Champions League Semi Finals (30th April - 8th May)

TsuWave

Full Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2013
Messages
14,582
I like Eriksen. I still don't understand how people think he would be a good replacement for Pogba
 

Bojan11

Full Member
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
33,116
First 35 minutes is on Poch. bizarre starting with a back 5, just sent a negative mindset out and invited pressure on. Lost the midfield battle instantly and couldn't get anything going in attack. Look much better with a back 4 that they're used to.
He hardly had many options. He probably wanted Rose and Trippier to push up.
 

Jazz

Just in case anyone missed it. I don't like Mount.
Joined
Feb 11, 2014
Messages
31,143
Ajax need another goal. They don't look too good defensively.
 

Sarni

nice guy, unassuming, objective United fan.
Joined
Jan 21, 2004
Messages
58,219
Location
Krakow
I don't expect sympathy, just some level of understanding that this is a Spurs side which has been ripped apart by injuries. The core of the side has been torn out, both our goalscorers aren't on the pitch.

No amount of money can replace certain key players in the team, and we hardly have an embarrassment of riches.

Ajax are struggling with some of the runs Lucas is making, with Son up there that increases 3 fold. Instead we have a lamppost.
It’s tough on you to be playing your most important game in decades without your two best attacking players but also goes to show how much it hurts you to not have addressed depth issues in the Summer.
 

SquishyMcSquish

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Messages
8,198
Supports
Tottenham
Ajax are wank defensively but nope it's just making excuses to say two world class attacking players might help us a bit.
 

_00_deathscar

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Messages
227
Supports
Liverpool
They are clearly a good side and very hungry.

Wanyama and Llorente are completely out of their depth against the likes of Brighton or West Ham, let alone in the CL. It's a fecking joke we're having to start them, they're a total and utter liability.
I agree on the whole - I think the earlier point re: it is still Tottenham vs the (top) side from the Dutch league comment still holds though.
It's not that they're winning, they're absolutely dominating (last 10 minutes excepted) - I genuinely haven't seen a game where the two sides (who should be at the very worst evenly matched) have been so far apart, in ages.
 

balaks

Full Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Messages
15,335
Location
Northern Ireland
Supports
Tottenham Hotspur
Proud of the lads to get more into it at the end there. Feel for Vertonghen as that looked really nasty. Sissoko making a huge difference when he came on. Hoping we can get a goal.
 

Loublaze

ATLien
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
16,593
Yeah god imagine making dumb excuses like 'we're missing our two star attackers' or 'Wanyama is actually having to play and is the worst player on the pitch'. You know, totally valid reasons.

Its shit. You want these kind of occasions to have all the star players on the field, we have almost none of ours. If Liverpool were playing Barcelona without Salah, Mane, Fabinho and Wijnaldum I'd be saying the exact same thing.
Your players are more experienced and better compensated than this youthful Ajax team. You have a lot of internationals in your starting 11, including the best attacking midfielder in the league, a highly rated CB and a world cup winner. Dire showing and you know it
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
27,259
Supports
Real Madrid
Dany Rose looks like Pat Beverley
He looks like Beverley's son :lol:

Spurs much better towards the end, by creating chaos. They have Llorente who still wins pretty much every aerial duel and they've started to match ajax's energy. And they have more pace

Still, their best chance to score is clearly set pieces. Ajax are playing a suicidally high line on those(understandable given spurs height advantage, but they keep failing with the offside trap)
 

Adam-Utd

Part of first caf team to complete Destiny raid
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
39,954
Poch got that line up badly wrong. The injury’s helped them as it’s now matched them up in midfield and they’re no longer out numbered.
 

Sir Scott McToMinay

New Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Messages
2,737
Location
Acapulco, Somalia
Van der Beek impressed me the most out of all the Ajax players tonight, superb player we should get him.
He’s the thinking man’s Jesse Lingard.

Ajax struggled a bit since Poch switched to a diamond.
I don’t think I’ve seen so little width used in a football match since the days of Xavi’s Spain.
 

Infordin

Full Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
3,906
Supports
Barcelona
You mean like they destroyed Spurs?
Man City are this mythical beast that is supposed to destroy the CL every year... until they inevitably get knocked out in the quarters again.

The most overhyped team on the planet.
 

SquishyMcSquish

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Messages
8,198
Supports
Tottenham
It’s tough on you to be playing your most important game in decades without your two best attacking players but also goes to show how much it hurts you to not have addressed depth issues in the Summer.
We need better depth but regardless of that missing two world class attackers is going to hurt us. You have to hope your key players will be available for games like this and we're very unlucky that they aren't.

Son and Kane today make a huge difference, not only because they're class but the mentality shifts entirely when they're on the pitch.
 

KirkDuyt

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
24,923
Location
Dutchland
Supports
Feyenoord
Spurs realising they're not playing Barcelona and are allowed to try and attack a bit.

