ausgreek

Ok, looks like Zeca is good enough for the ethniki after all. Arab played well at RB. Tziolaris and Samaris are on borrowed time. Donis is the find of the decade. Can't believe all the space allowed for Belgium's first goal, serious ball-watching.

In hope in this street fight the Pirates kick 'em in the nuts. Go Tziolara!!!

Lyko is most interesting. Like to see Bouchali in there along with Taxi. Donis keeps coming up with the goods, CF might actually agree with him if Mykon is out.

Creative players have trouble getting game-time in our midfield. The proto-type is Tziolara!! Can head the ball, your in.

Pirates 3-2 over Belgium, our team are a bigger match team. Donis at CF if Mykonos is out.

Pirates 4 2 3 1: Mitroglou Donis Mantalos Fortounis Tachtsidis Stafylidis Zeca Retsos Sokratis (c) Manolas Karnezis Some subs: Samaris Bakasetas KPaps Tzavellas Tziolara

Another major reason we beat Hungary 4-3 was the best player on the day, Tachtsidis.

People seem to forget that we have Tziolara!!!!

Hm, so, when we talk many of our players up as players in the Bundesliga, LaLiga and Serie A, often it looks as though they warm their benches or play at the park in lower competitions. They could be at the ALeague you know..or the MLS with David Villa. Fetfa had the right idea, he plays every week.

From the famous words of a song by one Demi Lovato, with regards to this match that has gone bye, 'Let It Go'..

Skankooooh boy, your a hard man bros. Boucha and Siopis are good players re maik! Like to not see Tzioli or arab to be honest for next games. Karelis could even play behind the striker as the more central role is more his game.

Samaris must be liberated by playing at CM so he can score great goals. Bouchalakis has an attacking game and a good shot, he should be given a go in the squad too.

Samaris's world cup goal looked alright way back then bro. Look, he hasn't played CM as he is usually in DM. Why isn't he played as a CM? Zeca, KPaps, Siopis or Arab can play at DM.

We have depth that hasn't quite been tapped, or is just starting to be, all the names mentioned by many; Kourbelis, Retsos, Lykog, Manthatis, Donis etc

Lazo u unpredictable person, are you parking the bus or is KPaps DM with Taxi and Samaris two ACM'ers in that formation, when they are on the attack? Pirates always play with two DM's anyway. Mantalos would do well as an AM.

Yes but do you agree on the latest suggestion about the 3 4 3 possibility? Don't worry about Avraam, that was a side issue. I may get arrested over this Sheriff! Risvanis, Retsos, Siovas, Koutroubis, Taxi, Samaris and possibly Oik are not proven to be better at CB, at the top level, than my friend Abraham (Avraam).

A 3 5 2 can even revert to a 4 4 2 in defence. 4 2 3 1 is very effective for Greece, I agree. Also what can be considered in a 3 4 3, Toro can play Right CB, alongside Manolas and Sokratis whilst Gianniotas, Donis or Manthatis can be on the Right flank. Actually, Samaris could play as the CMid, hark back to that World Cup goal, he doesn't get those opportunities too far back. A side note, I saw quite abit of Avraam last season, he looks like a tank and isn't timid either. Good CB still.

The Skibbe won't play 3 CB's because he would have Toro, Stafy and the mids running back too much on the counter. Unless he uses KPaps as a DM that drops back as a CB in defence, where that would make four CB's and two wing backs. A 3 4 3 would then become a 4 5 1 or a 4 3 3. Orestis Manolas Sokratis Oikonomou Toro KPaps Zeca Stafylidis P Mantalos K Fortounis K Mitroglou

And your two guys that were the worst were playing out of position. Like I said previously, most players are not world class out of position, even if they are in their rightful positions. Mantalos is in as an AM, or a CM or not in at all, Bakasetas as a SS or CF/Striker. Fortounis is always one game away from blowing a match apart-but never gets around to it. He should be a CM or even as a LW, he is one who can play well there. KPaps as a DM doesn't offer more than Samaris, Taxi, Zeca or Siopis in attack. He offers more in the way of ill-discipline and red cards.

The names Vellios, Klaus and Diamand have been given a sniff. That is why we rate only them. Two new names should be given a shot that have not been yet. Then we can start add them to our ratings. Talent spotting should be happening all around the Super League and Europe, not only on the beaches of Mykonos either. If a young player is 12-18 months away, Skibbe should get him in to come off the bench now.

I hope Skibbe shows more faith in someone that is natural on the wing soon. I don't believe you pick your best 11. You pick the best players in their best positions - which means it will turn out to be the best decision. Not many players are versatile enough to be at world class standard in un-natural positions in a team. Mantalos and Bakasetas are struggling with this right now.

With regard to left field selections, a goalkeeper named Gianniotis came in to sit on the bench. What was wrong with Barkas sitting on the bench instead, through an injury to Glykos? He didn't do much wrong sitting on the bench afew campaigns ago. What is Skibbo's criteria when choosing players, was it through injury? Fountas or Pelkas played 5 mins and not seen again. Mantalos out of position has been ordinary and is one of the first players picked.

Now with a more settled lineup players like Diamantakos and Vellios should get chances. I don't remember any of them playing more than 2 games. They need 7 games and then to get just an idea. At this level, players need More than 15 games to feel like they belong. So far, no guy under 30 has shown that they can't play in the last 5 years. Fitting in in a hurry is a different story. Changing coaches through politics three times was ridiculous. Until Mantalos plays in the middle and Bakasetas or Karelis plays as an SS, I cannot get a gauge on either of them. It only says they are top players out of position for the sake of the Ethniki.

Your entitled to be Deano, although, with my optimism, I'm also alittle cautious. Players like Manthatis, Androutsos, Limnios, Retsos Galanopoulos, Fountas and Kapino, there is half a team that are really exciting prospects. There are older guys who are still young like Kourbelis, Pelkas, Kolovos, and Gianniotas and the list goes on. I believe we have depth only to be tapped. Skibbo's coaching team need to identify 1 striker now, and give him a couple of goes. Then another one in 6 months and give him a shot to develop during friendlies, or near the end of certain matches, even if they are qualifiers.

Donis is a CF and also a winger, Kapino or Barkas are there and there are more keepers that can take over eventually. All these young guys you mentioned have not been given a shot so they haven't failed. I see it as they are good depth for now and things are on the up and up fille.