Ellada2004

I wouldn’t say Greece are minnows, we have qualified for major tournaments, world cups and Euros and are one of ten countries to win the European Championship. A lot of good footballing countries can’t make the same claims. I too thought after the last World Cup that we would qualify for the 2016 Euro and was thinking we would make the semis and then carry it over to the 2018 World Cup. Things have just gone sideways especially when Ranieri took over for Euro qualifying and Skibbes mess at the Nations League. Only positives over last four years is the away result vs Belgium and that the team managed to get to the playoff vs eventual World Cup runners up Croatia. Though the first leg vs croatia went all wrong due to Skibbes suspect lineup and FIFA dubious suspension of Manolas for the first match.

I was wondering to if it’s on TV anywhere? Or I will have to find it online. what time is it Eastern time?

The team is doing very well with this crop of young players the coming years look bright. Without the 6 point deduction PAO would be tied for second place. Im very proud of this team. GO PAO!

I hope Holebas can patch things up with the new coach and maybe work his way back into the NT for the upcoming Euro qualifiers. At 34 he has a couple of good years left and I think he would help us. We could have used him in the last World Cup qualifiers especially in the playoff vs Croatia.

I really like Fetfa but I watched OLY game today and he was average when he came in the 73rd minute, Fortounis gave him a nice through ball into the box and he totally muffed his shot. He has to be better and be in the starting 11 for OLY to start getting called up to the NT.

Olympiakos pulls out a win in stoppage time

Yes, Ange should have seen that when Skibbe made changes in the game vs Estonia. That draw almost costed Greece the playoff spot if Belgium would have lost at Bosnia. Anyways we are not Belgium and cant make so many changes to the starting 11 and expect to win, its not going to happen. Lets hope Donis is healthy and stays healthy I think he can really help the NT, he was fantastic vs Belgium with nice dribbling skills 1 v1 and has good vision. We have to hope all our key players stay injury free unlike the last few campaigns. What happened to K Paps? Is he still out? Im so friging nervous about this draw ever since we missed out on capturing top spot in the Nations League, how they managed to screw up that opportunity, I still cant believe it. Gotta get a nice draw cant stand the thought of missing another EURO and having to wait until Qatar 2022.

Hopefully, the team looked very sharp today. If not for the -6 points to start the season.

FT PAOK 2 Xanthi 0. PAOK now have a 5 point lead over 2nd place Atromitos.

2-0 PAOK, AEK lost 2-1

Good assessment, Greece should be winning comfortably vs Estonia, Faroes, Luxembourg etc. We scrape out 1-0 wins when they should be 3 goal spreads. Going back to the 2014 World Cup qualifying we had the same issue not putting up big wins vs the lightweights and Bosnia did and they beat us out for top spot on goal differential. The larger problem now in the last 4 years is that we are losing or drawing games to these minnows at the very least Greece should be getting wins. This has to change. First thing Ange has to do is call up our best players and put them in there correct positions. Ange made 9 changes to the starting 11 vs Estonia to experiment and thinking the team was going to get the easy win. I am all for some changes but not that many and you cant do that in your 2nd match in charge when you are looking to get wins to build momentum and to move up the rankings.

Prijovic nice goal!

That's right George that match in Belgium is the most complete performance the NT has had since the 2014 World Cup. Belgium had a couple chances in the first half but the team worked hard defensively and in the 2nd half Mitroglou finished off his chance in clinical fashion. The team was then under pressure when Tachtsidis got the red card in the 65th and Belgium were coming in waves. Lukaku equalized in the 90th to rescue them a point but I was still happy with the overall performance and Greece could have won if not for being down to 10 men and Belgium has not lost a competitive home match since 2011 I believe. If they would have won that game it would have made Belgium sweat for first in the group.

That's right we have no style of play the last 4 years. We used to be built around great defending and when we grabbed a 1-0 lead it would be nearly impossible for the opponent to score an equalizer as the team would stifle the opponent and run down the clock. It wasn't pretty but the results were wins. Even when the team would fall behind or need a goal like in the World Cup we got it from Samaras late in stoppage time to Ivory Coast and vs Costa Rica the team was fighting hard and Sokratis of all the guys puts in the equalizer for his 1st international goal to send the game to extra time. Now its seems like the guys are just out there with no plan and some are not even giving a crap about there performance they just seem interested in getting an appearance. On the home atmosphere it has been lacking of late but there was enthusiasm in the matches vs Belgium and Bosnia I think that will be evident again in the next campaign, hosting the Nations League games at OAKA didn't help with so many empty seats visible they should have kept it at the Karaiskakis stadium.

It's very depressing J1078, I read since the 2016 Euro qualifiers the NT record in 41 matches is 13W 9D 19L. Just pathetic and most of the losses are to average or minnow teams aside from the loses to Belgium and Croatia. I can accept a loss to Belgium like the 1-2 defeat in Athens but not to countries like Estonia, faroes, North Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Luxembourg, Saudi Arabia etc. I don't know what the problem is when they play these crap sides I remember Ranieri laughing in press conferences saying they will win and expect to win these games like the ones vs Finland, North Ireland and Faroe Islands only to come out totally flat. The mentality has to change, hopefully it will because when we played Belgium to a draw in Brussels and even the defeat in Greece the team looked more sharp and played with more purpose. Maybe vs the top countries in the upcoming Euro qualifiers we will see the same. I can only hope so.

Yup exactly, I was very optimistic for the upcoming years after that World Cup. I knew it would be a tough transition without Karagounis there but I definitely thought with our roster and the group we were handed for the 2016 Euro qualifiers Romania, N Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Faroes that Greece were a lock to finish in the top 2. Finishing last in that group and missing the 2016 Euros did immense damage to the team and they have not recovered since and winning matches that should be a given as was the case with Santos like vs Estonia, Faroes, Finland, Hungary etc. have become very tricky encounters.

ya it would have been a 50/50 with Holland. Greece were penalties away from the World Cup quarter finals and looks what has happened in the last 4 years, total disappointment.

lol true.. but he made some crazy saves I remember that header from Mitro in extra time when he tipped it over the bar I thought we were on our way to the quarters.

Ya George that's a big problem for us going forward. Who can score at the same rate Mitro did? Koulouris? Karelis? dont think they are even close to his top level.

^^ I watched that game about a week ago and we played with so much pace, the team created so many chances and was unlucky not to score a 2nd goal because of the great goalkeeping from Navas. Total night and day difference to the current NT which in a lot of games has so much trouble moving the ball effectively in the final third of the pitch. Mantalos has no confidence lately he had terrible control and ruined our attack in the last few games. Bakasetas still has yet to score for the NT in 20 appearances and I just dont see him working out for the Ethniki so I think its time to move on from him.

From Pot 3 I will definitely take North Ireland, Israel, Bulgaria even Norway . As I posted before I dont want Greece up against Finland anymore. Im excited for this draw and I hope its as straight forward as possible, I cant stand to think we may miss out on a 3rd consecutive major tournament.

I cant believe Greece did not top this group with relative ease and to not finish in 3rd is so embarrassing. A total blown opportunity.

Masouras had a good performance, overall very steady. Bakasetas should not be called up, but I think he will be going forward.

True Greece do have problems coping with quick teams like a South Korea. Would love to draw England and just see Greece beat them in a competitive match and just stick it to the Eglesi ?