04 Dec 2012: Real Madrid CF - Ajax

[Manneken Pis]

Well this is much better. We are actually looking to attack.

I would say they're letting us play....

[Orange14]

Hoesen should have done better; Benzema would have buried that one. That's the difference.

[Manneken Pis]

Well this is much better. We are actually looking to attack.

I would say they're letting us play....

Having said that, we're getting enough real chances to be at 3-3.

[Tom_]

Madrid did take their foot off the gas, but nevertheless I'd say we're playing a lot better since we scored.

[Orange14]

Terrible defending by Blind giving up a great cross and Callejon with a wicked header into the goal.

[paladinby]

I've always wondered why can't we complete a simple cross when totally unmarked against Madrid? Is it magic, lack of skill or just psychology?

[Tom_]

Well, the 4–1s are a bit depressing, as is losing six games in a row to this bankers' team. But 3rd is a decent effort in this group. Dortmund are a seriously good side and there's no shame losing to them. I'm proud of the way we played against City and we deserve to finish above them.

[SPL]

well a lot better 2nd half although Real took their foot off the gas but we at least performed and had Hoesen buried that chance it might have been interesting .

[Tom_]

I've always wondered why can't we complete a simple cross when totally unmarked against Madrid? Is it magic, lack of skill or just psychology?

Boerrigter has no right foot. I've always disagreed with this "inverted wingers" crap.

[Manneken Pis]

I've always wondered why can't we complete a simple cross when totally unmarked against Madrid? Is it magic, lack of skill or just psychology?

Ajax have always been crap at crossing, you'll find posts from me moaning about it ten years ago somewhere on the net....

Simon Kuper also commented on it in a profile on Bryan Roy back in the '90s.

[SPL]

I would go along with that Tom. To finish 3rd is in fact far better than I had predicted .Great to finish ahead of Man City who cost about £300m .Looks like its a few Thursday nights in the new year for us. May not be so good for our league form though.

[Tom_]

I feel like I should mention that I thought their first goal was marginally offside, not that it matters...

Could have been but it's up to the defenders to make the step up so there is no question in the linesman's mind about offsides. They didn't do it in this case and then didn't cover CR-7.

Looks like it was onside anyway—you were right, Moisander didn't step up.

[SPL]

I don't like this modern style of inverted wingers , Boerrigter is left footed and should be on the left . I would have stuck Lukoki on for the last few minutes instead of Sana and seen what his speed might have done .

[Orange14]

Not much difference from any other recent Ajax/Madrid match. Too much talent on the opposing side. Better second half until the final 10 minutes or so when things fell apart. Big problem was bringing Enoh on and moving Schöne up thus losing some of his effectiveness. Looks like we play in Europe a little longer as Dortmund took care of business and defeated ManCity. I hope we draw either Liverpool or Spurs so we can reunite with one of our former captains. At least we would have an interesting opponent (of course both teams have yet to qualify for the knockout round).

Player Ratings FWIW:

Vermeer (6.5) - stopped a lot of shots, kicked poorly and was in a questionable position for the Kaka goal
Blind (6) - had him at 7 until the last 5 minutes when he showed he couldn't defend at all, his fault on the last Madrid goal, good going forward
Moisander (5.5) - overcame a disastrous first half and played reasonably well in the second half
Alderwiereld (6) - ran back with Moisander on the first goal not seeing Ronaldo cutting in, should have picked him up, otherwise decent
van Rhijn (6.5) - moved forward and wasn't troubled much on defense since most of Madrid's threats were up the middle on counter attacks
Poulsen (5.5) - OK but came off just before halftime for Schöne, injury perhaps or just poor play???
Eriksen (6.5) - good on the ball but created precious little
de Jong (5.5) - largely silent as a midfielder
Fischer (5.5) - really did little and made some poor decisions on the ball
Hoesen (6) - OK but really should have buried his open chance,
Boerrigter (6.5) - did well beating his man but had problems getting the cross in, one of the better players out there tonight
Schöne (7) - best player on the pitch, really drove the team forward and possessed the ball, picked out the right players to pass to
Enoh (5) - really weak pass that was intercepted for a breakaway and got lucky that nothing came of it
Sana (5) - only had the ball a couple of times.

Not much else to write home about.

[Orange14]

The inverted winger thing is a craze that just won't go away. You see the same thing on the Dutch NT where Robben plays almost exclusively on the right side. Boerrigter cannot cut in and shoot from the right so his effectiveness is limited. I think he had four or five crosses with his right foot, one of which was decent, not a recipe for success. It was a bit weird on the other side as for stretches in the first half Fischer and Hoesen were flipping positions. I'm not sure this is such a good idea as Hoesen is a striker and Fischer is still a little too inexperienced to play in the middle. When he cuts in he often makes a poor decision (again I think it's a lack of experience). I agree that if Boerrigter is going to play he needs to play on the left but maybe FdB wants to give Fischer the time there.

[Tom_]

de Boer's on TV saying Poulsen hurt his hamstring.

And yeah, that's what I mean about inverted wingers: what's the point inverting them if they aren't goal scorers? I can understand doing it for someone like Babel to cut in and shoot, but that's not Boerrigter's game at all—he's a typical wide player... I guess it's about cramming Fischer (not a winger at all but an attacking midfielder), Eriksen and de Jong all into the squad.

[SPL]

Hope that means Schone plays on Saturday and not Enoh .

[Orange14]

Hope that means Schone plays on Saturday and not Enoh .

Agree with this fully. Maybe have Enoh come on for defense after we are up 6-0!

[Philippe]

The only thing I will remember from this game is the vicious assault by Ronaldo on Boerrigter, and the UEFA referee giving him a yellow card only.

[Manneken Pis]

The only thing I will remember from this game is the vicious assault by Ronaldo on Boerrigter, and the UEFA referee giving him a yellow card only.

Plus Pepe's elbow on Alderwereld (no card).

[orange goblin]

The lesson reminds us a thing or 3:

1- we miss a midfielder of international level, decent both at defending and give tempos
2- you can't play with 2 numbers 10 (eriksen and de jong) in CL. poulsen and the midfielder above should be the choice.
3- at this moment we don't have wingers. lack of form (boerrigter), inexperience (fischer), real skills still to discover (sana). the best choice is lukoki. is the only classic ajax winger for now.

anyway there's to be proud to have mantained European football in this group.
We could have gone through CL in any other poule.

[SPL]

agree Ronaldo should have been red carded. Also that Lukoki is our best wing choice .

[Philippe]

I suppose we'll have some ideas about our possible Europa League draw after tomorrow's games.

[Orange14]

I suppose we'll have some ideas about our possible Europa League draw after tomorrow's games.

Teams progressing to Europa League from yesterday's CL games: Ajax, Dinamo Kiev, Olymiakos, Zenit St. Petersburg. There are a number of possibilities from toady's CL matches including Juventus (we played them four years ago in EL competition) and certainly the EL pool play has not fully shaken out. I can't remember if there is some kind of seeding process for the first round draw or not based on coefficient. I would rather us get one of the top English teams as we will make the most money that way (teams still alive from EPL - Chelsea, Newcastle, Liverpool, Tottenham but only Newcastle have clinched a spot in the knockout round).

[Philippe]

Since we'll most likely be the worst number 3 to go through (with 4 points), we will play one of the group winners or another #3 from the CL, according to VI.