Hellas vs Georgia - Qatar WC Quals

[Reaper]

So going from the last game and seeing as we 100% have to win this one - we need to urgently drop Limnios, Mandalos, Bakakis and Bakasetas.

With the players available I would go:


..............................Vlaxo............ .............

Androutso...K.Paps...Mavropano...Tsimika

...................Zeca..............Bouxa...... ............

........................Fortounis................. ............

Masouras................................Tzolis

.................Giakoumakis......................

[Dean97]

Sotiris Alexandropoulos has been called up to play against Honduras and Georgia.

[Dean97]

So going from the last game and seeing as we 100% have to win this one - we need to urgently drop Limnios, Mandalos, Bakakis and Bakasetas.

With the players available I would go:


.................................Vlaxo............ .............

Androutsos....K.Paps.....Mavropanos...Tsimikas

.....................Zeca..............Bouxa...... ............

........................Fortounis................. ............

Masouras.......................................Tzi olis

.................Giakoumakis......................

This midfield looks slow for me. I’d put Mantalos in Bouchalakis spot and Pelkas in Fortounis spot. I’d bring on Fortounis if need be. Fortounis slows down the game a lot. Pelkas is in form and has speed and skill. He was going to play against Spain but got injured in training. Hopefully he is fit to play this game. I wish Pelkas was JVS favourite instead of Bakasetas. At least Pelkas can burst past defenders with speed and play a decent through ball.

[Brklyngrk]

Fortounis has excelled as an impact sub at OLY but is our most talented AM. Pelkas has talent but can be a little selfish. Bakasetas does not suit our team, I can see him maybe if you are trying to nurse a lead as he slows everything down. Siopis impressed me as well. I like your lineup, the only difference is that I may put in Siopis or another Mid instead of Bouchalakis.

Btw - I wonder what Manolas and Sok are thinking now that we played great defensively without them. Still think they are talented and needed but TEAM before anything else.

[Dean97]

I don’t understand how JVS thinks that Bakasetas is the best Greek 10 we’ve got... Even Skibbe and Anastasiadis didn’t think he was a starter.

[Reaper]

I don’t understand how JVS thinks that Bakasetas is the best Greek 10 we’ve got... Even Skibbe and Anastasiadis didn’t think he was a starter.

Last campaign he wanted to build around Stafylidis, this campaign he is trying Bakasetas. He believes their personalities are positive (?) and somehow overcomes their lack of footballing ability.. I think this campaign is already over but let's see. Zagorakis needs to be brave.

Here is the press conference. He states that stating we need to win vs Georgia is not helpful, he is also asked why he made Bakasetas captain - to which he basically says he likes his personality and he behaves well.

[Dean97]

How can he say that Bakasetas is a good example on the pitch and off the pitch. He also said that he helps the team in the way he wants them to play. That doesn’t make sense. I know that he said that he behaves well but on the pitch he isn’t a leader. He kills our attacks and our build up. He gives the ball away too often. He ruins the way we want to play in my opinion. He doesn’t suit this team. I kind of blame Fortounis for all this. If he got his act together and played at another level like we all know he can then he would be starting no questions asked. In the friendly against Honduras it was proven that Mantalos (when played deeper) and Fortounis are way better than him and that he isn’t needed. Even Pavlidis as a CAM or second striker did really well. He even scored 2 goals.

[Brklyngrk]

Maybe he's referring to how he listens to instructions from the staff, how he is liked in the dressing room. He may very well be a great guy but that doesn't mean he should be starting. I wonder what the fans think of him at his club? He is constantly ranked highly in Turkey and always starts and scores goals.

[Reaper]

Maybe he's referring to how he listens to instructions from the staff, how he is liked in the dressing room. He may very well be a great guy but that doesn't mean he should be starting. I wonder what the fans think of him at his club? He is constantly ranked highly in Turkey and always starts and scores goals.

He is probably loved at his club but I think the standard in Turkey is exceptionally low lately. There is tonnes of space in a Turkish game unlike in international football. In Turkey Bakasetas has time to control the ball, look up and think. In international football he has no time, so panics.

The annoying thing for me is I can see the media already moving their wagons into place. If we don't qualify they are already saying it will prove the roster was never good enough anyway - as opposed to us losing qualification because of a specific 11 chosen by one man. Cyprus just beat Slovenia 1-0, something we couldn't. I think we have the players to beat a Slovenia - just not the ones VS is selecting. He, like the Greek media (probably why they back him), believes you win games on the personalities of the players as opposed to their skill. That is why he loved Stafylidis but is disinterested by Fetfa, Ninis and struggles to accept Tzolis as a starter.

This is a game we're need full attack. Let's see what he does.

[Brklyngrk]

Fetfa was called up but apparently he didn't like his effort at practices. To be fair, this was also a criticism of his at OLY. Ninis just started played well again after all these years. Against Slovenia, we dominated those matches, couldn't score.

Today will tell in what direction we go, who he starts and how we progress. Hopefully we play well and get the win!

[Reaper]

I read Fetfa was late for meeting and was dropped (like many other players who are deemed to show any lack of respect) - didn't read anything about laziness in practice. He has been on fire and we could have used him. Ninis is in fine form and one of the best performers statistically in the SL. Seeing Limnios was allowed not only to be in the squad - but to start with no club games this season - I don't think game time or he has been away for a while career wise before finding Volos is the reason Ninis was not picked. He was not picked because VS didn't think he can help us win games and he is not a VS favourite.

11:

...................Βλαχοδήμος.................

Μπακάκης...Τζαβέλλα..Κ.Παπ..Γιαννούλης

...........Ζέκα......Μπουχαλάκης...

Τζόλης.............................Φορτούνης

.................Μπακασέτας.............

.......................Παυλίδης............

[aek66]

i'll watch this and see what we can come up with.

[aek66]

tzolis preferring his better foot and places his shot a few yards over the goal..some good work by giannoulis

[tantra]

If someone needs a link. Let me know

[aek66]

it must be me, every time i watch bouchalakis play for the NT, he is absolute garbage