Shane Ajax didnt didnt take their chance to score 0-2. Tie would practically be over.

Ten Hag should sub off Tagliafico, he's having a poor game and is prone to dumb yellow cards of which he already has one.
 

francobaresi

Full Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2006
Messages
5,615
Anyone else noticed that the commentary is slightly out of sync with the action on BT? Like, the commentary is a fraction ahead of what's going on on the screen?
 

SportingCP96

emotional range of a teaspoon
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Messages
9,873
Supports
Sporting Clube de Portugal
Which one of these Ajax stars do you think will flop? Surely not all of them will succeed at the next level. Some are benefiting from the environment style of play and players around them.
 

Treble

Full Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2008
Messages
10,550
Brilliant Ajax in the first 25 minutes and poor Spurs who looked like imposters there. They came to life in the last 10 min though and still might turn it around.
 

Infordin

Full Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
3,906
Supports
Barcelona
Which one of these Ajax stars do you think will flop? Surely not all of them will succeed at the next level. Some are benefiting from the environment style of play and players around them.
I don't rate their wingers (Neres and Ziyech) that highly tbh.
 

KirkDuyt

Full Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
24,923
Location
Dutchland
Supports
Feyenoord
Which one of these Ajax stars do you think will flop? Surely not all of them will succeed at the next level. Some are benefiting from the environment style of play and players around them.
Ziyech. Doesnt have the mentality for the pressure and criticism you receive at the top.

Also vd Beek. He's been sensational this season, but he's not a world beater I think.
 

SquishyMcSquish

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Messages
8,198
Supports
Tottenham
Your players are more experienced and better compensated than this youthful Ajax team. You have a lot of internationals in your starting 11, including the best attacking midfielder in the league, a highly rated CB and a world cup winner. Dire showing and you know it
So what? This Ajax team is being picked apart by the top sides in Europe, it's hugely talented, have nothing to lose and are extremely well coached.

Internationals like Llorente and Wanyama? They're broken/past it players who are only in the lineup because of injuries. Our strikeforce of Lucas & Llorente wouldn't look our of place in a mid table PL team.

We have some good central defenders and a world cup winning keeper, so what? How is that going to stop Ajax from completely dominating our splintered midfield, or Llorente being unable to do anything when the ball comes his way?

Of course it's a dire showing, I expect better even with the injuries. But it's hugely frustrating to be in a position where you can reach a final and you're missing 3 or 4 of your most important players.

These kind of CL games are tight and are decided on the smallest margins, so missing your best players is a huge, huge blow.
 

el3mel

New Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2016
Messages
43,736
Location
Egypt
We're miles away from Ajax at the moment it's actually mind boggling !!
 

Loublaze

ATLien
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
16,593
Which one of these Ajax stars do you think will flop? Surely not all of them will succeed at the next level. Some are benefiting from the environment style of play and players around them.
Neres is talented but he should probably stick around. I can see him making a move to a team like Arsenal and being underwhelming
 

SquishyMcSquish

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2018
Messages
8,198
Supports
Tottenham
I agree on the whole - I think the earlier point re: it is still Tottenham vs the (top) side from the Dutch league comment still holds though.
It's not that they're winning, they're absolutely dominating (last 10 minutes excepted) - I genuinely haven't seen a game where the two sides (who should be at the very worst evenly matched) have been so far apart, in ages.
We came in to the game at the end and could easily have been level. When Sissoko came on the momentum started to shift.

Ajax are excellent at pressing and dominating the ball, but they are vulnerable defensively. We're just incapable of taking advantage of that due to the players who are absent, they're getting a free pass basically.
 

LInkash

Full Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
8,306
Which one of these Ajax stars do you think will flop? Surely not all of them will succeed at the next level. Some are benefiting from the environment style of play and players around them.
Whichever one we sign.
 

Dolf

Full Member
Joined
May 27, 2016
Messages
2,898
Location
Amsterdam
If Ajax can control the midfield they will win. Wasn’t hard because spurs played 5 at the back but with Sissoko it wil be munch harder
 
Joined
Mar 11, 2019
Messages
230
Supports
Ajax
:D

We’ll sit back and play the counter they said. Ajax won’t be able to handle being given space on their half and the initiative they said. Madrid and Juve were flukes they said.


I guess it’s come down to “not fair they got to rest” and “injuries” excuses... I’m sure having double as much to spend as Ajax couldn’t prevent a lack of players of quality... Right?

:D:D:D:D




Should be 0-2 at least, alas just the one for now. Shame to see Vertonghen out, hope it’s not too serious. But how can a doctor allow someone to continue playing after getting Tobied in one’s face? :/ That’s seriously careless by the team physician, as usual with pro teams I should add. Too much pressure on them to pass injured players as fit to play.