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    The only stat that matters is goals, and both teams scored the same amount of goals over the two legs.

    Spurs were able to score goals in the final 35 minutes of the 180 minute tie, after they wore Ajax down, with the help of a great big lump of a striker. That Ajax got tired is a problem, and indeed partially due to game management, youth, not being used to playing at such a high level for such a sustained period of time. And when it was all over, Spurs had more away goals, and went through fair an square.

    But what I will always remember, is that in both matches when the two teams were both fresh, Ajax looked like a cat playing with a mouse.

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      Ajax seemed to lack a Plan B.
      Last edited by Satchmo Distel; 09-05-2019, 23:11.

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        Originally posted by Tactical Genius View Post

        Spurs were outplayed for the majority of the tie?

        Did you watch the game, have you seen the stats?
        I would be interested in seeing you working on this?
        Well, here's a guy who actually played in these games: "It was a ridiculous game. We were far down and fought back, and we were just lucky. I feel sorry for Ajax, because they played better football than us over two games. But we created more chances. We were lucky and we scored..."

        I get the impression that, in Christian Eriksen's understanding of the game, "playing better football = outplaying the opposition".

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          Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post

          He was so bizarrely calm wasn't he? Everyone else is celebrating wildly, the manager has completely lost it in a titanic display of manly emotion, and he's answering questions in the manner of a Danish person who works in the City of London, talking about the likely impact of brexit.
          I think like many VERY good players he has certain... well, standards... and after the game he was, like, "well, yeah... winning...but we our football was a bit sh*t..."
          One of my russky chums shoved a camera in his face as he was walking off and he just went "we were so f***Ing lucky... beep!..."

          He just seemed so unimpressed.

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            Originally posted by anton pulisov View Post
            But what I will always remember, is that in both matches when the two teams were both fresh, Ajax looked like a cat playing with a mouse.
            Okay, well you remember that and we'll remember our victory.

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              I don't know if Spurs were the better team over both legs (they were utterly schooled in the first half at White Hart Lane) but they were definitely the better team in the second leg; that second half performance was excellent, for all that we can pick over how Ajax failed to see the game out

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                Originally posted by Sash View Post

                Well, here's a guy who actually played in these games: "It was a ridiculous game. We were far down and fought back, and we were just lucky. I feel sorry for Ajax, because they played better football than us over two games. But we created more chances. We were lucky and we scored..."

                I get the impression that, in Christian Eriksen's understanding of the game, "playing better football = outplaying the opposition".
                We were not lucky that we won, If the third goal had been scored in the 80th minute like Liverpool rather than the 5th minute of injury time this lucky thing would not have come up.
                Also bear in mind Eriksen is an ex-Ajax player so he was understandably being diplomatic. Plus he is not the most emotionally demonstrative player (hence the accusations of him not trying a leg in some games)

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                  I saw a comment yesterday that the "away goals rule" is being taken out of European club competitions soon, anyone know if that is the case?

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                    TG, you were really fortunate. They hit the woodwork three times over the two legs, at times that would have completely killed off the tie.

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                      Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post
                      TG, you were really fortunate. They hit the woodwork three times over the two legs, at times that would have completely killed off the tie.
                      .......And we had two off the woodwork and one off the line. We would have still gone through on away goals.

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                        And if either Neres in the second half of the first game or Ziyech in the second half of the second game had hit the post slightly more to the inside...
                        But if Son's ball in the first half of the second game bounces in off the crossbar...

                        We can keep on playing these what-if games until the cows come home. If you want to make the case that Ajax were better over the two legs, you simply put forward both first halves when they were dominant. If you want to make the case that actually Spurs were better, point out that Ajax was mostly on the back foot for both second halves. Sprinkle in a few shots off bars and posts in halves where your favorite team didn't dominate, and your position will always be defensible while unlikely to convince anyone in the other camp.

