Training for the new season has recently started and there have already been a couple of friendlies. Some players have left for good, some on loan, and a semi-legend has returned to the club. The fifth in a row championship didn't happen and now the club has to qualify for CL group play which is always a dicey proposition. Will FdB manage the team out of last season's funk? Will Cillessen leave for the big money at ManU if de Gea departs for Madrid? Will the club sign a back up striker (paging Didier Drogba!)? Let's discuss these and other Ajax issues as the 2015 Dutch season goes forward.
oh my goodness, those away shirts are more painful for the eyes than I initially thought. I wonder when adidas' contract ends....
Hoping for Champions League Qualification. Hard to believe that Cillessen is a target for ManU, then again he has been extremely fortunate to find himself #1 for Ajax and Oranje in my opinion.
Media report that we've signed Amin Younes from Borussia Mönchengladbach and close to signing a loan for Sonogo from Arsenal.
Younes is a very good dribbler. He'll add a nice element to the Ajax attack this season I think, if his youth team exploits are any indication. Nice signing actually because I think they'll be able to sell him on in 2 years for a big fee if he reaches his potential.
I like the Younes signing, good business by the club but on the other hand why Sanogo? He has only been proven in Ligue 2 and hasn't done much in the premier league. I suppose he will just be our back up striker but I'd rather see Fischer be our second choice striker instead.
Younes is an interesting talent and his profile will be well suited for the Eredivisie. However, he can also be a bit of an enigma. He's shown glimpses of what he can accomplish during at Gladbach (and Kaiserslautern) but has lacked consistency at times over the course of a season. He needs a coach who can light a spark and motivate him to reach his full potential.
I'm not really happy with these two signings. I've watched Younes with the German U21 team last month and he did quite good. However, I haven't noticed anything special in him. Good penetration, good ball control, but no great speed, no great dribble, no physical strenght, no grint...He is a bit like Ould Chikh. I don't think it's a great signing. Sanogo neither. Always injured and no big talent. But it's interesting to finally see Arsenal giving a player to Ajax, I thought the two clubs had a partnership, is it still running ? Nothing happened since Vermaelen in 2009...
Sanago is just a loan and I have not seen that there is an option to buy. It's a stopgap because of the Zivkovic loan. I have no complaints here as either Fischer or el Ghazi can play #9 if Milik is out. Younes cannot be any worse than an uninterested Kishna who is probably on his way out anyway. Fischer will probably be first choice on the left. If Younes made the German U-21 team he is one up on Kishna.
Kishna close to a deal with Lazio. Would be so so great for his development don't you all agree.......
Yes, Jari Litamen is coming out of retirement. It will be interesting to see who FdB decides on for the starting midfield. Klaassen is certain (you cannot bench the captain) and maybe it's Gudelj and Bazoer along side him. Question in my mind is how much PT Sinkgraven gets.
Ajax draw Rapid Vienna in the 3rd qualifying round of the CL. First match is in less than two weeks with the return tie one week later. This was maybe the most favorable draw so let's hope for the best.
It's part of why I'm a bit disappointed in Sinkgraven going to Ajax. I mean, I knew it was coming and it's better than one of the bigger clubs in world football but if he isn't used a lot he may as well have stayed at Heerenveen. He needs playtime right now, and with his talents the Dutch team needs him to keep progressing. I would like to see a midfield triangle of Klaassen - Bazoer with Sinkgraven as the '10' if they're really going to use one.
Frank has been talking about that for a while now. I can not imagine that Cruijff and Jonk are pleased. What happened to "all the youth teams should play the same formation as the first team". Guess Frank never agreed to that. Sinkgraven will probably be a starter instead of Gudelj. That's what training and matches seem to indicate. Without Sinkgraven that midfield would have 0% creativity.
Not sure what you mean but I think he's going to be sharing playing time with Fischer and El Ghazi on the wings.
I would be ok with that also. I didn't watch the video so sorry for jumping to conclusions. Although I still feel Klaassen is better served in a deeper role, he also has that goal scoring instinct that Ajax could benefit from with him making runs into the box from the 10. His passing has also gotten more creative and he is a hard worker. I wonder how much time van de Beek will be getting this season and where they'll deploy him.
Where he has nothing to do. What's the exact goal with Schone on the wings ? Has he already had good performances there ? I remember this year against Barca he stopped running behind Alba after 15 minutes. I'll never understand what De Boer is trying to get from him on the wings. He has no speed, no stamina, no dribble. Crossing can be used if he is playing on the left wing but if I'm not mistaken he played mostly on the right one, no ?