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Villarreal - Panathinaikos


cyberfish

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Champions League stage of 16 baby :tup:

One more week for the big game and I can't wait. We do have a game against Panionios on Sunday but it's hard to even think about it knowing that next Wednesday we have the chance to make history again.

Winning the group gave us the second game at home so we need a good result even if it's a loss by one goal so we can enjoy qualification in a packed and rocking OAKA in Athens. On paper Villarreal is the better team and it's going to be the toughest game of the year so far. Sure Villareal can take both games if they play their top game, but so can Panathinaikos with their top game. Could things go terribly wrong? Sure. But thinking of bad things brings bad carma.

I expect a tight formation in midfield with another Ten Cate surprise and a 1-3 win B)

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It is always tough playing against spanish teams just because of the higher level league games that they have over there but Panathinaikos has proven this year that when it comes to CL games,your players eyes are shinning so i expect 2 good games and as long as you can get a good result in the first game(away),Pao will go through.

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im gonna say

2-0 Villarreal (sorry guys but Im being realistic here); on paper and with whats going on in the league + the winter break i just don’t think Pao has the mental toughness or any momentum…

Im also going to jump the gun and say after this match and the derby, Pao management will do what they do the best and place blame on Ten Cate and fire him…

Ive said this before and ill say it again; with this management the more things change the more they stay the same….

There is no point in deluding your self with false hope and thinking this team is anything special because we’ve been here before and the music always plays the same tune.

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice and shame on me

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Villareal aren't playing very good football at the moment but we've seen the keep 2 clean sheets against Man Utd this year in the CL and any team that can do that is an excellent defensive side. That's the sort of defensive solidarity PAO will have to show. Llorente is excellent in the air and he'll have to be tamed, and Santi Cazorla is the man that makes things happen for them so he'll have to be controlled.

A score draw would be brilliant and the best we can hope for imo. Having said this, that is quite a realistic possibility. Will Karagounis and Gabriel be back?

Who ever is available the priority will have to be to keep a clean sheet so I'd like to see 2 holding midfielders in this game.

My prediction is 2-1 to Villareal, which I don't think will be a very good result. Villareal are very solid defensively when their main aim is to play that way so I don't think it will be ideal for PAO to have to break them down and win in Greece. Let's get a draw and make the 2nd game in Athens a final!!

Can't wait, I'm sooo excited! :gr:

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Dude, the phrase 'can't wait' doesn't even come close to describing my feelings. I don't disagree with your preview but I 'll wait to see our formation and only then will I make my comments. Tough game, though, that's for sure.

this aint St.Etienne thats for sure. Very tough
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St Etienne actually have a strong team this year.

This game will be tough of course. Id be happy with a draw, a goal is crucial obviously. Its not going to be easy for us, but not going to be easy for Villareal either.

Is it on Tuesday or Wednesday?

arent St.Etienne like 18th in the French league :blink:

The game is on Wednesday

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Woo-hoo! Villarreal on Wednesday and Olympiakos on Sunday.

Two wins and we'll be in heaven. A couple of bad losses and it will be a mess.

We need a tight game in Spain. If we can take a good score like a tie or even a loss by one goal we'll take our chances in the OAKA. A patient game with control of the ball in midfield, pressing, and a little luck would do it. We can't put Villarreal in our box, and we can't give them too many high percentage shots. We know they'll create some chances and I think Ten Cate will field three CBs in this game. Just like in Inter he won't let free players to be roaming in the box. I hope Vintra plays because his quickness would be helpful.

I see a

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

------Vintra---Sariegi--Wawrzyniak

Nilsson---Simao--Gilberto--Spyropoulos

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

-------------Salpigidis-------------

which will become

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

Nilsson---Vintra---Sariegi--Wawrzyniak--Spyro

Gabriel---Simao--Gilberto--Karagounis

----------------Salpigidis-------------

When Villareal slips the ball behind our DMs

or

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

Nilsson---Vintra---Sariegi--Wawrzyniak

---Simao--Gilberto--Spyropoulos----

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

---------------Salpigidis-------------

Who knows what Ten Cate thinks. Maybe he would play Ninis or Ivan or Cleyton, but they have not shown consistency so I doubt it.

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Best of luck to you guys ! ! ! I'll be watching this one and hoping for the best! :gr:

In the light of this game, here's part of a uefa.com article that might be interesting:

Top ten unsung heroes

They say in France that there are some who play the piano and some who move it. As the UEFA Champions League takes centre stage this week, uefa.com pays tribute to ten players whose hard work has been key to their side reaching the last 16, even if the headlines and acclaim have tended to elude them.

...

Dimitris Salpingidis (Panathinaikos FC)

The 27-year-old Greek international is a coach's dream – a player who gets on with the job without complaint, whatever is asked of him. A centre-forward by trade, Salpingidis is played by Henk ten Cate as a right-winger, but is still the Greens' joint top scorer in the Greek Super League and is second only to Sotiris Ninis in goals created. While Ninis, Giorgos Karagounis and Vangelis Mantzios win acclaim and imports such as Gilberto and José Sarriegi enjoy the plaudits, the low-key, even shy Salpingidis is happy to put his head down and slip under the radar.

Source + full article.

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Best of luck to you guys ! ! ! I'll be watching this one and hoping for the best!  :gr:

In the light of this game, here's part of a uefa.com article that might be interesting:

Top ten unsung heroes

They say in France that there are some who play the piano and some who move it. As the UEFA Champions League takes centre stage this week, uefa.com pays tribute to ten players whose hard work has been key to their side reaching the last 16, even if the headlines and acclaim have tended to elude them.

...

