Thoughts on the Asteris Team

[Keith_M]

I thought a lot of their players were very athletic, technically gifted and I liked the way they could quickly ping the ball between them, with their team mates instinctively knowing which position to be in to receive the pass.


but... and this is a BIG but...


They aren't half a bunch of sneaky, moaning face, diving, whingeing cheating con artists. If they're typical of Greek Football, then am I glad I don't have to watch it every week.


They were so bad at times I actually thought we were playing Hearts.

[Diclonius]

It was good fun when we scored the winner and for about 60 seconds all of a sudden they were moving the ball with urgency. Time wasting from the minute they went 1-0 up.

[jonny]

They are technically good, every player looked to be a neat footballer. Their theatrics weren't the worst I've seen but definitely worse than we're accustomed to over here.
They have a couple of players with pace (particularly the left back) and break quickly with accurate passing. Their forward didn't seem to cause too many problems for the defence and was well marshalled.
They played a high pressing game regularly trying to close down the Hibs defenders when in possession.
They are weak at defending set pieces and aren't up to full fitness as they tired badly towards the end, the high pressing wore off as the game went on.

[makaveli1875]

They looked decent on the ball , strong , physical and althletic . Like us they were a bit shaky at the back . I wouldnt like to play them when their fully match fit .. think they'd be tough to beat. A few players caught the eye , the boy that got sent off looked good Their goal scorer looked a threat .

Think we will get a different game over there though , im sure Lennon will be preparing for that .

[easty]

I thought their captain was a good player. How he managed to go 90 mins without being booked I've no idea, though.

[Hibee Ryan]

They were a bit slow and cumbersome at the back every single time they faced their own goals they didn't like it at all. Was begging Boyle to make way more runs in behind than he did. Looked comfortable with the game in front of them mind you.

But if Boyle, who t be fair to him isn't a natural striker, keeps on making runs in behind in the second leg I feel we can comfortably score 1 or 2. Fancy us after watching the first leg.

[Stevie Reid]

What concerned me was after we went 2-2 and before they got a man sent off, they really stepped things up again, passing through us and getting in behind us a few times.

If they go for it next week, I think we're in for a really tough night. Need another heroic performance like in Brondby - albeit, we thankfully don't have to win this time.

[SteveHFC]

Can see them scoring next week for sure. Hopefully we can grab a few goals over there ourselves.

[Scooter]

I didn't think they where anything special. 2 goals from errors and we could have had at least 6

[H18 SFR]

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It was good fun when we scored the winner and for about 60 seconds all of a sudden they were moving the ball with urgency. Time wasting from the minute they went 1-0 up.

This is actually a very good point, I'm presuming they will play that style next week at home. We need to be very, very careful.

[cleanyman]

Celtic would pump them. Aberdeen would beat them as would Rangers.

Finished 4th in the Greek League and that's where they would finish in Scotland...maybe even 5th. If we could finish and had a decent goalie last night would have been a pumping

[Billychaotic182]

Their number 17 was skillfull and technically very good, but he was a massive sh*tebag!

Their number 4 was on the deck after any bit of contact, was frustrating as every corner almost ended with him on the deck and the ref giving a free kick.

[bod]

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I thought a lot of their players were very athletic, technically gifted and I liked the way they could quickly ping the ball between them, with their team mates instinctively knowing which position to be in to receive the pass.


but... and this is a BIG but...


They aren't half a bunch of sneaky, moaning face, diving, whingeing cheating con artists. If they're typical of Greek Football, then am I glad I don't have to watch it every week.


They were so bad at times I actually thought we were playing Hearts.

I thought they were a decent team

but .. & its not a big but just a normal one

I hope they play like we did in the 1st half & we can capitalise

[Vini1875]

They are a decent team no doubt, but I think they played a pressing game to get at our uncomfortable defence. We set up poorly in the first half and made them look better. I think both teams are better going forward and less clever at the back. Hopefully we go with Stevenson, McGregor, Ambrose, Hanlon and Gray to shore any defensive gaps. We are capable of getting two on the night, but I think it will be a nail biter.

I thought 17 was a very decent player and stood out for me.

[WeeRussell]

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They are technically good, every player looked to be a neat footballer. Their theatrics weren't the worst I've seen but definitely worse than we're accustomed to over here.
They have a couple of players with pace (particularly the left back) and break quickly with accurate passing. Their forward didn't seem to cause too many problems for the defence and was well marshalled.
They played a high pressing game regularly trying to close down the Hibs defenders when in possession.
They are weak at defending set pieces and aren't up to full fitness as they tired badly towards the end, the high pressing wore off as the game went on.

Most of this is along with what I thought last night..

I genuinely thought the tie was over at half time and we would go on to take a bit of a doing. Just hoped to grab a goal and make a fist of things in the second half, which we certainly did. No question they looked a notch above us and were very comfortable in moving the ball around and progressing up the pitch. They did empty in the second half when we threw everything at them though - they were always going to sit further after we scored, and even more so with the second.

I wanted us to go gung-ho and try and take a 2 goal lead into the second tie by the time we got to stoppage time. We weren't miles away from doing so... if we'd played for another 10 mins last night the tie could have been over!

Also think some of the shouting at their time-wasting was a bit over the top. Aye there was a fair bit and some rightfully criticised/booed, but nothing we haven't seen before, and some of it exactly what we'd expect our own boys to do.

