The Future is Now! Ajax 2021-22 Season

Discussion in 'The Netherlands' started by Orange14, May 24, 2021.

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  1. BPBlueSox

    BPBlueSox Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Aug 21, 2003
    Georgia
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Went there a couple times growing up. Great place!
     
  2. wynaldaisagod

    wynaldaisagod Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Aug 9, 2019
    Onana back training with the first team...

    I've said a bunch of times on here but he will be starting matches by the end of the year. This team is too special to let a grudge get in the way of a major CL run.

    Pasveer was excellent this week so the timing might be weird with the squad. But Onana is just a lot better player.
     
  3. wynaldaisagod

    wynaldaisagod Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Aug 9, 2019
    I have to admit myself: I don't love Alvarez and was skeptical about Haller. But I actually believe introducing some almost anti-Ajax, result driven players has been huge.

    Haller's obviously not very technically good but he is constantly in dangerous positions. He can score off a corner which we haven't had since de Ligt left. Seriously, anyone else remember when corners were more dangerous for the OTHER team on the counter? He's going to flub chances but the fact is he is in positions to actually GET chances all of the time.

    Alvarez I was just straight up wrong about. As you said, he's raised his game to another level. Having a CB at the CDM really, really helps Gravenbserch as well as Timber.

    Blind at LB was a really bold choice by ten Hag. I thought for the last 2 years, ten Hag needed to figure out a way to get Martinez on the field. His fight was desperately needed. But Blind is too good to sit so that was then issue. Benching Nico was a risky move but it's turned out to be 100% correct.
     
  4. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Onana can rot in hell!!!!! Ajax stuck by him when he was banned and helped him challenge it and get it shortened. He wants to leave on a free at the end of the season; fine let him do so but the fact that he showed no gratitude to the team is a total joke.
     
  5. aveslacker

    aveslacker Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Apr 2, 2006
    Old Madras
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I dunno, modern football is a business and if he helps Ajax hoist the Champions League trophy, I'd be ok with it.
     
  6. wynaldaisagod

    wynaldaisagod Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Aug 9, 2019
    If Ajax had a decent GK or wasn't in the hunt for CL, I'd agree.

    But this team is probably the deepest Ajax team ever. We've got guys on the bench who are starting for major national teams. I'm fine with it. The stakes are incredibly high.
     
  7. He hasnot played or trained for a very long time as he was banned from both playing and training. I wonder if it's not a risk to put him in the goal?
     
  8. wynaldaisagod

    wynaldaisagod Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Aug 9, 2019
    He trained with U21s for a bit and I'm assuming will train with first team for at least a couple weeks before playing.
     
  9. BPBlueSox

    BPBlueSox Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Aug 21, 2003
    Georgia
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    #434 BPBlueSox, Oct 30, 2021
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2021
    Just watched that shitshow in Almelo. This and the Utrecht match I think demonstrate a bit of a worrying trend. As dynamic as the side is… it is maybe a bit too dynamic? Like the inability to force through a goal when just *one* is needed. Don’t know if that makes sense… just hope this sort of thing doesn’t bite us later in the campaign…
     
  10. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    The only thing worse than watching a football match on an artificial surface is watching one on an artificial surface in a rainstorm. Both keeper made critical saves to keep it a scoreless draw and Schuurs had a nice intervention to prevent a goal as well. Not too many good performances from Ajax other than Pasveer and PSV now creep two points closer to the leaders. Heracles continue to be a tough opponent for Ajax in Alemo

    Player Ratings:

    Pasveer (7.5) - did not have much to do in the first half but made some outstanding saves to keep yet another clean sheet.
    Blind (6) - had some good passes but was otherwise ordinary
    Martinez (4.5) - forget about this game, it was bad and he is capable of much better
    Timber (5.5) - above average is all
    Rensch (5.5) - came off late with a hamstring problem
    Alvarez (6) - defended well
    Gravenberch (6.5) - did well with the ball at his feet
    Berghuis (5) - poor on the night
    Tadic (6) - slick surface impacted his ability to be any kind of playmaker on the left side
    Haller (6) - OK and nothing more
    Antony (5) - average and no better
    Klaassen (5.5) - came on for Berghuis but had little impact
    Neres (6) - wonderful pass that Tadic headed right at the keeper
    Schuurs (6) - had a saving intervention in a 2 on 1 situation

    Off to Dortmund to take on an injury riddled side in the Champions League. Ajax will have to play much better than tonight if they want to get a result.
     
  11. aveslacker

    aveslacker Member+

    Ajax
    United States
    Apr 2, 2006
    Old Madras
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I wonder if, on top of the environmental factors you mentioned, they had one eye on the Dortmund match. If my math is correct, a win should guarantee passage to the next round.
     
  12. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Ajax have won only once in the past five years away to Heracles so it's not a surprising result. Yes, a win sends them through to the knock out round and a draw in one of the two final matches puts them top of the group.
     
  13. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
  14. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord




    What if Ajax can actually keep all their youth players? Rather than the best being hijacked/blackmailed away before they turn 18.

    Foreign journalists now like to write those 2018-19 players aren't actually very good:
     
  15. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    I'm not expecting a 4-0 cakewalk like last time, even without Haaland. I predict a hard fought 1-0 or 2-1 win for Ajax. Even the bookies have us pretty much even


    [​IMG]
     
  16. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    2 mistakes by Ajax would have been punished by a better team, and we'd be down 2-0 already

    Hummels red card looked like it was for intent
     
  17. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Hmm bad penalty call in my opinion. But also the red was perhaps harsh (although a very risky tackle by Hummels if Anthony hadn't dodged it). Ajax playing badly at the moment.
     
  18. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Kujit just said on RTL7 that once you launch two legs into the air it's an automatic red card.

    Sneijder apparently doesn't know the rules :ROFLMAO:
     
    DutchFanatic repped this.
  19. Orange14

    Orange14 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Apr 27, 2007
    Bethesda, MD
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    A flattering win marred by a questionable RC (go to the Referee Forum where nobody supported the call). Ratings to come; I have to cook dinner.
     
  20. Brilliant Dutch

    Brilliant Dutch Member+

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Oct 14, 2013
    Amsterdam, Holland
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    First time Ajax have won the first 4 games of their group.

    And €65 million richer :thumbsup:
     
    aveslacker and DutchFanatic repped this.
  21. bunbohue

    bunbohue Member

    Apr 5, 2005
    Even though without Haaland, Ajax still has to perform to take care of business and they did. Let's hope that they can get an easy draw and go deep!
     
  22. DutchFanatic

    DutchFanatic Member

    Ajax
    Netherlands
    Dec 23, 2013
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    For sure, although I would say the penalty was at least as soft as the RC. The RC was harsh but it was a ridiculously reckless & dangerous tackle. Had Antony not dodged that could have been a horror injury, so I understand the decision.
     
    richsavare repped this.
  23. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    To be fair, Ajax was already improving before that red card. After 15 minutes or so.

    In the home game there were many calls going against them, including blatantly wrong yellow cards.

    The penalty was soft (and arguably not a "clear and obvious error").
     
  24. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    That's right. If you want to cut out diving by players, you have to punish this stuff (with a yellow).
     
  25. Yup
    [​IMG]
     

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