CL-QR3-L2: Ajax - PAOK (13-Aug-19, 21:30 EEST)

[Blackhawk]

  VS  

MATCHUP:           FC Ajax Amsterdam - PAOK Thessaloniki
COMPETITION:    Champions League – Qualifying Round 3- Leg 2
DATE:                    13-August-2019
TIME:                     21:30 EEST  (18:30 GMT, 13:30 CDT, 04:30 AEST next day)
CITY/STADIUM:   Amsterdam - Johan Cruyff Arena (54,990)
REFEREES:            Craig Pawson - Lee Betts, Ian Hussin (England)
TELEVISION:        COSMOTE Sport 1 (Greece), Ziggo Sport Select (Holland), SportKlub 3 (Serbia), QQ Sport (China)

PAOK’s History against Ajax Amsterdam in European Competitions

2019-2020:  PAOK – Ajax Amsterdam     2:2  (32. Akpom, 39. Matos) – Att: 23,418 – Champions League (QR3, Leg 1)

2015-2016:  PAOK – Ajax Amsterdam     1:2  (4. Athanasiadis) – Att: 24,930 – Champions League (QR3, Leg 2)
2015-2016:  Ajax Amsterdam – PAOK     1:1  (27. Campos) - Att: 47,744 - Champions League (QR3, Leg 1)

2010-2011:  PAOK – Ajax Amsterdam     3:3  (16. Vieirinha, 56. Salpiggidis, 90. Ivic) – Att: 24,109 – Champions League (QR3, Leg 2)
2010-2011:  Ajax Amsterdam – PAOK     1:1  (72. Ivic) - Att: 24,151 - Champions League (QR3, Leg 1)

GAMES:  5    WINS:  0    TIES:  4    LOSSES:  1

PAOK – Ajax 1:1 (2010)

Friendly games agains Ajax Amsterdam

2017:      Ajax Amsterdam – PAOK                   4:2  (38. Varela, 51. Prijovic)) – Att: no fans – (Ajax Training Grounds-Amsterdam)
1988:      PAOK – Ajax Amsterdam                   4:2  (13. Fernando, 15. Skartados, 64. Alexandridis, 90. Malioufas) – Att: ? – (Toumba Stadium)
1973:      PAOK – Ajax Amsterdam                   1:1  (36. Sarafis) – Att: 45,000 – (Kaftanzoglio Stadium)
 

PAOK – Ajax 4:2 (1988)

[BostonThanatos]

Early reports are the Ferreira is testing Limnios instead of Biseswar, and Swiderski in the starting lineup.  I assume in Pelkas place.  Not sure about these moves if true.

[pash]

Could be an endurance thing. If Biseswar and Pelkas don't start (which I don't agree with), they'd surely be put on in the second half.

[DunfermlineAthleticPAOK]

Good luck to anyone trying to get a ticket.

[BostonThanatos]

I wouldn't mind seeing Biseswar coming on in the 60th minute for Limnios.  But I think it's a mistake to keep Pelkas out.  I can't see having Augustou playing for either El Kaddouri or Esiti to start.  

[pash]

Yeah I don' think Augusto has got what it takes. But I don't think Ferreira is gonna make a chance in the midfield. I read they were spending a lot of their time practicing defending against set pieces - too little, too late my friends

Pelkas is a must-start IMO. People are giving him flack for missing that goal - at least he was in the position to threaten twice there.

[BostonThanatos]

If Pelkas and Bise are both out, then who will organize the offense?  

[pash]

Perhaps he'll count on El Kaddouri as the middle of a 4-3-3. Yuck.

[Dutch Eagle]

No Bise no party. I think it equals suicide if he puts Diego on the bench. Bise may not be the fasted but he is our brain and "control tower".

[kozi]

Leaving Biseswar out would be a disaster. His creativity is vital if we are to create chances to score. I would play a genuine 4-4-2 with Swiderski joining Akpom up front. Pelka to the bench. Rest of the team unchanged. 

[Antaeus7]

This doesn't sound well, PAOK will have a difficult to finding their offense. If they keep the score 0-0 through let's say 80 minutes, they got a chance to snatch a winner. 

