Happy New Year everyone!
The first game of the new year for Panathinaikos was forgettable, and most of the time it hurt my eyes to watch. The incredible amount of errant balls in midfield reminded me of the dysfunctional team of yesteryear. I think at some point the announcers mentioned that there were over sixty "erros" made by Panathinaikos players, and about the same number for Panetolikos.
This little statistic provides an accurate picture of the entire game. Both teams were balanced on just about everything on the pitch. Even if PAO had a bette possession stats, it didn't mean much because this possession was mostly meaningless around our half our in centerfield. Very few times Panathinaikos players were able to exchange meaningful forward passes, and even fewer they managed a shot on goal at the end.
The two teams took what they deserved from the game, with Panaitolikos probably feeling bitter that they were equalized at the very last minute of extra time and at a moment Panathinaikos played with ten players after Boumsong was injured and could not continue.
Overall, this was a forgettable game for Panathinaikos in a stadium that had a wonderful festive and "rural" atmosphere. The fans were there to push their team but they were civilized (with the exception of a few profanity laced chants) and even expressed their support for the injured Boumsong as he was carried off the field.
Today's performance will throw fuel in the argument that Panathinaikos is not the same team without Leto. I don't know if that's entirely true, but today it was evident that without the skilled Leto and Quincy up front, most passes to our forwards were easy pray for the defenders who didn't have much difficulty dispossessing anyone who approached their goal.
I have decided to begin my player rating again, but as a word of warning to my reader friends, I won't be overly critical to players that seem to me to be trying their best this year.
The Players
Kapino 7
He was solid once again, and kept me excited about his future with the way he smothers the ball instead of spilling it, and wit the way he commands his box from edge to edge on forward through-balls. He had no responsibility for the goal as the opponent had all the time in the world to go around him.
Vintra 4
He was preferred today for the right fullback position instead for Marinos, and I am afraid with his performance he can't make the case for keeping that starting spot. He looked nervous at times, and his sporadic runs down the wing didn't end in good crosses. In fairness, in his best effort forward he was fouled in the box by a very sloppy defender, but the referee didn't call the penalty.
Spyropoulos 5
He had good and bad moments defensively, but he didn't really help forward with runs or crosses.
Boumsong 6
First I should say I hope he feels better. He broke his toe during the game and had to be carried off the field. He will miss at least a month and maybe more. He was strong while he played, but he did lose the through pass that allowed Panaitolikos to score.
Kante 4
He too looked nervous out there and missed several assignments. I think one of the reasons he has been starting over Sariegi in the last few games is because we needed better defense on high balls. But even today, with both Boumsong and Kante in the game, every set piece that ended in a high ball caused mountains of problems for our defense.
Simao 7
Solid game by Simao who was the only player that won more defensive battles that he lost in midfield.
Katsouranis 5
He looked flat in midfield, but even so he managed some good through balls forward that could have been dealt better by our forwards.
Karagounis 2
It was kind of sad to see Karagouni play such a bad game but time, the game, and his reputation have caught up with him. He could not round opponents to save his life, and it's evident that he is not the "direct football" type of player. To add insult to injury, the referees seem to have an agenda now never to give Karagouni a foul unless his leg is chopped off. I do think the referees are justified to caution him when he complains so animated, but there were at least three blatant fouls that the referee didn't call.
Cleyton 5
Cleyton had a couple of positive moments (the assist on the equalizer was brilliant), but for huge parts of the game he dissapeared completely. He could have done better with the ball on a few counter attacks where there were better options than the ones he made.
Zeka 4
He was strong defensively in midfield, but he had way too many errors. He either gave away the ball too often, or he lost it after unsuccessful dribbles. I get the feeling that he plays out of position though. He strikes me more as a box-to-box midfielder than a right winger, and today he played on the right wing almost exclusively.
Mavrias 5
Mavrias looked energetic in the first half, playing down the left wing, but he completely disappeared in the second half. He is another academy prospect that has been groomed for a couple of years for the first team, and today was his first start. He showed good skill with the ball, some speed, and enough strength to keep defenders from crowding him off the ball. Let's wish him best of luck and many more starts to come.
Petropoulos 2
I don't know what it is with all the young players who look amazing until they sign the big contract they are after. I watched it happen to Petropoulos too. He used to look good, with speed power and good finishing in the box, but now, and especially this game, he looked sluggish and even underpowered.
Marinos
He played as a right midfielder in the end of the game as a sub, and did well to maintain possession and to contribute creatively. With Boumsong gone and playing a man down, he had the difficult task of covering the entire right side, something he did well.
Totse
There is this general idea floating in Panathinaikos fans' heads that he is not the right person for the job, but to me he looks like a very useful player. Today, he came in as a sub in the last quarter of the game and found himself face to face with the keeper twice and scored once. He could have scored a second goal if it weren't for an amazing, instinctive flick of the arm by the goalkeeper, Blazic, who deflected the ball in what looked like a certain goal from two meters away.
