Friendlys

[Clover22]

For gods sake its just a warm - up! There's no question we have a better squad this season than last and if our new coach works out I think we'll be better this year than we have for a long time. But give it a chance. ONE game, one freakin' game and you guys are flipping out!

[NikosVazelas]

Losing is ok. especially in preseason and REAL LOST TO A THIRD DIVISION TEAM LAST WEEK. and the final score was 3-0.

I dont see why preseason means so much to you dude. its abotu getting ur team ready. its not about the result. its about gettin ur system in check.the biggest problem last year was the defence to offence transtition. and now we do that ok considering we have been pracitcing for 19 days and ipswich is starting their season in 6 days.

And yes they finished 14th last year but they were 5 points out of 8th and 9 points out of 6th. thats two or three games away from getting into the coca-cla championship playoffs.

just like Larisa last year who finished 10th, they were robbed by refs of 4 points which would of put them into 7th.

all i am saying is preseason isnt as important result wise.

With that logic, two years ago, when pao didnt lose a game in preaseaon, with that logic, they should of been awesome. Tying Roma in italy.

FILIKA EINAI. MHN AROSTENETAI ETSI RE PAIDIA.

KALH KIKLOFORIA EIXANAI.

DEN LEW OTI PAIKSAME MPALLARA. APLOS DEN EIMASTE TOSO XALIA.

Bayern Leverkusen lost to a 2nd division team and were ELIMINATED in the cup yesterday. and their season hasnt even started yet.

I dont get it. i think maybe im stupid for not taking them as seriously. maybe its that.

a friendly is not real football. they dont slide tackle the way u would against ANY TEAM IN ANY LEAGUE OR ANY TOURNAMENT. u dont run as fast. u dont try as hard. its natural habit. u HAVE FUN AND TRY TO LEARN. thats it.

but im sorry..i might be wrong.

SO WEDNESDAY IS AGAINST LAZIO, LETS GET ON THE BUS AND GO TO ITALY and fill the stands with fans. THE TEAM NEEDS OUR SUPPORT. THEY NEED US TO BOOST THEM FOR OUR ALL IMPORTANT MATCH. ELA RE BOYS.

[NikosVazelas]

CLOVER...we are gonna suck. its over we lost a friendly.

[solomos]

you know what really bugs me alot is the effort. They go into these friendlies and these footballers don't give 100% it also bugs me that this coaches don't take these friendlies serious!

[cyberfish]

It's preseason and neither the players nor the team is ready just yet. Ipswich were more ready and more organized. It's not a big deal that we lost.

But we can see some trends might cost Peseiro some sleepless nights.

Katranas (baby Goumas) played well, but showed why young players in such critical positions can kill you with silly mistakes. There was no reason to try to dribble Koubaros in 44. He was fouled, the ref didn't call it, and it was 2-0 before half time. Such plays can kill a season. The kid will learn and it's good he made the mistake in preseason.

Other than that, formation was different that last season 3-1-3-2, but the team looked just about the same. Lots of short passes in midfield, but we got nowhere near the opponents' box with any merit. We won only one header (salpi from a non-threatening position) all game long on offense, and on their corner kicks we could not clear the ball to save our lives. Every cross resulted in one or two SOG on their part.

With the Mattos as a lone DM and three midfielders bunched up more towards the middle of the field, our weakness at fullback was amplified. Seric and Vintra found themselves exposed many a time.

Maraz is great in deflecting shots on goal, but his reputation of weak performance on crosses was apparent today.

I liked how the three midfielders (Tziolis, Karagounis, Leontiou) changed positions constantly, but at times it was a mute point. When Tziolis finds himself as a winger the chances of pulling a good cross are slim.

Mattos is good defensively, but his passing today reminded me of ... "Brazilian DM with enea grammata. Poios na 'nai" ... (Hint: quick to pass the ball backwards or to the side).

This looks like the same team as last year so far. Slow development in midfield, susceptible to counter-attacks, soft defensively, impotent offensively. We still give up easy goals.

On the bright side, we pressed correctly on the entire field. This resulted in more possession and more time moving forward.

It's still preseason and we have three more weeks to figure it out.

[Clover22]

Nikos :LOL:

[PAO_OR_DEATH]

ok i think we played pretty average footy today but i think this performance really solidifies the fact that vintra is complete horse s%$#!. Hopefully we get our act together before the derby or i fear i will have to start hitting the bottle more often.

[Crazy]

you know what really bugs me alot is the effort. They go into these friendlies and these footballers don't give 100% it also bugs me that this coaches don't take these friendlies serious!

Friendlys are more like lets check wich players got what the coach wants to see and which players can cover the teams needs.Even if i would love to see most of you guys freaking out so soon :P ,NOBODY would or should give 100% effort on a friendly.Who wants to get injured on a friendly against Ipswich???.I have an example from last year,Osfp was great in most of the friendlys,5ares-4ares,we looked like the bomb but when regular season started we looked and played like a bumb,so relax.This year Pao has more advantages coming to the start of the season,kept most of the players,some good additions plus a new coach that had some time to put his plans in effect.If you only get rid of Vintra you will be good to go. B)

[DUDE]

You guys are missing the point here... the result per se isnt important but when you're playing Ipswich then as long as you play average football you'll win the game!! The fact that you lost 2-0 reflects what s%$#! condition the team is in.

