It's been at least a decade since I really enjoyed watching Panathinaikos play game in and game out, and it's funny that it happes now that I hate the entire league more than ever, and that the team has nothing than uncertainty off the field.
But on the field the coach and the players are in control, and Ferreira's squad has transformed from a borring and slow phalanx to a nimble and powerful armada.
This was a beautiful game to watch for Panathinaikos fans. Even before the three goals were scored, I could sit comfortably on my chair, confident that this game wasn't going to be lost judging by the way the players exchanged the ball with ease making the PAOK players run like crazy to gain possession. And when they did, one white jersey found themselves surrounded by at least two bulldogs attacking to get the ball back.
Many cite this or the other player as the reason PAO wins and plays such nice looking football this year. But I see two team attributes as responsible: movement off the ball that allows everyone to play one-touch football, and controlled pressing that doesn't let the opponents organize no matter where they are on the field.
Sure Leto, Quincy, Kapino, and Zeka make excellent individual contributions, but the direct football that's so evidently worked in practice makes everyone elevate their game to a higher level. Thus, Marinos looked like an excellent modern Fullback, and Sariegi looked like a top notch Center Back.
Individual effort is still there and in the end it does make a huge difference (two goals came from masterful freekicks, and smart passing by Zeka/Katsourani resulted in another one). But the ball control made sure that Panathinaikos never really felt the pressure in the notorious Touba. It was fun to watch the ball moving around as if it were a Pin-Ball, and to see that in the last five minutes of the game the team could just circulate the ball around, not allowing PAOK the time of day to hope for something better from this contest.
There were times when Panathianikos looked like a modern European club, with speed, tenacity, and skill, and there were moments when the ball was lost in small-space little exchanges that made PAOK defenders look like they needed dramamines. The best part of the game was the celebration on the first goal though! Clayton, the scorer, waited for the entire team to circle around him to do a really fun little Brazilian dance.
The joy and confidence the players show, along with their really, and I mean REALY, excellent ball circulation in midfield is the best investment for the club's future. Sure there will be bad games, and sure we'll lose some, but this team is finally fun to watch no matter what.
It was also nice to see the 17-year old Kapino look like a veteran goalkeeper in one of the most intimidating stadiums. Kudos to the kid, and kudos to Fereira for trusting him. I am glad he is also getting baptized by fire in some tough games. He looks confident and so far he has shown incredible maturity, making always the right decisions. He commands his defense with authority beyond his years, he comes off his line to claim through-balls with perfect timing, and he showed excellent skill in high crosses when he cames off his line when it's appropriate, and most of the time he just claims the ball securely (I haven't seen him punch it once yet), or he stays put when it's cleat that he can't get to it. He also looks like a solid shot-blocker, being in the right position and spilling the ball to the side on low shots when he can't smother it (which he does securely). Excellent all around fundamentals and excellent concentration!
Speaking of Ferreira, I think by now everyone (unless they are weird or clueless) is tipping their hat to his work and the team he fields. I want to commend him for not being stuck up with side-agendas like many coaches we've had. If the 17 year old plays well, he keeps him in. If a 4-4-2 suits the players better, he keeps it going. If a player acts up (Simao), he doesn't take it personally. Let's hope that if someone buys the team that they won't go on an ego-building trip buying players and messing up a good team. Whoever buys the club must make Ferreira their best advisor an close their ears to all the other "brown-nosers" and player agents who undoubtedly will bunch up around them for scraps.
Maybe the turmoil in the front office, and the absence of all the suits that die for attention, has finally allowed the coach to work without distractions and the work shows on the pitch.
Ferreira is not competing for the limelight and doesn't try to outsmart himself with fancy tactics and surprising personell decisions. It looks like he works his players hard in practice and then he let's them be the protagonists on the pitch by placing them in positions where they can maximize their individual skills.
Speaking of the players now, everyone looked excellent out there. It almost looked like Panathinaikos plaid with 12 players the way they run in empty space to make themselves available for a pass, the way they hassled to win the ball back whenever PAOK had it (and won the vast majority of the loose balls in midfield), and the way they run to cover each other when defending.
I thought Zeka was amazing today. He is the kind of player I want on my side, with Herculean stamina, tenatious marking, crisp passing, and surprisingly good skills with the ball (besides finishing of course). Leto was once again a pain in the opponent's behind, and Quincy was another thorn on their side. Leto played again the free-striker role and excelled once again. For the part of his career I've seen him play, he's been confound on the left line, assigned to create for others. Now he doesn't have to waste any of his energy chasing back opposing fullbacks and can channel it instead on what he is best at: attacking defenses head on (more kudos to Ferreira for this as well).
Marinos, Simao, Kapinos, and Sariegi were also excellent today, while Katsouranis started the game shaky, but became a major contributor in the end.
