closed Valencia 2-2 Chelsea

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, LAM09 said:

Mr "Big game" would

[Tomo 21,751]

4 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

Mr "Big game" would

No i wouldn't, i just said they're a bigger game/team than United right now, which they absolutely are. 

[Vesper 30,185]

3 minutes ago, Jason said:

But you won't put Ajax in the same bracket as Man City, Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern now, would you? 

if they had kept the whole team together and added 3 key players (world class CB to pair with de Ligt, like a Marquinhos type. a great traditional CF like Werner or Icardi, and a beast DMF like Thomas Partey) yes, absolutely they would at the level of those teams, if not this year then surely next

they simply do not have the funds to do that though

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

13 minutes ago, Jason said:

People talk too much about us being a young team, TBH. Yes, we have a number of young players this season, more than any other time but there are still loads of experienced players in the squad. Obviously, I don't expect the team to be winning every game but we should be doing better than having basketball games like the ones against Ajax and Valencia. We've done well generally in the PL but in the Europe, that's becoming a bit of an issue if the last 2 games are anything to go by. 

Im gonna go back to pre-season, defensively weve never been completely right.

This did improve slightly over time since that United game but it is regressing again. It is a huge issue.

People keep saying not being clinical is an issue but conceding chances and goals is one of our biggest concerns. In Franks 2 seasons of management his clean sheet record is pretty bad. Are we going to say that is all down to players? Lets be honest there have been individual mistakes, yes but I still have concerns with the teams shape.

 

[DanP2311 65]

I don’t think Bats is awful, despite today’s performance.  Seems like the main thing is that some sort of help is needed in the connecting midfield area, whether that’s a personnel issue or a formation issue I don’t know. 

[LAM09 7,056]

No i wouldn't, i just said they're a bigger game/team than United right now, which they absolutely are. 

For one season?

[Tomo 21,751]

I hate the 3atb with the wrong players, to pull that system off you need certain players in each positions. The three CB's need to be James/Azpi, Christensen and Tomori/Rudi but with wingbacks we haven't really got any bar Alonso who should be backup, i don't think any of our fullbacks suit that position, not even James.

If we are seeing that as a serious go to option specalist players need to be signed, one being a convertable winger ala Moses and Dujon Sterling could/should be in with a shout.

[Tomo 21,751]

4 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

14 minutes ago, Tomo said:

No i wouldn't, i just said they're a bigger game/team than United right now, which they absolutely are. 

For one season?

Point i was making at the time was the current Ajax side even without Frenkie are better than every side we will face domestically this season bar two, so if Arsenal/Spurs/United are classed as big games/teams so should they be.

[Milan 17,958]

Seeing what clubs are certain to top their CL groups, finishing second in our group would be wonderful but hurtful I am just hoping we beat Lille and get through, no matter what. And keeping my fingers crossed Ajax and Valencia share a nice little draw.

[Superblue 6,372]

Christensen has regressed a lot in recent times. He looked so classy in Conte's back three but he just doesn't look assured enough any more. What I felt was a big mistake tonight was also switching Zouma to the left hand side to accommodate Christensen. In my opinion if Christensen was coming in you keep Zouma settled on that right hand side to keep some form of consistency. Zouma was clearly not comfortable all night with his positioning and having to be on his left hand side with the ball.

I'm also disappointed with how the midfield three has worked the last two games. I can understand the reasons for it in these two games but it has left us much less fluid, and we miss the link that Mount has provided between midfield and attack. I hope over the next couple of games at home to West Ham, Villa and Lille we revert back to a midfield two with Mount sat in just in front.

[Tomo 21,751]

17 minutes ago, milan.cech said:

Seeing what clubs are certain to top their CL groups, finishing second in our group would be wonderful but hurtful I am just hoping we beat Lille and get through, no matter what. And keeping my fingers crossed Ajax and Valencia share a nice little draw.

The change to the seeding system has made finishing 1st and 2nd more of an even playing field than it use to be.

[NikkiCFC 8,324]

7 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

Christensen has regressed a lot in recent times. 

His first game after two months. He'll get better. 

[Jase 43,479]

As expected, Ajax get the win at Lille.

Anyway, if we beat Lille in the final group game, we're through to the R16, regardless of what happens in Ajax v Valencia.

A point against Lille would be enough if Ajax beat Valencia. Any other results and we'll be out!

[killer1257 3,282]

As expected, Ajax get the win at Lille.
Anyway, if we beat Lille in the final group game, we're through to the R16, regardless of what happens in Ajax v Valencia.
A point against Lille would be enough if Ajax beat Valencia. Any other results and we'll be out!

Osimhen, Ikone, Bamba and Soumare will be a pain in the ass. Hope they have bad day

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[Jase 43,479]

10 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

I'm also disappointed with how the midfield three has worked the last two games. I can understand the reasons for it in these two games but it has left us much less fluid, and we miss the link that Mount has provided between midfield and attack. I hope over the next couple of games at home to West Ham, Villa and Lille we revert back to a midfield two with Mount sat in just in front.

This! I hope it was just a case of Lampard trying to solidify the midfield (not that it worked out great) and not him trying to shoehorn Jorginho/Kovacic/Kante into the starting XI for whatever reason. 

[Jase 43,479]

Just now, killer1257 said:

Osimhen, Ikone, Bamba and Soumare will be a pain in the ass. Hope they have bad day

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No disrespect to Lille but if we can't beat them at home, then we don't deserve to go through.

[LAM09 7,056]

Point i was making at the time was the current Ajax side even without Frenkie are better than every side we will face domestically this season bar two, so if Arsenal/Spurs/United are classed as big games/teams so should they be.

That's subjective. We should have gotten 6 points against them, so I'd say that strengthens the opinion of others (mine included) on the matter.  

 

Things aligned for Ajax last season and that's it.

 

 

 

[Jase 43,479]

6 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

That's subjective. We should have gotten 6 points against them, so I'd say that strengthens the opinion of others (mine included) on the matter.  

I know it's all ifs and buts, if only Barkley hadn't fucked that penalty against Valencia, we would have been through by now. A draw in the first group game would have set our path a lot easier. 

[LAM09 7,056]

I know it's all ifs and buts, if only Barkley hadn't fucked that penalty against Valencia, we would have been through by now. A draw in the first group game would have set our path a lot easier. 

True. I was just emphasising the point that Ajax aren't some side that ought to be viewed any different than seasons prior to last.

Ajax reach another CL semi, I'll rethink.

[Superblue 6,372]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

This! I hope it was just a case of Lampard trying to solidify the midfield (not that it worked out great) and not him trying to shoehorn Jorginho/Kovacic/Kante into the starting XI for whatever reason. 

I think it's the former. It made sense to try and pack the midfield against City and similarly away at Valencia, it just simply hasn't worked.

To be honest I'm not against Kante being the one who misses out against West Ham. We need to get back to a pre international break when we were dominating teams in midfield (and as a result leaving ourselves much less open defensively) and creating more clear cut chances with the four attacking players.