georgelaz Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 Mitroglou Donis Fortounis Lazaros Mantalos Zeca Staf Sokratis Manolas Bakakis/Retsos Karnezis Subs Karelis Fetfa Pelkas Kourbelis Siovas Kapino 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 We should see Mantalos there as an 8. He should be given a new position with a new responsibility. Samaris hasn't played lately and doesn't look like he is in the plans for Benfica. We don't know how match fit he is, so we should play our best and fittest players. Mantalos I think can handle the task of playing as an 8. Pelkas for me has to start. He deserves to start. He has been playing very well. Apparently Bouchalakis might get called up. Since Tachtsidis, Siopis and Samaris haven't played and are without a club. Also Kourbelis I think might miss out due to injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 I actually forgot to include Samaris in there. He did do 24 games for Benfica last season. Hopefully he gets more of a role and has some comradery with vlacho there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 As for right now though I don't know if he is match fit. I don't want any mistakes for our first game. I'd like him to start as I think he is good but we have to give to someone who has played more this season an someone who deserves it. I don't think Galanopoulos is ready yet for the big task. I'll give it to Bouchalakis for these next few games. As for Pelkas i would start him. I'd have Donis or Fetfatzidis as a super sub for him. I hope Pelkas plays the same way he does at PAOK for the national team. He doesn't stop running and hustling. He also has the technical ability to beat players and is fast. I would also play him as a second striker just behind Mitroglou. But Fortounis must play also in my opinion. So Pelkas should play on the wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 (edited) true about pelkas. bouchalakis seems like a similar player to tziolis though. slow and only really brings a good shot. he's lower level than gala imo. boucha played 20 games gala played 40+ might as well start samaris as he played same games as bouchalakis in a more prestigious club Edited August 21, 2018 by georgelaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 I don't think last season counts. I read an article on contra.gr saying that Skibbe might use Bouchalakis because of the reasons i mentioned. Samaris hasnt played, Tachtsidis and Siopis have been dropped by Oly and havent played. But all of them could easily start in this team. It just comes down to who deserves to play based on match fitness. Samaris is better than Bouchalakis but Bouchalakis has played more this season coming into the games in September. Bouchalakis is slow but better than Tziolis. He can keep the ball better and has better vision. Tachtsidis i think is our best holding midfielder but hasnt performed in the last 8 months which is why he was not wanted by the new coach. I dont know whos decision it was for leaving out Tachtsidis and playing Bouchalakis instead. They are both similar and i think Marinakis is sort of related to Bouchalakis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphonse Posted August 22, 2018 Share Posted August 22, 2018 3 hours ago, Dean97 said: As for right now though I don't know if he is match fit. I don't want any mistakes for our first game. I'd like him to start as I think he is good but we have to give to someone who has played more this season an someone who deserves it. I don't think Galanopoulos is ready yet for the big task. I'll give it to Bouchalakis for these next few games. Galanopoulos has played more games and that includes big European games so why give it to Bouchalakis who played some Championship games and has little Euro experience? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausgreek Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) Same names for 10 or more years now. I say no more Tziol, Samaris and Taxi; more of Galanopoulos, Kourbelis, Bouchalakis and Siopis. Edited August 23, 2018 by ausgreek 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxou Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 lol at bouchalakis getting a nt call up. indicates where the level of our midfielders is, as well as the work which is (not) done in the youth categories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 it should have been tachtsidis and samaris in the middle but they s%$#! the bed in terms of form. those two also huge reason why we didn't qualify for euro 2016. they were supposed to hold the torch after katsouranis and karagounis retired 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 (edited) 6 minutes ago, georgelaz said: it should have been tachtsidis and samaris in the middle but they s%$#! the bed in terms of form. those two also huge reason why we didn't qualify for euro 2016. they were supposed to hold the torch after katsouranis and karagounis retired Thats true. I am watching Olympiakos vs Burnley. Fortounis scored a free kick. Bouchalakis just scored a header! Edited August 23, 2018 by Dean97 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 ya olympiakos destroyed burnley. fortounis looking amazing. FK goal, assist cross off a set play and amazingly struck pk goal 2 goals and an assist. he's back baby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 Yeah hopefully he can do the same with Greece. Bouchalakis played well also. He is not as slow as people say. He is not the fastest but propably has the same pace as Samaris. He is way better than Tziolis. He loves playing long cross field balls. He presses well at times and can be a threat inside the box. He scored off a header and almost scored another one few minutes after. I dont if he is the answer for the midfield but is way better than Tziolis. He can be a little more ambitious with his passing as Podence made a lot runs in behind the defence. He joins the attack at times when needed. Samaris dosent do that for the national team. Also he looks more motivated than Taxi. As for Galanopoulos. We have our future star midfielder. He will be the key to our midfield in years to come. I saw the match AEK played against Vidi. I also think he is good enough to start for our midfield. He keeps possession well and has lots of energy. He also joins the attack and creates an opportunity. These are positive signs for our midfield. It will be interesting to see who starts alongside Zeca. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 my friend is a huge epl fan though and knows burnley well. that was like 3-4 of their players at least B-team for burnley they're prioritizing epl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 I didnt know that. It wont be an easy 2nd leg though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxou Posted August 24, 2018 Share Posted August 24, 2018 bouchalakis can't be a starter for god's sake, let's be real. don't take into account that skibbe has a fetish with tziolis and starts him. none of them should be starting material for us atm. that being said i wouldn't mind seeing him as a 4th option for these games behind zeca-samaris and kourmpelis, considering galanopoulos has will be with u21 and tachtsidis is a free agent. otherwise mantalos could play the "8" role as a deep laying play maker, having zeca holding the midfield but that would be a huge risk. stafylidis is slightly injured, he's coming back but i think he won't be ready to start. lykogiannis and mpakakis could be our 2 backs but i am pretty sure one of them will be tzavellas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 Your probably right about Bouchalakis. We haven't got many options though. That's the problem with our midfield. Bouchalakis is playing good for Olympiakos and should be ahead Samaris and Tachtsidis. Kourbelis is an option but I'd go with Bouchalakis. I'm not sure if he is the answer. There's no harm in trying him. Could be benefit more than we expect. I just think he needs a good run of games. Galanopoulos and Androutsos in a few years could be the answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 (edited) based on current form I'd rank it 1) Zeca 2) Mantalos 3) Galanopoulos 4) Bouchalakis 5) Kourbelis 6) Samaris 7) Tachtsidis 8 ) Androutsos 9) Tziolis 10) Petsos 11) Siopis not sure if i'm missing anyone. I'm thinking zeca cdm and mantalos as cm right now. if we have 3 of sokratis manolas retsos kpaps siovas available we could also just do 3 cb's zeca as sole cdm and put more attack minded midielders Edited August 25, 2018 by georgelaz 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Tachtsidis could be our very best midfielder on his day. He is talented. Zeca has the most energy and has been beneficial for our team. I'm keen to let Samaris have another chance. By the way some benfica fans say that he is not a number 6. He is more of 10 or 8 they say. Ive been saying for a while push him forward and not have him so deep. I'd leave that to Tachtsidis feel because of his long range passing and cleverness in his play. But where does that leave Zeca? I think Samaris has been misused. Most of his goals in his whole career has been from him pushing up into space or from set pieces. I'd leave the holding role for Tachtsidis, Zeca and Kourbelis. For box to box midfielders I'd have Samaris, Mantalos and Bouchalakis. We don't have anyone else. We are no Spain or Germany who have a good amount of depth in their talent pool. Benfica wanted to mould Samaris into a 6 when he should have been moulded into an 8 in my opinion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausgreek Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 Skibbe has been trying to mould Tzioli into Pirlo. Don't forget the milkman, Galanopoulos. Trying someone new like Androutsos or Bouchalakis is a great idea with forward thinking.. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphonse Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 How many times are we gona say how “talented” Tachtsidis is... if he was that good he would have made at any club for over 1 season already!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 (edited) You forgot to read "on his day". His inconsistency doesn't help the argument of him being most talented midfielder. The last 8 months he has been playing like Tziolis. His slowness doesn't help his cause either. People cant deny on his day he is our best midfielder. His problem has always been consistency. Samaris has been consistently average for the national team. Thats why i believe he was favoured more than Tachtsidis. Tachtsidis would have an ok game than have the worst game for a few months and then after a few weeks later have one best game of his life. He is not consistent. But his overall ability is compared to our other midfielders is more superior. No one has the vision and passing ability like Tachtsidis. You cant say the reason why he hasnt got a team yet is because he is not talented. There are other things involved. Like laziness, ego and so on. We dont know what he is thinking, only he knows. Edited August 26, 2018 by Dean97 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgelaz Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 might be because tachtsidis is more an attack minded cm that excels at through balls / creativity. creativity can be hit or miss though. I like the idea of mantalos and zeca. both are xtremely hard working players. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dean97 Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 Whats with all these youth players from Greece leaving to go abroad? It's good for their development. So far Antzoulas from Asteras and Vrakas from PAOK have gone to Italy. Also some PAO youth players have gone as well. Speaking of PAO half of their team are youth academy players and young Greeks. This will only be helpful for their development and maybe some day be solid depth for the national team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ausgreek Posted August 27, 2018 Share Posted August 27, 2018 I might not be the sharpest tool n the shed but,.......thats it, i'm going to eat keftethes with lemon and fetta..till next time lads. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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