paokarag4

What a save Pasxalakis

We already had a lead in that one @Dutch Eagle but I like your optimism

Well that's the worst possible start. Khacherdi sent off down to 10 from the 7th minute. Meh was going to be too easy 11 v 11

he's obviously going to try keep the midfield tight, not sure I agree with El Kaddouri on the wing for this one. Probably a case for Akpom to start over Prijovic as well. I know that was never going to happen but in a game where we're going to need pace on the break to cause any threat it makes sense. The only one with pace is Jaba. Hopefully we pull off a spectacular result. I have just woken up an hour and a half before my alarm was meant to go off, I was dreaming we had beaten them 0-5. You heard it hear first!

Lamia, Larissa, Giannina and Levadiakos. No reason we shouldn't take 12 points from those games and it starts Monday night against Lamia. If we play the football we are capable of we'll go into the new year with a handy lead up our sleeve but still a lot of football to be played. Let's control what we can and take 3 points one game at a time. Olympiakos plays some nice football. What they lack is a striker to finish their chances. We in the mean time have taken advantage of having the best goalscorer in the league and have our 6 point lead. Need to win all 4 of our remaining games in the 1st round and go into christmas with at least this 6 point lead intact.

Not sure if it's a good or bad thing, Chelsea completely outclassed in the London derby a 3-1 loss to Tottenham. So not sure if Sarri will be even more inclined to heavily rotate his squad given they've lost ground on Liverpool and City or will be looking for a bounce back and play a strong team. Logic says he'll rest and rotate. Either way it'll be tough even if we manage a win we need Bate to do us a favour (which I think they will)

Disappointing result no doubt. Once again we are reminded of how much we lack in the final 3rd and in front of goal. It took moments of magic from Fortounis (post) and Karelis (overhead kick) to produce our best chances. It's a bad loss but it hasn't changed where the ethniki sits in my eyes. We struggle to break teams down and create chances when denied space, we know that. We are suited to a counter attacking style of football. You're not gonna get those sort of chances vs Hungary, Finland and Estonia. Qualifying for Euro 2020 is going to be tough but not beyond us. Our key players need to be in form and stay fit and we'll be in with half a shout. Vlaxodimos, Manolas, Sokratis, Zeca, Fortounis, Donis, Mitroglou, Pelkas there is enough talent there for us to be somewhat optimistic moving forward. At least I am.

Indeed it was pao. We were deducted 6 points from that seasons playoffs. I guess not technically an away game given it's considered a neutral venue

Jesus Christ you'd think we were down 4-0 based on these comments. Just because you change manager doesn't mean your team automatically learns to play fluid attacking football. It wasn't pretty but we have a lead. It's what the Ethniki was best at for a decade! It can be better but so far so good imo. More goals there to take but finland have some pace up top and will be (and have been in the 1st half) dangerous on the counter

Looks like Siovas is coming on to replace Manolas who hasn't shaked off his ankle injury

GOAL!!! Lovely run by Toro to set it up!

it was kourmbeli just ran into a wall of 3 Finnish players. He hasn't looked confident on the ball in the first 10mins

That chance is a good example of what can be provided when Mantalos, Pelkas and fortounis are in the same XI they can all play with the ball at their feet and are clever in the final 3rd. Obviously not being natural wide players is the downside. Mitro maybe should've done better with the early chance but on his opposite foot was always going to be difficult

The tie-breaking criteria for all Uefa competitions the Nations league included is the head to head record. So us beating Finland 3-0 would give us a better head to head record and if we were to draw level with them on points on the last match day we would come first based on that record. If we were to beat them 2-0 it would get a little complicated. Basically it would come down to goal difference because we would be tied in all other tiebreaking criteria's. Which are Superior goal difference in matches played among the teams in question; Higher number of goals scored in the matches played among the teams in question; Higher number of goals scored away from home in the matches played among the teams in question;

For anyone interested Novasports are going stream Anastasiadis first press conference. It starts in about 25 minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MTt8bX8izc

Given as an own goal, it did look like one not that it matters

Atromitos with 2 goals in the 88th min and right on the 90 (Kolouris) have beaten AEK 0-2. A Draw would have been a great result for us but if we can take care of business tonight we'll be 9 points clear of AEK. Is Atromitos the real deal? Are they a serious contender? I think we all kind of expect them to drop off at some point like they did last season but they are a very well run club with a very good manager. After the international break they host Olympiakos, will be a huge game.

Starting XI -------------Pasxalakis Kitsiou-----Varela---Crespo---Tosca --------------Canas--------Shkahov Limnios------Pelkas--------------Biseswar ---------------Prijo Bench: Rey, Khacheridi, Wernbloom, Maurico, Jaba, El Kaddouri and Akpom Not thrilled with Shakhov getting the start but I guess Maurico coming back from his injury was never going to start. That bench is on some good $$$

Looks like Kitsiou will get his shot at redemption as he's been included in the squad. Karelis, Warda and Malezas left out. Ρέι , Πασχαλάκη , Τόσκα , Κίτσιου , Βαρέλα , Κρέσπο , Χατσερίδη ,Μαουρίσιο , Σάκχοφ , Βέρνμπλουμ , Κάνιας , Μπίσεσβαρ , Πέλκα , ΕλΚαντουρί , Ζαμπά , Λημνιό , Πρίγιοβιτς και Ακπόμ .

Interested to see how the senior players in the squad respond to Angelos as manager. He is a very polarising person, I feel they'll either love him or hate him no in between. Hopefully it's the former and we can end the nations league on a high and go into Euro 2020 qualifying with a full head of steam.

I was thinking the same about Lucescu's lack of European experience. But as you say we played well in the CL qualifiers but playing these sort of teams is different all together compared with your Basel's, Spartak's etc. Teams you can sit back and counter against, Vidi we had to go and break down and for whatever reason we couldn't do it over 2 games. Hell we didn't create a clear cut chance over 180 minutes.

Big blow with no Vieirinha, we saw in the home game against Vidi Tosca just doesn't cut it as an attacking full back. If we get the first goal i think we'll be okay. If we concede first it'll be another tough night of trying to break down a stubborn defence. Might be worth considering starting Warda down the left to compensate for Tosca's lack of attacking ability, although I doubt that'll happen

I'd say Lucescu will go with Crespo as a full back. I'll be shocked if after not even including Kitsiou in squads he gives him a start. Crespo and Tosca at full back for this game yiankos said

Looks like Paschalakis picked up a knock vs Atromitos and he is 50-50 at this early stage to be fit for Thursday. Could be Rey's time to come in and do a job for us in a very important game.

Bit harsh on Mitro I feel re banana. He had a great 2 seasons at Benfica where he was scoring for fun. I know a few of their fans were scratching their head when he was sold to Marseille at the start of last season. Hasn't had the best time at Marseille though for the last 18 months. It's one of those things he isn't in great form but due to a lack of good players around him who else would start. Kolouris is the top scorer in the league but you and I both know he probably isn't at the level for PAOK let alone the NT. Maybe it's worth rewarding the good form though?