My connection is terrible today, I can't watch anything? How are we doing, apart from winning 3-1? Any good links among the players? How's Luka doing? He plays in Xabi's place, right? Croatian media are jizzing their paints with his game, but I don't trust them. Anyway, if the game's boring, look up Dinamo Zagreb - Dynamo Kyev, it's hilarious
It should be a matter of prestige, they were not so long ago one of the finest teams in Europe. Can't understand why anybody would consider tactical philosophy to be more important.
More important than what? Winning? They are Dutch Champions and a regular fixture in the CL. I see no reason for them to feel ashamed.
Jose Rodriguez becomes the youngest player to debut for Madrid in the CL. 17yrs and 345 days. A little bit of history made.
It is a matter of prestige and identity. Bunker tactics are considered cowardly in Dutch football and Ajax is synonymous with attacking football in a 4-3-3. The Ajax fan-base would demand the resignation for any coach betraying the club philosophy. Losing to Madrid is not considered a big issue. The current reality in international football is that the CL is dominated a small group of high income clubs. Best we can hope for is making the second round if the group allows it. Ajax can't compete under the current conditions so it's better for the club to retain it's identity and wait for better times. Rather then bankrupt the club in trying to keep up. We've been there, tried that, didn't work. For Ajax the CL is more about letting the players experience tough opposition so they will learn and improve. That and collecting a fat check from the CL TV-rights which strengthens our position in the Dutch league.
Solid game, though I hated to see us let them back into it in any way. Still, the first half was all we needed. Looks like our possible opponents for the Knockout Stage are: PSG Schalke Shaktar ManU
They don't have the players to bunker, nor do they have the players to play good attacking football either. Might as well lose acting like you're holding yourself to some philosphy.
My bad, I jumped the gun. Looked at the list before today's matches. PSG Schalke ManU Shaktar/Juventus Bayern (If they win tomorrow)
I'd love to play PSG. I wanted them in the group stage. One day they are going to start to implode with all that ego in their team. Hopefully it's against Madrid.
Wouldn't mind any of those teams save for Bayern. I'd rather see Juve finish second because they are a pretty good side, but they're not the Juve of old.
The man that sent Pedro Leon on his way to Getafe to bring back Callejon is a genius. Like Valdano said recently "using players from the youth teams depends on the club, not only on the coach".