Jump to content
Phantis Forums

SL1-R18: PAOK - Volos NFC (12.01.25, 19:30 EET)


Blackhawk

Recommended Posts

Really, can grown-up men not play a game without daddy Razvan? Are they that much depending on his coaching. Have they some kind of Alzheimer and forgotten how to play and pass to another one in a black and white striped shirt and/or make a goal? I'm gutted. This one really hurts.

  • Like it 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, PaokCT said:

Is it time to believe me yet? The team has quit. Lucescu’s antics and player selection has cost us this season. Pray Aris doesn’t get their s%$#! together cause if so we may finish 5th

No. Do you see a team dripping with quality in CB's and CM's? Or do you see a squad with glaring holes in it that hasn't replaced some quality players who departed? I see the latter. 

You've been trying to get the "I told ya so" moment on Lucescu for years now. It is not his fault that the club didn't adequately replace Koulierakis despite knowing for months he was on his way out or that they didn't replace Meite at all. Are you so desperate to be proven right about our all time best manager that you choose to overlook the key issues that the team faces? 

Have a whiskey and go have a lie down! Lucescu is far from our biggest problem. Being left with an incomplete squad has left him working with one hand tied behind his back. 

  • Like it 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well this has to be the biggest blunder in a while.  I mean we generally do two or three major blunders per season but this one is up there.

As to where this puts us, we simply can't afford to lose any more points.  It puts the pressure on in derbies where previously we could get away with a draw (or even a loss) now draw is minimum and more likely a win is required.

As to Rasvan, I'm with @paokarag4 on this.  The players that left weren't adequately replaced.  You put in a fit and in form Koulierakis (who is a winner), Meite and a CF of the quality the 3 Athens teams have and we win easily not only today, but we also I believe win the last couple of derbies.

Of the transfers this season only Camara has worked out (and very well mind you - it's scary to think how many more points we would have dropped without him).  All of the rest, meh.

  • Like it 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, paokarag4 said:

No. Do you see a team dripping with quality in CB's and CM's? Or do you see a squad with glaring holes in it that hasn't replaced some quality players who departed? I see the latter. 

You've been trying to get the "I told ya so" moment on Lucescu for years now. It is not his fault that the club didn't adequately replace Koulierakis despite knowing for months he was on his way out or that they didn't replace Meite at all. Are you so desperate to be proven right about our all time best manager that you choose to overlook the key issues that the team faces? 

Have a whiskey and go have a lie down! Lucescu is far from our biggest problem. Being left with an incomplete squad has left him working with one hand tied behind his back. 

Come on. You're telling me we have holes that cause teams like Volos, Kallithea, OFI can expose? No excuses, with our players we should beat those teams with no problem. Even the games we are winning, we aren't playing good soccer. And if you're telling me the manager (who you say is our best in history) has no say in who we get, or can demand better players, I got a bridge to sell you in Adelaide. BTW, I hate that saying. He is the best we've ever had. So what? Would we allow him to continue no matter what? All great managers at some point have a time when they move on, one way or another. Once it stops working, you thank him, give him a suite at the new stadium, and be on your way.

And if you read my post, I did say that there has to be changes at the top. I don't put this all on Rasvan but those above him too. There needs to be a fundamental change in the organization. I am sorry, I can't just accept that we are the 4th or 5th best team in Greece. They need to be held to a higher degree or we can settle on barely qualifying for the conference league while all the other teams around us get better. 

The biggest problem with Lucescu is his player selection and his antics (which a lot of you love). While who we get doesn't solely fall on his shoulders, who plays does. And I do believe his off the field issues impact the club as well. Listen, we are out of the cup. I do think we advance in Europe, but this super league season is over. We are fighting for second place, but AEK & PAO are better teams. If we keep falling, Aris (6 pts behind) will give us a run for the money. And if you think we are in a bad spot now, look what happens if we completely fall out of a European spot. See what happens to the club then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lucescu is our most successful coach ever, but that does not mean that he does not make mistakes. I blame him for two things. One is sticking with some players (Samatta, Murg, Schwab, etc.) giving them playing time when they fail to produce on constant basis. The other one is playing the same 4-2-3-1 formation, and making his subs at 60th and 80th minute no matter what. Way too predictable. The opposing coaches are not stupid. They know exactly what to expect and set up their game plan accordingly. For example in yesterday's game. Volos did hardly anything until the 80th minute. They just waited until we got tired which was given since 3 day ago our player had to spend a lot of energy for 120 minutes. When Volos scored the two goals our two midfielders could hardly walk. Specially Schwab. No wonder they got chances to score.

