Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Ajax

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Tuesday 30th April 8pm
Champions League Semi-final 1st leg
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium​

A very poor loss was slightly mitigated by the form of other sides, but it's hardly ideal form going into a massive game.
Our visitors won again and continue to fight it out for another Eredivisie title.
The team is looking rather weary and we have a host of injuries.
Can Pochettino manage to pull things together for another surprise result or will it be one step too far?

This is Erik ten Hag's first full season with Ajax, having taken over from Marcel Keizer on January 1st 2018.
Ten Hag spent his playing career as a defender in the Netherlands, most of which was at FC Twente.
He started coaching at the magnificently named Go Ahead Eagles before joining Bayern's reserve team.
A two year stint at Utrecht, finishing 5th then 4th, earned him a shot at bigger things and Ajax moved in.
He started well, but a key 3-0 loss to PSV swung the title to their fierce rivals.

This campaign has been more impressive, as they've done well in Europe, as well as domestically.
They top the table on goal difference from PSV, both sitting on 80 points after 32 games.
They've also reached the KNVB Cup final and have had stunning success in the Champions League.
Qualifying rounds against Sturm Graz, Standard Liege and Dynamo Kiev took them into a tough group.
Little did anyone think that they were only getting started.

Drawing Bayern Munich, Benfica and AEK Athens left them realistically eyeing 2nd place.
The Greek side were beaten in all six games and Bayern also beat Benfica home and away.
Ajax drew twice with the Germans and managed a win and a draw against the Portuguese to qualify.
Another tough draw saw them face the holders, Real Madrid.
A home loss in the 1st leg didn't bode well, but they shocked everyone with a massive win at the Bernabeu:

Another unkind draw saw them up against 2017/18 finalists and perpetual Serie A champions, Juventus.
They failed to win the home tie again and conceded an away goal, as the match ended 1-1.
Anyone expecting another Ronaldo masterclass was sorely disappointed, though.
A fearless young side took the game to their aging opponents and should've won more comfortably.
As it was, a 2-1 victory in Turin was enough to take them through:

Aurier, Kane, Lamela and Winks are out through injury, while Sissoko and Vertonghen face late tests.
Janssen isn't registered for the Champions League and Son is suspended for the first leg.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Foyth, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Davies; Dier, Eriksen, Rose, Alli; Son, Moura.
Subs: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Walker-Peters, Wanyama, Skipp, Llorente, Janssen.
League form: LWWLWL.

Ajax: Onana; Veltman, De Ligt, Blind, Tagliafico; Schone, van de Beek, De Jong; Ziyech, Dolberg, Tadic.
Subs: Lamprou, Varela, Magallan, Kristensen, Schuurs, Labyad, de Wit, Ekkelenkamp, Neres, Traore.
League form: WWWWWW.

Referee: Antonio Miguel Mateu Lahoz (ESP). Was in charge of our 3-0 win against Dortmund.

TV: BT Sport 2.

After an appalling performance and result against West Ham, how do we approach this one?
Stifling a free-flowing, attacking side like Ajax might be the best idea, but can we manage it or do we go for it?
Who starts and is it possible for us to have anything in reserve, given our limited options?

 

Paul van der Stewaart.

 

Not sure how Ajax will approach this.

They are away first, so an away goal but no spanking may be
more important to them than the "do or die" heroics that
characterised their KO round 2nd leg games.

Will Pochettino be brave and go for a Dortmund starting XI
with Super Jan on the left again ??

I doubt Sissoko is up for 90 mins, so no way Pochettino should
be risking him for short-term gain, Wanyama needs somebody else
with him to try and get a hold of the ball in MF, but who will it be if
Winks is unavailable ??

 

I think we have to "go for it" in the first leg. Trying to contain Ajax doesn't seem too smart judging by how hard their team works, I think they'd find ways to break a side down, so the best chance for us is the whole cliché of attack being the best form of defence whilst we're at home. I feel we also need to channel prime-Poch-press for this, something we've not really seen for the last two seasons but if there was ever a time to bring it back, this would be it, out-working Ajax is the best bet in my opinion.

Hugo
Tripps, Toby, Jan, Rose
Wanyama, Sissoko*
Lucas, Eriksen, Alli
Nando

*If cleared to play, it's a risk to play him even if he is fit but quite frankly a 75% Sissoko is better than any CM we've got at the moment. **** me, never thought I'd be saying that .