But hey, you're right, don't worry, its only a friendly this "Omadara" will be flying come the start of the season! :LOL:

[Crazy]

I dont agree with is but it is funny:

http://www.contra.gr/Columns/Paparazzi/162929.html

[solomos]

i'am wondering if you guys have played football before,cause personally if i get on the field i will play my best all-time including friendlys to impress the coaching staff,plus really why can't apao put real effort and show ipswich that they are a big team.

[MATTOS13]

i'am wondering if you guys have played football before,cause personally if i get on the field i will play my best all-time including friendlys to impress the coaching staff,plus really why can't apao put real effort and show ipswich that they are a big team.

i agree with u my friend!!i can't understand why our player don't give their 100%!

i am trying to understand why even we have 2 good strikers papadopoulos & salpi they can't play together!i saw them playing together against ipswich and i realised that they having problems in communication and not only....i want to see more from them or to be correctly i EXPECT to see more from this 2!!!!they may say that ball doesn't easily get to them.ok i agree but when i see them losing faith in their self that makes me mad!!!they have such quality they should lead our team with kara to success!in the only opportunite they had when salpi lost the goal papa seemed agree with him and salpi put his head down....from something like that i understand that they don't trust each other and that salpi is not having his best time in our team!!when papa got the leadership he start acting strange...

i hope we have a good football year from both of them scoring a lot of goals espesially against oly!!!!!

question:does Mantzios deserve to play in panathinaikos?

[NikosVazelas]

Its tough for salpi and pap to play together because they are both the same type CF.

I think Mantzios will have a make or break year. he has all the prerequisites for a ST. Tall, good speed can use both feet but for some reason is not reaching full potential. then again u cant ecpect to play a kid 10 games a year and want him to score 25 goals. last year he did have 4 goals in the cup run and 5 during the season which isnt bad.

Maybe this year with our midfield and ball control looking better, he might score many more, as long as he doesnt have an open net liek he did in the 94th against larisa in the final.

[Crazy]

Lazio-Panathinaikos today guys.What is your prediction on the game and what whould you like to see from your team.

[Wallofsoccer88]

HT 1-1.

We're playing a 4-1-3-2 and not doing a very good job. Lazio has been the better team throughout the half. Pandev scored on an open header, while N'Doye tied it up on a well-struck free kick just outside their box. N'Doye has probably been our best player and has been getting knocked around.

Our defense is going to get smoked against long-ball teams w/ fast target man (like Inzaghi). Morris is hurt and was our main speed guy. No one else back there is espc. fast. Our backline is something like (right to left) Nilsson, Vyntra, Goumas (captian) and #4 (one of the young guys).

Anyone else watching this and would like to weigh in?

[Crazy]

I just read that and i can not believe this stupidity:

[NikosVazelas]

First half is done and i have to say i have nothing but good things to say about how we are playing. Ball movement, Ball control and execution is nothing but great.

Lazio is a dirty ass team and if this were a european game, trust me, ledesma would of been booked at least 3 times by now.

Seric hurt himself in the 14th and asked for a sub immediately. might be long term.

could be a blessing in disguise as this might enhance us to bring up the youngster boutzikos from the academy.

as for the startin 11, galino,nilsson,goumas,vyntra,seric(dimoutsos 14'),Mattos,Kara,Tziolis,Leontiou,Salpi,Ndoye.

The goals were scored first by lazio on a cross that went right in between vyntra who is playing cb, and goumas. that was the only real chance lazio had if not for another header from close range that landed in glainos hand.

Pao had 3 chances including the goal and two were directly from Ndoye. a cross from kara in the 16th found Ndoyes head and was saved by lazios 44 year old keeper.

the goal was off a foul from 4 yards outside the box by Ndoye that blazed over the wall and struck the crossbar and landed beind the goaline.

Ndoye was also attacked a number of times and was hit twice by ledesma. looks to me like the spirits might calm a bit , Hopefully, but so far, this first half was a very good one for pao.

Lazio look slower, weaker and often confused by the way pao is moving the ball with speed and accuracy.

All the italian side is doing i tryin to cross the ball in the middle of the penalty area and hope to find Inzaghi. Not the same one from milan.

2nd half is starting now.

more to come...

[NikosVazelas]

Game is over 2-1 final for Lazio.

A game that will go down as a GREAT performance by the greens and considering they played with 10 players from the 53rd minute after a bogus red on Salpi, they did really well.

what i dont understand is this. We had two players hurt on individual tackles. and Ndoye was taken out as a precaution after gettin elbowed twice and was obviously a target and somehow we end up with TEN players in a FRIENDLY on a slide tackle where Salpi barely touched the other players leg.

