Suggested Call Ups, Starting 11

[MItsaras9]

Gentlemen, 

It's time. Bring Lazaros back from the dead, as he deserves to be in the squad.

I have reserved comment on him up until this point. Primarily as in my opinion, he made a very selfish decision in the Brazil world cup. Prior to the PK's....Greece had an odd man rush and rather than make a simple pass.....he was selfish and s%$#! the bed. That type of play for me is unacceptable. I realize that we all make mistakes, and much time has past. I feel that as he has worked extremely hard resurrecting himself, that he deserves another chance.

Say what you will, but that is my view.

We need players that are in form, if we are to get to Russia.

 

 

[Dean97]

100% Mitsara we need him on the wing. I wouldn't mind Pelkas playing as well. We need the best players possible. With Fetfatzidis and Holebas out of the picture, we need our best.

[Boxou]

There are Fortounis and Mantalos in front of Pelkas so there's no room for him. If you get him to play in the wing we'll have people rightfully pointing out he's useless like was the case with Mantalos. 

[pash]

Pelkas is better on the wing than Mantalos, and has been playing well. Lazaros is a must-have for a call up, however. I've always liked that guy; it's a shame he disappeared after the WC.

[Boxou]

But why to put Pelkas on the wings when there are Donis, Lazaros and under circumstances even Stafylidis there? And I just forgot injured Karelis. All would do far better than him. Heck Skibbe seems to favor Gianniotas and Mpakasetas more than him. 

His natural position is #10 and he has no place as far as Mantalos and Fortounis are around. At the moment he's nothing more than an extra solution.

[Blackhawk]

Pelkas should not play the #10 position, and I don't understand why the PAOK coaches play him there.  He is more effective as a winger. As far as being considered NT material is concerned, if you consider players such as Bakasetas, Mandalos and Fourtinis, than he is one too. 

[georgelaz]

You guys think Donis is better as cf/st or winger? Haven't seen enough of him to tell. Donis has good passing but is his crossing sound?

 

Perhaps something like

               Mitroglou

Lazaros Fortounis Donis

        Tachtsi   Zeca

[pash]

3 hours ago, Boxou said:

But why to put Pelkas on the wings when there are Donis, Lazaros and under circumstances even Stafylidis there? And I just forgot injured Karelis. All would do far better than him. Heck Skibbe seems to favor Gianniotas and Mpakasetas more than him. 

His natural position is #10 and he has no place as far as Mantalos and Fortounis are around. At the moment he's nothing more than an extra solution.

I'm not saying he should be first choice. I'm just addressing what was written above; he's better as a winger. If he does continue playing well, however, the math around him playing should change.

Stafylidis, incidentally, should be played where he belongs - as left back.

[gsots]

36 minutes ago, pash said:

I'm not saying he should be first choice. I'm just addressing what was written above; he's better as a winger. If he does continue playing well, however, the math around him playing should change.

Stafylidis, incidentally, should be played where he belongs - as left back.

Absolutely stafylidis should be playing left back! Tzavevelas is out there reinventing the moonwalk every game, take him and tsiolis and send them to Kentucky fried chicken division at the local men's league. 

This coach seems clueless when it comes to our players abilities. He should be constantly watching these guys and scouting to see where they play best and how they do in all situations... And it's like he doesn't bother. There's 100x more logic in here as to formations and starters and up and comers than what I see from the coaching staff lol

[Boxou]

That's true, Skibbe's decision to start Tzavellas over Holebas cost us the latter's retirement. In other words he favors a left back who's playing in a mid-table side in Turkey over someone who starts for a English PL club. Bravo. 

[Blackhawk]

Holebas decided he had enough of the games that a certain player agent was playing with respect to the national team. Basically he demanded his players have to start even if it's not their natural position.

[Dean97]

Pelkas would do heaps better than Mantalos on the right wing. Watch the game against Hungary. Although he didn't score, he looked lively on that right wing and had a few chances in the first half. Same with Donis.

Donis has done more in 3 games than Mantalos done in 10. Even Gianniotas has done well in the games he's played. I'm not saying Mantalos is bad, I think it's time he plays his natural position attacking midfield. I'm also implying that we see more of Gianniotas, Pelkas and Donis.

