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Tactical Greece in the Euro 2012
_Playing style
Greece is getting better at holding the ball. They are more comfortable playing with quick passes. However, they are only successful at holding the ball around the center field and not more towards their opponent’s goal. When the center midfield has the ball the strikers are running forward for over-the-top balls or through passes, instead of checking to the ball and giving it back or turning in order to advance the ball and the team as a whole more up the field. The strikers need to hold the ball or distribute it, and with players like Gekas/Salipingidis up top this is not going to happen. And so, Greece has a problem of scoring goals. They are going to come from a switch of the ball to a outside midfielder/winger that will cut in for a shot or a header from a spot kick. Another issue from the Armenia game was that the Greek squad needs to find a suitable penalty kick taker. Samaras nonchalantly missed his penalty due to his overconfidence from winning it, while Katsouranis missed also from not being used to striking penalty shots. A player like Ninis, Maniatis, or Karagounis should take penalties.
Team Makeup
Goalkeeping - Sifakis should be a starting keeper over Chalkias. He has enough experience, is quick to get down to the ground for saves, and is comfortable with receiving passes in his box.
Defense - The youngster Kyriakos is quite a player. Starting his first game in the pre-Euro friendlies, he is a commander in the center of defense as a great aerial threat on free kicks, producing the only goal in the Armenia match. The Monaco man Tzavellas is out of form for sure, and so Holebas looks to be the first choice, which does add the probability of some runs from the left defense. Sokratis is comfortable at the right back position, but hopefully Torosidis, the Olympiakos star, will be back from injury to give a lot of flexibility on the right defense and Sokratis can commander the center of defense with his fellow teammate from the Bundesliga, Kyriakos Papadopoulos. However, Avraam Papadopoulos is an adept and ready substitution in the center defense.
Midfield- In the center of midfield, Maniatis is showing to be a great asset. Like his teammate from Olympiakos, Maniatis shows a lot of flexibility, playing in the center midfield (as a holding midfielder) as well as right back. I would like to see him start in the center with the experienced, yet mobile Panathinaikos midfielder, Katsouranis. Now on the right side, Fetfatzidis plays a great role because has a killer dribble and can produce a pass or shot as he cuts in from the right. The youngster Fetfa is also really good at taking down the ball from a long switch from the left defense or midfield which is important in a technically average Greece side. Karagounis is a big question this Euro 2012. He seems to play an important role in the smoothness of the Greek playing, but if he can maintain a starting position with 60 or so minutes is a big question. This brings to mind, the youngster Fortounis, who Santos has shown interest in. He can play in the center midfield or even as a right winger, which could be important in securing Sotiris Ninis a spot in the attack instead of midfield.
Attack - Salpingidis used to be the quick, hardworking winger, but he has become lost of touch and pace. Samaras is the one player haunted by inconsistency, not only in a single season, but also in a single game. He has the potential to pass defenders with a nice run as well as making a bad pass or missing a penalty. His inconsistency is frightening. On the other hand, Sotiris Ninis, the boy wonder, is expected to perform this Euro 2012 as well as he should be. Ninis has the technical touch, creativity, and shot that can produce a result from nothing. He is quick, fit, and determined player, and Greece starting 11 needs that. As the pure striker role, there are some problems. Gekas is out of shape. He has the knack for scoring goals, but you can not depend on him. Gekas is the striker that surprises. He will score goals when you don’t expect them. He is not the player that will score players when you need them. Liberopoulos was chosen for experience at 36, and it might backfire. Players like Athanasiadis and Christodoulopoulos could had a spot up front. That leaves Mitroglou as a necessary substitution to inject energy when needed from the strikers. Hope to see Mitroglou produce in the time given to him, probably more with every match.
Greece is getting better at holding the ball. They are more comfortable playing with quick passes. However, they are only successful at holding the ball around the center field and not more towards their opponent’s goal. When the center midfield has the ball the strikers are running forward for over-the-top balls or through passes, instead of checking to the ball and giving it back or turning in order to advance the ball and the team as a whole more up the field. The strikers need to hold the ball or distribute it, and with players like Gekas/Salipingidis up top this is not going to happen. And so, Greece has a problem of scoring goals. They are going to come from a switch of the ball to a outside midfielder/winger that will cut in for a shot or a header from a spot kick. Another issue from the Armenia game was that the Greek squad needs to find a suitable penalty kick taker. Samaras nonchalantly missed his penalty due to his overconfidence from winning it, while Katsouranis missed also from not being used to striking penalty shots. A player like Ninis, Maniatis, or Karagounis should take penalties.
