Good game and a good victory for Panathinaikos.
Besides a five-minute period in the opener when Panionios pressed and forced some serious errors in Panathinaikos' defense to score, the rest of the game was a monologue for the green team that ended the game with overwhelming ball possession (62%), 15 efforts on goal (against 6 of Panionios), and the much needed three points to keep ahead of the competition.
This team really reminds me of the 1995 Roca squad. Nice, crisp passing, and a confidence that helps the players keep their cool even if they are behind in the score.
Like I said in answer to a friend last week who correctly pointed our that our defense is flailing at times, this is nothing new this year. Actually, it seems like our defense acts exactly the same as in previous years.
The difference this year is that we can overcome a defensive boo-boo here and there because we can dominate possession, and we can create a multitude of chances to score each game. Today, besides the goal Panionios made, there were maybe a couple of moments when they even came close to scoring. Sure they lobbed the ball to our box hopping someone will miss an assignment, but they had just about zero clean shots towards out goal.
On the other hand, I can count at least another two or three huge chances and another half dozen that were threatening towards Panionios' goal.
Panionios played a typical "small team" game, hoping to score early (something they did) and then parking ten men behind the ball in hopes the game will end before Panathinaikos converts the inevidable goals. They spend the majority of the game running like crazy to catch-up with the ball, and even employed last century tactics, man-marking Leto everywhere in the front half (with two or three other players converging whenever he had the ball).
But it was all in vain against a very skilled and well drilled Panathinaikos team.
Once again, it was a joy watching the players exchanging the ball with such ease and creativity on offense. There were moments when it looked beautiful with a green shirt running with the ball while two and three other teammates darted diagonally against Panionios' defense. The final passes didn't always work out in such a speedy deployment, but it worked enough times to throw all of Panionios' defensive plans out the window.
I spent the majority of the first half frustrated at the referee who called fouls against Panthinaikos for the slightest contact, while he let some pretty blatant fouls without a call if they were for Panathinaikos. My suspicion was erased when he called the very clear penalty on Leto (I don't think he had a choice anyway). At least I know his errors weren't intentional.
I liked how the team reacted after faling behind a goal. Instead of getting all stressed out like in previous years, they put the ball down and attacked Panionios from the right, from the left, down the middle, with crosses, low passes in the box, and long range shots.
I also liked the team's attitude passed by Ferreira who was in the hospital with high fever today (feel better coach). After scoring the second goal, there was no panic or any intention to play a tight game in the back. The next substitutes were the 18-year old wing man, Mavria for a more sure-footed Clayton, and Karagouni for the tired but more capable defensively Zeka. No second DM, and no defensively minded midfielder.
The result was a few wild lobs by Panionios in the box, but also a couple amazing open chances to score at least three more goals for Panathinaikos in the end.
Panionios wasn't all that bad. They were well prepared to block Panathinaikos' strengths and very well organized in their half. The fact that they broke down so many times can be attributed to the good football an individual skill of the green players.
It wasn't a perfect game, but it was good enough and entertaining to me. Let's not forget where the team is coming from before people begin criticizing the defense or the fact that we concede some easy goals or with individual errors by some players.
This is the fist year in over a decade when we see genuine attractive football by our team. Up until this year, and despite a huge sum spent on big name players, we played a lackluster game with as many weaknesses as strenghts. Up until this year Panathinaikos was a team that played a tight defense with pottent counter-attacks.
In a short few months Fereira has transformed a diminished squad into an fast and furious attacking machine that plays with confidence, always keeping an eye towards the opponent's goal line. We went from last summer's epitaph to serious contenders for the title, playing attractive football.
Best wishes to the coach for a quick recovery.
What's next
There is no reason why we can't win the next eleven games. Anything can happen in football, but anything but a win in the following games would be considered a major upset:
Panathinaikos - Asteras Tripolis
Panaitolikos - Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos - Kerkyra
Giannina - Panathinaikos
Panathianaikos - Doxa Dramas
Panathinaikos - Atromitos
Panathinaikos - Levadiakos
Doxa Dramas - Panathinaikos
Levadiakos - Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos - Xanthi
Ergotelis - Panathinaikos
Besides a five-minute period in the opener when Panionios pressed and forced some serious errors in Panathinaikos' defense to score, the rest of the game was a monologue for the green team that ended the game with overwhelming ball possession (62%), 15 efforts on goal (against 6 of Panionios), and the much needed three points to keep ahead of the competition.