Dimitris Salpingidis (Panathinaikos FC)

The 27-year-old Greek international is a coach's dream – a player who gets on with the job without complaint, whatever is asked of him. A centre-forward by trade, Salpingidis is played by Henk ten Cate as a right-winger, but is still the Greens' joint top scorer in the Greek Super League and is second only to Sotiris Ninis in goals created. While Ninis, Giorgos Karagounis and Vangelis Mantzios win acclaim and imports such as Gilberto and José Sarriegi enjoy the plaudits, the low-key, even shy Salpingidis is happy to put his head down and slip under the radar.

Source + full article.

I don't know about Salpi being an unsung hero. I think of him as one of the biggest stars of the team who doesn't act up for the media.

Salpi is an 8 player who plays 8.5 most of the time. He plays hard and he is dedicated to the team. If he sits on the bench he doesn't whine like other players on the other wing. When he comes in to play the player he replaces looks like a little boy compared to a man.

If I were to think of a role models for little kids, Salpi would be a good one the way he works hard and is focused on the big picture. I am glad the guy plays for us.

Added: Oh yeah, and he doesn't get pooped after 60 minutes. ;)

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Any news on the possible/probable starting line up?

Not sure yet, but as long as there is no Domi, Avraam, Zewlakov,Pantos, Patsa, Oscar, Nikopolodi, Galitsios, Mitroglu or Derbyshire, pao should be ok...

In all seriousness..

Reports from ERA sport suggest this lineup

-------------------------galino-------------------------

--------------Vyntra--Goumas--Polack--------------

Nilson--------Simao---------Gilberto---------Spyro

--------------Gabriel----------Kara-------------------

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

Bench will be --- Tzorvas, Ruka, Salpi, Melissis,Sariegui, Ninis and Ivan

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Not sure yet, but as long as there is no Domi, Avraam, Zewlakov,Pantos, Patsa, Oscar, Nikopolodi, Galitsios, Mitroglu or Derbyshire, pao should be ok...

In all seriousness..

Reports from ERA sport suggest this lineup

-------------------------galino-------------------------

--------------Vyntra--Goumas--Polack--------------

Nilson--------Simao---------Gilberto---------Spyro

--------------Gabriel----------Kara-------------------

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

Bench will be --- Tzorvas, Ruka, Salpi, Melissis,Sariegui, Ninis and Ivan

:o You are kidding me right??? 3-4-2-1, with Nilson on the right???? :blink:
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Not sure yet, but as long as there is no Domi, Avraam, Zewlakov,Pantos, Patsa, Oscar, Nikopolodi, Galitsios, Mitroglu or Derbyshire, pao should be ok...

In all seriousness..

Reports from ERA sport suggest this lineup

-------------------------galino-------------------------

--------------Vyntra--Goumas--Polack--------------

Nilson--------Simao---------Gilberto---------Spyro

--------------Gabriel----------Kara-------------------

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

Bench will be --- Tzorvas, Ruka, Salpi, Melissis,Sariegui, Ninis and Ivan

:o You are kidding me right??? 3-4-2-1, with Nilson on the right???? :blink:
yes sir... just like in Inter..
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Not sure yet, but as long as there is no Domi, Avraam, Zewlakov,Pantos, Patsa, Oscar, Nikopolodi, Galitsios, Mitroglu or Derbyshire, pao should be ok...

In all seriousness..

Reports from ERA sport suggest this lineup

-------------------------galino-------------------------

--------------Vyntra--Goumas--Polack--------------

Nilson--------Simao---------Gilberto---------Spyro

--------------Gabriel----------Kara-------------------

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

Bench will be --- Tzorvas, Ruka, Salpi, Melissis,Sariegui, Ninis and Ivan

:o You are kidding me right??? 3-4-2-1, with Nilson on the right???? :blink:
Opa re file DUDE. Me poion na pai3oume les?

To elaborate a bit more on this system, if we do play it, it means Ten Cate is looking at the big picture of two games, and wants to increase our chances of not conceding easy goals in this first contest. It will also force Villarreal to commit more players forward and to allow some more space for our midfielders to move forward.

The problem could be that with Mantzios up front we would be looking for more controlled attacks. I think Salpi up front would make more sense because his speed could take advantage of open spaces. If Salpi doesnt' play (I think he will) Gabriel and Kara will have to do an amazing amount of work marking in midfield and springing forward in support of Mantzios who himself would need to be on top of his game.

Simply, Ten Cate with such a system wants to provide extra support to the CBs and will let Mantzios, Gabriel, Karagounis pull plays out of their hat. It also means he does have some faith that the attacking players can fen for themselves.

I also think two other players will be key: Wawrzyniak and Gilberto.

Wawrzyniak will have to slide left to cover for any Spyropoulos runs forward. In the few games he played for us I think he can hold his own anywhere. I even see him sliding towards midfield to become the second DM when Gilberto moves high, and I think Gilberto will have a more creative role holding the ball and distributing in midfield. I think he will be responsible for moving as the third forward in and around Villarreal's box when we maintain possession in their field.

The question came earlier about Vintra. I think Vintra could be a good fit for this system. If Nilsson provides more support to our wing whoever plays RCB will have to slide to the right to cover. Goumas is problematic out it space against speedy wingers and I am not sure Sariegi can do it well on the right either.

In any case, our goal tomorrow will be to keep possession in midfield as much as possible to allow our defense to set up high. If we lock ourselves in our penalty area it could be a long night. Gabriel and Karagounis especially will need to calm the game and hold the ball.

Bottom line is, everyone needs to be on top of their game to leave Spain with a result that will make OAKA rock.

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You have got to be kidding me w/ that line up, right? That is simply the attitude and mindset of someone who thinks he has a team that can't compete, so he plays all these defensive guys who can't create anything. And guess what? Thats not football. Polish - Goumas - spyro - Nilsson - Ivan - Ninis - Kara - Simao - Mantzios - Ruka - Gali.

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