Champions League Semi Finals (30th April - 8th May)

Not underestimating ajax, I'd really prefer facing them over spurs. we've already played spurs twice this season, won both (thanks to Lloris), don't really want to play them once more.

Ajax have a better team overall and they can cause us problems, but I'd take them over an English team every day of the week.
I think either team would be tricky for you lot but I still think Liverpool are massive favorites to win the whole thing now.
 
Spurs v. Liverpool would be funny. The battle of Bottlers in finals, would be interesting if anything.
What does that mean? Spurs progressed from the group stage from a position nobody has ever done. They went on to beat arguably the best side in the continent withstanding a storm while making the top 4 with comfortably the lowest wage bill among the top 6. Liverpool have been playing league finals since about March without flinching and just staged on the greatest comebacks of all time. Even historically, they won 5 out of 8 European finals.
 
I think Spurs knowing more about Liverpool and having Kane back would be more equipped to taking them down in a final so hoping for a Spurs victory today but god hates me and after sticking it to me yesterday he's not going to listen to me today.
 
Seems to be some confidence for Spurs despite them losing 1-0 at home and getting outplayed for a long period and their poor PL form.

Think Ajax will do it but I'm not really confident either side can beat Liverpool. Ajax keeps surprising so maybe they can go all the way and win the CL.
 
Just asking: do people support Ajax tonight mainly because it's overall a more difficult team and the scouse may struggle vs them in the final?

Ajax is by far and away the most pleasing team to watch in this tournament
 
Just asking: do people support Ajax tonight mainly because it's overall a more difficult team and the scouse may struggle vs them in the final?
-Mythical club
-Relatively small budget
-Played the best football in the competition
-Defeated the 3-time-in-a-row current champion

Not sure if they would be more difficult for Liverpool. Finals between teams from the same country are usually very close (Juve-Milan, United-Chelsea, Dortmund-Bayern, Atletico-Real etc).
 
What does that mean? Spurs progressed from the group stage from a position nobody has ever done. They went on to beat arguably the best side in the continent withstanding a storm while making the top 4 with comfortably the lowest wage bill among the top 6. Liverpool have been playing league finals since about March without flinching and just staged on the greatest comebacks of all time. Even historically, they won 5 out of 8 European finals.
On one hand you have Klopp who has bottled last 6 or 7 finals and on the other you have spurs who have not won many trophies in recent history. The result would be a big one for one of Poch or Klopp.
 
'Shame. There is no other adjective’ – Spanish press on Barcelona’s defeat

2015.jpg


Sport called it the ‘greatest humiliation in history’ as the Spanish press ripped Barcelona apart after Anfield defeat
:

https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...efeat-liverpool-anfield-semi-champions-league

Clearly, these reporters have never accidentally farted in a crowded lift.
 
I think either team would be tricky for you lot but I still think Liverpool are massive favorites to win the whole thing now.

It's the first time I remember us being favorites in a final, not sure if it's a good thing though.
 
Hope Spurs somehow gets through to the final. Sorry Ajax i would love for you to win the thing but i think Spurs are better equipped to deal with the scouse now that they are in the final, plus Kane will be back by then as well. So come on Spurs

Are you sure about this?
 
On one hand you have Klopp who has bottled last 6 or 7 finals and on the other you have spurs who have not won many trophies in recent history. The result would be a big one for one of Poch or Klopp.
Or maybe Klopp and his teams were simply not good enough? Dortmund were clearly inferior to one of the best Bayer sides ever. Same for Liverpool against City and last year to a record breaking Real Madrid team boasting one of the best players in history.

As for Tottenham, how can you bottle winning something when nothing about your profile or finances suggest you should be even in a position to compete. It's like saying if Watford lose the FA Cup final, they will have bottled it.

Most of the time you lose or win major trophies on the basis of quality, pure and simple. After that, it can a simple of matter of fortune or an one off incident that changes the dynamics of a game. Bottle or mentality or whatever barely plays a part as if a team lacks in those area, they would not be in contention to begin with.
 
Still can't believe spurs are almost in a CL final. football has been unbelievable in the last few weeks.
 
Ajax players aren’t arrogant, they’re cocky because they know the attitude is justified by their 1337 skillz. ;)




:D



But yeah, most fans have given Ajax credit. Yet some like Squishy in particular have been proclaiming the end is nigh for Ajax at least five times I’m aware off, saying the next opponent will not just win but obliterate them, if not in the first, then the second leg. Each time finding excuses why this time is the True End of Times and why the previous proclaimed one “would have happened if not for unforeseen circumstance, opponent setbacks or other reasons why the opponent actually was being crap and it wasn’t down to Ajax even if they played good, because Ajax winning on own merit could otherwise never realistically happen”. (Worded to indicate tone and prejudiced frame of reference clinging, rather than exact phrasing).


I've said that I think you will go through in the second leg vs us .. 70/30 in your favour. I didn't say shit about the Madrid tie (they are garbage and so inconsistent this season) but yeah, I thought Juventus would qualify.

