22 Feb 2006: Ajax - FC Internazionale

[Philippe]

Does anyone remember that there is one trophy we can still win, apart from the Gatorade cup ? The CL !
My prediction : inter Milan will beat us at the Arena, thanks to our defence. But for the return game, they will underestimate us, focus on the Serie A, and play their reserve. Then we will beat them, and qualify for the CL 1/4 finals.
As simple as that. ;)

[DrDuncan]

Sounds good to me. Round here pigs do fly (they have helicopters)!

[souras84]

I just hope it aint humilliating!

[Ayman]

man are we in for a roasting or what......







''he is worse then just a weirdo....Blind weirdo''

[DanK]

man are we in for a roasting or what......







''he is worse then just a weirdo....Blind weirdo''

I would be much more concerned if we were playing Barca...that game could have been a double figures score (ie: 10-0)

[AsgAarD_xxx]

Does anyone remember that there is one trophy we can still win, apart from the Gatorade cup ? The CL !
My prediction : inter Milan will beat us at the Arena, thanks to our defence. But for the return game, they will underestimate us, focus on the Serie A, and play their reserve. Then we will beat them, and qualify for the CL 1/4 finals.
As simple as that. ;)

Yeah, it will be great... But how could be the final score in first game to makes Inter sure that they will qualify? I think it should be at least 5-0 for Inter to see their reserve team on away game... And I am not really sure if we can beat even their reserves more than 5-0 in present form X'C .

For me it can be 0-0 on ArenA and 1-1 away :D.

[SwedishFan]

I'll be there! Cant wait :)

[Ayman]

Meeee worst tipster! Ajax 1-3 Inter

[Dubbel]

I have good hopes for a 0-0. Inter doesn't win that many away matches in Europe. With a 0-0, anything is possible for the return.

[Ayman]

Dubbel said:

I have good hopes for a 0-0. Inter doesn't win that many away matches in Europe. With a 0-0, anything is possible for the return.

Well...what ever happens in the first leg, you can rest assure that Inter will come out with guns blazing in the second leg, and Im not sure how our 'young guns' will cope in such an atmosphere at the San Siro. E.g. Heitinga, Stekelenburg etc. They must compose themselves for that kind of game.

[ajaxperu]

Inter lost today against Juventus and the "good" news for us is that Veron got injured. It's not clear if the injury is serious (lets hope it is hehe). Zanetti wont play against Ajax either.
I was watching the game today and I really got worried about their capacity to create danger with free kicks. Our defense has to take measures to prevent free kicks close to our area. Lets just hope more Inter players get injured before the Champions League game ;)

[Kowalczyk]

man are we in for a roasting or what...

You know Ayman, you're a jumpy youngster and I'm an old hand with loads of experience in the trenches... so I guess it's my job to speak some reassuring words here... :yes: ;)

Look at the figures in the Champions League and you'll see that complete embarrassments or 'roastings' are quite rare, even in our worst seasons (with Bayern away being the exception that proves the rule).

We won't beat Inter, but I don't think we'll lose 0-3 at home and 5-0 in Milan or something, even though the difference in quality might actually be as big as that (or even bigger).

You know why?

For starters, the CL is a competition of caution. Almost every team will play more defensively than they normally do. Almost every team will be extremely cautious in the first leg (especially if it's away) and almost every team will salvage an away goal and dig in once they've notched one. Moreover, the teams that are generally regarded as the underdog (and Ajax sure as hell will be against Inter) often excel themselves in games like these, probably because they can 'pull themselves up' on their high-quality opposition. When you do a running race, you will actually put a better time on the boards is you're up against someone who's much faster than you, than if you run against someone slower than you. A fast opponent will 'suck you along', because you can chase his tail.

As a result of that the difference on the score-board won't be that big, is my prediction. We will get knocked out, and after the elimination is a fact we will probably have to conclude that we never stood a serious chance, but a 0-0 at the ArenA and a 1-0 or 2-0 defeat at the San Siro is more likely than a historic roasting. Ajax will fight for their dignity, they will get a chance or two and they will even put Inter under pressure during phases of the home game. And all the ignorant people - who randomly watch footie on TV, but never 'did the miles' with one particular club that they love and therefore never learned to 'feel' the psychology of a team - will think: hmm, I must admit, Ajax did better than I expected... The truth is that it's all quite predictable.

Having said that elimination by a small margin is the safest bet, I think the chance of a major upset by Ajax is actually bigger than the chance of a complete roasting. That's where our hope lies.

When we played Arsenal this season, or Juventus last year, or Valencia and Milan in 2003, everyone at work told me: "Ajax are not ready for this one, they will get absolutely destroyed." But it never happened. We didn't beat any of these opponents, but the results looked pretty 'normal': 0-0, 3-2, 1-1, 0-0, 1-2, 0-1, 1-0... It hardly ever gets worse than that in European games.

