Euro 2024 Qualifying Play-Offs - Georgia - Greece (26 March 2024 19:00 EET, Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi)

[J1078]

No Excuses... it doesn't get any easier than this All we had to do was beat Kazakhstan and Georgia to make the Euros. If we can't manage that then we haven't progressed at all. We were in a difficult group during the Euro campaign and we played two very good teams and finished 3rd call it what you want but we still failed to qualify. We had a second chance by winning the nations league but once again we failed. Winning the group means absolutely nothing if we cant beat Georgia in a one game playoff. Even though i have seen some signs of growth the inconsistency of brining it game in and game out is not there.

Poyet has done some good things for sure but his ability to read the game and change the style of play when its not working out on the pitch is terrible. 

Poyet failed in the Euro campaign and failed at the nations league so really does he deserve to stay? Do we start all over again with a new coach and go down the same road we've been going down for 12 years of failure or do we stick it out and let them work it out and build on the chemistry? do we have enough trust that Poyet will shake things up with younger talent or will it just be the status quo.

Such a disappointment, we were given a second chance a golden opportunity and once again we blew it and this time to Georgia in the playoffs NOT a team like Croatia which was our last closet chance to qualify under Skibbe. 

This one is going to hurt for a while.

[Greek Style]

9 hours ago, PaokCT said:

Red Cards to both benches. Won't affect anyone on the field.

Also not sure the Poyet hate? He's gotten us a chance to get into a Euro, more than any of the last 3 coaches can say. Can't keep rotating coaches.

I echo this sentiment. Poyet a breath of fresh air. At least the team is united and plays with a strong spirit.

[Antaeus7]

As you see favorable teams like Poland and Ukraine took care of business like they should, Greece had no excuse not to score at least one goal. Never should this match come to penalty kicks to determine who goes to EURO 2024. Greece is now 0-2 all-time in PK during meaningful matches. 

[Dean97]

All I want to say is that we had 1 more match to win to make the tournament and they failed to do that. Smashing Kazakhstan 5-0 is great but it’s inexcusable to not beat a team like Georgia. 

Just to point out:

- Tzolis 20 goals this season 

- Pavlidis top scorer in holland

- Goutas and Siopis play weekly in the championship

- Pelkas only played 5 games this season 

- Konstantelias best player with the ball and plays every week doesn’t start 

Core players like Bakasetas, Mantalos, Kourbelis and Pelkas have to be replaced. There is a core in this group that are not capable of taking Greece to the next level. Next coach has to see that. 

Defence and keeper did there job’s in both games. Can’t fault them for today’s loss. Questions have to be asked about the midfielders and attackers. 

Edited March 27 by Dean97

[Blueandwhite]

If any of you think we will qualify for the next World Cup think again. In the next qualifying for the WC there will be 12 groups. Only the 12 1st place teams will qualify. The 12 2nd place plus 4 best from the nations league will be divided into 4 groups for the last 4 spots. 
Mission impossible. Especially that they will be in pot 3 or 4. And will struggle in B division of Nations league. 

[Ellada2004]

4 hours ago, Dean97 said:

All I want to say is that we had 1 more match to win to make the tournament and they failed to do that. Smashing Kazakhstan 5-0 is great but it’s inexcusable to not beat a team like Georgia. 

Just to point out:

- Tzolis 20 goals this season 

- Pavlidis top scorer in holland

- Goutas and Siopis play weekly in the championship

- Pelkas only played 5 games this season 

- Konstantelias best player with the ball and plays every week doesn’t start 

Core players like Bakasetas, Mantalos, Kourbelis and Pelkas have to be replaced. There is a core in this group that are not capable of taking Greece to the next level. Next coach has to see that. 

Defence and keeper did there job’s in both games. Can’t fault them for today’s loss. Questions have to be asked about the midfielders and attackers. 

Spot on Dean everything you said! Greece had to score 1 goal and failed to do so to win this match its Georgia an average country but definitely not France or Holland to be afraid of.  Our defence was fine but Poyet did not react in time too address the midfield until Kourbelis got injured then when Siopis came on we were much better. He had to make changes right at Halftime! No minutes for Tzolis what a joke! No Douvikas? Fortounis not good enough to play in this midfield? Left out of the loop because AEK have major control over EPO and Poyet. Tzavellas WTF is he doing there I thought he retired? Plus he gets a red card on sideline.
One game vs Georgia. With  Otto or Santos it would have been a done deal. Poyet failed we should be at Euros. Now he can go take some job in crappy England or the Ireland NT. 

[AEK RE GAMOTO]

I'm f***en gutted.

Speechless. Which is rare for me.

I was so naïve yesterday thinking its a done deal. I really thought there was no way in hell we were not going to win this game. I wasn't expecting a blow out but a 1-0 or 2-1 hard fought Hellas victory was a sure thing in my mind.

Once again, I was brutally wrong. This team has let us down once again. I simply don't get it. There are other "smaller population" countries in Europe such as Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, Holland, etc. that field competitive teams annually. Even the blockhead Albanians qualified directly. I simply don't understand.

That was one of the worst performances I've seen from the Ethniki and I've been watching every game since the 1994 World Cup debacle. Countless backwards passes, no urgency, no desperation, playing in fear against a Georgia...come on! 

Gutted.

