29 Aug 2007: SK Slavia Praha - Ajax

[Philippe]

a must win : we want Ajax to play the CL !

[Kowalczyk]

a must win : we want Ajax to play the CL !

I don't think anyone will disagree with you on that one...

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Sure is nice to play in CL, but what's the point if we're probably not going to be a good team in Europe? A bit embarrassing.

But I still hope Ajax plays in Europe.

[Philippe]

Being kicked-out by Slavia Prague, a year after being kicked-out by Copenhagen, would be far more embarassing !

Come on, let's win this one !

[ajax-erie]

A must win : we want Ajax to play the CL !

Out of the gate, this year and already Ajax must show its MEDDLE. I have confidence that Ajax will answer the call.

[Van der Vaart]

0-2

Suarez and KJH

[Philippe]

1-2 and then I think I will buy the new home shirt with the name of the player who will score the winning goal printed on it.

[Manneken Pis]

1-2 and then I think I will buy the new home shirt with the name of the player who will score the winning goal printed on it.

What if it's a Slavia own-goal?

[Philippe]

then I will choose THC

[JohnyAjax]

Right now the chance of Ajax entering the group stage is fairly bigger than it was at the 78th minute of Ajax - FC Copenhagen. But if Mr. Henkie does not do something really serious in order to tell the strikers that they have to score when they have the ball and they have an empty net in front of them. The first leg really showed that we can create 100% scoring chances, but we seem somewhat cursed in the 3rd qualifying rounds. Last year we won the away leg and ultimately crashed and burned in the Arena so i believe this year we may be lucky that we play our away leg second this year.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Our last two eredivisie games showed we can score goals, and lots. Especialy against teams on slavia's standards.

maduro and gabri however are expected to miss the match through injury. I'm guessing Delorge and Schilder to replace them.

[Van der Vaart]

Gabri and Maduro will miss the game.

The team will propably start the same as started the second half vs Hoerenveen.

[Kowalczyk]

Fantastic news on Ajax Netwerk: both Maduro and Gabri are fit and available for Wednesday. They trained with the squad, 100% intensity, without problems.

Maduro saw the doctor yesterday and the conclusion was that his minor concussion is nothing serious. No damage whatsoever. Gabri will undergo a final test tomorrow, but it looks good.

This is very, very good news.

Another thought...

I am not saying that a 0-1 home defeat in the first leg is a good result, but I do prefer a 1-0 first leg defeat at home over a 1-0 first leg defeat away, strangely enough.

The reason: if a team lose 1-0 in the away game, they will be in two minds about the home leg. They know that they must win, but on the other hand they have to be extremely cautious: if the opponents get a goal it will almost certainly be fatal (they'll require three). This is a very ironic situation: you have to take risks and be very cautious at the same time. This will make a team nervous. It is, tactically, a difficult situation to find yourself in.

Ajax's task in Prague is much simpler: they'll advance if they score two goals - and this situation will not change if they concede one. In other words: at kick-off two goals will be enough, but if they go 1-0 down two goals will still be enough. Which means in practice that one Slavia goal in Prague will be relatively meaningless, which means you can actually attack and take risks without having to be afraid.

Hope this makes sense. I am 100% convinced that it works this way, psychologically.

We'll do it. For sure.

K.

[ZoefdeHaas]

Ofcourse, 12 goals in two eredivisie games? IMO Heerenveen is a potentially better team than Slavia, not underestimating them or anything. We put 4 past the Frisians, lets put 5 past the Czechs

[Manneken Pis]

It's true that the task is "simplified" by losing 0-1 in Amsterdam.

My personal worry is when teams can score "at will" when they don't need to and then go into a "must score" situation and they can't.

The clearest example was Holland in Euro 2000 when they score "at will" in the quarters against Yugoslavia, but then couldn't get the bloody thing in the net for love nor money in the semis against Italy.

[aveslacker]

Oddly enough, Ko, I was thinking something similar. You don't want to be down 1-0 at home, but you'd rather have the deficit to make up on your away leg, knowing that the minute you score the first goal, you have what amounts to a half goal advantage. In other words, once it is 1-1, you're even on away goals, but your next goal will require your opponent to score twice to win.

If Ajax put that away goal in early, the lift for Ajax, and deflation for Slavia, will be pretty noticeable, imo.

Now just to get that first goal!

[K.J. Huntelaar]

Is everyone fit in Slavia squad?

[Philippe]

from UEFA.com :


Titans trembling as big night looms
Monday 27 August 2007


AFC Ajax are looking to avoid a second early exit in as many years while Sevilla FC are short-staffed as the lineup for the UEFA Champions League group stage is decided this week.

Concluding ties
Tuesday and Wednesday will see the conclusion of all of the 16 third qualifying round ties, with some of Europe's top clubs - including last season's finalists Liverpool FC - looking to book their place in the group stage. Amsterdam giants Ajax, however, face an uphill task if they are to avoid a second shock exit in as many years.

Ajax on edge
Bowing out against FC København at the same stage last season, Henk ten Cate's side surprisingly lost the home leg of their tie against SK Slavia Praha 1-0 and now face a demanding trip to the Czech capital on Wednesday. However, a 4-1 league win against SC Heerenveen - following an 8-1 win in their opener against De Graafschap - has given Ajax reason to feel confident.

Good form
"Twelve goals in two matches - that's not bad," said Ten Cate. "We've made a strong start to the league and looking at Wednesday, we have gained some confidence. We will have our chances in Prague and we are confident that we will finish the job." However, with Hedwiges Maduro suffering from concussion and fellow midfielder Gabri still injured, Ajax are two men down.

(...)
Draw on Thursday
Elsewhere, FK Crvena Zvezda and FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti will look to build on good first-leg results as their ties against Rangers FC and S.S. Lazio respectively conclude on Tuesday, while the following night will see FC Salzburg battle to enter European football's promised land as they defend a 1-0 lead at big-spending FC Shakhtar Donetsk. The draw for the group stage will be held in Monaco on Thursday evening.

©uefa.com 1998-2007. All rights reserved.

[Ayman]

Does anyone know the results from Slavia's domestic game?

[Cedric]

They didn't lose a single point in 4 games. Wednesday will be their first defeat of the season. I hope at least.

[Philippe]

according to DT this morning, Gabri will be fit for the Prague game, but Maduro won't.

[Kowalczyk]

according to DT this morning, Gabri will be fit for the Prague game, but Maduro won't.

Yep. Correct. Maduro will "not take the medical risk" and stay at home, according to De Telegraaf.

Ajax will fly out to Prague this afternoon.

Slavia, by the way, have now played four league games and they grabbed the full 12 points.

K.

[carcajou]

I have a bad feeling about all this, meh.

[ZoefdeHaas]

i personally don't, usually in these two-legged matches and when Ajax lose one I don't feel TOO bad. Then Ajax usually comes through.

Lets hope they beat the shit out of Praag

[Manneken Pis]

Starting line up according to Voetbal International;

Stekelenburg

Colin, Stam, Vermaelen, Emanuelson

Gabri, Heitinga, Suárez

Bakircioglu, Huntelaar, Rommedahl