Let's hope Panathinaikos continues to treat us to this kind of football until the end. I really like what I am seeing right now! I hope you enjoy it too.
But on the field the coach and the players are in control, and Ferreira's squad has transformed from a borring and slow phalanx to a nimble and powerful armada.
This was a beautiful game to watch for Panathinaikos fans. Even before the three goals were scored, I could sit comfortably on my chair, confident that this game wasn't going to be lost judging by the way the players exchanged the ball with ease making the PAOK players run like crazy to gain possession. And when they did, one white jersey found themselves surrounded by at least two bulldogs attacking to get the ball back.
Many cite this or the other player as the reason PAO wins and plays such nice looking football this year. But I see two team attributes as responsible: movement off the ball that allows everyone to play one-touch football, and controlled pressing that doesn't let the opponents organize no matter where they are on the field.
Sure Leto, Quincy, Kapino, and Zeka make excellent individual contributions, but the direct football that's so evidently worked in practice makes everyone elevate their game to a higher level. Thus, Marinos looked like an excellent modern Fullback, and Sariegi looked like a top notch Center Back.
Individual effort is still there and in the end it does make a huge difference (two goals came from masterful freekicks, and smart passing by Zeka/Katsourani resulted in another one). But the ball control made sure that Panathinaikos never really felt the pressure in the notorious Touba. It was fun to watch the ball moving around as if it were a Pin-Ball, and to see that in the last five minutes of the game the team could just circulate the ball around, not allowing PAOK the time of day to hope for something better from this contest.
There were times when Panathianikos looked like a modern European club, with speed, tenacity, and skill, and there were moments when the ball was lost in small-space little exchanges that made PAOK defenders look like they needed dramamines. The best part of the game was the celebration on the first goal though! Clayton, the scorer, waited for the entire team to circle around him to do a really fun little Brazilian dance.
The joy and confidence the players show, along with their really, and I mean REALY, excellent ball circulation in midfield is the best investment for the club's future. Sure there will be bad games, and sure we'll lose some, but this team is finally fun to watch no matter what.
It was also nice to see the 17-year old Kapino look like a veteran goalkeeper in one of the most intimidating stadiums. Kudos to the kid, and kudos to Fereira for trusting him. I am glad he is also getting baptized by fire in some tough games. He looks confident and so far he has shown incredible maturity, making always the right decisions. He commands his defense with authority beyond his years, he comes off his line to claim through-balls with perfect timing, and he showed excellent skill in high crosses when he cames off his line when it's appropriate, and most of the time he just claims the ball securely (I haven't seen him punch it once yet), or he stays put when it's cleat that he can't get to it. He also looks like a solid shot-blocker, being in the right position and spilling the ball to the side on low shots when he can't smother it (which he does securely). Excellent all around fundamentals and excellent concentration!
Speaking of Ferreira, I think by now everyone (unless they are weird or clueless) is tipping their hat to his work and the team he fields. I want to commend him for not being stuck up with side-agendas like many coaches we've had. If the 17 year old plays well, he keeps him in. If a 4-4-2 suits the players better, he keeps it going. If a player acts up (Simao), he doesn't take it personally. Let's hope that if someone buys the team that they won't go on an ego-building trip buying players and messing up a good team. Whoever buys the club must make Ferreira their best advisor an close their ears to all the other "brown-nosers" and player agents who undoubtedly will bunch up around them for scraps.
Maybe the turmoil in the front office, and the absence of all the suits that die for attention, has finally allowed the coach to work without distractions and the work shows on the pitch.
Ferreira is not competing for the limelight and doesn't try to outsmart himself with fancy tactics and surprising personell decisions. It looks like he works his players hard in practice and then he let's them be the protagonists on the pitch by placing them in positions where they can maximize their individual skills.
Speaking of the players now, everyone looked excellent out there. It almost looked like Panathinaikos plaid with 12 players the way they run in empty space to make themselves available for a pass, the way they hassled to win the ball back whenever PAOK had it (and won the vast majority of the loose balls in midfield), and the way they run to cover each other when defending.
I thought Zeka was amazing today. He is the kind of player I want on my side, with Herculean stamina, tenatious marking, crisp passing, and surprisingly good skills with the ball (besides finishing of course). Leto was once again a pain in the opponent's behind, and Quincy was another thorn on their side. Leto played again the free-striker role and excelled once again. For the part of his career I've seen him play, he's been confound on the left line, assigned to create for others. Now he doesn't have to waste any of his energy chasing back opposing fullbacks and can channel it instead on what he is best at: attacking defenses head on (more kudos to Ferreira for this as well).
Marinos, Simao, Kapinos, and Sariegi were also excellent today, while Katsouranis started the game shaky, but became a major contributor in the end.
Let's hope Panathinaikos continues to treat us to this kind of football until the end. I really like what I am seeing right now! I hope you enjoy it too.
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