News: EL: Ajax-Roma (April 8, 2021)

It sucks that Smalling has been unable to have a meaningful contribution this season. He has by now played in less than half of our games. At times our defence really looks like it's begging for a presence like the one Smalling had last season.

I want to believe that all this is down to him not having an actual summer preparation this season. With him being basically exiled at United and having to train on his own, if I'm not mistaken. There's no way all that hasn't had its say this season. I want to believe that's the reason and not that he's simply declining, he's 31 and not that old for a CB.

Hopefully next season, with a proper summer preparation, we will find out that it was indeed the former that's stopping him now.

 

If we face Man Utd I really hope he's back for it, will surely be fired up

 

Ajax still huge favourites tonight. To be honest, either we snatch it and hope the Ajax keeper makes another horrific mistake or another 4/5/7-1 humiliation is on the cards.

 

Stek might be back in goal. Match pattern is likely going to be the same. Ajax control, Roma counter. Its a coin toss who goes through.

 

Rome to advance.

 

🟥🟧🟨🐺🟨🟧🟥

Ecco la nostra formazione per #RomaAjax

🔥 𝗗𝗔𝗝𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔 𝗗𝗔𝗝𝗘 🔥#ASRoma #UEL pic.twitter.com/GsBrMX1Ez5

— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) April 15, 2021

No surprises.

 

Pellegrini should’ve done better there,,,.

 

For real, how can pau possibly hit balls like that, as a professional

 

Pau is going to give me a heart attack with his passes.

 

We're just gifting chance after chance. Eventually it's bound to cost us...

 

Great saves but with feet like his there will always be major downs with him over a season.

 

Just stick to long balls ffs, Ajax haven’t created anything that wasn’t from a bad turnover.

Good hustle from Dzeko and Pellegrini.

 

Their pressing isn't even that good today but if we rely on Pau to start every attack we're not gonna get far.

 

That was a really stupid yellow from ibanez

 

Pellegrini’s shot in the beginning encapsulates him as a player. He does everything right, then when he’s got to put it all together he shits down his leg and shoots it right at the keeper. Infuriating player.

 

Losing the midfield battle - lucky Ajax’s creativity has been piss poor

 

What a gawd awful half of football that was.

Typically we gift two attacking chances with two absolutely dreadful brain fart passes from the usual suspects, Pau and Ibanez.

Shudder to think what even a shit Utd team would do to us.

 

Can we please just go without Lopezshit and Pelleshit doing something stupid for the next 45 minutes.

 

And of course. Lopezshit and Cristante... Honestly dog shit players.... Loved on this form

 

I knew I would see the donkey Cristante chasing an attacker from behind at some point.

 

We'll, were still through by the skin of our teeth...

 

Just a delay in our downfall our defense will never hold them unless we score some flukey goals again.

 

These Ajax kids continue to look comfortably superior to us. How sad is that? If they had a bit more going on up top the tie would have been over a long time ago.