06 Nov 2013: Ajax - Celtic FC

[Kowalczyk]

UEFA Champions League 2013-2014. Group H. Matchday 4.

Kick-off time at the ArenA is 20:45 CET.

Must-win. If we beat them we are likely to finish 3rd. If we don't beat them we are almost certainly 4th and f**ked.

K.

[Philippe]

If we win, we could even end 2nd, depending on the next game against AC Milusconi.
Anyway, first things first.
Will De Sa play this evening ?

[King Litti]

It seems that Moisander will return to action (he already played for young Ajax yesterday). He hasn't played much recently. Hope he is ready to jump in. Playing in the CL is a bit different than playing in the Jupiler league. Still I think he's the best central defender we have now and he should start if he is fit enough. The question is can he play 90 minutes? What we don't need is that FdB will have to take him out at the end and we will have to throw in one of our unexperienced guys for the decisive minutes. We could end up like we did against Milan. If he can play, who will he be paired up with? Denwil or Veltman? I like Denswills strenght and he has shown a lot of potential, but he makes too many rookie mistakes. I feel he is too anxious to prove his worth and that's why he makes bad decisions. Against quality teams those mistakes will turn quickly to conceded goals. Veltman was very cool and solid against Vitesse and he would fit nicely next to Moisander as he is right footed. Tough decision.

de Sa should be fit to play tomorrow. Duarte is still out. De Sa has the speed that we need. Andersen is just too slow for a winger.

[SPL]

A bit of a risk playing Moisander but Denswil has to make way ,he is making too many rookie mistakes at present and giving goals away. de Sa to play on the wing but we are still stuck with de Jong and Serero!!

[SPL]

de Sa not in the squad but Sana is not in either which is no surprise as he does not impress me in the Jupiler league.A win tomorrow and 3 points on Sunday at NEC will take the pressure off the team but in truth we have a much weakened squad this year and with injuries are struggling . Trouble is 3rd place means Europa Cup and a game against some team in Russia which makes no money and will mean a young squad struggling in the following league game.

[Tom_]

It's about time Ajax actually turn up for a game. Surely we're better than Celtic…?

[Cruijff]

Celtic is a terrible team. I watch a lot of games and even RKC Waalwijk and Heracles Almelo play better football than the pathetic Celts. If we don't win this home game tonight the current status of Ajax is pretty sad..........

[saddlerian]

Well, in Dublin for a few days now....and everyone expects Celtic to win, their real roots coming from here. Should be a good night in Temple bar but don't really expect much good news with the players available!!
van Rihn needs a kick up the backside as he should be the main attacker on the right wing; keep Veltman in to partner Moisander; play the entire Danish contingent, Blind on left, Poulson & Anderson in middle and Schone on right, Boilesen left back.....then Fischer and de Jong up front....4-4-2 will win this game...IF they go forwards!!! The main reason they pass backwards is because there are not enough players up the field!!!

ONWARDS, FORWARDS.....I'll be wearing my red & white shirt in Dublin tonight!!!

[King Litti]

It seems that FdB is reacting to the bad performances of late. Used the google translator so I'm not completely sure, and this could be just a rumour anyway, but what I understand from the story from ajaxshowtime.com the starting line up could be something like this:

Cillessen
van Rhijn Veltman Denswil Boilesen

Blind

Schöne Klaassen Serero

Sighthorsson de Jong


So, both starting wingers Fischer and Andersen would start on the bench. Blind insted of Poulsen and de Jong as a striker with Siggy (at least that is what I figured. We don't want to see Siggy as a winger). Moisander is still not completely fit, so he wont start.

I feel it's odd that we would play without real wingers. Fischer has been ineffective but still he is a scoring threat and difficult to play against. Still, something has to be done, cause we have played like shit lately.

[SPL]

Celtic were poor imo the other week.Take away the 2 goals ,both gifts from Denswil ,ok the 2nd is abit harsh on him but it was going straight to Cillessen but for Denswil, and that was Celtic's chances at home. The lineup looks interesting at least it seems FDB is thinking of changing things.It is difficult to play 4-3-3 when you have only one fit winger ,and even then Fischer is not truely a winger.

I read that Duarte is coming back to training so hopefully we will not have to put up with Serero for much longer.

