Greek Thread - 7th-9th

[farnerud]

cheers Censor, good luck..

[censor]

Thanks mate
For the games in B Ethniki
Aris - Haidari (without spectators)
Aris are 4th in the table, so the game is a must win in their effort for promotion. A team with good defense but some scoring problems. They are in good form lately, and are good at home. For this game important regular Caceres (F) returns in the squad, also regular Garcia (M) after a long time absence. Haidari are in the middle of the table. They are doing well, as their main target is to avoid relegation. A team with good defense, as travellers they play with counters. They come from an important win at home vs Kalamata 3-1 before the break. For this game they will miss regulars Goudelitsas (M), Tournas (M).
Aris are the big favourites in this game. They are in good form and much motivated. The predicted rainfall can affect the game, also a minus for the home side for one more time is the absence of fans. The odds for the home win are lower than expected, so I will include the game in a combo.
Ergotelis - Veria
Ergotelis are second in the table and favourites for promotion. They are strong at home in front of their fans. In the transfer period they signed Portuguese National Kennenty (D), also Stavrakakis (D) from OFI. A team with good offensive line, now reinforced in the defense. Not major absents for them. Veria are in the middle of the table. They come from a difficult loss away from Kerkyra, before the break. They are looking for some signments in this transfer period. A team with good defense, away they play with counters. Veria will have important absents in this game, regulars Amafuele (F), Equeme (M).
Ergotelis are strong at home, and motivated for this game. Veria have good defense but now their task is difficult. They also have important absents in the front line. The odds for the home win are low but fair. It can be a single for those who like the odds, or a part of a combo.
My bet will be a double, Aris + Ergotelis = 1.40*1.35=1.89 at Expekt, stakes 6/10.

[censor]

For the rest of the games
Kalamata - Kerkyra
Kalamata are in the last places just 2 points above relegation zone. They come from a loss away vs Haidari before the break. A team with good defense but some scoring problems. They are looking for some signments in this transfer period. Not major absents for this game. Kerkyra are first in the table. A team with quality, and good offensive line. As travellers they have record 3-1-2. Full squad for them.
Kerkyra are better team and the favourites in this game. The game is crucial for both teams. A possible rain can affect the game result. Kalamata have scoring problems, so Kerkyra is closer to the win as they have clearly better quality. The oddds for the away win represent value, so my bet will be Kerkyra win, 2.60 at Victor Chandler, stakes 4/10.
Olympiakos Volou - Panahaiki
Volos are below relegation zone and need points badly. They are better at home in front of their fans. A team with fighting spirit lately. In the transfer period they are looking for some signments, already they signed Veletanis (D) from Levadiakos. For this game they will miss regular Milovanovic (D) that will probably leave the team. Panahaiki are also in relegation danger. In this transfer period they are looking for some signments. They already signed Nasiopoulos an ex Panathinaikos player. Also many players left the team, among them regulars Iakovou, Gitsis, Sfakianakis, Tatsis. A team with good defense, but scoring problems, especially now that many forwards left.
A must win for Volos. They show fighting spirit in front of their fans. Panahaiki will play for the draw, and a possible rainfall can help them. Still the situation in the team is complicated, and they are a bit unpredictable right now. I will give Volos an edge as in the previous game at home vs Ilisiakos showed they can win games like that. My bet will be Olympiakos Volou home win, 1.75 at Gamebookers, stakes 4/10.
I consider the games Ilisiakos - Ethnikos Asteras and Proodeftiki - Kastoria as no bets, so I will not give any picks there.
GL2A

[censor]

The results
In A Ethniki
Xanthi - AEK 0-0
Ionikos - Olympiakos 0-1
Kallithea - Iraklis 0-0
Atromitos - Akratitos 2-0
Levadiakos - OFI 1-0
In B Ethniki
Kalamata - Kerkyra 0-2
Ergotelis - Veria 0-0
Aris - Haidari 0-0
Ilysiakos - Ethnikos Asteras 0-2
Proodeftiki - Kastoria 2-1
Olympiakos Volou - Panahaiki 3-1
A draw ar Xanthi where the AEK winning streak stopped. A rather mediocre game, Xanthi was the better side but didn't manage to score. A diificult win for Olympiakos at Nikea with a late goal. They are now winter champions in the League. They retained their good tradition vs Ionikos, also they remain without a draw so far in the League. Important win for Levadiakos. Atromitos took an important and deserved win. Scoreless draw at Kallithea and the home side are in big relegation danger.
In B Ethniki, important win for Kerkyra that remained first in the table. Kalamata have complaints from the ref. Ergotelis couldn't win Veria, even though the visitors had important absents. Aris dropped valuable points at home vs Haidari. A big game at the local derby of Eastern Athens. Good performance by both teams, Ilysiakos managed to comeback after were down 0-2. Very important win for Volos and now they have hope to avoid relegation. On the contrary Panahaiki surprisingly is in troubles. Difficult but deserved win for Proodeftiki, they won even though Kastoria took the lead. Kastoria surprisingly gets close to relegation zone.
P.S. There was a big earthquake in Southern Greece this afternoon. Fortunatelly with no casualties. Still not the ideal conditions to enjoy football today in Greece.

