Sustain the Excellence: Ajax, 2019-20

Discussion in 'The Netherlands' started by Orange14, May 19, 2019.

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  1. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Does anyone here have a livestream for the Ajax vs Lille game?
     
  2. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Oranje98 repped this.
  3. Oranje98

    Oranje98 Member

    Aug 8, 2014
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    You're welcome man! ;)
     
  4. Oranje98

    Oranje98 Member

    Aug 8, 2014
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    It's interesting that Ajax plays with a 343 formation tonight.
    It's 433 on paper, but on the pitch it's more like:

    Alvarez_Veltman_Blind
    __Martinez____
    Dest______tagliafico
    _____ Promes____
    Ziyech___ Tadic__ Neres
     
  5. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    This one is going to be close all the way to the end unless Ajax can get a quick goal in the 2nd half and open up things. Lille have very good speed up front and Ajax look fragile at the back.
     
  6. Oranje98

    Oranje98 Member

    Aug 8, 2014
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Damn. What a header by Nico! :D
    Brilliant result so far. :thumbsup: Keep up boys.
     
  7. wynaldaisagod

    wynaldaisagod Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Aug 9, 2019
    When Ajax is playing like this in Amsterdam, there isn't another team in the world I'd prefer watching. Just pure art.
     
  8. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Onana keeps a clean sheet by the thinnest of threads and the offense puts three into the net. With some better accuracy by Lille attackers this match might have turned out different. The defense when they were not dealing with breakaways was actually pretty solid. Both deep lying MFs did excellent jobs of interrupting play and passing the ball. Blind played strong in the center of defense and Veltman other than weak shirt pull in the early part of the match was OK as well. ETH, as last season, went with kids when he was making late match substitutions with Lang and Ekkelenkamp coming on. 3-0 win is a solid result and Ajax will have to travel to Valencia for their next match. Although the Spanish club appears to be in a state of crisis they beat Chelsea 0-1.

    Player Ratings:

    Onana (7.5) had to be really alert to some fast breaks but came out quickly cutting down the angle, had to do more kicking than any match I've seen him play
    Tagliafico (8) - wonderful goal, he always seems to get free in the box; had a couple of very good interventions
    Blind (7.5) - yes, he's still slow but after a couple of dicey moments in the first half stood tall
    Veltman (7) - good on the night
    Dest (7) - pushed up into the offensive zone a lot and dealt with the Lille fast break on his side well enough
    Martinez (7.5) - really solid and his handling speed is quick
    Alvarez (8.5) - all over the pitch on both offense and defense, a true box to box MF
    Promes (7.5) - solid with the ball all night and almost had a second on the nice over the top pass
    Neres (6.5) - a little too loose with the ball for me
    Tadic (7) - good in tight spaces again
    Ziyech (7) - had a wonderful shot clang off the upright in the first half
    Lang (5.5) - a little too exuberant with the ball but good to see him get game time
    Huntelaar (5.5) - didn't get much of an opportunity to shoot but dropped back to get the ball milking time off the clock
    Ekkelenkamp (NR) - on late

    PSV on the weekend and then the rescheduled match against Fortuna Sittard mid week.
     
    Oranje98 repped this.
  9. Is it me or did Tagliafico escape a red card for sfp when he sat on the ground and on purpose kicked the French player?
     
  10. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    This is gonna be a very interesting group. As we said, all four teams are fairly close to eachother. Chelsea is one of the weaker pot 1 teams while Valencia and Lille are amongst the strongest in Pot 3 & 4. I think Ajax is the favorite in the group, but it's all very open and any team could take any position. 3-0 against Lille was flattering, we were better but it could have been a very different scoreline.

    Valencia beating Chelsea away makes this group even more interesting. Is that good for us or bad for us? It definitely makes Valencia very threatening. At the same time I could see this Lille team stealing some points from those other two teams, so this was really a huge must-win game. Its at least going to be 6 very exciting games!
     
  11. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    I think yellow would have been fair, red would have been very harsh.
     
  12. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Valencia are a team in turmoil. They owner of the club lives in Singapore and wants to micromanage everything. He just fired their manager last week who was well liked by the players and I think the technical director is next to get the axe. The question is whether the players can overcome all of this. Chelsea have too many young players and the EPL is a meat grinder week in and week out. Ajax just have to focus on playing their game.
     
