EL Final 2017 : Ajax vs Manchester United, BT Sport/TV3, 24/05, 19:45

Liam McPoyle

VS





Emanating from The Friends Arena in Stockholm comes the 2017 Europa League final.

Featuring two historic European powerhouses that have somewhat fallen on leaner times in recent years.

Routes to the final

Ajax had arguably the tougher route to the final, disposing of Legia Warsaw, Kobenhavn, Schalke and Lyon in the knockout stages.

United got past St-Etienne, FC Rostov, Anderlecht and Celta Vigo to make it to Sweden.

Form guide : Last 5 league games

United had a stuttering finish to a disappointing premier league campaign with the last 5 games DLLDW.

Ajax on the other hand finished runner up in the Eredivisie, losing out to Feyenoord by a solitary point with their last 5 games WWLWW, scoring a very impressive 17 goals in the process and conceding just 3.

United have struggled in front of goal all season scoring just 54 times in 38 league games but conceding only 29, the second best defensive record in the league and only 3 more than Spurs who finished 17 points ahead of the Red Devils.

Injury and suspension to key personnel could prove a problem for United who will be without first choice centre half pairing of Eric Bailly (suspended) and Marcus Rojo (injured) as well as their talismanic striker, and run away top scorer, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

The much maligned Jose Mourinho boasts an impressive record in cup finals, winning 11 of the 13 that his teams have appeared in including two champions leagues and a Uefa cup, which coincidentally (or is it destiny) is the one trophy that Manchester United have never won.

Much of the pre game focus will undoubtedly be on Manchester Uniteds Paul Pogba. The most expensive player ever has come in for much criticism, some of it warranted however there is no doubt that the player adds some much needed impetus to Uniteds attack so if ever there was a stage for a player to silence their critics, a European cup final is certainly it.

Young Marcus Rashford now bears the weight of expectation for United in front of goal with the untimely injury to Zlatan. The boy has bucket loads of talent and can be a nightmare for defenders if he is allowed any kind of space.

While United may be somewhat limp in the final third they are currently a very difficult team to beat so with Ajax's free scoring form vs Uniteds mean defence it could be a case of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

One thing is for certain, by around 22:30 tomorrow evening, there will be one set of fans very disappointed and another jumping for joy, who does what remains to be seen.

Will the boys from Ajax be able to do some Amsterdamage to Uniteds champions league dream?

Will Jose's bus make it to Sweden in time?

Will Pogba have a new haircut to give his less imaginative critics more fodder?

Will Zlatan prove once and for all that he is a demigod and leap from the crowd to get a late winner?

Will the ABU's survive the night unbanned should United win?

Tune in tomorrow night for the answers to these and many more questions.

Trigger

What the **** is that monstrosity of a crest in the OP

Shame on you Rod, shame on you!

Regarding the match: I think we will scrape it

Liam McPoyle

astradave wrote: »

What the **** is that monstrosity of a crest in the OP

Shame on you Rod, shame on you!

Regarding the match: I think we will scrape it

:O

Edited.

Liam McPoyle

On the match, I think if Ajax score early on we will struggle, we suck at chasing games at the moment.

Keep it tight for the first half hour and try the counter.

Jose seems to trust Lingard and he has a habit of scoring big goals for us so if he starts, he and Rashers have to use their pace.

5starpool

1-0 utd with the goal in the 119th minute.

Hotblack Desiato

What's with the Spanish thread title ("el final" ) and no logos Rod?

2/5

StringerBell

One game to make or break a season is always an odd one, but this is what it boils down to.

Gonna be a fair amount of piss taking done either way after the game! Hopefully we get to come down on the piss taking side and finish out the trophy cabinet to boot!

Osmosis Jones

What? Nah I've always been a fan of Ajax

ERG89

It's be fitting if Kluivert's son got the winner 22 years to the day his dad scored the winning goal in a champions league final.
Fortunately for Ajax this United team are nothing compared to that Milan side but neither is this Ajax team comparable to the one that night.
United to win it unconvincingly by the odd goal in normal time.