 

[MItsaras9]

In the end we must keep in mind that as fans we don't know all the reasons the Greek Federation and or coach choose the lineup. We all know that Olympiakos (Not Olympiacos, as the spelling  somehow got changed 10 years or so ago), Panathinaikos, AEK, and PAOK all like to see their stars parade on the national team. 

Even more bizarre for me was the hidden cameras, and microphones at the Greek football Federation training center. That is weird, kooky, creepy stuff.  

http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2017/04/10/spying-devices-found-in-greek-football-federation-epo-and-training-center/

So, yes we are surprised often times about player selections, call ups, playing time, etc. But we really don't always know what the hell is going on.

That said, I would like to see the chosen players, give their best, and It would be great to see a fight to the finish. If the Greek team plays well, and deserves a playoff game...Let's see what this team is made of.

[J1078]

The NT owes to the team the country and the fans to put together the absolute best players available at each position and unfortunately we will not know under this coach what our real potential is because we are  not putting together the best players possible. It's an absolute damn shame that Holebas is not playing on this team along with fetfa, amongst others and it's an absolute joke that Tziolis is on this team. If we lose we lose but let's lose with the best possible players. I truly think Skibbe is clueless when scouting guys and doing his homework on players and there abilities.

[pash]

I could give two shits about Holebas. Stafylidis is the future and he will soon make Holebas look like month-old milk (if he hasn't already). I also don't buy that he retired due to call-ups for people with the "right" managers. He's had an attitude problem since the beginning. And like Manolas, once he got his move to a better league, he stopped caring.

It's Tzavellas, Tziolis, and Maniatis that need to be kicked out. We only have room for one garbage midfielder on the team, and Skibbe has chosen Zeca for that role.

And Fetfa? Get real. I don't get the ongoing hardon for this guy. Once he cares enough to join a competitive team, then maybe he can be considered. His past actions (and lack of work ethic) while at his last three teams tell you everything you need to know about him.

[ausgreek]

Pasho, Jose has been our best player in both games. He even scored a great goal playing on the wing at the time. He is not the choice as the s%$#! middi.

[Dean97]

I've noticed that to about Manolas. It's like he is not even trying. I remember at the World Cup where he played with so much heart and was our best player in the tournament. Sokratis is the only one who gives a s%$#! in my opinion. The rest do try but Sokratis gives 100% all the time. You have to respect that.

[RED SHERIFF]

I am sure Manolas tries and cares...

The coach would pick up on it otherwise...

 

Our problem is that Taxi, Samaris have had little game time in the last few months..

 

Mitro, Karelis are injured..Klaus has fallen off the face of the planet in the last 24 months...

We lack creativity and speed out wide...

Lazaros should be recalled....But let's not forget that 12 months ago he was also MIA...And part of the problem..not the solution

We need to win in Cyprus...so my 11 would be:

 

..............................Karnezis.......................

 

Toro.................Sokratis......Manolas..........Staf

 

..................................Taxi.......................................

Lazaros...................Fortounis.......Zeca.........Donis

 

......................................Mitro...................................

 

If Mitro is not fit or ready..I'd play Donis upfront and Giannotas out wide...

 

Subs:

Tzavellas

K.Pap

Retsos

Mandalos

Maniatis

Samaris

 

[Boxou]

If Mitroglou is not ready then Donis will play up front with Stafylidis playing on the wing. That's what Skibbe has been doing all the campaign long. In fact I don't remember if Gianniotas has played any single game so far, I don't see why he would start in such a game (possibly the most important of the campaign for us since Bosnia-Belgium game will be already finished and we'll know whether we're second with a win or we should expect Estonia to hold Bosnia on the last game)

Obviously it's not so easy to throw out the likes of Tzavellas and Tziolis out of the NT since it's them who have been 'vital' members in this qualification round. But regardless of us making it to the WC or not I'm almost sure those 2 along with Maniatis are done with the NT. And going to Euros 2020 I hope to see more strikers/offensive players cracking into the team to finally get rid of 2nd league dudes. 

