The Official Drachma Thread - 2004 Winners aka Greece

[The Guy From The Sunny Place]

Give Greece to an attacking manager and the next generation of players and it will play attracting football. Santos has failed to take the team forward.

[HTC]

Ninis on the right marking Lahm. A bad decision. Ninis is a classic old school 10. He doesnt have the stamina and strength to cope in such a demanding in marking game. He also isnt good running with the ball. He should have played behind the only striker or he shouldnt have played at all.

What Santos though was to keep a solid 451 shape with DR DL MR ML, but also have Ninis GOOD PASS. Well you cant have both.

Greece lacks in Defensive midfielders. We dont have a quick strong player that he is also technically gifted. We had Karagounis, Basinas and Katsouranis when they were younger. And Zagorakis off course. Now Karagounis is 35, Basinas is retired and Katsouranis is pretty slow and soft to cope in such difficult matches in that position.

If i was Santos :

GK : Sifakis

DR : Sokratis

DC : Katsouranis

DC : Papadopoulos

DL : Torosidis

DM : Maniatis

DM : Fotakis

MR : Salpingidis

ML : Tzavellas

MC : Ninis

ST : Fetfatzidis

A Solid back four.

A Solid Middle four.

Tzavellas on the wing to mark properly and also cross and pass properly.

Ninis in his position in which contrary to many think here in Greece, he HELPS in marking.

Its different than marking in the wing because the space he SOULD run is smaller so he saves stamina.

Fetfatzidis up front who is really quick but also technically gifted, compared to Salpingidis who isn't.

Anyway in conclusion i am proud of them, a dignified presence in the tournament.

We wanted the victory so much for ...obvious reasons, in a difficult time for our country.

But Germany is the most succesfull national team in football alongside Brazil and they never underestimate their opponent which was bad for us.

Descent result, and a great joy in Samaras goal.