The performance of the best Panathinaikos years, “soon” even better

There are games you win and keep nothing but victory. There are games you lose, and the odds outweigh the outcome. There are also games, like last night’s Panathinaikos Athens game against Marseille, where the scale of measuring results and wins doesn’t just tip in one direction, it’s completely out of whack.

The Panathinaikos beating Fokai was the best presented in Ivan Jovanovic’s days under his technical guidance. He, the Serb, is the yardstick and measure of it, and traditionally time and comparison are defined by his own presence. And that’s because as time goes on, the self-evident is very easily deduced and the length of time that there’s no answer, there’s no consistency with last night’s appearance of the Greens grows. Very.

More importantly, even if they didn’t win, that 1-0 win that gave Marseille their first ever defeat in European qualifiers, the record would still be written wins. Against a side paying double what Panathinaikos spent on their new coach’s summer signings – and that’s not counting his team of 12 – the dominance was undeniable, the superiority all over the pitch, at every moment of the game, in the 11vs11, in the 11vs10, in the one-on-one, in every one-on-one, it was visible, catalytic.

And this is precisely the most hopeful news for the development of Panathinaikos, without the horizon being limited or dependent on next week’s repetition in the “Velodrome”. The Panathinaikos, unveiled in Leoforo, gave the best preview and provided the most tangible proof of what their coach is up to and how he intends to build him up throughout the season.

With tension in the pressure until … fainting. Not by those who accept it, but by those who practice it. The depth of the squad and the opportunity to consolidate it over the course of ninety minutes and throughout the games, that is, throughout the year, is now there. And not only quantitatively, but above all qualitatively.

Yesterday Panathinaikos had to run without having the one who kicked all over the grass in his eleven last year (Cherin). He changed three-quarters of his midfielders during the game, with Palasios – once a benchmark – not coming off the bench and last year’s starting MVP Aitor sitting on the bench.

He started the game with changed right flank, with players who – bad lies – at least raised eyebrows at the line-up announcement and evolved into faces of the game (Vagianidis) and “keys” in the always critical first period of ninety minutes (verb). . He first got someone from the bank who, even if he wasn’t on duty, wouldn’t say anything to anyone (Kleinheisler).

But that’s exactly the whole philosophy, I repeat, not only of yesterday’s game, but also of this year’s Panathinaikos. Possession of the ball is always the main goal. Jovanovic also said that at the press conference on the eve of the game. And as the Serb proved, he doesn’t just talk to open his mouth.

Law of physics: stress until fracture

But now Panathinaikos is not only capable of keeping the ball at an opposing side who bring a final substitution from their own substitute from the France national team’s active rotation (Guedouzi), but has also shown what they want to do when if this is the case I don’t have it. I just apply physics.

Put constant, unabated pressure somewhere, eventually it will break there. The measures may not be “visible” on the pitch as Panathinaikos’ pressing wasn’t high, but the running, its intensity, its duration were everywhere. And so the “Greens” pressed with Trehala, with lungs, with muscles and pressed and pressed.

And they will – clearly now – do so. Because that’s the (bigger, long-term) plan. And why they can. Regardless of who is on the pitch, Jovanovic wants to bring more, much more intensity, sustained intensity, constant intensity to his team, giving him an extra shot of creativity and effectiveness. Even if the first one is missing, balls are won with the gas cheetah and chances are missed.

And not just against the lesser demands and intensity rivals within the limits. Whatever happens at the Velodrome, Panathinaikos will have at least six more European nights this year, perhaps with opponents whose level of quality will hardly be higher than OM. What he did to her is convincing enough to suggest that he can do the same to others, most of whom he will face in the fall.

But now he has made it clear that any ambition, not only in Marseille but, if good and transcendent continuity comes, even in the suburbs of Porto against kick-ass Braga, gives absolutely no reason to secure anything less than equal opportunities.

We said the scale broke last night.

PS Just a week after the troubled picture and the blackout that almost wiped out Kozice’s 3-1 win over Dnipro despite taking an early lead in the second leg of the Ukraine game, it already looks like a closed bracket .

And not just collectively, as a whole, but also specifically, specifically. Much has been said and written, and certainly more is remembered about the coexistence and effectiveness of the center triple at the time and beyond, and more personally for Ruben.

The answer came in an obviously superior level and the specific approach to the game mentioned above, with the Spaniard becoming… conductor. Not only keeping the baguette creative, but also defining the measurements and pressure areas when the ball doesn’t go through “green” feet.

I don’t know if Panathinaikos needs a more athletic, voluminous “six”. What would be most useful and wise would be to suggest to the only Untouchable of the Elf – and with good reason of course… – in his trainer’s mind that he should be chosen and found.

He knows and can better judge which of the existing and studied ones can or will do as much immediately or in the long run as much and how.