                        Ajax played fantastically well in about 90 of the 180 minutes against Spurs, and if they had been a bit more clinical they would've scored more and possibly won the tie. Spurs were the better team in the other 90 of the 180 minutes, and they too could've put home a few more chances. In total, it's fair to say that in a game with such thin margins, whichever team prevails is the lucky one. Winning on away goals is a fitting resolution to those thin margins.

                        What is bloody annoying to me is when Dutch media then start blathering about playing dominantly, displaying beautiful, free-flowing football without resorting to hoofball strategies, and all that blah. This is worth fuck all if the team just shuts off for about half the gametime played, and displays such clown comedy defending as for Spurs' second goal on Wednesday.

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                          I saw a comment yesterday that the "away goals rule" is being taken out of European club competitions soon, anyone know if that is the case?
                          It has been under consideration for a couple of years, and kicker had an article earlier this season saying that UEFA have had discussions with clubs about it, but no formal decision has been made. I could see it becoming one of the "reforms" adopted either in response to or as part of the Agnelli-inspired proposals to favour "big" clubs.

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                            Originally posted by Wouter D View Post
                            And if either Neres in the second half of the first game or Ziyech in the second half of the second game had hit the post slightly more to the inside...
                            But if Son's ball in the first half of the second game bounces in off the crossbar...

                            We can keep on playing these what-if games until the cows come home. If you want to make the case that Ajax were better over the two legs, you simply put forward both first halves when they were dominant. If you want to make the case that actually Spurs were better, point out that Ajax was mostly on the back foot for both second halves. Sprinkle in a few shots off bars and posts in halves where your favorite team didn't dominate, and your position will always be defensible while unlikely to convince anyone in the other camp.

                            Ajax played fantastically well in about 90 of the 180 minutes against Spurs, and if they had been a bit more clinical they would've scored more and possibly won the tie. Spurs were the better team in the other 90 of the 180 minutes, and they too could've put home a few more chances. In total, it's fair to say that in a game with such thin margins, whichever team prevails is the lucky one. Winning on away goals is a fitting resolution to those thin margins.

                            What is bloody annoying to me is when Dutch media then start blathering about playing dominantly, displaying beautiful, free-flowing football without resorting to hoofball strategies, and all that blah. This is worth fuck all if the team just shuts off for about half the gametime played, and displays such clown comedy defending as for Spurs' second goal on Wednesday.
                            Indeed.
                            Ajax were dominant for the first 30 minutes of both games. The dutch media should focus more on the overrated Mesut Ozil clones in midfield or even the inability of Dutch footballers to last beyond 60 minutes. I noticed this when Mido, Davids and VDV played at the lane. To be fair, Davids was in his mid 30's and VDV and MIdo are fat.
                            Also it wasn't the long balls that did it for Ajax. It was the relentless running of Sissoko who was like a footballing version of a peak Jonah Lomu.
                            Last edited by Tactical Genius; 10-05-2019, 11:34.

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                              Originally posted by ursus arctos View Post

                              It has been under consideration for a couple of years, and kicker had an article earlier this season saying that UEFA have had discussions with clubs about it, but no formal decision has been made. I could see it becoming one of the "reforms" adopted either in response to or as part of the Agnelli-inspired proposals to favour "big" clubs.
                              That'd be my fear.... the away goal disappears and suddenly the seeded team is automatically given the second leg at home, and a major advantage.

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                                Davids was 100 years old when he went to Spurs. VdV had all of his knee cartilidge sucked out before he hit 26 and Real Madrid gave up on him. They actually tried to get rid of him a season earlier but he refused to move because his then wife was getting cancer treatment at a Madrid clinic.

                                Mido was never actually a professional footballer.

                                Edit: Mido is the typical type of player that Ajax would take a punt on as sloppy seconds. The scouts report probably said: "Prodigious footballer, fantastic skill and potential. Absolute lunatic and out of shape, stay clear." And the big clubs probably stayed clear. And can't remember if we moved him on for a profit.