Ferreira
For all the good he has created for PAO this season, this was not a good game for Ferreira. It's easy for me to see of course, but I am sure he too realized after the game that Marinos would have been a better option instead of Vintra, and Totse should have started the game. I am sure he regrets throwing in the game Petropoulos before he put in Totse, and he might even be second guessing his use of Karagouni. But the coach too is entitled to some bad games here and there, and if it weren't for the plethora of errant passes, the two points might not have been lost. Also, his decision to declare Leto ineligible for this game turned out to being a huge factor in the game, given that Quincy and Rudolf both got injured in practice this week.
Leto
I know Leto didn't play this one, but I wanted to point out that his nerves cost his participation in this game. Not saying that we would have won with Leto, but after watching the game I am convinced that his presence alone would have made a huge difference today. The reason he didn't play today is because he amassed four yellow cards in the first half of the season. I think one of them might have been for diving (can't remember) but most of the cards he gets are for complaining to the referees for not giving him a foul when he thinks he deserves one, and even sillier, afte complaining to referees that his defenders should be getting booked. On that second part, he has a point, because it seems that refs allow his opponents to play rougher than usual, but there is no reason for him not to be smart about it. Perhaps now that he has matured as a player and has even changed his position and the way he plays with the ball, it's time to work on the mental aspect of his game.
What's next
Well, what's next is good and bad. First, we have the easiest of schedules all the way to the end of February. On the other hand, the thin bench might end up making some of these games even more of an adventure than we like.
With Boumsong out for over a month, the only Center Backs left are Sariegi and Kante. Both seem to be in not the best of shapes with Sariegi being benched in favor for Kante, who himself hasn't done much to convince that he deserves the starting spot.
To add to the problems, Kante is going to join the Mali national team for the Copa Africa so the only two Center Backs left available for several games are Sariegi and Bjarsmir.
Panathinaikos' defensive line gets even weaker, and it looks increasingly possible that Bjiarmir will be called to start at CB. Do you remember him? Yes, he is still with the club having found no way to break his contract and has registered exactly zero minutes of playing time this year.
Last time I saw Bjarsmyr was under Ten Cate and Nioplias, and he looked really bad for a CB. By bad, I mean he could not dispossess an opponent to save his life, and he looked extremely nervous out there on the pitch. He is too soft and easily pushed off the ball by more powerful opponents, and he tends to backtrack and watch the ball carriers instead of attacking the ball. I hope he has improved dramatically, but just in case, someone please let Ferreira know that Vintra played CB well under Ten Cate, and it might not be a bad idea to call on his services again, especially now that Marinos looks like he is not a liability as a RB.
The first game of the new year for Panathinaikos was forgettable, and most of the time it hurt my eyes to watch. The incredible amount of errant balls in midfield reminded me of the dysfunctional team of yesteryear. I think at some point the announcers mentioned that there were over sixty "erros" made by Panathinaikos players, and about the same number for Panetolikos.
This little statistic provides an accurate picture of the entire game. Both teams were balanced on just about everything on the pitch. Even if PAO had a bette possession stats, it didn't mean much because this possession was mostly meaningless around our half our in centerfield. Very few times Panathinaikos players were able to exchange meaningful forward passes, and even fewer they managed a shot on goal at the end.
The two teams took what they deserved from the game, with Panaitolikos probably feeling bitter that they were equalized at the very last minute of extra time and at a moment Panathinaikos played with ten players after Boumsong was injured and could not continue.
Overall, this was a forgettable game for Panathinaikos in a stadium that had a wonderful festive and "rural" atmosphere. The fans were there to push their team but they were civilized (with the exception of a few profanity laced chants) and even expressed their support for the injured Boumsong as he was carried off the field.
Today's performance will throw fuel in the argument that Panathinaikos is not the same team without Leto. I don't know if that's entirely true, but today it was evident that without the skilled Leto and Quincy up front, most passes to our forwards were easy pray for the defenders who didn't have much difficulty dispossessing anyone who approached their goal.
I have decided to begin my player rating again, but as a word of warning to my reader friends, I won't be overly critical to players that seem to me to be trying their best this year.
The Players
Kapino 7
He was solid once again, and kept me excited about his future with the way he smothers the ball instead of spilling it, and wit the way he commands his box from edge to edge on forward through-balls. He had no responsibility for the goal as the opponent had all the time in the world to go around him.
Vintra 4
He was preferred today for the right fullback position instead for Marinos, and I am afraid with his performance he can't make the case for keeping that starting spot. He looked nervous at times, and his sporadic runs down the wing didn't end in good crosses. In fairness, in his best effort forward he was fouled in the box by a very sloppy defender, but the referee didn't call the penalty.
Spyropoulos 5
He had good and bad moments defensively, but he didn't really help forward with runs or crosses.
Boumsong 6
First I should say I hope he feels better. He broke his toe during the game and had to be carried off the field. He will miss at least a month and maybe more. He was strong while he played, but he did lose the through pass that allowed Panaitolikos to score.
