Bananas

Great, that's what we need more delays. At this rate, once you factor in the play-offs, we'll be seeing so many games getting played in such a short time, it will be ridiculous.

If you think we are extremely poor, I'd like to hear your opinion on the other teams in the GSL. I'll summarise for you :- 1) Brkic GK - Bought to replace Glykos but unusually Glykos has been playing well. Good backup to have nonetheless and if Glykos returns to his old ways or gets injured he is our main backup. Not a waste of a transfer. 2) Crespo CB, LB - Bought to add depth to the defense. Can play both CB and LB equally well. Was our best player against Panionios last week. Good transfer. 3) Varela CB - Bought to be the main CB along with Tzavellas. Currently behind in the pecking order in my opinion. Still has more to prove his worth. 50/50 on this one. Was the only guy we paid money for at 1.4 million. 4) Matos RB - great transfer. Two levels above Skondras and Kitsiou. 5) Canas DM - good transfer. Clearly the best DM in the squad. So far I have covered mainly defensive positions. Our defense has been awful the last few seasons and very inconsistent. So far this season the defense has definitely tightened up. Olympiakos has the best defense in the league statistically at 4 goals conceded. PAOK has 2nd best at 5 goals conceded. I believe all of the above transfers were solid with the possible exception of Varela who it's still a bit too early to judge. His man marking is good but his positioning seems a bit off. 6) Shakhov DM/CM - 50/50 on this one. He's just ok. Nothing special at all. End of the day if you're playing 2 in the middle Canas and Cimirot are the best. Shakhov is ok for squad rotation. Does lots of running without being exceptional. Doesn't really add anything to the squad but not terrible either. 7) Biseswar ACM - Technically 2 levels above most players in the squad. Can't play 2 games in a row. Massive fitness issues. Good signing overall but not a player to base a season on since the only thing you can guarantee about him is that he won't be able to play all the time. You have to treat him with kid gloves. 8) Djalma RW - the special one. Can dribble but can't score. Showed his potency and stupidity against Olympiakos. Still I don't think we have better in his position. Overall, not a good signing. Not because of how he plays, but because of the hype that he is the next Mak and because of the fact he is the highest paid player. No hype and half the wage and we'd be happy to have him for squad depth. 9) Thiam - pointless so far. And there you have it. Basically the only proper attacking threat up front that is semi consistent is Rodrigues. Djalma, Biseswar and Klaus, what you get each week depends on what sacrifice you made to the gods. If they all happen to be fit and in form we wouldn't have problems up front. But that is a pipe dream. Ain't going to happen. The team has improved a lot in the back 3rd and in the middle 3rd in my opinion. In the attacking 3rd there is little creativity other than Rodrigues going on his mazy runs. Nullify him and you've killed half our game. The rest are bereft of ideas on a consistent basis. The greek boys Pelkas, Charisis, Mystakidis, Korovesis overall very disappointing. Complacent almost. The squad needs firepower up front. As simple as that. Biseswar and Djalma are not players to win you games week in week out.

Ha, I wouldn't be surprised. Οπως ειπε ο Χαρρυ Κλυνν “Θα θα θα θα θα θα θα θα θα θα θα θα θα ...”

So the story says. Like all things PAOK and media related, take it with 10 trillion grains of salt. I'm not against us getting a player in such a manner, what I'm against is the fact it would be such a short term solution. If say we were really in contention at the winter break, and needed him for depth, just in case, cool sign him for a year. But that's not the way it sounds to me. Given we're going to be in the play-offs anyway, may as well give a lot of time to Koulouris. I don't think the kid has got it, but who the hell knows these days. Having said that, all of the Greek boys have been disappointing so far. Pelkas has hardly played. Mystakidis is just ... I don't know he's just a bit off. I don't think he's first 11 material. I'm not seeing that fire in the belly that he had last season. Likewise Charisis who was doing well last season when paired up with Cimirot in the middle and this season he's just a bit off. He was poor on the weekend. Kitsiou another. Korovesis another. Only Malezas has kind of fought his way back into being seriously considered for a starting position.

Oh yeah, he even shaved.

@PAOKSWEDEN have you seen this ? http://inpaok.com/326932/παοκτσάκια-στη-σουηδία/

Here we go. If there is truth to this, just kill me now. A 33 year old, soon to 34, will be our saviour. http://inpaok.com/326908/στο-κάδρο-ο-ματέους-για-παοκ/

Amorgos, thanks for being a man and sticking to the terms of the avatar bet. Now, if you are interested, we can have another when we play you guys in Athens. I've already found a few possibilities, ha ha.

Ha ha.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think Alafouzos is going to deliver PAO to the promised land. But until a real contender shows themselves, it's all you have. I haven't seen any real evidence that anyone else is interested. And as for the V family, if they want it, come and take it! They could if they wanted to, there is no need to beg them or kiss their asses.

Why would the government step in and find investors ? And why would investors even be interested if the club isn't generating sufficient revenue to even be self supporting ?

He's getting plastic surgery done. I have credible sources, but I can't divulge them.

On a serious note, if Alafouzos left, is there anyone that would be interested ? Just curious.

He looks like one too.

Give it a few more weeks. The crescendo is only just building.

Any prizes for @kozi who predicted the correct result ?

PAOK, 2 steps forward 1 step back, or is it 1 step forward 2 steps back ? Anyhow ...

I really think Ivic should abandon playing 3 in the middle like he started today. It makes sense if you're happy with a point or you're playing a superior side, or you're trying to hold out a lead, but today I just don't see the sense in it. We lost one half of play for nothing.

That's what I'm talking about! Ha ha.

The only positive I can see is that our players are pressuring and pushing for the goal, unlike some games where it just fizzles out entirely. Still, nearly all the final passes have been poor.

Klaus should have been on 10 or 15 minutes earlier.

At least get Klaus in there. He might win a header with the 100 crosses we've done this game.

p****** get in.

Same with the stream. Although that's typical of most streams.

Damn Matos that was close.