[Orange14]

With both de Jong and Sigthorsson up front we have slower and slowest, not a recipe for success IMO. I agree that we are in dire shape without any true wing players which means we really need a front three that can interchange positions with some quickness. I know Fischer is having difficulties but he's really the only player with any quickness who can play up front. Maybe against Celtic it doesn't matter, we'll see. No way Serero belongs on the pitch he will get physically punished by Celtic.

I guess I'm hoping for a 1-0 win but if the lineup posted by King Litti is the one that takes the filed I'm thinking another hapless 0-0 match or 0-1 if we screw up on defense (which is probable).

[Tom_]

I dunno about the lineup, we could have Zlatan up front but he wouldn't get any service from our midfield the way we've been playing. Maybe Cillessen would be able to pick him out once or twice...

I was also surprised at how weak Celtic were in Glasgow, BUT they had their match plan and it worked perfectly for them, you have to credit that (even if it was lame). I had a bit of a chuckle when Serero was tussling with Samaras. It looked like Samaras would just be able to flick him out of the stadium if he felt like it.

Does Fischer really classify as a goalscoring threat? I don't think he's scored more than once or twice this season. Hmm.

[King Litti]

Does Fischer really classify as a goalscoring threat? I don't think he's scored more than once or twice this season. Hmm.

True. I just mean that he's active and looking forward. Trying to go past defenders in one on one situations and isn't shy when it comes to taking a shot on goal. He hasn't scored a lot of goals, but I think he has been maybe a bit unlucky. At least he gets himself in to goal scoring situations and often through a good individual effort. I think he is the biggest scoring threat we have at this point (not necessarily scoring himself, but making something happen for us offensively). Which isn't saying much I guess.

[SPL]

Team as per King Litti's earlier post,ie no wingers and Siggy and de Jong as strikers. Providing we can stop giving away more silly goals ,which we have been doing recently,we can win this .

I'm watching on sky tonight and computer is in another room so will talk later when we hopefully will have some Ajax goals to discuss

[Orange14]

I'm watching Ajax on the computer and Barca/Milan on the TV (both are in the same room) though I may switch to the Arsenal/Dortmund match if Barca start to run away from Milan.

[King Litti]

I like the way we have come out. Energetic.

[afcajax73]

I'm watching Ajax on the computer and Barca/Milan on the TV (both are in the same room) though I may switch to the Arsenal/Dortmund match if Barca start to run away from Milan.

do you have a link or on sky? i cancelled my skysports :(

[Tom_]

I'm on NOS, you need a .nl IP for that though

[afcajax73]

ah yeah. poo

[Orange14]

Very poor officiating so far. Why does Klaasen get a card for properly kicking the ball and Samaras does not for elbowing Blind? Lots of rough play from Celtic but that's to be expected. We are doing a better job of getting the ball forward but then the passes are just too slow and easily intercepted. Glad to see van Rhijn going forward it puts pressure on Celtic to keep back. Cannot play both Sigthorsson and de Jong up front they are both too slow, one or the other but not both. Serero is useless again, he's just afraid to press forward and easily dispossessed. Massive amounts of possession even in the attacking third but then nobody to finish or create a chance. Still pretty sure this ends up 0-0.

[Orange14]

I'm watching Ajax on the computer and Barca/Milan on the TV (both are in the same room) though I may switch to the Arsenal/Dortmund match if Barca start to run away from Milan.

do you have a link or on sky? i cancelled my skysports :(

Sopcast 143529 with the Russian commentary

[afcajax73]

do you need to register for sopcast?

[Van basten]

Andersen and fisher has to come in in second half.

[Orange14]

do you need to register for sopcast?

No, but you do have to have the Sopcast program on your computer. Lots of links here: http://livetv.ru/en/eventinfo/199923_ajax_celtic/

[Tom_]

Bit of play-acting going on too, I thought that was against Celtics get-stuck-in ethos?

Seems to me we found a bit more room around midfield but there just isn't anyone to make the quality final pass, e.g. if the ball comes to Serero or Boilesen you can be pretty sure it's going to be given away. I thought Schöne did quite well with a couple of nice touches and good passes, and there have been some decent opportunities to get a cross in but it's always 1–2 vs. 5 in the box. Hope we pinch one in the next 15 and then Celtic have to come out a bit but it's more usual for us to concede in the 25 minutes around half time.