Suggested Call Ups, Starting 11

[ausgreek]

It seems that coaches have been preferring  more imposing or physical looking guys like Fortounis for AM position. This must be why Ninis,Fetfa, Mantalos and young Pelkas don't get a go there. Rightly or wrongly mind you. Samaras comes into the equation in this case.

Edited March 28, 2016 by ausgreek

[RED SHERIFF]

forget samaras....

[ausgreek]

Players don't always stay on the scene for the four year cycle till the next World Cup-we must get there. Giorgi may have a solid 2 years from now Sherriff.

[Original 21]

Nasl's ceo says his comp is the equal, if not better than MLS. That would have it at Serie B, Everdivisie Chinese league standard then.

1. He's lying.

2. Anyone that has seen MLS and NASL knows that both of those leagues are Mike's behind Serie B, and Everdivisie. NASL is a garbage league.

[ausgreek]

I really hope Skibbe brings to these shores Vellios, Karelis, Fortounis, Mantalos, Pelkas, Vellidis, Oikonomou (the other Oikon), Kaltsas and Petsos, along with Mitro, Oresti, Stathi, Manolas, Toro, Holebas, Samaris, Taxi, Tzavellas, Stafylidis and Siovas No-one over 30 except Holebas.

[RED SHERIFF]

i think that will be the squad more or less..

[J1078]

Oikonomou we can do with out, I wasn't impressed at all.

[Akritis_1944]

Amo I think you're being a bit harsh on the first half. I didn't watch the match either but from all the reports I read the 1st half was very good aside from that dumb goal we gave up.

Oikonomou is highly regarded in Italy but his display has been rightly criticised. We were a total mess in the 2nf half and thankfully it was only 3 goals and not more.

[Tzatziki]

Igloos have become much more costly here over the housing boom in the last decade:)

Trudeau might put an end to that though.

 

Trudeau will do great for Canada I'd match any bet on that. Edo eimaste.

[Chris Tsamados]

I think Dimitrios Konstantopolous should get a call up. Yes he's old at 37, but keepers careers can go on until their 40's.

 

 

This blurb is from wikipedia:

 

In 24 league matches this season he has kept 15 clean sheets and eight in a row. Additionally he succeeded to have 9 clean sheets in home games and in 13 home games so far had only received 2 goals. ^[57] On 18 February 2016, on a report written by Jonathon Taylor, Konstantopoulos having conceded only 16 goals in 30 league games to date, he is on course to become the most successful goalkeeper in more than 100 Boro campaigns. Dimi has kept 17 clean sheets already this season, four more than Bayern Munich No 1 Manuel Neuer and five more than Arsenal stopper Petr Cech. He was part of the record-breaking Boro rearguard who racked up nine consecutive league clean sheets, smashing a 30-year club milestone. ^[58]

[georgelaz]

I think Dimitrios Konstantopolous should get a call up. Yes he's old at 37, but keepers careers can go on until their 40's.

 

 

This blurb is from wikipedia:

 

In 24 league matches this season he has kept 15 clean sheets and eight in a row. Additionally he succeeded to have 9 clean sheets in home games and in 13 home games so far had only received 2 goals. ^[57] On 18 February 2016, on a report written by Jonathon Taylor, Konstantopoulos having conceded only 16 goals in 30 league games to date, he is on course to become the most successful goalkeeper in more than 100 Boro campaigns. Dimi has kept 17 clean sheets already this season, four more than Bayern Munich No 1 Manuel Neuer and five more than Arsenal stopper Petr Cech. He was part of the record-breaking Boro rearguard who racked up nine consecutive league clean sheets, smashing a 30-year club milestone. ^[58]

 

 

great eye dude! never even knew about this guy! or at least forgot about him. 37 is pretty steep though. then again the italians got Di Natali, Totti, Luca Toni, Buffon out there playing week in week out. perhaps 40 is the new 30 in football? ahah would suit the Greek old man with a koboloi persona for sure

[Akritis_1944]

The bad news is we still suck and defend set pieces like amateurs. The good news is we are scoring from free play and appear to play a semblance of decent football.

