Panathinaikos is five points ahead of Olympiakos, but the title has not been won yet. Five points is a good cushion, but the team needs to stay focused and to put in an extra gear for the upcoming games.
Let's see what the two contenders for the title have to face from now on.
Match day 19
Doxa - Pao
Olympiakos - Ergotelis
Realistically, Panathinaikos and Olympiakos will win their games, so the five point differential will remain. It would be considered a major upset if Panathinaikos loses points in Drama, and an even bigger upset if Olympiakos loses points at home against Ergotelis.
The predictions were on the mark. Both Panathinaikos and Olympiakos won their games, and Panathinaikos continues to lead the race with a nice five-point cushion.
Match day 20
Levadiakos - Pao 1-0
Paok - Olympiakos 0-2
Panathinaikos will win one way or another in Levadia, but Olympiakos visits the toughest arena in Greece, and their chances of escaping intact are not very good. If they take a point in Touba it would not be considered a huge upset, but I'd be very surprised if they win against PAOK.
My prediction was way off in Levadia where Panathinaikos managed to lose a game where the opponent had zero "real" shots on goal, and Olympiakos had a comfortable afternoon in Touba. That's why they play the game.
Match day 21
Pao - Xanthi 3-0
Olympiakos - AEK 2-0
Panathinaikos will win at home even if Xanthi looks decent this season. On the other hand, Olympiakos has another tough game to play against AEK, even if it's at home. AEK has a ton of problems this year and they look very erratic. However, they have proven capable of pulling an excellent game here and there. Let's hope they pull their best game in Karaiskaki, but realistically, Olympiakos will win this game.
AEK looks like a shadow of their former self, and they are slowly slipping away from the race for the UEFA spot. Panathinaikos proved they are lethal when opponents open up their game. Panathinaikos retained their two point advantage on the standings, and hope that wins will come easier in the next nine games as key players return to the lineup (Leto and Katsouranis, especially).
Match day 22
Egrotelis - Pao 0-2
Olympiakos - Panionios 2-0
Both Panathinaikos and Olympiakos will win their games this day. If Panathinaikos loses points in Crete it would be a major upset.
Just like I predicted, both Panathinaikos and Olympiakos won their games, so Panathinaikos retains a two-point advantage before they enter the most difficult sequence of the remaining eight games. If Panathinaikos wins every single one of the next three games (Paok, @AEK, Olympiakos), it would take a nuclear blast to lose this title, or a team of ugly layers, a little paperwork, and a rigged superleague and EPO.... now wait a minute, where have I seen this before...
Match day 23
Pao - Paok 0-2
Ofi - Olympiakos 0-2
PAOK is a capable team, but away from home they are not as strong and traditionally Panathinaikos takes the three points in these games. Olympiakos will also win in Crete, although if OFI draws, it would not be such a huge upset.
I wasn't too far off with my prediction. I think the big tipping point was playing in an empty stadium, and a bad referee decision to give the penalty that PAOK used to open the score. Paok played like the capable team they are, Panathinaikos looked flat, and slipped into second place in the table.
Match day 24
AEK - Pao
Olympiakos - Aris
On paper, Panathinaikos plays their toughest away game, but they are still playing at home in OAKA. I would expect a draw to be a realistic result, although the way Panathinaikos plays this season I think they will win it one way or another. On the other hand, Aris can be a dangerous team, but they too are weak away from home and traditionally Olympiakos beats Aris at home with ease.
Match day 25
Pao - Olympiakos
This is the biggest game of the season for both teams. If realistic results dominate the previous games, Panathinaikos will go into the game with a huge point advantage, making even an Olympiakos win mute in the race for the title. Panathinaikos will win this one, although a draw has good posibillities of occuring.
No matter what happens in the previous games (assuming realistic results), if Panathinaikos beats Olympiakos the title will be sealed. But even if Panathinaikos doesn't win, it would take a perfect season for Olympiakos to overlap Pao in the next five games. Pop the champaign and enjoy the rest of the ride.
Match day 26
Ofi - Pao
Olympiakos - Asteras
Ofi plays a tight game and a win there won't be easy, but I think PAO will have this title locked by this game and they will cruise through Crete with ease. There is also no expectation that Olympiakos will lose points at home against a very friendly club.
Match day 27
Pao - Aris
Panaitolikos - Olympiakos
Panathianikos and Olympiakos will both win their games one way or another.
Match day 28
Pao - Panionios
Olympiakos - Kerkyra
There is no way the title contenders will lose points this match day
Match day 29
Asteras - Pao
Giannina - Olympiakos
Asteras traditionally puts up huge resistance against PAO (they did shave points off Olympiakos at home earlier this season) and it won't be an easy game. If the title is already decided, it won't really matter, but if Olympiakos is within striking distance, it could be a stressful and tough game that can be won nonetheless.
Match day 30
Pao - Panaitolikos
Atromitos - Olympiakos
Fiesta time for Panathinakos, and a tough game for Olympiakos against one of the better teams of this season. If Atromitos needs the points to secure an UEFA spot, it will be a huge game for them.
An appropriate end to the season: A packed OAKA with a big win against Panaitolikos to go along with an embarrassing loss for Olympiakos at the feet of Atromitos.
So there you have it. That's my prediction, but a lot of unexpected things will happen between now and the last game. It is fun making calculations with a five point advantage though.
Let's see what the two contenders for the title have to face from now on.
Match day 19
Doxa - Pao
Olympiakos - Ergotelis
Realistically, Panathinaikos and Olympiakos will win their games, so the five point differential will remain. It would be considered a major upset if Panathinaikos loses points in Drama, and an even bigger upset if Olympiakos loses points at home against Ergotelis.
The predictions were on the mark. Both Panathinaikos and Olympiakos won their games, and Panathinaikos continues to lead the race with a nice five-point cushion.
