paokarag4

We look like a completely different team in attack, plenty of movement and we are creating plenty of chances.

Damn what a save, Varela probably should've scored

Fortounis was hooked off at half time as Olympiacos were struggling to open up Apollon, they eventually win 2-0 with 2 second half goals. He has now been left out of the squad travelling to Manchester for the Champions League clash with City. There doesn't appear to be any reports of an injury and Martins post-game said he was disappointed with the performance of some players in the first half of the Apollon game. Regardless of the reason he's been left out, it doesn't bode well for him starting with the Ethniki in the up coming games. I'm sure many here won't be thrilled either as JVS has more than enough to justify not starting him.

Being reported that Garcia will go with a 4-3-3 first up, with Schwab, El Kaddouri and Augousto in midfield. If that ends up being true, I like it. We only have to wait a few more hours to find out.

Ferreira farewelling some of the players. Still don't know where I sit on this decision, I need a little more time to process it. I do agree with Bananas, for the most part. I'll probably have made up my mind by the next episode of PAOKTALK

I change my shirt once every 2 years

I've read that Mavropanos is out until the new year, he's had surgery.

As a fan I'm happy he's staying, awesome we get to keep our captain (even if he won't officially have that title this year) and our heart and soul of the club. PAE has frustrated me with all their flip flopping this summer though, Matos wasn't in the coaches plans then he's a starter and one of the captains. We didn't want Mauricio then ended up offering him a contract. I know PAOK never closed the Vieirinha door, it was he who posted his farewell and said he wouldn't be returning but still. He's basically been sitting there for 2-3 months, it just wreaks of amateur hour the whole summer and our dealings with these 3 guys specifically.

Simply must win this game if we want qualify from the groups. Won't be easy as Olympiakos had a tricky time cracking open Omonia during the 1st leg of their Champions league play-off. Who partners Schwab in midfield? El-Kaddouri isn't fit and this is a match where we are going to have the bulk of possession and dominate the ball, so basically it's not a match where Esiti should start. I would assume Augusto isn't fit enough to start, but he maybe an option. Ninua is our only other option who maybe given the nod. Unless Ferreira has some tricks up his sleeve and he changes formation and we see 3 in midfield with Bieseswar as a dekari, although I think that's pretty unlikely.

Positive as always Pash?

That is not the case at all do you honestly think Martins and JVS haven't 'thought' to ask him to do it? I can guarantee you Fortounis has been told to press and track back once his team's lose the ball. Both Martins and JVS would've told him this countless times and I think it's the main reason he isn't a regular starter for either team. Which is crazy when you think about his talent and ability. Watch the best teams in the world, Liverpool, Bayern, Man City all players press the opposition and work hard without the ball, I don't think Fortounis is above doing the dirty work that players like Lewandowski, Mane and Bernardo Silva do week in week out. There are only a few players in world football who play for top level clubs who don't press and work hard without the ball, Messi is one of them. I'm not saying I agree with Bakasetas starting over Fortounis, I'm just saying I understand why he does it.

