Champions league and Europa league thread (General)

Yeah, I have considered that also, but it is a very big game to test something like that out. Also even if it does add some width and speed he doesn't replace the goal scoring qualities of Promes and Neres. Those two players are both huge goal scoring threats, hell Promes is even our top scorer in all competitions. With Ziyech and Tadic we have worldclass providers which is why players like Van de Beek and Promes thrive in this team compared to Oranje. Without Promes and Neres we have significantly less players to take advantage of that creativity.

In such a big game and with the injuries we have I would be more comfortable bringing Ziyech out to the wing and having the Alvarez and Martinez block in the midfield, as much as I hate that lineup. If we end up needing to score a goal Ten Hag could always sub Mazraoui or Dest in for Alvarez (depending on who is on the bench) and then shift Ziyech back to the midfield and Dest to the winger position. I think that is our best option, but i'm not really comfortable with the situation.... Ziyech --> Promes is almost a guarantee for a goal every game.

 

Will Noa Lang start??

 

It's not the official line up yet.

 

It’s been reported that the no-hope-to-advance Lille will rest first-team players against Chelsea... not that it matters much, as I think a motivated Chelsea will beat Lille in full strength at home, anyway. Doesn’t change the calculus... Ajax need a solid W to top the group!!!

 

But then it had Neres. That's the point. Once we lost Neres we were without speed against Tottenham. Don't get me wrong, we still should have won the game... but when Tottenham had to throw everything into the attack having a fast technical player like Neres would have been huge on the break. Without Neres we lost that element.

With Neres and Promes out we potentially lose that element. However, Lang does have that skill set so in that sense he could be the solution. But he's still young and untested so you never know how that will play out. With that being said I do have some faith in Lang, I think he's a good player that steps up to the occasion.

 

This was exactly what I was expecting and plays in even more to the enormous fortune Chelsea has had in this group. It is really undeserved that they will almost certainly go through in place of Ajax or Valencia thanks to massive help from the refs. It's only typical that they will also be handed a freebie in their last game. A motivated Lille would definitely give Chelsea a hard time, the last game was very close between them.

 

25 minutes in this is going exactly as I expected.
Chelsea with a goal again a pathetic Lille, Ajax going down 0-1 thanks to awful defending from Veltman despite being the better team. Unfortunately I absolutely expected this.

Lets hope they can find a goal....

 

Put Huntelaar in 2nd half because now we need a goal

 

The commentators talking about how Ajax is playing slowly. What is exactly the thing we miss without Neres and Promes?
And with Ziyech being pulled outside our midfield is also non-existant. This is why those injuries matter so much. Our entire formation and play has to change because of those injuries. So far it is exactly what I have been saying would happen.

 

Memphis and Lyon are on their way out, too... trailing 0-2 HT at home

 

Wow.
So far literally everything in this game and the Chelsea game has happened exactly as I predicted.

 

Ziyech misses a sitter!!!!!!!

 

This referee is absolute dogshit!!!!

 

I thought he did a fine job. Ajax were absolute dogshit

 

Depay scores the 2-2 and Lyon go through

 

Ajax has been completely, 100% screwed out of Champion's League progression. Everything that happened today I 100% expected to happen (and have predicted here in numerous posts). The fixed Chelsea games cost us by putting us in a situation that our injury riddled team couldn't get out of.

Tell me, how the ******** was there only 5 minutes of stoppage time? I KNEW they would only call 5 minutes of stoppage time. And even after more than half of that time is wasted away by a Valencia team that already wasted away the entire second half they only added one extra minute? It's a joke.

But it's not even this game tonight. This can happen. Valencia were absolute anti-football bitches, but they did what they had to do. This situation should never have been in place and was 100% caused by the bullshit Chelsea games.

******** UEFA for their corruption and advantages to the big league teams. ******** Chelsea for being only marginally better than the worst team in the group and being completely gifted their progression. ******** Lille for playing their reserve team against Chelsea. And a small ******** you to Valencia for being absolute bitches the whole game, but in truth I can accept that because they did what the had to do and they deserved to go through this group regardless. As I mentioned before this game, one of Ajax or Valencia will get screwed to allow a thoroughly undeserving Chelsea to be gifted progression.

Unfortunately we lost, I can't blame Ajax for what I expected to happen with so many injured players in one position. I am fine with Dutch team losing in the Champion's League, it is totally normal and to be expected. But the way this group stage went will forever leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Based on that I have decided to completely boycott this Champion's League season from now onward and not watch a single other match this season. It is just too inherently obvious that UEFA doesn't give a shit about anyone except for the big league teams who feed them $$$. It's a sad state that Football has fallen in, and it is a loss for the Champion's League to be without one of the most entertaining teams who absolutely deserved to go through. I legitimately believe this Ajax team with all its players healthy could have brought it to anyone.

 

Are you kidding me. He was giving fouls for Valencia when none were committed, and not giving Ajax fouls when we deserved it. Also he handed out 9 cards, some of which were not cardable fouls

 

And added on 5 fricken minutes of stoppage time after Valencia spent the entire second half stalling time, faking injuries and picking fights. And then only added on 1 extra minute to those 5 minutes after Valencia stalled probably 4 out of those 5 minutes including a red card, two substitutions and numerous fighting/arguing.

It wasn't Chelsea vs Ajax level disgracefully bad, but it was clearly not good officiating. Ajax was threatening in that final period and that extra stoppage time was huge. What the ******** is the point of VAR if they literally do nothing except for the wrong thing?

 

And I am sick and tired of the bigger footballing countries getting away with bullshit, being gifted presents by UEFA and having their dominant football media report nothing on it. That is fine that you are the one non-English and non-Chelsea fan in the entire world who watched the games and doesn't think Ajax got screwed in either of the two games. But that doesn't change the fact that it is so, and that 90% of every non Chelsea related person knows it. The first game the offside call was bullshit, we all know it, it's proven by video analysis and Ajax was ********ed over.

The second game definitely Ajax also takes some blame in the sense that Blind probably deserved the second yellow (although it's debateable if that was really a yellow card offense) - but two reds AND a penalty in the same play on a non intentional hand ball where his arm was next to his body? That is bullshit. By that argument we should have gotten a penalty and a red card to the Valencia player when the ball hit his hand as Tadic tried to pass him (yes I know that would have been bullshit, but that is the point.)

This was a disgrace and we all know it. You are perfectly free to have your own opinion on that.

Also when you have Chelsea fans making posts like this when they were clearly the worse team against both Valencia and Ajax... it's just laughable.

 

Anywho, maybe the team can get hot and win the Europa L. now

 

A Final with a North Holland clash would be awesome.
Who knows if Feyenoord finally gets its stuttering mojo running .....well.....one can dream, can't you...