Jump to content
Phantis Forums

PAO v. AEK


athinaios

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 76
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Will this be the beginning of our big come-back and start the second round by beating a non-contender? Obviously we can't afford anything but a victory.

AEK seems to be weaker this season, but it's a derby (at least on paper) and we have to perform our best. If we do, then we'll beat them. I'm only afraid of the bad PAO showing up.

I think alot depends on PAO's formation in this game. If PAO go with 1 up front (i.e. Mantzios) I think PAO may struggle to break AEK down because I think Kyrgiakos will dominate Mantzios. With the towering Kyrgiakos and Majstorovic in the central defensive position it makes sense to try and play cute football. Ninis should start and he'll be the key imo. Doubtless it will be a tight game but I think this can go one of 2 ways: A PAO win or a draw.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy new year! I have a good feeling we will win this game. At the start of the season they couldn't figure out what formation to use but now its much closer; not quite there yet but a lot better. Good post there Hollywood with your "screw Ninis" remark. Very interesting insight on our most creative midfielder and one of Greeces most exciting young players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All I know is that every year we approach the AEK games with abundant optimism, and everyone is sure we'll steamroll over AEK, and every year we get in trouble. No matter how AEK plays in other games, they seem to have built a good tradition against PAO.

I hope Ten Cate the players do not underestmate AEK. They are going through some rough times but they still have enough talent to create some favorable match ups for them. Somehow the much coveted Donis (how many here wanted to see him in the PAO bench really?) did a horrible job putting a team together in the summer and managing his games. But Bajevic is not Donis. He is a smart coach who can bring the best out of his players and knows how to win the vast majority of the games he is involved with.

Panathinaikos can take the game, but it won't be as easy as many think. It can become easy if PAO plays hard because we do seem to have superior talent and organization this year, but we've seen that the team does not always put forth their best.

AEK seem to be strong in the CB position, but their fullbacks are suspect. I think Ten Cate will test them. Kyriakos and Maistorovic will probably dominate the high balls, but Panathinaikos has players who can run circles around such CBs with the ball on the ground. In the first game it looked like Endinhio ran circles around our CBs too, so I hope he does not find the same kind of room.

A lot will be decided on how well our CF can occupy the tall defenders. If they find their hands full tracking our CF, players like Ninis, Gabriel, Roukavina, Cleyton can find room behind them (especially if AEK pushes their defense high).

I suspect AEK will load their midfield and play a careful game in the back. I hope Panathinaikos players and fans stay patient and keep possession in AEK's half.

Personaly I think an extra skilled player in midfield instead of a third DM might be more helpful in this game. I would probably put in Roukavina or Cleyton behind or next to Mantzios.

Here is what I would do (even though I suspect Ten Cate knows better):

------------------Galinovic----------------

Vintra-----Goumas--Sariegi-----Spyropoulos

-------------Simao---Gilberto------------

Ninis------------Cleyton----------Karagounis

------------------Mantzios----------------

Ivanschitz is out with a bad cold, but everyone else is available, including Gabriel, Moon, and Nilsson who have recovered from their injuries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cyber, you're right. We cannot understimate AEK. It's a derby and they know they can beat us (as they have several times in the past).

However, AEK will come out trying to win this one (I think). Why would they play for anything else but a win at this point? It's not like they're ahead of us and a tie suits them.

If one thing I've seen this season is that when teams play open and try to beat us we have a much better chance of scoring and winning it. Domestically and in Europe, we've done much better with bigger & attacking teams than with lesser & tight defenses.

2-0.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, the lineup is in:

-----------------Galinovic------------------

Vintra----Goumas---Sariegi---Spyropoulos

-----------Gilberto---Simao---------------

Gabriel-----------------------Karagounis

------Salpigidis------Mantzios

On the bench: Tzorvas, Melissis, Cleyton, Ninis, Roukavina, Petropoulos

I hope we see a good game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Melissis got booked within a couple of minutes on a very harsh tackle :blink:

A few minutes later, Melissis with a bad clearance and then lost Skoko. If AEK succeeds in exploiting Melissis we'll be in trouble.

I suspect one of the DMs, probably Simao might have to be more mindful of our right side of the defense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Darn, we look completely out of sorts. Melissis is already booked and he has been late on just about every challenge so far. What's wrong with the guy?

AEK is now taking over.

AND, 31' header of Kyriakos on the post :o

OOOOOOOOO ma ti exase o Gilberto :o :o :o 32' Face to face with Saha from five meters out on a sweet cross by Salpi.

The game is now very fast paced with AEK looking to always move quickly on offense.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

AEK looks more composed in midfield. After Goumas came out we look really out of sorts. Only Simao is playing ball in midfield. Gabriel is out of it, and Karagounis gets fouled before he takes his third step. Gilberto is out of it too.

We need to find ways to push the ball to Salpi. He got the ball a couple of times in front of him and he created our two best chances.

From what I see so far the Melissis/Goumas sub was not the best one. Maybe Gabriel could play as RB and put Ninis in instead of Melissis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, Gilberto had some good games, but when he is bad, he is really bad!

You know the game is getting away when all the loose balls fall the way of your opponent. I think we'll be lucky to finish this half without conceding. We need to find a way to get some composure in midfield.

Melissis is out of position and late on EVERY challenge. How can a player be so bad?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah, I don't see us developing well.... there's something missing...

Gilberto should come out, though we had a early sub already, TenKate should reshuffle. We can't be happy with a tie here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HT:

Fast paced game. AEK is controling the pace after Goumas got injured.

Melissis is a very weak player and I think the whole team lost confidence after he came in. Despite all that we could have scored if Gilberto didn't shot like me. AEK could have scored too with a beautiful Kyriakos header.

All in all, with only one of our 4 midfielders playing ball we managed to stay away from AEK's box. AEK is doing the right thing by pressing high and they have been successful so far.

We need some spark in midfield. Mantzios and Salpi look like they can handle AEK's defenders if they get the ball in the box.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...