Skibbe needs to concentrate on fixing these cheap goals from corners and free kicks though. Otto would be turning in his grave knowing we copped all 4 goals from either a corner or a free kick conceded outside the box in these last 2 friendlies.

This stuff is rudimentary. We still give up these goals with Sokratis and Manolas too so they need to work on these basics.

[J1078]

^Agreed we have started to score some goals where at one point it looked like it was never going to happen. But I agree even when our best defenders were playing we would still allow way to many goals and I think this needs to be the main focus of our team. To be honest even in EQ if our defense was as good as it has been in the past we still would have had a chance to stay in contention to qualify for third. Our teams key to success is playing to our strengths and shutting teams down and worry about the offense later. Once our defense is gone so is our team we have no chance to win. Besides the midfield being a lot weaker now WTF has really changed? How did we get so bad defensively? And how does Skibbe fix this?

[georgelaz]

our defense with Sokratis, Manolas, Kpaps is way better, the few times we had those 3 at the back I think we've only ever let in 1 goal?

 

Kpaps is not reliable though but rather should be taken as a blessing if he's ever healthy.

 

Sokratis and Manolas at the back also would've faired better for sure. There was only that bad game with Northern Ireland that let in 3, but I think someone was missing?

 

Otherwise with those two at the back 90% of the time our opponents will only score a 1 goal.

[J1078]

^You would think they would be better but they haven't played well on this team either. I'm not sure right now it will make a difference. Someone besides Torosidis has to step up and be a voice and a true captan on this team, someone that can motivate and lead this team. I'm not sure who that is, Maybe Socrates? Kpaps is always injured so forget him.

[Akritis_1944]

Of course he looked good. What's the standard of NASL? If it's Greek Football League standard I'd be surprised.

[Akritis_1944]

Bakasetas with another 2 goals yesterday against PAOK should probably be on the plane to Australia. He's got a cracking left foot and I think I recall reading something about him having the highest number of assists this season.

He looks like he has been physically working out too. He's built like a beast.

[ausgreek]

You could say EPO criminals may not pick Bakasetas there Nicko. Red carpet for Tzioli our greatest DM since Kats at 38.

[ausgreek]

I'm just gonna get some Retsina, fetta and bread and contemplate our squad.

[Tzatziki]

You could say EPO criminals may not pick Bakasetas there Nicko. Red carpet for Tzioli our greatest DM since Kats at 38.

 

In his last tourney with the ethniki I must admit I wanted Katsourani's head on a pike when he got red carded. However over the course of his career he made a huge contribution to the best days the Greek National team ever had, he was a good player skill wise and a leader, which is lacking these days.

[Chriskiato]

I didn't realise Bakasetas was Corinthian. We do tend to produce excellent strikers :) Remember the talent Alexandris? He also had a lethal left foot.

[Akritis_1944]

Yes he's from Korintho.

Bakasetas is an Asteras junior. Shame he never got settled at Asteras. He went out on loan to a few clubs but he's had his best season ever.

[Akritis_1944]

Aek66, I agree with you which is why I singled out Bakasetas' physique. The difference a lot of the time is strength, speed and fitness. In Greece they place less emphasis on it which is to the detriment of the sport.

Forget this theory that technical players are superior to physically stronger players.

[RED SHERIFF]

but most of our NT squad have spent years outside Greece...this should not be an issue?

[RED SHERIFF]

the european results in part have also been influence by AEK.PAOK.ARIS PAO not spending money...or not having money...

 

and the money being spent by Russia, Turkey and Ukraine has pushed us down the pecking order...

 

Holland coefficient today is on par with us or thereabouts....this has also a lot to with $$$$ on players than training regimes..I doubt the Dutch training would be deficient in the same way GSL clubs would..