.

Good points. Greece kept a clean sheet and we did not give up some late cheap goal like we saw under JVS. The important thing is we follow up this result with a win vs Kosovo and not repeat what happened last wcup campaign when Greece got a great result in Spain but then dropped points at home vs Georgia.

Douvikas is not a winger... On the game, very big 3 points and that the main thing. The defence stood tall for a change and we kept the clean sheet which is good, my big concern is midfield still, the goal we worked well and thank god for that because besides that and the chance Limnios created again that Giakoumakis didnt get to we butchered every other counter attack when we had the Northern Irish players totally scrambling, wrong passes, horrible crosses etc... we could have easily had a second goal if we got some of these right. Bouchalakis was horrid, could love to see anyone get a run over him right now. Get someone else on the left wing also. Tzolis couldn't be worse than Mantalos, again, I dont consider Douvikas a winger. Bakasetas - he can score but he with Bouchalakis in midfield is killing us, I am sure we can look to keep Baka there somehow but combined the can not control a game or keep possession and this is vital for us to get to another level.

Here is what I will say boys. This is the type of game we let the other team score and draw in the last couple campaigns we have had. That makes this big for me. Don’t forget they beat us twice last time they were in a qualifying group with us. Our biggest match of the nations league will be our Kosovo match in a few days and our subsequent match with them. 1-0 will more than suffice. Hopefully the Irish can keep some points off them too