The Cup night that reset the mood
PAOK beat AEK in the Cup on Wednesday, and Kenny came out and called it "an appearance of PAOK, united, fighting, all together" (13) (22) (32). That is the week's real centre of gravity. Five days earlier Toumba had watched OFI Crete win 2–1 on October 25, a fifth Super League game in which the side did not look like itself. One derby night does not fix a league table, but it changes what the dressing room believes about itself.
Fifth is not good enough, and the numbers say so
Eight games, 15 points, fifth of 14, goal difference +5, form reading W W L W L (6). This is a club dropping points in pairs: Aris 2–0 and Panetolikos 1–3 wins, then Kalamata 1–3 and OFI 2–1 defeats at the wrong moments. Asteras Tripoli at Toumba on Sunday is the fixture this squad normally uses to breathe. PAOK have gone ten matches unbeaten against Asteras AKTOR, their best-ever run against the Arcadians (18) (27).
Giannoulis is back, the squad is not whole yet
Giannoulis returned from the Panathinaikos knock that kept him out more than a month, and he was honest about where he is: "I don't feel that way yet, to be honest. After my injury I need some rhythm" (23) (28). A left side that has been improvised for weeks suddenly has its natural owner again. On the contract front, talks with Živković have reached an advanced stage with optimism on both sides (16), while the club flatly denied any Despodov agreement with CSKA Sofia (17).
The other teams are not waiting
The PAOK women's football team won 5–0 at PAS Pyrgos, five wins from five and 15 points clear at the top (7) (9) (10) (15). Coach Patrikidis refused to celebrate it: "No game is easy. Pyrgos have their own dynamic, they are a dangerous team" (11) (12). PAOK B drew 1–1 with Zakynthos in Super League 2, Gioka equalising in stoppage time after Karageas had hit the post (1) (3) (4). The U19s beat Asteras 1–0 through Gravvanis on 75 minutes (30).
What to watch
Asteras at Toumba on Sunday at 18:00, then Olympiacos away on November 8 at 20:00. Watch whether Giannoulis starts on the left and whether PAOK play the first twenty minutes like a side chasing fifth or one defending it.