[censor]

For the Monday game in A Ethniki
Kalamaria - PAOK
Kalamaria is fighting to avoid relegation this year and they are doing well so far. They are 3 points above relegation zone and with some good performances lately. Before the break they had a difficult loss away vs AEK 2-1, and also a draw away for the Cup at Larisa strong home ground. It must be noted that last year Kalamaria won PAOK at home at the penultimate round and so they avoided relegation. In this game PAOK fans were cheering for Kalamaria goals, in order archrival Aris to be relegated. Full squad for the home side in this game. They will play with 3-4-3 system. A team with good offensive line, also improved defensively lately. PAOK started the season ambitious for a Champions League spot. But now they are 5th and their target is an Uefa Cup spot, they are 1 point above 6th Iraklis. Also they are 2 pointsbehind 4th Xanthi. Before the break they had a home win 2-0 vs OFI, and also an impressive home win vs Rennes for the Uefa Cup. A team with good offensive line. Not as good as travellers, but this game is at Salonica and PAOK fans will be the majority in this game. Its tranfer period in Greece, PAOK is looking for some signments. They signed Arabatzis (M) from Panserraikos. Also Zografakis (M), Andralas (D) left the team not regulars usually. PAOK will have some important absents in this game. Regulars Sikabala (M), Udeze (D), Futsini (M), also Megahed (D) who missed the previous games as well. Low temperatures are predicted with possibilities of rainfall.
PAOK are the favourites in this game. They are better team and also will have the support of many fans. However they have imotant absents, and also Kalamaria is in good form. Probably the last year game can be a factor here in PAOK favour. A possible over given both teams good scoring abilities. Still in case of rainfall this can change. PAOK win with 1 goal difference can be a value bet. The odds for the away wi are lower than expected and don't represent much value, but this is the more possible result.
My bet will be the away win, 1.62 at Paddy Power, stakes 6/10.

[censor]

For the Monady game in B Ethniki
Niki Volou - Panserraikos
Niki are 6th in the table, 5 points behind 3rd Thrasyvoulos. So the game is a must win for them in their effort for promotion. They are good at home (4-2-0). Before the break they had an impressive win vs Ionikos away 4-1 for the Cup. Anyway in this game Ionikos was not serious for qualification. But striker Saitiotis scored 3 goals confirming his good form. Also they had a loss away from Thrasyvoulos 1-0 for the League in a derby with another promotion challenger. They have a new coach now, is Sifakis an ex OFI player and coach of Ergotelis last year. Niki is a team with good defense and some striker that can score. At home they play more offensively. For this game they will miss regulars Markomihalis (M), Stefanof (M). Panserraikos started the season with many promotion dreams but now they are fighting to avoid relegation. They are 11th, 2 points above relegation zone. They come from an impotant win vs Proodeftiki at home before the break. They are better at home, as travellers their record is 0-3-3 so far. In the transfer period impotant regulars Marcora (F), Arabatzis (M) left the team. For this game they will also miss regulars Vadellanoid (M), Kyrou (D).
Niki are the favourites in this game. They are good at home and also in a must win situation. Panserraikos are weakened so far in the transfer period and have some impotant absents. The game is a possible under as Panserraikos will defend mainly. The odds for the home win are low but not far from fair. My bet will be the home win, 1.60 at Gamebookers, stakes 6/10.
GL2A

[MickeyPaul]

Thanks for that, censor. You've put me off PAOK even though you fancy them to win. Bet365 aren't offering anything other than 1x2 on this and only 1.57 for the away so I'm out of here.

[prinze]

Hi, Censor hows the weather out there, still about 6 hrs to go and am thinking of going for the over 2.5 bet here (PAOK Game) Any thoughts Cheers

[censor]

I live in Athens, so I don't have exact info for the weather in Salonica. The forecast predicts low temperatures (around 0 C) in Salonica for tonight, and also clouds with some possibilities of light rainfall. Not the ideal conditions for an over, but still as not heavy rainfall predicted, not the weather to bring big obstacles to the teams scoring abilities.

[censor]

The results
Kalamaria - PAOK 2-2
Niki Volou - Panserraikos 0-1
Some surprising results today in Greece. PAOK made important defensive mistakes in the first half, and were down 2-0. In the second half they were pressing but only managed to equalise.
Another surprise at Volos, Niki couldn't win Panserraikos, even with these important absents for the away team. The first away win for Panserraikos this season. Niki missed many chances but Panserraikos scored in a counter. Probably the break influenced them a lot.
As for my picks this weekend, in A Ethniki stakes placed 31 returned 32.5 plus a won bet on Panathinaikos in a good combo.
In B Ethniki, not a good start of he year, stakes placed 20, returned 17.4 plus a lost bet on Thrasyvoulos in an accumulator.
GL2A

[kompressaur]

Thanks Censor. I'm glad i missed it now. Just one of them things. 2 goals down your in bother. Always the weekend. Couple of nice Scottish things this week Censor i reckon. Braintree in the English non league thread could be good too.