Three Stars PLUS One: The Ajax Stretch Run Begins! [R]

Orange14 · Apr 13, 2012

afcajax73 said: ↑

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17698239

anyone seen this? good ol' cruijff
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I guess Liverpool can dream. So Cruijff will now advise, Ajax, Chivas in Mexico, Barcelona, Liverpool and manage the Catonia National Team. Don't think so.

BTV802 · Apr 13, 2012

Wiiiiiiiiiicked corny but nice little highlight (and lowlight) reel of the 1st half of the season.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPhFZxJ-Txw"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPhFZxJ-Txw[/ame]

he so scrumptiouz · Apr 14, 2012

Congrats Ajax C1, our first champions this season with 2 league matches left. Fully deserved as well, their nearest rival Vitesse are more than 10 points behind while others like Twente have less than half the points. Vince Dekker, El Idrissi and Nouri are players to keep an eye out for.

BTV802 · Apr 15, 2012

Boerrigter and Van der Wiel back in the starting lineup.

[LINEUP-4-3-3]Boerrigter, De Jong, Aissati, Janssen, Anita, Eriksen, Blind, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Van der Wiel, Vermeer[/LINEUP-4-3-3]

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

And that's #1.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Good football. This is what I like to see.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Not so good anymore since I said that.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Janssen is playing horrible. Pointing everywhere and walking away. And when he does get the ball he passes it back to the defenders or tries a 30m+ pass.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Eriksen with the 2-0!

BTV802 · Apr 15, 2012

Beautiful strike by Eriksen.

BTV802 · Apr 15, 2012

Vertonghen is so good. It's silly.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Vertonghen! Awesome moves. Seems like he hasn't completely recovered from his stomach flu though.

And immediately the 3-1 by Michael de Leeuw. Shame.

aveslacker · Apr 15, 2012

JC-14 said: ↑

Janssen is playing horrible. Pointing everywhere and walking away. And when he does get the ball he passes it back to the defenders or tries a 30m+ pass.
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I'm ok with him staying on the pitch as long as Anita is the deep-lying midfielder and not Janssen. It seems like Frank has taken this approach as well, and we have results to prove it.

aveslacker · Apr 15, 2012

Bad news on the goal, but I can't see us couging up a 3-1 advantage at home.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

He should be subbed out imo.

Orange14 · Apr 15, 2012

JC-14 said: ↑

He should be subbed out imo.
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+1, he really has played poorly. I think Vertonghen will be coming off as he really looked quite ill in the final 10 minutes. It was surprising to see him go forward on the third goal and do so well. Unfortunately, he then lost his man on the conceded goal.

sonicdream · Apr 15, 2012

Can we please hold on to Vertonghen for a few more seasons - pretty please?

Orange14 · Apr 15, 2012

sonicdream said: ↑

Can we please hold on to Vertonghen for a few more seasons - pretty please?
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No way; he's gone this summer.

aveslacker · Apr 15, 2012

JC-14 said: ↑

He should be subbed out imo.
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Yeah, well that's never going to happen.

BTV802 · Apr 15, 2012

If Eriksen had put that in underneath the crossbar...Whooooooo that would have been memorable.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Unconvincing performance from Frank de Boer. Strange subs, not intended to make the team play better. Just following his pre-match plan to give certain players some playing time.

DSC05 · Apr 15, 2012

Would someone mind making a new thread?

Orange14 · Apr 15, 2012

Despite the conceded goal, this was a solid defensive performance. The team pressed quite well and Vermeer had very little to do. Some good clinical finishing and several missed chances. The team now has a six point lead and has full control of its own destiny.

Player Ratings:

Vermeer (7) - little to do and the goal was not his fault
Blind (7) - still a mediocre defender but really did well passing and going forward
Vertonghen (7) - would be an '8' except for the conceded goal; I really expected him to be subbed off in the 2nd half because of illness
Alderweireld (7) - did a solid job today
van der Wiel (7) - coming back into form and I guess he will be starting the remaining matches to get fitness for the Euros
Anita (8) - MOTM for me; didn't see a bad pass all game and his through pass to set up the 1st goal was sublime; cut off the passing lanes well
Eriksen (8) - great performance and how his 2nd half chance didn't go in can only be explained by Newtonian physics
Janssen (6) - only average and it was disgraceful not to finish the open chance in the closing minutes
Boerrigter (8) - clinical finishes and really caused a lot of trouble for the right side of the Graafschap defense
de Jong (7) - decent enough match but didn't really get a good shot on goal
Aissati (7) - nice match and his assist on the Eriksen goal was thoughtful
van Rhijn (6) - came on for van der Wiel and was OK
Ebecilio (6) - didn't really do too much
Sigthorrson (NR) - came on late and I don't think got a touch

It's nice to see the team getting the injured players back and playing solid pressing football. Keep this up and they will get the 31st title.

JC-14 · Apr 15, 2012

Anita had 91 successful passes and only 4 failed passes today.

Orange14 · Apr 15, 2012

JC-14 said: ↑

Anita had 91 successful passes and only 4 failed passes today.
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Which is why I picked him as the MOTM. It was just an awesome demonstration and the pass that led to the first goal was just like threading a needle with your eyes closed. Too bad BvM won't give him the time of day on the NT.