To the Future: Ajax, 2018-19

Discussion in 'The Netherlands' started by Orange14, Jun 7, 2018.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Into the final 16 of the Champions League with a bit of a pedestrian performance. Ajax were poor in ball rotation and playing speed which allowed AEK to set up a bank of 8 and sometimes 9 too easily. The double pivot of de Jong and Schöne were to close to one another to create any openings. Neres had the only chance of the first half but could not get enough power on the header. Tadic scored the match winner from the spot on a somewhat weak penalty call by Michael Oliver for a hand ball. I thought it could have gone either way as the arm was still close to the body. Ajax now on 11 points and can keep the group lead if Bayern slip to Benfica in Munich.

    Player Ratings:

    Obama (7) - had two tough plays to make and made them both but otherwise was not troubled
    Blind (7) - really good on the ball and defended OK
    Wöber (6.5) - other than whiffing on the ball at the end of the first half and causing some danger for Onana had a fine match with several good interventions
    de Ligt (7) - solid match on defense
    Mazraoui (6) - some slip ups on defense but they were far enough away from goal to matter much
    Schöne (6.5) - decent enough match
    de Jong (6.5) - decent but not up to his high standards
    van de Beek (7) - solid enough with some good runs, shame his toe poke went off the post
    Tadic (7.5) - had some very ordinary moments but three very nice ones and the brace gets him my MOTM
    Dolberg (5.5) - drew some fouls but that was it, no incisive runs
    Neres (6.5) - had one chance on goal but was not terribly dangerous otherwise
    Huntelaar (6) - above average coming in for Dolberg
    Labyad (5.5) - good to see him getting more match time
    Kristensen (5.5) - good enough in a sub role

    Now we wait for Bayern-Benfica
     
  2. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    They did enough to win, and thats all that matters.

    Ajax can now win the group with a home victory over Bayern next month
     
  3. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Robben just scored a world class goal
     
  4. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Athens fans throwing molotov cocktails and flares at Ajax supporters

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  6. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    And a second one!!
     
  7. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    3-0 now. Benfica wont come back from that.
    So Ajax have to win their homegame or they finish 2nd.
    Wont be easy if Robben is fit and plays like today
     
    Gabriel Guilarte and Orange14 repped this.
  8. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    They are a different team with Robben playing!!! Unfortunately he is too often out injured.
     
  9. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    #409 Brilliant Dutch, Nov 27, 2018
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2018
    Maybe we'll get lucky and he hurts his toenail on a blade of grass
     
  10. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Orange14 repped this.
  11. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    I wonder what would have happened in 2010 WC with a fully health Robben and van Persie. Remember van Persie got badly injured in a friendly against Italy early in the year and Robben was injured on an off.
     
    Oranje98 repped this.
  12. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    A dominant game by Ajax against an ADO team that seemed to be content to stay deep and let Ajax have possession. Ajax had a fine game passing the ball and peppered the ADO goal with 30 shots. Some good saves from the ADO keeper kept the score from really getting out of hand. Good to see Sinkgraven come back onto the pitch after a year and a half out because of a knee injury.

    Player Ratings:

    Onana (6.5) - not sure if he had the angle wrong on the ADO goal but he came up with a couple of fine saves
    Tagliafico (7) - good game on both sides of the ball
    Blind (7) - had a couple of moments where he seemed to be beaten with pace but managed to intervene each time before moving up into the MF for the last quarter of the match
    de Ligt (7.5) - had a rocket shot well saved before getting a goal and was defensively sound as usual
    Mazraoui (5.5) - didn't have much of impact on the match
    de Jong (6.5) - played much of the game as the deep lying playmaker (Schöne was injured in warmups according to the match commentator) before moving up into a more free role
    van de Beek (7) - quiet for the first part of the match before getting some good runs into the box and taking a good shot for a goal
    Labyad (7) - very nice match
    Tadic (7.5) - really good with the ball and creating dangerous chances in the box for others
    Huntelaar (6) - had some good runs but both of his tries on goal were saved
    Neres (7.5) - very nice goal and had a couple of other chances to score
    Wöber (6) - good play coming on in the second half and pushing Blind into the MF; needs more playing time
    Dolberg (6) - one nicely taken goal and one opportunity muffed
    Sinkgraven (6) - on for the final 10 minutes in the MF and good to see him play

    PEC Zwolle up next before the group decider against Bayern in the Arena
     
  13. aveslacker

    aveslacker Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Apr 2, 2006
    Old Madras
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  14. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  15. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    I thought the Feyenoord MF would boss the game and that's what they did. Playing away in de Kuip puts every team at a disadvantage. Next time for the Ajax match make v sure there are lots of footballs with the supporters in the stands. That should be enough to prevent Ajax from scoring
     
  16. :D
    I'm preparing a Vilhena lookalike to jump on the pitch in case the midfield need some extra power.
     
    Orange14 repped this.
  17. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  18. Gilbertsson

    Gilbertsson Member+

    Barcelona
    Spain
    Apr 1, 2012
    Geneva
    Club:
    Toronto Croatia
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
  19. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  20. Blondo

    Blondo Member+

    Sep 21, 2013
    In case it goes through, it would also be a massive pay-day for Willem II and RKC. He moved from Willem II to Ajax for only one euro (and 15% of a future transfer).

     
  21. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  22. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Isn't PSG still under investigation over the UEFA Fair Play rule? They spent big money on Neymar and Mbappe and not they want to spend even more on de Jong?
     
  23. It's rumoured they're going to sell Neymar to probably Real Madrid for a big bag of money.
    The money they pay Neymar for not criticizing the coach and an addition to it is more than enough to pay Frenkie's salary plus as an extra then they save that dude's normal salary.
     
  24. ajaxusa

    ajaxusa Member

    Jul 6, 1999
    Hey folks just wanted to say I've created an Ajax Fans International group on Facebook, where we post news, TV announcements, gossip and general Ajax stuff. Please check it out. Cheers, Jim (Ajax USA of yore)
     
    aveslacker and Brilliant Dutch repped this.

Share This Page