Ajax (3) 2-3a (3) Tottenham - Wednesday 8th May, 2019 (SF 2nd Leg)

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Even the extra programmatic Rafa Benitez believes you need to always go for the win over both legs - he just also believes if you don't get it but get a "good result" away from home that's okay too - I think that's the right approach in Europe. I think it always has been, but sometimes playing very cautiously has worked really well too. There's probably validity in both approaches, but in the CL when every side is desperate to win it I think you've always got to try to kill off the other side's chances off as early as possible. Otherwise you get sides like Liverpool and Tottenham coming back to punish that because they're desperate to make the final.

It's certainly more entertaining for everybody you've got sides fighting to the end and giving it everything to progress.

After seeing Peruvian teams concede so many last minute equalizers, I'm convinced parking the bus is only for those who base their game around defence. Doing it if you don't base your game around defence, it's more risky and in that case I think attack can be the best form of defence.

Chelsea of 2013-14 is a good example of a team who knew how to do it.

[Cicero]

Just now, Stan said:

Cure. 

No way 

[LFCMadLad]

Wish Ajax would have gone through.... Mainly because I reckon we'd have absolutely took them to the cleaners. 

Will be much closer against Spurs. 

[Stan]

2 minutes ago, Cicero said:

No way 

Yes way! 

[Cicero]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

Yes way! 

@Machado

[El Profesor]

As far as Ajax forwards are concerned, I think only Zyech played well today. Dolberg and to a lesser extent Tadic didn´t create much. Ajax missed Neres as Dolberg just couldn´t generate anything. 

I don´t think it was a matter of Ajax sitting on the lead, I think the elimination was more due to underwhelming individual performances, as was the case with Tadic and van de Beek, and also due to the downgrade from Neres to Dolberg.

 

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Also in light of Brexit, I think it would be excellent to have an all English CL final and an all English EL final. Make it happen Arsenal & Chelsea.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, El Profesor said:

As far as Ajax forwards are concerned, I think only Zyech played well today. Dolberg and to a lesser extent Tadic didn´t create much. Ajax missed Neres as Dolberg just couldn´t generate anything. 

I don´t think it was a matter of Ajax sitting on the lead, I think the elimination was more due to underwhelming individual performances, as was the case with Tadic and van de Beek, and also due to the downgrade from Neres to Dolberg.

 

 

I thought Dolberg was rubbish tbh. It's honestly very unfortunate for Ajax that Neres couldn't play as I think their front 3 would have looked more cohesive if all 3 of them were playing.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Wow. What a game.

First half Ajax owned the pitch, but there were signs. Son was shithouse and Ali is shithouse, but Lucas was everywhere, and Dolberg and the fella behind him refused to press or track back.

 

Second half saw one of the greatest substitutions I've seen in a game. Wanayama, who was a passenger first half, was taken off For Llorente. Spurs didn't need the extra midfielder as the 2 lazy blond Ajax cunts weren't pressing and from there Llorente won literally every long ball. His impact on the match can not be understated. He would be my MOTM if not for Lucas, who capitalised massively on this new found attacking momentum, more or less by himself. Fucking immense performance from the veteran. 

 

Watched the game with my Ajax supporting mate. Up at 4.30 to get to his place for the 5 am kick off. He was gutted, 

[Bluewolf]

1 hour ago, Batard said:

That aged well 

If it's any consolation I didn't think Spurs would get through either... 

[El Profesor]

Just now, Dr. Gonzo said:

I thought Dolberg was rubbish tbh. It's honestly very unfortunate for Ajax that Neres couldn't play as I think their front 3 would have looked more cohesive if all 3 of them were playing.

Agree. I think Dolberg was really bad and the Neres injury also made things more difficult for Tadic, who had to move from his favorite spot in the center to the left, where he wasn´t as effective. 

[El Profesor]

2 minutes ago, Devil-Dick Willie said:

Wow. What a game.

First half Ajax owned the pitch, but there were signs. Son was shithouse and Ali is shithouse, but Lucas was everywhere, and Dolberg and the fella behind him refused to press or track back.

 

Second half saw one of the greatest substitutions I've seen in a game. Wanayama, who was a passenger first half, was taken off For Llorente. Spurs didn't need the extra midfielder as the 2 lazy blond Ajax cunts weren't pressing and from there Llorente won literally every long ball. His impact on the match can not be understated. He would be my MOTM if not for Lucas, who capitalised massively on this new found attacking momentum, more or less by himself. Fucking immense performance from the veteran. 

 

Watched the game with my Ajax supporting mate. Up at 4.30 to get to his place for the 5 am kick off. He was gutted, 

 

This is a very good point.I think this was the worst van de Beek performance I´ve seen in the Champions League. Llorente won almost every long ball passed to him and even when he didn´t win, Sissoko retrieved it seconds later. Sissoko was immense today as well.  

[Stan]

3 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

As far as Ajax forwards are concerned, I think only Zyech played well today. Dolberg and to a lesser extent Tadic didn´t create much. Ajax missed Neres as Dolberg just couldn´t generate anything. 

I don´t think it was a matter of Ajax sitting on the lead, I think the elimination was more due to underwhelming individual performances, as was the case with Tadic and van de Beek, and also due to the downgrade from Neres to Dolberg.

