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Weekend news….my Goodness where do we start…?
Comments(108)
There is so much happening at the moment!
At Ajax ( off the pitch), at Feyenoord ( on the pitch), with Beckham ( in court). Well forget about Beckham, actually….
Bayern sacked Van Gaal after they found that the players do not support him and one Franck Ribery in particular had a devastating report card for the former Ajax coach. Andries Jonker, the assistant mini-me, gets positive ratings and the former Volendam coach will finish the season in Munich.
But, what’s much more fun to write about is the fact that the competition has finally started!!
Who wants to be champion? is the new quiz show. Twente drops points and voila, PSV drops points.
Ajax did win their game ( Frank de Boer is king of clean sheets) and is still in the race for the title.
On April 24, it’s Feyenoord – PSV and who knows, the Been coached youngsters took Utrecht to the cleaners ( Fer, Leerdam, Biseswar and Wijnaldum on the score sheet, a who is who of Feyenoord talent) so they might be able to take revenge for the 10-0 earlier this season. Allowing Ajax to jump to second spot. They might not win the title, but the second spot does make for Champions League football!
Twente could and should have won their game but the Panenka of Ruiz failed miserably. When a goalie doesn’t move but waits, the Panenka is Pathetic.
Twente needs to play De Graafschap (always tough), ADO ( the revelation of the season), Willem II (easy) and…. Ajax!
Kevin Leerdam enjoys his goal, and so does Wijnaldum
PSV needs to play Heracles, Feyenoord, Vitesse and Groningen. All tough.
Ajax has the following games to play: NEC, Excelsior, Heerenveen and…..Twente!
In the meantime, Guus Hiddink resisted the JC offer to come and sit in Ajax’ board while Villareal ( after beating Twente 5-1) took a beating at Valencia: 5-0!
Pffff…..
Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 108 comments.
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@nad: You should watch a few games in Italy before you make blanket statements and comparisons like that.
Besides Sneijder does not spit on people, nor creates a ruckus to be investigated by the FA. Sneijder actually plays fairly regularly, doesn’t pretend to be injured, doesn’t dive and fall over. and generally does not act like an unemployed lazy Spanish bitch looking to get back home any minute.
Eric, I dont evaluate the players trought the club that they play. Just a example: I look to the Netherlands at Euro 2008(amazing on a group stages) and I see one Twente player in base, Engelaar, and he did a stupend matches against Italy (world champions) and France (vice), and not played for a top club neither had a CL experience. Now look to the performances of Carricks and Barrys in a big competitons, are hilarious, even english people say the same… The english players have the protection of the midia that no other player of other country have, this project them to levels that no belong. Of other way you think that Andy Carrol would cost 40M? Or Wright Philips or Barry or Crouch etc etc. They play in top english teams because they are english people. What happened with Owen, Woodgate or Beckham when they left England? Take attention and you will believe that they are just average players and playing for a big team not can change it. That’s my point.
@danni– I guess we have to agree to disagree. By today’s standard, below the elites (the Essiens or Iniestas of the world), I’d be comfortable listing Song/Carrick/Barry as above-average “all-around midfielders” regardless where they’re from. Someone who is fluid enough in attack without being a liability in defense. Someone who can passes and distributes the ball without turning it over. I could throw in a few other names, De Rossi, Fletcher, Schweinsteger and Meireles would probably make my list too. Happened to be that any of those names have quite a bit of experience playing at competitive league and internationally. If you want to include De Zeeuw/Janssen/Engelaar in your list, go for it (I promise I won’t laugh at you). To me they’re nothing more than average.
Posted from 
United States
I dont said that De Zeeuw, Theo and Engelaar are a top players, but for me are the same level or better than Barry and Carrick.
The top holding midfielders(centre midfielders are(for me): Essien, SCHWEINSTEIGER, De Jong, De Rossi, Busquets and Cambiasso.
I agree with you on many points, but disagree strongly about it lol.
GO SPURS!
@ nad –
Sneijder has won 3 different leagues – reached WC final – won the UCL… He basically carried Oranje on his shoulders during first phase in the WC
What has Fabregas done? Yes, he played 10 minutes in WC final!
Posted from United States
@danni– if we agree on ALL points, that’s no longer a reason for the existence of a blog, chat room, forum, or whatever people call it these days. I am quite all right with disagreements, no harms done. Cheers 
Posted from United States
Goodbye Van der Vaart and Sneijder. Remain Huntelaar, Afellay and Van der Sar.
Van der Sar will finish his carrer lifting the UCL trophy 
i don’t understand how tottenham were able to beat ac milan…
inter were pathetic,7-3 in aggregate…
the spanish semi-final will be the real final between the 2 best teams of the world
Posted from 
Hungary
I can think of nothing better than to see Big Ed lift the Champions League trophy in his last competitive match!
Ferenc: You know this is where we disagree my friend. Right now I give you Barcelona as the number 1 team in the world, but Man U is much better than Real Madrid.
The final will be between Barca and Man U and on any given Sunday who knows what can happen.