[BostonThanatos]

I think we need to come out aggressive.  Playing from behind would be near impossible.  We need to score first and score early.  

[pash]

Agreed. We're not going to stop them from scoring. I am also very confident that we will be able to score. But we need to fight for a lead and keep pressure on them. This won't happen if we hope to sneak through with a goal in the 90th minute.

Pelkas and Biseswar need to start this, but the coach should make his subs much earlier. If Biseswar is slowing down at 50 minutes, then bite the bullet and put someone else in who can do the running.

[italosPAOK4]

pame na paroume to diplo na trelanoume olh thn Ellada kai olh thn Eurwph

[Yiankos]

Εννοείται ότι ο Μπίσεσβαρ πρέπει να ξεκινήσει. Αλλά δε νομίζω ότι θα κάνει αλλαγές ο Φερέιρα. Λογικά θα κατεβάσει την ίδια ενδεκάδα.

Αυτό που δεν μου άρεσε στο προηγούμενο παιχνίδι ήταν ειδικά η πρώτη αλλαγή. Έβγαλε τον Πέλκα, πήγε τον Μπίσεσβαρ δεύτερο επιθετικό που δεν του ταιριάζει και είχε και τον Λημνιό αριστερά που δεν μπορούσε να κάνει πολλά. Θα προτιμούσα να είχε βάλει τον Αουγκούστο στο κέντρο για να γίνουμε πιο σφιχτοί.

Anyway, πάμε για το θαύμα και να γουστάρουμε. Να μη φάμε γκολ στα πρώτα 25 λεπτά είναι το πιο σημαντικό!

[pash]

Might see Swiderski start next to Akpom, with Pelkas on the left. I don't hate it.

[Dutch Eagle]

The 21 that will travel to The Netherlands:

Πασχαλάκης, Ζίβκοβιτς, Μελίσσας, Μάτος, Γιαννούλης, Ροντρίγκο, Βαρέλα , Κρέσπο, Ίνγκασον, Ντόουγκλας,  Μίσιτς, Εσίτι, Ελ Καντουρί, Πέλκας, Μπίσεσβαρ, Ζαμπά, Λημνιός, Άκπομ, Σφιντέρσκι, Γαϊτανίδης, Στοχ .

This means that Kace and Mihaj (besides the injured players) are cut. 

[Dutch Eagle]

I forgot Lazaros Lamprou, who is also cut from the squad for this game.

[pash]

Word has it his manager is in Thessaloniki to discuss who he will go on loan to. What a waste.

[Bananas]

I thought at the start of this season we’d need 4 wingers with Lamprou being one of them.  Apparently not.  Not sure what more our coaches need to see to give him a go.

Still if they’d rather slot Biseswar on the flanks then we have too many.  Personally I wouldn’t have bothered to sign Stoch who so far has been lack lustre.

[pash]

Perhaps he'll turn out to be lackluster. People have a habit of throwing players to the wolves if they've had five minutes of bad performance (which so far constitutes the entirety of Stoch's actual game time with us this season).

I think we're going to sell Jaba and if we do, it'll just make the Lamprou sale look stupider. What I think may actually be happening, is that the coach wants to put his own guys in there. So if Jaba goes, he'll select yet another Brazilian.

[paokarag4]

Lamprou must have some obvious flaws if a 2nd coach is preparing to loan him out. Without having seen him play really, my guess is his defensive side is poor to non-existent. His numbers in Holland last season suggest he's very good going forward, but again that's just based on numbers.

I was hopefully he'd come back this season and be vying for a starting place down the left, we shouldn't write him off yet but given he hasn't been included in either of the squads for the Ajax games suggests he might be on his way out. 

[Blackhawk]

All English crew for this one as far as referees is concerned.

No news on any TV coverage in the US, Canada, etc.

[Soprano76]

I dont understand why they couldnt keep Lamprou and give him a run against the likes of Larisa, Asteras, etc. Is the upside for a 30 yo journeyman Brazilian that much greater? Ridiculous tbh.

[Alphonse]

Lamprou would have been good/useful  in Holland