Olympiakos: A Night and Day Team

By Stephen Kountourou

(Disclaimer: Opinion Piece)

Even a day later, there is still frustration when thinking about Olympiakos drawing 2-2 with TSC Bačka Topola. Unlike last season in the Europa League, where Thrylos was a shadow of their former selves and deserved almost nothing from the group stages, it feels worse this season. Worse because we as Olympiakos fans know the ability of this team and have witnessed it in the league and during the Europa League qualifiers. 

There is an argument that the Piraeus side's performances this season deserved more than just one point from their first two matches against Freiburg and Bačka Topola. But football is cruel. Moments of madness and lapses in concentration will be punished at the European level. 

The Defence

The biggest problem, that everyone has highlighted, has undoubtedly been the defence. Thrylos have been their biggest enemy, having conceded five goals in two matches so far with most of them being very savable. Nicolas Freire’s pass to gift Freiburg the lead, Panos Retsos gave away a needless penalty in the same game. 

Against Bačka Topola the same thing happened. The lapse in concentration, to let the Serbian side back into the game and pull one back to make it 1-2, Ndoj’s red card to go a man down and the poor marking from Rodinei in the latter stages when the home side equalised. 

These individual errors have been less of an issue in the league, although the telling signs were there. Against AEK at Agia Sofia, the goal that Thrylos conceded came from a lapse in concentration. Even against Aris, despite Olympiakos being deserved winners the Thessaloniki side equalised through the defence switching off early in the second half. Aris could well have made it 1-2 had they not missed their shot at an open goal. 

Diego Martinez must figure out a way to get these defensive issues sorted over the international break. With matches against Panathinaikos, West Ham, OFI and PAOK it will be a crucial period for Olympiakos in both the league and in Europe. 

Diego Martinez

On the criticism of Martinez's received substitutes, bringing off Podence after he scored and adding a second striker in Stefan Jovetic was an odd choice. But at the same time, he could not have anticipated that Ndoj would be sent off minutes later which would have messed up his game plan for the remainder of the match. Nor could he help Freire's error or the penalty against Freiburg.  

A very small minority of fans have even called for his dismissal, which quite frankly is ridiculous. The Spanish manager, as well as the team that has been built, is still in its early stages in Piraeus, and people forget that. Time is required this season to see the best of Diego Martinez and his team, and while he has made a few mistakes with substitutes, he is by no means the reason for Olympiakos' downfall in Europe thus far.    

The Referees

This is a difficult topic to approach because while I do not believe, as others do, that there is a conspiracy in which UEFA is attempting to sabotage Olympiakos in Europe, you can understand why some genuinely believe this. I believe, however, it is more down to the quality of officiators at UEFA’s disposal and how they have used VAR. 

With that being said, the officiating for both of Thrylos' fixtures has been extremely poor. Key moments being, the injury to Santiago Hezze against Freiburg to the point where the midfielder had blood pouring down his face yet no card was given for that dangerous challenge. 

Also, the red card on Ndoj against Bačka Topola was contentious, as the defender was not the last man when he committed the foul and could have been a yellow card. Even the Serbian side's goal to make it 1-2 was very tight as to whether it was onside or not. Admittedly these decisions are debatable. 

So while the “everyone is against us” mentality is very hard to justify, it can be said that Olympiakos has been unfortunate to be on the wrong side of certain decisions in both games. 

The Positives 

As I have been told before, I am too diplomatic, but there are positives to take from both matches despite the Piraeus side not getting the results on the field. In attack, Olympiakos has looked much more threatening in Europe than last season already, with four goals in their first two games. Creatively too, with Kostas Fortounis as the lynchpin and Daniel Podence looking back to his best in the red and white shirt, Thrylos have little to worry about on that front. 

The general play is much more positive under Diego Martinez and it is clear that the players have bought into his style. At times, the team does play without fear, particularly in the league and attempts to take the game to better opposition. The obvious caveat is that, as said before, the defence and build-up from the back need to improve. Europe is unforgiving for defensive mistakes as Olympiakos fans know all too well.  

    

On the subject of the league, Thrylos is going into the international break for a reason. Yes, the opposition is of a different quality than that in Europe, but you still have to beat what is in front of you. 

This is something Olympiakos was not doing last season. The Piraeus side by this point had sacked Carlos Corberan and had dropped points against Asteras Tripolis, and Volos, and lost to Aris. Not once last season did Thrylos end a weekend round in the top two of the Super League table. 

By contrast, at the time of writing, the Piraeus side are top of the league by five points, averaging over three goals scored a game with only two conceded. The blueprint to improve in Europe is the league, especially with tougher games coming, Olympiakos need to use the momentum and confidence they have shown domestically on the international stage.  

Moving Forward

To highlight the most common phrase from Olympiakos supporters, that I too share, “trust the process”. Antonio Cordon and Diego Martinez’s project is still in its early stages. It is clear from the league form, and moments in Europe, just how far the club has come from last season when supporters did not even recognise the team they watched week in and week out. 

Even in Europe, despite the two disappointing results, Olympiakos can still rectify their mistakes, as difficult as it will be. West Ham twice, Freiburg away, and lastly Bačka Topola at home is a very tough run. But to justify at the very least reaching the Europa Conference League knockout stages, quite simply, Thrylos need to improve.

Some issues need to be ironed out such as the defence and maintaining concentration at critical moments in games. These things will come. Stability is the key to success and that is the very reason Thrylos failed last season. Admittedly, reinforcements at centre-back should be looked at, but that is an issue that cannot be resolved until January.

It may take a season of transition for fans to see the team they know and love back to its best. But for Olympiakos to reach the top of Greek football and be competitive in Europe again, supporting the manager and the players is what is needed. 

@SteveKountourou

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