20 Feb 2014: Ajax - FC Red Bull Salzburg

[paladinby]

So we can't get a shot against a team with a plan and an execution. Anyone knows why Schøne is benched?

[saddlerian]

Bit of a lesson for Frank de Boer I reckon. These guys have done their homework and are pressuring us in all the right places, and we don't have a plan B to get the ball over the halfway line.

Make you wonder what the Eredivisie coaches are doing.....if it's this "easy" to outdo Ajax, why aren't they all doing it?

We saw 2 "Premier League....the best league in the world"..DECIMATED this week...looks like the 3rd decimation's on the cards here!!!

[Orange14]

I feel sorry for anyone who paid money to sit in the Arena to watch this one. They have more speed and better ball handling skills than Ajax. The build from the back has totally broken down because of the pressure and there is no plan B. Klaassen and de Jong are doing nothing to help break up the pressure. Sigthorrson is useless against this kind of a team. Just really bad!

[SPL]

Ajax are shellshocked, so am I. At least we wont have to worry about Thursday nights getting in the way of winning the title. We can play a reserve team next week with Fword coming up after that.

[Tom_]

Kind of amusing how simply they've undone our system of holding on to the ball. Four players pressing our back four when we're in possession and we can't get it out of our half. I expect they'll wind it back a bit in the second half but the job is already done.

Interesting approach, I guess it's based on physicality and intensity, so there's no reason eredivisie teams couldn't do it to us as well—although they probably wouldn't finish the chances off so efficiently.

[kezme44]

what an absolute clusterfuck in the first 45 mins. get duarte of the field asap, he can't defend for shit.

btw, im glad to find out there is someone else in this forum who is in pharma drug development. Orange14, i'm in clinical r&d with a biotech here in north jersey

[saddlerian]

We can play a reserve team next week with Fword coming up after that.

I think this shows just how small a squad Ajax have got!!! If we play a reserve side next week...do we have to get permission for them to stay out late...they are young!!!!!

[Orange14]

Bit of a lesson for Frank de Boer I reckon. These guys have done their homework and are pressuring us in all the right places, and we don't have a plan B to get the ball over the halfway line.

Make you wonder what the Eredivisie coaches are doing.....if it's this "easy" to outdo Ajax, why aren't they all doing it?

None of the teams in the league have the necessary quickness to play this kind of pressure which is why FdB has adopted the tactics he has. It works in the league but cannot work when he plays quality opposition. We are just a mediocre team in a very average football league. The only reason we are in first place is that every other team is worse than we are.

[Van basten]

0-3 and we still playing back to Cillessen. When we'll start go forward? when it's gonna be 0-7? Pathetic fuc*s. Can't say that i'm very surprised. Everyone knows, that we're a joke in europe. the fact that we're leaders of eredivisie says how 'strong'' dutch league is at the moment.

[Orange14]

what an absolute clusterfuck in the first 45 mins. get duarte of the field asap, he can't defend for shit.

btw, im glad to find out there is someone else in this forum who is in pharma drug development. Orange14, i'm in clinical r&d with a biotech here in north jersey

Cool, I will PM you.

[Venezuelan Ajacied]

A big fat WTF! is the only thing I can say.....

[Manneken Pis]

These guys are fast and putting on an incredible amount of pressure. They were banking on that early goal, because they can't possibly keep this up (without some magic drugs).

Or a certain energy drink ....

[Van basten]

It's impossible to watch. Commentator laughs from this team of clowns.

[Tom_]

Orange, at least your job's a bit easier tonight. No need to rate anyone other than Cillessen and our back four, since none of the others have been involved in the game...

[Manneken Pis]

Blind should have gotten a red there ...

[King Litti]

We haven't shown even the smallest sign of a come back. It feels it's going to be more likely 0-4 than 1-3. I'd like to know what is our passing %. They really don't seem to be able to put passes together. Looks like it's not going to be more than a tourist trip to Austria.

[Manneken Pis]

Blind should have gotten a red there ...

...and another yellow ....

[Tom_]

We are just a mediocre team in a very average football league. The only reason we are in first place is that every other team is worse than we are.

I agree of course, but for once I think this is a significant tactical failing. For example, you can see someone like Feyenoord doing better against these guys because they have more of a 'target man' approach.