 

 

Ziyech was very good today for the most part but there were 2 more golden chances while Ajax were still in the lead that he realistically should be burying. Was gutted they couldn't take those chances really and ended up ruing them. 

Perhaps it's lack of experience that told in the end. There were times where they could have played a bit more sensibly and shrewdly: time-wasting when the ball was in play instead of constantly attacking the goal and ultimately gifting opposition back to Spurs. One moment in stoppage time Tadic had a chance to go to the corner, kill some time. Instead he's cut inside, shot on goal and skied it. 

I agree with Hoddle who said that these players, whether they're a group/team or not, will actually become stronger from this. This makes or breaks players and given what we've seen of the relentless and no-fear attitude throughout most of this competition by Ajax, I reckon it'll 'make' them. Something like this generally makes players stronger even though it's devastating in the immediate aftermath. I hope they come back stronger and don't get depleted in the summer. 

[Lucas]

Not sure what's happened tonight but heard a lot of people mentioning my name, saying I'm fantastic, amazing, nice guy, hard worker, never giving up, showing great desire, cool finish etc.

Today was just a normal day really but thanks for all the compliments x

[Spike]

I think I have to YWNA tattooed on my arse to support Liverpool for the final.

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

One thing I think we can all agree on is that this is certainly the best champions league comeback since last night.

Seen it already mate. Get a new joke my friend 

[Tommy]

22 minutes ago, José said:

Dont tease me with a good time.  lol I wouldn't mind, but I have to ask Storts first. 

Congratulations and hopefully Spurs wins it all. Even though it didnt happened versus Barcelona, I find it hard to believe any neutral would pull for cheating Liverscum. The way they cheated Newcastle (TAA should of been red carded and Fabinho yellow carded for that pathetic dive) is truly deplorable. 

*It didn't happen

*Should have 

 

Seriously, "should of" is one of the most horrific things you can insult the English language with. 

[carefreeluke]

39 minutes ago, Grizzly21 said:

After seeing Peruvian teams concede so many last minute equalizers, I'm convinced parking the bus is only for those who base their game around defence. Doing it if you don't base your game around defence, it's more risky and in that case I think attack can be the best form of defence.

Chelsea of 2013-14 is a good example of a team who knew how to do it.

The thing is mate even though we were a defensive side that year, at the same time we had to turn around some poor results from 1st legs. We lost 3-1 Napoli in one first leg, lost 1 nil to Benfica in another, and against Barcelona we had to come back and the same against Bayern in the final. We were defensive but found ourselves in situations like Liverpool and Spurs have this season, where at one point or another, we had to go for games and score.

[Dan+]

I've got to be honest, I didn't want either side in the final, the media fawning and some of the glory hunters are just too much to take.

But you've got to be fair, and you've got to accept brilliance when it is presented to you. Both of them deserve it. I have no fucking idea how they've done it, Tottenham in-particular just seem to cling on in this tournament no matter what happens, they've cheated death about 4 times, and yet here they are.

Both teams deserve to be in the final. Extraordinary from both of them.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Dan said:

I've got to be honest, I didn't want either side in the final, the media fawning and some of the glory hunters are just too much to take.

Poor form. You did extraodinarily well during Leicester's title win 

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, Cicero said:

Think @Grizzly21 had a point when he mentioned that its far more dangerous to sit back on a 2/3 goal lead vs a 1 goal lead. Received quite a bit of stick for it too. 

This CL season justifies his claim. 

He's dead right. The minute you concede doing that you are more vulnerable than if you'd done it at one goal up initially.

Ajax left their comfort zone and showed their flaws. I'm genuinely as gutted for them as I have ever been for a neutral team in my living memory but you always did worry they had flaws deep down.

[Panna King]

Well wasn't meant to be for Ajax, it was a lack of experience which really cost them in the end, when at 2-0 up both centre backs joined the attack which led them to be caught at the back, also the keeper had a terrible game apart from a few good saves but his kicking was awful throughout the game and he made a mess for the 2nd goal.  The Ajax coach Ten Hag will be very disappointed with his changes and also selection of Dolberg which was forced on him at the start of the game but why he didn't play Huntelaar who has 8 goals in 5 games is beyond me. 

Fair play to Spurs for keeping their heads in the 2nd half and getting back into the game, it could've  gone either way but heart breaking to lose in the dying seconds of the game, I really hope Ajax now pick themselves up and go on and win the League now which will still go down as a special season. 

The Ajax players will look back in a few weeks time and will feel so proud of what they have done, they have inspired people,  they have made a lot people fall in love with the football they have played. they have made people talk about Ajax again. 

Ajax have a model which doesn't rely on oil barons or rich Americans, it is built on one thing and that is 100% football by footballing people the true Ajax way.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Fairy In Boots said:

 

And that’s why Arsenal fans aren’t far behind

Have you ever considered that you're a cunt 

[Panna King]

3 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

Did anyone apart from @Panna King see Ajax getting to the final?

I said at the start that Ajax will get out the group, I also said they would knock out Madrid, I just knew if they were on their game they should beat these teams.  Shame how they lost in the end but overall they have had a special tournament. 

[Dan+]

15 minutes ago, Grizzly21 said:

Poor form. You did extraodinarily well during Leicester's title win 

Not sure what you mean?