Edited March 27 by AEK RE GAMOTO

[DiogenesLight]

Personally I think the team has an identity crisis: 
We no longer have the "tsabouka" to be able to grind out 1-0 victories against all comers, as we did under Santos, and we definitely don't have the skill or killer instinct to take out a team like Georgia on our own terms....it's a loser mentality we are battling against.
When you go out and show no urgency or determination as a team, you put yourself in a position to lose. Konstadelias, Fortounis, Tzolis, bla bla bla....none of them made or would have made a difference. The game was physical and we couldn't get past a group of mostly mediocre players, because that's what we have as well, only now we get shoved around way too easily. It was a game where everyone should have come out with both barrels blazing instead we reverted to the side/back passing and hesitation, where we looked like we were in need of a diaper change.
The blame is mostly on the players because I'm pretty sure Poyet did not ask them to play like this. I imagine he told them to be careful with Kvaratskhelia and be careful not to get exposed on the counter but 1 chance in 120 min of football against Georgia is ridiculous. On a plus, this should be the end of the line for Tzavellas as he is simply taking up space. 
This being said, I am pretty sure Poyet will be gone, as EPO already tried to undermine him earlier and they are rubbing their hands getting ready for some kickbacks when they bring in the next sucker. There was an improvement again, just like under Van T'Schipp, but when the chips were down, the team fell flat on their faces. I don't think this can be fixed just by changing managers.

[Brklyngrk]

Poland almost lost as well, game came down to penalties. 

Georgia was playing more defensive, trying to hit us on the counter.  We got gassed and then penalties happened. We had an off game, nothing else to say.  We just couldn't connect. Feels terrible. 

I think every single one on this thread would have picked the same line-up from the last match.  Kostantellias played almost 60 minutes. Tzolis could have helped but for who?  He had to replace most of the back line bc of their cards/couldn't go on.  Half our subs were the backline. You have three more subs, you replace Pelkas (made sense), you replace Ionnidis (he couldn't go on) and then the last one is the one that is questionable, but who would it have been that would have made a difference? I guess Pavlidis instead of Giakoumakis but that is a 50/50 choice....

They didn't have it today - plain and simple.

[J1078]

Anyways you look at it this is a massive failure.

Edited March 27 by J1078

[Ellada2004]

6 hours ago, DiogenesLight said:

Personally I think the team has an identity crisis: 
We no longer have the "tsabouka" to be able to grind out 1-0 victories against all comers, as we did under Santos, and we definitely don't have the skill or killer instinct to take out a team like Georgia on our own terms....it's a loser mentality we are battling against.
When you go out and show no urgency or determination as a team, you put yourself in a position to lose. Konstadelias, Fortounis, Tzolis, bla bla bla....none of them made or would have made a difference. The game was physical and we couldn't get past a group of mostly mediocre players, because that's what we have as well, only now we get shoved around way too easily. It was a game where everyone should have come out with both barrels blazing instead we reverted to the side/back passing and hesitation, where we looked like we were in need of a diaper change.
The blame is mostly on the players because I'm pretty sure Poyet did not ask them to play like this. I imagine he told them to be careful with Kvaratskhelia and be careful not to get exposed on the counter but 1 chance in 120 min of football against Georgia is ridiculous. On a plus, this should be the end of the line for Tzavellas as he is simply taking up space. 
This being said, I am pretty sure Poyet will be gone, as EPO already tried to undermine him earlier and they are rubbing their hands getting ready for some kickbacks when they bring in the next sucker. There was an improvement again, just like under Van T'Schipp, but when the chips were down, the team fell flat on their faces. I don't think this can be fixed just by changing managers.

Greece have the players to go to tournaments the problem is the last few managers leave them off the squad or force them into early retirement!

[Ellada2004]

5 hours ago, J1078 said:

Anyways you look at it this is a massive failure.

Big failure! I said it come out hard and determined in the first 20mins like we did vs Kazakhstan and the game would be over. Poyet fed it up and his subs were late and he only decided to make a change to the struggling midfield only when Kourbelis got injured? He brought on Konstantelias but he should have come on at half time Pelkas offered nothing. Where was Tzolis??

how I miss the days of Otto & Santos when they knew how to read the game and adjust. Poyet pulled a JVS yesterday and was scared to take the match to Georgia!

[Ellada2004]

6 hours ago, Brklyngrk said:

Poland almost lost as well, game came down to penalties. 

Georgia was playing more defensive, trying to hit us on the counter.  We got gassed and then penalties happened. We had an off game, nothing else to say.  We just couldn't connect. Feels terrible. 

I think every single one on this thread would have picked the same line-up from the last match.  Kostantellias played almost 60 minutes. Tzolis could have helped but for who?  He had to replace most of the back line bc of their cards/couldn't go on.  Half our subs were the backline. You have three more subs, you replace Pelkas (made sense), you replace Ionnidis (he couldn't go on) and then the last one is the one that is questionable, but who would it have been that would have made a difference? I guess Pavlidis instead of Giakoumakis but that is a 50/50 choice....

They didn't have it today - plain and simple.

Watched the game and Poland did not register a SOG for 120 minutes. Wales were the much better side for the whole match and we’re going for the win.  Polands performance was worse than ours and Georgia but their penalties were excellent and well taken. 

[Dutch Eagle]

It is reported that an unnamed player of the squad in Tblisis has tested positive for a banned substance No name yet.

The Ethniki won't be hurt as it is just a case for the player himself. 

There is still the B check of the sample to be made.

[Dutch Eagle]

19 hours ago, Dutch Eagle said:

It is reported that an unnamed player of the squad in Tblisis has tested positive for a banned substance No name yet.

The Ethniki won't be hurt as it is just a case for the player himself. 

There is still the B check of the sample to be made.

The name of Fotis Ioannidis pops up.

He is denying and preparing lawsuits for anyone who accuses him wrongly.

To be continued.....

[Brklyngrk]

I thought that UEFA said it was an accident, there was no positive test....