UEFA Cup last 32

Calidad wrote:I've only watched the 2nd half but Fiorentina have been all over Ajax. I wouldn't rule them out yet even if they do lose this leg.

Yup, thats typical. Shows a midfield which has great skills, but not enough control or defensive strength. I have seen this so so many times... Fiorentina dominating the game, but still going home empty handed... even the semis last year against Rangers was like that, with Fiorentina dominating both the legs, but to what point??

Ajax isn't a topside. They are 3th in Holland ffs.

bluenine wrote:

DS wrote:Yeah was until 30-35 I guess, Montolivo should have scored, Mutu is the most potent threat.
Fiorentina doesnt seem to be playing wings, more central and width from fullbacks.
Melo looks like a DLP more then a DM.

Suarez needs a partner in attack, a big strong one eh ....... Huntelaar, Sulejmani didnt get in the game and Kennedy has a good engine.

Thats what I have been saying - he is not a DM, never was. When will Prandelli learn that you cannot play in europe or against any top team these days without a DM???

0-1, and Fiorentina will probably get knocked out now.

Iits just silly, todays game is going exactly as I expected... a perfect showcase of what is wrong with Fiorentina and Prandelli's tactics in europe...

Did PSV had a 1-1 draw with Fiorentina away but lost at home 2-0 last season?

Well history has been made today, first time in 14 years Ajax have won on Italian soil – also first time in Fiorentina’s history have they lost to a Dutch side.

Unexpected, undeserving victory for Ajax. Game is still in the balance.

Fiorentina is all hype..got lucky last year against psv. Every Italian team deserves to lose like this, sadly it happened against ajax!

Mclaren is kicking ass, it's ridiculous

Since 1888 wrote:Ajax isn't a topside. They are 3th in Holland ffs.

Didn't say they were...

bluenine wrote:

Calidad wrote:I've only watched the 2nd half but Fiorentina have been all over Ajax. I wouldn't rule them out yet even if they do lose this leg.

Yup, thats typical. Shows a midfield which has great skills, but not enough control or defensive strength. I have seen this so so many times... Fiorentina dominating the game, but still going home empty handed... even the semis last year against Rangers was like that, with Fiorentina dominating both the legs, but to what point??

Isn't this a bit of a contradiction though? If Fiorentina were dominating, surely it wasn't the fault of the midfield. Seems like the forwards are more to blame if you dominate a game but can't score.

L-r d wrote:Mclaren is kicking ass, it's ridiculous

I tell you, the UEFA-cup is his motherfucking zone!

Boring game for me, Fiorentina was not really a threat specially after controlling the midfield.
Both teams had good chances though, Suarez free kick and Suarez just wide for Ajax, Montolivo and Gillardino missing easy chances and Kuzmanovic spooning it.

As I said befoe Gobbi and Semiolo played like CM on the wing, take two step forwards pass the ball sideways to the oncoming fullback and move inside and both were rightly taken off, Jovetic should have started.
Kuzmanovic is not a wide player for me either, more a CM, box to box perhaps.

Interesting to see Leonardo, what happened to his career ?
Ajax main intention in the game was to hold tight and nick it if they can which they did.

Jaime wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Calidad wrote:I've only watched the 2nd half but Fiorentina have been all over Ajax. I wouldn't rule them out yet even if they do lose this leg.

Yup, thats typical. Shows a midfield which has great skills, but not enough control or defensive strength. I have seen this so so many times... Fiorentina dominating the game, but still going home empty handed... even the semis last year against Rangers was like that, with Fiorentina dominating both the legs, but to what point??

Isn't this a bit of a contradiction though? If Fiorentina were dominating, surely it wasn't the fault of the midfield. Seems like the forwards are more to blame if you dominate a game but can't score.

More like dominating possesion but cant do anything with it because nobody is there to strecth the defenses, a bit lack of movement and lack of attacking intent from the midfield, no drives etc etc.

Fey wrote:Fiorentina is all hype..got lucky last year against psv. Every Italian team deserves to lose like this, sadly it happened against ajax!

Boring defensive dutch football against attacking entertaining Italian football.... I remember a time when the dutch actually played attacking football.... hard to imagine now

DS wrote:
Interesting to see Leonardo, what happened to his career ?
Ajax main intention in the game was to hold tight and nick it if they can which they did.

Well said, given the circumstances going into the game, this wasn’t expected or even dared dreamed. Fiorentina are top4 in a much stronger league, that is exactly what Van Bastens game plan was, the best scenario would have been a goalless draw. Saying that with the second half onslaught and minimal possession thought Ajax defended well. Leonardo was the difference his energy level galvanised the team.

Kennedy looked like a Park type of player Rai ?
How are his usual performances.

DS wrote:

Jaime wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Calidad wrote:I've only watched the 2nd half but Fiorentina have been all over Ajax. I wouldn't rule them out yet even if they do lose this leg.

Yup, thats typical. Shows a midfield which has great skills, but not enough control or defensive strength. I have seen this so so many times... Fiorentina dominating the game, but still going home empty handed... even the semis last year against Rangers was like that, with Fiorentina dominating both the legs, but to what point??

Isn't this a bit of a contradiction though? If Fiorentina were dominating, surely it wasn't the fault of the midfield. Seems like the forwards are more to blame if you dominate a game but can't score.

More like dominating possesion but cant do anything with it because nobody is there to strecth the defenses, a bit lack of movement and lack of attacking intent from the midfield, no drives etc etc.

To some extent, I agree.... Mutu seems to be the only player there who has both the creativity and the end product.... most players just have skill not little end product. I blame the construct. With the kind of talents they have, they should have more defensive solidity. Thats the part where Prandelli has to conform to modern football. This isn't the 60s!

DS wrote:

Jaime wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Calidad wrote:I've only watched the 2nd half but Fiorentina have been all over Ajax. I wouldn't rule them out yet even if they do lose this leg.

Yup, thats typical. Shows a midfield which has great skills, but not enough control or defensive strength. I have seen this so so many times... Fiorentina dominating the game, but still going home empty handed... even the semis last year against Rangers was like that, with Fiorentina dominating both the legs, but to what point??

Isn't this a bit of a contradiction though? If Fiorentina were dominating, surely it wasn't the fault of the midfield. Seems like the forwards are more to blame if you dominate a game but can't score.

More like dominating possesion but cant do anything with it because nobody is there to strecth the defenses, a bit lack of movement and lack of attacking intent from the midfield, no drives etc etc.

Ok maybe, but that still doesn't make the cause for losing the midfield's "lack of control or defensive strength".

bluenine wrote:

Fey wrote:Fiorentina is all hype..got lucky last year against psv. Every Italian team deserves to lose like this, sadly it happened against ajax!

Boring defensive dutch football against attacking entertaining Italian football.... I remember a time when the dutch actually played attacking football.... hard to imagine now

Well, the result is what matters....how many times I have seen a Dutch or Spanish for that matter outplay an Italian team..and after 90 min it said 0-1!!

Of course ajax had their usual...luck. But Gilardino..ffs, he is so shite!! I never liked him tbh. Mutu is class, as was the way Fiorentina players were clapping for the c**ts after the match.

DS, Leonardo is a Feyenoord youth player, we got him out of some shithole favela at the age of 10. Problem with him is he plays only 1 match well, then demands a spot as starter then gets injured then comes back again etc.

DS wrote:Kennedy looked like a Park type of player Rai ?
How are his usual performances.

I have never liked him or rated him a year ago I was campaigning to get rid of him. Despite that he worked like a horse tonight, he’s a hardworker most of the time doesn’t look like scoring. Today you caught him on a good day, took his goal well missed a good chance against Feyenoord last weekend.

Jaime wrote:

DS wrote:

Jaime wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Calidad wrote:I've only watched the 2nd half but Fiorentina have been all over Ajax. I wouldn't rule them out yet even if they do lose this leg.

