UEFA European League Qualifying Round Ajax - Jablonec

[Orange14]

So we have maybe 70% possession and our midfielders hardly have any touches at all. This match is again sleep inducing and I can hardly stay awake. I don't know why Milik was carded as I don't think it was simulation. He tripped as he made his run and got right back up and got the ball; strange call. I guess we have to hope the defense holds up and we get a 0-0 draw and go through that way. Sure does not look like we have any clue how to score.

[Orange14]

Hopefully in the second half we'll play MORE long balls and early crosses. Can't wait!

You too can be an Ajax manager! You have the tactics down to a concise statement!!!!

[SPL]

Only just got in so at least I will see the 2nd half.0-0 will be good enough.

[Tom_]

So we have maybe 70% possession and our midfielders hardly have any touches at all.

Seems like when we have the ball there's often a huge gap in the centre between our two defenders and the midfielders. I don't know if this is a deliberate tactical choice or not. I'm surprised Klaassen and Sinkgraven aren't dropping back there to pick up a pass from Veltman/Riedewald.

[Dave the mac]

Got busy at work... Bazoer sent off and a PK off the post?... a not good.

[Dave the mac]

Well that was close.... Through to the group stage anyway.

[SPL]

Bit of a soft penalty and thank goodness they missed. we struggled through against a very poor side and even with 10 men we created more chances,well half chances.Kept on waiting for us to make a silly defensive mistake but thankfully we are now through to the group stages and are seeded.

[Orange14]

Well this certainly was not the way we expected a 0-0 match to turn out. Major props to the 10 men who finished the game for Ajax. They defended with heart and even threatened on offense when the opportunity arose. Kenny Tete gave a clinic in how a fullback should play. Of course this also exposed the failed first half tactics of English long ball big time. These matches are decided by the away goal and Ajax really needed to get one of those in the first half and put the match to bed. Alas, this was not to be as FdB presented an inferior tactical plan tonight. There was some reasonably nice football in the second half with some passing in the midfield for a change until Bazoer got sent off with his second yellow card (I couldn't remember the first maybe it was in the first half when they put me to sleep with the incessant poor play). At any rate Ajax are through and Thursday night football continues for the group stage.

Player Ratings:

Cillessen (7.5) - solid game and I think he had the penalty saved which would have been his first PK save ever in a competitive match; kicked exceeding well
Dijks (7) - crosses were not quite as good but defended well down the stretch
Riedewald (6) - deduction for the foolish Yellow card and hand ball even though it was inadvertent
Veltman (7.5) - solid, mistake free match
Tete (8) - opponents will start thinking twice about attacking down the Ajax right defensive side
Gudelj (6.5) - very poor first half and came up big on defense in the second
Bazoer (1) - games like this will lead him to the bench quickly, no redeeming play of any kind and one should never go in recklessly carrying a Yellow card in a knockout match
Klaassen (6) - didn't see much of the ball in the first half but put in the defensive shift down the stretch
Sinkgraven (5) - did little of import and subbed off for Fischer
Milik (6) - worked hard and tried to get free on long balls but this is not Ajax's game
el Ghazi (6.5) - did his defensive job well and almost got free a couple of times in the second half
Fischer (6.5) - looked good in the second half and maybe is now ready to step in as a starter
van Rhijn (6) - on for Milik to steel up the midfield

At home to ADO this Sunday and this could be a tricky fixture as ADO have started off strong.

[Orange14]

So we have maybe 70% possession and our midfielders hardly have any touches at all.

Seems like when we have the ball there's often a huge gap in the centre between our two defenders and the midfielders. I don't know if this is a deliberate tactical choice or not. I'm surprised Klaassen and Sinkgraven aren't dropping back there to pick up a pass from Veltman/Riedewald.

That's the whole problem. No movement to create passing lanes. However, we did see this in the first 10 minutes of the second half prior to Bazoer's Red Card. I think it had to be tactical in the first half with all the cross field long balls. It was clear that this wasn't working and maybe FdB figured they should go the Plan B.

[Tom_]

Well I think we will be in pot 1 for the Europa League draw so let's hope we have a chance at still being in the competition after the winter break. Seems like our play can't keep getting worse like it is at the moment: at some point we have to hit the bottom and bounce back!

Meanwhile PSV got a pretty tough-looking group in the CL despite being in pot 1. The commentators have been making a lot of noise about the steadily declining UEFA coefficient for the KNVB. From my understanding if it continues there will not be an automatic spot in the Champions' League group stage in a couple of seasons. Sad times

[Cruijff]

Yes if I did not get confused about the ranking I think we are in pot 1 so could perhaps draw Southampton or other Premier League team for example Liverpool who are lower on the ranking list.

Dumb red card by Bazoer, but hey the guy is 18 years old so will be forgiven to do some dumb things as long as it does not cost us a season in Europe.

Look forward to the EL, much nicer competition than Champions League and with any luck very cool exotic city trips to away games upcoming.

[SPL]

Good night for the Dutch as AZ won 2-0 and qualify. As for the Dutch coefficients I think we are ok for next season with 2CL teams,but not sure about 2017/18.For 2018/19 I did read we would be down to 1 CL and they would be in the qualifiers.Someone needs to get to a final this season and I dont see that happening.

[Orange14]

Look forward to the EL, much nicer competition than Champions League and with any luck very cool exotic city trips to away games upcoming.

Yes, especially that trip to Kazan!

[Cruijff]

For the qualification that club from Moldova was my favourite. I'm actually not so many kilometers away from Moldova right now, by the way.

[Frans]

Yes if I did not get confused about the ranking I think we are in pot 1 so could perhaps draw Southampton or other Premier League team for example Liverpool who are lower on the ranking list.

...

No need to worry about this - Looks like Koeman is working his magic again.

Can anyone remember a club he has left in a better position than when he joined?

[SPL]

At Southampton all their good players are being sold and I read today Koeman is not bothering with their academy kids.He will be lucky to last the season.

Vitesse,Ajax,Benfica Psv Valencia,AZ Fword have been his clubs and no he has not left them in a better state although he did win the title with us,in both 2001/2 and 2003/4. We struggled in 2004/5 when he resigned. Took 6 more years for us to win it again.

[SPL]

Its Celtic,Molde and Fenerbahce Not a bad draw, we could have got some really tough teams in all the other pots.Surely we can finish ahead of Molde and Celtic.

[Orange14]

I wonder when the last time (if ever) Ajax played against van Persie? He was in England so long with Arsenal and then ManU. I cannot remember us playing against either of those teams when he was on their roster. I guess it would have been over a decade ago when he was still with Feyenoord. Anyway the Fenerbeche matches ought to be quite entertaining.

[Manneken Pis]

I wonder when the last time (if ever) Ajax played against van Persie?

It was 2007 in the Amsterdam Tournament (or doesn't that count?).
I know 'cause I was there. And he scored the only goal of the game.

[Van basten]

We played against Arsenal with Van Persie in 2005/2006 Ch. League group stage.