GWT: Champions League Round of 16 Part II

[hatterson]

It matters a great deal if your argument is simply "Ronaldo gives his team plot armor."

Having an all time great player on your team helps cover up other holes in your team. That shouldn't be a controversial statement.

 

[Corto]

Ronaldo is also having his worst goalscoring season in years at 34 years old. Goals aren't scored in a vacuum, but when a team has a player like that which attracts the attention of the whole defense, it has an extreme impact on results.

Without him, this Madrid squad never look like scoring. Benzema turned into an enabled a long time ago, Vini is a winger who's still to develop his finishing touch, Bale is a winger who's good at running and sometimes finishing; there's noone in the box even when they create something. Noone.
And yes, some players fell off a cliff (Marcelo, Isco, even Kroos looks like a shell of a player a year ago), and Modric and Varane took a while to get going after the long season last year...
So, there are reasons for it obviously, but watching it unfold, one of the best teams ever assembled just turn to mush in the span of a couple of months - astonishing.

It's on their front office, the signs were there last season, with all the injuries etc.

That said... I mean, yes, Madrid played a naive game and got scored on like we don't get scored on in my local matches - but fair play to Ajax, they were brilliant.
Tadic had the game of his life, and the rest were just as good. They're young, fast, skilled and they showed how good they were in the Bayern games.
Let's not forget they were the favorites at the bookies in this tie 2 months ago - before Real hit a purple patch and Ajax dropped a few points domestically.
De Jong and De Ligt get all the spotlight, but this team is absolutely loaded with talent.

 

[Juve]

The fall wasn't really the issue, the issue was that he was running towards the net for absolutely no reason which put him in a position to have to try to stop suddenly.

There's absolutely no reason to stay nearly level with Modric there. You stay back a couple strides so he can play exactly the ball he did for a tapin.

True that. It's still a massive fail which summed up the entire night.

 

[Gecklund]

It matters a great deal if your argument is simply "Ronaldo gives his team plot armor."



And that sudden drop - mostly in the Champions League - corresponds with him moving to a weaker club with a weaker supporting cast.

My argument is that when you lose your most important scorer and don’t replace him at all, your team is going to struggle. It doesn’t matter how the scorer does somewhere else. It matters that you lost your most important and best scorer and you did nothing to replace him.

 

[Ajacied]

AJAX MASTERCLASS!

Sorry to gloat guys, but hop on board the Ajax bandwagon if you like!

I said it before, but a few years from now when most of these youngsters get a little more exposure world wide, people will look back at this Ajax squad and realize how insanely talented it was. It's a shame it will completely fall apart during the summer, but ala.. I'm used to it.

Grades:

Onana: 8
Confident, nearly mistake free, dominant in the air for except one time and had some great saves. He's so calm with the ball as well. Asensio's shot was well placed, so I can't fault him for that one.

Mazraoui: 5
Mazraoui is a midfielder of origin and it showed today. He had trouble positioning himself vs the faster Vinicius. If the latter didn't get injured Mazraoui might've been in more trouble and could have gotten himself a second yellow. He redeemed himself in the second half, though, where he looked strong with the ball and jump started that 3-1.

Blind: 9
Totally perfect. Such a quiet, but major force in Ajax' backline. Few notice the qualities of Blind, but he was everywhere. He plays so good when he tries to keep it simple.

De Ligt: 9
Lots of football experts in the Netherlands view de Ligt as the best defender in the world already, above van Dijk for one. His only knock was that he's not proven enough vs the elite strikers out there, but he's owned them all in the CL so far. Absolutely rock solid today once again. Clearing a lot of balls and winning most of his personal battles. He's also so calm with the ball, always looking to remain in ball possession.

Tagliacifo: 8
He brings so much energy and spirit to this team. Strong on both ends. Won most of his battles. Knew when to join the attack and be a threat offensively with crosses and smart runs.

