paokarag4

The misuse of Esiti by multiple managers is honestly mind-boggling. He is always played in games where we have plenty of the ball rather, than being played against better opponents where possession is 50-50 or we have less of the ball. It's not the reason we are struggling, but having one guy who isn't creative with the ball at his feet isn't helping.

For all those rumours swirling around that Savvidis is ready to sell the club I say BOOM Σαββίδης: "Όσα λεφτά κι αν μου δώσουν, τον ΠΑΟΚ που είναι η ψυχή μου δεν τον δίνω" https://www.sport24.gr/football/savvidis-osa-lefta-ki-an-moy-dosoyn-ton-paok-poy-einai-i-psychi-moy-den-ton-dino.9356449.html https://www.paok24.com/podosfairo/285224/savvidis-o-paok-einai-i-psychi-moy-den-poleitai/ Multiple sources there since some people have problems with one site or another. Just because we haven't spent on transfers this season doesn't mean Ivan is done with PAOK. Not sure why he would've signed Lucescu to a 1.7 Million 3 year contract, if that was the case. We clearly reduced our budget in terms of paying for players, looking for free agents or loans but we are still giving out pretty big contracts (Oliviera, Kurtic) For a final time I'll say, Savvidis has been a great owner and president. He has given us success and stability. Is he perfect? No, but the small percentage of fans who think we are better off without him or want him gone are delusional.

You have criticised the team for not making signings and justifiably so. That isn't Lucescu's fault, he wasn't given a technical director and therefore we weren't able to sign our first choice player in most instances. So with no signings and the squad arguably weaker than last season when we finished 25 or so points off the Championship, you think he is the problem? After one game? I respectfully disagree.

Remember when Lucescu said we didn't need a keeper......

Murg has been awful, really missing A.Zivkovic today

Biggest surprise for me is Zivkovic starting in goals, Paschalakis has had some shaky moments. I guess Lucescu wanted to wait until after the international break to minimise the disruption to the team. Not shocked Kurtic is being rested coming off 2 full games in the space of a few days for his NT. Combined with the fact we have 7 games over the next 3 weeks, he'll get plenty of game time.

Game available on PAOKTV for those of outside of Greece/Cyprus. 4.99 Euros for the game, no word yet on if they'll offer a season pass. I'm sure they will it's probably just come too soon to organize and get out in time for the PAS game. I think this might be a scrappy affair, we will win but it won't be pretty. I think a classic Lucescu 1-0.

@Bananas You make a lot of sense..... YOU ARE NOT WELCOME AT GATE 4 MEETINGS!! We are anti-Athens, anti-EPO, anti-POK and most of all anti-logic

We have some good young talent, fortunately for us most of that talent will continue to be developed across Europe rather than in Greece. We have a few holes in the team(Center mid/right-back) but on the whole this is a team which should be qualifying for a 24 team Euro. World Cup qualification is harder, we were unlucky to cop a very good Sweden team from pot 2. If he somehow pulls of a miracle (first step was taken last night) and gets us to Qatar 2022, then of course he will stay on. The only way he stays on if we don't qualify for the WC is if we heroically fall short on the last matchday. What I mean by that is we beat Kosovo on the final matchday and Sweden and Spain have colluded for a result which sends them both through at our expense (very unlikely I know, as that would entail us having beaten both Sweden and Spain before that point, which would probably render my above scenario impossible anyway) Unless we fall off a cliff in the next 4 games, I would keep him on for the Euro 24 qualifiers which I realise is an unpopular opinion. I think this team, as you point out is good enough to qualify for a 24-team Euro and I think JVS should be given the chance to guide us to that particular tournament.

Qualification is just about gone, for what it's worth we play our final hand in this game. As poor we were against Kosovo the reality is if we somehow manage to beat Sweden we would only be three points behind them with 4 games to play. The team needs to re-group and go again, if we pull off what would be a famous victory we are still alive. We currently have a very very faint pulse, but it's still a pulse. The staring XI needs to be changed, Bouchalakis can not start. He was our worst against Kosovo, Sweden will run rings around him and feed off his poor touches and constant turnovers. I start Zeca instead of him and it doesn't bother me that he and Siopis are similar players we need to play our best available with so many outs. Hopefully Tzolis is fit to give us an option in attack.....