Rayne Wooney

It's United v the football world tomorrow night

Hotblack Desiato

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

It's United v the football world tomorrow night

Same as usual!

StringerBell

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

It's United v the football world tomorrow night

Wouldn't have it any other way Sure it makes the lows bad (not as bad as when my friends actually stopped taking the piss out of United, that was real bad) but the highs are so much better for it!

Ben Gadot

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

It's United v the football world tomorrow night

I don't think many would begrudge Manchester tonight.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Ben Gadot wrote: »

I don't think many would begrudge Manchester tonight.

The incident is not directly connected with the club and this match is completely trivial so it will have zero impact on who people want to win.

Liam McPoyle

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

The incident is not directly connected with the club and this match is completely trivial so it will have zero impact on who people want to win.

Aye, I certainly wouldn't want the tragic events of Monday night to get somehow attached to a football match, the incident was non partisan so keep it as such. Mark it with a minutes silence but if I see any "do it for Manchester" stuff I will die a little inside .

paulbok

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

The incident is not directly connected with the club and this match is completely trivial so it will have zero impact on who people want to win.

Dig in early, United to win so.

D0NNELLY

Nice early Ajax goal, so utd can't do their usual joseball. Make for a decent match regardless of who wins.

ThunbergsAreGo

Should be a cakewalk for United but wont be, fancy them AET

D0NNELLY

D0NNELLY wrote: »

Nice early Ajax goal, so utd can't do their usual joseball. Make for a decent match regardless of who wins.

I like this post. Need to remind myself later.

D0NNELLY

M!Ck^ wrote: »

I like this post. Need to remind myself later.

yabadabado

D0NNELLY wrote: »

Nice early Ajax goal, so utd can't do their usual joseball. Make for a decent match regardless of who wins.

Lol. It has started early .

D0NNELLY

yabadabado wrote: »

Lol. It has started early .

Early? Get up!

Drumpot

United fans should at least take some comfort that tonight's game is probably the most anticipated of the season for most Liverpool fans....

dundalkfc10

Drumpot wrote: »

United fans should at least take some comfort that tonight's game is probably the most anticipated of the season for most Liverpool fans....

Utd fans talking about and trying to get a dig in at Liverpool before a European Cup Final is not comforting, it's just bizzare

Drumpot

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Utd fans talking about and trying to get a dig in at Liverpool before a European Cup Final is not comforting, it's just bizzare

Not as bizarre as the amount of ABUs who will be monitoring this thread desperately waiting for Ajax To go a goal up before posting !

PhilipsR

United's season starts and ends tonight!

Drumpot

PhilipsR wrote: »

United's season starts and ends tonight!

That's true... amazing how win or lose makes such a difference to how the season looks!

dundalkfc10

Drumpot wrote: »

Not as bizarre as the amount of ABUs who will be monitoring this thread desperately waiting for Ajax To go a goal up before posting !

So other fans who don't want Utd to win, slagging/trolling if they go 1-0 down is more bizarre than Utd fans talking about Liverpool before there biggest game of the season?

MD1990

Drumpot wrote: »

Not as bizarre as the amount of ABUs who will be monitoring this thread desperately waiting for Ajax To go a goal up before posting !

Man Utd on here never troll Liverpool fans after a bad loss:rolleyes:

HigginsJ

I think this will be all about Pogba tonight, he is probably as fresh as he has been in a long time at this point, I expect him to dominate the game from the off, score one and create one. World's most expensive player, do your thing.

GLaDOS

Threads gone to shit already, hurrah

redzerdrog

Drumpot wrote: »

Not as bizarre as the amount of ABUs who will be monitoring this thread desperately waiting for Ajax To go a goal up before posting !

Most want Ajax to go a goal up early on so they don't have to endure 120 minutes of joseball

Ben Gadot

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

The incident is not directly connected with the club and this match is completely trivial so it will have zero impact on who people want to win.

I'm trying to be diplomatic here.

Drumpot

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

So other fans who don't want Utd to win, slagging/trolling if they go 1-0 down is more bizarre than Utd fans talking about Liverpool before there biggest game of the season?

There is nothing bizarre about anticipating trolling by waving to said Trolls before they begin!

Drumpot

redzerdrog wrote: »

Most want Ajax to go a goal up early on so they don't have to endure 120 minutes of joseball

I was the same when he was at Chelsea... I can see why most neutrals would want it. I hope united start like they did agaisnt Chelsea , on the front foot..

ThunbergsAreGo

HigginsJ wrote: »

I think this will be all about Pogba tonight, he is probably as fresh as he has been in a long time at this point, I expect him to dominate the game from the off, score one and create one. World's most expensive player, do your thing.

9/1 for MotM

Johner

United 2-1 in a close fought nervy game.

Drumpot

If this goes according to plan it will be 1-0 United . .

Maximus Alexander

United to lose on penalties.

Maximus Alexander

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

United to lose on penalties.

Ah here!

Maximus Buzzkillington!

Maximus Alexander

M!Ck^ wrote: »

Ah here!

Maximus Buzzkillington!

Sorry! But I've succumbed to the trend of miserable disappointment that has been the life of the United fan the past few years. :P

Trigger

Maximus Alexander wrote: »

Sorry! But I've succumbed to the trend of miserable disappointment that has been the life of the United fan the past few years. :P

Except for every time we have played a once off match for a trophy we have won

2 community shields (I know, I know but still a once off game for silverware)
1 FA Cup
1 League Cup

RockSalto

astradave wrote: »

Except for every time we have played a once off match for a trophy we have won

2 community shields (I know, I know but still a once off game for silverware)
1 FA Cup
1 League Cup

Jose going for number 12 out of 14 finals. Some record regardless.

keeponhurling

So, the teams: does the below seem right ?!

Man United:
Romero (although leaving out DDG is a big call)
Valencia, Blind, Smalling, Darmian
Fellaini Herrera Pogba Lingard Mkhataryan
Rashford

(Zlatan and Bailly are big losses)

Ajax:
Onana
Tete Sanchez de Ligt Riedewald
Klaassen Schone Younes
Traore Dolberg Ziyech

Trigger

The united one looks spot on anyways

8-10

If United score early or get to half-time without conceding, it's in the bag for them. Ajax need to score in the first half to have a chance

8-10

keeponhurling wrote: »

So, the teams: does the below seem right ?!

Man United:
Romero (although leaving out DDG is a big call)
Valencia, Blind, Smalling, Darmian
Fellaini Herrera Pogba Lingard Mkhataryan
Rashford

(Zlatan and Bailly are big losses)

Ajax:
Onana
Tete Sanchez de Ligt Riedewald
Klaassen Schone Younes
Traore Dolberg Ziyech

I'd expect Veltman ahead of Tete and Ziyech will play behind Younes, he's similar to Payet

Drumpot

I don't think Jose would drop DDG for any other reason then he is leaving . .

How often does a top coach leave a world class player on a bench in their biggest game of the season just to be loyal to another player ! ! Its not like DDG is just a good goalkeeper, he is possibly the best in the world, certainly in the top 3 . . One could argue DDG is uniteds most talented fit player !!

HONKEY TONK

Drumpot wrote: »

I don't think Jose would drop DDG for any other reason then he is leaving . .

How often does a top coach leave a world class player on a bench in their biggest game of the season just to be loyal to another player ! ! Its not like DDG is just a good goalkeeper, he is possibly the best in the world, certainly in the top 3 . . One could argue DDG is uniteds most talented fit player !!

How is DDG dropped.

He didnt play the Europa league this season.

Drumpot

Drumpot wrote: »

I don't think Jose would drop DDG for any other reason then he is leaving . .

How often does a top coach leave a world class player on a bench in their biggest game of the season just to be loyal to another player ! ! Its not like DDG is just a good goalkeeper, he is possibly the best in the world, certainly in the top 3 . . One could argue DDG is uniteds most talented fit player !!

Just to note: De Gea trained yesterday, Romero apparently didn't feature