Olympiacos v Villa Pre-match Thread

[LeeB]

I also have a strange feeling of optimism.

I also have niggling doubts about how knackered we are and that we going to have to break them down, whilst they will presumably sit very deep.

Still, have a feeling something mad is going to happen.

We've definitely got the quality to do it, but the tiredness is obviously a huge problem, as is the inability to keep a clean sheet. If we score first, and hopefully early enough it's game on. If they score first it's pretty much game over.

I would normally say even then there's a chance, but given how leggy we are I think it would finish us mentally, whereas getting in front could give us the adrenaline to push on.

[Demitri_C]

Its one of the main stories on greek news today. They taking this game seriously. Its one of the biggest nights in domestic greek football in history

Only winning the euros tops this.

Gonna be tough but not impossible.  Got to make them nervy as they know they are under pressure ro finish the job

[LeeB]

Its one of the main stories on greek news today. They taking this game seriously. Its one of the biggest nights in domestic greek football in history

Only winning the euros tops this.

Gonna be tough but not impossible.  Got to make them nervy as they know they are under pressure ro finish the job

This is what we need to use to our advantage. They're two up in the tie, at home, final up the road and the biggest game in Greece for donkeys years. The pressure is all on them, get in front and lets see how they cope.

[Dogtanian]

Its one of the main stories on greek news today. They taking this game seriously. Its one of the biggest nights in domestic greek football in history

Only winning the euros tops this.

Gonna be tough but not impossible.  Got to make them nervy as they know they are under pressure ro finish the job

This is what we need to use to our advantage. They're two up in the tie, at home, final up the road and the biggest game in Greece for donkeys years. The pressure is all on them, get in front and lets see how they cope.

Yep, it's gonna be in the biggest comeback shock in Greece since Olivia Newton-John rocked up in leathers, stinking of fags.

[Olneythelonely]

Its one of the main stories on greek news today. They taking this game seriously. Its one of the biggest nights in domestic greek football in history

Only winning the euros tops this.

Gonna be tough but not impossible.  Got to make them nervy as they know they are under pressure ro finish the job

That all plays into our hands. I hope they keep building it up. Early goal and they will starting shitting it.

I was going to watch it in the house tonight, but my wife has looked at how nervous I am already and asked me to go to the pub.

[Baldy]

Have a good feeling about this game.

So far in the competition we have done 'as little as possible' to proceed to the next round. Conserving energy, resting players etc.

Reckon Unai will give the licence to go full pelt. He loves a European trophy. We have the better players and are capable of scoring three or more against Olympiakos.

I also think that 'on the bounds of probability' Unai reckons Man City will beat Spuds and 4th place is already secure. Therefore, no need to conserve energy and it will be all guns blazing tonight. A calculated risk.

Them 1 Us 4. COYVB

[PaulWinch again]

It’s good that the Greek press are heaping pressure on this. We need to use this to our advantage, their whole thing around the Euros when they won that was using underdog status to help them. Olympiacos do not have that, they are favourites no doubt about it. That brings pressure.

[john e]

[Risso]

[Monty]

Shit! Bringing the big guns!

[Demitri_C]

Its one of the main stories on greek news today. They taking this game seriously. Its one of the biggest nights in domestic greek football in history

Only winning the euros tops this.

Gonna be tough but not impossible.  Got to make them nervy as they know they are under pressure ro finish the job

This is what we need to use to our advantage. They're two up in the tie, at home, final up the road and the biggest game in Greece for donkeys years. The pressure is all on them, get in front and lets see how they cope.

My thoughts exactly lee. Its unusual situation for olympiakos as they went in as underdogs against fenebache and us and won both their first legs. Now they find themselves with all the pressure as not many expect us to over turn this and the expectations of their nation.

Need a early goal but i expect them know this so wilk try hit us on the break likethey did at villa aprk effectively.  However we had no pau or emi that game. Which makes a massive difference

Just praying emi and youri are back tonight

[Risso]

Shit! Bringing the big guns!

Cometh the hour, cometh the orange dot.

[gkap7]

Olympiakos fan here. Some comments make me wonder if we saw a different game. No one can disagree that Villa is the better team by far and for us to win the 1st leg happened because of luck, villa's injuries, villas overconfidence, tiredness and a very friendly ref towards us. But there is a huge difference between a friendly ref who gave the  few disputed incidents in our favor than the AL Capone that many of you present  him. He is not the Tunisian ref who allowed Maradona score with his hand. Sure he could.have allowed the goal instead of giving a foul but it's not like he invented something non existing. We all saw the attacker pulling the defenders shirt and then the ball hitting his head while he was down for an easy goal for Bailey. He could have given Baileys penalty sure. But also in this case the defender kicks the ball first before their feet entangled. About the penalty we were given, extended arm is always considered penalty and doesn't matter if he wasn't looking or if he had no intention. If all those cases were in favor of Villa instead, then it would have been us complaining about a hostile ref. Anyway we are expecting a tough game against a better team that won't make the same mistake to underestimate us this time. It's 50/50

[john e]

Olympiakos fan here. Some comments make me wonder if we saw a different game. No one can disagree that Villa is the better team by far and for us to win the 1st leg happened because of luck, villa's injuries, villas overconfidence, tiredness and a very friendly ref towards us. But there is a huge difference between a friendly ref who gave the  few disputed incidents in our favor than the AL Capone that many of you present  him. He is not the Tunisian ref who allowed Maradona score with his hand. Sure he could.have allowed the goal instead of giving a foul but it's not like he invented something non existing. We all saw the attacker pulling the defenders shirt and then the ball hitting his head while he was down for an easy goal for Bailey. He could have given Baileys penalty sure. But also in this case the defender kicks the ball first before their feet entangled. About the penalty we were given, extended arm is always considered penalty and doesn't matter if he wasn't looking or if he had no intention. If all those cases were in favor of Villa instead, then it would have been us complaining about a hostile ref. Anyway we are expecting a tough game against a better team that won't make the same mistake to underestimate us this time. It's 50/50

I think it might be 60/40 in our favour now the orange dot is out

You have no idea the power of that dot

[Olneythelonely]

Don’t think we underestimated you, we were just shit.