Jorge Sánchez @ AFC Ajax

Alvarez is scheduled to start along side Martinez in the MF today against Sparta. Match will be on ESPN+ beginning at 8:30AM EDT. I believe ESPN+ archives the matches for a certain period of time so those of you on the west coast can watch it at a more convenient time. (we were out yesterday so I watched the Juventus-Napoli game last night)

 

Alvarez pushed up way more into the offensive end than the other day. I think Martinez looks like a really solid DM. Alavarez had a couple of very good touches in tight space which is necessary for an Ajax player.

 

Trying to reinvent this dude as an offensive player seems like a waste. He’s a straight up defensive midfielder. I’m watching wolves though.

 

Things are still not settled. ETH likes playing a double pivot in the MF and I don't see that changing much at all. One of the two deep MFs tends to get a little more advanced. I suspect for the CL matches both the DMs will have defensive duties first and foremost.

 

I mistook the graphic for a traditional 4-3-3. It’s more a 4-3-3 with inverted midfield right? Closer to a 4-5-1?

 

they always list it as a 4-3-3 as that's the traditional Dutch formation. Depending on the personnel, Ajax can make it a 4-2-1-3 or a number of variants with two DMs. they can also push up one of the FBs and make it more like a 3-4-3. the manager, ETH, is still trying to figure out the optimal formation and which players should be starting.

 

I gave him the same score in my ratings. I thought he got a little too careless in the last 10 minutes of the match but the rest of the team did as well, pretty much in cruise control. There is still a lot of controversy among the Ajax supporters on another website about whether he should be moved to right center back in place of Veltman. I'm not so sure, but maybe some on this thread who are more familiar with his club days in Mexico can say whether he ever played that position.

ten Hag praised both Alvarez and Martinez in his post-match comments.

 

Alvarez is playing a lot further up the pitch today.

 

I ranked Alavarez as the third best player on the pitch behind Ziyech (my MOTM) and Tagliafico. He had a wonderful game and I cannot remember a single bad pass from him. He's adjusting very well to the tight short passing game Ajax play and he now gets to play Champions League football on Tuesday!!!!

Vamenos Edson!!!