It's what you could call the 'levelling effect' of a competition in which so much money is at stake. It's like traffic on an slippery, icy road: when every driver is afraid of slipping and crashing into the car in front of him, everyone will drive slowly and cautiously... and no-one will get hurt.

That's why the Champions League is so f**king boring, in my opinion.

So stay calm, mate. Don't panic. ;)

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

"Don't Panic" is a strange phrase to use this season aint it Ko? ;)

[Kowalczyk]

"Don't Panic" is a strange phrase to use this season aint it Ko? ;)

Yea. Heitinga and Vermaelen have not been listening (to name but a few).

K.

[Philippe]

For starters, the CL is a competition of caution. Almost every team will play more defensively than they normally do. Almost every team will be extremely cautious in the first leg (especially if it's away) and almost every team will salvage an away goal and dig in once they've notched one. K.

I don't agree with you. Inter will play for the kill : they will come to get the best result possible in Amsterdam. Then they can play their reserve for the return game and focus on their domestic league. And that's our chance.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Whatever Ajax or Inter do, there's one thing for sure: each side will try its best.

[__earth]

Whatever Ajax or Inter do, there's one thing for sure: each side will try its best.

best is relative. blind knows best.

[Ayman]

If Ajax are to stand a chance against Inter, the best thing is to close them down dont give them much space, at the same time, get them on the break, and create chances, thats my opinion anyway.The thing is, there are three Italians at this preliminary stage, I cant see all three go through, I can see Juve definetly beating Werder Bremen, Bayern-Milan? Milan to pip it! But there is a chance that Inter might just under estimate Ajax. One thing, I really think we should put Babel on the right instead of Rosales!!!

[Ayman]

BTW, I just heard that Recoba is injured due to a thigh strain, I know it doesnt matter because they already have Martins and Adriano, and not to mention the ex-Kakkerlak, Julio Cruz, we all know that ex-Kakkerlak always come back to haunt Ajax, sometimes they succeed e.g. AC Milan 3-2 Ajax, Jon Dahl-Tommasson, sometimes they dont Ajax 3-1 Brondby, Johan Elmander.

FORZA AJAX!!!!!!!!!! :cheer:

[aveslacker]

If Ajax are to stand a chance against Inter, the best thing is to close them down dont give them much space, at the same time, get them on the break, and create chances, thats my opinion anyway.The thing is, there are three Italians at this preliminary stage, I cant see all three go through, I can see Juve definetly beating Werder Bremen, Bayern-Milan? Milan to pip it! But there is a chance that Inter might just under estimate Ajax. One thing, I really think we should put Babel on the right instead of Rosales!!!

FWIW, I think Bayern will out-dive, er, beat Milan. So here's hoping that only one Italian team makes it through, and it is Juve. :xyxthumbs:

[Blind3]

I'd consider it a major victory if Ajax achieves a draw. Juan Sebastian Veron ...OUT. Alvaro"El Chino" Recoba ...OUT. Only nine starters to go. Buy the ticket,take the ride.I'd still rather be nowhere else but Amsterdam Wednesday night.

[Feest]

Recoba is nowhere near a starter at Inter. He's the fourth choice striker behind Adriano, Martins and Cruz.

J. Zanetti is out though. So is Grygera for Ajax.

[DanK]

It's what you could call the 'levelling effect' of a competition in which so much money is at stake. It's like traffic on an slippery, icy road: when every driver is afraid of slipping and crashing into the car in front of him, everyone will drive slowly and cautiously... and no-one will get hurt.

That's why the Champions League is so f**king boring, in my opinion.

K.

And how! I think we have discussed this before in other posts, but since the introductions of 4 teams from England, Italy etc, the Champions League has lost not only quality, but, for me anyway, its interest.

I much prefered the days when some "small" club from the "lesser" league would frighten the living crap out of the bigger clubs. Now they don't even get to play them (well rarely).

It used to be exciting when the big clubs would finally meet towards the end of the tournament, now they play each other so many times I really dont care anymore.

Sure there are still great games, but the excitement is leaving Europes biggest football competion...god help us if a true Eupopean League starts up.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Don't worry guys, our fowards aint the worst.

[Dubbel]

It's what you could call the 'levelling effect' of a competition in which so much money is at stake. It's like traffic on an slippery, icy road: when every driver is afraid of slipping and crashing into the car in front of him, everyone will drive slowly and cautiously... and no-one will get hurt.

That's why the Champions League is so f**king boring, in my opinion.

K.

And how! I think we have discussed this before in other posts, but since the introductions of 4 teams from England, Italy etc, the Champions League has lost not only quality, but, for me anyway, its interest.

I much prefered the days when some "small" club from the "lesser" league would frighten the living crap out of the bigger clubs. Now they don't even get to play them (well rarely).

It used to be exciting when the big clubs would finally meet towards the end of the tournament, now they play each other so many times I really dont care anymore.

Sure there are still great games, but the excitement is leaving Europes biggest football competion...god help us if a true Eupopean League starts up.

True, it's only exciting if a club that you love (or a club that you hate) is playing.