DrTagnian

I honestly have to say that I most of the times only see the results, but what's changed within Anderlecht when you compare it to the 1st half of the season?

MMB

NOT MUCH!

They've been playing like shit all season long. But in the first half of the season they had a lot of luck at the right moments. That changed now and so did their final match results!


There have been more problems than joy at Anderlecht for years now. Too many 'Real Madrid superstars'. Also way too many foreigners that play for themselves, for their possible future transfer and not playing for the team ... In other words: selfish stars!


Some great players, but not a (winning) team.


The title will get decided between Standard & Club Brugge, as I've been saying from gameday 1. Nearly every media source gave, before the season started, Anderlecht the best chances to win the title.




BMB said: 'NO!'

DrTagnian

The same thing can be projected on a Dutch team, Ajax.

It seems about 10-11 players will leave at the end of the season and some already left during the winterbreak ...


BMB

MMB

True. Still I think that Blind is doing a good job, considering the situations he and the club are in!

I don't think that many players are going to decide to leave Ajax! If you see who left already! De Jong, Pienaar, Maxwell, Galasek, ... Just to name some.


Huntelaar and Babel could become rather important for Ajax in the future.




B-M-B

DrTagnian

4-4-3, 3-4-3, 4-4-2

He doesn't know what to do, seeing as he changes system and players almost every week. Charisteas and Rosenborg are both doing well, after a tough period. Both have scored 7 goals, which isn't Ajax quality, but still.

Instead of buying a good right of left winger, they spend 9 million on another striker! That's something which, in my eyes, isn't necessary at all, regardless of what the Ajax people (Van Geel, Jaakke, Blind) say.

That's always a good thing.

MMB

It's sometimes tough to stick to one formation or one system if it just doesn't work well. Also you sometimes have to adapt to your opponent and their system and players.

You're right on the striker part. But Huntelaar is a good player and you never know who, of the other strikers, might leave at the end of the season.

Also it isn't always easy to find (and buy) a good right or left winger! These are also positions which aren't the most popular among players.

And you don't always need true wingers if you want to play 4-3-3. For example: Club Brugge play in a 4-3-3 formation with three strikers in front and no wingers. It all depends whether you have players who are willing to adapt themselves to their (new) role, whether they have the talent and the will to adapt and whether they want to fall back from their position to do defensive work whenever needed!



Of course it is, bring in the ale!

DrTagnian

Charisteas and Rosenberg weren't going to leave at the end of this season. NOW the Greek IS thinking about it, while €9 million is ...



Ajax has an international scouting department, I'm sure they have a list of suitable wingers. One of them is Julian Jenner (NAC Breda).

BUT both de Mul ( Belgian ) and de Ridder were sent away, 'cause Ajax didn't found them good enough. That's just weird!

MMB

Well they do have Hunterlaar. And I'm sure Charisteas will still bring in some money when being sold. Surely not as much as he costed, but still.


That's what I meant: Mitea, Rosales, de Ridder, de Mul, Soetaers, ...
Many tried, many failed.
The winger position might be the hardest there is in any formation which requires wingers!

DrTagnian

With 9 million I'd buy more suitable players than a 4th or 5th striker, when that position isn't the problem. Goals are the problem, they are being made by the striker, but if they don't get any balls delivered by the wingers ...

The point is that De Mul & De Ridder ARE Ajax quality. Plus, they didn't even get the chance to try.

Soetaers and Sikora definitely weren't.

Funny how we're discussing Holland in the Belgium thread.

MMB

True, but it's all about decisions. Sometimes they prove to be right, other times not.


Soetaers obviously wasn't, strongly agreed!

Ah, it's all good, as long as we're having a good time!



Gameday 20 latest result:

Sint-Truiden - Standard: 0-0


And after Anderlecht, Standard also drops points!
Standard dominated, but couldn't score. They have a lot of technical players who had a lot of problems at creating chances on the hard frozen pitch. When Standard was reduced to 10 players after a second yellow booking for Kovalenko, the match was done. St-Truiden have yet to prove why they don't deserver to relegate to second division.

If Club Brugge wins tomorrow, they're the new leader!