Bananas

I get what you’re saying @paokarag4 about El Khaddouri. He has great technique and balance as well as decision making. He doesn’t sell the ball cheaply. All signs of a quality player. Still I wouldn’t be fussed if he left even if I prefer he stays. I think what kills him (and I see this with lots of players) is he can’t lock a position down. He doesn’t have the run to be a 6 or an 8 and he doesn’t quite have the dribble and cross to be a winger. He doesn’t score enough to play up front consistently. Regardless, I still think he’s a great option to have and can turn a game, I just don’t think he’s a lock for a starting position every game. I don’t think he really wants to in Greece and he seems to lose interest in playing week in week out. It’s like he’s bored with most games ... which I can understand ... and really only switches on for the bigger contests. Ideally, we find a similar quality player that is more motivated and is a bit more hungry but that’s easier said than done.

Merry Christmas manges.

It’s as you say @DunfermlineAthleticPAOK it’s another 10 rounds for teams finishing 1st to 6th with points being added on. All in all about the best way you could do play offs. They had some bizarre system a few years back which will hopefully never be repeated.

How did Soares look ? He's had little game time and has always had that feeling of being a rushed transfer.

Literally. Each time they come out with a press release about referees which is just about every game, it makes me smile. I will look fondly on this period of my life.

Who knows if they can sue Dutch. I wonder as to their strategy ... do they know what they're doing or are they just firing pot shots out of anger. At this rate they'll be threatening to quit just like in the basketball but that's a little different as they have EuroLeague. If referees can be sued (I'm smiling while I type this) they'll be zero referees left within a year.

Replay ? Really ? That would be bizarre. The only way you could have a replay is if you proved, and I mean proved, that there was corruption involved. A bad mistake from the referee is not an excuse to replay a game. If it was every second game in the world would need to be replayed. Of course, an exception could be made just for "thrylos", since they are special. I thought we were the ones with a complex, now we have company. Having said that, VAR not using a line is brain dead. Either use a line or don't use VAR to make offside decisions. If in doubt, the benefit of the doubt should go to the attacking team. Trying to work out if a player is offside by 1/16th of an inch, spare me, if he's clear offside then it's offside, otherwise, play on.

Stafylidis would be a great addition to the team but there is no point bringing him if you're not going to start him over Giannoulis. Why would he be satisfied with being a rotation or backup player ? He can also play multiple positions which is always a big plus. I'm sure if Giannoulis is sold Stafylidis will be first choice but first Giannoulis would need to be sold and second Stafylidis would want to come to PAOK which I'm not sure he does. Last summer was the time for him to make the move (he was a free agent) and then he went and signed a new 4 year contract which really destroys our bargaining position.

Apparently the club generated 43 million in revenue (which includes sale of players of 10 million) and expenses were 42 million and yet it says there is a loss of 5 million ? Greek reporting for you. https://inpaok.com/623577/live-i-g-s-tis-pae-paok-2/

Further to that we should not be selling 1st team starters in January unless there is an obvious replacement or the offer is outrageous.

Hmm some very good points there Yiankos!

That would mean Vieirinha would play LB ... I can deal with that. On a serious note, I don’t see any sense in selling Giannoulis unless there is an obvious replacement. If Vieirinha was 30 I’d be fine with it but he’s getting on and we need to think long term.

I’d be surprised if Giannoulis wanted to play in Russia. I mean it’s not a backward step but I don’t think it’s something he’s dreamt of either. I suppose an outrageous Prijovic like salary could tempt him but I don’t see that happening. If anything he’d use that to negotiate a better wage. To his credit he’s surprised us all. I think everyone thought he was just there to cover for Vieirinha’s injury and in the summer we would either sign Staf or another “better” LB. I don’t think anyone thought he’d be the first choice LB this season. He’s made the position his and really that’s what you want from your younger squad members, If it were up to me I’d extend his contract which expires in 2022 to 2024 and get rid of that daft buy out clause. Same goes for Limnios.

Both Stoch and Lambrou have been major disappointments. I expected the two would be rotating for the LW position this season. Would like to know if it’s just a case of other players are more in form or whether Ferreira just doesn’t want them at all. Summer transfer window approaches so that might shed some light.