Yup, thats typical. Shows a midfield which has great skills, but not enough control or defensive strength. I have seen this so so many times... Fiorentina dominating the game, but still going home empty handed... even the semis last year against Rangers was like that, with Fiorentina dominating both the legs, but to what point??

Isn't this a bit of a contradiction though? If Fiorentina were dominating, surely it wasn't the fault of the midfield. Seems like the forwards are more to blame if you dominate a game but can't score.

More like dominating possesion but cant do anything with it because nobody is there to strecth the defenses, a bit lack of movement and lack of attacking intent from the midfield, no drives etc etc.

Ok maybe, but that still doesn't make the cause for losing the midfield's "lack of control or defensive strength".

Didnt saw a defensive fragility to be honest.

From what I understand Blue is saying is they had a proper DM, they would have more license to attack I mean the other member of the midfield would have dared more.
Control and attack.

They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

Calidad wrote:They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

Right, this falls on the shoulders of Mutu, Gilardino, Jovetic, etc. Not the midfield.

Fey wrote:

bluenine wrote:

Fey wrote:Fiorentina is all hype..got lucky last year against psv. Every Italian team deserves to lose like this, sadly it happened against ajax!

Boring defensive dutch football against attacking entertaining Italian football.... I remember a time when the dutch actually played attacking football.... hard to imagine now

Well, the result is what matters....how many times I have seen a Dutch or Spanish for that matter outplay an Italian team..and after 90 min it said 0-1!!

Of course ajax had their usual...luck. But Gilardino..ffs, he is so shite!! I never liked him tbh. Mutu is class, as was the way Fiorentina players were clapping for the c**ts after the match.

DS, Leonardo is a Feyenoord youth player, we got him out of some shithole favela at the age of 10. Problem with him is he plays only 1 match well, then demands a spot as starter then gets injured then comes back again etc.

Though looks a very skillful player, so just unlucky.

Nah, he is fucked up in the head..he has a bigger ego the C.Ronaldo.

Calidad wrote:They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

It was not a attack from midfield, you didnt see one runner, no body attacking from the midfield, nobody is going to the byline stretching the play.
They didnt create that much with the control.

DS wrote:

Calidad wrote:They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

It was not a attack from midfield, you didnt see one runner, no body attacking from the midfield, nobody is going to the byline stretching the play.
They didnt create that much with the control.

But if you are playing with three front players, you don't shouldn't need the whole midfield bombing forward.

DS wrote:

Calidad wrote:They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

It was not a attack from midfield, you didnt see one runner, no body attacking from the midfield, nobody is going to the byline stretching the play.
They didnt create that much with the control.

Sounds more like a Liverp0-0l type of match.

Jaime wrote:

DS wrote:

Calidad wrote:They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

It was not a attack from midfield, you didnt see one runner, no body attacking from the midfield, nobody is going to the byline stretching the play.
They didnt create that much with the control.

But if you are playing with three front players, you don't shouldn't need the whole midfield bombing forward.

Your hate campaign against DM's just doesn't stop

Firstly Jovetic didnt start, 2ndly he looked as a winger (positional) then the 3rd forward, the midfield starts most the attacks Jaime, I think they had the control, they were missing the intent.

L-r d wrote:

Jaime wrote:

DS wrote:

Calidad wrote:They did control and attack though...they just couldn't score

It was not a attack from midfield, you didnt see one runner, no body attacking from the midfield, nobody is going to the byline stretching the play.
They didnt create that much with the control.

But if you are playing with three front players, you don't shouldn't need the whole midfield bombing forward.

Your hate campaign against DM's just doesn't stop

If you lose 0-1 how does having Makelele help you? If you lose 0-3 then, yes, I can see how a DM would help.

Towards the end of the game Fiorentina were committing plenty of players forward, they were exposed to any potential counter from Ajax. If they had taken one of their chances (i.e. Montolivo) we wouldn’t be talking about their deficiencies now.