Europa League Final

Ajax 0:2 Manchester United

Friends Arena, Stockholm

Kick-off
Wed, 24 May 2017 @ 7:45pm BST
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Discussion Your Lineup Prediction

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    Craig Bellamy with some classy words, essentially saying he's supporting United tonight. Let's bring it home lads
     
    Too much at stake here: a win would be nice, almost great; a loss, terrible, really.
     
    Mata starting is the big surprise. Lingard seems to have been a starter for a long time.

    No problem with it, let's hope it works well.
     
    LVG present, pretty sure to support Ajax.

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    Borden said:
    Could be a blessing tbh.
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    That ‘blessing in disguise’ phrase just sums up the worst of this season. And I can't really see what good could come of a defeat here… Mourinho wouldn't be fired, but would probably go a little more crazy…
     
    Smalling doesn't fill me with confidence. He can make errors and still be consistent over a marathon but in one-off games, his mistakes can be costly. I hope he can get his head down and be focused.
    Same goes for Darmian.

    Mkhi, Mata must be on their toes from the start. Both of them are a bit weak on the physical side. Ajax's high press might bode problems for either. So, if we want control they need to be able to keep the ball near Ajax's penalty box.

    The rest pretty good.
     
    Smalling instead of Jones.. okay I feel nervous now :lol: come on Mike, make us proud.

    Mata instead of Lingard, the aim is to control and dominate possession from the start I guess and then Lingard to close the game afterwards with his energy.

    Come on United :devil: WIN!!!!
     
    Ixion said:
    The theory is the keeper will just kick it over their midfield and by-pass the press straight to Fellaini. I think we did it against Liverpool. Romero's kicking is shite compared to De Gea though.
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    I don't think that will work if he's in CM/DM though. If he was further up the pitch maybe but then we limit ourselves from a creative standpoint by excluding a more all round attacking player.

    Akshay said:
    The thing about Carrick is he's always preferred to defer to a more creative player if he was played next to one. It used to be Scholes and now it's Pogba. Whereas Herrera is more independent and his mobility also lets him get into positions where he can create more than Carrick can. I can think of loads of chances (and goals) that Herrera's created, I can barely think of any for Carrick this season.

    It does depend on where Fellaini plays. If he plays deeper and people are passing to him in midfield he's not going to cope with the press well. If he's going to be sprinting up the pitch whenever we win the ball and it's 2-3 passes before a punt to him, I think he'll do just fine. Once he receives the aerial ball his physicality tends to allow him to keep it under pressure.

    Just depends overall on the tactics we choose. I suspect we'll look to play on the counter so I prefer Fellaini. I don't think Carrick copes that well with intense pressing anyway.
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    In terms of direct assists you are probably right but, from what I've seen recently, our play breaks down so much when we try and come out of defense that I feel we need someone like Carrick - who will also complement Pogba better. No team can press for 90mins and I don't like how we are adapting to not get beaten rather than how to win - stinks of Moyes - I genuinely think we can pass them off the pitch and Traveller them out. Maybe too LVG style but I really fear for us if we sit in & try to counter.

    On the Fellaini point, I just think he is overrated physically and aerially (KDB was winning headers against him during the Derby for example) plus he picks up silly cards all the time. No doubt he'll get a headed winner and I'll happily eat my words!
     
    Jed I. Knight said:
    Mata ahead of Lingard, Fellaini ahead of Carrick, Smalling ahead of Jones.

    Hope Jose's spot on with these choices. Could make or break the occasion, really!
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    Lingard has been poor lately (except for the minutes he played against Palace); Mata is more experienced and his combination with Mikhi has been pretty eye catching. Mata is also more clinical than Jesse.

    Carrick has also been poor lately. If we judge strictly based on the most recent performances and forget about the biases against Fellaini, then we have to admit he has been better in the midfield than Carrick. Also, because we are a bit short in defence, we Fellaini's height to defend corner kicks.

    I prefer Jones to Smalling in defence but the reason for picking Smalling here is pretty clear. To beat Ajax, we have to stop Dolberg. One of his primary weapons is his movement off the ball and ability to run behind defenders. Jones is weak in this regard. He gets easily caught in the wrong positions. Smalling for all his weaknesses, does better than Jones when it comes to positioning in defence.

    I think it's a good team selection.

    Now let's see the game plan and how the boys on the pitch, rise to the occasion.
     
    Smalling must keep his cool him and Blind and Darmian must have the game of their lives.
     
    Android1974 said:
    Too much at stake here: a win would be nice, almost great; a loss, terrible, really.
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    The champions league is such a fantastic competition, and the Europa simply isn't.
    So much riding on this!

    I want to be up there for the group games again, whereas I couldn't bring myself to travel up, even getting through to the late rounds in the Europa!
     
    Shitting hot conkers now, I can't predict the score but knowing us it'll be seat of the pants stuff.
     
    Hope the players are as up for this as I am!
     
    Zlatan, Rojo and Bailly all on the touch line wearing suits, how much more confident would we all be if those 3 were in the XI :(
     
    Trying to suspend time and emotions for next 2 hours away from tragedy and towards the glory of Manchester United.

    Got to say feel abit like I did just before recent Champions League finals, maybe not as intense but only slightly less.

    This has to be one of the most important games in our history because so much rests on it. Not only qualification into the Champions League which provides us the prestige required to attract quality new players, but also because it would inspire confidence and reward for our new manager Jose Mourinho.

    We all now know just how difficult it is to move on after the SAF era. Win tonight and I really beleive its the beginning of a new era.

    So up for this now!
     
    Ibrahimović doesn't wear the team suit, he's all in black.
     
    I have a bad bad feeling now. I think we will have our arses handed to us. They showed highlights of their games earlier in the tournament. feck :(
     
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Post-match discussion

Man of the Match

Marouane Fellaini image Marouane Fellaini 39% of 1056 votes

Runners-up

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Player Ratings

7.4 Total Average Rating

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Lowest Rated Player

Compiled from 757 ratings.
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Score Predictions

531,61,38
  • Man Utd win
  • Ajax win
  • Draw

Detailed Results

  • 33% Ajax 1:2 Man Utd
  • 16% Ajax 0:2 Man Utd
  • 13% Ajax 1:3 Man Utd
  • 11% Ajax 0:1 Man Utd
  • 5% Ajax 2:1 Man Utd
  • 5% Ajax 0:3 Man Utd
  • 4% Ajax 1:1 Man Utd
  • 3% Ajax 2:3 Man Utd
  • 2% Ajax 0:5 Man Utd
  • 2% Ajax 0:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Ajax 2:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Ajax 1:4 Man Utd
  • 1% Ajax 3:1 Man Utd
  • 1% Ajax 1:0 Man Utd
  • 1% Ajax 2:2 Man Utd
  • 1% Ajax 3:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 5:0 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 3:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 2:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 3:2 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 4:1 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 0:4 Man Utd
  • 0% Ajax 1:5 Man Utd
Compiled from 630 predictions.
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Match Stats

  1. Ajax
  2. Man Utd
Possession
69% 31%
Shots
17 7
Shots on Target
3 4
Corners
5 2
Fouls
15 17

Referee

Damir Skomina

Man Utd Lineup

Substitutes

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