17 SEP 2019; Ajax - Lille; CL Group Day 1

[Orange14]

Did anyone watch Chelsea – Valencia? I saw the 20 min highlights package. It’s only one game but neither team looked that scary to me. Chelsea played a lot of crosses to their big CF. Valencia’s goal came from a set piece but they seemed to get rolled in MF a lot.

Valencia will be hard to figure out as there is so much chaos surrounding the club. the Singapore owner is micromanaging things and recently sacked the manager who was very popular with the players. I've seen reports that he will also get rid of the technical director. Players are just keeping silent right now. Chelsea are affected by a transfer ban that took effect before the summer window and have to play a lot of youth as their model of bringing in high price talent is stopped for the moment. I'm unconvinced about Lampard as a manager; he has only had one year of experience with Derby County and doesn't seem to have his tactics right. The EPL is a meat grinder of a league and they have not started out well. If Ajax stick to their game plan and figure out how to solve some of the defensive lapses they will do alright.

[kezme44]

i watched the highlights last night and we are lucky not to have conceded. lille had 3 chances which they normally would have put away. they are a very good team and i can see them beating both chelsea and valencia and think this group might come down to goal difference. but i'll take the 3 points (and 2.7 million for the victory) and ready for psv this weekend!

[Ayman]

It is early days yet. But there is that feel good factor, most people on every side wouldn't have thought Ajax would sweep Lille aside by a 3 goal margin. The Chelsea home defeat to Valencia is a shock result. In this sort of group, it can be viewed as the group of death. I hope Lampard remains coach until after the second leg against Ajax. As for Valencia, good memories with them, when Ajax were 0-1 up away at the last minute, only for Valencia to equalise in stoppage time. As long as Ajax avoid defeat there, and pick up a minimum of 4 points against Chelsea, they would then have a chance of making it top of the group.