Frenkie de Jong: 10
I don't care about that dumb ass turnover, when you have the ball that much and start pretty much start every attack, turnovers are bound to happen. That said, his dribbles and the way he creates space, the way he dictates the tempo, the way he owned Modric and was an absolutely force defensively; he was had another outstanding game.

Donnie van de Beek: 6.5
Just lacks the creativity at times and it showed today, but look at the goals and you'll see Donnie attracting attention from Varane and other defenders without the ball due to smart positioning, creating space for his teammates.

Hakim Ziyech: 7.5
Scored the first one, but missed an absolute sitter later in the game. Had some turnovers, but fought hard. Casemiro played him well in the beginning but he couldn't keep up. Still managed to dictate the game here and there. He, Tadic and Neres just form such an entertaining trio up front. They have a lot of chemistry.

Lasse Schöne: 7.5
Quiet force as well today. Strong both ways and just makes quick and smart decisions in those small area's. His free kick was just another one for him; one of world's best specialists. Reminded me of van Hooijdonk's one in the 2002 UEFA Cup final. Beautiful.

David Neres: 7.5
Just constantly running all over the left flank. Always an urge to reach the backline or cut inside. His trickery is always breath taking to watch. Ajax is so much more dangerous when they play with him. Needs to develop a better shot, become a bit more efficient and he'll become one of the better left wings out there. Scored a great one, but should've gotten at least two.

Dusan Tadic: 9.5
Most productive player in the CL before today and he just kept on producing (1G + 2A). His runs were always dangerous. That run + assist on the Neres 2-0 will be up there for better assists in the CL this season when it's all said and done.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Hilarious to see fans of loser clubs talking shit about the biggest club in the world. Juve (biggest losers in Europe) and Liverpool (hopefully you see a league title this century) fans especially. But I guess when your club isn't going to win a UCL anytime soon, the next best thing is to talk shit about the club that spanks you on a regular basis. Jealousy isn't good but it's only natural. Enjoy yourselves now, you guys have been waiting a long time to celebrate something in Europe.

Great performance by Ajax, they should have scored more tbh. Feels weird to say but I'm glad we lost. This team has problems and if we had by some miracle made a UCL run, Florentino would have been too stubborn and stupid to recognize it. Hopefully this wakes him and the rest of the board up.

Hopefully all teams stay healthy. Good luck to everyone (except Barca and Atletico obviously).

 

[Scandale du Jour]

One word: Shameful.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

LOL your miracle run was the last 3 years... None were deserved.

 

[StevenF1919]

Hilarious to see fans of loser clubs talking **** about the biggest club in the world. Juve (biggest losers in Europe) and Liverpool (hopefully you see a league title this century) fans especially. But I guess when your club isn't going to win a UCL anytime soon, the next best thing is to talk **** about the club that spanks you on a regular basis. Jealousy isn't good but it's only natural. Enjoy yourselves now, you guys have been waiting a long time to celebrate something in Europe.

L

 

[hatterson]

Hilarious to see fans of loser clubs talking **** about the biggest club in the world. Juve (biggest losers in Europe) and Liverpool (hopefully you see a league title this century) fans especially. But I guess when your club isn't going to win a UCL anytime soon, the next best thing is to talk **** about the club that spanks you on a regular basis. Jealousy isn't good but it's only natural. Enjoy yourselves now, you guys have been waiting a long time to celebrate something in Europe.

 

[Burner Account]

How does a Madrid supporter ask for a miracle run after last year's final?

 

[Live in the Now]

Hilarious to see fans of loser clubs talking **** about the biggest club in the world. Juve (biggest losers in Europe) and Liverpool (hopefully you see a league title this century) fans especially. But I guess when your club isn't going to win a UCL anytime soon, the next best thing is to talk **** about the club that spanks you on a regular basis. Jealousy isn't good but it's only natural. Enjoy yourselves now, you guys have been waiting a long time to celebrate something in Europe.

