paoboston

----------------Karnezi------------ ---------Sokratis-KPaps-Manolas--- -Torosidis-------Samaris----------Holebas- --------Fortounis---------Tachtsidis---- -------------Kone---Athanasiadis--- My reasoning: I don't think there is any doubt Karnezis is and should be the starting goalie. I would go with a 3 CB formation. What's the effing point of having your 3 best players be CB's if you are only going to play 2 of them in a game? If you have them, use them. That way I could live with Torosidis/Holebas as wingbacks that would able to bomb forward and overlap (and be somewhat covered with our cb trio covering up). Samaris in front of the cb's in a DM role. I don't get this player in all honesty. I don't think he's as s%$#! as he has shown but for whatever reason he just click with the ethniki. If Maniatis was/is healthy, I wouldn't have any reservations of plugging him in there as a starter. At least I would know what to get/expect with him. For the other mid spots, I chose Fortounis (he finished last season. Strong play continued so far this year) and Tachtsidis (mostly because I think his characteristics fit that formation best). For the forward spots it was basically anyone but Mitroglou. That guy shows no interest in actually playing. He plays sage like he doesn't want to get hurt. I plugged Kone in there knowing he isn't a true forward but he seems like the only one to give a crap on Monday so he currently gets the nod. If Karelis continues his good from for PAO, I wouldn't hesitate starting him either. We honestly don't have many options here so you could just go with the hot hand.

You might have called it. Sounds like Anastasiou might move Zeca to RB. If that is the case, who take Zeca's spot in the midfield? Does that mean Pranjic continues to play?

Antonsson turned out to be a pretty solid player. PAO gave up too early on that guy. Just like they did with Andre Pinto. Both those guys turned out be solid players.

The switch to CB changed his career (and probably saved it). Imo, I don't think he was that bad of a CB. It hides his lack of offensive skills. For a CB, heso got the size, speed, and athleticism to keep up with most strikers.

We haven't had a real RB since Marcus Munch. Nilsson gets honorable mention for being average/capable.

Sousa was Portuguese, no?

They do not like them because quite frankly they are extremely overrated by people like you. We have about 7 years of history on Ninis and Fetfazinho. We know who they are and they aren't that much. They are extremely inconsistent players who never turned out to be what everyone expected or hoped for.

I always got the impression Lod was more of a central midfield type. Either way, you are correct in PAO not being able to rely on an unknown like him. They need to find the next Equi for this team.

I agree with this. The lack of offensive talent is an issue with this team. They have holding midfielders and defensive minded players galore but lack offensive minded players. They should really consider a 10ari type player in the January transfer period because we all know we can't really on Ninis. Unless Lod plays well but he's out for the month and hasn't really played much or shown his ability yet.

Pretty spot on. We know really his deficiencies before this game. People overreacting and questioning "how he has a spot on the team" are stupid. He's not a winger. As a poacher, he pretty solid. Or at least he has been for PAO (see scoring record last year plus this year so far).He has a spot on this team. He just has to be utilized correctly. Just like everyone else on the squad. This 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 bourdes isn't working with this crop of players. They need to start looking at using a 4-4-2 or some sort of 3-5-2 formation.

^^^Remember all that hubbub about Karagounis questioning that guys commitment to the NT and people in here getting upset? Yeaaah. That guy doesn't care. Embarrassing stuff.

How the F*** was PAO fined? G13 had a silent protest for 87 minutes!!! Da fuq?

600k? Kind of changes the perspective of the signing.

Hate to break it to you but the opium/heroin industry in Afghanistan was around way before the USA ever got involved there.

The FBI got involved because the IRS found a millionaire who bought his cats a multimillion dollar condo hadnt payed taxes in years. So they started to sniff around and ask who else didn't pay Uncle Sam. It has nothing to do with Russia.

Only chance anything gets done is if Marinakis pops up on radar for the DEA or FBI like all the FIFA officials did. Only then might you get to see someone extradited.

PAOK getting spanked. 3-0

Thankfully Ninis pulled a hamstring so we won't have to be forced to watch him wander aimlessly around the pitch.

Asteras lost today to Panaitolikos and PAOK is currently losing to PAS Giannena.

Do you think it is a pacing thing? If there was one thing I've noticed over the past 2 years is that the beginning of the year is always like this.And it corresponds to PAO falling behind early while going on a run later in the season.

Good thing Freeze is a doctor. He's probably been walking around with an erection lasting than 4 hours after Mantzios' performance today.

Episodia between Gavro fans and police at OAKA. MAT had to use tear gas apparently.

Hey is the care taker of the club. When all the big money guys jumped shipped after saddling the club with debt and on the precipice of bankruptcy, he was the only one who volunteered to help save PAO. He basically called himself PAO's "Troika." He implemented the symaxia and draconian austerity measures to help PAO reduce their budget/debt to make them possibly attractive to a big money guy. You can criticize him for mistakes (and of course he has made them). But people saying he should go should look at the big picture. Say does get up and leave/resign. What then? Who's going to fill that giant void. I understand the frustration with getting knocked out of Europa but people need to look at the situation as a whole and not a microcosm of it. It's August. The season has barely started. Disappointing start? Yep. Making over reactionary moves isn't a smart play right now.

Well, he's not the owner so I'm not sure what you expect.

everybody has been poor so far.