Post Match Reactions - Round 22

[JB@Norwich]

EFL2
Post Match Reactions - Round 22

Missing


Errors
bil
Error: Player G_Guruzeta is suspended


psv
Error: Player I_Balde wasn't found in the roster


std
Error: The PK taker, A_Gouiri wasn't listed in the teamsheet

[Steve@ManUtd]

SHAKHTAR DONETSK 2-4 Sparta Prague

Well that backfired. We went attacking and to quickly summarise; we made chances, wasted them and seemed switched off in defence. We did feel we could beat our opponents but they have some decent players in key areas and that's probably what went against us in this one. We can say we played well but this is a big reality check for us in the grand scheme. Ironically, all the teams around us dropped points too, but it seems that Butez, even as captain, isn't going to be good enough and we have a big decision to make as a club at the end of the season.

We'll brush this to one side and hopefully wake up against Valencia on Friday.

[Dave Thacker]

Red Bull Salzburg was hoping that the recent break would heal and invigorate the club. Surely with a rest like that better performances would be seen. You would think. And you would be wrong. The fun, and by fun I mean a complete and utter disaster, started in the 13^th minute when Buchanan go inside of Nene and fed a laser forward. Wilshere, still a long way from the goal, bent the ball past Abulotu and opened the scoring. Liepzip immediately switched to a passing tactic to match Salzburg. It only took four minutes more for Liepzig scored again, as Jovic completely fooled the keeper. For awhile it looked like it would be a race as Nene put the ball over the defender into the netting at the 24^th minute. You would think. And you would be wrong. Wilshere immediately scored again to make 1-3, and Salzburg apparently went into a coma. Jovic scored again in another minute and it was no longer a race, it was a disgrace. Salzburg’s frustration boiled over and as Wolf desperately tried to catch Jackson, Jackson went down. Denial and dismay was written all over Wolf’s face as the referees conferred and invoked the curse that is VAR. The card was red and the die was cast and Wolf left the field. Now not only was Salzburg overhemed, they were undermanned and it didn’t take long until disaster struck. Farnerud to Odobert to Oh NO, not again and the scoreboard showed 1-5. Mercifully Leipzig did not score the rest of the half.

The second half had far less scoring but just as much fireworks. One minute in to the half Capaldo was decked by Westerman and found himself staring up at the sky with referee looking over him. Of course Westermann had no consequences, which may have lead to the salty way that Capaldo started to play. At the 59^th minute he got an yellow for persistently pulling on his opponents shirt. Ah, the fun continues! Piatkowski manage to dump a ball in and score, but the that was the end of the sad affair.

Gritting our teeth and looking at the stats we find complete and utter domination by Leipzig. 31 attempts to 31, 62 percent possession and many more passes. Again the weakness of Salzburg’s midfield shone through. Wolf is out for the next match, but Capald is find on DP points. Most of these matches have been great football. Not this one. We’ll see what happens next season.




Words: 417

[JasonH@Wolfsburg]

Wolfsburg 1-2 Ajax

This was always going to be a tricky fixture against a team just outside of the playoffs, especially with Beto out injured meaning we only had one striker and not a good enough set of midfielders to make up the difference, but despite this, we took the lead through regular high scoring defender N_Kounkou.

Ajax equalised late in the first half and soon into the second Weiffer got a second yellow and is now out for two games, this was quickly followed by a second Ajax goal and the killing of the game.

Hopton: “I was disappointed by the poor discipline shown during the game that has led to us dropping points. There will be fines across the board, except for Knauff, he has been a shining light and well deserved man of the match.”