Team Makeup
Goalkeeping - Sifakis should be a starting keeper over Chalkias. He has enough experience, is quick to get down to the ground for saves, and is comfortable with receiving passes in his box.
Defense - The youngster Kyriakos is quite a player. Starting his first game in the pre-Euro friendlies, he is a commander in the center of defense as a great aerial threat on free kicks, producing the only goal in the Armenia match. The Monaco man Tzavellas is out of form for sure, and so Holebas looks to be the first choice, which does add the probability of some runs from the left defense. Sokratis is comfortable at the right back position, but hopefully Torosidis, the Olympiakos star, will be back from injury to give a lot of flexibility on the right defense and Sokratis can commander the center of defense with his fellow teammate from the Bundesliga, Kyriakos Papadopoulos. However, Avraam Papadopoulos is an adept and ready substitution in the center defense.
Midfield- In the center of midfield, Maniatis is showing to be a great asset. Like his teammate from Olympiakos, Maniatis shows a lot of flexibility, playing in the center midfield (as a holding midfielder) as well as right back. I would like to see him start in the center with the experienced, yet mobile Panathinaikos midfielder, Katsouranis. Now on the right side, Fetfatzidis plays a great role because has a killer dribble and can produce a pass or shot as he cuts in from the right. The youngster Fetfa is also really good at taking down the ball from a long switch from the left defense or midfield which is important in a technically average Greece side. Karagounis is a big question this Euro 2012. He seems to play an important role in the smoothness of the Greek playing, but if he can maintain a starting position with 60 or so minutes is a big question. This brings to mind, the youngster Fortounis, who Santos has shown interest in. He can play in the center midfield or even as a right winger, which could be important in securing Sotiris Ninis a spot in the attack instead of midfield.
Attack - Salpingidis used to be the quick, hardworking winger, but he has become lost of touch and pace. Samaras is the one player haunted by inconsistency, not only in a single season, but also in a single game. He has the potential to pass defenders with a nice run as well as making a bad pass or missing a penalty. His inconsistency is frightening. On the other hand, Sotiris Ninis, the boy wonder, is expected to perform this Euro 2012 as well as he should be. Ninis has the technical touch, creativity, and shot that can produce a result from nothing. He is quick, fit, and determined player, and Greece starting 11 needs that. As the pure striker role, there are some problems. Gekas is out of shape. He has the knack for scoring goals, but you can not depend on him. Gekas is the striker that surprises. He will score goals when you don’t expect them. He is not the player that will score players when you need them. Liberopoulos was chosen for experience at 36, and it might backfire. Players like Athanasiadis and Christodoulopoulos could had a spot up front. That leaves Mitroglou as a necessary substitution to inject energy when needed from the strikers. Hope to see Mitroglou produce in the time given to him, probably more with every match.
Prediction
Overall, I would say that Greece’s chances in qualifying for the quarterfinals of the Euro 2012 depend heavily on their result of the first match. The Polish will be a quick, strong side that could give Greece many problems if Greece doesn’t hold the ball or attack consistently. Greece need to divert attention away from their strong defense by starting player like Fetfatzidis to dribble and cause commotion on the wing, Maniatis to help Katsouranis in holding the ball and making tackles in the center midfield, and Ninis for his creativity and energy. I predict a 2-2 result from the first match. In the 2nd match, Greece will beat Czech Republic 1-0. The third match, Greece will tie Russia, 1-1.
+Panayiotis Gialamas for TODOSLifestyle +May 2012
Above are Greece's stars who play in the Greek domestic league (from left to right): Kostas Katsouranis #21 (Panathinaikos FC), Giannis Maniatis #2 (Olympiakos FC), Sotiris Ninis #18 (Panathinaikos FC), Michalis Sifakis #13 (Aris FC), Giannis Fetfaztidis #23 (Olympiakos FC).
Needed Starting Lineup:
Sifakis Torosidis-Papastathopoulos-Kyriakos-Holebas Fetfatzidis-Maniatis-Katsouranis-Fortounis Ninis-Samaras (based on the reality that youngsters are needed for energy, excitement, and a chance at scoring goals and progressing) |
Santos' Realistic Starting Lineup:
Sifakis Torosidis-Papastathopoulos-Kyriakos-Holebas Fetfatzidis-Maniatis-Katsouranis-Samaras Ninis-Gekas (based on the reality that experience will produce results and that Gekas can deliver on his goals) |