[jakedance]

I thought they were decent enough and probably about at our SPL/level. If we play well we can win over there.

[scooby]

I thought they were a decent team, but we flattered them in the first half. Providing Lennon doesn't have any bammy ideas on team selection and formation for the return, I think we'll win the game.
Play the team that started the second half and we'll be fine.

[Billy Whizz]

Asteris looked good on the counter attack. Will be interesting to see how good they are, when they need to be on the front foot next week

[J-C]

Technically good on the ball and going forward but very suspect at the back, as with a lot of foreign teams they knew how to cheat, moan and generally wind up the opposition as every opportunity, we need to be a lot wiser in the 2nd leg. Annoyed at the silly booking we got due to players mouthing off at the ref, he showed in the first 10 minutes he stood for no nonsense when he booked their guy for back chat.

[PiemanP]

Some people are saying they looked physical and athletic but I thought they weren’t anywhere near us in this department. Especially in the air we dominated them. Some more whipped balls into Flo and I think there’s goals to be had there as well as set pieces (although need to watch them on the break as they are quick).

[Gibby the Hibby]

thought they were good, but not great, id fancy our chances if it went to extra time, but then again heat may be a factor,

what is good, is that they got rid of a top DC , and had to get one sharpish, they now have that guy out for the
2nd leg,a nd he does look good, so thats a bonus, we got a fair amount of bookings tae,

Sure they can pass the ball about wuick, and have good tech, aslong as we dont let them make us run about like simon murrays
all night to get the baw, we are surely a better team, and hopefully that will show, if we can keep the mistalkes down,


someone go find rocky, ask if he will be fit next week, then we may have a chance.

[B.H.F.C]

Need to put pressure on their keeper. He flapped at things all night. In general they were poor defensively.

The big guy in the middle of the park was good for them until he lost the plot and became more concerned with winding folk up.

Some technically good players up front who will cause us problems next week. We’ll need to score.

[Gibby the Hibby]

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Need to put pressure on their keeper. He flapped at things all night. In general they were poor defensively.

The big guy in the middle of the park was good for them until he lost the plot and became more concerned with winding folk up.

Some technically good players up front who will cause us problems next week. We’ll need to score.

think we will need 2, the way we are playing , we will concede another2 no doubt!..if we get 2, gret chance of going thru

[Gibby the Hibby]

IF we can keep it tight, going into the match with a lead is great, as theyd need topuch up more and more
.IF we can keep it tight at the back, it will give us a good chance, of boyle type counter,

agree that set plays have to be a big thing for us , especially with that big defender being out for them,their keeper was not much better than ours.....which is not hard

[calumhibee1]

Nothing exciting. Technically decent, probably about average if they were in the Scottish Prem. The striker got nothing out our defence and they looked decent on the left but I’m not sure if that’s only cause of how badly we set up first half. Half decent in midfield but they couldn’t handle McGinns power.

Overall I’d put them about levels with Hearts or Motherwell.

[Gibby the Hibby]

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They are technically good, every player looked to be a neat footballer. Their theatrics weren't the worst I've seen but definitely worse than we're accustomed to over here.
They have a couple of players with pace (particularly the left back) and break quickly with accurate passing. Their forward didn't seem to cause too many problems for the defence and was well marshalled.
They played a high pressing game regularly trying to close down the Hibs defenders when in possession.
They are weak at defending set pieces and aren't up to full fitness as they tired badly towards the end, the high pressing wore off as the game went on.

should the boyler be on the right wing,away?where he belongs. hopefully keep that left back pinned back, see how good he is at defending, boyle can more than match his pace, was impressed with boyles 20 yrd shot last night, lets face it, they dont usually go as well, needed a top save to keep out,

Its a tough one, because boyle would likely get alot more room against the other fullback,.,.... wish we had barker, /another pacy winger,

[hfc rd]

They have some very good technical players. Particularly the captain and the lad that scored the 2 goals for them. The CB that got sent off looked solid and I’m glad he is suspended for the 2nd leg. They are however nothing really that special.

I’m hoping we do the business in Greece and qualify for the next round to face Molde but those two away goals might potentially come back to haunt us.

[LeithSqualk]

I agree they had some technical players but felt we were by far the better team. When we went 1 nil down I never thought for one minute we wouldn’t score as we were in control. The second was a great great goal. Then the time wasting really got on my tits. We couldn’t get back into the flow. When we scored the 3rd I went mental purely as there sneaky tactics failed.

[Pretty Boy]

I thought they were technically very good. Some of their short passing in tight spaces in the 1st half was really nice; there was a 15/20 minute spell in which we were chasing shadows and they were passing round us for fun.

2nd half we got stuck into them and raised the tempo and they didn't like it one little bit. They looked a bit bemused. It was quite funny in this age of technical football to see some good old fashioned Scottish 'get stuck in and run at them' play it's part albeit we knocked the ball about well too.

They did raise it again after we equalised and pushed us back and I think we need to be wary of that next week.

They were a decent side, to say otherwise does our 2nd half performance a disservice but we are capable of doing what needs done over there.

[snooky]

I thought their no. 8 looked decent. For a while they were challenging us in our own half when we had possession - something we did towards the end of last season but seem to have forgotten. As has been said above, they all look comfortable on the ball.
I hope we don't go there set up to defend a one goal lead. We have to go for the first goal to give us a cushion.