@Dean97 I think JVS can and should take some of the credit for how Limnios has developed and how he has played for the NT. I watched Limnios week in week out for PAOK and he plays far better for the NT than he generally did for PAOK (he did have his moments) I think JVS has given him a lot of confidence and has told him "You're the man, I believe in you and you have a massive part to play for the Greek National Team moving forward." You're gripes with his player selections are justified (some of them) but he has implemented a playing style that is sustainable and has allowed us to boss and dominate teams that we were previously struggling to retain possession against, let alone beat. For that he deserves credit. Mavropanos is injured again and out until the new year, he played once for Stuttgart before his body broke down again. Retsos played his first game overnight for Saint-Etienne and I'm fairly confident if he stays fit and plays the next couple of games he'll be called up for the November games. Masouras plays in Poland he won't get a look in, Poland's league is far worse than Greece where he has only played for teams battling relegation. Bakakis is the best right back we have currently and that's not good. Rota should've been given more playing time and if he's not trusted then he shouldn't be called up, simple. Siopis is another destroyer with limited ability on the ball like Zeca and Kourbelis, he won't solve our problems in midfield. Galanopoulos JVS has stated he rates, he's not playing with AEK atm since returning from injury and resolving a contract feud. It's all good and well to throw the names out there but there is legitimate reasons as to why 90% of the names you mentioned aren't selected. I don't think it's a conspiracy personally, but that's just me. Fortounis v Bakasetas is an interesting debate, I've maintained all along the NT would improve immensely from Fortounis and someone like Donis (who too has hardly played this season) buying into the system and pressing the opposition. As it stands those players don't do that, Baka and Mantalos do. So JVS sacrifices talent for guys who will allow us to play his way, you need a balance and this is probably the key thing on pitch that he needs to sort out.

It seems the media are really piling the pressure onto JVS, wanting him gone IMO. They are questioning Fortounis trying to get him to speak out against the coach to add more fuel to the fire. I think Fortounis handled himself well and didn't speak out of turn at all, I would be surprised if JVS has any issues with what he said. Now we have Manolas chiming in and obviously he's not happy with JVS. It seems to me a matter of a time before he's chased out, which at this point would be the wrong move. Again Van't Schip isn't Klopp or Pep but he has modernized the ethniki, before he came on board our players looked like they had never been pressed before and couldn't cope with the likes of Armenia pressing them. He has his flaws, he does things I don't agree with but I'm comfortable in saying he's our best manager since Santos (not a lot of competition I know but still) Basically he must win the last 2 matches in the Nations league and make sure we top the group. If we don't the pressure will be enormous and I think he may walk. I would keep him regardless of where we finish in the NL, I want him leading us into World Cup Qualifying.

AEK has some key outs, Mantalos suspended and Simoes is injured.

Lmao what? I think your response here kind of proves you talk non-sense and can't really back up anything you say much of it is baseless. You have a clear hate for JVS which is fine you don't have to rate him as a coach. FWIW I don't think he's a mastermind but I do think he's brought the ethinki into the 21st century with our style of play. It's not perfect and he does things I don't agree with (I agree with you Lambropoulos coming on was ridiculous as was the Bouchalakis sub) My issue is you were no were to be seen in the 1st half when we were playing quite well, the 2nd half starts and Kosovo have 2 chances and look who's back again!! It's obvious troll behaviour and call me what you want but we are discussing football no need to get so angry.

Don't speak any sense re!! It ruins the narrative our buddy is trying to push! We don't want facts!!!!!!!!!!

Embarrassed? Did you miss our run post world cup 14 to 2016? That was embarrassing not tonight. Ase mas file, you're just a straight up troll

The best thing Bouchalakis did was fight a Kosovan

He's been awful, the sub made no sense

Sokratis and Manolas play and we win this game 5-0 ??

Bochalakis touch is awful, gets him into so much trouble. Don't agree with Zeca being pulled off instead of Kourbelis who has a yellow card

How the F*** did we not score there

Not surprised JVS is going in unchanged, the line-up is settled and he seems to like to stick with what's been working for him. Fortounis was always less likely to start a match where the other team would have equal or potentially more possession than us, pressing will be key and that's his weakness. I'm sure we'll see him in the 2nd half, depending on the score.

Rebbe is live https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH-V2PoIdlE

Bakakis is officially out of the 2 upcoming Nations League matches with an injury. Leaves us light at right back, I think we all saw Lampropoulos isn't the answer. You would think Rota would be given an opportunity but the fact he got zero mins in the friendly and he's an uncapped player doesn't fill me with confidence that he'll be played. There is also the option to call someone else up but the only other right back we have playing at a decent level atm is Kitsiou and JVS has never called him up even with our struggles in the position, so don't think he's a Kitsiou fan.