AEK took four full-backs last year just to play as stoppers

The first reading of Matias Almeida’s tactical options creates a clear problem for AEK in his wings. The Argentine coach chose a three-stopper formation in the first official game against Lamia, as in all pre-season, which puts more demands on the two wingers, who are asked to play the entire side, left and right.

For the league debut, Steven Zuber was chosen on the left, who regularly seems to have more right both defensively and creatively than Nordin Amrabat on the right wing. Most likely, of course, Gacinovic would start there – right – against Lamia if he were available. However, all this leads to the undeniable conclusion that something is wrong with the full-backs acquired last year.

Clement Michelin has already left as Matias Almeida felt he was less suited than Amrabad and Mijat Gacinovic to play a position he should, in theory – but also in fact – know better than the two above. While Lazaros Rota, who finished last season with a goal and returned to international cap with Greece, is also back in the pecking order, which also shows a lack of confidence from the manager, at least equivalent to what was previously in him.

To the left we see that Milan Mohammadi is billed as Chouber’s replacement, while Ehsan Hajisafi is billed – at least initially – as a stopper rather than a player who can take over the whole squad. Obviously, these decisions by Matias Almeida have to do with the intensity, the runs but also the balance between defense and attack that he wants to see from the players who will have this complex role on the wings.

Players in roles that are not their forte

The Argentine does so, essentially sacrificing what Zuber could offer in a different formation and Gacinovic as a pure midfielder. At the same time, Levia Garcia has no place in the XI as the manager seems to favor Mandalo alongside Araujo. More generally, the 3-5-2 or 3-4-2-1 highlights weaknesses that the coach would like to see in his wingers.

While Zuber is no stranger to this role, a closer look reveals that in a career of +400 official games there are no more than 15-20 games in which he has played for the full team. Has made several appearances as a left midfielder but tends to play as a center midfielder in back four formations. In short, although he succeeds, this is not his forte. For it is certainly not Amrabads, nor Gacinovics.

While the coach said during the team’s presence in Holland that “we’re good in the end”, the reality shows that there are flaws that may need to be fixed by the end of the transfer window, certainly on the right and maybe on the left.

The statement clearly had to do with his desire to keep everyone focused and not create internal discussions about the trust he has in his players, but the reality is that the four wingers and Mitai acquired last year are leaving for Moscow , not satisfying him fundamentally for the arrangement he has chosen.

On Sunday game night, Pantelis Vlachopoulos commentated on the Super League premiere games along with Themis Kaisaris, Charlie and Pantelis Diamantopoulos. The four transfers that will change the balance: