Arsenal v Ajax

Arsenal FC are already assured of finishing as winners of Group B but this fixture, against AFC Ajax, who will follow them into the knockout stages as runners-up, gives them the chance to join a select band of teams who have won all six group games. If they succeed the London side might build sufficient momentum to progress past the quarter-finals for the first time in the UEFA Champions League.

Source - www.uefa.com

I knew that you get easier teams if you finish as group winners but i never knew about teams who won all six group games. What is the difference?

Should be an easy win for Arsenal! Ajax is nr. 8 in the Dutch League at the moment!

my Prediction 3-0

Too bad Arsenal stole those 3 points from Thun. Otherwise this match would count for something. I'm confident Ajax can take Arsenal. Arsenal has never impressed me in games against foreign clubs. Are there any injuries on Arsenal side?

SwiftRyder, winning all your games gains you nothing. Apart from respect from other teams. Well in a stronger group it would gain respect.

JohanNeeskens, you're laughing awefully hard for a supporter of a so-called topclub who has only won the national league 3 times in the past 30 years. How's your team doing in the UEFA? Oh sorry, I forgot, you got knocked out... Ajax has most ballpossession and shots on goal out of all teams in the Champions League, even more than Barça. So I can't see how we are an easy win.

Intresting what Wenger says.

"Ljungberg, Pires, Gilberto, Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann will be rested,” he said. “All the others are in the group. It is a chance for us to be top of the group unbeaten, bounce back from the disappointment at Bolton and give a chance to some younger players.”

Rested? Im pretty sure he has dropped these 4 players after their shocking performance against Bolton.

The squad to face Ajax.

Manuel Almunia
Mart Poom
Emmanuel Eboue
Kolo Toure
Philippe Senderos
Sebastian Larsson
Thierry Henry
Jose Antonio Reyes
Robin van Persie
Lauren
Mathieu Flamini
Alexander Hleb
Quincy
Francesc Fabregas
Arturo Lupoli
Pascal Cygan
Johann Djourou
Kerrea Gilbert

Shame their is no Song, Wenger has been talking him up alo recently so i guess he still hasn't recovered from his injury.

I'd like to see:

-------------------Almunia-------------------

Eboue--------Senderos----Toure-----Lauren

Hleb---------Fabregas----Flamini----Reyes

---------------Henry--------Van Persie-------

I reckon we're in store for a great performance on Wednesday.

How about you edit your sig with the result of your team's latest game

Wouldn't be surprised if Ajax could get a point here, they looked good in their last match and maybe playing away will actually lower the pressure on them. Hope to see a good game.

I'd like to see: (suprised if it happens though)

-------------------Almunia-------------------

Eboue--------Senderos----Toure-----Gilbert

Quincy--------Hleb----Flamini---------Reyes

---------------V.Persie-----Henry-------

would like to see lupoli on for Henry or V.persie after the hour

come on v persie score a hattrick and get revenge on those ajax fans who hate u

Love to see RvP get a goal against Ajax.

I really wanted Quincy to start this match and i really hope he does.

Way cant we rest Henry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do we even depend on him on meaningless games like this.

When is Quincy ever going to play?!?

And one more thing

I hate Cygan

quincy, dennis and robin will all get chances i think
each will have a reason to prove themselves against ajax (ok mayb not dennis then!)

Bergkamp is injured.

Henry has missed nearly half our games, he doesn't need rested.

So long as:
1) We see Hleb in action
2) Van Persie scores
and...
3) Cygan breaks his leg (preferably both)
then I'll be over the moon....even if we lose 8-0 and Cygan breaks both his legs there's cause for optimism

although cygan is not a great player . IMO no should ever hope for an injury on someone and also besides him who do we have that will sit on our bench all day long and be there when we need back up.

Please stop joking yourself, in a group with Arsenal, Sparta and Thun even FC Twente would have made it to the final 16. If Feyenoord were nr. 8 atm you would be laughing your ass of as well. I am sure 020 won't be subtopper forever but now that they are I can laugh as much as I want. Nobody sees Ajax as a top team anymore, except the Ajax fans of course, arrogant as they are. The only way Ajax will win tomorrow is if Arsenal show up with their reserves. And since you are talking about the past ,after 1995 Ajax has never impressed in Europe anymore, Feyenoord however won the Uefa Cup just a few years ago.



Now you're talking! I love van Persie (Feyenoorder for life!) and I am sure that when he plays he will score!

Kinda dumb to laugh at Ajax. And dumber is your avatar, favourite players and your sig. Come on man you should be supporting ajax. Its good for dutch football that every dutch football team does well in europe. These dumb rivalries should remain in the dutch competition. I support Feyenoord too when they play internationally even though I completely agree Eury. Feyenoord was never a topclub and still isnt. They arent even playing good in the competition in my opinion.

And btw arsenal isn't doing well either in the competition. I think ajax can win this game. I have confidence from the last game they played in the competition. Arsenal isnt an international topclub either

Feynoord are a good side and a Feyenoord man RvP will prove that today.

I'd like to see;

----------------------Alumnia-------------------------

Eboue-------Senderos-------Toure----------Lauren

Flamini-------Fabregas------Hleb-----------Quincy

---------------RVP-----------Henry-----------------

*I'd rather see Hleb and Flamini switched for two reasons: i want Hleb to be our play maker and putting him with Quincy who also likes to dribble will make a great combination. Plus Flamini+Fabregas has never really worked out well.

*I hope Quincy get's a full 90 minutes. Reyes gets a chance so many times in the premiership and in the past CL matches. This match doesn't really mean that much so Quincy should get a chance.

Arsene Wenger will rest Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires, Gilberto Silva, Sol Campbell and Jens Lehmann for Wednesday's Champions League final group tie at home to Ajax, having already sealed top spot. While Thierry Henry will start up front, Dennis Bergkamp will also be absent to protect a knock, while Pascal Cygan is a doubtful starter due to a groin problem.

The 18-man squad features several youngsters, including Sebastian Larsson, Emmanuel Eboue, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie and Kerrea Gilbert, while Alexander Hleb returns from a two-month lay-off


http://www.premierleague.com/fapl.rac?comm...comp_breadcrumb

I've said this group isn't strong. I realise that. I also realise that we are one of the weaker teams who went through to the 2nd round. But that doesn't mean we don't stand a chance against Arsenal. Arsenal aren't that strong this year and Ajax isn't as bad as the results might led you to believe. We've only played bad for the last 2 or 3 matches. The rest we were unlucky with the referee and the chances. And I don't know if you've seen Ajax-Feyenoord earlier this season but Ajax dominated that match. We'll beat you in de Kuip just like we always do.

And you can be proud about your 2002 EUFA cup (which was the only UEFA cup in history won purely by free kicks) but I'm sure you've watched some CL 2003. In which we got knocked out in the very last minute in the quarter final against Milan. After we've gone through the first round (Inter, Lyon and Rosenborg) and the second round (Arsenal, AS Roma and Valencia) with a team with an average age of 21 years old. This wasn't less of an achievement than last year's PSV semi-final or your UEFA cup winning. And after 1995 we won the national league 4 times and you won it once.

BTW, I don't understand you. You claim to be a Feyenoorder yet at least half your posts is about Ajax. If you hate Ajax as much as you do I suggest you change your name to some other than one of the biggest Ajax players ever. Change your favourite player to any other than another huge player in Ajax history. And I suggest you change your sig to your last match. 2-2 against the worst team of the last 15 years in the Eredivisie, RBC who thanks to you have 4 draws and 10 losses.

And for last, take a look at the list of prizes your team has won and compare it to the list in my sig. After that you can tell me who's the topclub and who's not.

Kampioen: 1924, 1928, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1961, 1962 1965, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1984, 1993, 1999
Beker : 1930, 1935, 1965, 1969, 1980, 1984, 1991 1992, 1994, 1995
Supercup (Nederland): 1991, 1999
Europa Cup I: 1970
UEFA cup: 1974, 2002
Wereldbeker: 1970

Now lets get back on topic.

Going by Wenger's interview today it looks like Hleb, Quincy, Larsson and Eboue will all be starting.

Delighted for Larsson, he's been our best player in the reserves now for the last couple of years and deserves this chance.

I really hope some of the young ones get a start especially i want to see Gilbert and Lupoli

Almunia – Eboue, Kolo, Senderos, Lauren – Quincy, Flamini, Larsson, Hleb – Reyes, Henry.

possibly

Fantastic, young players will start.

I want Ajax to win! I like Arsenal, but I want Ajax to win this. Charisteas is an awesome player!

C'mon gunners! You can do it..!

