Ajax 1-0 Dordreck @ 65', Mendez still playing, 2 subs used (Danilo and Unuvar out), goal Q. Timber @ 55'.
Mendez scores (from a PK) @ 75', now Ajax 2-0 Dordrecht 2-0 Final, Mendez plays the full match. Jong Ajax now in 1st place.
Many encouraging comments, from fans at least, including: "Tonight Mendez finally shows what he has in store for him. Plays like a king! Very good passes and combinations. Hopefully he has now passed that threshold, because if he knows how to maintain this level, we will enjoy him a lot." Game summary: https://www.ajaxshowtime.com/article/hoofdnieuws/128516/jong-ajax-pakt-koppositie-tegen-dordrecht
No luck finding any highlights. It looks like there was a stream (too many viruses from last time I signed up to a site like that), so hopefully Sanjiv, Zlebmada. Watke, etc will make an all touches videos. In the grain of salt category, fc dordrecht isnt the strongest competition... sitting in ,last place. Still good to see Mendez playing extended minutes and contributing.
Here's the PK fwiw. Haven't found much more, but it will be up eventually. 1219365894469701633 is not a valid tweet id And, btw, I still object to my bones that we consider an Eerste player "academy..." Sad.
I actually think there's a chance he makes the bench on Wednesday. Ajax are playing a amateur team in the Bekker (and incredibly- they sold out Johan Cruijff ArenA). I can't imagine any regulars starting so there will be lots of open places on the squad.
They're playing Spakenburg, which is the half of a global wide reputed derby with IJsselmeervogels. www.nytimes.com › spakenburg-derby-netherlands How a Global Reputation Is Changing an Amateur Derby ... - Vertaal deze pagina 24 jan. 2019 - A Copa90 documentary in 2016 labeled IJsselmeervogels-Spakenburg the “world's biggest amateur derby (probably).” In the village, they ...
Mendez looked pretty good in those clips. Very active, good runs and showing for ball in and around the box, successful in tight spaces, and a number of good passes. He dribbled and got the ball to the goal score of the first goal and picked up a loose ball, dealt with pressure, and made the pass to the guy drawing the PK. His defensive work looks better but still needs to continue to improve. Also, could benefit from cleaning up his touches when dribbling in tight space. Over all, it looks like he has made progress. Nice to see him getting the extended minutes. Hope it continues.
Nice to see Mendez make a difference. He made a nice thru ball on the penalty play... and the actual PK was text-book. I would be surprised if he got any 1st team action this season after the slow start unless he shows some serious consistency over the next couple of months. Some guys just take a bit longer to develop... hoping Alex is one of them.
It's a positive sign that he played a full '90 in a game that took them top of the league. If he keeps progressing, it's not hard to imagine an Ajax debut at 20 years old. For perspective, Robert Lewandowski made his top flight debut in Poland at age 20. Not saying their careers will be the same, but it goes to say that not all the top players will break out as teenagers. Some just need more time, especially in the Ajax system.
sadly some of his appearances havent had enough touches to merit an all touches video. hope he keeps gaining momentum and starts skyrocketing up the depth chart this winter.
So, one of the things that interests me, as an outsider and someone relatively unfamiliar with the Dutch league(s), is the Ajax/Jong Ajax set-up, and what that implies for both teams/rosters and our YA players. {See also PSV/Jong PSV.} For discussion purposes, here's the schedule: Mo 1/13 Jong PSV 0-0 Jong Ajax [Dest 90, Mendez 90, No Pierie, Pynadath 13] Su 1/19 Ajax 2-1 Sparta [Dest DNP, Pierie DNP] Mo 1/20 Jong Ajax 2-0 Dordecht [Mendez 90, Pierie 90, Pynadath suspended] ^ Last three | Next three v We 1/22 Ajax Sparkenberg [KNVB Cup] Fr 1/24 NEC v Jong Ajax Su 1/26 Groningen Ajax
Just looked up Didier Drogba: at 20 he was playing for Le Mans FC in the French Ligue 2. In fact, at 24 he was still at Le Mans, still in Ligue 2.
It's interesting too with the amount of youth players who are away at various competitions/qualifiers plus throwing in European matches. A lot of playing time has to do with who is available.
Dunno if I understood it correctly, but in this article the rules are explained for the Young teams and the young team players for playing matches in our second tier. Use google translate. If something reads a bit odd, it could be the wanky Google translate algorythm. In that case tag me with the quoting of the suspicious translation. https://psv.supporters.nl/nieuws/ar...nteams-in-Keuken-Kampioen-Divisie-versoepeld'
We do realize one data point doesn’t make the argument? Statistics show if you aren’t producing by the age of ~20, there’s not much hope for you (for a high level player). So, he’s got about a year still. Unfortunately, he’s at a club where there are better players than him who are 16/17
Can you actually provide that statistic and cite it? Perhaps a % of Top 5 League players and when they made their first team debut and at what level? What does production here even mean? I am not Mendez' biggest fan, and yes, top players do tend to succeed early, but I think there's probably a decent number of players in the Top 5 leagues who didn't start at an Eredivisie-level club by 20. Of course, that's a small % of total players, but that's true of any prospect. Is it X% by 20? Or is it 21? Or 22? A year makes a big difference at this level. Either way, he's at Ajax now; he just needs to work his butt off to impress.
Don't check me on this but I am pretty sure Miroslav Klose had never even seen a soccer ball at age 20.
I noticed in the first U- 20 World Cup game, his game dropped significantly as the game went into the second half. They probably noticed he had fitness level issues and has improved it. Kiki Pierre cant get into Ajax side right now either.