                                And Davids was super fit. I know, because he went to the same gym as me for a while. The entire class of 1995 were super fit. Van Gaal tolerated nothing less. In fact, it could be said that Van Gaal's Ajax invented the combination of high pressing and supreme fitness.
                                Last edited by anton pulisov; 10-05-2019, 12:50.

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                                  Originally posted by Tactical Genius View Post
                                  Also it wasn't the long balls that did it for Ajax. It was the relentless running of Sissoko who was like a footballing version of a peak Jonah Lomu.
                                  Agreed. The game changed when Sissoko entered the pitch in the first leg, and he was a continuing threat in the second leg.

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                                    It was long ball wot done it in the end though. And schoolboy defending. The final Mouras goal... The ball is in the Spurs half and a long ball is launched from there straight up to Llorente, who is standing onside in the Ajax D, because Ajax haven't bothered to move up. Madness. I did have some doubts about making a 19 year old captain. As TG said: Blind Sr wouldn't have allowed that to happen.

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                                      Spurs are in their worst run of league form under Poch. In the league goals have pretty well dried up. Scored 4 against sub standard Huddersfield, in the 88 min against Brighton and on a wave of emotion against palace and that’s pretty much it. Losing 1 -0 has become our standard recent score.

                                      Eriksen is in poor form by his standards at the moment. Trippier has had a terrible season. Dier has gone backwards and been injured most of the season. Ben Davies has had poor season. Wanyama is almost permanently injured and when he plays is really rusty. Deli has been sporadic at best. Kane has been knackered all year following World Cup. Winks is injured (again and I fear for him). Our best Midfielder was sold in jan.

                                      Not surprisingly the quality that came to the fore was the togetherness and spirit of the club rather than the slick passing and brilliant counter attacking of the best pich era performances. The stability of th squad and how well they know each other really counted in the second half. Plus they must have a very uncharacteristic for spurs belief in themselves.

                                      We were a bit lucky but not as lucky as the team that won “that night in Barcelona”, and who remembers that they got schooled that night.

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                                        Lothar Matthäus?

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                                          That's an odd description of a match where a team scored a goal from a set piece inside the first 10 minutes, and then proceeded to do very little in the absence of their best striker, and their attacking left back.

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                                            Originally posted by anton pulisov View Post
                                            It was long ball wot done it in the end though. And schoolboy defending. The final Mouras goal... The ball is in the Spurs half and a long ball is launched from there straight up to Llorente, who is standing onside in the Ajax D, because Ajax haven't bothered to move up. Madness. I did have some doubts about making a 19 year old captain. As TG said: Blind Sr wouldn't have allowed that to happen.
                                            So where do Ajax go from here Anton.
                                            I think an experienced defensive midfielder should be a priority. Are more players besides De Jong expected to leave. They are getting a ridiculous amount of money for him and they are already swimming in cash. I think all the players should stay for at least a season.

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                                              Originally posted by The Awesome Berbaslug!!! View Post
                                              That's an odd description of a match where a team scored a goal from a set piece inside the first 10 minutes, and then proceeded to do very little.
                                              They hit the bar and played keep ball and showboated whilst man United huffed and puffed.
                                              Fair play to Man U to keep going but they were outplayed.

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                                                That's really not what it looks like now. It's just a team that scores a goal from a set piece that doesn't really know what to do, and then they lose.

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                                                  Munich hit the bar and post in that game. Maybe you were too young to remember.

                                                  highlights below.
                                                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxDgwmtrB-I

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                                                    I watched it recently. There's a marked tendency for people to see teams they don't like trailing, as them being taught a lesson.

                                                    I mean if bayern taught man utd a lesson in 1999, that semifinal between Ajax and Spurs involved Dutchmen digging up bill nicholson's corpse to misuse his eye holes, before shitting everywhere and wiping themselves clean with harry kane's shirt.
                                                    Last edited by The Awesome Berbaslug!!!; 10-05-2019, 15:06.

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