23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

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Orange14
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23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Orange14 » ma feb 20, 2023 3:13 pm

Ajax need a win on Thursday night to keep their European hopes alive. Union drew over the weekend, but with a Bayern loss, they are in a three way tie for first in the Bundesliga along with Dortmund. Let's hope that Heitinga and his staff can come up with a plan to move the ball around quicker and get some open shots on goal. I suspect this will be a low scoring contest with only a single goal being scored.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

Ayman
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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Ayman » ma feb 20, 2023 8:03 pm

Hetitinga is no master tactician, but boy is he a breath of fresh air with his flexibility and knowing to play players in their best positions (mostly), nevertheless, i think away to Union Berlin is a setting the bar too high for him at this stage, its not his fault, but he was hired end of January and wasn't given the opportunity to get players he wanted.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Tom_ » do feb 23, 2023 1:27 pm

I’m also not expecting much. Scoring a goal would be nice, getting to the next round would be amazing. I’m thinking 2–0 or so for Union Berlin, but who knows.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door SPL » do feb 23, 2023 7:55 pm

Just hope to get a stream having not got one last week. My money is on Union by the odd goal.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Tom_ » do feb 23, 2023 9:03 pm

Does anyone have a stream?

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Orange14 » do feb 23, 2023 9:19 pm

Right call on Bassey. PK all day long.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Orange14 » do feb 23, 2023 9:50 pm

What a shame. A stone cold penalty and then a horrible mistake by Rulli on a shot he should have saved and Ajax are down 2-0. They played quite well getting openings in the Union defense but unless there is divine intervention, I cannot see them coming back from this deficit. I don't know what Klaassen is doing on the pitch, he is so slow relative to the Union players. Tadic is not strong enough to hold the ball up on entry passes. Otherwise every one is playing quite decently.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door SPL » do feb 23, 2023 9:58 pm

No working streams, cricfree, firstrow and VIP are the main sites but all are either blocked because I use adblock or if not cannot connect because of adverts even though my chromebook blocks popups. Only other sites are gambling sites where I have to register and pay.

So I have given up and as we are 2-0 down we are basically out of Europe.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Tom_ » do feb 23, 2023 10:03 pm

I saw the last 15 minutes, it looks to me like a typical Ajax European KO. As in they dominate the game, but lose on a deflected goal, a penalty or a bad call etc.

I suppose it’s a step up from getting played off the park, like in the group stage.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Tom_ » do feb 23, 2023 10:56 pm

Not that impressed by Union. Their defense is solid but that’s about it.

Ajax really shouldn’t be shipping 3 goals against teams like this but they can’t defend those set pieces.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door SPL » do feb 23, 2023 10:56 pm

So out of Europe,I couldn't get a stream ,followed it on Showtime but not sure they are real fans .Negative comments they want everyone sold and anyone would think we were playing some rubbish side but thy are joint top of the Bundesliga.

We can now concentrate on the league and trying to overtake Feyenoord

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Orange14 » do feb 23, 2023 11:15 pm

No complaints about the Ajax effort against a team that was always going to be difficult to break down. I though they were the better team by a nose but sometimes that doesn't matter. They picked up a goal to draw within 1 but then conceded on a corner kick which pretty much sealed the game up. There was a loss of composure at the end of the game with multiple YCs and Alvarez was sent off for a second card. After the whistle it looked like former Ajax youth player Becker was trying to cause some trouble and that he did as several players had to be restrained. Europe is now over and Ajax can focus on the league and the Beker. Maybe the lack of Thursday night lights will help out in that regard. Had Ajax played like this last week perhaps they could have picked up a goal and put more pressure on Union.

I don't know if Union are a one trick pony; a team that can defend exceedingly well but are otherwise ordinary. they play Bayern on Sunday in Munich and it will be interesting to see how they do.

Rulli (5) - made a couple of very good saves but was awful on a rather tame shot that went under his hands for what was the game winner; he got a hand on the PK but only turned it to the inside of the post where it went in
Rensch (6) - thought he had a better than average game and defended well
Alvarez (6) - loses a point for getting sent off on two silly YCs but he was one of the better players tonight, I cannot remember a poor pass at all
Timber (6) - had a very good game except he was poor letting Doekhi get past him to easily head in a corner for the third goal
Bassey (6) - put a hard shift in as usual but he just is not a good passer of the ball when he plays FB; the PK call against him was correct and there was absolutely nothing he could do as the ball was shot at his hand from maybe a meter away
Taylor (6) - did OK as the controlling MF
Berghuis (6) - played well on the night looking for openings to pass the ball
Klaassen (4) - picked up a stupid YC interfering with the PK and was not of much value
Kudus (5)- yes he scored on a fluke deflection but missed a clear chance when he was 1 v 1 on the keeper and the rest of his play was just ordinary
Tadic (5.5) - could not hold up the ball at all but gave a good effort though he labored in the final 15 minutes
Bergwijn (7) - had the nice delicate pass in on the Kudus goal and handled the ball quite well
Brobbey (4.5) - had no impact at all
Lucca (NR) - on late when a wing and a prayer were needed; neither was answered
Conceicao (NR) - on late to no great effect.

Vitesse away this Sunday No more coefficient points from Ajax this season and perhaps the last European game for some of the key players.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Orange14 » do feb 23, 2023 11:16 pm

Tom_ schreef:
do feb 23, 2023 10:56 pm
Not that impressed by Union. Their defense is solid but that’s about it.

Ajax really shouldn’t be shipping 3 goals against teams like this but they can’t defend those set pieces.
only one came from a set piece and other than that they did a decent job on free kicks.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Tom_ » do feb 23, 2023 11:19 pm

Wasn’t the penalty incident off a corner?

Anyway, Union are pretty basic in attack and you can’t afford to give up that many goals against teams that play so defensively.

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Re: 23 FEB 2023; Union Berlin - Ajax; Europa League Play In

Bericht door Orange14 » do feb 23, 2023 11:24 pm

Tom_ schreef:
do feb 23, 2023 11:19 pm
Wasn’t the penalty incident off a corner?

Anyway, Union are pretty basic in attack and you can’t afford to give up that many goals against teams that play so defensively.
I thought it was open play but could be wrong. I agree with your second point. Union are built to win 1-0 games and not much more.
Appie Nouri will forever be remembered for his grace and humanity on and off the pitch!

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