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I don't think Australia got in our half of the pitch in the opening 10 minutes and we could have been 3-0 up after 20 minutes if Holebas scores. Aussies were never allowed to play their game and were clearly frustrated. I think that's a good sign, that we are maturing as a team.

I hope we win 2-0 or 3-1. Then future generations, will see two cups sitting in the mantle piece at EPO headquarters and ask what's this Dodoni cup about.

I remember his one and only match for the NT vs Malta 3-1 in 2011, looked nervous after conceding goal, wasn't clean and to sum it up it wasn't a good debut. I'd never heard of him before that match, and I sort of wrote him off. Then not long after signing for Middlesborough in 2014, he goes to kick a pass back only to have the ball take a wicked bounce over his foot, cause him to miss and QPRs Zamora to walk into an open net in injury time. Hmm, QPR won 3-2. Unlucky for Dimitrios but perfect for you tube. I thought then, why is a mid 30s Greek GK playing in the UK. What he has achieved since that time with Middlesbrough has been amazing stuff, and a credit to his perseverance and talent. Huge respect! Good luck to him and to Middlesborough. I believe a draw will be enough to get them through.

I remember Gekas scored 4 vs Latvia in 2009. They were going in from everywhere that day. Then 0 goals in WC South Africa, comes back and gets 14 in 3 months for Eintracht Frankfurt who are in top 4 by Christmas, only to then score just 2 more for the rest of the season and Frankfurt ends up getting relegated. Gekas is hot or cold, a sort of enigma. As soon as you like him he lets you down, then you forget about him and he pops up with a hatrick, just like last week. At his best, he can save a team from certain relegation, as in 2013 at Akhisar. At his worst, he misses open nets.

Just did a quick calculation and he's bagged 171 goals in 377 matches from 2005-06, incl. all matches played in domestic leagues, cups and internationals. That's an average of 15.5 goals a season. That is quite an achievement when you consider that Sion is his 13th club over that time. His strike rate in domestic leagues is 138 goals in 198 matches, 69% and at internationals 24 goals out of 78 matches, 31%. If only he could have matched that domestic strike rate in internationals.

It looks like he's enjoying his football and starting to play regularly, he's found what he wanted. A bit of a pity for NT, as he has a lot of raw talent.

... pre game entertainment in the Greece vs Australia friendly.

I didn't see the match but he started Oikonomou, Moras and Siovas as back 3 and Torosides, Tziolis, Fortounis, Stafylidis and Holebas in MF and a front two of Karelis and Papazoglou. I get what you are saying though. Used Toro and Holebas as WB and Stafylidis in a midfielder role rather than a Tachtsides who is not getting much club game time or Petsos who hadn't trained much. What other options? Tzavellas.

You can't blame the coach for trying out players in friendlies and he practically used everyone in these two matches. The positives are we scored 4 goals in 2 games, which if you take out the 4-3 win against Hungary was 2 more than our campaign in the Euro qualifiers. Also, Fortounis and Petsos look class players and important players going forward. The negatives are 1) we cannot defend set pieces, which in the past was our strength and 2) we concede a dumb goal straight after scoring. Even with Montenegro we conceded from a corner after scoring and we had Manolas and Soc in the starting line up. We need to find our best DM and soon. Tziolis not the answer. I like Samaris as an offensive DM, but historically has shown to be one of the worst at marking players on set pieces. Maybe K Pap is the answer, but will he ever be 100%. On a lighter note, lets face it we can't beat any island, fishermem and the like. Scibbe needs to get this right before Cyprus.

Petsos has been ruled out. Likely replacement will be Tziolis.

Mitroglou, Samaris, Soc and Manolas gone back to their clubs. Probable starting line-up, .....................................Kapino.................................... ...................Oikonomou, Moras, Tzavellas.................. ..Torosides, Fortounis, Tachtsides, Petsos, Holebas.. ...............................Karelis, Velios............................... Pelkas and Diamantakos probably get chance off the bench.

what does that mean? they got big buts

Core group Karnezis, Kapino Soc, K Pap, Manolas, Torosides, Holebas, Stafylidis, Kitsiou Samaris, Tachtisdes, Petsos, Fortounis, Mantalos, Kone, Mitro, Pelkas, Karelis

Petsos going to W Bremen

... scored against Cologne, 1-0 at HT

http://www.goalsarena.org/en/video/italy-serie-a/18-10-2015-genoa-chievoverona.html

Next coach has to be smart, tough and ensure that the next generation of players knows what it is required to play for NT. On and off the park. Zero tolerance in my opinion. What I saw in the Hungary game was that we have talent, players that can run for 90 min. I saw a youthfull team given the freedom to play and attack the opposition, which they did very well. There was nothing riding on the game, but it is these sort of games that you find your next incumbents. Right or wrong, there have been 53 players tried in this campaign and the new coach needs to fnd a squad of 20-23 players to take us forward.

With Mantalos / Fortounis as alternating CM/AM and Samaris / Tachtsides the DMs we have a balanced midfield. Pelkas, Kone and Mitroglou as Fwds. There is hope.

I wouldn't be too worried about the 3 goals conceded. We can fix those problems easily with Manolas, K Pap and Soc. Soc before he got inj. was good as always. Backline today was depleted. What was really pleasing is we were down twice in the match and came back to win it.

Pelkas was poised and had some good interplay with other forwards. Really good prospect. Tachtsides was man of the match.

Tachtsides ball to Mtiroglou was sublime.

Hopefully we can go on and win the match. Hungary will finish 3rd as Romania leading 2-0. Hungary best 3rd placed team will qualify automatically.

Yes. First time in a long time, we are actually playing decent. Fortounis, Mantalos and Pelkas doing well. Tachtsides and Samaris useful.

Wow Holebas in for Stafylidis due to inj.