Before our tie I said several times that I actually thought the tie was in your favour due to our injuries. All I said was that us at FULL STRENGTH I think would knock you out, but the 1-0 loss didn't surprise me in the slightest.

Liverpool are much better than you, and would be clear favourites to win if you get to the final. That's no slight on you, they're going to get 97 points in the PL and just beat Barca 4-0. That's not predicting the end of times, that's just being honest. You can beat them in a one off game but you would be underdogs.

You've had so much praise and adulation handed your way so it's pretty rich to sit there acting put out. Everybody has roundly praised this Ajax side and recognised how brilliant your football has been.
 
Are you sure about this?

Not entirely sure but there's a few murmurs about it. The Spurs fans will know more than me so maybe they can shed more info soon. There's still about three weeks to 2nd June so yeah plenty of time. But first, Spurs got to get through first!
 
Still can't believe spurs are almost in a CL final. football has been unbelievable in the last few weeks.
It's quite remarkable how they managed to knock City out over 2 legs. Didn't expect that at all. Neither did I expect Liverpool to destroy Barca yesterday.
 
Wanyama is gonna cost Spurs. He was great for them in 16/17 but injuries have hurt him a lot.
 
Not entirely sure but there's a few murmurs about it. The Spurs fans will know more than me so maybe they can shed more info soon. There's still about three weeks to 2nd June so yeah plenty of time. But first, Spurs got to get through first!

That changes the perspective somewhat. I'd quite fancy a full-strength Spurs side to pull it off, plus Liverpool would likely prefer Ajax to an all-English, anything goes final.

Can any Spurs fans confirm if Kane will return for the final?
 
Or maybe Klopp and his teams were simply not good enough? Dortmund were clearly inferior to one of the best Bayer sides ever. Same for Liverpool against City and last year to a record breaking Real Madrid team boasting one of the best players in history.

As for Tottenham, how can you bottle winning something when nothing about your profile or finances suggest you should be even in a position to compete. It's like saying if Watford lose the FA Cup final, they will have bottled it.

Most of the time you lose or win major trophies on the basis of quality, pure and simple. After that, it can a simple of matter of fortune or an one off incident that changes the dynamics of a game. Bottle or mentality or whatever barely plays a part as if a team lacks in those area, they would not be in contention to begin with.

History suggests both of them have not done great at winning trophies in recent years. It is a great opportunity for both of them to correct it.

And I completely disagree with the bolded part. Some people struggle to go past the finish line, they do all the good work but when it comes to the crunch part they fail and bottle it (whether the opponent is stronger or not does not matter).

Spurs have done well this season but they are also lucky that Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal are playing really crap this season and yet Spurs are trying their best to lose the momentum. Thats why people famously associate them with bottle job.
Similarly Liverpool and klopp have been presented another opportunity to win a trophy and this time he won't have the excuse of playing the underdog card as his team will be the favourites.

It will be an interesting final from that perspective where you have two team who have always struggled to get past the finish line and that's why it is the battle of bottlers in finals. (Note: I specifically said in FINALS)
 
-Mythical club
-Relatively small budget
-Played the best football in the competition
-Defeated the 3-time-in-a-row current champion

Not sure if they would be more difficult for Liverpool. Finals between teams from the same country are usually very close (Juve-Milan, United-Chelsea, Dortmund-Bayern, Atletico-Real etc).

A Spurs vs Pool final would totally be a 2000 Madrid 3-0 Valencia, 2019 version.
 
I want Ajax to win everything, but between Ajax and Tottenham, I don't care who does it or indeed how they do it, but just beat Liverpool. One game. 90 minutes. That's all you have to do. Show up for one freaking game.

Most scary of all is that most Liverpool fans probably could signal "Six Times" using one hand....
 
Am I the only one who thinks that Champion league has slowly regressed in the last 10/15 years, where a 3-0 lead in first leg is basically a 0-0 going into the 2nd leg?
If by regressed you mean, there is no Pep's Barcelona, then of course that is correct. But again there has been arguably no better side before them and most likely won't be any time soon. After them, I would say the likes of City, Liverpool, current Barcelona, Juventus are very comparable to the tier below the best side of all time. Maybe the different is we're having more top teams than 10 years ago when it seemed there were only 2 or 3 at any one given time.
 
That changes the perspective somewhat. I'd quite fancy a full-strength Spurs side to pull it off, plus Liverpool would likely prefer Ajax to an all-English, anything goes final.

Can any Spurs fans confirm if Kane will return for the final?

Apparently when Jenas was talking to Kane this evening the latter said that he would be.
 
Neres out so Dolberg plays instead. Only player with real pace gone for Ajax and Tadic has to move positions unexpectedly, that's not a great start.
 
Think Spurs have a better chance in the final (if Kane is fit) so backing them tonight.
 
Interested to watch Onana again, might be a big night for him. Also, a Potential De Gea replacement.

Ajax side look confident(full of smiles), Spurs looks nervous(stern faces).
 
Can Dolberg actually move or is he just a static targetman?

Does effect the dynamics for Ajax a bit but they still have lots of quality on the pitch to buzz around if Dolberg can hold it up effectively.