Positive notes from the game:

Ndoye was the best player on the pitch even though he only played 45 minutes.

Leontiou played really well on the left side, first as a LM and then as a LB. unfortunately he got a little bump, prob a charlie horse and had to be subbed.

Goumas was awesome. period.

Nilsson was creative in the first half and had every challenge won except the last one he faced in the game in and around the 84th.

Big joe made his debut and stodd his ground. The way i see it, if u dont hear his name all the time as a CB, then he is doing his job.

Dimoutso came on and did really well considering he has only had aout 7 or 8 days to get into the system.

MAttos was FANTASTIC and in my opinion should play as a lone DM and have the Karas, Ninis, Ivans, Ndoyes up front with offence on their mind.

The best thing about the game was how pao moved the ball around with one touch football and without hesitating. they moved the ball superbly in the second half even though they were down to 10 men in the 53rd.

Overall it was a great game considering the italian butchers made it hard for us.

there is a chance Salpigidis might miss the Derby cuz of that stupid red card but only if Lazio tells the ref to count it in his sheet. there is a ruling that if u get a red card in a friendly u miss ur teams next league game. But the referee will meet with lazio officials and pao officials and decide if it was a worthy red card.

I DOUBT IT WILL STAND AS LAST YEAR GIGGS RED CARD DID LAST YEAR BECAUSE HE HAD INTENT ON HURTING THE PLAYER. CANT REMEMBER HIS NAME NOW.

anyway... as doubtful as it is... u never know with these italians.

Later skaters.

[MATTOS13]

we all saw our team perfoming great yesterday!!!it is the first time that i felt we r going somewhere!!!the way the play runing upside down,pressing high,having the ball from the most of the game at their legs,make lazio getting nervous and finally i saw out team having what we used to miss TSAMPOUKA!!!!!!!

what can i say from them....

gali was great(only at the second goal he has a little responsibility)

nillson made his opponent look stupid

vyntra played very well(it is my first time writing good words for him)at his best position!!

goumas was awesome

leontiou will become a big transfer for us!!!playing LM and LB!!

karagounis was again great

mattos was doing his job excellent(the only bad time was at the second goal)

tziolis had a very good game changing all the time position with kara

dimoutsos has a great future!!!he has only been 7 days in our team and from what i saw he played as he was 7 months!!

sapli i like his passion....the red card was too hard from the ref but i don't mind because he had also good game!!

N'doye had his best game so far....the newspapers here in greece tell for him that he was.....

newspapers

i agree!!!!they couldn't stop him....only with :box:

big joe played well!he wasn't ready to play but when peseiro saw the injuries he told him to be ready...

Peseiro(from what i saw yesterday)he is a winner!! :tup:

:nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw: :nw:

[cyberfish]

I agree with everything Nikos' report above.

That's the way we want our team to play. Even though we lost, I had a good feeling at the end.

The good:

We looked fast! First time in years I have seen our team look quick, fast, and shappy.

We also looked tough. The players looked determined and took the initiative attacking the ball all over the field. Pressing high seems to click for us now, and most importantly, we rebounded quickly to form a defence when Latzio escaped the pressure.

Seric got another hamstring probably, and I was surprised to see him replaced by the youngser Dimoutsos. The kid played with skill and more guts than a veteran. Bravo, kai kalh stadiodromia :tup: Leontiou's play was welcome. He also played well, and with toughness. N'Doye played the role Papadopoulos normally has, and showed how it's done. Nice player. He scored once and missed a close header, but he was a danger all over the field. Mattos does not need a partner at DM; he is good. Galinovic is our starting GK (better command of the box, and better in high balls). Vintra was good as CB and as LB. Goumas gets better with age (he is NOT old for CB).

Peseiro fielded a good team with the right attitude. Towards the end of the game our players kept running and looked strong, so it looks like conditioning will not be an issue this year.

The team from last year looks very different. The fullbacks play high in the opponent's half all the time and the center backs slide left or right to cover. The trhee midfielders in front of Mattos change positions constantly along with the SS (N'Doye or Papadopoulos or Salpigidis). The players rarely carried the ball yesterday and the one-touch football they employed makes the team so much faster.

The bad:

We conceded two silly goals once again. An open header, and a melle of sorts. We are also out of left footed players.

Cheers

[NikosVazelas]

only thing is malartz is the startin keeper. galino was awful last year especially when venturing out.

Malartz will only improve.

[bar7]

is Leontiou left footed???? :ph34r:

[MATTOS13]

leontiou is left footed,then only one not injured!!!

but i believe we won't have any problem because as i saw yesterday the players in the middle change position all the time.karagounis has a free role!!dimoutsos and papadopoulos when mantzios came in always change their position!!we saw papa play as LM & RM so did dimoutsos!

i think we are building a good team!!

[PAO_OR_DEATH]

it was entertaining game with some raw emotions but unfortunately the ###### ref ruined it by sending sapli off, what a dick. I am however a little concerned that we are not finnishing easy chances, this could be "rustyness"

[athinaios]