[Blackhawk]

13 hours ago, pash said:

I could give two shits about Holebas. Stafylidis is the future and he will soon make Holebas look like month-old milk (if he hasn't already). I also don't buy that he retired due to call-ups for people with the "right" managers. He's had an attitude problem since the beginning. And like Manolas, once he got his move to a better league, he stopped caring.

I don't care either pash, but primadona Tzavellas demanded to play. Unfortunately the NT is not PAOK, and he could not move to the CB position since we have wide selection of much better CB players available. I agree that Stafyllidis should be our LB, but the NT "coach" Koutsoliakos prefers Tzavellas there. Since Stafylidis is from the same agency, Paul makes sure that he gets playing time as a winger. He'll make sure that his player Pelkas will eventually get a shot too.

[georgelaz]

15 hours ago, Dean97 said:

I've noticed that to about Manolas. It's like he is not even trying. I remember at the World Cup where he played with so much heart and was our best player in the tournament. Sokratis is the only one who gives a s%$#! in my opinion. The rest do try but Sokratis gives 100% all the time. You have to respect that.

manolas seems to care to me. He prevented Lukaku from a complete break away and picked his pocket. There was a bit of a lul in our euro campaign where he seemed like he was slacking thought but this campaign he's been great.

[gsots]

18 hours ago, RED SHERIFF said:

I am sure Manolas tries and cares...

The coach would pick up on it otherwise...

 

Our problem is that Taxi, Samaris have had little game time in the last few months..

 

Mitro, Karelis are injured..Klaus has fallen off the face of the planet in the last 24 months...

We lack creativity and speed out wide...

Lazaros should be recalled....But let's not forget that 12 months ago he was also MIA...And part of the problem..not the solution

We need to win in Cyprus...so my 11 would be:

 

..............................Karnezis.......................

 

Toro.................Sokratis......Manolas..........Staf

 

..................................Taxi.......................................

Lazaros...................Fortounis.......Zeca.........Donis

 

......................................Mitro...................................

 

If Mitro is not fit or ready..I'd play Donis upfront and Giannotas out wide...

 

Subs:

Tzavellas

K.Pap

Retsos

Mandalos

Maniatis

Samaris

 

Omg! We could only dream of such a logical line up lol the way this idiot is going with his selections, he'll bring back katsouranis to play st, tziolis as am, and maniatis and zeca on the wings lol but honestly, he'll prob have staf,  fortounis and Donis upfront by themselves again and pure defensive bullshit in the mid that's gonna make us all go nuts. 

My line up 

          Toro--sokratis--mano--tzav

                                    Zeca

            Tacht/Samaris

Stafylidis            Fortounis         Donis/laz

                           Mitro/Donis 

 

Let's staf start on right so he can cut in and shoot and he can interchange with  Donis/Laz which will give Cyprus headaches. Staf will prob have to be on left tho to track back and support toucan Sam at lb lol honestly, I would prob even experiment against shity teams having mandalos at cdm beside zeca, maybe just a bit ahead tho, but behind fortounis. Obviously I don't want tzav, but God forbid our coach doesn't play the king of the left backs lol maybe even toss Laz in as st if mitroglou can't go. I'm pretty sure when him and kone were at bologna they were the st cam combo at times. 

 

[Dean97]

Lazaros is more creative on the wing, than behind the striker. We have no one to test Fortounis. Maybe Mantalos can start on the bench or even start behind Mitroglou. If Mitroglou doesn't play we have to put Donis there. Samaris looks like he has that position cemented at defensive midfield.

Edited September 28, 2017 by Dean97

[Dean97]

Back on that Fortounis comment. I'd happily give Ninis and Kone a second, third, or even fourth chance to be in this team. Thats if they start playing regularly and get in form. They are currently in a rut with injuries and other circumstances but they have the experience and talent and they can resurect their careers like Lazaros. Who says they can't?

[J1078]

I'm for the NT playing defensive soccer but in this game a draw or a lose and we are done so I hope Skibbe has the common sense to play an offensive line up and push as much as possible at least until we get the lead. If he has a defensive setup and only plays one striker then he's truly an idiot.. Lets see what he does.