pash

In spite of what our friends in the other forums are saying...I think there's no way Olympiakos is going to be held responsible for anything that happens. Marinakis will get the slap on the wrist he just did, and even if he is found responsible for personally bringing an assload of heroin into the country, smuggled between his ass cheeks, it will still have no effect on the club itself. Where is all of this optimism coming from?

Interestingly enough, if we get a three legged billy goat with a history of renal failure, it will still likely start more matches than Maduro.

I remember how pumped I was when that first came out. I still 100% don't believe that kind of money will ever be spent.

None of these people really give me any faith, honestly. Especially the youngin's. Qose looked poor in the one or two games he featured in when Stevens was coach. Not so familiar with Papadopoulos. Melissis would be logical to keep. We can do much better than any of the others (unless Martens really wants to come back to us, and actually starts playing for real).

I think most Greeks wouldn't pay to see the NT anyway. We are much more interested in our club teams, generally.

Agreed!!!

Falling into a lower pot is not the end of the world. If the team plays to its potential, we should be able to take down a few bigger countries in our next campaign. What the current crop of players can - must - do, is salvage what they can of the rest of the qualifiers. Every win will work to maintain whatever ranking we have left.

That's a good interview by Sokratis. He speaks sense. Brings up some points that I'll put into a more relevant thread. My less-angry thoughts on players: Karnezis - sloppy (a theme with this team). Can't pass to his own defenders without putting himself in danger Manolas - when's the last time this guy played well for the NT? The World Cup? I remember only one decent play, where he pulled a Sokratis and brought the ball into the opposing third before passing it to nobody. I thought this guy was supposed to be fast? Sokratis - I'm not sure if his inability to care for most of the game is offset by the goal he scored. Stafylidis - can't cover his area defensively, needs a lot of work Torosidis - I didn't think he was awful. Probably the best of our defenders. Kone/Lazaros - I'm putting them together because I can't tell them apart at this point. Sloppy, no form, no speed, can't shoot, can't pass. Pathetic. Samaris - he's horrific. Bereft of skill. Why wasn't Tachtsidis put in for him at halftime? Fetfatzidis - looked fat and disinterested. Some half-hearted attempts to pass and dribble were still much appreciated. I don't like his new haircut. Karelis - gave it a shot, was mostly invisible Mitroglou - The first time I've seen him actually try to run in well over a year. Had a nice dribble. Suffers from the same lack of support Klaus and Gekas had in previous matches, although most people around here will still try to claim they suck and he doesn't. A pale shadow of the player he was for a whopping six months. -subs- Mostly pointless. Will note that Ninis 100% should have started. Was still sloppy, but not as bad as the people we already have out there. Ninis and Tachtsidis might have made all the difference in this game. I can't see what we would have lost by having Moras in there instead of Manolas as well.

I was mostly figuring that Korovesis was bought entirely so that he could be the understudy to Rat, with Tzavellas hopefully making way. Honestly though, the only Giannina matches I watch are the ones where they play us, so I can't really say if he'd kill it with us. You are right though in us needing someone who's ready to start in that position - Rat is no spring chicken, and if he has a dropoff like he did last season, then whoever is #2 is going to get a lot of playing time. Charisis, I'm more confused about. He's very young, is the plan to actually play him in the CM, or will he be a bit player like Kitsiou was this season?

It should be simple - if you're not in form for your club, you don't get called up. I still think he's a talented player, but he 100% should have sat out the last match. The only question is, who was worse last time - Kone or Lazaros?

Welcome back!! I do like Stafylidis, but I think at this point we still have four LBs on our books, correct? Even if we get rid of Tzavellas, we have Korovesis, Rat, and I could swear we have a youth team member that we played a few times this season? I'm drawing a blank on his name. And...frankly, I'd rather own whoever we have. We keep getting burned with loanees (even if Stafylidis is ex-PAOK).

Mak started today vs FYROM in their 2-1 win, looks like he played the whole 90. Stoch was there as well, but on the bench.

I actually think this would be a good deal as well - we get rid of a player who's idea of the club is (rightly or not) poisoned - and telling me he's like Kace, only makes him more appealing. Kace spends about a third of the season suspended anyway, and we will soon have no depth at that position.

Same here, although wikipedia has a remarkable amount of info on him. Do you have any idea if it's a free transfer? Transfermarkt shows him as worth about 2mm

You are absolutely right, there is no reason not to. Too many safe and complacent people. Mitroglou couldn't hit a beach ball with a tennis racket.

^ I thought he was banned from our national teams??? Or was that just Pozoglou?

I am so mad I haven't even been able to post. Using my rage to clean my apartment. I will be back once I can type something not unnecessarily vitriolic.

watchESPN stream cuts to commercial break in the middle of the commentator's sentence. Good start.

I am blaming you if he doesn't show up.

This is a lineup that even a year ago we would have killed for. We've got this, guys.

Come on, bring it in here:

Don't be ridiculous. How about for the love of the game? A win by us today will bring us to 4th place, 6 points behind Hungary. There is a very good chance they'll drop points in the three matches that will be played between today and the final match, vs us.

Hungary up a goal now

I figure this would be a worthy new topic - somewhere we can talk about our players in regards to their national teams. I'll start things off by noting that Kace just scored in a friendly vs France with a terrific free kick.

Thanks all, but I don't think I'd really be cut out for it. I'm planning on a lot of really rude pranks that will look awful for a mod. Blackhawk would be perfect, but he's spent a long time being a mod on the last site, so I'm guessing he'd appreciate the vacation ;) I nominate aek66.