Cisse and Derbyshire are on song as Panathinaikos and Olympiakos battle it out in the title race. With nine games to go things are getting spicier than a vindaloo in a Tyneside takeaway with the Greens leading the standings by six points. SIG writers Graham Wood and Barney Spender put their respective curries to one side and look ahead to week 22, where surely something's got to give. And if it does, it will probably be Spenderis' knees

 

Round 22 (all games on Nova unless stated)                                                                

Saturday February 13

Panthrakikos v AEK Athens (4.45 Skai)

GW says: Wins are like haemorrhoids for Panthrakikos it seems. You steer clear of them for months and then one day they launch an attack and you can't get rid of them. The northerners pulled off the shock of round 21 with a 2-0 win at Aris in sodden conditions. If only it rained all year round in Greece. AEK are hitting some decent form of late though and they will cure the strugglers' case of piles.

Verdict: 0-2

Barney says: Constantly amazed at the imagery that G-man brings into this column. He once likened the Sunderland defence to a bag of fish and chips floating on a salty sea of vinegar...whatever that means. You have to hand it to Panthrakikos. They are doomed they haven't won a game all season and then they win two on the bounce. I dreamed a dream last night that they beat AEK as well so I am over-ruling the football logic to say another shock is on the cards.

Verdict: 1-0

 

Xanthi v Larissa 16:45 (Net)

GW says: Two teams on the end of defeats to two of the Athens ‘Big Three' clubs will take to the field in desperate need of points to ease their relegation worries. Larissa are looking very vulnerable in third-bottom and badly need to get at least a point from this one. And I think they'll do it.

Verdict: 1-1

Barney says: Dark days for Larissa as they are now deep in the mire. Given their form and their inability to collect any wins, they now look likely candidates for the drop. They are up against a Xanthi side that is tough to beat at home - and in Nathan "Duke" Ellington, they are on the A train to three points from this game.

Verdict: 2-1

 

PAS Yiannina v PAOK 19:00

GW says: PAOK boss Fernando Santos would have been disappointed by dropping two points at Iraklis last week and will not let his players underestimate mid-table Yiannina. The Black and Whites will return to winning form.

Verdict: 0-1

Barney says: A blip on the radar last week for PAOK makes you question their ability to sneak past Olympiakos into second. Another defeat will bury it. But PAOK have the stingiest defence in the league, having shipped just nine goals and kept 14 clean sheets in 21 games. Dimitris Yiantsis' goal for Iraklis in the last round was the first against them since AEK's Gustavo Manduca on November 28 - eight games before. The question is whether they can score at the other end.

Verdict: 0-1

 

Sunday, February 14

Levadiakos v Atromitos 14:30

GW says: Surely a Valentine's Day movie will save me from having to watch this one. Without having checked the TV scheds I'm hoping that About a Boy will get the nod so I can watch the Goddess that is Rachel Weisz in action. In other news, ten points separate sixth-placed Atromitos from second-bottom Levadiakos and that gap will show on the pitch here.

Verdict: 0-2

Barney says: Not sure about G-man's movie choice - The Constant Gardener or even The Mummy would be better choices - but can't grumble about Rachel Weisz. Levadiakos are fighting for survival: I reckon they will pick up a point in this one.

Verdict: 1-1

 

Panionios v Iraklis 14:30

GW says: Let's face it, these two have had a terrible season. Sitting down in 11^th and 12^th place in the table and separated by a point sums up their respective performances. A home victory here will have the Panthers clinging to the hope that they can make up the eight point gap to fifth spot and make the end of season play-offs but hell might freeze over before then.

Verdict: 2-1

Barney says: Iraklis have a terrible record on the road this season. Just two wins - and those against strugglers Panthrakikos and PAS Yiannina. So don't expect them to come out all guns blazing in Nea Smyrni. Panionios, though, have hardly turned home soil into a fortress - their last win their was early December against AEK.

Verdict: 1-0

 

Aris v Ergotelis 16:45

GW says: Aris became only the second team after Ergotelis to suffer a defeat at the hands of basement boys Panthrakikos last week in rain-soaked conditions and they will be keen to bounce back. They have the perfect opportunity with a home match against the Cretans, who showed in last week's 4-3 thriller against Tripolis that they can score, but have not quite mastered the art of defending.

Verdict: 2-1

Barney says: A double dampener for Aris last wek, a waterlogged pitch and a defeat at the hands of Panthrakikos. A response is needed and it is time for our American friends Freddy Adu and "Don" Johnson to step up to the plate. Should be goals at both ends...

Verdict: 3-2

 

Panathinaikos v Kavala 16:45

GW says: Not that I want to jinx their form but the Greens seem to be reaching a peak; swashbuckling football, goals galore and no injuries. The title seems destined to be theirs. Kavala are chugging along nicely in mid-table and that's where they will stay.

Verdict: 2-0

Barney says: Oh the wretched tedium of agreeing with G-force. There seems to be a scales at Panathinaikos: the better the basketball team, the more mediocre the footy. Now that Djibril and da boys are laying it on thick, the Diamantidis brigade are losing strength. If that is the case, no Final Four for the Greens this season but they might enjoy a footballing double.

Verdict: 3-1

 

Asteras Tripolis v Olympiakos 19:00

GW says: Olympiakos seem to have got back into the saddle with all guns blazing. A great win at Panionios was followed by last week's 5-1 mauling of Levadiakos and the Pireaus club's number 9 Matt Derbyshire is looking sharp. Tripolis away is a sterner test but the Reds will go home with the points.

Verdict: 0-2

Barney says: More hot air from G-man. Olympiakos have the prospect of Bordeaux in the Champions League at the back of their mind and this may just deflect attention away from their trip to the Peleponese. Good to see Matt Derbyshire back and scoring goals - must make him feel less like an ousider from Blackburn - but Asteras to snatch a draw.

Verdict: 1-1

 

How they got on last week

AEK Athens 3 Xanthi 1 BS 2-1 GW 1-0

Aris 0 Panthrakikos 2 BS 0-1 GW 2-0

Atromitos 1 Panionios 0 BS 1-1 GW 0-1

Ergotelis 4 Asteras Tripolis 3  BS 2-2 GW 2-1

Iraklis 1 PAOK 1 BS 0-1 GW 1-2

Kavala 1 PAS Yiannina 0 BS 2-0 GW 1-1

Larissa 0 Panathinaikos 3 BS 0-2 GW 1-2

Olympiakos 5 Levadiakos 1 BS 2-1 GW 2-0

 

Barney got five results right with no correct scores - Verdict: An improvement on last week.

Graham got four results right with no correct scores - Verdict: Mediocre is being kind, with his talent this kid should be top of the class.

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