Defensive turnaround leads PAOK’s title charge

AGONAsport's PAOK contributor, Jonathan Batsanis, explains how a drastic improvement on the defensive front from the early part of the season has been a critical component in PAOK's title defense heading into 2020.

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The last time PAOK tasted defeated in the Super League, Savvas Pantelidis was the mastermind sitting on the opposing bench. It was the 4th of March 2018, when Asteras were victorious by a 3-2 scoreline in a dramatic encounter at the Theodoros Kolokotronis stadium. However, PAOK have not lost a league match since - a tremendous 51-match unbeaten streak. 

Any fear of a repeat of that result with Pantelidis again on the opposing bench on Monday evening was quickly quashed as a scintillating performance allowed the reigning Champions to take full advantage of Olympiacos' (controversial) slip up in Volos. The 5-1 win over Atromitos means PAOK return to the top of the table for the first time since matchday two with a two-point lead over their rivals from Piraeus. 

Although performances have greatly improved throughout December, there are many PAOK fans (myself included) who thought this season might be a write-off. With Double-winning manager Razvan Lucescu acrimoniously departing just before the start of pre-season, it seemed as if it would not be smooth sailing for a club who had seemingly turned the corner and returned to the summit of Greek football after a 35-year hiatus. 

Abel Ferreria arrived with massive shoes to fill, to say the least. Nervy performances early in the season and a shock Europa League exit justified these concerns, but to Ferreria's credit, the team never waned. They quickly bounced back and remained within striking distance of Olympiacos throughout the first part of the campaign. 

It was evident from the outset that Ferreira was philosophically different from Lucescu. Playing in a 4-4-2 (initially), PAOK were free-flowing and found scoring relatively easy, but the defensive stability and hardness that the club was renowned for under Lucescu, had disappeared. The Dikefalos tou Vora conceded eight goals in their first five league matches after having conceded only 14 goals during the entire 2018/19 season. 

The defensive side of the game has drastically improved since the opening five games, with the team only conceding a further five goals from 11 matches. Fans, particularly football fans, tend to be "dramatic," and although it never happened, you felt as if Ferreira was one loss away before the pressure began to mount. 

Any new manager needs time, and this was again proven to be the case. Credit where it's due, the Portuguese coach was able to identify the problem while replacing the hugely popular, double-winning keeper Alexandros Paschalakis with Zivko Zivkovic, who has gone on to keep seven clean sheets in 12 appearances. The defensive improvement has been the catalyst for PAOK returning to the top of the table heading into the winter break. After all, they do say defense wins Championships. 

Heading into 2020, it' is fair to say that PAOK and Olympiacos are head and shoulders above the rest of the Super League in terms of quality. Where the title will seemingly be won and lost will be in the derbies, something which PAOK are yet to emerge from victorious this season. All four of PAOK's draws this campaign have come in derby matches, and while it's not a bad result, maximum points must be taken particularly against Aris and Panathinaikos. 

As fate would have it, who is first up in 2020? It is local rivals, Aris, at the Kleanthis Vikelidis stadium. It's hard to fault PAOK on much in the first half of the season, but there is no doubt defeating their direct rivals in the derbies will go a long way to securing a second league title in as many years. 

A title which its city, fans, and perhaps most importantly, the squad, is deserving of.

by Jonathan Batsanis

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