Sustain the Excellence: Ajax, 2019-20

Neres probably made the cut because of his age. Tadic was a worthy inclusion since he was such a goal machine last season. I wonder what the ceiling is for Ziyech. He is not strong enough to play in the EPL and I think he is too easily dispossessed. He's a hybrid MF-Wing player. He does have great field vision and creative. Seville were after him during the summer but maybe the money wasn't there. I suspect that he would do best with a move to the Bundesliga..

 

ETH at his press conference said that Veltman is out of tomorrow's match with a muscle injury. Schuurs should get the start as he is likely to play against Lille in the CL match. Eiting is on the team sheet and it will be interesting to see if he gets minutes. Alvarez has jet lag from NT duty so we will see if he plays. Mazraoui is reported as fit.

 

Just finished watching the replay of the 2nd half. Very fine display of football tonight against a team that came out to play and has caused Ajax trouble in the past two seasons. In the end Ajax passing was just too good and they peppered the goal with 25 shots. Amazing 602 passes with 523 completions. Everyone with the possible exception of Dest looked like they were really enjoying things. Off to France with a CL game against Lille.

Player Ratings:

Onana (6.5) - really didn't have any difficult saves to make
Tagliafico (7) - rampaging forward and throwing his body into the box
Blind (7.5) - wonderful pass for the 2nd goal and decent defending; he will be missed against Lille
Schuurs (7) - had some very fine moments and a couple of poor defensive choices, his marauding run up field was reminiscent of de Ligt
Mazraoui (7) - very nice match until coming off with a knock, hope he is ready mid-week
Martinez (8) - one of the three best players on the pitch, stopped everything that came near him
van de Beek (7.5) - didn't get a goal but had some wonderful passes
Ziyech (9) - simply outstanding, too bad he didn't get a goal to cap off the two assists to Promes
Promes (8.5) - a little more clinical and he has four goals on the night
Tadic (7) - solid enough
Labyad (7.5) - really worked hard and good to see him on the score sheet off the pass from Blind
Dest (5) - was having a nice match until he totally botched control sending the striker in on goal and then had another bad play near the end of time, unfortunate to have the goal taken away
Huntelaar (5) - right place for a carom off his leg to get on the scoresheet
Maran (NR)

Lille coming up followed by a trip to Enschede to play FC Twente

 

Mazraoui is in the traveling squad for tomorrow's match as are Eiting, Jurien Timber (his debut in first team selection), Noa Lang, and Gravenberch.

 

Interesting lineup for Ajax against Lille:

Onana; Dest, Schuurs, Martinez, Tagliafico; Mazraoui, van de Beek, Ziyech; Labyad, Tadic, Promes

Hope Ajax can score a lot of goals as they are likely to concede a couple.

 

I had to drive my daughter her sister's apartment so I just finished watching the game. Ajax were fortunate that there was Valencia-like finishing on the two break aways otherwise this would have been a different game. The back line held strong during most of the game and the first goal by Ajax was really pretty. Onana had a great double save to keep the clean sheet. The group goes down to the final match day with Ajax only needing a point from Valencia to move forward. A win and Ajax win the group. Chelsea host Lille who might have something to prove for a rather dismal campaign.

Props to ETH for getting the line up and subs correct.

Player Ratings:

Onana (7.5) - great double save but otherwise with little to do
Tagliafico (7) - solid at both ends
Martinez (7) - undersized in the back but played great position
Schuurs (7) - solid game and he is really so good on the ball
Dest (7) - very good on the day and got the play to the first goal started
Mazraoui (5.5) - really lucky not have been sent off for the second bad foul, I think this would have been a YC in the Eredivise
van de Beek (7) - played deeper tonight as Ajax did not want to concede
Ziyech (8) - excellent game and I hope his arm is OK
Promes (8) - really nice goal on the pass and he was tracking back all evening
Tadic (7.5) - good in very tight spaces
Labyad (6.5) - very good in setting up the first goal and a shame he took a boot to the knee
Lang (6.5) - superb as a sub coming on with speed to burn; really should have shot when he broke in on goal
Alvarez (6.5) - played it conservative subbing for Mazraoui but that's what was required
de Jong (NR) - on late for Ziyech

FC Twente in Enschede this Sunday

 

Ajax win in Enschede for the first time in six years, coming back from a two goal deficit. Early give aways led to counters overloading the Ajax defense and the clinical finishing left no doubts that the league leaders had some work to do. Lang with a hat trick in his first Eredivisie start and Huntelaar with the match winner along with a late goal left no doubt as to the outcome. Ajax remain unbeaten in the league. Promes left the match early on with a calf complaint but was on the bench in the second half so perhaps this is not a troubling injury.

Player Ratings:

Onana (6.5) - only had the one save on a low skidding free kick and stood no chance on the two break aways
Tagliafico (6) - some decent play but on a YC was subbed off in the 2nd half
Blind (6.5) - don't know if he was caught out on the 2nd Twente goal but his passing was again very good
Veltman (6.5) - decent enough
Mazraoui (6) - very poor in the first 30 minutes and then came on to play very well the rest of the way
Martinez (7) - dispossessed only one time by my count
van de Beek (6.5) - playing further back with Ziyech at 10 had a really good driving cross that let to one of Lang's goals
Ziyech (7) - good match and showed no effects of the bruised arm
Promes (5) - not much of an impact in the short shift before the calf injury
Tadic (6.5) - some good passing again for our Captain
Lang (7) - disastrous turnover on the first Twente goal followed by some very nice play and three goals in his first start
Huntelaar (7) - superb play in 70 minutes of play that included the match winner
Dest (6) - decent enough coming in at LB
Marin (NR) - not on long but did pick up a silly YC for a tackle from behind

Home to Willem II next weekend before entertaining Valencia with all to play for in the final CL group match

 

Why wouldn't he? Promes and Neres are both out injured.

 

Yes!!! He's too careless with the ball at this point and certainly does not have the field vision that Tadic does. I expect that Huntelaar will start with Tadic and Lang on the wings. Willem II have been having a good season so far and Ajax should not take this one for granted.

Ajax are now up to #3 in ESPN's Power Rankings: https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-es...lamengo-stay-top-but-juventus-drop-five-spots behind only Flamengo of Brazil (who they played in the Florida Cup this past January) and Liverpool.