I am currently so hyped with Ajax.
They didn’t have five key players and still managed to fight off Arsenal at Highbury. Furthermore, Ajax is relatively the youngest team in the whole 16 teams with an average 23 years old. This also means that they are the most inexperience team in the whole tournament.
The next three games will be somewhat in Ajax favor, assuming that Roma will not make a sudden comeback. The tough match against Arsenal and Valencia will be held at the Amsterdam Arena. The fanatical F-Side will certainly have a good time intimidating the visiting team.
Visiting the last match, I am starting to agree to what I have read in the Ajax-USA forum. Wiltord’s goal should not have gone in. Lobont have the tendency to fall asleep while guarding the post!
Nevertheless, the young De Jong saved the Dutch and made it one all. From there on, from what I saw from the match highlight, both teams started to play a game of tuck-of-war. Arsenal did have a few scoring chances but Logont somehow became what Didulica to Valencia, the impenetrable custodian. As the full time loomed closer, Ronald Koeman, substituted a lot of players with the most notable one was Sparta Rotterdam explayer, Nourdin Boukhari almost made it 2 – 1 for Ajax. Unfortunately, he applied to much force on the ball and it flew by a mere centimeter off to the right of Arsenal’s post.
For the next match, I hope the keys players, van der Vaart (hail as the young Dennis Bergkamp), Mido (the Egyptian magic), Litmanen (the Finnish terror), van der Meyde (treasure of the youth system) and O’Brien (the American hero) will be available for Arsenal. If they will be available, then the English and the Spanish will experience what the others, especially PSV and Feyenoord are experiencing – an Ajax with full strength.
On the other hand, I feel bad for Arsenal. Later stage of their group match will be tough with two away matches against Ajax and Valencia. Valencia in particular will be looking for English blood on Spanish soil.
The Valencia – Roma match was dominated by Valencia but the winning goal by the Norwegians John Carew was, as was described by the commentator, a bizarre goal. The Italian and even the Spanish team did not expect the goal. Imagine how Pelizzoli feels when the ball when passed by him. If Lobont was asleep during his game, then I guess Pelizzoli was snoring.
The result of the matches left Group B in a very tight situation. All three teams are on top of the group with five points and the only thing that separated these teams are goal differences. Arsenal has four goals for two against, Ajax four against three and Valencia two against one.
The best is yet to come.
Moving on to local scene, I expect Ajax to cling on to the second spot while closely staying behind PSV. Feyenoord in the mean time will be staying at the third rung. The next match will be at FC Utrecht and I believe Ajax, after considering everything will win this game. The Eresdivie now looks more like what I had been in the long Dutch history – Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV dominating the local football scene.
Jumping across the English Channel, Arsenal will be up against Manchester City and I hope Arsenal will win this one. I hate to go against Lada but for the sake of English football, let Arsenal win because the Devil is right behind the Gunners. Also, one bad news for Arsenal. Seaman is injured.
And of course, I think Asier will be more than delighted after seeing Barca screwed up Inter with three goals.
De Magish van de Meer!