Match day 20
Levadiakos - Pao 1-0
Paok - Olympiakos 0-2
Panathinaikos will win one way or another in Levadia, but Olympiakos visits the toughest arena in Greece, and their chances of escaping intact are not very good. If they take a point in Touba it would not be considered a huge upset, but I'd be very surprised if they win against PAOK.
My prediction was way off in Levadia where Panathinaikos managed to lose a game where the opponent had zero "real" shots on goal, and Olympiakos had a comfortable afternoon in Touba. That's why they play the game.
Match day 21
Pao - Xanthi 3-0
Olympiakos - AEK 2-0
Panathinaikos will win at home even if Xanthi looks decent this season. On the other hand, Olympiakos has another tough game to play against AEK, even if it's at home. AEK has a ton of problems this year and they look very erratic. However, they have proven capable of pulling an excellent game here and there. Let's hope they pull their best game in Karaiskaki, but realistically, Olympiakos will win this game.
AEK looks like a shadow of their former self, and they are slowly slipping away from the race for the UEFA spot. Panathinaikos proved they are lethal when opponents open up their game. Panathinaikos retained their two point advantage on the standings, and hope that wins will come easier in the next nine games as key players return to the lineup (Leto and Katsouranis, especially).
Match day 22
Egrotelis - Pao 0-2
Olympiakos - Panionios 2-0
Both Panathinaikos and Olympiakos will win their games this day. If Panathinaikos loses points in Crete it would be a major upset.
Just like I predicted, both Panathinaikos and Olympiakos won their games, so Panathinaikos retains a two-point advantage before they enter the most difficult sequence of the remaining eight games. If Panathinaikos wins every single one of the next three games (Paok, @AEK, Olympiakos), it would take a nuclear blast to lose this title, or a team of ugly layers, a little paperwork, and a rigged superleague and EPO.... now wait a minute, where have I seen this before...
Match day 23
Pao - Paok 0-2
Ofi - Olympiakos 0-2
PAOK is a capable team, but away from home they are not as strong and traditionally Panathinaikos takes the three points in these games. Olympiakos will also win in Crete, although if OFI draws, it would not be such a huge upset.
I wasn't too far off with my prediction. I think the big tipping point was playing in an empty stadium, and a bad referee decision to give the penalty that PAOK used to open the score. Paok played like the capable team they are, Panathinaikos looked flat, and slipped into second place in the table.
Match day 24
AEK - Pao
Olympiakos - Aris
On paper, Panathinaikos plays their toughest away game, but they are still playing at home in OAKA. I would expect a draw to be a realistic result, although the way Panathinaikos plays this season I think they will win it one way or another. On the other hand, Aris can be a dangerous team, but they too are weak away from home and traditionally Olympiakos beats Aris at home with ease.
Match day 25
Pao - Olympiakos
This is the biggest game of the season for both teams. If realistic results dominate the previous games, Panathinaikos will go into the game with a huge point advantage, making even an Olympiakos win mute in the race for the title. Panathinaikos will win this one, although a draw has good posibillities of occuring.
No matter what happens in the previous games (assuming realistic results), if Panathinaikos beats Olympiakos the title will be sealed. But even if Panathinaikos doesn't win, it would take a perfect season for Olympiakos to overlap Pao in the next five games. Pop the champaign and enjoy the rest of the ride.
Match day 26
Ofi - Pao
Olympiakos - Asteras
Ofi plays a tight game and a win there won't be easy, but I think PAO will have this title locked by this game and they will cruise through Crete with ease. There is also no expectation that Olympiakos will lose points at home against a very friendly club.
Match day 27
Pao - Aris
Panaitolikos - Olympiakos
Panathianikos and Olympiakos will both win their games one way or another.
Match day 28
Pao - Panionios
Olympiakos - Kerkyra
There is no way the title contenders will lose points this match day
Match day 29
Asteras - Pao
Giannina - Olympiakos
Asteras traditionally puts up huge resistance against PAO (they did shave points off Olympiakos at home earlier this season) and it won't be an easy game. If the title is already decided, it won't really matter, but if Olympiakos is within striking distance, it could be a stressful and tough game that can be won nonetheless.
Match day 30
Pao - Panaitolikos
Atromitos - Olympiakos
Fiesta time for Panathinakos, and a tough game for Olympiakos against one of the better teams of this season. If Atromitos needs the points to secure an UEFA spot, it will be a huge game for them.
An appropriate end to the season: A packed OAKA with a big win against Panaitolikos to go along with an embarrassing loss for Olympiakos at the feet of Atromitos.
So there you have it. That's my prediction, but a lot of unexpected things will happen between now and the last game. It is fun making calculations with a five point advantage though.
4 comments:
well done, I like !
We can almost touch the championship! Pao Ole, Ole, Ole! (as Panathinaikos fans use to say back in the 70s.)
I hope the team wins next Sunday (Feb 12). However, the loss to Levadiakos was scary. It appears to me that our game deteriorates as time goes by.
Let's hope that the quality of our game has hit bottom already and there is only one way to go now: up!
It's sure going to be a long season. We don't have the depth to overcome key injuries, so everyone has to hustle more, and the few remaining "stars" have to hustle more. To put this lack of depth into perspective, take a look at our roster without Boumsong (who was sorely missed on these Levadiakos crosses), and Leto for sure. The vast majority of our roster is on par with teams like Levadiakos, OFI, Xanthi, etc. I am planning to write a blog about this, but I decided it's not the time to stir that pot. Banding together to win this title is more important right now. We still can do it. Olympiakos lost to Xanthi on a very similar game. This past weekend didn't make PAO incompetent and Olympiakos galactikos. both teams have their ups and downs. Lets hope our team eliminates these downs :)
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