Novasports reporting that JVS is considering playing 5 at the back, like he successfully did in the Norway friendly back in June. It would make sense given we have so many players out who would play on the wings normally. He covers them with wing-backs instead. I don't mind it, but the fact he did not try this formation against Switzerland(I didn't see the full game so correct me if I'm wrong) coupled with the fact he doesn't seem like a coach to take massive risks lead me to believe it won't happen. You never know though so we'll see, seems like 9 players are locked into start with 2 positions up for grabs depending with which formation JVS ends up going with. Full article for anyone interested: https://www.novasports.gr/sport/podosfairo/event/fifa-world-cup/article/12074496/ethniki-skepseis-gia-tria-stoper-kai-siopi/

Agree. One game at a time, we can't get all the points back at once. Take care of business against Kosovo and then we can look forward to a massive do or die against Sweden. I am relatively confident we will beat Kosovo, we will get chances just whether we are able to bury a couple. I am interested to see what JVS does on the wings, with all our outs. Assuming Tzolis isn't fit to start (maybe off the bench), it will probably be Giannoulis or Mantalos on the left and I don't know who on the right could be a few players (Even Mantalos) The fact that Limnios got no minutes against Switzerland leaves me reasonably optimistic that he won't start in this game.

I heard/read it was from Sheriff Tiraspol the Moldovan team who qualified for this seasons Champions League. Kolovos and Athanasiadis (the goalkeeper) play there.

That is correct! At the time of my above post that information had not been made public.

According to novasports.gr Tzolis has come to Greece and will be with the squad in the unlikely chance he can get himself fit for one of the 2 qualifiers. Mavropanos was also injured over the weekend but he too has linked up with the squad. Αντίθετα έγινε η έκπληξη και ο Τζόλης ήρθε στην Ελλάδα ώστε να συνεχίσει τη θεραπεία του μήπως και προλάβει κάποιο από τα επίσημα ματς με Κόσοβο και Σουηδία. Το ίδιο ισχύει και για τον Μαυροπάνο ο οποίος πιθανότατα να είναι έτοιμος πιο γρήγορα. https://www.novasports.gr/sport/podosfairo/event/fifa-world-cup/article/12068612/ethniki-kapoios-na-tin-ksematiasei-ektos-masouras-galanopoulos/

Ruben Semedo arrested for the alleged rape of an underage girl. Now makes sense why Olympiakos were desperately trying to unload him over the past few weeks. https://www.sport24.gr/epikairothta/roympen-semedo-ston-anakriti-o-portogalos-katigoreitai-gia-omadiko-viasmo.9338386.html

Awful luck for us heading into 2 must win games. Not to mention Pelkas was ruled out prior to the squad being announced, between him Fortounis and Tzolis that's our 3 best attacking players IMO. Gonna be a big ask to win both games with those outs, we struggle to score with a full team. Mantalos and Bakasetas (no matter how much people hate it) are going to play a big part in us getting 6 points from these games. We also need Pavlidis/Fountas to be clinical when they get chances.

Chatzigiovanis called up to replace the unlucky Tzolis https://www.sport24.gr/football/ethniki-elladas-chatzigiovanis-anti-tzoli.9337452.html

Well after a short stay which consisted of one 16 minute appearance, Kyriakos wasn't happy with life in Saudi Arabia and has left Al-Fayha as a free-agent. Early reports saying he wants to keep playing in Europe, which from an Ethniki point of you is ideal. https://www.sport24.gr/football/parelthon-apo-tin-al-faicha-o-kyriakos-papadopoylos.9336807.html

You m@laka who told you to keep drinking whiskey? 😜

I must be the only one not super confident. Copenhagen is a good team, there are no guarantees we top this group by any means. Slovan as well, they managed a draw with Olympiakos over-night and they played most of the match with 10 men. I understand the attitude "if we can't get through this group in this competition then pack up shop" but I don't think it's that simple. Need to give the other teams credit and respect, we aren't Liverpool. My prediction we go through in 2nd place and play the round of 32/preliminary qualifying round against a Europa League opponent.

Put some respect on that man's name

No surprises in terms of the starting XI, let's get this bread!!

Have never heard of Papanikolaou, he's a winger 22 years old who plays in Poland. Played for Panionios and Platanias while in Greece but I honestly don't remember him from the Superleague. No real surprises otherwise, Giakoumakis being left out is the only surprising omission, he's in the middle of trying to orchestrate a move to either Celtic, or Weder Bremen. So perhaps that has taken priority for him and he's asked to be left out? Zeca is suspended for this game, as Giakoumakis would have been had he been called up.

In addition to those 2 goals, he also had 2 assists and was named Man of the Match! All on his debut. Hopefully he makes his Premier League debut this weekend!