Some people will be pleased to hear FDB granted Dico Koppers: LB, Johan Kappelhoff:RB and Ricardo van Rhijn, usually RB now CB playing time. So 3 Dutch, homegrown defenders… maybe one or 2 of m will get more chances..
BTW Personally, Im a big fan of Stefano Denswil, CB from Ajax.. strong, agressive defender.. 18 years old.
Posted from 
Netherlands
Alex – hasn’t Rodney Sneijder been called up for Ajax friendly against Japanese Team ?
Posted from 
Singapore
Wissim
Sneijder wouldnt get into Spains team and in those 10 minutes Fabregas created the winning goal for Spain which just shows how great he is in any time.
Fabregas also played an important role in euro 2008 for spain.
Fabregas is only 23 but his performances are the best. like i said most assists in europe for the past 4/5 seasons and best chance creation rate in any league.
@nad are you kidding Sneijder is on the same level as iniesta and xavi, they play different styles but there’s no denying how incredible sneijder is… give credit where credits due
With that defense Man U are a threat to win any game or trophy.
Cesc is probably better than Sneijder, look at the highlights of Arsenal’s last game.
And I may have to come out of video retirment to do a RVP vs Kuyt comparison this weekend. Unless ofcoarse Kuyt plays well which would mean no video and not reading this blog for fear of Finn’s comments.
On the Sneijder /Fabregas debate, there is a simple measuring tape that is equal for both. Ballon d’Or, who finished where as voted by captains, trainers and sports journalists. But then – what do they know compared to you and I !!!
I actually rate them both equal and wouldn’t mind both in my team.
Posted from Singapore
Is van bommell supposed to stay where he is?
How is Robben after that weird red card? (what exactlydid he do??)
would love to watch Heerenveen v Utrecht on Friday if anyone has a link…
Sunday will be interesting as well for Kuyt / Rvp “matchup”! Will Suarez continue to run rampant?
Too bad Vermaelen is still gone.
still SO excited though – the only 2 English clubs which I really care to watch!
I would say Liverpool have the momentum, but dont forget they’ve generally been shit on the road – only 3 teams have lost more on the road. Hasn’t Dalglaish said something about not really wanting to be the fulltime new manager after the season? I thought I read that but cant find anything now… You get the feeling that Arsenal have been sort of a wounded animal the last while although they are also unbeaten at home since they blew it against Tottenham last November. Hard to say which way it will go!
Did anyone read that RvP said he would have gone in goal had something bad happened to Lehmann last weekend???
http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/04/10/2435029/arsenals-robin-van-persie-i-would-have-gone-in-goal-had-jens
keeping in mind the goal .com-ness of it, but hahahaha, that would have been FUNNY!
Has anyone else noticed the many unpunished late kicks after offside calls that have not been called, or espescially carded? (I do think RvP was being a bit of a cock in that Barca match I should mention…)
Posted from 
Canada
nad iam beginning to doubt your football knowledge. last year sneijder carried inter to champs league. single handedly destroyed chelsea which fab has failed to do and carried the dutch team to the finals. he can walk into any squad in the world…. i beginning to doubt whether u have watched enough of sniejders games. ps been an arsenal fan from 98 and have seen fabregas a million times
i’d say fabregas has the talent to become a playmaker like sneijder,but he’s not yet at wesley’s level. anyway,he’s younger,we’ll see,but xavi has at least 3 more years before retirement,so i cannot see him becoming as good as sneijder at barca.
Finn: yes,we disagree on this. believe me,i would be happy i could say madrid is really inferior to almost every team,but i follow their evolution this year,and i’m scared about the semis,especially because they have already lost la liga and concentrate 100percent on the cl. with mou you never know,he’s brilliant,knows how to play against barca (and against manu as well)… i cannot forget the damned inter-barca semis last year… he’s the only one who can stop barca. we’ll see and i hope the future will proove your opinion.
Posted from Hungary
Just read that Ancelotti might be on his way out and Marco van Basten is named as his successor. Gullit, Ancelotti, Van Basten…. Roman is a fan of AC Milan 1988 – 1992
Ancelotti is indeed history. Question is if he can even last until summer. I can see the Russian pulling the trigger earlier as they still need to secure the top 4 spot for CL time again next year.
People I talk to all seems to think it is Hiddink time again at the Bridge though, not MvB.
I mean Chelsea of course. Roman wasn’t around when Gulli-man coached Chelsea. Apologies. Before you all attack me.
Jan: he’s not the only one – i still consider ajax 1969-73 and ac milan 1987-90 (the sacchi era) the two best sides in club football history,and hope in a couple years could put the current barca beside them (but not yet,they have to win 2 cls in 2 years for this)
Posted from Hungary
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I’m sorry. I watch nearly every arsenal and Oranje game and Cesc is a much better playmaker.
He has the most assists in the last 4/5 seasons in european football and he creates a chance every 23 minutes or something like that according to offical stats.
Fabregas is only behind Xavi as the best playmaker in europem. Sneijder is not that creative even Van Der Vaart is more creative. Sneijder is all about shots, dribbles, power etc.