You're saying I say dumb things? I will never support Ajax! I really hate that club, I support PSV in Europe no problem. The first club who won the Champions League (then Europacup) was Feyenoord and by saying Feyenoord "was never a topclub and never will be" is a dumb thing to say. Feyenoord are not doing well in the competition? Who is on 3rd place and who is on number 8??
You're right about Arsenal, they are not an international topclub either LOL sorry that one was just too easy. Arsenal is a topclub but they always screw up in Europe so I don't think they will get very far.
My favourite players are dumb? Look at yourself! De Riddder?? He warms the bench at Celta My sig is real normal, just the logo of my club. You don't even have a sig!



Sure he is but he is gone

I really do hope the youngsters start over the regulars.

Gilbert really impressed me at LB last game he played so i'll be looking forward to him vs. Ajax.

1 hr till kickoff.

Interesting info:

Arsenal stand on the edge of a significant Champions League milestone this evening.

Only four teams in the history of the re-vamped competition — Milan, PSG, Spartak Moscow and Barcelona - have achieved six wins out of six in the opening group stage.

Please stop this petty argument or take this somewhere else. Thanks

Any way SSN say Quincy is going to play behind Henry, RvP on the bench He would have loved to play in this match mabe half time straight sub.

Official Line-ups (UEFA.com)

----------------------ALMUNIA----------------------------

----EBOUE------TOURE-----SENDEROS-----LAUREN----

-----HLEB------LARSSON-----FLAMINI-----REYES-------

---------------QUINCY-------HENRY-----------------------

Good luck Gunners.

Wow... I am stupid. I saw him playing for Ajax sometime, then I NEVER KNEW HE LEFT!!! :|
Sorry... which team does he play for now?

Hasn't left yet, just not getting any playing time

Okay that is a big post I just want to make one thing clear: I am 18 years old and I know Ajax was a huge club but fact is I never actually saw that Ajax team play. I have been seriously watching football for only 5 years. So I did not grew up watching Bergkamp, Neeskens play for Ajax. They have always been an arrogant club, but when you are the best club (like in the 70's) you have a right to be arrogant. But when you are no longer the best but keep that attitude then it turns people off big time.
And why would I change my name? Neeskens is Dutch and I love the guy. I don't hate all Ajax players, for example I like Maduro and Emanuelson. But I hate Sneijder!
If you take a look at another post of mine I already said we had a draw with RBC Happens sometimes, so what result did Ajax have against Heracles?? We can go on and on about such results.
You'll beat us in the Kuip, arrogant presumpsion of course. Ajax fans have that a lot. Fact is that match still has to be played.
Now let's end this discussion, you are an Ajax supporter and I am a Feyenoord supporter. I think that is about everything we will agree on
Ik ben niet te beroerd om je succes te wensen voor vanavond en als je goed speelt en wint zal ik je meteen feliciteren oke?
Voor mij is deze discussie nu voorbij, als je mijn avatar zo vervelend vind zal ik hem weghalen want hij is eigenlijk maar tijdelijke vervanging omdat ik op zoek ben naar een mooie van Arjen Robben en Dirk Kuijt.
DoeiDoei!!

This is really getting boring and annoying, people stick to the topic.

Before a mod warns please stop arguing.

I see... Charisteas should be on all the time...

Ok, you have my word
So on topic then: why is RVP on the bench?

Thank you.

Beats me, I was looking forward seeing RvP score but mabe its time for other players to get there chances, Quincy will have something to prove against his former team.

Henry misses penalty.

Van Persie is needed in this match.

Wow. Henry missed. We NEED RVP.

Well, well, nice dive again by Reyes. Good thing THierry agreed to miss it
Not really the match I hoped for so far....

Yea but iam sure Rvp would spice it up

Hope so, as long as he doesn't score But yeah, Quincy really dissapointed me in this match up till now, so wouldn't mind seeing van Persie coming on.

any live stream?

Can't believe Henry missed the penalty. Oh well - it's all about luck.

Go Young Guns. How's Quincy playing?

Arsenal fans are singing Van Persies name.

We all want him on.

Hehehe. He gonna steals the headine!

Reyes injured dead leg.

Fabregas comes on for Hleb

Van Persie is coming on in a sec

HAHA Van persie is given a standing ovation.

What channel is this on in the UK? thanks!

Woohoo Van Persie!

Sky sports xtra