13 APR 2017 Ajax - Schalke 04 Europa League Quarterfinals

[Orange14]

Quarterfinals in the Europa League!! Ajax have not made it this far in a European competition in what seems forever! Schalke 04 have been struggling this season and lie in 10th place in the Bundesliga with no chance at a top four finish. Our former captain, KJH, has seldom played this season. Schöne is suspended for the match and Dolberg might not be healthy enough to play.

[Tom_]

Looking forward to it! I think #6 is a worry. vd Beek was not good on the weekend, and defense isn't a strong point of his game. Riedewald? de Jong?

[SPL]

Agree v d Beek was not great but he is not an out and out no 6. He has had a couple of 45 mins games this week
but has not played regular 90 min games since the Christmas break.Played 3 whole Jong games but they were back in February.Riedewald also looked scratchy but again he has not played for weeks.These 2 need more football.

The midfielder who I see more like Schone is de Jong.And he has been playing regularly 90 mins for Jong .

Can see us winning 2-1 but gut feeling they will get through at home.

[Amol]

Put Riedewald in DM in front of Sinkgraven, Viergever, Sanchez, Tete (in my dreams).

The 5 (Younes, Traore, Kluivert/Neres, Ziyech, Klaassen) in front of this group has generally been doing really well the past few weeks.

[King Litti]

This is the kind of game where you would benefit from some experience and Schöne is out. Whichever youngster will take his place, I hope he can handle the pressure. Very difficult decision. I guess van de beek has the most experience playing with the senior side. De jong is a 6, but playing with jong Ajax is different than playing Schalke at the EL quarterfinals. Riedewald did start the season in that role. Bosz really has some thinking to do.

And it's not only the midfield. It seems that Dolberg is fit to play. He hasn't played in a while and Traore has done quite well as a striker. He is faster with a decent enough technique, but he does seem to need way too many chances to score a goal. Still, not an easy decision for Bosz to figure out the forwards either.

[Amol]

This is the kind of game where you would benefit from some experience and Schöne is out. Whichever youngster will take his place, I hope he can handle the pressure. Very difficult decision. I guess van de beek has the most experience playing with the senior side. De jong is a 6, but playing with jong Ajax is different than playing Schalke at the EL quarterfinals. Riedewald did start the season in that role. Bosz really has some thinking to do.

And it's not only the midfield. It seems that Dolberg is fit to play. He hasn't played in a while and Traore has done quite well as a striker. He is faster with a decent enough technique, but he does seem to need way too many chances to score a goal. Still, not an easy decision for Bosz to figure out the forwards either.

I would actually start with Traore and bring Dolberg on in the 60-70 minute range.

[Orange14]

Riedewald is left off the team sheet for tomorrow's match. Frenkie de Jong and van de Beek are the two possibilities at the holding midfield position. Dolberg is OK to play.

[Amol]

Riedewald is left off the team sheet for tomorrow's match. Frenkie de Jong and van de Beek are the two possibilities at the holding midfield position. Dolberg is OK to play.

What in God's name have Tete and Riedewald done to Bosz? Did he find them in bed with ummm one of his close relatives?

Even if he wins both the EL and the Eredivisie, I will still be shaking my head.

[Amol]

For folks in the US, this game is live on Fox Sports 2!

Lineup -
Onana,
Veltman, Sanchez, Viergever, Sinkgraven,
Klaassen, Van de Beek, Ziyech,
Kluivert, Traore, Younes

[Ayman]

For folks in the US, this game is live on Fox Sports 2!

Lineup -
Onana,
Veltman, Sanchez, Viergever, Sinkgraven,
Klaassen, Van de Beek, Ziyech,
Kluivert, Traore, Younes

Unbelievable..... Now our weaknesses may be exposed. Especially at the wing back positions. God I hope Im wrong

[Orange14]

Unbelievable..... Now our weaknesses may be exposed. Especially at the wing back positions. God I hope Im wrong

You were anticipating squad rotation???????????????? This is Peter Bosz and he starts the same 11 every match. I'm hoping for a nice result but I'm not sure this is the correct lineup to achieve it.

EDIT: The real good play would be to have Klaassen as the DM just as de Boer used him two years ago when he was suffering from the groin injury. He did pretty well at the position and is the best defensively of all the MFs. But of course this won't happen.

[Tom_]

That was quite a half! Haven't seen Ajax play like this in a while. Shame it's only 1–0

[Orange14]

Wow, Schalke look like a mid-table Eredivisie team! Very good pressing by Ajax all half long. I thought the call on the penalty was a little weak but the match official saw it. Solid PK by Klaassen. Younes is having a monster first half. Sanchez had some dicey moments on defense. van der Beek is solid as are the other MFs.

[SPL]

Wonderful half by us ,we have played some great football.I have BT stream with English commentators and they are going overboard on our positive attacking football.Younes having a great game and Davy making no mistake with the pen.

[Amol]

Wow - that was one really good half of football from us. We are all over them.

Imagine Dolberg coming in for the last 20-30 minutes for Traore. Maybe Neres for whichever winger gets tired first.

We HAVE to win this game. Can't let them draw or win this.

[Orange14]

I have BT stream with English commentators and they are going overboard on our positive attacking football.Younes having a great game and Davy making no mistake with the pen.

I think we have the same announcing team on the US Fox feed

[Amol]

Sanchez is definitely looking shaky in possession. Had me worried a couple of times.

[SPL]

They were going overboard on the praise but lovely to hear

[Amol]

They were going overboard on the praise but lovely to hear

In the pre-match and at the beginning, they were expecting Schalke to have a good run about and beat us 3-0. So, us playing that half the way we did, has completely shocked them.

[Ayman]

I still feel cautious. In any event the teams Bosz needs to rest a few players soon. They can't afford to get burned out

[Ayman]

Ex ajacied Ryan Babel scoring for Beskitas away to Lyon! What a start

[Amol]

GOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!


2-0!!

[SPL]

What a finish and superbly made goal.

[SPL]

Our 100th goal of the season and we could add more tonight

[Amol]

Loved the performance today. This should've been at least 5-0 the way we played for it to be fair.