We need to reset and salvage what we can out of this season starting with this Sunday's game. If we lose Sunday we will be in deep trouble, because after that we have important tough games every 3 days (Slavia, Levadeiakos, AEK). Our goals forwards should be 2nd place in SL and at least making the next round of Europa League.

  • Like it 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, PaokCT said:

Come on. You're telling me we have holes that cause teams like Volos, Kallithea, OFI can expose? No excuses, with our players we should beat those teams with no problem. Even the games we are winning, we aren't playing good soccer. And if you're telling me the manager (who you say is our best in history) has no say in who we get, or can demand better players, I got a bridge to sell you in Adelaide. BTW, I hate that saying. He is the best we've ever had. So what? Would we allow him to continue no matter what? All great managers at some point have a time when they move on, one way or another. Once it stops working, you thank him, give him a suite at the new stadium, and be on your way.

Just on the bolded part. Of course he has a say but the board doesn't always follow through. We know he wanted Meite, they wouldn't stump up the extra 200-300k needed to give him the salary he wanted. You know Lucescu wanted Chatzidiakos in the summer right? Deal was all but done, player was on his way to sign. Then at the last minute PAOK tried to change his wage by knocking off 100-200k and he said see ya later I am going to Denmark. None of these instances are Lucescu's fault. It is the club letting him down and leaving us with players who are worse (Lovern/Colley) or no one at all in the case of Meite. 

I don't disagree with your next point, but you're all too keen to tear something down that has literally won us a third of our trophies in our history. I have said it before and I'll say it again. We are talking about Greek football, Jurgen Klopp isn't banging down the door to take over when Lucescu leaves. The next in line is probably a Portuguese or Spanish manager who we've never heard of, who has never coached at a big club or if he has had an unsuccessful stint there. The alternative isn't a world class coach. 

Lucescu isn't perfect and I agree with you guys that some of his player selections and behaviour (this particularly annoys me) leaves a lot to be desired. His time will come but I don't think that it is now. Just my opinion of course.

He is being under resourced so I refuse to COMPLETELY blame him for what has been up until now a poor season. He can't rotate the squad, because there is no quality there. Ozdoev and Camara have been run into the ground. We have one CB who is trustworthy, the other 3 either are error prone or can't pass a ball to save themselves. So yes that allows any team, even Volos and Kallithea to take advantage and get results. 

We are clinging on in the title race by a thread and as if the Slavia game already wasn't big it is now huge in the context of our season. 

  • Like it 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know you all are gonna hate me for saying this, but:

The squad is better than last year's (particularly Tissoudali and Chalov are MUCH better than Thomas and Samatta), and can definitely win the championship. There's something going on with their "psychology" or "mentality" (using Lucescu's favorite buzzwords here). For all his faults, one thing he is excellent at, is extracting the best out of limited players. He should be able to right the ship - this would be the third time he's had to do it, after all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes but they don't play (a lot).

Schwab and Taison were good last season and look old this season. 

And probably we should have sold Konstantelias and kept Koulierakis in retrospect. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vieirinha, Taison, Schwab, Ozdoev, Otto, Samatta all have expiring contracts, and are all on the wrong side of 30. If Lucescu is still here, he will definitely want to renew all of them (the only one I'd want back is Otto, but I doubt Otto wants to remain). Entirely possible we'll be forced into a revamped squad, but who knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would keep Ozdoev and Otto, but as pash mentions Otto wants to return to Spain after this season. The front office/Lucescu should be working hard right now to start rebuilding the team for the next season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...