Lol when RM goes back to signing the likes of Faubert and getting killed by Liverpool in CL ties like they already have before, we'll see if you still like them. More likely you'll become a Man City or PSG fan along with about half the other RM fans in the world.

De Ligt: 9
Lots of football experts in the Netherlands view de Ligt as the best defender in the world already, above van Dijk for one. His only knock was that he's not proven enough vs the elite strikers out there, but he's owned them all in the CL so far. Absolutely rock solid today once again. Clearing a lot of balls and winning most of his personal battles. He's also so calm with the ball, always looking to remain in ball possession.

That's why they should play together at the same club.

 

[Alklha]

Didn't see the game, but caught the highlights and the VAR review of the third goal... that crap needs to stop.

For a start it should be clear and obvious errors only.

Secondly, they shouldn't be going that far back for something that nonsensical. They had plenty of time to break up the play, having 7 or 8 players between the ball and the goal in the build up, whether or not the ball went out of play.

If a team gets a free kick from a dive on the edge of the box and they score from that, that free kick can't be reviewed. If a team concedes from a corner that should have been a goal kick... no review. Those actually lead to situations that are dangerous.

 

[Ceremony]

Hilarious to see fans of loser clubs talking **** about the biggest club in the world. Juve (biggest losers in Europe) and Liverpool (hopefully you see a league title this century) fans especially. But I guess when your club isn't going to win a UCL anytime soon, the next best thing is to talk **** about the club that spanks you on a regular basis. Jealousy isn't good but it's only natural. Enjoy yourselves now, you guys have been waiting a long time to celebrate something in Europe.

Great performance by Ajax, they should have scored more tbh. Feels weird to say but I'm glad we lost. This team has problems and if we had by some miracle made a UCL run, Florentino would have been too stubborn and stupid to recognize it. Hopefully this wakes him and the rest of the board up.

Hopefully all teams stay healthy. Good luck to everyone (except Barca and Atletico obviously).

 

[Deficient Mode]

Having an all time great player on your team helps cover up other holes in your team. That shouldn't be a controversial statement.

The Real Madrid teams that won the CL didn't have personnel holes. That shouldn't be a controversial statement.

My argument is that when you lose your most important scorer and don’t replace him at all, your team is going to struggle. It doesn’t matter how the scorer does somewhere else. It matters that you lost your most important and best scorer and you did nothing to replace him.

Ok. That's fine. I don't disagree. Your argument is not the one that I was responding to, though.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Kroos has been pretty bad today.

Kroos has been pretty bad for a long time. What an overrated player

 

[Elvis P]

Real Madrid needs re-building from the ground up.

 

[Gecklund]

Ok. That's fine. I don't disagree. Your argument is not the one that I was responding to, though.

My post was the one you quoted so I just kind of figured.

Completely off topic. United should spend Neymar money on De Ligt.

 

[Albatros]

Kroos has been pretty bad for a long time. What an overrated player

Statistics say otherwise.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

I must say that watching Ajax rape Madrid was up there as one of the most pleasing soccer moments of the decade. What a beauty.

Kroos sucks.
Modric was awful once again today and has had a stinker of a season compared to last year.
Same goes for Varane.
Asensio looks atrocious too.
Bale will be gone, so will Marcelo.

Good times.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Statistics say otherwise.

He can be all yours, I rather have my Arthur.

 

[John Pedro]

 

[Albatros]

He can be all yours, I rather have my Arthur.

Arthur has been great too, as a passer he is on par with Kroos. But in terms of efficiency Kroos has created 43 chances in 19 games in the Spanish league, Arthur 8 in 17. Even minding that Kroos plays more minutes that's a big difference. Real has other problems than him despite his bad mistake today.

 

[robertmac43]

big ups Ajax that was a fun one to watch! As a neutral to this competition it would be cool to see them go on a run and build from the momentum

 

[Savant]

Good to see all the new posters to this forum. Lots of new faces