Moderators: ajaxusa, Kowalczyk, mods
I'm guessing van Basten is going to follow the route Portugal took yesterday, and it makes sense since their already through to the next round too. I think it's wise to not risk the starters (of the first two games) and save them for the next round, it's still a pretty quality team with them on the bench.The Purple Cow schreef:K-J hinted broadly on TV last night that he would play against Romania. I'm guessing van Basten will also want to rest Sneijder and v.d. Vaart. Also it makes sense not to play any guys with yellow cards - whoever they may be...
I agree with all of this. My question is: does the average Ajax fan like to win more than they like the 4-3-3? Will they be upset if Marco deploys the 4-2-3-1 to Ajax (I've already been thinking about how he's going to do it)?Kowalczyk schreef:Amen, brother.
It's a load of bollocks. Any system you play, you play because you think that's the best way to be beat an opponent. It's all about winning. And to some (including me) it's also about playing entertaining football. That's possible in many formations and I don't care which one Ajax and Holland play. As long as it's fun entertaining, based on skill rather than on physical power and as long as they win, I really don't care about the system.
If you believe a 4-3-3 formation gives you the biggest chance of winning a match, then play 4-3-3. If you believe some other formation will give you a bigger chance of winning, then go for that system. The system can never be a goal in itself. That would be extremely weird and stupid.
K.
The games against Italy and France are 2 of THE best games I have ever had the privilege to witness. Long live "Counter-Attacking" football if this is what in-fact it is.Kowalczyk schreef:Exactly, Lucas. A team that starts with Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dirk Kuyt, Rafeël van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder, and then brings on Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie (replacing a forward and... a defensive midfielder) can never be defensive.
'Counter-attacking' doesn't necessarily mean defensive, and a 4-2-3-1 is not necessarily less entertaining than a 4-3-3. Who cares about it?
K.
It's now 2-0, France is out. How can France be so bad with so many good players is beyond me really, but well... Italy is through, fuck, that's annoying.aveslacker schreef:Italy lead France 1-0, France down to 10 men. Luca Toni is fouled in the box, leading to a red card for France and a penalty. The call could have gone either way, imo. I thought it was a bit harsh, but Italy always seem to do a good job of selling it.
Losing your best player, then playing with 10 men doesn't help. Personally I thought the red card was very harsh. Penalty, yes. Red card, no IMO.carcajou schreef: It's now 2-0, France is out. How can France be so bad with so many good players is beyond me really, but well... Italy is through, fuck, that's annoying.
Agree that the penalty call was marginal, but I'm pretty sure that if the ref is going to whistle for a foul in the box, since it was the last defender, he's also going to have to show the red. I personally think that Toni embellished quite a bit -- no surprise there. I wouldn't have given the penalty, but then again I'm pretty convinced that Italian players never get fouled, they only dive.DanK schreef:Losing your best player, then playing with 10 men doesn't help. Personally I thought the red card was very harsh. Penalty, yes. Red card, no IMO.carcajou schreef: It's now 2-0, France is out. How can France be so bad with so many good players is beyond me really, but well... Italy is through, fuck, that's annoying.
Italy were good, but not great. They will have to improve to beat Spain, but then again its Italy. They can just dive in the box in the last min and win 1-0 in the knock-out stage to progress to the semis