Kante 4
He too looked nervous out there and missed several assignments. I think one of the reasons he has been starting over Sariegi in the last few games is because we needed better defense on high balls. But even today, with both Boumsong and Kante in the game, every set piece that ended in a high ball caused mountains of problems for our defense.
Simao 7
Solid game by Simao who was the only player that won more defensive battles that he lost in midfield.
Katsouranis 5
He looked flat in midfield, but even so he managed some good through balls forward that could have been dealt better by our forwards.
Karagounis 2
It was kind of sad to see Karagouni play such a bad game but time, the game, and his reputation have caught up with him. He could not round opponents to save his life, and it's evident that he is not the "direct football" type of player. To add insult to injury, the referees seem to have an agenda now never to give Karagouni a foul unless his leg is chopped off. I do think the referees are justified to caution him when he complains so animated, but there were at least three blatant fouls that the referee didn't call.
Cleyton 5
Cleyton had a couple of positive moments (the assist on the equalizer was brilliant), but for huge parts of the game he dissapeared completely. He could have done better with the ball on a few counter attacks where there were better options than the ones he made.
Zeka 4
He was strong defensively in midfield, but he had way too many errors. He either gave away the ball too often, or he lost it after unsuccessful dribbles. I get the feeling that he plays out of position though. He strikes me more as a box-to-box midfielder than a right winger, and today he played on the right wing almost exclusively.
Mavrias 5
Mavrias looked energetic in the first half, playing down the left wing, but he completely disappeared in the second half. He is another academy prospect that has been groomed for a couple of years for the first team, and today was his first start. He showed good skill with the ball, some speed, and enough strength to keep defenders from crowding him off the ball. Let's wish him best of luck and many more starts to come.
Petropoulos 2
I don't know what it is with all the young players who look amazing until they sign the big contract they are after. I watched it happen to Petropoulos too. He used to look good, with speed power and good finishing in the box, but now, and especially this game, he looked sluggish and even underpowered.
Marinos
He played as a right midfielder in the end of the game as a sub, and did well to maintain possession and to contribute creatively. With Boumsong gone and playing a man down, he had the difficult task of covering the entire right side, something he did well.
Totse
There is this general idea floating in Panathinaikos fans' heads that he is not the right person for the job, but to me he looks like a very useful player. Today, he came in as a sub in the last quarter of the game and found himself face to face with the keeper twice and scored once. He could have scored a second goal if it weren't for an amazing, instinctive flick of the arm by the goalkeeper, Blazic, who deflected the ball in what looked like a certain goal from two meters away.
Ferreira
For all the good he has created for PAO this season, this was not a good game for Ferreira. It's easy for me to see of course, but I am sure he too realized after the game that Marinos would have been a better option instead of Vintra, and Totse should have started the game. I am sure he regrets throwing in the game Petropoulos before he put in Totse, and he might even be second guessing his use of Karagouni. But the coach too is entitled to some bad games here and there, and if it weren't for the plethora of errant passes, the two points might not have been lost. Also, his decision to declare Leto ineligible for this game turned out to being a huge factor in the game, given that Quincy and Rudolf both got injured in practice this week.
Leto
I know Leto didn't play this one, but I wanted to point out that his nerves cost his participation in this game. Not saying that we would have won with Leto, but after watching the game I am convinced that his presence alone would have made a huge difference today. The reason he didn't play today is because he amassed four yellow cards in the first half of the season. I think one of them might have been for diving (can't remember) but most of the cards he gets are for complaining to the referees for not giving him a foul when he thinks he deserves one, and even sillier, afte complaining to referees that his defenders should be getting booked. On that second part, he has a point, because it seems that refs allow his opponents to play rougher than usual, but there is no reason for him not to be smart about it. Perhaps now that he has matured as a player and has even changed his position and the way he plays with the ball, it's time to work on the mental aspect of his game.
What's next
Well, what's next is good and bad. First, we have the easiest of schedules all the way to the end of February. On the other hand, the thin bench might end up making some of these games even more of an adventure than we like.
With Boumsong out for over a month, the only Center Backs left are Sariegi and Kante. Both seem to be in not the best of shapes with Sariegi being benched in favor for Kante, who himself hasn't done much to convince that he deserves the starting spot.
To add to the problems, Kante is going to join the Mali national team for the Copa Africa so the only two Center Backs left available for several games are Sariegi and Bjarsmir.
Panathinaikos' defensive line gets even weaker, and it looks increasingly possible that Bjiarmir will be called to start at CB. Do you remember him? Yes, he is still with the club having found no way to break his contract and has registered exactly zero minutes of playing time this year.
Last time I saw Bjarsmyr was under Ten Cate and Nioplias, and he looked really bad for a CB. By bad, I mean he could not dispossess an opponent to save his life, and he looked extremely nervous out there on the pitch. He is too soft and easily pushed off the ball by more powerful opponents, and he tends to backtrack and watch the ball carriers instead of attacking the ball. I hope he has improved dramatically, but just in case, someone please let Ferreira know that Vintra played CB well under Ten Cate, and it might not be a bad idea to call on his services again, especially now that Marinos looks like he is not a liability as a RB.
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