  13. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Yeah I think we're definitely the favorites. But I wonder between Chelsea and Valencia who is going to be the stronger team, as you mentioned they both aren't in a great funk at the moment.

    One thing that I like about this team in comparison to last year is the added depth. We have way more quality throughout the squad now then last year. Obviously we lost two irreplaceable superstars with De Ligt and De Jong, but the additions of Martinez, Alvarez and Promes are looking really good so far. Add to that Dest and Schuurs stepping up with more responsibility from the youth and we have a much deeper team. Hopefully Marin will find his grove soon as well.

    Last year losing a player forced us to completely change our system (losing Neres against Tottenham was huge). Now we at least have some replacements ready if injuries occur.
     
  14. Oranje98

    Oranje98 Member

    Aug 8, 2014
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    I think Ajax has all what it takes to top this group. With Donny back by the next game, I think we will be much better in the opponent's midfield.
    I have to say Promes looks much more solid playing in no. 10 position rather than on the wing.
     
  15. wilson00

    wilson00 Member

    Oct 14, 2015
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Is eiting in the CL squad?
     
  16. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Yes but he is still getting back into match fitness. Unfortunately for him, there is no way he beats out Martinez and Alvarez for playing time.
     
  17. https://www.ad.nl/nederlands-voetbal/hakim-ziyech-geniet-al-draafden-we-soms-te-ver-door~a92a43c4/
    Ziyech erkende ook dat Ajax met de 3-0 goed was weggekomen. ,,Vlak voor rust raakten we de grip op de wedstrijd kwijt", zei hij. ,,En in de slotfase weer even. Dan geven we ook kansen weg. Dat zal zondag tegen PSV beter moeten. Maar ik heb wel vertrouwen in die wedstrijd. We moeten dat duel wel als een ontmoeting in de Champions League benaderen", aldus de spelmaker die zich tegen Lille uit voorzorg liet vervangen. ,,Ik had wat last van een hamstring. Ik wilde geen risico nemen.”
    Ziyech also acknowledged that Ajax had got away well with the 3-0. "Just before the break we lost control of the game," he said. "And again in the final phase. Then we also give away opportunities. That will have to be better against PSV on Sunday. But I have faith in that game "We have to approach that game as a meeting in the Champions League," said the playmaker who had himself replaced against Lille as a precaution. ,, I had some problems with a hamstring. I didn't want to take a risk. "
     
  18. wilson00

    wilson00 Member

    Oct 14, 2015
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    How does VDBeek fit in.
     
  19. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    As soon as he is healthy he will start as the #10. Promes will move into the front three rotation.
     
  20. wynaldaisagod

    wynaldaisagod Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Aug 9, 2019
    Not sure if others care about the computer numbers but they are fun for me to follow. Last night was the easiest match for Ajax and they took care of business. Valencia winning I'm not sure really helped much in terms of advancing. It did help in terms of finishing first.

    The new odds: Ajax 75% to advance, 47% to win the group.
     
  21. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Promes misses a total sitter in 38th min. He is so inconsistent
     
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  22. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    And then he scores....LOL.
    Ten Hag got lucky he couldnt sub vdBeek in
     
  23. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    It was disappointing but a draw was a fair result. Ajax defense which was good in the first half failed on several points in the second. Multiple mistakes led to a nice goal by Malen that evened things up. Promes should have had a brace, missing badly in the first half.

    Player Ratings:

    Onana (7) - one excellent save but otherwise little to do
    Tagliafico (5) - very poor defending almost all match long
    Blind (7) - maybe could have done a little better on the play leading up to the goal but generally good
    Veltman (7.5) - solid match all game long
    Dest (6.5) - excellent pass into Tadic on the goal
    Alvarez (6.5) - dropped back to play in the middle of a 3-4-3 in the last eight minutes
    Martinez (6) - was having a good match until he totally lost Malen
    Promes (7) - should have had two goals on the day
    Neres (6) - strikingly little impact on the match
    Tadic (7) - again good ball control in tight spaces
    Ziyech (5.5) - just above ordinary for me, too many turnovers
    van de Beek (5) - on for 30 minutes with no impact

    Midweek match that was postponed to give the club rest for the CL playoff game, Fortuna Sittard at home mid-week.
     

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