Football is bizarre. We were better than Nice on both matches but we are beaten. We are better than Rosenborg in both matches, but we are eliminated. We're unlucky. We must wait until the chance turns and hope that Ziyech and Younes will not leave.
Out of Europe with a big THUD! This was a night when Ajax needed to put goals in the net and the chances were all there (Viergever had two in the box, Huntelaar had a breakaway, Ziyech had two shots well saved). Ajax conced two cheap goals (is this going to be the story of the season?) and a third on a nice individual effort by Samuel who preyed on some pretty weak defending to slalom past three players and drill a shot that Onana was never going to save. Double disappointing to have this happen on my 70th birthday. As one who always looks on the bright side, at least this team showed that they can get the ball into the attacking third against teams that bunker down. I was again dumbfounded by Keizer's substitution of Huntelaar and moving Dolberg outside but it did seem to work this match. This defense will be good enough for all the Dutch league teams other than PSV and Feyenoord but that's not saying much. Player Ratings: Onana (6.5) - a nice punch on a cross to put the ball out of danger but had no chance on any of the three goals Dijks (4.5) - often caught too far up field but then his MFs should not give the ball away Viergever (4.5) - two semi=chances to score and some mediocre defending de Ligt (4.5) - I had a bad stream but I think he was at fault on the second goal for losing his marker Veltman (4.5) - offers little offense and cannot defend; why does he get called up for the NT; why isn't Tete with this team van de Beek (4) - his weak pass was easily intercepted and turned into the first goal Schöne (6.5) - played as an AM tonight and had a nice goal to put Ajax ahead in the tie Ziyech (7) - had a couple of strong shots and worked really hard particularly tracking back when they were in a 4-2-4 Younes (7.5) - best player on the pitch constantly causing danger on offense and getting turnovers on the press Dolberg (5.5) - worked hard Kluivert (6) - hamstring forced him off the pitch but when he was out there he was tough to defend Cerny (5.5) - most of the attacking came from the opposite side so he didn't have many opportunities on the ball Huntelaar (6) - shame he couldn't control the ball better on the break in on goal Zeefuik (NR) - didn't see much to figure out whether he is good, bad, or indifferent Away to VVV this coming Sunday. Maybe we see Ziyech and Dolberg leave in the next couple of days. I have not lost faith in Keizer; he's got the system that is foundational to way Ajax should play; the players have to execute.
Quite right. It will be interesting to see what 11 tegen 11 has for the passing maps and expected goals. Of course the team conceded three really weak goals in the two match against Rosenborg and the goal conceded to Nice were pretty lame as well. They will do OK in the Dutch league without Thursday night football and their defenders will only be troubled by PSV and Feyenoord.
I think you need to have a good look at FC Utrecht. Ten Hag has them playing better every year. I predict 4 points drop against them for Ajax. Vitesse also are growing better and then there is AZ with a quality attack. Are you whistling in the dark walking paased a grave yard? I'm massively disappointed about this result, but it is impossible to blame bad luck for 4 matches on Euro level.
Maybe it will take a fifth place finish by Ajax to get rid of all the do nothings who are collecting their salaries sitting in the executive boxes. Overmars is getting big money from transfers but doing little to improve the team. The club is turning into a one year and out type of football operation. If you cannot keep players for more than a year nothing good will come of it. I think Keizer is a decent enough trainer from all the Jong Ajax matches I saw last season. It may be that Eredivisie football is now in a death spiral because of all the money being thrown around. We now have the Chinese oligarchs buying up teams. I'm just disgusted by it all.
The problem is Ajax being greedy and especially not making early transfers every summer. Look at the bench tonight, when Keizer wanted to make a defensive change he had to pick between Dankerlui, Zeefuik and Eiting...Why ? Because that new austrian player and the colombian one have been bought too late and are not ready for playing yet. Same story last year against Rostov, could be different if Ziyech was there but the club waited too long before to pick him. Every year the club is focused on selling and not on buying. Feyenoord has replaced every leaving player right after their departures. And they spent more than 30 millions while having sold for 35. If you want to compare, Ajax has sold for 85 millions and bought for 13...Now we're talking about 50 millions for Dolberg in the coming days. Who's the potential replacer ? Siem De Jong...
Not greedy, but choosy, very picky on players coming in. Overmars said about one of the Feyenoord purchases that didnot want him because he isnot good enough for Ajax.
Hard to tell. He pulled up with about 5 minutes left in the first half with what looked like a hamstring problem. He came back on the pitch after having it rubbed out but could not continue. don't know how severe it is.
Whatever the problem. Lets continue to blame the sub-top teams for the low eredivisie coefficient. Pretty soon even the champion won't get into the group stage of the CL.
Actually we're not in the group stage in season 2018-2019. So if Feyenoord wants to play CL group stage without hassle in 2019-2020 we better win the CL this year or the EL. Best would be a Feyenoord- vitesse EL final.
When does the reorganized CL begin. IIRC, four teams from each of the big five leagues go straight to the group stage with the remaining spots allocated among everyone else. Does it begin next season? The whole thing is rotten to the core.
We dropped to historic low. Turns out it's the first time since 1966/67 season that we'll be out of any European tournament, bar 1990/91when we were suspended. I'm optimist, only because it can hardly get any worse. It all began when the financial results started having priority over the sports ones. Unless this attitude changes we are in for more bitter disappointments. The elusive sweet spot between profit and achievement on the pitch has to be found if we want to regain our dignity.
I'm worried Ajax has squandered this golden generation. It's frustrating to see that the team is already disassembled before it had more than one nice season.
http://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/ajax-steenrijk-toch-armoedig~a9d50075/ A very hard column on the management of Ajax.
But it's pretty true. Looks like Dolberg may be off to Dortmund and Ziyech won't want to stick around either. Of course they will bring back Siem de Jong to back up Huntelaar as a striker. These guys are doing a great job of making money with all the transfers but a very poor job of running a football team. Maybe they don't care about the football.
And sorry to say, but its been that way for the last 5 to 10 years or so. Its a REAL talent drought!!!!!!
Ajax turns round. I watched the first half and I can say that Dijks and Veltman did not make any single cross. We can not hope to make total football with two mediocre wingbacks offensively. What a contrast with the Feyenoord wingbacks. In addition, Eredivisie teams put a bus in their half each time they meet Ajax. This makes it difficult to find spaces.