This team really reminds me of the 1995 Roca squad. Nice, crisp passing, and a confidence that helps the players keep their cool even if they are behind in the score.
Like I said in answer to a friend last week who correctly pointed our that our defense is flailing at times, this is nothing new this year. Actually, it seems like our defense acts exactly the same as in previous years.
The difference this year is that we can overcome a defensive boo-boo here and there because we can dominate possession, and we can create a multitude of chances to score each game. Today, besides the goal Panionios made, there were maybe a couple of moments when they even came close to scoring. Sure they lobbed the ball to our box hopping someone will miss an assignment, but they had just about zero clean shots towards out goal.
On the other hand, I can count at least another two or three huge chances and another half dozen that were threatening towards Panionios' goal.
Panionios played a typical "small team" game, hoping to score early (something they did) and then parking ten men behind the ball in hopes the game will end before Panathinaikos converts the inevidable goals. They spend the majority of the game running like crazy to catch-up with the ball, and even employed last century tactics, man-marking Leto everywhere in the front half (with two or three other players converging whenever he had the ball).
But it was all in vain against a very skilled and well drilled Panathinaikos team.
Once again, it was a joy watching the players exchanging the ball with such ease and creativity on offense. There were moments when it looked beautiful with a green shirt running with the ball while two and three other teammates darted diagonally against Panionios' defense. The final passes didn't always work out in such a speedy deployment, but it worked enough times to throw all of Panionios' defensive plans out the window.
I spent the majority of the first half frustrated at the referee who called fouls against Panthinaikos for the slightest contact, while he let some pretty blatant fouls without a call if they were for Panathinaikos. My suspicion was erased when he called the very clear penalty on Leto (I don't think he had a choice anyway). At least I know his errors weren't intentional.
I liked how the team reacted after faling behind a goal. Instead of getting all stressed out like in previous years, they put the ball down and attacked Panionios from the right, from the left, down the middle, with crosses, low passes in the box, and long range shots.
I also liked the team's attitude passed by Ferreira who was in the hospital with high fever today (feel better coach). After scoring the second goal, there was no panic or any intention to play a tight game in the back. The next substitutes were the 18-year old wing man, Mavria for a more sure-footed Clayton, and Karagouni for the tired but more capable defensively Zeka. No second DM, and no defensively minded midfielder.
The result was a few wild lobs by Panionios in the box, but also a couple amazing open chances to score at least three more goals for Panathinaikos in the end.
Panionios wasn't all that bad. They were well prepared to block Panathinaikos' strengths and very well organized in their half. The fact that they broke down so many times can be attributed to the good football an individual skill of the green players.
It wasn't a perfect game, but it was good enough and entertaining to me. Let's not forget where the team is coming from before people begin criticizing the defense or the fact that we concede some easy goals or with individual errors by some players.
This is the fist year in over a decade when we see genuine attractive football by our team. Up until this year, and despite a huge sum spent on big name players, we played a lackluster game with as many weaknesses as strenghts. Up until this year Panathinaikos was a team that played a tight defense with pottent counter-attacks.
In a short few months Fereira has transformed a diminished squad into an fast and furious attacking machine that plays with confidence, always keeping an eye towards the opponent's goal line. We went from last summer's epitaph to serious contenders for the title, playing attractive football.
Best wishes to the coach for a quick recovery.
What's next
There is no reason why we can't win the next eleven games. Anything can happen in football, but anything but a win in the following games would be considered a major upset:
Panathinaikos - Asteras Tripolis
Panaitolikos - Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos - Kerkyra
Giannina - Panathinaikos
Panathianaikos - Doxa Dramas
Panathinaikos - Atromitos
Panathinaikos - Levadiakos
Doxa Dramas - Panathinaikos
Levadiakos - Panathinaikos
Panathinaikos - Xanthi
Ergotelis - Panathinaikos
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