14 Mar 2006: FC Internazionale - Ajax

[Per]

Firstly I thought Pienaar was quite shitty. Especially in first half.

Rosenberg did stay away from the wing, but doing them runs ENABLED crosses to come from that flank at all, by driving his defender with him he created space for Juanfran to make crosses. That was the biggest difference between the flanks.

Klaas Jan was a disappointment compared to the first game. I think they were tighter on him, but he didn't wuite manage to win any header, hold on to the ball or even be remotely dangerous once on the ball. Off game against good defense makes you llok really bad I guess.

My favourite was Lindebergh, keeping his shit together in an ok matter.

Also Trabelsi did ok once he was ordered to move more forward and managed to beat his opponent more times than any of our wingers did.

All in all, I'm quite prod of our two leg performance. We pulled off a fantastic half, one bad and two ok ones. Good against a team of Inter's calibre.

Keep it up and we'll get that second CL-spot.

[666]

LOL. So your not impressed by Markus then.

His performance as a second central striker has been impressive in the games against the lesser opponents, but his overall performance as a winger is not. A bit like Babel in his six or so matches on the left wing.

We're playing with two strikers in the middle, an excuse for a right winger, and a gaping hole on the left wing. We got away with it in a lucky streak against the bottom half of the league, but it's definitely not a long-term solution. In the post-winter-break games that really mattered (F-word, PSV, Inter twice), Markus' contribution from the wing was limited to one goal and zero assists in four matches.

That's a good score for a defensive midfielder, but not enough for a winger. It's nice to score some goals from the wings against not-so-serious opponents like Sparta and RBC, but I'd like to see some goals and assists in the games against Groningen, AZ, and in the win-or-die playoffs before drawing the conclusion that Rosenberg is ready for the job.

Ajax had 62% possession in the first half

A high possesion count is meaningless if you don't do anything useful with it. Games against italian teams never fail to prove that. Inter was really good at letting Ajax pass the ball around where it could do no harm.

[dws]

Per wrote:

Klaas Jan was a disappointment compared to the first game

Huntelaar received neither the service nor the support that a striker requires. Ajax tried very hard, but their skill level was sometimes inadequate. :xyxthumbs:

Anyway, let's give Groningen a good thrashing. :yes: :blub: :onfire: :blub:

[Philippe]

I don't agree with Blind when he says "it's never a disgrace to lose to inter". We are Ajax. He knows better than anyone. So it's always a disgrace to lose.

[ZoefdeHaas]

He also said "the game was already lost in Amsterdam". What a stupid thing to say

[DanK]

...Of course, it all would have been different if Ajax had rightly been awarded a penalty for Materazzi's handball..........

Hmm. I'm not convinced it should have been a penalty. There was no way he could have gotten his arm out of the way (at least that was my inital thought). I thought Inter's penalty could have also gone either way.

The only thing I can think of here is that the ball hit Lindenbergh directly, whereas Materazzi's deflected onto his arm. Either way though, Inter deserved the win, but for once I would have loved to have seen them go down in the last min. Make up for all those times the Italian teams have done it to the Dutch. Must be up to 51 times or so now ;)

C'mon - if Lindenbergh was penalized for sliding with hands up then the Materazzi should be as well...

I'm not disagreeing with you on this. I was trying to look at it the way the ref did B)

[saddlerian]

Per wrote:
Anyway, let's give Groningen a good thrashing. :yes: :blub: :onfire: :blub:

:headbang: :headbang:
I'm glad that you've come up with a positive statement at last!!! I was beginning to think that you were so negative that you were thinking of applying for the vacant England manager's job!

Think positive! We'll get there!! The players are doing their best, which is gradually getting better!
Dws's comment, "I think the above deserves a much loved/loathed John McEnroe expression : YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!!!!" should be treated with limited respect! COULD YOU DO THE JOB THE PLAYERS ARE DOING???

Stop complaining and support the lads!
:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[Philippe]

Confidence breeds success, and this is what WILL happen! We'll breeze through the play-offs and in the "Champions" League again next season, and who knows....we might get even closer!
Just believe in the players and celebrate what they have achieved; proof that they are one of the top ten clubs in Europe, even though going through a transition period.
OUR TIME WILL COME!!!
:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

Defeat has a bitter taste, but you are right !

[dws]

Per wrote:
Anyway, let's give Groningen a good thrashing. :yes: :blub: :onfire: :blub:

:headbang: :headbang:
I'm glad that you've come up with a positive statement at last!!! I was beginning to think that you were so negative that you were thinking of applying for the vacant England manager's job!

Think positive! We'll get there!! The players are doing their best, which is gradually getting better!
Dws's comment, "I think the above deserves a much loved/loathed John McEnroe expression : YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!!!!!!" should be treated with limited respect! COULD YOU DO THE JOB THE PLAYERS ARE DOING???


Stop complaining and support the lads!
:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

Qualifying from a poor CL group and then losing to a team they were expected to lose to does not rank as an achievement.

We are not a top ten European club.

I'm not allowed to give an honest opinion?

Show me one negative post I made in this particular thread

I thought the performance was ok, but no more than that.

Complaining and supporting are not mutually exclusive.

[Philippe]

Well, we have proved that Ajax could play like Ajax again, and have the potential to beat any opponent in Europe. That's quite something. But not enough : we need results now. We need to qualify for the CL. And it would be great to beat psv and win the Cup.

[jamcocteau]

Well, we have proved that Ajax could play like Ajax again, and have the potential to beat any opponent in Europe. That's quite something. But not enough : we need results now. We need to qualify for the CL. And it would be great to beat psv and win the Cup.

