11 Dec 2013: AC Milan - Ajax

[aveslacker]

Right then. I'm ready for D-Day. Let's have it.

K.

Considering our form lately, I think we have a chance. I still think Milan are favorites, but they have a lot of injuries and we've really been hitting our stride. I'm more optimistic about this match than I was a few days ago.

[kezme44]

birsa is out for ac as well

[Orange14]

Balotelli will get ejected from the game because of something stupid, mark my words!

[rjf1]

One of the keys is the last 10 minutes of each half. In the last 10 minutes, when you are perhaps a bit tired, they go full tilt, attacking like crazy and wind up nipping a goal from out of nowhere -- they have done this to us on more than one occasion in the past.

[Ayman]

Ok I just realised that Birsa is a left winger/midfielder, also was reading through milan forums and match reports. Poli is first choice right back and that isnt his favourite position at all, Scilgio is better than him. Urby will play left back, with Mexes and Zapata in the defence. Muntari is back in midfield, but Allegri prefers Nocerino-de Jong-Montolivo in midfield with Kaka upfront behind Balotelli, El Shawari will probably start on the bench. The midfield battle will be key and Ajax should also make the most of using their wingers, seeing how that is possibly Milan's greatest weak spot.

[ofey]

Tell me that's not our starting line up?

[King Litti]

Tell me that's not our starting line up?

Why not? It's too bad Boilesen is injured, but at least Ligeon is a defender. I don't think Duarte is a better defender than Ligeon and he is out anyway. Poulsen would maybe be useful with his physic and experience and that would give us and actual left back with Blind, but the trio Blind, Klaassen and Serero have been great. Bojan is still finding his game rhythm so it's quite understandable that he comes in as a sub.

[Orange14]

Other than mixing up Denswil and Moisander this is the best lineup we can put out tomorrow. Remember if we don't score a single goal we are out of CL competition. We need to score and score first. Bojan is only a sub because he is not fully match fit (if he were I would start him over Hoesen). Injuries are a part of the game and at least we are not as knocked up as Milan!

EDIT: Just saw that Howard Webb will be the match official. He's solid and a lot better than some of the dicey officials from smaller UEFA nations. Might help us in terms of not putting up with Balotelli's nonsense.

[Tom_]

It's just a newspaper guess anyway, right? (Not that that means it's not true.)

[King Litti]

Oh boy, it's game day! Just read from the ajaxshowtime site that the opening line up would be this:

Cillesen

van Rhijn Poulsen Moisander Denswil

Klaassen Blind Serero

Schöne Bojan Fischer


Well, don't know how reliable this report was.

It would be surprising that Poulsen would be a center back since I don't think he has played that position that much. Don't remember him playing a CB at Ajax at all. Why start in a game where the stakes are 4,5 million euros and going through to the best 16 of Europe. Then again he actually possesses a lot of abilities that make a good CB. Even the lack of speed doesn't hurt so much if he were a CB.

I'm not sure do I like the idea that Denswil would be a left back. He is build to be a CB and that's the position he is used to play. He is strong, but not that fast. Can't see that he would have the pace to run up and down the wing and handling one on one situations against wingers. Can't see him giving good crosses either, but I could be wrong.

Well, I trust FdB knows what he is doing. What ever the formation or tactic is, we just have to give it our best shot. A game kind of has a life of its own. You can never know what is going to happen, but we know that we have played good football lately. The injuries of Siggy and de Jong were kind of a blessing in disguise. It made FdB rethink our game. Klaassen and Serero have taken big leaps forward and now we have a solid and a hard working squad.

I don't think we have to be afraid of Milan, but we do need to respect them. Actually they might be a bit scared. Everyone expects them to go through. They have everything lose. We have everything to win. Let's score and see them shit in their pants Can't wait!

[Ayman]

I dont mind seeing Denswil at left back, but Poulsen at centre back? No way. My prediction is that its most likely to be a score draw 2-2 or 1-1 or AC Milan will win by one goal margin 3-2 or 2-1, look at their line up, Sciglio at right back, Bonero at centreback, plus they dropped nocerino for Poli in midfield.

[Kowalczyk]

Haven't felt like this in quite some time.

Match day tension at 10:00 in the morning.

Good times.

Last time we booked three CL wins in a row and advanced from the group stage was in 2005: wins against FC Thun (2x) and Sparta Prague.

Consecutive wins over Celtic, Barça and AC Milan would be... something special indeed.

K.

[Philippe]

juventus out ! Sneijder scored at 86' !

Let's kick Milusconi's ass and make it a great day for football !

Yes we can !

[orange goblin]

Haven't felt like this in quite some time.

Match day tension at 10:00 in the morning.

[souras84]

Cillessen, Van Rhijn, Moisander, Denswil, Blind, Klaassen, Poulsen, Serero, Schöne, Bojan, Fischer

[Ayman]

Poulsen in the line up, say goodbye to the champions league and hello to the Europa league

[Van basten]

http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/a-bus ... lan-video/

Warm welcome

[Van basten]

Watching game preview show. They calling Serero a big talent

[Orange14]

Poulsen in the line up, say goodbye to the champions league and hello to the Europa league

???????? Cannot agree with you here.

Fox Sports is carrying the match live in the US on Fox Sports 2!

[SPL]

watching on sky on a TV again so will catch you later.

[Amol]

Interesting news for Milan - Mexes is on the bench and also De Jong is starting.

[Van basten]

Red card for montolivo!!!

[martinkohout]

Red card for montolivo!!!

And richly deserved, too. That was a horrific challenge.

[Ayman]

Wow! Red car for AC Milan captain Montolivo!

[Tom_]

Classic nonplussed shrug after the red card as well. Replays suggest he probably knows exactly why he got sent off...

This won't make it any easier to score but the danger will be a little lower on the counter. I suspect Milan will really sit back now.