I'd have happily seen Alli dropped if we had another option after his awful performance against West Ham. Though that said, I am hoping like in so many other big games in the past, he brings his A-game as he's unplayable when he does.

 

One of my all time favourite Spurs players is half time guest tomorrow - the great, the magnificent Rafa Van Der Vaart.

 

They'll come to the conclusion that they're overly reliant on Ziyech to the detriment of the rest of the team so must sell him at the earliest opportunity

Of course, Mr. Levy's office is right next to the stadium, so we can help the process along with a friendly chat during the warm-ups...

 

I don't think we have the energy to press them. They've had a whole week off, are younger than us and also aren't knackered at the end of a grueling injury-ridden PL season. Any attempt to do so will, I think, result in them out-working, out-running, out-maneuvering and ultimately outscoring us. What let Real and Juve down was that they didn't give Ajax the respect they deserve and defended really naively. I'd like us to approach this game as we did the Dortmund tie, defending tightly and packing the central areas with highly focused bodies. Lack of pace to hit them on the counter will have to be compensated for either by playing with wing backs and a back 3, or a back 4 and push Rose up into the 3 behind whoever plays ST.

 

The biggest match so far at the new stadium, and a genuine shortage of fit game changing players available to play it. We were not expected to beat Dortmund or City but we did, now we have Ajax and some people see us favourites, and they certainly won't mind being the underdogs with their last 2 results in this competition.

I want Sissoko to play, but equally I don't want to rush him back and have him breakdown again and miss more matches.

I would pick a big strong team and try to prevent any room for them to play in 4-2-3-1 - Lloris, Trips, Toby, Jan, Davies, Wanyama, Dier, Alli, Eriksen, Rose and Lucas.

Hope our big match players Eriksen and Alli turn up with their 'A' game and that we can get away with a win and a clean sheet.

 

It will be interesting to see how Ajax cope with an English side.
They've yet to experience playing against one.
Spurs were too pedestrian v West Ham.
I hope you play with the pace and intensity seen in the City game last week in the CL.
A non-stop English style game will test them.

 

Agreed. We need to be high intensity, in their faces football. And not give them any time to settle on the ball.

Sit back and let this lot play and their midfield will rip you to shreds.

 

Quick guide for any Reddit users
1.) No, Vincent Janssen is not registered in our CL squad, so he won't be playing tomorrow
2.) No, Troy Parrott is not registered in our CL backup squad, so he won't be playing tomorrow
2a.) Also, Troy Parrott was stretchered off in this evening's U23 game, so he definitely won't be playing tomorrow

 

Let me get this straight please. Troy Parrott won't be playing tomorrow because:
a) he's not registered in our CL back up squad
or
b)he played this evening
or
c) he's injured
??????

 

All three!

 

He must be as sick as a p....

Christ, you know it's a terrible joke when you can finish it !!!!

#illgetmecoat

 

In an ideal world I'd agree with you, but CK has highlighted the big issues above: for various reasons, we're out of puff!
The atmosphere generated in the stadium should help but what we cannot afford is to be torn apart in the latter stages.
To be honest I'd take a creditable 0-0 or even 0-1 to go into the 2nd leg with an almost full strength team.

 

I'd take 0-0 now. 1-0 to us would be a mega result.

 

If we don’t press them they’ll tear us to shreds, imo. If you let De Jong run the show he’ll pick us to bits.

So far, they’ve not faced any English opposition. It’s my bet that they won’t have been pressed as hard as an EPL club does.

 

Two huge games this week but which is more important for us going forward?
It would be nice to beat Ajax , but then there is still the away leg and then the small matter of a final. (I don't even want to dream what might be).
As opposed to that, we have a game at the weekend where a win guarantees us CL football next season. I dread to think what would be if we were to lose and have to rely on beating Everton who will be after revenge and on their day can turn it on.We have to have CL football next season!

So a dream and seventh heaven or a nightmare?
(The question isn't which do we prefer-obviously both-but which is more important?)

 

Being in the CL next season. As of today, there are currently two possible routes.

Tonight is about keeping one route open.
Saturday is about having an opportunity to reach the destination WITHOUT
depending on the misfortune of others.

If the manager cannot convey this to his squad, or his squad are too
apathetic/stupid to play accordingly regardless of the result tonight, then :

1. Spurs have serious problems
2. I suggest people have cardio medics on standby for the next 4 games