07 AUG 2018; Standard Liege - Ajax; CL Qualifying

[Orange14]

After two solid wins over Sturm Graz, Ajax advance to the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League. An away match with Standard Liege is on for next week. Standard lost in the Belgium Super Cup to league champion Brugge (where Stefano Denswil plays) in late July but then won their opening over Genk in the league. I don't know too much about the club other than Michel Preud'homme is the trainer and he took over at FC Twente for one season following their championship run.

The first league match begins the following weekend and 'if' Ajax can keep all their players they should have squad depth that can cope with the fixture schedule in August. ten Hag cited this as a reason for starting van de Beek on the bench last night. A win over Standard puts Ajax in the play off round for the league path where two of the following teams will qualify for the group stage of the CL under the new format:

Standard Liège (BEL) v Ajax (NED)
Benfica (POR) v Fenerbahçe (TUR)
Slavia Praha (CZE) v Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
PAOK (GRE) v Spartak Moskva (RUS)

According to what I've read, teams from Russia and Ukraine cannot play against one another if both Spartak and Dynamo win their ties. Ajax will not be seeded for the Playoff round so things are complicated at this point in terms of who they might play.

[Amol]

The biggest change after these 2 games is our perception of the abilities of Ten Hag. All of us were completely doubting him last season and then through the friendlies.

Things are good right now and he genuinely has a big squad which he absolutely needs to rotate. I already see him doing a better job at rotations than Bosz. We need Dolberg to get back to full fitness and then we have a really scary squad - at least for the Eredivisie.

[Orange14]

The most impressive thing to me in the two matches was the ball handling speed. I've only seen this at the Jong Ajax level a couple of years ago when Appie, Donny, and Frenkie were playing in the MF together. Maybe Sturm Graz's quality was lacking, we will see what happens against Standard. If this type of ball speed continues this club will make some waves.

[Cruijff]

According to what I've read, teams from Russia and Ukraine cannot play against one another if both Spartak and Dynamo win their ties. Ajax will not be seeded for the Playoff round so things are complicated at this point in terms of who they might play.

Yep the UEFA doesn't want Ukrainian and Russian teams to clash to each other.
Now confirmed that the winner of Standard Liege - Ajax will start with an away game in Kiev or in Prague.

[Amol]

The most impressive thing to me in the two matches was the ball handling speed. I've only seen this at the Jong Ajax level a couple of years ago when Appie, Donny, and Frenkie were playing in the MF together. Maybe Sturm Graz's quality was lacking, we will see what happens against Standard. If this type of ball speed continues this club will make some waves.

The reason according to me is a deep triangle of midfielders -De Jong, Schone and Eiting. All of them are staying far away from the opposition defense and all of them have the ability to hit through balls from the back.

I saw a lot of this in the first game and some in the second.

[Orange14]

Ajax are taking 22 players to Liege but only 18 will be in match day selection. Dolberg is still out with the abdominal injury. Siem de Jong is also missing but no reason given. Blind is OK after the injury scare in the Wolfsburg friendly. Youth players on the trip are Serhuis (who certainly will be in the match 18 as back up #9), Lang, Ekkelenkamp, and de Wit.

[SPL]

If we beat Standard we play either Kiev or Prague.

Squad to Liege 22 but still no Dolberg. V Leer now fit for Kotarski, Siem de Jong not there so de Wit and Ekkelenkamp added .

[Cruijff]

Jep, Siem de Jong not there, Frenkie tonight on the midfield in the line-up they gave me. Donny van de Beek will be benched.

[Cruijff]

Telegraaf says line-up will be Onana, Mazraoui, De Ligt, Blind, Tagliafico; Schone, Siem de Jong, Ziyech; Neres, Huntelaar, Tadic.















No I was screwing with you guysSiem de Jong not picked for the squad. It will be Frenkie de Jong playing for him instead on that midfield position

[Amol]

This site worked for me last week and now they have a link to watch today's game -
http://www.sportnews.to/sports/2018/cha ... luik-ajax/

[Orange14]

Game on, get a couple of away goals and seal the deal next week!!!

[SPL]

cricfree.org have streams. Found one in French which I can understand a bit.

[Amol]

1-0!!!!!

[SPL]

Yes KJH again

[Orange14]

What's the temperature? They are taking a water break so it must be hot and humid.

[SPL]

so far so good

[Amol]

2-0!!!!

[Cruijff]

Standard Liege has chosen to combine some ridiculous colors to a home shirt while their colors are red and white.

It is always good to see Ajax playing in our home colors, it directly has effect.

[Orange14]

I was concerned by the speed of Liege at the start of the match and they got off a couple of shots that just went wide. de Ligt was really lucky that the man he lost could not get much of a shot off as he was clearly beaten. Two well taken goals point to the weakness of their back line. Ajax defense looked weak on several occasions. Would really like to see a clean sheet.

[Amol]

Lets get one more and shut down the shop. Our left side of the defense looking weaker than the right.

Both Nico and Neres were horribly out of position once - from which Standard got their best chance.

[Orange14]

What's the temperature? They are taking a water break so it must be hot and humid.

So it's 31C and about 30% humidity. That explains the water break.

[Amol]

Also, Mazraoui has been a total revelation.

[Orange14]

Ajax missed a great chance on the 2 on 1 and now look like they are hanging on. Too many defensive lapses. Just saw a replay of the Liege goal and it looked like it took a deflection.

[SPL]

Losing some concentration ,should put Eiting on for Schone. They have had a few long shots at goal and one finally went in.

[Amol]

Total lack of concentration ever since Ziyech missed a sitter by shooting too early.