georgelaz

our best possible lineup is imo 1 5-1-3-1 Mitro Fetfa/Laz Fort/Mant Donis Zeca Holebas Torosidis Sokratis Kpaps Manolas Karnezis from that lineup we're missing 4 of the 11. With a nation as top heavy as us you can't afford to be leaving out 35% of the best players. i think we can play balla if we field the RIGHT players. skibbe had a defeatist attitude going into zagreb. remember how our midfield hummed for the first time ever when we fielded pelka/mantalos/kone/fortounis/tachtsi?

If we can score and only goal it will build belief and we can start throwing everything at them. They're defense sucks. Donis, Holebas, Laz, Karelis being abscent really hurt us. Only Mitro and Fortounis were our true attacking players and their defense was so shaky. Should've capitalized on that.

pes ta

ella, impossible is nothing.

Putting up Maniatis vs. Perisic was the biggest mistake. If anything should have put Retsos as RB which have nullified attack on the wings but at least have a chance to shut that side down. Torosidis being out was a huge loss in the battle to keep Perisic under control. Tzav doesn't bother me but that should've been Holebas's spot. I wish we just kept Santos and we would've had Holebas starting and Santos at least understands Greek football coaching in the league for years. Though we can't take it away. This was a solid campaign besides a 30 minute hickup that made us likely lose it all.

honestly did not expect this bad of a performance thoughh. it is shocking copping 4. We only ever copped 2 from belgium in one game. everything else was 1 or 0. manolas out was a huge loss. I do think his presence would have prevented a goal or two.

we lost the psychological battle by conceding early. The Croats wanted open balla and they got it. We obviously were playing to shut the game down - which we are usually successful at doing. they were hammering that flank that Maniatis was defending. They knew he was the weakest link. A Torosidis and Manolas I assure u none of that would have happened.

it's alright. come back of the year baby. 3-0 hellas next game pame!

we actually had plenty of chances too. Mitroglou 3 shots on target and saved and 2 more near missed we were unlucky with finishing and made too many mistakes defending. 2 of the goals were attempted back passes to Karnezis. Should have gone for a safe clearance rather than pass back to the goalie. Way too risky.

We needed a flawless performances today and too many things went wrong. 1. Torosidis out (Having to play Maniatis) 2. Manolas out 3. Donis out 4. Zeca defanged with a yellow 5. Zeca with a clean tackle that could've led to a breakaway called foul. 6. Not starting Laz 7. Starting Tziolis. Should've been Laz on the wing, Zeca in Tziolis's place who was invisible.

always good to wheel the mounares on danforth though at half time lol

yeah thinking of ordering it and just watching with my dad and maybe inviting friends over. I actually want to watch the game though, it often ends up becoming social hour and hard to actually hear commentary and s%$#!. If anything might do frappes though as that's where I usually go.

anyone got streams (ideally with greek commentary)? anyone in toronto going out to watch the game? (If so where at?)

Mitro Staf Fortounis Laz Tachtsi Zeca Tzav Sokratis Kpaps Retsos Karnezis (Ideal line up given the circumstances for me.)

I can't imagine sokratis being out. he's built like a truck and usually quickly recovers from knocks. Siovas should have been selected though. Dude has NT experience and was playing in our playoff win vs Romania. With Sokratis and Kpaps at the back we should be okay.

It's 33% for Greece to win the whole shebang no? I think that's fair odds. 66% chance for a draw first game. If we can get a draw in Croatia I think it shifts to us being favourites. Especially when we get Manolas back. That's the equivalent of them missing Rakitic.

Karelis is far more than just his pace. That's not even his main selling points. IMO it's his positioning and shooting. Klaus should have been in the NT when he was actually in peak form though. But we also had Samaras and Gekas at the time so not a huge loss.

I don't think Kone will be able to overtake Mitroglou or Karelis. But he's a great 3rd option for cf which we lack. Hopefully he picks up form at AEK. Who's playing great this season. realistic best lineup that skibbe can use Mitroglou Staf Fortounis Laz Tachtsi Zeca Tzav Manolas Sokratis Torosidis Karnezis is anyone from the above injured? Tachtsi and Fortounis both started in the 0-0 vs. Barca... and that's exactly what we need in Crotia 0-0 or better.

Mitroglou Fetfa Fortounis Donis Tachtsi Zeca would be nice up top. Whatever, Staf up top and Tzav in the back is basically as good. we'll see what kone can do at AEK. if he can get form he'll be useful but it will tough for him cause he's a quasi cf/cam. Fortounis and Karelis are both younger and better than him at the moment. Kone circa 2014 though was BEAST.

yeah good point, tachtsi always seems solid for NT. Assist vs. belgium. Demolishing hungary...

I personally think Tzavellas is solid. I'd rather have him as bench with Holebas in there but he'd be like my 2nd or 3rd choice. Also I think it's a bit too late now to start shifting the team unless there's a no brainer.

I don't know dude. they had fesja from before so if anything it was Samaris who was supposed to overtake him and he did for a few seasons till fesja grew his favour back again. Let's not forget that Samaris also was a champions league man of the week for a very competitive Benfica team a year and half ago as well. Not saying that Samaris is a MUST start but he's definitely one of our better options and better to have than Tziolis. Having Zeca and Tachtsidis over him is a reasonable argument though.

the only reason Samaris isn't playing for Benfica is because fesja is playing so well. Samaris was a key player before Fesja came onto the scene.