Yes but Ligue 1 (#5 in Europe) outranks the Eredivisie (#8), and their top team is usually in the Champions playoff at this point.
Lille is playing the B squad and I think they are trying to get eliminated. Ajax wins the Eredivisie every year. Lille is prioritizing Ligue 1. That said, Ajax may just be better than them. It wouldn't shock me. People take the effect of league rankings on individual teams and players far too strictly.
Out: 78' T. Weah subbed out for Lille https://t.co/varmc18xer— USMNT App (@USMNT_App) February 25, 2021
Ajax have won the league once in the last 5-6 years. Over the two legs, Ajax were way better by xG.: Lille (0.44) 1-2 (1.90) Ajax— The xG Philosophy 🇪🇺 (@xGPhilosophyEU) February 18, 2021 (won't embed for some reason) Ajax vs Lille #AJALIL #EuropaLeague #Ajax #Lille pic.twitter.com/PIV7ORGWdB— xG_mapperEurope (@xG_mapperEurope) February 25, 2021 The bigger point is there's a massive difference between the top 5 and the rest (really the top 4 then 5 then rest) in Europe. The top 4 + L1 at 5 have a stranglehold on more CL positions. Even though Ajax has been good in Europe lately, it's kinda shocking to see how inept the first place team in France was. Weah was very, very dangerous. Had a great turn and run early, forced a good save and had a couple other moments. I was personally relieved when he was pulled from the match. I know there's been a lot of talk of him as a winger v forward. Probably depends on the type of match. But he put tons of pressure on the Ajax back line. I am shocked (in general) that more teams don't' go with 2 up top. Teams just don't know how to defend it.
Weah looked dangerous but in the end showed limited production. Today he was given the keys to the attack in the first half, but couldn't produce a single shot on goal. In fact, in the end, the game ended with 7 shots on goal for Ajax vs. only 4 for Lille. And that with Lille controlling the midfield for long stretches of the game, and Ajax not being the sort of team that ever bunkers. Also, Weah was quite selfish, missing runs by Ikone and Bamba, trying to keep the attack central when it was exactly in the middle where Ajax peopled the defense. Not happy with his display. It wasn't terrible, but I expected more.
You'd hope to see him do better with that early chance he had. Wide open from about 20 and doesn't get it on frame.
Saw Weah’s entire shift. I assume he’s pretty happy with it, as am I. He had a few opportunities. He did about as well as one could expect him to do it all but one of them. I suppose everybody can choose which part of that shift they want to focus on.
Lol he was their best player. Could’ve he taken a touch on his first time shot from outside the box? Maybe. and he did have a shot on goal. You’re wrong about that. But I see you have the “in the first half qualifier” which is convenient. fact is, he made great runs. And continues to be very positive. Conversely, yazici was garbage and hurt their attacks.
First time I see a highlights video for a player where in half of the highlighted moments the highlighted player doesn't even touch the ball.
Ajax have made a massive investment over the last couple of years in closing the gap to the big 5 leagues.
i mean if they wanted to massively close the gap they wouldnt sell their best players to bigger leagues. their net transfer spend is very much flattering to the bottom line even if they did buy some expensive 'older' guys more recently.
Sure but it's not just the fact they won the two-legged tie that was kinda shocking, it was that Lille was so poor over both legs. The home leg Lille had basically nothing going forward, the second they were better but still really weak. Ajax won 4/4 from them the last 2 seasons (with none of the matches being even). That does not reflect well at all for the French league considering how Ajax has struggled against second-tier Italian/Spanish teams.
I agree finishing was bad but on a team that looked absolutely helpless for 90 minutes in the first leg, Weah was a huge spark in the second leg. From the start, he was dangerous with that great turn early. I'm fine with him being selfish. I don't really think if he laid off those chances it would have been different. I totally disagree Ajax was trying to people defense through the middle. Alvarez as a RCM is is very slow and his communication in the match was bad. Lille seemed to want to play through the middle. Weah's just not good enough (and probably will never be) to be a clinical finisher. But as someone who was asked to stretch and test the defense, he was outstanding. The only attacker I was scared about.
hes a good finisher though. what are you referencing? not scoring from 20 yards out? the goals he does score are rarely tap-ins... usually a high degree of difficulty.
Our 1️⃣1️⃣ for #LOSCOM 👊pic.twitter.com/BwmRp3iX33— LOSC (@LOSC_EN) March 3, 2021 Match is on free & legal PlutoTV beIN Xtra Channel 740.