Ajaxtalk

All to play for Tuesday as Ajax host Benfica in the return match. Away goals do not count under the new rules the teams stand even. Martinez will be back in the lineup having served a suspension on YC accumulation on Friday. I hope Timber is at full fitness as well. Alvarez was out of the Cambuur match because of illness. Ajax need consistent play from the MF if they hope to prevail against Benfica and also not concede any junk goals. I think this will be a closely fought match.

I think we could lose this. Apart from 2018 Ajax has done badly in the knockout stages in Europe. I’m trying to remember if they’ve won a single tie.

One thing that might be in our favour is that there are no away goals. It could make playing the second leg at home a bigger advantage. It seems like if the first leg is a draw, it might as well not have been played.

In the Europa League last season we still had a good run in the KO stage until Roma.

Wasn’t that the first knockout round? Or did we beat someone else?

Tom_ schreef: ↑

zo mar 13, 2022 8:47 am

Wasn’t that the first knockout round? Or did we beat someone else?

Ajax beat Young boys

Alvarez is a major doubt for the game, if that is the case, Klaassen will play along side Gravenberch and Berghuis as the number 10. I am going to assume the attack will mainly come from the right hand side with the link up play of Antony and Mazraoui. But knowing Benfica they will double up on that side of the pitch.

Ayman schreef: ↑

zo mar 13, 2022 10:16 am

Alvarez is a major doubt for the game, if that is the case, Klaassen will play along side Gravenberch and Berghuis as the number 10.

I would be brave and start Kudus!!!!

Orange14 schreef: ↑

zo mar 13, 2022 3:19 pm

Ayman schreef: ↑

zo mar 13, 2022 10:16 am

Alvarez is a major doubt for the game, if that is the case, Klaassen will play along side Gravenberch and Berghuis as the number 10.

I would be brave and start Kudus!!!!

Kudus isn't ready for a full game, at the moment he should get minutes as a sub till he finds his Moji again

Tom_ schreef: ↑

zo mar 13, 2022 8:47 am

Wasn’t that the first knockout round? Or did we beat someone else?

Ayman schreef: ↑

zo mar 13, 2022 10:13 am

Ajax beat Young boys

Did eliminate Lille in the round of 32 and then Young Boys in the round of 16.
After Tadic missing a penalty and Kjell Scherpen blundering it was a very unnecessary loss in the quarter final against AS Roma.

The EL finalists Villarreal and Manchester United didn't seem better squads than Ajax, so a big opportunity wasted to add another European trophy to our price cabbin.

yup, that missed tadic penalty was key in us losing that tie, roma were a very average side. scherpen had a terrible game in Belgium yesterday. made a huge error leading to goal and then scored an own goal. good we got rid of him for decent money

Thanks, I was wrong about that.

I think I also said “Haller isn’t the sort of striker who will score 30 goals” last season :D

Scherpen got all the criticism for that mistake v Roma but Tadic missing the penalty was the real killer.

Hope Mazraoui and Timber are now fit but recently our attack has struggled,Antony and Tadic form has gone a bit and Haller,apart from getting in the box and scoring goals does little.Brobbey in 10 mins v Cambuur looked far more threatening in his play.He will come in useful as a sub .

At his press conference today, ETH said both Timber and Alvarez are fully fit for tomorrow's match.

Butterflies in the stomach for tomorrow's game. With Brobbey being back as an option - we have a solid battering ram if/when needed.

Just read a stat that we haven't won a knockout CL game at home since 95/96. Wild.

Time to change that today.

All fit so full strength side Gravenberch plays.

no nico on the bench?

Don't understand why their striker did not get a YC for the high boot to the chest early in the match. Usually this is called.

A handful of half chances so far. Ajax are doing a much better job stopping the counter attack than in the first leg.

I hope it does not go to OT as I have a recital ticket and need to leave the house before the OT would be finished!!!!

lots of possession but few real chances so far. doing a good job not letting benfica attack on a counter

Cannot believe they have them a free kick. Alvarez did nothing. Of course they then Scott

that one was on onana. either you stay on the line or you come out and and punch it away

No way Ajax will come back from here. I think at this point you have to say our performances in knockout games haven’t been good enough.

Gave the tie away in the first leg.

I honestly can’t say we deserved to win today. Didn’t have any big chances. I guess a 0–0 would have been fairer but this is what happens in knockout games.