[Van basten]

HUGE fail by FdB. Even with our weak team we could do better. Another disgraceful performance in europe.

[Orange14]

FdB's tactical approach which seems to work decently in the Eredivisie was torn to shreds tonight as Red Bull thoroughly dominated the match. I don't think their keeper had to make a save until stoppage time. They were too quick and had much better ball skills than this Ajax team has. The selection that included Duarte, de Jong and Sigthorrson was doomed to fail because those three players are just too slow for the positions they were asked to play. Why Klaassen was taken off and not de Jong late in the 2nd half is one of the eternal mysteries that only FdB knows the answer to. There is no way this team scores four goals in Salzburg unless two or more players get sent off and as such this year's European adventure is likely to come to a crashing conclusion. The coaching staff needs to think long and hard about what type of team they want to put on the pitch. If all they want to aspire to is a league championship then maybe this approach works. If they want to go back to Ajax attacking football it certainly will not inspire anybody.

Ratings:

FdB (manager) (1) - wrong tactics, wrong players, poor performance

Cillessen (5.5) - maybe shouldn't have given up the chipped goal but that happens even to the best keepers
Duarte (2) - I'm getting the feeling that we paid for a player who is just not very good regardless of where he plays
Moisander (5) - decent nothing more
Veltman (5) - after conceding the penalty he settled down and was decent
van Rhijn (4.5) - really needed to be a force going forward to create something; he didn't
Blind (5) - maybe should have been sent off for the challenge in the second half; over matched for the first time in midfield
Klaassen (4) - aside from one really nice tackle to break up a play did nothing
de Jong (3) - absolutely useless until a late try in stoppage time; should never play midfield for this club again
Fischer (3.5) - could not recognize that he was getting double and triple teamed each time he tried to do anything
Sigthorrson (2) - the sooner he leaves this club the better; only good against mid-table Dutch teams
Bojan (4.5) - best of all the attackers which isn't saying much
Poulsen (5) - decent match coming on to allow Blind to move out to fullback
Kishna (3.5) - thrown into a den of wolves and didn't know what to do though honestly he's not quite ready for this level
Andersen (4.5) - had a couple of nice touches but should have replaced de Jong

Let's see if they can regroup for AZ this weekend. This was an embarrassment, plain and simple!

[SPL]

Dreadful football by Ajax , 3-0 down and all Moisander and Veltman can do is pass to each other.

When I said a reserve team next week I did not mean play the Jong .

V D Hart

Ligeon V d Hoorn Denswil Riedewald

Andersen, Poulsen Duarte

De Sa , Kishna plus say Fischer !

The tie is over and we should play our fringe first teamers. Sana would not get in my side as he is crap for Jong and Vermeer would not get in any team of mine .

[SPL]

Very fair ratings Oranje. I agree about Siggy he needs to go and Siem at present is just useless . Hoesen should have stayed , he may not be great but he is certainly better than those 2. Riedewald would have been a better bet at LB even though he is an inexperienced kid . We get rid of Koppers and Dijks and with Blind now aMF we have just the injury prone Boilesen at LB with a 17 year old as back up .

Only good thing we have Az on sunday and they are playing tonight so wont be fresh

[Orange14]

Riedewald would have been a better bet at LB even though he is an inexperienced kid . We get rid of Koppers and Dijks and with Blind now aMF we have just the injury prone Boilesen at LB with a 17 year old as back up .

At least Dijks is getting first team football at Heerenveen and will return for next season. I really wish Boilesen could solve the hamstring problems.

[saddlerian]

When I said a reserve team next week I did not mean play the Jong .

V D Hart

Ligeon V d Hoorn Denswil Riedewald

Andersen, Poulsen Duarte

De Sa , Kishna plus say Fischer !

The tie is over and we should play our fringe first teamers. Sana would not get in my side as he is crap for Jong and Vermeer would not get in any team of mine .

Only one problem with this side....what IF...and it's a MASSIVE if, Salburg decide to rest many of their squad and the above actually win?

We can but dream!!!!

[Philippe]

A total lack of motivation, that's all. On the contrary these red bull guys looked quite sharp. Good news : we can focus on the Dutch league. Bad news for our UEFA ranking. Who cares for this stupid Europa League ?