Philippe, I do admire your optimism but once again going to disagree with you.

I have been really pleased with our performances in the last 2 games in the CL , a lot better than I expected but being honest still feel we are a way off of beating top European opposition like Barcelona, Juve . I think the 2 games against Inter and the recent run in the Eredivisie have given us something to build on and hopefully we can do so, first of all by winning the play-offs and then with the new signings proving ourselves first of all next season by winning the Dutch title and having a good run in Europe.

Now to really play the devil's advocate :headbang: , a few times you claimed that Inter would have another trophyless season even after it was pointed out to you that they were the current holders of the Copa Italia, but now you claim it would be great for Ajax to win the Gatorade Cup. Are you suggesting that the Gatorade Cup is a better trophy to win than the Copa Italia or that national cup competitions only hold signifigance when you decide they do so :xyxthumbs: :D

[saddlerian]

statistics :pukey:
Teams compile their own stats in Rugby. They never match the official stats.

:headbang: :headbang:
I'm sorry dws, but the fact is there! Ajax were one of the last NINE clubs left in the Champions League this year, hence they ARE one of the top ten clubs in Europe.
That is an official statistic, a club statistic and MY statistic. Going against this "proof" is being negative!!

Next year, TOP FOUR!

KEEP BELIEVING!!!!!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

[dws]

statistics :pukey:
Teams compile their own stats in Rugby. They never match the official stats.

:headbang: :headbang:
I'm sorry dws, but the fact is there! Ajax were one of the last NINE clubs left in the Champions League this year, hence they ARE one of the top ten clubs in Europe.
That is an official statistic, a club statistic and MY statistic. Going against this "proof" is being negative!!

Next year, TOP FOUR!

KEEP BELIEVING!!!!!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

:D :xyxthumbs:

[Philippe]

a few times you claimed that Inter would have another trophyless season even after it was pointed out to you that they were the current holders of the Copa Italia, but now you claim it would be great for Ajax to win the Gatorade Cup. Are you suggesting that the Gatorade Cup is a better trophy to win than the Copa Italia or that national cup competitions only hold signifigance when you decide they do so :xyxthumbs: :D

It would be great if we qualify for the CL and win the cup, not because those are big successes, but because from a dynamic and not static point of view, this would show how we have improved. P$v are 20 points ahead of us, but we probably are better than them by the end of the season. That's why it would be great to beat them in a cup final.

BTW, the Cup of Italia sucks, it is not a even proper cup, the final is played in two home and away games.

[dws]

It would be great if we qualify for the CL and win the cup, not because those are big successes, but because from a dynamic and not static point of view, this would show how we have improved. P$v are 20 points ahead of us, but we probably are better than them by the end of the season. That's why it would be great to beat them in a cup final.

BTW, the Cup of Italia sucks, it is not a even proper cup, the final is played in two home and away games.

Philippe, agree with your reasoning as to qualifying for the CL and winning the cup. However, your arguement as regards the validity of Copa Italia is tantamount to suggesting that Ajax's UEFA cup final triumph of '92, played on a home and away basis, is not a genuine achievement.

[AjaxPDX]

statistics :pukey:
Teams compile their own stats in Rugby. They never match the official stats.

:headbang: :headbang:
I'm sorry dws, but the fact is there! Ajax were one of the last NINE clubs left in the Champions League this year, hence they ARE one of the top ten clubs in Europe.
That is an official statistic, a club statistic and MY statistic. Going against this "proof" is being negative!!

Next year, TOP FOUR!

KEEP BELIEVING!!!!!

:xyxthumbs: :xyxthumbs:

I love the optimism, but the CL is not the end all be all for determining the best team (Liverpool is the best club in Europe in your opinion??). The quarterfinalists in the CL does not necessarily mean those are the eight best clubs in Europe. As dws said, constructive criticism and support are not mutually exclusive. In fact, a lot of times criticism is a show of support. Looking at it honestly, Ajax is a good squad, but not great, is their weakest side for at least the last few years, and is certainly not one of Europe's ten best (maybe top 20). Doesn't mean we're not supportive of the club though.

[Kowalczyk]

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have returned from Milan, so I can finally write the match report. Which I will do tomorrow, first thing. I've had less than nine hours' sleep in the past three nights and about a gazillion gallons of beer. I am knackered.

But it was a great trip -- for sure. :yes: :xyxthumbs:

Tomorrow morning (CET): match report!

K.

[carcajou]

P$v are 20 points ahead of us, but we probably are better than them by the end of the season.

If they finish 20 points ahead of us, they're better than we are, plain and simple.

[Philippe]

given time things sometimes change :D

[aveslacker]

P$v are 20 points ahead of us, but we probably are better than them by the end of the season.

If they finish 20 points ahead of us, they're better than we are, plain and simple.

Not necessarily. Sure, they would be clearly better over the course of the season, which is the only important measure. But they might not be the best team at the end of the season. Take last season for example. PSV won, but Ajax may well have been the best team at the end of the season, given the way they finished. Similarly, it is possible that Ajax's play continues to improve, while PSV and Feijenoord continue their current poor form and AZ does as well. Then you could make the argument that Ajax was playing the best at the end of the season.

But that is not really much consolation if they finish 20 points out. X'C

Just being argumentative. ;)

[Kowalczyk]

I have returned from Milan, so I can finally write the match report. Which I will do tomorrow, first thing.

Well, okay... it took me another 24 hours (didn't feel too well for some reason...), but it's up now if you're still interested:
http://www.ajax-usa.com/matches/m05-06/ ... x-1-0.html

K.