It’s one of those nights where Olympiakos fans see their side play pretty well with the ball at their feet and tragically every time the opponent crosses the middle. Everything that happened in Karaiskakis has an explanation for both teams.

PAOK with a coach who… can listen a lot but in games like this knows how to set up his team. On the other hand, Mitchell, who put the onus on finding quality and a constant threat. But I’m starting to think there’s not much the Spaniard can do about the defense’s image through no fault of his own. And of the many things he tries, he ends up making… salad. And yesterday, when he came out to make statements, those who stayed at the stadium booed him.

Olympiacos’ defense managed to get even PAOK to learn psychology. And I’m not writing this to belittle the “doubleheader” which I personally believe has good footballers who simply lost points due to mistakes and poor game management. But what Olympiacos have done this year is seminars to avoid building a defence.

Eight league games and as many European Cup games have passed. And there’s no duet in the stoppers yet that inspires confidence. At the back, the situation is now more than confused. So many players and for different reasons (mainly injuries) in one game – Vrousai played at full speed. Left, Ryabchuk took the shirt home!

Olympiacos didn’t give up the game, but that’s no small thing. throbbing. With the footballers he has in midfield, his quality is at a high level. But then there was no more logic. The difference in the score is not small and results from the opponent’s feeling of being able to create a phase at any time. PAOK was scared after the 0:1 and paid for it.

After the 1:2 Lucescu didn’t allow it and walked away happy. And in Gendi Koule, Livadeia having scored late goals and escaping in “Karaiskakis”. This will sit at home for the Romanian to think about and go a little crazy. In his right…

appetite and own goal

Let’s be honest and as things stand, those who were particularly surprised by Biel’s exclusion from the 20th champions are not wrong. The Spaniard is ahead of his teammates, he is a full-fledged player and logic not only said he would be in the mission, but that he was considered indispensable. Mitchell placed James behind Bakabu with Kamara on one side and Gary Rodriguez on the other. The mood of the “Red-Whites” to put pressure on and get people involved was clear.

Speaking of which, until now it was the image of PAOK that granted such rights. In the weeks before, there were other games in which Olympiakos had not appeared. But that’s not enough. Because appetite for the ball at your feet doesn’t guarantee you any solutions if you can’t defend properly. The first games PAOK played made his mood clear.

Immediate change of game, use of all spaces and goals after set pieces. Papastathopoulos misjudged and scored an own goal. But before that happened, the “two-headed” had made sure he was up to the threat by edging slightly outside of Tzolakis territory.

However…

Narei was the one who entered first with an appetite for the Thessalonians, and Dadas followed him. Angry, he looked for the back of the red defense, the second “swallowed” kilometers and moved the ball better than any of his teammates. Olympiacos put good pressure on PAOK after the 1-0 draw. They wanted to exploit the ‘red and white’ spaces behind Lucescu’s midfielders and in front of the stoppers.

The starts from Lyratzis and Tsaousis were excellent and meant that Piraeus couldn’t play as much with demands from the flanks as they were outnumbered and provided Vrousai ups, particularly on the right. In general, Olympiacos was once again one-sided. All pulled to the right. And Hames and Huang, even Agibu, that’s where he wanted to go. And the problem is growing because if you have a good left-back you can get a game changer phase with the overload you create. It’s a blessing to be able to overload a side with quality and have a good opponent.

But with Reabchuk on the left, Olympiakos can’t find anything good in terms of stability. And it’s also unfair to the kid who plays incessantly and… pays for it, whether it’s their fault or not. Once he started having the whole field over his head and “listening to them,” the equalizing period ensued. The ball came to him, he took it out sweetly and Hames from the moment he kicked well it was natural that he would find the net. When it happened…

PAOK with courage!

After conceding, the master managed to keep the opponent small. To the PAOK’s credit, they tried to rationally “build up” their attacks, but failed, simply because the Piraeus had properly closed all areas. It was one of those instances where he was “bombing” from miles away that eventually the… moment for Mitchell’s players would come.

I insist, without the slightest desire, on “impeaching” footballers. But this Olympiacos with two regular defenders could be a different team. I’m tired of writing about the stoppers. Even Brusai on the right showed the ability to threaten. Ryabchuk is an honorable player. He gives everything defensively. Offensively he gives as much as he can, which will never be enough for Olympiakos.

At 1-2 he found himself in the middle of Lyratzis-Narei and after the former jokingly neutralized Agibu, the latter caught a super shot and put his team back in front. And this time PAOK handled the lead much more correctly. At 0:1 they went back. At 1-2 they had the courage to keep going and not just looking for another goal but most importantly keeping Olympiakos further down.

Mitchell’s moves were aimed at refreshment, pressure and of course form with Bakabou and El Arabi in the company. In other words rodeo… But there was no other choice. With 1-2 at home, what else is there to do? He ended up playing with all three forwards using Wei Jo Huang and now had a team that had the systems put aside. And it made sense too. At this point I would like to emphasize that Koulierakis’ performance alongside Igansson was outstanding. They put a lot of pressure on me and I think Lucescu should give them a thumbs up…

How her world dreams!

Both teams have fallen back in the table. Everyone for different reasons. PAOK got a great win. First to calm down and then for the score. Lucescu managed to get another team out in the second half and that’s his magic. Olympiacos left defeated and with disapproval.

People screamed that they dreamed of their team differently. Definitely with a different defense. Certainly with a different passion, with a different argument and with a different tactic. Champions are the worst and there’s no denying that. I don’t know what time they will get together until the championship is suspended for the world championship. What is certain is that much needs to be done to balance this whole thing.

It’s not possible to create so many situations with the ball at your feet but to be a one-sided team, predictable from one point and with a low defense.