Match Threads AZ Alkmaar

[BuryMeInEngland]

Well we've got a total **** running our country , so we're used to this situation .

Just to clear things up, I'm talking about Trump. So I'm guessing everyone that disagreed or disliked my post must love him. Strange people.

 

[UncleBuck]

Just to clear things up, I'm talking about Trump. So I'm guessing everyone that disagreed or disliked my post must love him. Strange people.

Those that know, know

 

[rossdapep]

Thing that pisses me off most is how many contestable balls we lose. Over and over and over again our players 'tackles' are as weak as piss and regularly lead to dangerous situations. Spence is an exception at the moment because he'll go in for any loose ball and fight for it. Bergvall tries too, but the rest are pathetic.

I think another coach would recognize that and look to get a bit of grit in there.

We have a lack of technical ability and grit which is a recipe for disaster really. And when I say technical ability I mean players that can pass effortlessly, make key passes, beat their opponents consistently in 1v1s etc.

For example, Bissouma can turn out of pressure and evade players but his passing and vision is basic, he can't dribble and drive at the same time. So if you just block off passing lanes, he's very ineffective.

Porro is technically excellent with crosses and diagonal passes but is never in a position to do it yet is weak 1v1 defensively.

Bergvall and Gray are two players who have a lot of technical qualities and will be physically great too. Spence too.

Deki is wonderful technically but lacks pace. Not an issue generally but when you have one dimensional wingers it is cause they cant take players away to give Deki space.

Which makes me question Ange's ability to build a team at this level.

He's not really identified or looked to bring in a highly technical player. Instead focusing on players who can play fast.

That's OK but you need variation.

Liverpool have players who play with speed but they also have players strong in other areas and have balanced it well.

What we need is a coach who can come in and see the best aspects of what Ange was building but then adjust the things Ange doesn't seem to value as much such as midfielders that can control games and wingers that can cut in and cause issues.

I think a lot of what we have is fixable with 2-3 players that will balance it out and a change of role such as Udogie, Spence and Porro staying wide

 

[DenverSpur]

The champions league anthem Is something else and really transcends music, but I have to be honest the europa league anthem ain’t that bad really - it’s nowhere near as spine tingling but it would surely gee you up as a player listening to it before a match.

Personally I think both are a pile of pretentious crap!

 

[DenverSpur]

Not sure why we bothered leaving the UK ‘cos we didn’t turn up in The Netherlands.
That’s probably one of our worst performances this season and that’s saying something. I said before the match that we needed Maddison to have a big game. Instead he didn’t turn up and he wasn’t alone in that department. Most teams who have a week off come back refreshed and re-energized but we came back looking fatigued and uncoordinated. Players tripping over the ball, sloppy passes and weak tackling. We were worse than when we were exhausted. No leaders, no desire, no nothing really. Their(!) goal summed us up. We leave their top goalscorer free at the back post then shank his cross into our own net.

There was no attacking threat. Maddison was non existent in the middle. When the ball went out to Son or Johnson as soon as a defender approached them they’d pass backwards. The FBs rarely tried to create an overload to get us behind the defense . I’m willing to bet we passed the ball back more times than forward. There was also a total lack of variety; how about hitting it long in behind them to give them something else to think about.

Sorry folks for the negativity but that was a depressing watch.
The only positive was that for all AZ’s dominance they didn’t really pose any threat. If we’d faced a half decent team we would have suffered a hammering.

 

[DenverSpur]

Spence, Bergvall and gray are once again our best players

They were but they all had sub par games tonight.

 

[DenverSpur]

Still no one marking the guy at the back post

Classic defending!!!

 

[DenverSpur]

Keeper leading with his fucking knee. Send him off, ban him from the game forever and give us 10 penalties.

GKs do that all the time but it’s never regarded as foul play. Outfield players get cards for following through on their opponent even if they get the ball first. GKs for whatever reason are exempt from that ruling!!!

 

[Snarfalicious]

Was by no means a good performance, but in the end we played like dogshit and a pretty flukey own goal was the difference. Concerns about the overall performance? Absolutely, no doubt. But, this isn’t over.

 

[DenverSpur]

Oh well atleast we have Romero and Van der Ven saved for our crucial PL game against Bournemouth

As AZ only scored one goal and that was an OG I’m not sure what difference they would have made tonight when our biggest problem was a lack of a goal threat.

 

[allatsea]

Very disappointing performance. If the same for the return leg I reckon Ange is a goner.

 

[the yid]

I'm not concerned about the result, as I said pre game, 2 legged cup games are about staying in the tie away from home and winning it on your own patch.

What does concern me was the performance level once again. This wasn't a well thought out game plan to keep it tight in order to push through at home. We were just out performed by a lesser side, simple as that.

Again

 

[worcestersauce]

I think hes saying that despite the injuries decent managers are unlikely to have lost 18 games, I would tend to agree if thats what he's saying.

