10 DEC 2019; Ajax - Valencia; CL Group Game 6

[Orange14]

Final group matches in the CL coming up on Tuesday. Ajax entertain Valencia and Chelsea are home to Lille. Ajax of course dropped their match tonight against Willem II. Valencia are away tomorrow against Levante. Lille won their match today while Chelsea are away to relegation threatened Everton tomorrow. Ajax just need a draw or a Chelsea loss to advance. A win means Ajax win the group. It will be a tough match on Tuesday with nothing guaranteed except a place in the Europa League if everything goes south.

[Tom_]

It’s a tricky little run into the winter stop. Personally I think Ajax has been far better with Ziyech at #10 and Tadić at #9... but that depends on the wingers and with Promes, Neres and Labyad injured I don’t know how those positions should be filled in.

[Orange14]

I honestly don't know what ETH will do. He played a deep double pivot of both Martinez and Alvarez in the first Valencia match with van de Beek at #10 and Promes and Ziyech on the wings. Maybe this is what the lineup looks like on Tuesday. Alternatively, he might move to a type of 4-4-2 with Ziyech dropping back deeper from the wing into the MF. I guess we will have to see what happens.

EDIT: I just watched the 2nd half of the Everton - Chelsea game this morning. Chelsea lost 3-1 and looked only average. I won't be surprised if Lille give them a tough match on Tuesday.

[Ayman]

Erik ten Hag says that he is hopeful that Promes will return in time for this match

[Ayman]

Cillessen had to be substituted in the game against Levante, he is a doubt for the game against Ajax. Valencia already have their influential defender Garaay missing. They are good at going forward, but they have more holes in their defense than a Swiss Cheese

[Orange14]

Cillessen had to be substituted in the game against Levante, he is a doubt for the game against Ajax.

I think he was slightly injured in training the other day. I don't wish injuries on any player so I hope he is OK>

[SPL]

Still cursing that ref at Chelsea.Blow up the foul on Blind and no penalty no red cards and still 4-2. 2 points cheated out of us,we would now have qualified.

Sorry guys I am still blooming angry.I would use stronger language!

[Orange14]

Still cursing that ref at Chelsea.Blow up the foul on Blind and no penalty no red cards and still 4-2. 2 points cheated out of us,we would now have qualified.

Sorry guys I am still blooming angry.I would use stronger language!

What was weird is that in the last CL match between Real Madrid and PSG, VAR overturned a RC on the Madrid goalkeeper further up field prior to the play. This is similar to the foul on Blind. Even if they would have moved it back to the Pulicic foul on Blind, Blind would still have been sent off for the foul he committed as it was a continuation play involving violent conduct (this is according to several referees on another forum that I participate on so Blind is still gone). However, the shot on goal would not have been counted as the play would have been dead at the Blind foul. Veltman would have stayed on the pitch with a score of 1-4. It would have been easier for Ajax to defend only a man down.

Clement Turpin of France is calling the Ajax match on Tuesday. I think we have had him before and he's the top French match official. The two Dutch refs have very good games: Makkelie gets Salzburg - Liverpool while Kuipers gets Inter - Barcelona.

[Ayman]

Cillessen had to be substituted in the game against Levante, he is a doubt for the game against Ajax.

I think he was slightly injured in training the other day. I don't wish injuries on any player so I hope he is OK>

He got injured again different kind of injury

[Ayman]

More bad news, Onana injured with a hamstring. Cillessen out, they have 5 first team players missing for the game against Ajax.

[Orange14]

More bad news, Onana injured with a hamstring. Cillessen out, they have 5 first team players missing for the game against Ajax.

With injuries piling up for both teams, it's tough to figure out who will be favored tomorrow. Last season Ajax were pretty much injury free and the only key player who missed a match was de Ligt in the away PSV game where Ajax were thrashed.

[Amol]

This game truly has me worried with Onana possibly out as well now. Lets hope Promes makes it back in time for tomorrow's game.

[Amol]

ETH just confirmed that Promes will miss the game tomorrow, but that they're still counting on Onana to be available.

[Amol]

Squad for today -
Onana;
Mazraoui, Veltman, Blind, Tagliafico;
Álvarez, Van de Beek, Martínez;
Ziyech, Tadic, Lang

Subs: Varela, Schuurs, Huntelaar, De Jong, Marin, Traoré, Dest

[Tom_]

Pretty nervous about this game. In the first group game Valencia’s plan was kick the ball up front, fall over and hope for a free kick. Their MF wasn’t great. But they still got some really good chances on the break.

Worried that there’s a good chance we end up in the Europa league...

[kezme44]

looks like maxi gomez, guedes, cilessen and garay are all out for valencia

[Orange14]

Good that we have Siem de Jong on the bench. He can be a real game changer!!! (dripping with sarcasm)

[SPL]

Finally here ,I feel very nervous.

[Tom_]

Really got a terrible feeling about this

[Tom_]

I think we’re too defensive again. The other two European games where we’ve looked this defensive, home against Tottenham and Chelsea, have ended badly.

Ziyech needs to be more involved in the MF but I don’t see how that happens.

[SPL]

Soft defending again for the goal,Veltman in no mans land kept the scorer onside.

Chelsea looking comfortable so we just have to get the draw.

[kezme44]

very poor. alvarez too slow and he'll pick up another yellow if he is not taken off

[Orange14]

Clever goal by Valencia put Ajax into a big hole. Valencia playing 4-4-2 packing everyone in. Will Ajax be able to unlock this? I'm not sure. Sure will be disappointing not to go through.

[SPL]

Having a squad with only 2 wide players ie the 2 injured,doesn't look clever now.Ziyech and Lang are MF and not widemen. Jong Ajax has no widemen either all attacking MF .

[SPL]

Dest for Alvarez