PAOK-CSKA Moscow

[Euro2004]

Big game for PAOK tonight as they welcome CSKA Moscow to Toumba. PAOK have to win to 0 if they are to have a realistic chance of qualifying. It will be a big ask and that's reflected by the bookies who consider CSKA to be favourites tonight. I'm surprised at that because PAOK are a tough side to beat at home. Having said that I really rate the 2 Russian teams in this competition and I fancy one of them to go all the way.

Let's hope it all goes well and we see another famous European night for PAOKARA. :gr:

[Euro2004]

FINAL SCORE: 0-1 :(

PAOK were very good for the first 20 mins and it looked as though they'd definitely win the game. After that they were absolutely abysmal. The couldn't string 2 passes together without losing the ball. Cirillo was terrible and at fault for the goal, Chalkias should also have done better on that goal, but it was the midfield that was particularly bad tonight. Garcia was slow and clumsy, Vitolo lacked any sort of a creative spark, Ivic was off the pace, Vierinha couldn't put a foot right and El Zahr was his usual dumb self. The one thing they all had in common was the terrible passing on display though. It was almost like watching non-league at times. Seriously disgraceful.

The manager's tactics were also appalling and not bringing on Musli was unforgivable in my opinon. It was evident that PAOK couldn't play through CSKA so why not bring on the one forward who can be combative and aerially effective, giving the option of going aerial if need be? Instead he brought on Athanasiadis who not only needlessly was caught offside on about 15 occasions but was too small to impose himself aerially. That kept PAOK to one dimension, forcing them to try and play through CSKA.

[gcp]

Euro, thanks for the update but does PAOK have any Greek players on the roster? Jesus Christ, nothing but foreign names and for someone that was born and raised only a few miles from Toumba, that doesn't seat well!! :gr: What is Zagorakis thinking?

[Irlandos]

Disappointed by the result. :tdown:

As they say, see you next year!

[Euro2004]

Euro, thanks for the update but does PAOK have any Greek players on the roster? Jesus Christ, nothing but foreign names and for someone that was born and raised only a few miles from Toumba, that doesn't seat well!! :gr: What is Zagorakis thinking?

There are actually quite a few Greek players on the roster, not necessarily in the first team though. Chalkias, Salpingidis, Tsoukalas and Athanasiadis played last night. While Koutsianikoulis, Fotakis, Balafas, Sakellariou, Malezas, etc are in the squad. The nature of modern football means that there will always been many foreigners in the squad, but what i find disappointing is that some of these foreigners aren't as good as their Greek counter-parts. I'm not against buying players from abroad, but at least only do it when there is a significant upgrade.

Koutsianikoulis is better than El Zahr for example.

Lino is also way past his best now and I prefer Sakellariou now.

Fotakis is injured i think, but when fit he's a lovely footballer and easily good enough to be in their team. So i just want to either see better foreign players coming to Greece, or the Greeks given more of a chance.

Ultimately the fans are at fault though. They idolise players like Garcia, who last night looked woefully off the pace. I remember they used to rave about Sorlen too, another overrated player.

Having seen PAOK on numerous occasions this year (and last) i'd say they need the following:

- A big, aerially competant centre-forward that's a goalscorer

- A good right winger

- A centre-back that's better than Cirillo

- And to bring Sakellariou and Fotakis into the starting line up, while Koutsianikoulis starts to feature more frequently too.

If they addressed those 4 points I think they would have a great chance of winning the league.