What’s the big fuss about a new stadium anyway ? I mean sure it would be nice but will it really make a difference other than prestige ? Will it generate more revenue ? For a club like Arsenal for example it made sense. They went from a stadium of 40,000 to 60,000 but they can fill those seats and tickets etc. are much higher in England. In Greece not so easy. I like everyone would like to see it but I’m not fussed about it and if it means less investment in the squad it can definitely wait.

Agree with your 4-5-1 @Yiankos especially considering we're playing away. The only thing I would do different is play Biseswar on the left at the start of the game and sub in Vieirinha in the second half. The start of the game is when the tackles will be flying thick and fast and I just wouldn't risk Vieirinha just yet. There's still plenty of season to go and it's not worth the risk I say. Also agree with @Blackhawk concerning starting Akpom. This is the sort of game where he can excel.

A tad early pash. I'll wait till Xmas and create a new thread.

Surprising indeed, but I'll take it.

I think you guys are being a bit harsh. The NT is looking like it's totally reborn. Bye bye Mykonos FC, hello effort, desire, spirit. The boys are playing with enthusiasm and really that's all we ask for. Nobody expects this NT to take on the big teams. Just play to your capabilities. It'd be interesting to see this NT take on Mykonos FC. I think they'd give Mykonos a good old fashioned beat down. They're not at the level to take on big teams and I don't see that they will be. But they should be at the level to beat lower teams comfortably, and that's what they've delivered so far. As to what their ceiling is, it's a little hard to say , time will tell. Either way, it's refreshing to see players that are really giving it their all and are selected on form and what they can give to the team rather than on which jersey they where for their club. Because really, anyone can select a team based on that. That's easy. Selecting players that will commit to the team, play as instructed, and be harmonious in the dressing room is a lot harder.

If Olympiacos can sell players like Samaris and Retsos for 10 and 20 million, then we’d be silly to settle for 5 for Giannoulis and Limnios. Giannoulis has been a surprise, more, a revelation. When we got him last season as backup for Vierinha I think we all expected he’d be replaced before too long. Now, he’s locked the position down and to my surprise I’m comfortable with him being LB. But more important, he’s improving. What’s his ceiling ? If we were in say Holland or some other footballing country where players are produced like a production line then I wouldn’t be fussed with selling him but I ask how easy would it be to replace Giannoulis. You sell him for say 5, spend 2 or 3 on a replacement and by the time you factor in wages you’ve broken even. Big deal. Let’s keep him or sell for something outrageous. Something Olympiacos to their credit excel at. And as for us agreeing to these buyout clauses, it’s brain dead. Similar applies to Limnion who has been surprising so far this season. I pictured him as backup to Jaba and it’s the other way around.

Nice line up Blackhawk ... except there are only 9 outfield players. ?

Right now I don’t want Kyriakos at PAOK. When you’re in the position we are in now where we need to win every game you can’t afford to risk on a player that can’t be relied on. Add to that his wages will be very high and you have all the elements for a bad outcome. Now if let’s say he’d just played a full season then that would be a different story. But he’s played in 2 games all season. So I’m going to pay a guy who’s played 2 games all season and is very injury prone close to if not the highest wages in the team ? It’s just crazy talk. The only way (and this would never happen) I’d sign Kyriakos would be on a base of say 500K and pay him significant bonuses if he plays. But even so, he’d be taking up a slot and you could never plan around him. I don’t see the sense in signing him as a luxury player. By luxury I mean it’s great when he’s match fit but I can never be sure. One other thing. It’s not the pre Savvidis days where we couldn’t afford players. Now if we want we can sign players for multiple millions, and considering that, I’m sure there are better and cheaper options out there.

@DunfermlineAthleticPAOK Is this you ? ? https://inpaok.com/608809/irlandos-tragoudistis-me-fanela-tou-paok-pic/

Dem is some good numbers. Should get close to 8 million at this rate. Who would’ve thought it.

Yes much improved OFI. Good to see really, at least for the league in general. Will be interesting to see if we drop points. Too many players are out of form. Giannoulis, Misic, Swiderski and Vieirinha are playing well. The rest are all below par in one way or another. Stoch, Esiti, El Khadouri, Jaba aren’t contributing enough. What’s happening with Mauricio ? I feel like the team will “click” better if he can get back hopefully to the level he wast last season.