How many would they have lost and how many would have been acceptable because obviously they injuries caused massive problems.

 

[worcestersauce]

As AZ only scored one goal and that was an OG I’m not sure what difference they would have made tonight when our biggest problem was a lack of a goal threat.

I understand your point and our midfield and forwards should have been more of a threat but I believe when they play our goal threat increases.

 

[DannyNZ]

I think another coach would recognize that and look to get a bit of grit in there.

We have a lack of technical ability and grit which is a recipe for disaster really. And when I say technical ability I mean players that can pass effortlessly, make key passes, beat their opponents consistently in 1v1s etc.

For example, Bissouma can turn out of pressure and evade players but his passing and vision is basic, he can't dribble and drive at the same time. So if you just block off passing lanes, he's very ineffective.

Porro is technically excellent with crosses and diagonal passes but is never in a position to do it yet is weak 1v1 defensively.

Bergvall and Gray are two players who have a lot of technical qualities and will be physically great too. Spence too.

Deki is wonderful technically but lacks pace. Not an issue generally but when you have one dimensional wingers it is cause they cant take players away to give Deki space.

Which makes me question Ange's ability to build a team at this level.

He's not really identified or looked to bring in a highly technical player. Instead focusing on players who can play fast.

That's OK but you need variation.

Liverpool have players who play with speed but they also have players strong in other areas and have balanced it well.

What we need is a coach who can come in and see the best aspects of what Ange was building but then adjust the things Ange doesn't seem to value as much such as midfielders that can control games and wingers that can cut in and cause issues.

I think a lot of what we have is fixable with 2-3 players that will balance it out and a change of role such as Udogie, Spence and Porro staying wide

Liverpool were absolutely battered by PSG but they never stopped battling and competing, just don’t see that in our mob.

 

[DannyNZ]

Not sure why we bothered leaving the UK ‘cos we didn’t turn up in The Netherlands.
That’s probably one of our worst performances this season and that’s saying something. I said before the match that we needed Maddison to have a big game. Instead he didn’t turn up and he wasn’t alone in that department. Most teams who have a week off come back refreshed and re-energized but we came back looking fatigued and uncoordinated. Players tripping over the ball, sloppy passes and weak tackling. We were worse than when we were exhausted. No leaders, no desire, no nothing really. Their(!) goal summed us up. We leave their top goalscorer free at the back post then shank his cross into our own net.

There was no attacking threat. Maddison was non existent in the middle. When the ball went out to Son or Johnson as soon as a defender approached them they’d pass backwards. The FBs rarely tried to create an overload to get us behind the defense . I’m willing to bet we passed the ball back more times than forward. There was also a total lack of variety; how about hitting it long in behind them to give them something else to think about.

Sorry folks for the negativity but that was a depressing watch.
The only positive was that for all AZ’s dominance they didn’t really pose any threat. If we’d faced a half decent team we would have suffered a hammering.

Agree and the negativity was justified, hard to watch that and come away with much positive other than Vicario is some goalkeeper. Absolutely toothless performance with an invisible front three and Maddison not up for a fight.

 

[easley91]

It’s not the players. It’s the lack of tactics

It's both. It has always been both. I'm sure Ange doesn't tell them to stop when on the counter as he is an attacking coach.

They make brain dead decisions every single game. The majority of them do. They choose to run into players when a simple pass on. They'll make up the most complicated free kick only to fluff it up when it was in shooting range.

 

[michaelj70]

Attacking 4 of Tel ,Json Son, Mson (no brawn, beef, clout or fight - shit )
Not to mention Bents / Begv not top draw
Away from home fired up crowd on crap pitch I wouldn't expect much
Fit Sol and fit Kulu could turn things around but without them its good night .

 

[Alkmaar]

Hopefully I can still post here..

A small look at the match from an AZ fan. We played at our best, and I was quite disappointed in Tottenham. It seemed like AZ was the one that had just over a week of rest. It's a pity for us that it ended only 1-0, although I had predicted that beforehand

We have players coming back from injury and have a less fatigued squad as they’ve had a bit of rest recently so you’ll probably only win by 1 or 2 goals.

Haha, I'll hold you to that. We have needed a lot of chances to score a goal in the last few weeks, so we'll aim for 1-0.

I expect a better Tottenham next week, and I hope for the same AZ, then we are not without a chance. Hopefully, all injuries will not be too significant, although I wouldn't mind if Solanke has just too much trouble to make it for next week. It will definitely be exciting!

 

[lis spur]

I took my Mum out for a meal and went to see ‘A Complete Unknown’ (great film)!

I didn’t think about Tottenham once, until I just read the last 4 pages of this thread. It sounds like I missed a cracker..

In years gone by I would never have booked something else on the evening of our games. Those days are gone.

Agree i am growing numb to the defeats ,thats another reason i need him sacked !!!!